Andre Dawson, Hall of Famer

Andre Dawson was about halfway through his time with the Expos when I was just being born in 1980. Point being, he was playing long before I started following baseball as much as I do now. However from what I have learned, and what his peers have said, he is more than a eligible to find his way into the Hall.

Even though by edict of the Hall he'll be the second player -- following Gary Carter -- to enter wearing a Montreal Expos cap.

It seems he wanted to wear a Cubs hat, but the Hall makes the decision, and chose Expos. I feel that is the correct call, as an Expos fan, and baseball fan. If he started off for 10 years in Chicago, then he should wear the Cubs hat.

Plenty more coverage to check, and video to watch:

Baseball Hall of Fame Andre Dawson holding his jersey pictured now.

What do Michael Jordan, Terry Francona and Ozzie Guillen have in common?

In short, Terry Francona managed Michael Jordan during his brief baseball stint. Ozzie Guillen was with the White Sox, so he spent time with Michael Jordan during Spring Training.

Michael Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons during the 1994 season. He played in 127 games, posting a .202 BA with 51 RBI, 51 BB, 30 SB (out of 48). Struck out 114 times out of 436 AB. He played in 119 games in the OF, primarily in right (not sure if he played elsewhere in the OF). He made 11 errors, but also had 6 assists. And posted a .952 fielding percentage.

Michael Jordan's minor league statistics at Baseball Reference

I've been meaning to write this post for a while. Found the following article prior to starting writing this.
Jordan's effort a marvel 15 years later
Also included is a link to a Michael Jordan baseball photo gallery.

A video about the bus Michael Jordan got for the team, with Terry Francona in it. Includes game footage.



Harry Caray interviewing Michael Jordan, and Michael playing at Wrigley in a White Sox/Cubs exhibition game. Also includes game footage. I think that is perhaps the only time Cubs fans have cheered for a White Sox player!


Tom Brokaw interview with Michael Jordan for MSNBC News. Game footage included as well.

Former Expo Michael Barrett signs Minor League Contract with Jays

As the title suggests, Michael Barrett, the former Expo (Cub and Padre), has been signed by the Toronto Blue Jays to a minor league contract, which includes an invite to Blue Jays Spring Training.

The last two seasons, especially last year he has missed many games due to being on the disabled list.

He had five complete seasons with the Expos, 1999 - 2003. His MLB debut came September 19, 1998. He then had three full seasons with the Cubs 2004 - 2006. He played in 57 games, starting 52, in 2007 with the Cubs before being traded to San Diego along with cash considerations for Rob Bowen and Kyler Burke. He then played in 44 games with the Padres, starting 31 to finish 2007.

Last year he managed to play in only 30 games, due to an elbow injury (missed 42 games), and broken nose (missed the last 76 games).

He is a fairly respectable catcher, I preferred him over Brian Schneider, when they were together as Expos teammates, not based on stats, just generally. He can put up respectable numbers as a catcher too, both offensively and defensively. MLB doesn't seem to have a percentage for runners he caught stealing (just the SB and CS), but I believe he is alright in that category. The scouting report says he is typically slow for a catcher. He put up some good RBI numbers with the Cubs, as it states in the same scouting report he is a proven run producer. The most games he started as a catcher came in 2001 with the Expos starting 129, then 119 in 2004, and 114 in 2005 both with the Cubs.

I believe if he has a good spring he'll definitely be competing with Rod Barajas for the number one catching position for the Jays. Rod Barajas had a really good year after taking over the number one job from Gregg Zaun who missed 55 games due to injury (fractured right thumb, 39, and right elbow inflammation 16). Zaun was unhappy how he wasn't even told he lost the number one catcher job, and the Blue Jays have no intention of resigning him, as he is a free agent.

Meanwhile, Brad Wilkerson remains a free agent.

I have probably mentioned this before, but Gregg Zaun was a Montreal Expo during Spring Training 2004. (January 13, 2004, Expos signed him to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. April 4, Montreal reassigned him to minor league camp. On April 8 he declined and opted for free agency. April 9 the Blue Jays signed him to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Syracuse. April 27 the Blue Jays purchased his contract from Triple-A Syracuse. During that time with Syracuse he played in 7 games, and had 23 ABs (he went 7 for 23 with 2BB).)

