Under New Management - Expos 2041+

[David_ExposGM]

Having just taken over the Montreal Expos, after a decent run with the Los Angeles Angels, and with some time over the (IRL 2016) Christmas season as PBL takes a break, I thought it might be a good time to start a new thread about building the new team. I will go slower than my LA Angels Story of some seasons back, as I tend to write a lot early and then shift to actually concentrating on the team instead of the build and the story fades.

Let's see how this one goes?



As seen above, the record for the Montreal franchise has been rather "red" the past decade or so. There was some growth through a period to trying to play for the present (as I recall observing from the outside, looking in) and they almost surpassed the .500 plateau, with even a potential post-season appearance within their grasp, in 2037, but then things have been a little scattered since that point as the plans probably shifted.

Obviously the first priority would be to try and not lose 100 games this next season, which might be a challenge.
The second goal will be to continue to build the minor league talent level, which thankfully seems to have been the direction for a couple of years (until this past season).



Unfortunately the pick above was the top pick signed in the Expos organization this past draft. When you start at the seventh round, it can take quite a while to infuse talent. Picks in the first through sixth were unsigned and will return to the draft next season, so Montreal has effectively burned an entire year of development, which can't help but set the organization back on it's heels. That will change going forward, believe me! This will totally be a "draft and develop" franchise for the foreseeable future. The budget and finances simply dictate that.



As a result, this is the snapshot of the organization as I take control. The market size will hopefully evolve over time but I am betting it stays "small" for many seasons. The fan loyalty is something that can be tweaked a little more quickly and certainly the fan interest, through winning more games and targeted acquisitions, is something we can immediately work toward.

It's generally not hard to find Montreal on the league financial page of the PBL, just start at the bottom of any list amd we'll either be right there, or within sight of the bottom.

That, in turn should move the attendance numbers (thankfully we weren't 32) and generate some capital to be reinvested.

Time to roll up the sleeves!

[David_ExposGM]

Anyone has access to the following information, it's our statistical standing relative to the rest of the NL.



As you can see above, the team is not positively the worst in a couple of areas, but we will certainly be starting from near bottom in many categories. As such, there is not much that I feel the need to retain from the current Expos roster and some drastic decisions will be made immediately. I would much rather challenge younger talent that might be sub-par than to simply lose with veteran talent that is well past their due date.

That said, there are a couple of names that will have to stay with the club for at least another season as even their modest contract and lack of talent makes them a boat anchor (sorry if they are following along). I can live with that, we'll just work to line up some more talent to push for that same position next season and made spark some performance from the incumbent in the process.



It's not so much that the tickets in Montreal were over-priced as it was the combination of charging any price at all given the on-field performance witnessed by paying customers. So ticket prices will be adjusted downward in an effort to put more bums in seats and, together with hopefully a better on-field product, we'll get the graph above going in the right direction sooner, rather than later.



And, not surprisingly, this is where your budget tends to go when things bottom-out. And, mark my words yet again, the Expos have indeed bottomed out and will work very hard to get this graph to also look a little more positive ASAP!

The silver lining, in the face of apparent despair, is the fact the Expos have seen roughly $120-Million dollar budgets in even the recent past (as seen at the far left on the graph), so it's just a matter of doing the right things to nudge back in that direction over time.

I was faced with a similar, though not quite as daunting, a challenge when I moved to Anaheim several years ago and things seemed to have worked out rather well for the Angels over time. Certainly the intent is to do the same in Montreal, even in the challenging NL East environment!

Of course, very much unlike my new situation, walking into Anaheim with the first overall pick in hand, Jhoan Brown (an Ace from the first day) makes a huge difference (and, full disclosure once again - that was entirely the Commissioner's pick as I assumed the franchise just after the draft had begun! But, let's face it, most likely 32 of us would have made that same "no-brainer" decision)!

My initial time with the Expos will be a big more of a challenge (as I mentioned in the first post in this thread).

But that's why we're (certainly I) am here...right?!

[Peter - Boston Red Sox]

If I'm not mistaken I believe I was 0-8 vs the Expos last season....FML

[David_ExposGM]

Dec 24, 2016 12:36:52 GMT -5 Peter - Boston Red Sox said:

If I'm not mistaken I believe I was 0-8 vs the Expos last season....FML

A respectable 4-5 it would appear (Team vs Team) against MTL. But you may need some tissues when you look at your record versus the Brewers!

[Peter - Boston Red Sox]

Oh right. I was owned by everyone in league. I was like a communal bicycle, everyone had a turn.

[David_ExposGM]

With the first couple of signings by the Expos, the re-birth of this franchise is underway. The strategy initially will be to try and let the youngsters develop in the minors (unless pressed up against a Rule 5 issue annually) and try to field a team in the meantime. With respect to the previous vision, I'm not sure either was happening previously. And some of the younger talent was being hurried into action, which can work, but generally causes problems. Case in point (in my opinion only) SP Theron Law.

