Washington Nationals: Adam Dunn, Alfonso Soriano And Two Montreal Expos.
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 8:59 AM EDT
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PrintWhen it comes to this franchise's historical statistics, the Montreal Expos still exist. Before Adam Dunn went deep three times Wednesday night for the Washington Nationals in a game against the San Diego Padres, Alfonso Soriano was the only other National to hit 3 HR's in one game in the Nats' history, a feat he accomplished in his 16th game with DC in 2006 when the then-30-year-old outfielder took Atlanta Braves' right-hander and future Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz deep twice for solo shots in the first and third and then hit a third HR, a three-run blast, off Braves' reliever Oscar Villareal in the eighth inning of an April 21st, 2006 7-3 Nats' win in homer-hating RFK Stadium. Soriano ended that day 4 for 5 with 5 RBI's.
Nineteen years earlier on May 4, 1987, Montreal Expos' third baseman Tim Wallach, who was often compared to Brooks Robinson much like current Nats' third baseman Ryan Zimmeman, hit a two-run first-inning blast off Braves' starter David Palmer, an Expos' Draft pick from the 21st Round of the 1976 Draft who left Montreal to sign with Atlanta in 1986. The then 29-year-old Wallach's second HR was a solo shot off Palmer in the fifth and his third HR was off Atlanta reliever Jim Acker in the ninth, a two-run HR that got the Expos within three runs of the Braves in a 10-7 loss. Wallach finished the game 3 for 4 with 3 HR's and 6 RBI's. Two years before Wallach launched three it was newly-elected Hall of Fame outfielder Andre Dawson, then 30, who launched three in the same game.
On September 24, 1985, Dawson, an 11th Round pick by the Expos in 1976, hit two HR's off Chicago Cubs' left-hander Ray Fontenot, a two-run blast in the first inning and then a three-run HR in the fifth, taking Fontenot deep for the second time after back-to-back singles by the Expos started the frame. Dawson then launched a second three-run blast in the same (fifth) inning off Chicago's right-handed reliever Jon Perlman in what ends up a 12-run fifth inning on the road for the Expos in Wrigley. Dawson ends the game 4 for 6 with 8 RBI's.
25 years after Dawson, Adam Dunn, who is also 30-years-old when he does it, hits 3 HR's off the San Diego Padres, taking right-hander Jon Garland deep in the first and third for a 3-run blast and solo shot, and then hitting the first HR of the year surrendered by San Diego reliever Joe Thatcher in the eighth for Dunn's third HR and what ends up the winning run in a 7-6 Nationals victory. Dunn ends the game 3 for 4 with 5 RBI's.
Alfonso Soriano left the Nationals the year after his 3-HR game, after just one year with the franchise. Andre Dawson played one more season for Montreal after his 3-HR game, then left for Chicago. Tim Wallach played 5 more seasons with the Expos before leaving for LA. Adam Dunn's future with the franchise is uncertain. The Nats should know within a month what the future holds for the fourth player in franchise history to hit 3 HR's in one game...
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Tim Wallach, sweet uppercut swing........my favourite Expo...
thanks for the details….’87 was a 91-71 record, 3rd place finish, with three 3Bs in the IF (Hubie Brooks and Vance Law…)
Hey NatsTown, how much will you overpay for this Donkey?
Don't Be A "Crow", Bryce... - P.R., Draft Day 2010
"...eyeblack-oozing baseball cyborg"
All-Stars!!!......
Don't Be A "Crow", Bryce... - P.R., Draft Day 2010
"...eyeblack-oozing baseball cyborg"
by cat daddy3000 on Jul 8, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Now I know the reason the Nats came up with the design for these god awful uniforms
It’s a franchise tradition
What-spos?
i keed, i keed.
Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com
by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 8, 2010 10:43 AM EDT reply actions
I remember the Soriano game
That is still one of my favorite games I was at as a Nats fan. I remember Patterson’s good start and Zim’s diving catch, and watching John Wetteland playing guitar during the rain delay.
Before Wetteland got canned for insubordination....
…and drove of into the sunset on his Harley with a one finger salute raised as he left town.
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 11:09 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Mr. Sunshine is at it again
Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com
by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 8, 2010 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
This is the quote that bothers me the most....
“In the N.L. East, with the lineups you face, you gotta have some power stuff,” Rizzo said. “It can’t be a staff of all 86-88, maybe touch 90, sink it, got to be perfect, got to live on the black.”
