October 22, 2019

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

The Washington Nationals are headed to the World Series but to many of us Expos fans, there is no co-relation.

The Nationals are just another team. They may be the successors of the Expos, relocated to Washington from Montreal for the 2005 season, but there is no history or sentiment involved. No. Not in this corner.

Yet, you have to admire and respect Expos legend Tim Raines for coming out in support of the Nationals in an Associated Press story written this past weekend by Montreal-based freelance writer Sean Farrell. Raines talked about how elated he was for the Nationals to make the World Series.

"Actually, I'm happy, even though it's not Montreal,. It's still a part of the Montreal franchise,'' Raines told Farrell. "Even though they're not the Expos, they are the Nationals but they wouldn't have been there without the Expos.

"So even though I never played there, I wasn't a part of the Nationals logo but in actual speaking, it's the Expos franchise that has been moved to another site.''

What we need to do is not disparage any Expos fans, who do cheer for the Nationals and make their feelings known about that. There have been too many people on social media critical of fans, who dare to cheer for Washington. People have the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.

No matter how we feel about this Expos-Nationals discussion, let's at least celebrate the Nationals roster. Celebrate Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and others but most of all manager Dave Martinez, who played for the Expos from 1988-1991.

The Nationals started the season 19-31 and many wanted Martinez fired. Then what did the Nationals do? They saved Martinez's job by going 74-38 in their final 112 games.

I picked the Nationals to win the NLCS in six games but I'm taking the Astros in six in the World Series.