50 best MLB teams that didn’t win the World Series
How different would Major League Baseball history be had the 1994 player’s strike not ended the season on August 12 – resulting in the loss of nearly 50 games per team, and canceling the World Series? Would the Montreal Expos have made it to the Fall Classic? Would they have won, and possibly saved the franchise from an eventual move to Washington?
We’ll obviously never know, but it’s safe to say that the 1994 Expos are one of the best teams in Major League history that didn’t win a World Series – and unfortunately, they never had a chance.
When the season ended, Montreal had a 74-40 record, and held a six-game lead in the NL East over the Atlanta Braves. The Expos had one of baseball’s best starting rotations, which included newcomer and eventual Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez (11-5, 3.42 ERA) and staff ace Ken Hill (16-5, 3.32). Lefties Jeff Fassaro and Butch Henry each posted ERAs under 3.00, as did closer John Wetteland, who saved 25 games.
Offensively, the Montreal lineup featured stars like outfielders Moises Alou (.339/.397/.592, 22 HR, 78 RBI), Marquis Grissom (.288/.344/.427, 11 HR, 96 R,) and Larry Walker (.322/.394/.587, 19 HR, 86 RBI), as well as up-and-comers like Cliff Floyd and Will Cordero.
The next season, Walker signed with the Colorado Rockies and the Expos traded Hill and Grissom. The Expos dropped to 66-78, last place in the NL East.
Next: 1995 Cleveland Indians