I am in no way suggesting this kid will follow in the footsteps of my Angels Ace Jhoan Brown, because that is highly unlikely, but he was a first round draft pick and with his service time I would think he should have spent considerable time in the minors with his clock yet to start. I will obviously have him in camp for the spring as he is on the 40, but would not be surprised to burn another option by sending him back down, possibly even to AA for the start of their season. However if he shows even a glimmer of talent, I will have a lefty bullpen arm until he shows me he can't, then back to plan "A".

Will the plan work. Time will tell. But it is my plan! And with the brand new feature of "ratings by league level" I am very interested in watching the progression of my young talent!
** Sorry, couldn't resist...

Here are the beginnings of the plan.

We need pitching simply because the cupboard is bare. I have gassed all but a few arms that may have a chance for some spot duty, but the rest will be pieced together. The first additions just signing. Same can be said for the bats. I have kept some young ones that might just contribute from the bench or be pressed into service, warts and all, but we will look to acquire some "projects" that have had a past and new life may spark their season.

To the pen we add 40-year old lefty Daron Acord. I had him last season in LA and while he was merely a piece in that pen, he will be given time in ours. Also to the pen we add 36-year old Jesus Marinez, who has spent time in both TBay and San Diego over the past several years, He could likely close for us, but we may not need a closer that often, so he too will be given pen time.

To patrol the outfield in Montreal (likely CF, but we'll see) we have signed 35-year old Omar Rios. I also had a much younger version of him in LA years back and while he became a budget concern then, he will find time on the field to continue his career. He has been a part-timer since his time in LA, but with some decent teams. I like him.

Talks are underway with several others, but we'll see where some of them go because when the bidding gets even a little high, we'll likely move along to another player.

Things have begun to take shape in Quebec!

[Peter - Boston Red Sox]

This is good stuff man! I am anxious to see how you turn things around in Montreal perhaps as a blueprint for how I get the Cubs back to winning again.

[David_ExposGM]

Jan 2, 2017 19:13:34 GMT -5 Peter - Boston Red Sox said:

This is good stuff man! I am anxious to see how you turn things around in Montreal perhaps as a blueprint for how I get the Cubs back to winning again.

I think you are ahead of me at this point, especially your pitching, but will gladly compare notes as we plot to take over the NL. Maybe an NLCS in the distant future (Shane would be fine with that, I'm sure)!

[David_ExposGM]

By the way I have often heard complaints about how the owner goals sometimes are ridiculous. Granted, please evaluate our following goals with the knowledge this team is starting pretty close to rock bottom.



I find the first more than reasonable.
The second is completely understandable and the auditions will happen in the spring.

Increasing attendance goes without saying. I think I mentioned that earlier. If you recall the attendance graphic, the bums in seats barely showed above the season ticket holders (who should be thanked profusely for their continued support in Montreal). I plan on lowering the ticket prices drastically, which combined with a slightly better product (I hope) on the field should boost sales. The current number (which I cut off for space) is 12,481/game, so 14,000 is quite within our grasp.

Building the farm will certainly be a challenge, but I am completely aligned with my owner on that goal!
The improving the draft record, by bringing more drafted WAR to the team, goes hand in hand with the point above, so also reasonable.

The final point may be the toughest challenge of all naturally. We are nowhere near contention currently and will have to step over some darn decent franchises to get a sniff. But that is ALWAYS the goal, right?

By the way, he has given me 2044 for that one! Wish me Luck OR watch me get terminated if I woefully fall short!

[Sean..Mariners GM]

Haha, I'm in the same boat David. I'm progressing nicely I think towards completing my goals except the playoffs. I don't think that may happen this season.

[David_ExposGM]

Jan 2, 2017 22:43:15 GMT -5 Sean..Mariners GM said:

Haha, I'm in the same boat David. I'm progressing nicely I think towards completing my goals except the playoffs. I don't think that may happen this season.

Yep!

Again keep in mind both our teams are hopefully on the rise. I get that when you have a mature team and your apparently clueless owner asks you to re-sign some lead weight DH that hit .124 last season, it may not dovetail with your plans as a GM (but he is the owner).

But, at least in my case, I think my goals from my owner are quite reasonable and basically what I would be working toward anyway.

I'll try to remember to revisit them annually to see if they go of course eventually.

[David_ExposGM]

Not much to report after the latest negotiations.

I have received a couple of "Sorry, but I'd rather not play for your organization" messages when approaching free agent talent, but not too many. Of course I am not even bothering with the biggest fish in the pond because, A) that would be senseless as one big fish would not help this team, at this time, and B) we simply cannot afford them. Maybe in a few years we'll swim with the big boys, but not just yet.

