According to a release by MLB on April 8, fans can visit MLB.com/FranchiseFour to select the four most impactful players for each franchise who best represent the history of each franchise out of eight choices from its lineage. There is also a space for a write-in selection. Voting is live now until May 8.
The Ballot:
Gary Carter (1974-1984, 1992)
Andre Dawson (1976-1986)
Vladimir Guerrero (1996-2003)
Dennis Martinez (1986-1993)
Tim Raines (1979-1990)
Steve Rogers (1973-1985)
Rusty Staub (1969-1971, 1979)
Ryan Zimmerman (2005-Present)
Shoestring Catches Recommendations for the Washington Nationals:
Gary Carter: A seven-time all-star with the Montreal Expos, Gary Carter also won three Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers. In 1977, Carter became the first player in franchise history to hit three home runs in a game. Overall, he was an 11-time all-star and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
Dennis Martinez: Second on the all-time list in career victories with 100, Dennis Martinez was a three-time all-star for the Expos. Martinez also threw a perfect game in 1991 and made six Opening Day starts.
Tim Raines: The Expos career leader in stolen bases with 635, Tim Raines led the National League in that category four times, while in Montreal. Raines was a seven-time all-star with a Silver Slugger award. He also won a batting title with a .334 average in 1986.
Steve Rogers: Montreal’s all-time leader in victories with 158, Steve Rogers was a mainstay of the pitching staff for the Expos. Rogers won three games during the 1981 post-season for the Expos. The five-time all-star was the NL ERA leader in 1982 at 2.40. He also holds the club record with nine starts on Opening Day.
Editor’s Note: It was pretty amazing that there was only one player on the ballot who was actually a member of the Washington Nationals. As much as Ryan Zimmerman means to the franchise, his credentials just don’t match up with any of the selections from the Montreal Expos.