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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxk!rs55611
From: rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: RE:the magic is back
Message-ID: <828@ihuxk.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Dec-84 14:23:06 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxk.828
Posted: Wed Dec 12 14:23:06 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Dec-84 03:30:16 EST
References: <986@ihuxe.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
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I was in Canada when the Carter trade news broke (in Toronto and Ottawa,
though, not Montreal), and the fan opinion there appears to be basically
against the trade, as you'd expect.  However, interviews with other Expos
were not all that negative.  Steve Rogers (who would also appear to be
up for near-future trades) had some nice things to say about the
incoming players, and pointed out that Carter's total performance over
the past two years has been slightly erratic.  In 83 Carter had a very good
defensive year, but slipped markedly on offense.  After criticism from
the Montreal management, Carter vowed to improve his offensive performance.

He certainly did this in 1984, with a very fine offensive year.  According
to Rogers, though, his play behind the plate was merely average last year,
with big increases in passed balls, and very marginal performance in throwing 
out people stealing 2nd.  I got the impression that many of the Expos
were secretly liking the trade, possibly because without Carter around,
media and fan attention would increase for the rest of the team.

Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611

PS - The Toronto paper (or was it Ottawa) had a big headline about Carter
leaving, and then a much smaller article about the arriving Mets players.
The headline of this smaller article was "Who are these guys, anyway?"
(although fans up there are presumably at least familiar with Hubie Brooks).