Jose Vidro, a three-time National League All-Star second baseman with the Montreal Expos from 1997 to 2004, says that Montreal baseball fans must continue the fight to restore Major League Baseball to the city. “My message to the fans is to keep pushing and not to lose hope,” Vidro said. “I would love to be a part of the return of baseball to Montreal.” Vidro made his debut at the age of 22 with the Expos on June 8, 1997. One of his rookie season highlights was playing with the likes of Pedro Martinez. “It was a lot of fun to be around Pedro Martinez. The way he went about his business, and the way he treated his teammates, he was a professional. And when he was on the mound, our relievers knew they didn’t even have to put their spikes on. Pedro was going to throw nine innings. His recent Hall of Fame honour is well deserved.” It took Vidro a couple of seasons before he would find his .300 hitting form. He credits Manager Felipe Alou with helping him make the transition to the big leagues. “It was great to have a manager who spoke my language and who loved to help young players. Baseball is a hard game and Felipe made it easier.” In a career that spanned 11-plus seasons with Montreal, Washington and Seattle, some of Vidro’s most bittersweet memories were during the 2003 Expos campaign. On August 28, 2003, the Expos completed a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies and sat tied atop the wildcard playoff standings. The team was banged up but feeling positive, anxious to take on reinforcements when Major League Baseball rosters expanded on September 1. But the call-ups never came. “Most of our position players had played 140 games or so and we were tired. When we were told that there wouldn’t be any September call-ups, we were in disbelief. We felt betrayed. Our bullpen needed help and we needed fresh legs in the lineup. We really thought that it was going to be our year.” Owned by Major League Baseball, the Expos had a set budget and were not permitted to exceed it in order to add players to the roster for September. With no help on the horizon, and with some of its home games down the stretch played in Puerto Rico, the Expos faded. During the final Expos season in 2004, Vidro signed an extension with the organization, believing that the contract offer meant that the team would remain in Montreal. He went on to play two more seasons with the franchise when it moved to Washington, D.C. in 2005, before being traded to Seattle in 2007 and being released by the Mariners in 2008. When pressed to name the best players he ever played with, Vidro cited Vladimir Guerrero and Felix Hernandez. “My locker was next to Vlad. I learned a lot from him, how to mentally prepare for the game. Vlad never stopped trying to get better.” Vidro was also happy to see Guerrero’s recent assertion that he would prefer to don an Expos cap should he be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in the future. “There is no doubt in my mind that Vladimir Guerrero is a Hall of Famer. He put up unbelievable numbers. We are still good friends. I will be there on the day that he gets inducted.” Currently involved in baseball in his native Puerto Rico, Vidro admits that Montreal is still a very special place for him. “I considered Montreal my home and it was a beautiful time in my life. I never got the chance to thank the fans of Montreal. From the bottom of my heart, my family and I thank everyone up there for embracing us as they did. We look forward to returning one day.” Zapatillas Baratas España ." The tournament was set to be held Sept. 15-21 and would have been the first ATP tournament held in Israel since 1996. But amid Israels military campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, ATP President Chris Kermode said "we do not feel we can proceed as planned given the situation in the region. Zapatillas Mujer Baratas . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. https://www.zapatillasbaratasspain.es/ai...tlet-d1388.html. -- The Minnesota Twins have granted relief pitcher Matt Guerrier his unconditional release, making the 35-year-old right-hander a free agent. Air Max Mujer Baratas . -- Mixed martial arts fighter Cristiane Justino Santos has been suspended and fined for testing positive for steroids. Yeezy Baratas Hombre . -- Nick Bjugstad snapped out of his scoring slump and spoiled Drew MacIntyres first NHL start.CLEVELAND -- Johnny Manziel is back at work after a holiday weekend in Las Vegas. And when youre Johnny Football, what happens in Vegas doesnt necessarily stay in Vegas. The Browns celebrated rookie quarterback reported for organized team activities Tuesday following a few days in Vegas, where he kicked off his summer by hanging poolside with New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, attended a UFC fight and was captured on video spraying champagne on patrons in a nightclub. And, according to Manziel, he found time to study his new playbook. Following his first practices with Clevelands veterans last week, Manziel took advantage of a break in the workouts to head to Las Vegas. On Saturday, a photo of him and Gronkowski, surrounded by other partiers, appeared on several social media sites. Later, Manziel posted a photo on his Twitter account of him standing with UFC President Dana White along with a thank-you note. Although this was all done on his free time, and Manziel didnt commit a crime or have any known issues, his actions raised eyebrows in some circles about his commitment to playing in the NFL. He seemed to fire back at any criticism by posting a photo on his Instagram account Monday night of his Browns playbook and iPad with the caption: "Guess its impossible to enjoy the weekend and study?" Manziel, who was selected with the No. 22 overall pick by the Browns after slidingg in the first round, is expected to challenge Brian Hoyer for the starting job.ddddddddddddLast week, first-year Browns coach Mike Pettine said Manziel was having typical problems for a young player. "Its like any other rookie, that hes just inconsistent," Pettine said. "I think a lot of its the mental part of it. Hes more worried about getting the formation right, making sure the motion is correct, and hes got the cadence. Then, hes got to worry about where guys are. Being good mechanically takes a back seat to learning the system first. I think you see over the maturation process, once all that stuff becomes second nature, that hell be a lot more comfortable." Manziel has made a favourable impression with the Browns in his first weeks as a pro. Hes said all the right things during two media availabilities, echoing the teams stance that hes only a backup and will have to earn his starting job. Pettine also said Manziel has shown humility, fitting in nicely with some teammate who may have expected Johnny Football to act differently. "Hes quiet actually," Pettine said. "Hes a good guy to be around. I think the guys in the locker room will be able to tell you that hes a fun guy. But you can tell, when its time to work he works, and hes very serious about this. You can tell hes very competitive." Clevelands practice Wednesday is open to the media. ' ' '