The Numbers

2001 record: 68-94, .420 (tied for 23rd overall) 2001 expected record*: 66-96 Runs scored: 670, 14th in NL Runs allowed: 812, 12th in NL Run differential: -142 (27th overall) Starters' ERA: 4.76, 12th in NL Bullpen ERA: 4.56, 13th in NL Payroll (Opening Day): $34.8 million (28th overall) Local broadcast revenue: $536,000 (30th overall) Attendance: 642,745 (30th overall) 3-year record: 203-283, .418 (29th overall) 5-year record: 346-464, .427 (29th overall) * based on runs scored and runs allowed

2001 in review
What went right?
The team started 6-1. Vladimir Guerrero (.308, 34 HRs, 37 SBs) and Jose Vidro (.319, 15 HR) had very good years again, although not as good as 2000. Shortstop Orlando Cabrera emerged and drove in 96 runs (fourth among major-league shortstops) and won a Gold Glove. Javier Vazquez was the best pitcher in baseball the second half (9-2, 1.60) and finished 16-11, 3.42. Tony Armas' first full year in the bigs was a success with a 4.03 ERA and 176 K's in 196 innings. The Olympic Stadium roof did not collapse (although it does leak).

What went wrong
Offseason acquisition Fernando Tatis missed most of the year with a rotator cuff injury. Youngsters Michael Barrett (.250, .289) and Peter Bergeron (.211, .275 OBP) were abysmal at the plate. Hideki Irabu made only three starts and later showed up too drunk to pitch at a rehab start in Triple-A. Longtime manager Felipe Alou was fired on May 31 with the team's record at 21-32. Attendance plummeted more than 30 percent (the largest one-season drop in the majors since the 1964-65 Milwaukee Braves) and six minor-league teams outdrew the Expos. Two days after the World Series, baseball announced it would contract two teams. Nobody doubts the Expos would be one of the teams if contraction ever happens.

In retrospect, the critical decisions were:
1. The trade for Tatis and Britt Reames (Montreal gave up Steve Kline and Dustin Hermanson) backfired -- at least for 2001. Tatis was hurt and Reames was awful (4-8, 5.59). Kline, meanwhile, was one of the top relievers in baseball, going 3-3 with a 1.80 ERA and nine saves.

2. Firing Felipe Alou. Predictably, this raised more stink than a cesspool. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Alou's biggest weakness as a manager has always been his like of free-swingers at the plate (or inability to teach patience). From 1993-2000, the Expos ranked 4th, 5th, last, next-to-last, next-to-last, last, last and last in the National League in walks. The Expos actually showed improvement in 2001, ranking 13th. However, the team's walk rate actually declined under new manager Jeff Torborg. Until Alou was fired, the Expos drew a walk every 12.1 plate appearances; under Torborg, the rate was one walk every 12.7 plate appearances. So, if Torborg moves to the Marlins with owner Jeffrey Loria, maybe that's a good thing (unless you're a Marlins fan).

3. Trading Ugueth Urbina to the Red Sox. Montreal got Tomo Ohka and a good prospect in pitcher Rich Rundles, although they actually had to pay part of Urbina's salary.

Looking ahead to 2002
Two key questions
1. Will this be the lamest of lame-duck seasons? Most likely, yes. The Expos will apparently be run by MLB this year. Frank Robinson may manage the team. The Major League Scouting Bureau may run the team's draft and scouting operations. After the season, the team will likely be contracted or moved elsewhere. As dismal as attendance was last season (642,000) -- the lowest in the majors in a non-strike season since the '79 Oakland A's drew 306,000 -- it will probably be even worse this year.

2. Hey, will the team actually be any good? The Expos could be better than most people think. Guerrero and Vidro should put up better numbers. If Tatis is healthy and in shape, he's one of the best-hitting third basemen in the game. If starters Carl Pavano and Tomo Ohka make 30+ starts apiece, the rotation could actually be very solid. A major key will be improved production from center field (Peter Bergeron) and left field (Brad Wilkerson).

Stats Corner
Javier Vazquez (above) has lowered his ERA each year in the majors: 6.06 to 5.00 to 4.05 to 3.42. Vazquez's K/BB ratio of 4.73 was sixth-best among all major-league starters, behind only Curt Schilling, Greg Maddux, Brad Radke, Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina. Vladimir Guerrero led the majors with 24 ground into double plays and was second with 16 caught stealings. Pitcher Mike Thurman was 1-for-42 (.024) at the plate and is now 4-for-131 (.031) in his career.

Can expect to play better
Pavano returned from elbow problems late in the year to make eight starts (6.33 ERA). But after giving up 16 runs his first two starts, he pitched at least six innings his last five starts and gave up 13 runs. Guerrero's .943 OPS was his lowest since his rookie year. Tatis should be more productive.

Can expect to play worse
Lee Stevens' slugging percentages since: 1997: .514, .512, .485, .481, .452. Not a good trend.