Free Agents on First Day Eligible

I am not a professional athlete, but find it interesting to see who has filed for free agency on the first day eligible. I suppose the main reason would be to test the market, see what offers come up. Which I suppose is true, however reasons you will not hear from players, at least the vast majority (read everyone save for Manny Ramirez!), would be that they are no longer happy where they are, do not like their current team, or are looking for more money.

65 players filed for free agency on the first day possible, the day after the World Series ended.

Topping the list is Manny Ramirez. Jason Varitek is on the list too. Ryan Dempster and Jim Edmonds from the Cubs are on the list. They obviously want a chance at a championship! Some more Red Sox and former Red Sox are on the list including Alex Cora, David Ross, Kevin Millar, and Eric Gagne.

Former Montreal Expo Brad Wilkerson is on the list as a Blue Jay.

My source is here. Numerous players have become free agents since the first day. See more here and here.

Walk off (to the postseason?)

Three interesting walk offs tonight with postseason implications. Starting with the most interesting.

That creepy guy in Milwaukee would have gone done that slide, as Ryan Braun hit a walk off grand slam to beat the Pirates 5-1 in the bottom of the tenth. Luckily people would have had something better to do, cheer as the Brewers remain tied for the NL Wildcard.

Next, possibly equal, or better, as far as importance goes, in that it moved them into the lead in the AL Central, the Twins topped a five run (down 6-1 at the end of the visiting half of the 4th) comeback with Alexi Casilla hitting a walk off single in the bottom of the 10th to take a 0.5 game lead. I was basing my decision on walk off hit, grand slam beating a single. Come to think of it, I should have chose this over Milwaukee, as I prefer the Twins, but oh well.

Finally, the Mets did it in the bottom of the 9th. Carlos Beltran singled on a line drive to right field, but not before being deflected by Micah Hoffpauir. So the Mets still have a chance at the division.

The Astros still have the slimmest of chance. At 3.5 games behind Milwaukee and New York, they'd have to win all four remaining games, while the Brewers and Mets would have to lose all three. The Astros have a rain delayed game on hand to play, if necessary (see my previous post).

So really all the teams are set save for either Minnesota and Chicago. And of course the match ups.

Kansas City visit the Twins for the final three games, while Cleveland visits the White Sox. The White Sox also have one game on hand, as they had one rain delayed game moved to the 29th as well (hosting Detroit).

So looks like the Los Angeles Angels will host Boston while the Rays will host either the White Sox or Twins. The Cubs will host the Brewers, Mets, or Phillies, and the Phillies or Mets could host the Dodgers.

So much for a brief post (as usual).

The havoc of rain

Rain, the very rain as described in my last blog post played havoc once again for the White Sox. Their Saturday doubleheader will be today (Sunday) instead. That will leave one game unplayed between the White Sox and Tigers. They will make up the final game once the regular season is over, if necessary. Former Expo (Yankee and Diamondback) was set to start the first game of the doubleheader Saturday, but will instead do so today on four days rest, as opposed to three. He'll be up against Justin Verlander. Game 2 of the split doubleheader will be John Danks (10-8, 3.44) versus Kenny Rogers (9-13, 5.49). Both lefties.

The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs are in a similar situation, however this is thanks to Hurricane Ike. The two (really three) postponed games will be played Sunday night and Monday afternoon in Milwaukee!

So the Astros will have travelled to Milwaukee from Houston. While it seems the Cubs never were in Houston. So they'll have had to travel from Chicago to Milwaukee. Which driving is only an hour and forty five minutes. The Cubs played in St. Louis Thursday, while Hosuton was at home hosting the Pirates.

Monday the Cubs go back to Chicago to host the Brewers and the Astros have to travel to Miami Gardens to play the Marlins.

The third makeup game of the series will be in Houston, Monday the 29th. The Astros will already be in town after six home games (three Cincinnati, three Atlanta), and the Cubs will travel from Milwaukee to Houston to end the regular season there.

