September 7, 1999: The Expos released 3B
Shane Andrews, called up from their minor-league system CF Peter Bergeron, 3B Trace
Coquillette, and LHP Ted Lilly. RHP Carl Pavano and 1B Fernando Seguinol were taken off
the diasabled list and are now available to play.
August 10, 1999: The Expos sent RHP J.D. Smart down to Ottawa and recalled RHP
Miguel Batista.
August 9, 1999: The Expos placed SS Orlando Cabrera on the
15-day disabled list with a sprained ankle and recalled SS Geoff
Blum from Ottawa to take his place.
July 16, 1999: The Expos recalled RHP Javier Vazquez from Ottawa to take Carl
Pavano's roster spot. The team also re-activated Rondell White and optioned Outfielder
Chris Stowers to Ottawa. White will DH on Saturday night against the Orioles.
July 15, 1999: The Expos placed Carl Pavano on the disabled list, retroactive to
July 12, with tenderness in ihs right elbow.
July 2, 1999: The Expos placed Rondell White and Orlando Merced on the 15-day
disabled list, both with leg injuries, and recalled from Ottawa 3B Jose Fernandez and
outfielder Terry Jones to take their spots on the roster.
June 29, 1999: The Expos placed Catcher Darren Cox on the 15-day disabled list with
a strained left knee. They also put Rondell White back in the lineup, and he will start
Tuesday night, and to make room for White, they sent 1B Brad Fullmer back down to Ottawa.
To take Cox's place, they recalled C Robert Machado from Ottawa.
June 5, 1999: The Expos optioned pitcher Javier Vazquez to Ottawa and recalled RHP
Dan Smith, 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers in December,
1998. Smith had a 5-4 record with an E.R.A of 3.68 in 11 starts at Ottawa.
June 2, 1999: The Expos chose LHP Josh Girdley of Jasper, Texas with their first
pick in this year's amateur draft. Girdley has already
agreed to a reported $1.7 million signing bonus.
May 13, 1999: The Expos placed 3B Shane Andrews on the 15-day disabled list and
recalled LHP Ted Lilly from Ottawa to take his place on the roster.
May 12, 1999: Roger Samson, the new special advisor to the Expos ownership group,
revealed today that the team's new downtown stadium will cost $175 million, with financing
to come from the $100 million government-supported loan, and $75 million in revenues
generated from sales of corporate boxes and seat licenses. The exterior of the new stadium
would be less complex, in favour of a simpler, less-costly design in order to save money.
There would also not be a retractable roof, and heated seats were not likely in the new
plans for the stadium.
May 3, 1999: Roger Samson is appointed special advisor to the new Expos ownership
group.
April 14, 1999: The Expos announced that they were recallling RHP Shayne Bennett
from Ottawa, and that RHP Mike Madduxx had refused his assignment to the minors, thereby
becoming a free agent, free to make a deal with any other major league team.
March 25, 1999: In a late-night meeting in Quebec City on Wednesday evening, the
Quebec government and the Expos' ownership consortium announced a tentative agreement to
keep the team in Montreal. The Quebec government would provide $8 million a year for the
next twenty years, thereby allowing the Expos to borrow up to $100 million, which would be
used to build a new stadium in downtown Montreal.
March 19, 1999: The Expos reduced their roster to 34 players, sending eight players
to the minor leagues. Sent down to Triple-A Ottawa were outfielder Fernando Seguinol,
outfielder Chris Stowers, infielder Jose Fernandez,and pitchers Ted Lilly and Guillermo
Mota, catcher John Pachot and infielder Geoff Blum were re-assigned to Ottawa. Promising
outfielder Peter Bergeron was sent to Double-A Harrisburg. The Olympic Stadium was given
clearance to re-open immediately,thereby allowing the Expos to go ahead with their home
opener on April 8 against the New York Mets.
March 5, 1999: Expos team chairman Jacques Ménard remains optimistic that the
Expos will remain in Montreal. He said on Thursday that negotiations have picked up
involving the purchase of president Claude Brochu's shares in the team, and that a deal
could be announced in the next few days. He also revealed that talks with both the federal
and provincial governments will continue late next week, once the provincial budget has
been tabled on Tuesday, March 9, 1999.
