Things continue to worsen for most abused team in history of pro sports

[WeatherMike]

After going their first 59 games without a player ejection, the Expos had their third in two games when Orlando Cabrera was thrown out after striking out swinging in the seventh. Cabrera broke his bat on the ground and plate umpire Doug Eddings immediately ejected him.

Brad Wilkerson and Carl Everett were ejected Saturday night.

Cabrera, the younger brother of Seattle's Jolbert Cabrera, said the Expos aren't getting any respect from the umpires.

"We don't get many calls,'' he said. "This year, last year, the year before. When you are a team that doesn't have an owner, this is what happens.''

Cabrera, the Expos' Gold Glove shortstop and MVP two of the past three seasons, was ejected for the first time in his major league career.

"That was the first time I've been thrown out of a game since I was 4 years old,'' he said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240613112

[Davekn]

Originally Posted by WeatherMike

After going their first 59 games without a player ejection, the Expos had their third in two games when Orlando Cabrera was thrown out after striking out swinging in the seventh. Cabrera broke his bat on the ground and plate umpire Doug Eddings immediately ejected him.

Brad Wilkerson and Carl Everett were ejected Saturday night.

Cabrera, the younger brother of Seattle's Jolbert Cabrera, said the Expos aren't getting any respect from the umpires.

"We don't get many calls,'' he said. "This year, last year, the year before. When you are a team that doesn't have an owner, this is what happens.''

Cabrera, the Expos' Gold Glove shortstop and MVP two of the past three seasons, was ejected for the first time in his major league career.

"That was the first time I've been thrown out of a game since I was 4 years old,'' he said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240613112

'm sure all the umpires sat down and said: "They don't have an owner so let's hose them with bad calls. We don't care about how we are rated, or the integrity of our profession and the game itself. Let's screw with the Expos because they don't have an owner. It'd be fun".

[hendersonsplow]

Carl Everett got ejected. That's shocking.

[bb1]

Originally Posted by Davekn

'm sure all the umpires sat down and said: "They don't have an owner so let's hose them with bad calls. We don't care about how we are rated, or the integrity of our profession and the game itself. Let's screw with the Expos because they don't have an owner. It'd be fun".

1) Umpires is all sports don't have integrity. Their system of judgement changes from player to player. I think football (maybe hockey-i don't watch it) is the best in this regard in that umpires don't get all the calls right, but it doesn't seem to be because there are certain players who are stars. The NFL keeps a tight leash on their guys, tighter than the other major sports.)

2) Not having an owner could hurt a team in terms of getting calls (the fact that we talk about getting calls shows a lack of integrity.) It is like in basketball when a coach complains and suddenly calls start getting made for their team. Well the expos have no one to complain, no one to put that thought in the back of the umpires mind, no one to stand up for their players, because they don't have anyone with a huge vested interest holding stock in them.

[LT22]

The calls have nothing to do with the 20-42 record. This team stinks.

The league stinks and has made the Expos a disgrace.

Frank Robinson is the worst manager ever.

The league should just move the team and end this pathetic chapter in baseball history.

[WeatherMike]

Originally Posted by LT22

The calls have nothing to do with the 20-42 record. This team stinks.

The league stinks and has made the Expos a disgrace.

Frank Robinson is the worst manager ever.

The league should just move the team and end this pathetic chapter in baseball history.

You can't have the best fielding in the major leagues, third best ERA in the NL, and not have way more than your fair share of bad calls. I don't care how weak your hitting seems to be.

[WeatherMike]

Originally Posted by hendersonsplow

Carl Everett got ejected. That's shocking.

Orlando Cabrera got ejected. THAT'S shocking.

[ihategeeks]

The Expos are a MLB team?

THATS SHOCKING!

[Iceblink]

Originally Posted by Davekn

'm sure all the umpires sat down and said: "They don't have an owner so let's hose them with bad calls. We don't care about how we are rated, or the integrity of our profession and the game itself. Let's screw with the Expos because they don't have an owner. It'd be fun".

Actually, the Expos have an owner, and it's MLB. If there were any conspiracy, it would be to get the Expos wins so more people would attend the games and make more money for MLB.

Any team can point to a couple blown calls every week. You'd have to establish a season-long pattern before seriously proposing it.

The Expos have been abused by Selig before - the whole Loria/Marlins mess was as crooked as it gets. Loria and Selig should've been axed over that in a heartbeat, but instead Loria fired everyone in Florida and was gifted a title.

And the Expos are losing because they suck on offense. They're 16 points behind the second to last team in batting average, 40 points behind in OBP, 26 points behind in slugging, and 70 runs behind the Mariners for fewest scored. The Mariners are only 94 runs behind the ChiSox (the league leader) in runs scored, so the Expos are almost as far behind the 2nd to last place team as the 2nd to last place team is behind the league leader.

The Expos are a dreadful offensive team and it offsets their pretty decent pitching and solid defense. No amount of blown calls for or against Montreal would change their record significantly.