Projected lineup
CF Peter Bergeron
2B Jose Vidro
RF Vladimir Guerrero
1B Lee Stevens
SS Orlando Cabrera
3B Fernando Tatis
LF Brad Wilkerson / Geoff Blum
C Michael Barrett

Rotation
Javier Vazquez
Tony Armas
Tomo Okha
Carl Pavano
Masato Yoshii / Britt Reames

Closer
Scott Strickland

A closer look
Since this may be the last Hot Stove Heater ever written about the Montreal Expos, in honor of their 33 years of existence, we present 33 random notes, factoids and memories about the franchise:

1. Highest point in Expos history: Steve Rogers beats the Dodgers 4-1 in Game 3 of the 1981 NLCS to give the Expos a 2-1 series lead, one win away from the World Series.

2. Lowest point in Expos history: Blue Monday. Rogers comes on in relief in the ninth inning of Game 5 with the score tied 1-1. Rick Monday hits a two-out home run that wins the game for the Dodgers.

3. Or ... September 1991, when a huge cement beam collapsed at Olympic Stadium, forcing the team to play its remaining games on the road.

4. Or ... the Expos had the best record in baseball in 1994 (74-40) when the strike hit. They had gone 20-3 over their previous 23 games.

5. Best unknown player in baseball during the 1980s: Tim Raines. From 1983-1987, Total Baseball rates Raines as one of the NL's five best players each season.

6. Expos retired numbers: Gary Carter, No. 8; Rusty Staub and Andre Dawson, No. 10.

7. No-hitters: Bill Stoneman (April 17, 1969 at Philadelphia); Bill Stoneman (Oct. 2, 1972 vs. New York); Charlie Lea (May 10, 1981 vs. San Francisco); David Palmer (April 21, 1984 at St. Louis -- five innings, perfect game); Pascual Perez (Sept. 24, 1988 at Philadephia -- five innings). Also, Mark Gardner pitched nine no-hit innings against the Dodgers on July 26, 1991 before allowing a hit in the 10th.

8. Two days after Gardner's game (which he lost), Dennis Martinez beat the Dodgers with a perfect game.

9. Almost perfect: Pedro Martinez pitched nine perfect innings at San Diego on June 3, 1995 before allowing a hit in the 10th.

10. In 1983, the Expos finished second in the National League in attendance (2,320,651).

11. First season the Expos finished last in the National Leauge in attendance: 1991.

12. Only six Expos have ever hit 30 homers in one season: Vladimir Guerrero (four times); Henry Rodriguez, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter, Larry Parrish and Rusty Staub (once each).

13. How good will Guerrero be? According to baseball-reference.com, the 10 most similar to Guerrero through age 25: Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Del Ennis, Hal Trosky, Juan Gonzalez, Ken Griffey Jr., Jim Rice and Goose Goslin.

14. Longest game: 1-0 loss at home to the Dodgers on August 23, 1989. Rick Dempsey homered off Dennis Martinez in the top of the 22nd inning.

15. Youppi!

16. Ross Grimsley, who didn't bathe on days he pitched, in 1978 remains the only 20-game winner in franchise history.

17. Jarry Park. The team's original home was supposed to be temporary, but lasted eight seasons, until the team moved into Olympic Stadium in 1977.

18. Pete Rose. Collected 4,000th career hit while wearing an Expos uniform in 1984.

19. No Expo has an MVP Award. Gary Carter finished second in the voting in 1980, Andre Dawson finished second in 1981 and 1983 and Moises Alou finished third in 1994.

20. Best trade in franchise history: Pedro Martinez acquired from Dodgers for Delino DeShields in 1994. Martinez wins only Cy Young in Expos history in 1997.

21. Or ... Acquired Dennis Martinez from the Orioles for infielder Rene Gonzalez.

22. Worst trade in franchise history: Ken Singleton and Mike Torrez traded to Baltimore after 1974 season for Dave McNally, Rich Coggins and Bill Kirkpatrick (none lasted even two months with the Expos).

23. Or ... Fighting for a playoff spot in 1989, Montreal traded a young left-hander named Randy Johnson for Mark Langston. Team collapsed in September and finished 81-81 and Langston left as a free agent just a few months later.

24. Ellis Valentine's arm. Valentine and fellow outfielder Warren Cromartie each had 24 assists in 1978.

25. The 1980 pennant race. The Expos and Phillies entered the final series of the year tied for first with three games at Montreal. The Phillies won the opener 2-1 as Mike Schmidt hit a sixth-inning homer off Scott Sanderson. The Phillies clinched the next day with a 6-4 win as Schmidt hit a two-run homer in the 11th off Stan Bahnsen.

26. First winning season: 1979. Montreal won 23 games in September and finished 95-65, two games behind Pittsburgh.

27. Le Grand Orange: Rusty Staub played only three full seasons in Montreal (1969-1971, part of 1979) but was one of most popular Expos in history.

28. Kid K: Rookie right-hander Bill Gullickson fanned 18 batters on Sept. 10, 1980, a major-league record for rookies until Kerry Wood fanned 20 in 1998.

29. The great sell-off. Following the 1994 strike, the Expos lost Larry Walker to free agency and traded away outfielder Marquis Grissom and pitchers Ken Hill and John Wetteland.

30. Most unbreakable record: Ron Hunt set a major-league record in 1971 when he was hit by 51 pitches.

31. That hat. The tri-colored red, white and blue one.

32. Best defensive player: Andre Dawson won six Gold Gloves.

33. Have won as many World Series since 1918 as the Red Sox and Cubs combined (0).

David Schoenfield is the baseball editor at ESPN.com. He can be reached at david.schoenfield@espn.com.