March 3, 1999: Expos President and Managing Partner Claude Brochu held a news
conference on Wednesday morning. He revealed that he does not know what will happen after
March 6, 1999 - the deadline for the team to announce plans for a new stadium. It is
possible the team could be moved after the 199 season, "in the best interests of
baseball." He denied any conspiracy plans to move theteam. And he said that he had
personally invested a large sum of money in the team. Fans will now have to wait until
early next week to learn of the future of the team in Montreal, when Major League Baseball
is expected to give its decision on the immediate future of the team.
February 26, 1999: Major League Baseball sent a letter to the Montreal Expos
denying the team's request for an extension of its deadline to settle its ownership
dispute and its plan to build a new downtown stadium. The team now has until March 6, 1999
to come up with a plan to save the Expos and keep the team in Montreal.
February 18, 1999: The Expos ownership consortium held their first news conference
since October 7, 1998. They revealed plans for a new downtown stadium had hit a roadblock
in the buy-out of shares owned by current team managing partner Claude Brochu.
Negotiations had stalled and that this was affecting the implementation of a new marketing
plan; the injection of new capital; and the move to a new downtown stadium in April, 2002.
New York businessman Jeffrey Loria had offered to make a $50 million (U.S) investment,
along with another $50 million (CA) injection of funds from Quebec-based companies. Three
new designs for the new stadium had been submitted, and all three were said to be
first-rate proposals. But the stumbling block remains Brochu, and the ownership consortium
took the unusual step of making a public plea for Brochu to step aside and let new
investors take control of the team. The deadline remains March 6, 1999, although an
extension seems likely in order to finalize the proposals and end the Brochu saga.
February 16, 1999: The Expos ownership consortium held a three-hour meeting Tuesday
evening. Details are scarce about the details of the meeting. A news conference will be
held on Thursday, February 18, 1999 at which time more information will be announced
concerning the team's plans for a new downtown stadium.
February 9, 1999: The Expos won their arbitration hearing case against 3b Shane
Andrews. The Expos offered $1.25 million, while Andrews was seeking $2.3 million. Andrews,
27 years old, hit .238, had 30 doubles, 25 home runs, and 69 RBIs in 1999. He will likely
share the 3b job with top prospect Michael Barrett in 1999.
January 20, 1999: Expos # 1 starting pitcher Dustin Hermanson signed a one-year,
$2.05 million contract, before his case went to salary arbitration in February. 3B Shane
Andrews has not signed yet, as the two sides are far apart, the Expos offering $1.25
million, while Andrews is asking $2.3 million.
January 18, 1999: The roof of the Olympic Stadium tore under the weight of a
week-end snowstorm. A 200-foot rip closed the stadium for the next few weeks, until
repairs can be made and the safety of the structure can be guaranteed.
January 12, 1999: Managing partner and club president Claude Brochu and the team's
ownership committee have agreed in principle on a proposal for the sale of Brochu's 7.6%
ownership of the team for $15 million CA ($9.9 million US). Negotiations will continue
until a signed agreement is reached, and the proposal can be submitted to Major League
baseball for approval.
November 19, 1998: The Expos released their 1999 spring training schedule in
Jupiter, Florida.
November 5, 1998: Vladimir Guerrero was voted the Montreal Expos player of the year
by the Baseball Writers of Montreal.
November 3, 1998: The Expos announced that spring training will begin on February
25, 1999 in Jupiter, Florida. The team will play 31 pre-season games, including nine games
against the St. Louis Cardinals, their spring training partners at their complex in
Jupiter.
October 28, 1998: The Expos announced the signings of five members of their
coaching staff. Hitting instructor Tommy Harper, pitching coach Bobby Cuellar, third-base
coach Pete Mackannin, first base coach Luis Pujols, and bullpen coach Pierre Arsenault
will return for the 1999 season under the guidance of Manager Felipe Alou. Bench coach Jim
Tracy left the team to take a position with the L.A. Dodgers.
October 26, 1998: The Expos have signed three key members of their front office -
announcing agreements with General Manager Jim Beattie, Vice President of Baseball
Operations Bill Stoneman, and international scout Fred Ferreira.
Beattie and Stoneman signed three-year contracts, while Ferreira, the super scout who
signed Vladimir Guerrero, agreed to a four-year contract and was given the title of vice
president and director of international operations.
October 11,1998: The Expos announced that Manager Felipe Alou has agreed to a
three-year contract extension, running through the 2001 season. The contract makes Alou
one of the highest-paid managers in baseball, at a reported $2 million a year.