You could argue that they're this bad because MLB is running them into the ground, but the Expos shady ownership regimes have been getting rid of players for a decade. Blame that, not the umpires.

[LT22]

Actually WeatherMike, you can. When the Expos need a hit, they fail and when they need a strong pitching performance, they fail.

Last night was BS, but I do not buy the fact that the umps are against the Expos. The team is crap.

I can admit, I was way off when I predicted an 80-85 win season. They'll be lucky to get 65.

Check out the linueup:

Johson is the only one with a decent batting average-and he has 60 ABs. Cabrera, Vidro, Wilkerson are having terrible seasons. Batista is rotten and was a bad FA signing. When Endy Chavez is one of your better hitters, you are a bad team.

The only good move they made this year was getting a warm body for that chump Bergeron.

[WeatherMike]

Originally Posted by Iceblink

Actually, the Expos have an owner, and it's MLB. If there were any conspiracy, it would be to get the Expos wins so more people would attend the games and make more money for MLB.

Any team can point to a couple blown calls every week. You'd have to establish a season-long pattern before seriously proposing it.

The Expos have been abused by Selig before - the whole Loria/Marlins mess was as crooked as it gets. Loria and Selig should've been axed over that in a heartbeat, but instead Loria fired everyone in Florida and was gifted a title.

And the Expos are losing because they suck on offense. They're 16 points behind the second to last team in batting average, 40 points behind in OBP, 26 points behind in slugging, and 70 runs behind the Mariners for fewest scored. The Mariners are only 94 runs behind the ChiSox (the league leader) in runs scored, so the Expos are almost as far behind the 2nd to last place team as the 2nd to last place team is behind the league leader.

The Expos are a dreadful offensive team and it offsets their pretty decent pitching and solid defense. No amount of blown calls for or against Montreal would change their record significantly.

You could argue that they're this bad because MLB is running them into the ground, but the Expos shady ownership regimes have been getting rid of players for a decade. Blame that, not the umpires.

What are you smoking? The Expos have been forced to trade away everyone because baseball cheated them out of a chance at the playoffs and World Series in 1994, and the fans got tired of being treated so poorly so they stopped coming. The fact that MLB played so much as one game without finding the Expos a real owner shows just how laughable this really is. A real owner would have moved the team where it can actually have a chance at making money and getting an expanded payroll. There's no way MLB will let them have a new stadium either, because that costs money, and MLB refuses to let Montreal to spend any. And maybe if Montreal had a real owner, they wouldn't stock the team with former MLB employees like Frank Robinson, who is a terrible manager. What would make you think after all this that other MLB employees (umpires) would stop short of blowing calls? Nepotism at its finest.

[WeatherMike]

Originally Posted by LT22

When the Expos need a strong pitching performance, they fail

That's why they have the third-best ERA in the NL last time I checked.

[Iceblink]

Originally Posted by WeatherMike

What are you smoking? The Expos have been forced to trade away everyone because baseball cheated them out of a chance at the playoffs and World Series in 1994, and the fans got tired of being treated so poorly so they stopped coming. The fact that MLB played so much as one game without finding the Expos a real owner shows just how laughable this really is. A real owner would have moved the team where it can actually have a chance at making money and getting an expanded payroll. There's no way MLB will let them have a new stadium either, because that costs money, and MLB refuses to let Montreal to spend any. And maybe if Montreal had a real owner, they wouldn't stock the team with former MLB employees like Frank Robinson, who is a terrible manager. What would make you think after all this that other MLB employees (umpires) would stop short of blowing calls? Nepotism at its finest.

"Baseball" cheated them out of a chance? What is this vaporous "baseball" entity? Work stoppages happen - and relatively often in the last few decades. You really think it had anything to do with stealing something from the Expos?

And I don't think they've been forced to trade away players - at least not by MLB. When they put good teams on the field, they would draw pretty well. They made a habit of ditching players as soon as they'd get good in the mid-late 90's, and the fans (who were already disinterested and probably never a good fit to begin with) seemed to totally give up on the team. Pittsburgh and Milwaukee, for example, have done the same thing with many of their players. Owners don't want to pay to keep players - and there are only so many Billy Beanes around who can win with a lower payroll.

I agree that Selig has mishandled the Expos something fierce, but he's done that all over. The RedSox sale was another load of Seligism.

However, as owners, it's in their interest to do everything they can to improve that team so they can sell it for more money. Every dime will go into their pockets.

That they haven't improved the Expos situation strikes me as incompetence, not abuse.

[Iceblink]

Originally Posted by WeatherMike

That's why they have the third-best ERA in the NL last time I checked.

Sixth-best. Still pretty decent numbers, but nothing spectacular. Coupled with absolutely atrocious offense, it's enough to produce a bad team.

[WeatherMike]

Originally Posted by Iceblink

Sixth-best. Still pretty decent numbers, but nothing spectacular. Coupled with absolutely atrocious offense, it's enough to produce a bad team.

Hmph. Must be pretty close between the teams as I checked it just a few days ago.