Okay, so there was a playoff hockey game at the Molsen Center and hockey is the biggest thing in Canada. The Montreal Canadians were facing the Boston Bruins in a first round playoff match which explains why there were 3,561 fans last Tuesday night. Do the workers in Olympic Stadium count as attendance?

I think I found out how the Expos got those fans to show up last Tuesday night. All three thousand and some change first went to the hockey game and found out it was sold out.

"What are we going to do now? The hockey game is sold out." Fan A asks Fan B.

Fan B reply's, "Did baseball season start yet?"

Fan A responds, "I think so"

Fan B responds in excitement, "Lets go to the Expos game, they have to show the hockey score on the scoreboard."

Fan A responds, "Do you think the Expos game is sold out?"

Bud Selig, Commissioner of MLB, and all of Montreal laugh at Fan A.

Knowing this may be their last year in Montreal; the Expos players are playing exceptionally well in an effort to show the rest of the league that their last year will include causing havoc for every team that they face. Instead of putting there heads down and taking a beating every night, the Expos have decided to stay and fight.

It's funny how baseball teaches us lessons in life. For example, when anyone has nothing to lose or fear, that is when he/she should be, feared the most. The Expos are no different; they know there possible fate and they are going to put up a fight.

It has been almost a month into the season and the Expos are in first with a $38 million dollar payroll. The Mets have a payroll of $96 million dollars and happen to be two games behind the overachieving Expos. Not only do the Expos save $56 million dollars, but a month into the season, the Expos have a better record than the Mets. To get to first place, the Expos beat the Mets three out of four games last week. We are only in April and Mets fans are screaming "Contract them now!"

Expos manager Frank Robinson has his team concentrated on playing baseball and not worrying about things they are not able to control.

"We're not happy we're in first place, we're happy we're playing good baseball," Robinson said.

"Spirits are up, the guys' attitude is up, and everything is as it should be."

Robinson is doing a great job in instilling confidence into a young Expos team.

Catcher Michael Barrett who is batting .379 and has been a key element to the Expos success said:

"I think the biggest hope that the fans have in Montreal - and I can speak for myself, because I'm a fan myself - is that if they're not going to have a team anymore, they want to go out with some style, they want to go out with a winning ball club, too, just like we do. Let's enjoy it - this might be the last year of the Expos."

Second baseman Jose Vidro and right fielder Vladimir Guerrero make up the core of the Expos. Vidro, who is 27, and Guerrero, who is 26, are considered the veterans on the Expos. Both are products of the Expos minor leagues, which have developed players such as Larry Walker.

Vidro was called up to the majors in 1997 and Guerrero got his first shot during the 1996 season. So far this season, Jose Vidro is batting .349 and an OBP of .413. Vidro is not just having a great start to the season; he is solidifying his name as one of the best second baseman in the NL.

He has batted over .300 for the past three seasons and has a career batting average of .304. If this in fact is the Expos last year, many teams will want to roll out the red carpet for Mr. Vidro.

If you look in the baseball dictionary under "five tool" player, expect to see Vladimir Guerrero's name. Guerrero has hit over .300 in the past five seasons and gives all the Expos fans a show night after night. Vladimir is batting .375 this season with 24 RBI's in just 22 games. Guerrero will be the prize catch for all the teams looking to add a new right fielder.

So if this is the last season for the Montreal Expos, I praise their will to fight. Montreal is currently on a six-game winning streak, they are gaining confidence, and enjoying the game of baseball.

"It's a lot of fun," third baseman Chris Truby said. "There's a lot of energy on this team."

The Expos trying to make it very hard on baseball to contract them after they come off a winning season. Not to mention, if they make the playoffs. It's only April, and playoff talk now is far too premature, but I look forward to seeing how Bud Selig can contract a team that comes off a playoff season. Attendance is a major issue, last Thursday's game only brought out 3,501 fans.

MLB may have already made up its mind on contracting the Expos at the end of this year, but that's not to say the rest of the Major leagues should underestimate these group of men who have nothing to lose.

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