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Today we will start with the man who made number eight famous in Montreal, Gary Carter. And with respect to Danny Espinosa, he got a picture on Day 18, so I feel OK leaving out his new number for a picture.

Feb 19th, 2012; Montreal, QC, CAN; Montreal Canadiens players all wear a jersey featuring the number 8 and the name Carter in honor of former Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter during the warmup period before their game against the New Jersey Devils at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Gary Carter was the heir apparent to Johnny Bench as the best catcher in the National League. His best years came with the Expos and came on the national stage with an MVP performance in the 1981 All-Star Game which was baseball’s return after a short strike. He is perhaps best known nationally for his role with the New York Mets and was part of their 1986 championship season. He was the one who started their two out rally in Game Six. After the Mets, the California native spent time with the Dodgers and Giants before coming back to Montreal for his swan song in 1992. Carter’s return to Montreal was significant because of the fact that his departure from Montreal was anything but amicable but differences were put aside. When he hit a double in his last career at bat and stood on second base with a standing ovation from the Olympic Stadium crowd, it was the perfect ending.

He passed away almost a year ago, and I had written my thoughts on his passing at the time, but they ring true as we remember the greatest 8 in franchise history.

I was born in 1985. That means I (practically) missed all of Carter’s career with the Expos. But, I knew of him. He still is my mother’s favorite player. And, when he came back in 1992, I knew what that meant. In fact, the only childhood memory I have of Carter is him standing on second base with that fist pump and the ovation he got. I didn’t remember it won them the game. I didn’t remember it went over the head of former teammate Andre Dawson. I didn’t even remember that was the last at bat in his career. There is no way you could watch that clip and not think two things. One, how perfect an ending. Two, how can you say Montreal didn’t love baseball. Yes there were empty seats, but that ovation he received could only be given by people who loved the game. Who loved the team. Who knew the game.

I never had the opportunity to meet Gary like so many others but by all accounts he was as good a person as a player, and that’s saying something. I do, however, have a Gary Carter bobblehead. I remember my mom bringing my sister and I to the game with the hopes that one of us would get one. One of us did.

The Expos, for a team with so short a history, did have its glory days. Carter was a big part of that. One of the reasons history will never forget the Montreal Expos is because of Gary.

I remember that when there was the controversy surrounding which cap Carter would be inducted into Cooperstown with, he said he didn’t want to have to explain to his grandchildren what an Expo was. For me, the answer is simple. When my children ask me what an Expo was, I’ll just say Gary Carter.

The best hitting performance coming from the number eight spot in the batting order (again, by total bases) was Larry Parrish. He went 5/5 with five runs, 3 HR, 5 RBI in a 14-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on May 29, 1977. The best performance since the team moved to Washington was by Espinosa. On September 6, 2010 he went 4/5 with a double, 2 HR and 6 RBI in a 13-3 win against the New York Mets.

Other players to wear 8 with the Nationals: Marlon Anderson, Chris Snelling, Aaron Boone, Jorge Padilla, John McLaren, Espinosa

Carter was first diagnosed in May 2011. After suffering from constant headaches and forgetfulness, an MRI exam at the urging of his family and doctors discovered four small tumors in his brain. It was initially believed that after undergoing extensive chemotherapy treatments the tumors had at least become manageable but he suffered a number of setbacks starting this past December. He reportedly fell a number of times while at home with family around the holidays, which ultimately led to additional tests that discovered the formation of new tumors. News that his condition had worsened was first made public in mid-January.

Carter’s professional career began when he was selected in the 3rd Round of the 1972 Draft by the Montreal Expos. He signed shortly thereafter and rose quickly through the minor leagues, reaching Triple-A by the start of the 1974 season. That year he batted .268/.354/.488 with 23 HR and 83 RBI in 511 plate appearances, enough to warrant a September callup – during which he’d hit his first career MLB home run off of future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton. Carter would not see the minor leagues again aside from a brief 5 game injury rehab stint during the 1989 season.

He was an MLB regular starting in 1975 and would bat a combined .271/.344/.460 with 214 HR and 788 RBI over the next 10 seasons with the Expos. During that span he’d win three Gold Glove Awards, three Silver Sluggers, and appeared in 7 All Star Games – including appearing as a defensive replacement for Pete Rose during his rookie campaign. He was a vital piece to the 1981 Expos team which earned the lone playoff appearance in franchise history.

