MLB's Expos FAQ

[LMU]

FAQ: What's next in D.C.

MLB.com answers your questions about D.C. baseball

By Mark Newman / MLB.com

After 36 summers in Montreal, the Major League Baseball club that has been known as the Expos will move next season to Washington, D.C., pending MLB owners' approval and funding for a stadium. Fans who will follow this club's move are going to have plenty of questions, and they will be answered, gradually, at dcbaseball.com -- the temporary name for your baseball team's official site.

You want to know who will be playing in Washington, what their uniforms will look like, what they will be called -- and then some. Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about the District's new baseball team:

What will the team be called?

The team name will be changed. To what, exactly, will be determined later. It is common for new clubs to solicit suggestions from its new fan base. The Montreal club was known as the "Expos" to commemorate the Montreal Exposition that was held in 1967, two years before the club's expansion season. For those wondering if the club will become the latest iteration of the "Senators," it's anyone's guess.

Will the team stay in the National League East?

Yes.

What about the logo and team uniforms?

Say goodbye to the familiar cursive and red, white and blue "M" that has adorned the Expos' caps -- a logo that might have worked had the club moved instead to Monterrey, Mexico. Everything, from the team colors to the logo, is up in the air now.

Where will the Washington team play?

The club will play for the next three seasons at RFK Stadium while a $400 million ballpark is being built at a location along the Anacostia River waterfront near M and South Capitol Streets, which is now the preferred site among the four proposed in D.C. last year. RFK Stadium has not had baseball regularly since the Senators moved to Texas after the 1971 season.

Is the move from Montreal official?

The move ultimately must be approved by a 75 percent vote of the Major League owners, who have owned and operated the Expos since the team was purchased from Jeffery Loria and his minority partners just before the opening of Spring Training in 2002. That approval is considered a formality. The deal is also dependent on the District's City Council passing the funding for the new ballpark, including a $13 million package to refurbish 43-year-old RFK Stadium.

What kind of club will Washington fans see in 2005?

Probably a competitive one, if recent history is any indication. Although the Montreal Expos never made it to a World Series after joining the Majors in 1969, in recent years they have had an uncanny knack for fielding competitive clubs despite a constant battle of attrition involving marquee players. In 2003, Montreal was among the teams fighting for the National League Wild Card until the season's final week.

One of the club's best assets, at least right now, is its manager: Frank Robinson, the Hall of Famer fondly remembered by many who watched him help the Orioles achieve elite status starting in the late 1960s. Right-handed workhorse Livan Hernandez (11-15, 3.63 ERA) was the Expos' representative at this year's All-Star Game, and he is the club's only starting pitcher with double-digit victories. Tony Batista, who took over for Cal Ripken Jr. at third base during his run with the Orioles, is the biggest bat with 32 homers and 110 RBIs this season. Brad Wilkerson was hitting .253 with 31 homers and 64 RBIs; Brian Schneider has emerged as a promising catcher, and was hitting .257 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs; and Jose Vidro, one of the game's best second basemen, was hitting .294 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs.

What happens to Youppi if the move is declared official?

Who knows? Maybe he'll come with the territory. Maybe not. One of the most distinctive mascots in Major League Baseball probably would have to change its name, though. "Youppi" is "Yippee!" or "Hooray!" in French. For the record, Youppi was the first mascot to be thrown out of a Major league game. On Aug. 23, 1989 -- 10 years after the mascot arrived in Montreal -- the orange, hairy giant was ejected in the 11th inning after Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda complained to the umpires about Youppi danced atop of the visitors' dugout.

Who owns the longest home run in the District's Major League history?

Most statisticians and baseball experts believe that Mickey Mantle's 565-foot home run off the Senators' Chuck Stobbs at Griffith Stadium in 1953 was the longest batted baseball ever. This measurement is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest home run ever measured, anyway.

Who is the greatest player in the District's Major League history?

No question about it: "The Big Train." Walter Johnson is generally regarded as the greatest right-handed pitcher in baseball history, even though righty Cy Young won more games. In a career spent entirely with the Senators from 1907-27, Johnson was 417-279 with a 2.17 ERA and 3,509 strikeouts. Washington won its only World Series title in 1924, and Johnson was the winning pitcher against the Giants in that Game 7.

[BaltimoreFan]

Will the team stay in the National League East?

Yes.

There has been talk around here. I don't know how much national coverage this has gotten. But the Orioles may try to move to the NL. I'm not sure what that would do to the Expos. However I do know that Peter Angelos is still in negotiations with MLB about what the O's get out of this.

[DEAD!]

Will the team stay in the National League East?

Yes.

