Sherbrooke Expos looking for a fresh start in 2020
It may still seem too wintry outside to some for sports talk to turn to local baseball, but the Sherbrooke Expos have come out of hibernation and are preparing for the season to come. In a press release issued on Wednesday morning, the organization behind the team announced that May 17 will officially mark the beginning of the Expos’ 18th season in the LBMQ, Quebec’s major baseball league.
The team is hoping for renewal in 2020 after a challenging season in 2019. The organization intends to take advantage of the training camp period over the coming weeks to unveil its full lineup of 30 players, which promises a lot of new blood.
Among the changes to the team is a new manager. Bruno Laurin is no stranger to the Expos, having previously served as the team’s catcher. Taking up the task of management following the retirement of Eddie Lantigua last year, Laurin will continue to play the field while also guiding the team in the season to come. He is expected to announce the rest of his management team as well as his season goals soon.
In an effort to build team spirit, the organizers are also pushing for the adoption of a new slogan, “hey ho, let’s go! hey ho, expos!”
Fans of the expos will also see their colours change this year. New uniforms, to be revealed in May, are another part of the team’s effort to reinvent themselves.
A pre-sale of tickets for the season’s games kicks off this coming Friday, March 13, and will continue until Sunday, April 19. Pitched as “38 days to save 38 per cent,” the sale will allow interested parties to pick up a season pass, which covers 18 games, for $90 in place of the regular $120. Those looking to make the purchase in person can go to the Amédée-roy Stadium on rue du Cegep in Fleurimont on Saturday, March 21, from noon to 3 p.m. Otherwise it’s necessary to reach out either by email to flecuyer@baseballinmotion.ca or via the team’s facebook page.
More information on the team is available (in French) at http:// sherbrooke.lbmq.ca/, although a new website is also on the horizon for the team in the near future.
The Expos will play at the Amédéeroy Stadium from May through September of this year.