Then why in god’s name do you draft the Trevor Holder’s of the world? And if you don’t sign Cole, you look like a friggin’ fool. What about an international prospect that can light up the radar gun but needs some polish from your skilled staff? Don’t sell me this crap unless you’re willing to put your money and your picks where your mouth is. To this point you haven’t done that.
Here’s a scouting report from MLB.com on Sammy Solis, the first pitcher we chose in the draft:
Scouting Report: College lefties will always get plenty of interest when the Draft rolls around, and Solis might be one of the tougher ones to figure out. He redshirted a year ago due to a herniated disk and back issues will always make some teams nervous. But Solis has a good three-pitch mix — lively fastball, breaking ball and changeup — and commands his pitches pretty well. He might not have the highest ceiling in the world, but he also shouldn’t take too long to get to the big leagues. If he can prove he’s healthy, it’s hard to imagine he’ll last too long on Draft Day. ~mlb.com
“Might not have the highest ceiling in the world” translation, next to no chance of being one of these power arms that Rizzo supposedly loves.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
The key word would be all
I think you missed the word all in your quote. Before Strasburg came up we had a rotation of all pitch to contact high 80’s fastball types. Also from the scouting reports I read Holder was a large framed power pitcher with control issues. Guys can have lower cielings for reasons other than velocity. Rizzo is not Jim Bowden. He would much rather take the guy with the lower ceiling that is more likely to make it to the majors than the Josh Smokers of the world that have extremely high ceilings but also deep, deep floors.
by David Huzzard on Jul 8, 2010 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Holder was a signability pick who was widely panned.
Didn’t have a problem with Morris, but Holder was them saving money after Strasburg’s dollars had been spent. I’m mostly bothered by the internationals and the lack of noise in the international market.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
Solis
Is consistent 89-91 and has been clocked as high as 93.
For a lefty
That would be a power pitcher if the rule of thumb is to add 3 MPH to a lefties fastball.
by David Huzzard on Jul 8, 2010 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
The thing for me is the “low ceiling” part of that scouting report. I have no problem with drafting Solis. I don’t know enough about the prospects and in general I’m with “In Rizzo We Trust”. The thing for me is that his public statements seem to be “We want dominant power arms” and is drafting strategy seems to be “We want low ceiling guys who will be 4/5 inventory and relievers who will occasionally surprise into better effectiveness”.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
Consider the source
Who wrote this scouting report and where did they get there information?
I put a lot more stock in the current Nationals scouting department than I do in some anonymous jack leg writing for mlb.com, who for all we know got their information 4th hand, if not worse.
Junk in. Junk out.
Several internet sites...
No Expos references PLEASE
Let the Expos rest in peace. Washington has its own MLB tradition that nobody in Texas or Minnesota can claim for their own.
Sorry, part of the franchise's statistical history...
Not really too sorry…
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
It's a standard argument.
The way I see it, the NY Mets do not dwell on the accomplishments of the Giants or Dodgers of old; they certainly don’t try to pass those accomplishments off as their own. Too many D.C. fans try to associate Walter Johnson’s or Frank Howard’s feats with the current team. The only thing this team has in common with those other guys is that they played in the same town, just as the Mets play in the same town as the Giants of old. The thing they have in common with the Expos is: they are the same franchise.
Rob
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
—Connie Mack
Sadly the Mets do try to hold onto the Dodgers' history with the Jackie Robinson Pavilion in Citi Field....
I apologize for snapping at this first-time commenter, but the Nats and MLB both acknowledge the Expos’ stats as part of the franchise’s history and as far as I could see, no Senators hit 3 HR’s in a game…..
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I was going to get banned for what I wanted to type in response ........
Don't Be A "Crow", Bryce... - P.R., Draft Day 2010
"...eyeblack-oozing baseball cyborg"
by cat daddy3000 on Jul 8, 2010 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Dude was probably upset there were no Senators in the main article.
And didn’t realize he’d wandered into a bees’ nest of ‘Spos fans. I don’t have a problem with the guy’s point of his view, and I realize that there’s a contingent of Senators keep the flame fans that don’t want their beloved ‘Nats of Frank Howard and Big Train contaminated by the ’Spos. Not might point of view, but everybody’s go to root for the same team, ‘Spos fans and Old-timers alike and sugar is going to affect more minds than salt. Hope the guy responds to some of the posts below and shares more about why he feels what he feels. We’ve taken the time to do that.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
Good point.