There has been talk around here. I don't know how much national coverage this has gotten. But the Orioles may try to move to the NL. I'm not sure what that would do to the Expos. However I do know that Peter Angelos is still in negotiations with MLB about what the O's get out of this.

I hope the Orioles don't move out of the AL. If they do, I would suggest Florida move to the AL or even the *gasp* Milwaukee Brewers.

[Gary]

I would have the Expos move to the American League to even things out and make it 15-15. Then I would move the Blue Jays to the Central, and move the Royals to the West. Then I would move the Pirates to the NL East.

[CaolinaJoe]

Will the team stay in the National League East?

Yes.

There has been talk around here. I don't know how much national coverage this has gotten. But the Orioles may try to move to the NL. I'm not sure what that would do to the Expos. However I do know that Peter Angelos is still in negotiations with MLB about what the O's get out of this.

Angelos would never move. He'd be giving up 6 homestands between the RedSox and Yankees, by far the biggest games of the year. No teams in the NL could come close to what they bring to the area of Baltimore. The Mets and Phillies, I don't think so.

[DEAD!]

I would have the Expos move to the American League to even things out and make it 15-15. Then I would move the Blue Jays to the Central, and move the Royals to the West. Then I would move the Pirates to the NL East.

You can't have 15-15 that would create an imbalance schedule in each league. One team from each league would have to have a "bye" of some sort under that format.

[Swiss]

You can't have 15-15 that would create an imbalance schedule in each league. One team from each league would have to have a "bye" of some sort under that format.

Exactly! I was going to say precisely that you told.

Before of the creation of Arizona and Tampa Bay franchises, each league had 14 teams (with 7 games per day in each league).

But... adding one team in each league makes 15 teams apiece... so there's the need of play an interleague each day... something very unwanted for Bud Selig.

So the Brewers were forced out of the AL to make the NL with 16 teams (8 games per day) and the AL with 14 teams (7 games per day)

[Gary]

I don't know they can make it work. They can balance the schedule somehow and someway. Nothing is perfect, and 15-15 can work

[DEAD!]

You can't have 15-15 that would create an imbalance schedule in each league. One team from each league would have to have a "bye" of some sort under that format.

Exactly! I was going to say precisely that you told.

Before of the creation of Arizona and Tampa Bay franchises, each league had 14 teams (with 7 games per day in each league).

But... adding one team in each league makes 15 teams apiece... so there's the need of play an interleague each day... something very unwanted for Bud Selig.

So the Brewers were forced out of the AL to make the NL with 16 teams (8 games per day) and the AL with 14 teams (7 games per day)

Well actually, the Brewers chose to move. I think they were originally going to force KC to move.

[CC97]

Funny he says the vote is a mere formality, I'm sure there's a few folk here that remember such mlb "mere formality's" failing

San Diego -> Washington, 1972

San Francisco -> Toronto, 1976

San Francisco -> Tampa, 1992

[pcgd]

You can't have 15-15 that would create an imbalance schedule in each league. One team from each league would have to have a "bye" of some sort under that format.

Exactly! I was going to say precisely that you told.

Before of the creation of Arizona and Tampa Bay franchises, each league had 14 teams (with 7 games per day in each league).

But... adding one team in each league makes 15 teams apiece... so there's the need of play an interleague each day... something very unwanted for Bud Selig.

So the Brewers were forced out of the AL to make the NL with 16 teams (8 games per day) and the AL with 14 teams (7 games per day)

I don't know why...but I never thought of that. I was always like...why aren't the leagues even? haha.

Maybe they should contract two teams...

Like Twins and Expos?

[jkrdevil]

I don't know they can make it work. They can balance the schedule somehow and someway. Nothing is perfect, and 15-15 can work

It won't work for the reasons as mentioned. There is no way they could make it work. It would mean one team in each league would have no games on the weekend (the big money makers), no owner in the league would go for that and no fan would go for that.

16-14 is a good alignment, before Florida and Colorado came in the alignment was 14-12 american to national league teams. You have to have an even number teams in the leagues.

[Swiss]

Well actually, the Brewers chose to move. I think they were originally going to force KC to move.

You are right! I forgot that the Royals were forced to go out of the AL... so MLB asked Milwaukee if want to go to NL.

Milwaukee accepted because of its NL past and inheritence (remember the Milwaukee Braves).

Thanks for correct me.

Funny he says the vote is a mere formality, I'm sure there's a few folk here that remember such mlb "mere formality's" failing

San Diego -> Washington, 1972

San Francisco -> Toronto, 1976

San Francisco -> Tampa, 1992

Thank God that my SF Giants never moved there... Toronto and Tampa were not good place to resume the old rivalry with the LA Dodgers.