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Will anyone in Montreal support a team that has now lost 90 games in four straight seasons? The average attendance was just a little over 7,600 per game. Swapping Felipe Alou for Jeff Torborg, losing general manager Jim Beattie and appointing Larry Beinfest to the post doesn't solve any problems yet. These are temporary solutions for an uncertain future.
2B Jose Vidro, on the Expos' needs:
"We need to do some acquisitions in the offseason to be better. Once again, it's the same old story. We need another power outfielder. Maybe one or two more guys in the bullpen. And we need a leadoff guy. If we get that guy, it's going to be a lot different."
Best Pitcher: Javier Vazquez. The 25-year-old right-hander, who suffered several broken bones in his right eye socket in a
season-ending beaning on Sept. 17, is on his way to becoming a 20-game winner. Vazquez pitched 200-plus innings for the second straight season, going 16-11 with a 3.42 ERA in 32 starts. Vazquez displayed Pedro Martinez-like numbers from Aug. 12 to Sept. 7, winning six straight decisions while allowing just three earned runs in 41 innings.
Best Position Player: Vladimir Guerrero. With his 34 homers and 37 steals, Guerrero became the first player in Expos history to reach the 30-30 mark. Guerrero's average (.307) slipped 38 points from 2000 and his slugging percentage (.566) fell almost 100 points, but he still managed to drive in 100-plus runs and score 100-plus runs for the fourth consecutive season. Guerrero slugged his first career grand slam on July 1, ending a streak of 154 homers (2,455 at-bats) without a slam.
Grading the Manager(s): Did the managerial change make a big difference? Not really. The Expos fired Felipe Alou on May 31 with a 21-32 record. Owner Jeffrey Loria appointed Jeff Torborg and the club went 47-62. Olympic Stadium wasn't jumping until July 15, when the Red Sox faithful showed up for a three-game series. Grades: Alou: C; Torborg, C+. Changing managers on a team with so many holes wasn't the answer.
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Expos 2000-01 comparison
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2000
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2001
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W-L
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67-95
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68-94
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HR leader
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Guerrero, 44
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Guerrero, 34
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BA leader
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Guerrero, .345
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Vidro, .319
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ERA
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Vazquez, 4.05
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Vazquez, 3.42
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Most Improved: Expo Iron Man Orlando Cabrera, who played in all 162 games. The 26-year-old shortstop had a career year, batting .276 with 14 homers and 19 steals. Cabrera was second only to Guerrero in hits (173) and doubles (41). His 96 RBI ranked second in the league among shortstop behind San Francisco's Rich Aurilia, who had 97. Cabrera's .986 fielding percentage (11 errors in 772 chances) led the league.
Biggest Weakness: Montreal's offensive output was utterly anemic. The Expos finished dead last in the NL in homers (131) and ranked near the bottom in virtually every offensive category. Expos leadoff hitters were unable to set the table for the big guys, batting just .252 with six homers and 49 RBI. Other weak spots, offensively speaking, include left field, third base and catcher. Left fielders had a .253 average with 13 homers and 52 RBI, falling well below the NL average of .280, 30 homers and 93 RBI. Third-base production, devastated by the absence of Fernando Tatis, was abysmal: .235, 12, 75. The Expos again fell short at catcher, batting .248 with 10 homers and 53 RBI.
Gaining Momentum: The starting rotation. Vazquez, the certified ace, will make a bid to become an All-Star in 2002. Guerrero will finally have someone to join him at the Midsummer Classic. Tony Armas Jr. went 9-14 with a 4.03 ERA in a team-high 34 starts in his first full major-league season, falling just short of 200 innings. If Carl Pavano (1-6, 6.33 in eight starts) can shake his injury woes, the Expos look pretty solid in the first three spots. Scott Strickland's versatility as set-up man or closer and Graeme Lloyd, who set a new team record for appearances by a lefty (84), anchor the bullpen.
Kicked Off the Island: The Dec. 14, 2000 trade that sent reliever Steve Kline and starter Dustin Hermanson to the Cardinals for third baseman Fernando Tatis and pitcher Britt Reames couldn't look worse. Tatis played in only 41 games because of a right shoulder strain, hitting .255 with two homers and 11 RBI. Reames (4-8, 5.59) lost eight straight decisions from April 25 to June 1, then got demoted to Triple-A Ottawa.
Marty Bernoski is an associate editor at ESPN.com
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