To be honest, it doesn’t bother me that the Nats themselves devote so much energy to “Washington baseball history”, to include not just the two ML franchises, but also the Grays, etc. It does bother me though that they simply refuse to acknowledge/celebrate the franchise’s history in Montreal.
Rob
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
—Connie Mack
I think the flipside with this is that this guy does indirectly raise a very valid point...
…when looking at historical accomplishments for the team, you really need to mention when the similar feats happened to Senators as well. This guy just joined the site, might be a more traditional fan, and may walk away in disgust by seeing a historical moment in Nats history forget about his justifably beloved Senators. Editing the Senators addition to this one would be an olive branch to the Senators lobby.
Love for the Expos can’t equal silence on the Senators. I love Phil Wood, anti-Expos bias notwithstanding, and guys in his age group and interest have a deep emotional connection to the Senators that can’t be forgotten. So not mentioning any Senators who’ve done the feat doesn’t make sense as well to the larger majority of Natstown that are more Senators fans than Expos fans.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
I did look through the Senators history after I wrote this last night cause I was curious...
There were a few that I could find:
Bill Joyce on August 20, 1894.
Goose Goslin on June 19, 1925. (In a 12-inning game)…
Jim King on June 8th, 1964.
Mike Epstein on May 16, 1969
And also discovered that MLB was not very careful with their initial list which inspired this post since Gary Carter also did it in ‘77 and Larry Parrish hit 3 in one game 3, count’em 3 times….
So needless to say, updated post with DC History included is coming…
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Nova...
…you’re entitled to your point of view. Any fan who is a Senators fan certainly has the right to treat the Nats as the resumed history of the Senators. I called Phil on NatsTown Live during the last homestand, and he’s one of the people who espouses this point of view. The Nats themselves clearly espouse this point of view because they don’t talk about the Expos. I’d argue for trying to expand your mind a little bit for a few reasons.
1) If you don’t, you are reveling in Montreal losing it’s franchise the same we lost our franchise years ago. We are becoming Texas and Minnesota doing that. We are becoming mercenary Art Modell and Baltimore, which moaned for years and years about losing their beloved Colts, instantly becoming gleeful once they swiped the Browns from Cleveland. Remember half the reason the Expos cratered is because of the MLB strike interrupting what could have been their World Series year. No strike and the Expos might have been what today’s Rays are.
2) There are fans of the Expos who have followed the team and would like some acknowledmement of their history for sticking by the team. Patrick and others here are in that category, and the Nats would be nice to recognize their (almost) unpaid sacrifices as independent fans by occasionally doing at least one throwback night in the next couple years to recognize their point of view as well.
3) There are some really cool guys who are part of Expos history who it would be great to include in the Nats tent. Andre Dawson, especially, who is mentioned in this post is a Hall of Famer who it would be nice to include under the tent.
4) There are Nats players whose careers are being amputated when we don’t recognize the Expos. Classy Nats like Brian Schneider are Expos who sacrificed a lot to be globetrotters in Puerto Rico to help the transition. Part of recognizing their service is to remember that they are Expos and Nats.
I know the argument for forgetting the Expos. Certainly the precedent has been set. Noone talks about the St. Louis Browns when they mention the Baltimore Orioles (of course St. Louis has their own team now). Noone talked about the Senators during the traumatic time when MLB swiped the team twice and then perpetually teased the market and dissed DC during previous expansions when they were a superior market to Tampa and Florida especially. You’re entitled to your point of view, and I’m not asking you to root for the Expos. I just hope that you won’t judge Expos fans for remaining true to the players they rooted for and the pain that they endured.
For the record, I don’t have much of a dog in this fight. I was a Mets fan until 2005. I wanted DC to get a team for years because my father worked in Griffith stadium, and my family has roots in the area. But I hope the Nats will occasionally acknowledge that this team’s history is 95% Senators, but there’s also a 2.5% Homestead Grays contingent and a 2.5% Montreal Expos. I think that nobody would be hurt with one Expos uniform day between now and judgement and acknowledgment of their presence in the park. To me, it’s an inferiority complex when I see all of this Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken stuff and other Hall of Famers in the park and not one mention of a single Expos Hall of Famer.
