Continuing my series on former Montreal Expos that are still active, here’s a look at my all ex-Expos outfield. To qualify, players had to be drafted or signed by Montreal or have suited up for at least one game in the Expos organization.
In the coming weeks, I’ll also present my all ex-Expos pitching and coaching staffs.
Left Field: Jason Bay (New York Mets)
Selected by Montreal in the 22nd round of the 2000 amateur draft, this Trail, B.C. native spent two seasons with Class-A clubs in the Expos system before being dealt to the Mets on March 24, 2002. After toiling in the minors with the Mets and Padres, he was dealt to Pittsburgh in August 2003. Bay would belt 26 homers with the Pirates in 2004 to earn the National League Rookie of the Year honours. A two-time all-star in his five-plus seasons in Pittsburgh, the Canuck outfielder was shipped to the Red Sox at the trade deadline in 2008, where he replaced Manny Ramirez in Beantown. He recorded his fourth 30-homer, 100-RBI season while with the Bosox in 2009, before inking a four-year, $66-million deal with the Mets. His 192 career home runs rank as the fourth-most clubbed by a Canadian.
Centre Field: Grady Sizemore (Cleveland)
Before being hampered by injuries for much of the past three seasons, Sizemore was widely regarded as the best all-around player in baseball. Originally chosen by the Expos in the third round of the 2000 draft, the five-tool outfielder toiled in the Expos organization for three seasons. In one of the most lopsided deals in big league history, Sizemore was dealt to the Indians along with Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips and Lee Stevens for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew on June 27, 2002. In parts of eight seasons with the Tribe, the speedy outfielder has been selected to three all-star teams and won two Gold Gloves.
Right Field: Vladmir Guerrero (Baltimore)
Signed as a free agent by Montreal in 1993, this Dominican slugger evolved into the greatest player in Expos history. After spending parts of four seasons in the minors, Guerrero cracked Montreal’s big league roster to stay in 1997. In eight seasons with the Expos, he set franchise records in home runs (234), batting average (.323) and slugging percentage (.588) and was selected to four all-star teams. With the Expos franchise in limbo, Guerrero signed with Anaheim in January 2004 and promptly won the MVP award in his first American League season. The steady slugger toiled for Texas in 2010 and is suiting up for Baltimore this season. With 440 career homers, Guerrero could be the next player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame to be pictured in an Expos cap on their plaque.
Back-up outfielders: Milton Bradley (Free Agent), Juan Rivera (Toronto)
*Special thanks to Scott Crawford at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame for his statistical assistance for this article.
I think Vladdy will go in as a Halo.
You might be right, Tony. Thanks for the comment.
Quite an impressive trio – good homework Kevin. Gotta love Vlady … no batting gloves, swings from his you-know-what, violence in all of his cuts that resemble Gary Sheffield’s first-strike swings! Every at bat, every pitch, it is obvious that there is no doubt in his mind that he is going to hit it and hit it hard somewhere. He is the pinnacle of that old adage “Nobody walks off the island.” If he gets the call to Cooperstown, I’m hoping it is with the Expos le baseball logo!
Thanks for the comment, Tom. I can’t wait for Vladimir to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
I have to agree with the others about Guerrero. At age 36, he’s Baltimore’s team leader in hits so far this season. He rounds out a very impressive all-Expo outfield.
Excellent post, Kevin.
Thanks, Charles. I hope that Guerrero ends up in Cooperstown. He can still hit, but I’m not sure how many years he has left in the tank.
From Devon Teeple:
That is legit.
Could you imagine that outfield, healthy and in their prime?
WOW