Conversation with ex-Expos GM Kevin Malone

GM of the best team in baseball in '94 goes deep on his career with Expos, O's and Dodgers and how MLB in Montreal was ravaged by the strike

Conversations with Griff caught up with former Expos GM Kevin Malone, who recalls in detail the misplaced optimism of his clubhouse speech to the team on Aug. 11, 1994, the day the game shut down, at Three Rivers Stadium. Previously, Malone was responsible for the Twins advance scouting of the Braves prior to the ‘91 World Series and he talks about who would have been his personal choices to be the Expos’ equivalent of Jack Morris and Kirby Puckett if there had been a ‘94 World Series. How would that have changed the direction of baseball in Montreal? He pays tribute to his mentors Pat Gillick and Dan Duquette, discusses the hugely different challenges in assembling an Expos team on a budget and a Dodgers team with seemingly unlimited budget, but huge expectations. Sadly, Malone talks about being given the task by Claude Brochu of tearing down what would have been a championshjip team for years to come after the strike was settled on the eve of Opening Day ‘95. Larry Walker, Marqiuis Grissom, Ken Hill and John Wettlend shipped out or allowed to walk in the first week. He gives his personal insight on what happened inside the Dodgers organization that led to his dismissal just three weeks into the 2000 season.