Another aside, on several occasions I have been greeted with a message that one of the players I have targeted has signed with the San Diego Padres! HA! At least I am in some pretty decent company when scouting talent. Note to self: I should buy the Padres scouts a couple more beers during games we frequent together!

Rule 5 can mean a time to steal a few young players that deserve a shot, but can't with their current organization. Of course it's also a complete crapshoot and usually the players that make your eyes bug out end up being pulled back at the last minute and placed on the 40-Man of their current squad. But, we'll see if we can pluck a few that can grow with the Expos!

[Luc_AZdbacks]

Jan 5, 2017 12:30:22 GMT -5 David_ExposGM said:

Another aside, on several occasions I have been greeted with a message that one of the players I have targeted has signed with the San Diego Padres! HA! At least I am in some pretty decent company when scouting talent. Note to self: I should buy the Padres scouts a couple more beers during games we frequent together!

If Ron is going after the same guys you are, it means you are 100% going after the right guys.

[David_ExposGM]

Expos have added a Catcher and another bullpen arm.

We needed a catcher as the previous left for free agency. C Stewart JONES is that guy now! Frankly, our previous was, and remains, too expensive for us at this time and I thought him to be a little one dimensional (but can easily justify that when I can't afford him too of course). Although losing the 35 HR's from last season will sting of course, there are a bunch of more pressing needs. That said, if his price comes down substantially near Spring Training...DH possibly?

I know it's early in the off-season to be bulking up the pen, but there was literally nothing there when I arrived, so I felt that was a place to immediately improve with assets, if nothing else. I feel we have at least a couple of stronger arms that last season now, the latest being RP Ju-long SHIH.

There are offers out for some addition position players too. We certainly can have healthy competition for spots this ST, if not outright holes to fill. And all on a budget. But you have to build from the ground up!

And it goes without saying, and I may repeat this often in the lead up to the new season, the primary Expos goal for 2041 - not to lose 100!

Rule 5 next! While we have targeted a few players, and we certainly pick in a good spot, I didn't see a lot of top notch talent in the pool. But even role players will be an upgrade, so we'll see how many of our picks end up with a spring tryout with Montreal.

[David_ExposGM]

December 31, 2040

Rule 5 Draft completed and we actually picked up a couple of bullpen arms. I was virtually certain we would get one pick, and I'm happy to get the second. CL Franklin SHELTON comes across from the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Only 24 and totally upside, he can marinate in the bullpen this season, hopefully showing us a glimpse of what could be? SP Pedrio LOPEZ, also from STL (apologies) looked FAR better in the draft pool than he does now on my 40-Man. He will have to show us something, anything, in Spring Training, otherwise he may simply be returned. We'll see.

Some more signing dominoes fell too, as the Expos added players. RP Jesus GARZA signs as a free agent reliever. He does have some aptitude as a starter, so we could try him there too, but most likely will just be an arm that can grow in the bullpen with the rest. Backup catcher is not a priority, but we did sign a hopeful in C Jose TORRES. He will never set the world on fire, but was a 29-year old in AA ball last season with SF and put up respectable numbers. You never know? And, purely as depth at AAA, we also signed C Tony BROCK. He'll be a placeholder to let younger catchers develop further down the depth chart and might be pressed into emergency service should anything happen in Montreal.

You can never really use it as the definitive off-season barometer, but we are showing well in the WAR gained chart, at #4. Of course there was pretty well only one way to go and because of that gaining only 1.2 WAR means we could win 58 games this coming season (Ha!). Add to that the fact a lot of the talent we have been hunting has been the "role player" type, hoping to give them a larger role this season. On their previous team they might never have had a chance to be a major contributor. We'll see.

Plus the teams that are already powerful can usually sustain a WAR hit, then try to mop up some of their own FA's or cherry pick the remains to fill small holes late in the off-season, so again I use it only as one of many yardsticks. I would not cancel any bets for a successful season on the bottom third of the WAR list just yet!

Still have some FA offers out to a couple of more arms (including a projected "Ace", and of course we use that term very loosely in Montreal) and several position players. They all seem to favour the offers, but have not signed - translation: PLEASE, ANYONE give me another OFFER! :-)

So far, to reveal some behind-the-scenes information, the new regime seems to be getting support in Montreal.



Like I mentioned earlier, I lowered ticket prices because there was very, very little walk-up last season (and can't blame 'em). That should at least get some people to come and sample the new on-field product as seen in the graphic above. Even a rebuilding club can make a little money. Not much, but a little!

Plus, if you recall, one of my owner's goals was to raise attendance to roughly the 14,000 level. If all goes well, we blow that out of the park! That will counter ways I may not please him quite as much...