2005 Vermont Expos

A few months ago on Twitter, the Vermont Lake Monsters had a sale of Vermont Expos merchandise they had left over. It was nice to see, as it was a chance to get a few team sets I ended up buying one of each set they had available, which came to seven. 

Today I want to show the team set, plus give a little information you may or may not know. 

This team set is from 2005. In 2005, the Expos were no more. They were the Washington Nationals (NotTheSpos, as I like to call them) but the Vermont Expos still existed. Here's why..

Minor League clubs are given 60 days at the end of the season to submit for name changes/identity switches, etc. When word came the Expos were moving to Washington and becoming the Nationals, it wasn't enough time for them to get a new identity and submit it, so they stayed the Expos for 2005. 

So.. The Vermont Expos were the last Expos team. 

The Vermont Lake Monsters held "Tribute to the Expos" nights since Burlington Vermont is so close to Montreal. I read in one place that they wanted to keep the Expos name, but were told they were unable to. I don't know if this is true or not, but it's interesting if it was.. 

Anyway.. Would you like to see who was on this final Expos team? 

Of this team, three made the Majors.. Lannan, Stammen, and Estrada. 

There are a couple of "Wait....." names here too.. Like Dee Brown. This is not the former Royal.. This is Dee Brown who was drafted in 2005 and ended up playing two years in Winnipeg to close his career. 

I was curious about Gene Yost, wondering if he's at all related to Ned, but I couldn't find information. 

Then you have common names like Carlos Martinez and Eduardo Nunez. 

A couple interesting things.. 

David Eckstein's Brother worked for the Vermont Expos. 

There was a Canadian born player on this team. Jamie Lehman of Brampton Ontario. 

So that was one of the seven team sets I bought from the Vermont Lake Monsters Expos sale.