After the 1984 season, Carter was traded to the New York Mets for four players – Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham, and Floyd Youmans. Carter would join a developing Mets team that already had the likes of Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, and Keith Hernandez on their roster. The 1985 season opener – his Mets debut – was a sign of things to come. He’d struggle through much of the game – taking a called strike three, allowing a runner to score on a passed ball, and looked over matched by opposing base stealers. Then, in the bottom of the 10th inning, he came to the plate and smashed a game-winning home run that triggered a massive standing ovation from the New York faithful.

Carter’s Mets career would be filled with a number of memorable and gut-wrenching moments. Perhaps what he’s best remembered for, however, would be the 1986 season. That year he’d bat .255/.337/.439 with 24 HR and 105 RBI, finishing 3rd in MVP voting while leading the Mets to the NL East title under the watch of current Nationals Manager Davey Johnson. Despite struggling through much of the series, Carter had a pivotal RBI late in the NLCS that year, keeping the Mets’ hopes alive before the team ultimately advanced to the World Series.

Image courtesy: nydailynews.com

He’d go on to have one of the top World Series performances in history, driving in a total of 9 runs – a total bested by only player since (Sandy Alomar Jr. drove in 10 for Cleveland in 1997). Carter led off the 10th inning of Game 6, singling to left field with the Mets down 5-3 and on the brink of losing to the Boston Red Sox. Two batters later, Carter would score a vital run on a Ray Knight single. Up next was Mookie Wilson, who’s groundball passed through the legs of Bill Buckner and ultimately let the Mets push the series to a 7th game. The Mets would end up winning the World Series the next game, with Carter once again providing a key RBI.

Carter would remain with the Mets until the end of the 1989 season, before joining the San Francisco Giants and then the Los Angeles Dodgers on a pair of one year free agent contracts. He’d return to Montreal in 1992, batting .218/.299/.340 in 325 plate appearances as a 38 year old in what would be his final MLB season. Perhaps in a fitting fashion, his final swing was a memorable one. He hit an RBI double in the 7th inning of a game at home against the Chicago Cubs. Carter would be lifted for a pinch runner, at which point he received one of the largest standing ovations in Olympic Stadium history. The Expos would win the game 1-0.

He’d finish his 19-year career with a .262/.335/.439 batting line with 324 HR and 1,225 RBI in 9,019 plate appearances. He’d make 11 All Star Game appearances, twice winning the game’s MVP Award.

In his 6th time appearing on the ballot, Carter was elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2003, appearing on 78% of the ballots. When asked about his pending enshrinement, Carter expressed a desire for a split cap – wanting to recognize his time with the Expos and the Mets on his Hall of Fame plaque. Of course, the Hall makes the final decisions and Carter would end up being the first player enshrined with an Expos cap.

In addition to the Hall of fame induction, Carter’s post-playing career revolved around the game of baseball. He spent time managing in the Mets’ minor league system and often spoke of a desire to lead the club at the Major League level. Most recently he served as the head baseball coach for Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida.

The Expos retired his uniform number, #8, in 2003. He was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. He caught the 4th most games in MLB history (2,056). He’s the only player with multi-HR games in the All Star Game (1981) and World Series (1986, Game 4).

Beyond everything he accomplished on the field, Carter always seemed to play the game the way it should be played. He worked hard but simultaneously seemed to enjoy the game with every ounce of his being. That is ultimately what I will remember most about him. Growing up in New York, I often found myself watching the Mets on tv (for awhile I don’t think we even got whatever channel the Yankee games were on during the mid-1980s) and Carter was always one of the players I admired and enjoyed watching the most.

On Thursday, baseball lost one of its greatest heroes. But it’s the memories he provided us all that will keep his legacy living for years to come.

Late last week news first broke that former catcher Gary Carter’s health had taken a turn for the worse. Carter was first diagnosed roughly 8 months ago with a number of inoperable brain tumors. He has since undergone a series of aggressive chemotherapy treatments in an effort to shrink the tumors but has seen little success. Carter suffered a setback in December, collapsing on Christmas Eve. A second fall occurred last week, causing doctors to conduct a series of MRI exams. Carter tore his rotator cuff in the fall, but more importantly has developed additional tumors in his brain.

Carter was quietly one of the best catchers of his generation. Growing up in New York in the 1980s, he was always a joy to watch when he was a member of the Mets because he always seemed to play the game the right way. Carter was Davey Johnson’s catcher on the 1986 Mets team that won the World Series. He’s an under-appreciated baseball great and it’s sad what he and his family are now going through.