Strange start, familiar finish in MLB

 The Yankees became the first team in 25 years to win three straight World Series crowns, yet their 26th title was not baseball's biggest number in 2000.

 The most staggering figure had nothing to do with home runs launched by Slammin' Sammy, Big Mac and Junior or wild pitches to the backstop by Rick Ankiel.

 Instead, it was all about the money now belonging to superstar shortstop Alex Rodriguez.

 A-Rod became A-Lot, signing a dizzying $252-million US, 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers. That's more than owner Tom Hicks paid to buy the franchise three years ago.

 Major-league baseball was spiced with controversy and a late finish.

 Remember John Rocker? And what, exactly, was Roger Clemens doing when he threw that jagged bat barrel near Mike Piazza in the World Series, having already beaned the Mets' star three months earlier?

 The playoff chase went right down to the final day of the regular season. With many potential scheduling snags looming, Oakland and Seattle won their way in and Cleveland was left out.

 Atlanta won its ninth straight division title. But Boston and Arizona, despite Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson winning their second straight Cy Young awards and continuing to dominate in the hitters' era, did not make it back.

 The Toronto Blue Jays played bombs away, belting a league-high 244 homers. But despite left-hander David Wells posting a 20-8 record, the Jays were plagued by inconsistent pitching and finished a disappointing third in the AL East standings with an 83-79 record.

 Manager Jim Fregosi's contract wasn't renewed and he was replaced by Buck Martinez, a long-time broadcaster and former Toronto catcher. Major-league baseball finally approved the Jays' long-awaited sale to communications mogul Ted Rogers, who promptly increased the club's budget from about $54 million US to over $70 million.

 General manager Gord Ash, given a new three-year contract by his new employer, quickly signed slugger Carlos Delgado to a four-year, $68-million deal that made him major-league baseball's highest-paid player -- for the moment. Delgado's contract looked like a deal after Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez (eight-year, $160-million with Boston) signed their lucrative pacts.

 The Montreal Expos posted a 67-95 record to finish fourth in the National League East standings, just two games ahead of Philadelphia, whose 65-97 record was the worst in the majors.

 The Expos again struggled at the turnstiles with the lowest attendance in major-league baseball. Montreal was the only team to attract less than one million fans (926,263), although that figure was up from the 773,277 who watched the club in 1999. But with plans to construct a new downtown stadium now dead, talk has re-surfaced about the franchise's future in Quebec.

 Owner Jeffrey Loria has said the Expos will play in Montreal this season, but nothing beyond.

 Despite their woeful record and uncertain future, the Expos have some bright lights.

 All-star outfielder Vladimir Guerrero enjoyed a brilliant season, hitting .345 with 44 homers and 123 runs-batted in. Second baseman Jose Vidro posted a .330 average with 24 homers and 97 RBIs.

 But pitching was a problem. Closer Ugueth Urbina, who posted an NL-high 41 saves in '99, was 0-1 and appeared in 13 games after undergoing elbow surgery. Left-handed reliever Graeme Lloyd, who signed as a free agent, didn't pitch at all, recovering from the death of his wife before enduring shoulder trouble.

 Injuries plagued starter Hideki Irabu, who missed most of the year with knee problems. Irabu, the former Japanese League star who signed amid much fanfare with the New York Yankees before being dealt to Montreal, was just 2-5 with a 7.24 ERA.

 Earlier this month, the Expos traded veteran right-hander Dustin Hermanson and reliever Steve Kline to the St. Louis Cardinals for third baseman Fernando Tatis and pitcher Britt Reames. Tatis' bat (18 homers, 64 RBIs) certainly fills a void, but questions remain about pitching.

 Injuries plagued Colorado Rockies outfielder Larry Walker, of Maple Ridge, B.C. Walker appeared in just 87 games and hit a career-low nine homers. His 51 RBIs tied a career-worst.

 Canadians Matt Stairs, Rheal Cormier and Jason Dickson were all on the move duirng the off-season.

 Stairs, of Saint John, N.B., was traded to the Chicago Cubs by Oakland after five seasons with the A's. Stairs finished hitting .227 this season with 21 homers and 78 RBIs.

 Left-hander reliever Cormier, of Moncton, N.B., signed with the Phillies after posting a 3-3 record with a 4.61 ERA with Boston. And Dickson, a native of London, Ont., joined the Blue Jays after three seasons with the Anaheim Angels.

 Corey Koskie of Anola, Man., enjoyed a productive season with the Minnesota Twins. The third-year third baseman appeared in a career-high 146 games, hitting .300 with nine homers and 65 RBIs.

 Right-hander Ryan Dempster of Sechelt, B.C., had a solid campaign with the Florida Marlins, going 14-10 with a 3.66 ERA. Dempster was the lone Canadian to earn a spot at baseball's all-star game, but did not get to pitch for the National League.

 "That's just the way it goes," said Dempster at the time. "My best moment here has been the last 48 hours."

 A total of 35 Canadians were selected in the 2000 major-league draft, including third baseman Scott Thorman, of Cambridge, Ont., who went in the first round, 30th overall, to the Atlanta Braves.