This neutral site scenario reminds me of something similar that happened to the Expos in 2004. With the threat of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, the Marlins hosted the Expos for two games at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. These games happened September 13 and 14. I remember it as the Cubs fans would have been rooting for the Expos, to keep the Marlins away from the wildcard, and the White Sox fans would have been rooting for the Marlins, for obvious reasons, so the Cubs wouldn't win. Thus it made for an interesting game, as it would have been populated by Chicagoan's, rooting for alternating teams that were not their main team. The White Sox fans Marlins prevailed, as they won both games, 6-3 and 8-6 respectively.

For the Milwaukee residents that decide to go see either or both games, it should be interesting in who they root for, as they are sandwiched between the Astros and Cubs.

Currently it looks like this:


NL Central

               W-L      %     GB
Chicago        88-58   .603
Milwaukee      83-65   .561   6.0
Houston        80-67   .544   8.5

NL Wildcard

               W-L      %     GB
Milwaukee      83-65   .561   
Philadelphia   81-67   .547   2.0
Houston        80-67   .544   2.5
St. Louis      78-70   .527   5.0



Since Milwaukee has the wildcard, they'll more than likely be rooting for the Cubs to keep the Astros away from the wildcard. Milwaukee plays the Cubs three more times, in Chicago, so they could still win the division. Therefore if they want to win the division, they'll root for the Astros.

The Brewers have 14 games remaining, the Cubs have 16, and the Astros have 15. While the Phillies still have a chance at the division or wildcard have 14 remaining.

Quick words on the postseason

To be different, I'll start with a division that doesn't get talked about very much. At least compared to a certain right coast American League division.

NL West is a crapshoot, could be Arizona or Los Angeles. However only the division winner will make the postseason as .500 is not good enough for the wildcard.

NL Central, moving along, could very well be the Cubs (Completely Useless By September). They have started September well for said acronym (0-3). However at this rate two teams could make it from this division. Unless Philadelphia, St. Louis or Houston start gaining more ground. Looks like Houston may have a chance.

NL East will probably only have one postseason team, I think the Mets will probably hold on from what little I know about them recently.

AL West, Los Angeles is what's happening.

AL Central probably has the best race, as they are teams with better than .500 records. Despite that, looks like it will be only Minnesota or the White Sox, as .550 for the Twins amounts to 5.5 GB in the AL Wildcard

AL East, the division no one talks about, is Tampa Bay, Sox could challenge. I'd like to see the Twins gain in the wild card, so only the Rays are in from the AL East. I am sort of indifferent about the White Sox, since Orlando Cabrera is with them, then okay, but mostly I would not mind seeing them fall out of postseason contention, but that would mean the Yankees would have to win the wildcard, or the Jays. I'd rather see the White Sox in the postseason than the Yankees (and Red Sox). Jays (and Yankees) could still make the postseason, but would pretty much have to win every game, and hope Boston and Minnesota (or CWS) lost most.

St. Louis Cardinals reunion in Toronto

Round 2 of interleague play is now underway.

In Toronto a small Cardinals reunion is happening now through Sunday. Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and David Eckstein were teammates in St. Louis. Edmonds now playing with the Cubs, while Rolen and Eckstein are playing with the Blue Jays. Of note, another little reunion is Reed Johnson now with the Cubs, coming back to Toronto for the first time after being released by the Jays.

I wrote a blog entry about Jim Edmonds earlier this season. He was acquired by San Diego, and released about a month and ten days into the regular season after struggling offensively and defensively. He was signed by the Cubs 5 days later. Edmonds signing with the Cubs takes the load of Reed Johnson somewhat. The respective news pieces from mlb.com: Padres part ways with Edmonds, and Cubs make it official with Edmonds.

Jim Edmonds hit .178 in 90 at-bats with San Diego. With the Cubs, he is hitting .288 in 59 ABs. He has only 1 less hit with the Cubs than he did with the Padres. That is with 8 less games.

He went 2 for 3 (doubled and singled) in Toronto yesterday with 1 RBI.