Montreal Expos 2003 Finish: 83-79, 4th NL East	Select Team Angels Astros Athletics Blue Jays Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Devil Rays Diamondbacks Dodgers Expos Giants Indians Mariners Marlins Mets Orioles Padres Phillies Pirates Rangers Red Sox Reds Rockies Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees

Jose Vidro Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Batting Order
CF	Endy Chavez Expos were 54-41 with Chavez leading off; 29-38 without him.
1B	Nick Johnson Could be dropped in the middle of the lineup out of spring training.
2B	Jose Vidro .397 OBP led all NL second basemen.
SS	Orlando Cabrera 66 extra-base hits led all NL shortstops.
RF	Carl Everett Hit .301 out of the fifth hole in 2003.
LF	Brad Wilkerson 357 Ks his first two years; hit .387 when putting the ball in play.
3B	Tony Batista 26 homers is three times what Expos third basemen hit in 2003.
C	Brian Schneider Hit .217 in stretch where he started 39-of-43 games.
Rotation
RHP	Livan Hernandez 9-4 (2.43) during the final three months.
RHP	Tony Armas 21 of 30 career wins have come before the All-Star Break.
RHP	Claudio Vargas Allowed three or fewer runs in 13 of 14 starts.
RHP	Zach Day 5-5 (4.91) in 12 post-DL starts.
RHP	Tomo Ohka Took L or ND in eight games in which he allowed two runs or less.
Bullpen
RHP	Rocky Biddle Had only one career save before 2003.
LHP	Joey Eischen 1.98 road ERA compared to 4.21 home ERA.
LHP	Randy Choate Cost-effective pitcher gets a chance of a lifetime.
RHP	Luis Ayala 10 relief wins tied for second in baseball.
RHP	T.J. Tucker Walked two and struck out 19 to end the season.
Prospects
RHP	Chad Cordero Poised college pitcher will continue quick ascension.
OF	Terrmel Sledge Would have been in bigs in Sept., but baseball nixed any call-ups.
RHP	Seung Song Will get a big league shot if health problems plague the team.

All things considered, it's been quite a one-year proposition. The 2004 season will be the Montreal Expos' third under the ownership of Major League Baseball, and while the off-field picture remains hazy, on the field the team is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since a three-year stretch from 1992-94. But to stay in contention, the club will need to replace free agent Vladimir Guerrero, arguably the best player in team history. To do so, general manager Omar Minaya has turned to the likes of Carl Everett, Tony Batista and Nick Johnson, knowing that finding one player to replace Guerrero is an impossibility even without a tight payroll. As if that hasn't made the odds long enough, the National League East has suddenly become one of the top divisions in baseball. The East is home to the defending world champion Florida Marlins, the always good Atlanta Braves and the improving Philadelphia Phillies, who are flush with the riches of a new ballpark.

If Tony Armas rebounds from shoulder surgery, the Expos have the makings of a decent starting rotation, even with the trade of Javier Vazquez to the New York Yankees. A healthy Armas could give the Expos 15-18 wins. Livan Hernandez had a career year, but after 233.1 innings, he could be poised for a setback. He's had similar setbacks before in his career. Claudio Vargas pitched in September after recovering from shoulder tendinitis and needs to regain the form of his rookie season to become a dependable No. 3 starter. The Expos went 14-9 (.609) in Zach Day's 23 starts, but Day, like Vargas, missed 50 games because of shoulder inflammation. Right-hander Tomo Ohka didn't miss a turn in the rotation for the second consecutive season and had 22 quality starts, but he is at times all too hittable.

Bothered by a sore right knee, Rocky Biddle blew six of his final 25 save opportunities. While he has the makeup to be a closer, he may not have the stuff -- but he's got the job for now. Southpaw Joey Eischen has turned into a workhorse setup man. Lefty Randy Choate, who comes over from the Yankees, could earn a spot as well. Chad Cordero, the Expos' top draft pick last year, was pressed into duty late in the season and did not look overmatched; he has retired the first batter faced in each of his 12 career appearances. Luis Ayala was a revelation after spending six years with Saltillo of the Mexican League, and he has the repertoire to repeat his performance in middle relief.

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera and second baseman Jose Vidro are superior defensive players who have started more games together (572) than any other double-play combination in baseball. Cabrera, who led the team in RBIs despite playing with a bulging disc, has been voted the Expos' most valuable player in two of the last three years. Vidro is one of the smartest hitters in the game and is coming off his third All-Star season. Vidro is in the final year of a multi-year contract, and Cabrera signed a one-year deal in January, so there's reason to expect big things in 2004.

The additions of Batista and Johnson provide a huge upgrade over the past two seasons. The Expos used five different third basemen in 2003, and they combined for a .230 average with just nine home runs and 49 runs batted in. Batista has played on artificial turf before with the Toronto Blue Jays and will bring some right-handed pop to the lower part of the order. With Johnson, one of the most patient hitters in the game, in the top third of the order, there won't be too many quick innings for opposing pitchers.

Everett is with his seventh major league team, and it will be interesting to see him handle the uncertainty of the Expos' situation. His switch-hitting bat and power numbers will help make up for Guerrero's loss, but Guerrero's insular nature was often a blessing, considering the off-field turmoil surrounding the team. Center fielder Endy Chavez is a strong defender, but his slightness of build doesn't suggest he can be a year-round offensive force. Left fielder Brad Wilkerson wears down pitchers and has been a model of consistency in his first two seasons, but it's time for him to have a breakout season. With top prospect Terrmel Sledge pressing for a spot, there could be some shifting in positions that would likely make Chavez the odd man out.

The trade of Michael Barrett left Brian Schneider as the only catcher on the roster heading into February. Schneider isn't much of an offensive threat, but he led all major league catchers in throwing out 46.7 percent of opposing baserunners. Gregg Zaun signed a minor league deal and will likely be the backup.

Robinson is an aggressive manager who will find himself with an athletic, versatile bench consisting of Juan Rivera, acquired from New York in the Vasquez deal, Ron Calloway, Jamey Carroll and Sledge, if he doesn't win a starting job. Because of the team's limited payroll, the Expos find it difficult to pick up players during the season, even in a depressed marketplace.

Club president Tony Tavares says the time has come for the Expos to start rebuilding their minor league depth, which has been left perilously thin because of Minaya's aggressive wheeling and dealing. He has also said publicly that he favors trading players who won't commit to long-term deals instead of letting them walk away, as was the case with Guerrero. Tavares, Minaya and Robinson are three strong personalities who don't always see eye to eye, yet they have somehow managed to co-exist as the hand-picked administrators of a club that is owned and operated by the other 29 franchises. While critics of commissioner Bud Selig say the powers that be have run this franchise into the ground, the evidence suggests otherwise.

The Expos might be a better offensive team -- certainly a more balanced team -- even with the departure of Guerrero. But it will only take one injury to send them into a spiral, and finishing over .500 for a third consecutive season is going to be a tall order. The team had over $8 million in player salaries being paid by other teams last season as a result of trades. That won't be the case this year, which means the club will have a true payroll of between $42 million and $45 million.

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