2004 | mebf

2004 Montreal Expos

Manager: Frank Robinson (67-95) 67-95, Finished 5th in NL East

Attendance: 749,550 (16th of 16)

Ballpark: Big O and Estadio Hiram Bithorn (Puerto Rico)

Scores: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MON/2004-schedule-scores.shtml

Highlights: Horrible year the last year of this version of the Expos. I was there with 4000 people in the stands.

Last place 29 games behind.

I was there the last game when golf balls where thrown at the Expos, the US National athemn was booed, I fixed that real fast. Brad in tears and the field being consoled by Claude Raymond. This should have never happened.

July 31, 2004: Orlando Cabrera was traded as part of a 4-team trade by the Expos to the Boston Red Sox. The Chicago Cubs sent Brendan Harris, Alex Gonzalez, and Francis Beltrán to the Expos. The Red Sox sent Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton to the Cubs. The Minnesota Twins sent Doug Mientkiewicz to the Red Sox. The Cubs sent Justin Jones (minors) to the Twins.

As the Expos entered the season MLB was stepping up efforts to find them a permanent home. Without Vladimir Guerrero the Expos would get off to a dreadful start losing 11 of their first 13 games. The Expos would not make their Stade Olympique debut until April 23rd as they even struggled to draw fans first 9 home games in San Juan. Even in Montreal their struggles would continue as they ended April with a terrible 5-19 record. The Expos would continue to struggle in May and June as Washington began to emerge as the favorite in the sweepstakes for the franchise. With the Expos in last place the Expos attendance was lower then ever, as in perhaps one of the most short sighted decisions MLB scheduled their final three games against the Toronto Blue Jays to be played in San Juan where they drew less then 9,000 in each game throwing away three potential big crowds in Montreal from vesting Blue Jays fans. In July with the call up of some prospects like Terrmel Sledge the Expos began to play better as they posted winning record in July and August. Also developing into a star was Brad Wilkerson who tied with Tony Batista for the team lead in Homers with 32, while Livan Hernandez led the team in wins with 11. With a chance to play spoiler the Expos would struggle in September as their days dwindled posting a 9-18 record. On September 29th hours before their final home game, a press conference would be held in Washington announcing the move. That night a season high 31,395 fans came out to the Big O to say good bye as the Expos lost to the Florida Marlins 9-1. Four days later the Expos would play their final game in the place where it all began 35 years earlier Shea Stadium as the Expos lost to the New York Mets 8-1, with Endy Chavez grounded out to 2nd Base for the final out, as the Expos finished in last place with a record of 67-95.-sportsecyclopedia.com