1981 Montreal Expos: Almost Until Monday

1981 Montreal Expos: Almost Until Monday

[paypal_donation_button]1981 Montreal Expos: Almost Until Monday

The 1981 regular season was an unusual time for Major League Baseball as everything started off well, but then because of issues regarding free agency and ongoing pressure from team owners, the players would walk out on the owners and go on strike. The 1981 players’ strike lasted from June 12 to July 31, and as a result an estimated total of $146 Million in player salaries, ticket sales, broadcast revenues and concession revenues would be lost.

Due to the strike the 1981 season would be split up into different halves, meaning there would be first half and second half division champions, and in the event that the same team won both halves that team would play against the second half 2nd place team in the postseason.

Thankfully for the Montreal Expos, they were still able to make franchise history as they managed to reach the postseason for the first time ever. Overall the Expos went 60-48 in this abbreviated season, finishing 2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League East. In the 1st Half the Expos finished 4 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the division crown, but they captured the 2nd Half division crown by just ½ a game over the Cardinals. The Expos went 7-4 against the Phillies but only 6-9 against the Cardinals in head-to-head play. The Expos went 32-21 at their home ballpark of Stade Olympique (Olympic Stadium) and went 27-22 on the road.

Left fielder Tim Raines would burst onto the scene in Montreal as he batted .304 with 95 hits, 13 doubles, 7 triples and a National League best 71 stolen bases. Raines would end up winning The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award. First baseman Warren Cromartie batted .304 with 109 hits and 19 doubles. Referred to as “The Hawk” center fielder Andre Dawson batted .302 with 24 home runs and 64 RBI’s off 119 hits, 21 doubles and 26 stolen bases. Third baseman Larry Parrish had 8 home runs, 85 hits and 19 doubles. Catcher Gary Carter, also known as “Kid”, had 16 home runs and 68 RBI’s off 94 hits and 20 doubles. Second baseman Rodney Scott had 69 hits, 9 doubles and 30 stolen bases. Shortstop Chris Speier had 69 hits and 10 doubles. Right fielder Tim Wallach had 50 hits and 9 doubles in 71 games.

Starting pitcher Steve Rogers went 12-8 with 87 strikeouts and a 3.42 ERA, recording 7 complete games and 3 shutouts. Bill Gullickson had 115 strikeouts and a 2.80 ERA despite going 7-9, recording 3 complete games and 2 shutouts. Scott Sanderson went 9-7 with 77 strikeouts and a 2.95 ERA, recording 4 complete games and 1 shutout. Ray Burris entered free agency in the 1980-1981 offseason and would be signed by the Expos on February 18, and he would give Montreal a solid season as he went 9-7 with a 3.05 ERA and 4 complete games. Charlie Lea went 5-4 with 2 complete games and 2 shutouts.

The Expos basically had a “closer by committee” system where any relief pitcher would be called to step up. Woodrow “Woodie” Fryman went 5-3 with 7 saves and a 1.88 ERA. Bill “Spaceman” Lee had 6 saves and a 2.94 ERA despite going 5-6. Jeff Reardon went 2-0 with 6 saves and a 1.30 ERA. Stan Bahnsen went 2-1 with 1 save. Despite going 1-2 for the year, Elias Sosa had 3 saves and a 3.66 ERA.

The 2nd Half National League East Champion Montreal Expos would square off against the 1st Half Champion Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series, and in Game 1 on October 7 at Olympic Stadium, the Expos won 3-1. Steve Rogers pitched 8.2 innings and gave up 10 hits, 2 walks and 1 run while recording 3 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 1st inning Gary Carter had an RBI double. In the top of the 2nd catcher Keith Moreland hit a solo home run. In the bottom of the 2nd Chris Speier had an RBI double, and in the bottom of the 4th Warren Cromartie had an RBI double.

In Game 2 on October 8 the Expos won 3-1, pushing the Phillies to the brink of elimination. Bill Gullickson pitched 7.2 innings and gave up 6 hits, 1 walk and 1 run while recording 3 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 2nd inning Speier had an RBI single, and in the bottom of the 3rd Carter belted a 2-run home run. An RBI single by first baseman Pete Rose wouldn’t be enough for Philadelphia.

Momentum swung back to Philadelphia once the series switched to Veterans Stadium as the Phillies would win Game 3 on October 9 by the score of 6-2. Larry Christenson was great on the mound for Philadelphia as he pitched 6 innings, giving up 4 hits, 1 walk and 1 run and recording 8 strikeouts. In the top of the 2nd inning Speier had an RBI single, but in the bottom of the 2nd second baseman Manny Trillo had a 2-run single. In the bottom of the 6th pinch hitting right fielder George Vukovich and Rose both had RBI singles, and in the bottom of the 7th left fielder Gary Matthews and shortstop Larry Bowa both had RBI singles. Carter’s sacrifice fly in the top of the 8th couldn’t spark a Montreal rally.

Although Game 4 would be much closer, the Phillies would still prevail by the score of 6-5 on October 10. In the bottom of the 1st inning third baseman Mike Schmidt belted a 2-run home run, and in the bottom of the 3rd Moreland would have a 2-run single. In the top of the 4th Carter hit a solo home run. In the top of the 5th right fielder Jerry White had a sacrifice fly, and in the top of the 6th pinch hitters John Milner and Wallace Johnson both had RBI singles. In the bottom of the 6th Matthews hit a solo home run, and in the top of the 7th Carter tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI double. In the bottom of the 10th John Vukovich came through for Philadelphia as he hit a walk-off solo home run.

In the deciding Game 5 on October 11, however, the Expos finally got their road win as they blanked the Phillies 3-0 to advance deeper in the postseason. Steve Rogers had another great performance as he pitched a complete game, giving up 6 hits and 1 walk while recording 2 strikeouts. Rogers even helped himself out in the top of the 5th by getting a 2-run single. Larry Parrish then had an RBI double in the top of the 6th.

The 1981 National League Championship Series is best known for Montreal baseball fans having their hearts broken by a solo home run hit by right fielder Rick Monday in the top of the 9th inning of the deciding Game 5 on October 19 at Olympic Stadium. With this home run Monday elevated the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series, which meant that the Montreal Expos almost had the opportunity to compete for a World Series Championship if not for Monday.

Until Monday’s shot, however, the Expos did make the NLCS an exciting series to watch. In Game 2 on October 14 at Dodger Stadium the Expos blanked the Dodgers 3-0. Ray Burris pitched a complete game, giving up 5 hits and 2 walks while recording 3 strikeouts. In the top of the 2nd inning Cromartie had an RBI double, and Raines followed with an RBI single. Carter then had an RBI single in the top of the 6th, and all this offense came against “El Toro” Fernando Valenzuela, the conductor of “Fernando-mania”.

In Game 3 on October 16 at Olympic Stadium the Expos win 4-1. Steve Rogers was once again stellar for Montreal as he pitched a complete game, giving up 7 hits and 1 walk while recording 5 strikeouts. Though the Dodgers got on the board first in the top of the 4th inning with an RBI groundout by third baseman Ron Cey, the Expos took over. In the bottom of the 6th Parrish had an RBI single, and then Jerry White blasted a 3-run home run.

Making the All-Star Game on August 9, 1981 at Cleveland Stadium would be Gary Carter, Andre Dawson and Tim Raines. Carter and Dawson would start for the National League while Raines would be a reserve. Expos Manager Dick Williams served as a coach for the National League All-Stars. Carter and Dawson would win Gold Glove Awards while Charlie Lea would be named Player of the Month in May.