Watch those Expos

Pitching keeps Montreal right on Atlanta's heels

Somehow, even with everything that goes on around them -- maybe especially because of everything that goes on around them -- the Montreal Expos have a way of getting overlooked.

They've been one of the hottest teams in baseball for the last month or so … but they've been overshadowed in their own division by the streaking Atlanta Braves. They have some of the best young pitching in baseball … but only statheads and people inside the league know how truly good these guys are.

They get attention because of their lack of fans, their shaky future and their funky working agreement with Major League Baseball.

What people should be paying attention to is their win-loss record. Because the Expos, if they keep playing this way, could be your National League wild card team come October. Or better.

Expos general manager Omar Minaya should be the early leader for executive of the year after his smooth handling of what could have been a messy offseason. Told to cut $10 million or more in payroll, Minaya finally dealt pitcher Bartolo Colon to the White Sox. But the Expos hung on to Javier Vazquez, who leads the National League in fewest walks (1.4) and most strikeouts (11.9) per nine innings. He is the ace of a starting staff that is ranked fifth in the league with a 3.55 ERA.

One of the guys Minaya got in the deal for Colon was Rocky Biddle, who has become Montreal's closer and, through Wednesday, leads the National League in games finished. Biddle is the anchor of a bullpen that is rated fourth in the league with a 3.35 ERA.

Then there are players like journeyman Joey Eischen, the lefty reliever who has bounced between the majors and minors since 1994. He has a 1.88 ERA out of the bullpen.

And, scoring-wise, there's always outfielders Vladimir Guerrero and Brad Wilkerson, and second baseman Jose Vidro and catcher Michael Barrett and a bunch of other players.

After getting swept in a three-game set in Atlanta in mid-April, the Expos stood at an unimpressive 9-7. Since then, they've gone 16-9, including a sweep in San Francisco earlier this week. The hot month or so has enabled the Expos to keep pace with the Braves, who have won 24 of their last 29 after starting 4-8.

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the Expos. And there will continue to be questions until they have a buyer and a new home -- which looks, increasingly, like it may not happen for the 2004 season.

But questions didn't bother the Expos when they were under the threat of contraction last season. And they don't seem to be affecting them this season.

In case you hadn't noticed.

Problems in Pittsburgh

A day after under-fire manager Lloyd McClendon predicted his team would start a run that would get them back into the heart of the race in the National League Central, the Pittsburgh Pirates' manager ripped into his star pitcher.

On Wednesday: "A month from now, we'll be right back in this race. I'll be telling you I told you so. This team will be there. They will compete," McClendon said. "The Pittsburgh Pirates are not dead. We're not going away. I'm telling you we're going to be there. This team will play its [tail] off. We're going to get right back in this thing."

And then, on Thursday, after a 6-2 loss to Houston, talking about No. 1 starter Kris Benson: "You earn that distinction. This game isn't based on potential, it's based on results. There comes a time when you've got to go out and get it done."

McClendon surely is feeling the heat. The Bucs have lost 11 of their last 13, and McClendon is booed all the time from his hometown crowd. Team owner Kevin McClatchy laid the dreaded vote of confidence on him last week.

And now McClendon could lose the confidence of his players after ripping one of them in the press.

This story will not have a happy ending.

A test for the White Sox

The White Sox have struggled for much of this young season, but they pulled back to .500 after finishing off a sweep of the Orioles on Thursday at U.S. Cellular Field. It's a small step. But at least it's a step for the stumbling Sox.

There are a lot of people that can be blamed for the White Sox being only .500 at this point of the season. Paul Konerko hit .304 last season. He's hitting .224 this season. Magglio Ordonez hit .320 in 2002. Now he's hitting .273. Frank Thomas … well, we could go on. But we won't.

One of the main people who is being blamed is their low-key manager, Jerry Manuel. It's not his fault, of course, that his hitters aren't hitting (.249) and are ranked 12th in the 14-team American League.

But now comes a stretch that could well determine Manuel's fate in the Windy City.

The Sox have a three-game series at the Metrodome against the Twins this weekend and, after that, have a six-game homestand against Toronto and Detroit. But starting on May 26, a week from this Monday, the White Sox embark on a 14-game, four-city road trip that begins in Toronto, stops in Cleveland and then wraps up with two National League teams in the West -- first with a stop in Phoenix to play the Diamondbacks and ending up in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

If the White Sox start hitting and they are .500 or better after that stretch, nobody ought to be talking about Manuel's lack of job security. If the White Sox aren't hitting, and they're losing, Manuel may not be around to hear any talk much longer.

John Donovan is a senior writer for SI.com.

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