As long as we’ve got 14,090 fans for a midweek game in summer, the Nats should make the tent as large as possible. A lot more intelligent that begging Philly fans to invade the park.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
One more reason:
Future Hall of Famer™ Ian Desmond is a product of the Expos’ farm system. That is, he’s a product of the Nationals’ farm system. (They are one and the same).
Rob
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
—Connie Mack
Shoot, the Expos were better at drafting than the Nats.
Yet to have a pick of intelligence by the Nats staff really make an impact. Strasburg’s a no brainer. Zimmerman was early in the draft 2005 and scouted by the Expos staff. Strasburg and Harper are picks a two-year old could make. Bernadina was an Expos pick as well.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
NTAC's picks don't count...he was horrible.
Let’s see what Rizzo’s 5th and later round picks do in the future.
Storen hasn't made an impact yet?
You are in a feisty mood about drafts, I can tell.
I really only want to judge the team’s drafting ability starting in 2008 (really, 2009). That’s not a long time ago; there’s not too many players in the Majors up already from those drafts (certainly there’s not many from the 5th round or later — are there ANY in fact?). It’s very early yet to see how guys like Hood, Espinosa, and Kobernus will turn out, but you seem to be dismissing them pretty much out of hand here.
Rob
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
—Connie Mack
I’m really in a feisty move about the upper minors, which has me a bit grouchy. Burgess has kind of crashed back to earth following his strong start. I’ve spent a lot more time lately on Sickels board, which spends a lot of time following top 100 prospects, and outside of Norris, we really don’t have anyone that people care about outside of Nats fans. Espinosa some, but people kind of look at him as being a steady eddy affordable piece rather than an affordable option. And I’m sorry, the arms in the minors just ain’t that scary. Every time Kown takes the mound in AA, I want to blow a gasket.
But yeah, thanks for the correction on Storen. My take on Storen is that it will be interesting to see how it compares 3-5 years down the line when we have a better sense of how the starters in that draft class fared.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
Forget it, folks. It's Natstown
Evelyn Mulwray: She’s my daughter.
[Gittes slaps Evelyn]
Jake Gittes: I said I want the truth!
Evelyn Mulwray: She’s my sister…
[slap]
Evelyn Mulwray: She’s my daughter…
[slap]
Evelyn Mulwray: My sister, my daughter.
[More slaps]
Jake Gittes: I said I want the truth!
Evelyn Mulwray: She’s my sister AND my daughter!
Good one........5 bonus points...
Don't Be A "Crow", Bryce... - P.R., Draft Day 2010
"...eyeblack-oozing baseball cyborg"
by cat daddy3000 on Jul 8, 2010 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
How dare you!? The Expos will never rest in peace, because the Expos will live forever! eMb f.f.f..for life.
by Andrew Davidson on Jul 8, 2010 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
I just want guys with this point of view...
…to explain why they feel what they feel and for ‘Spos fans to give them a chance to speak their peace. Arguing with my grandfather’s generation is kind of a losing proposition. But we can learn when we listen and they are willing to speak.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
IMO, TJL said it best a few weeks ago when discussing throwback uniforms.
they look alright but im just not down with the senators. personally, i only became an expo fan when there was talk of relocation :) but i have no connection to the senators either. you dont see the ravens doing colt throwbacks
by TJL on Jun 26, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, they can’t because the Colts, um exist, in an Indianopolis. I think I’m kinding missing the point of this one.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.
Just saying...celebrating a team that was stolen away doesn't have to happen...
Senators or Expos. In DC, I think you embrace both teams, or neither.
Senators and Expos are part of the team's past...
I for one embrace the both.
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 3:01 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Senators and Expos are part of the team's past...
I for one embrace the both.
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 3:01 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, that's a whole lotta 'mbracing going on.
Is that even legal…?
Rob
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
—Connie Mack
Stupid iPhone...
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jul 8, 2010 3:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
sd, one little correction
re St. Louis having “their own team now” – the Cards & Browns played there at the same time. Like Boston, Philly and other burgs I may be forgetting, St. Louis was a two-league town for years. Otherwise, very impressive post, in regard to both content and volume.
Loved the Chinatown ref, Perry.
And I’m one of those wishy-washy guys who loves the memory of the Senators, but also believes in honoring the Expos’ memory.
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