2004 – Receiving 21 of the 28 first-place votes, Vladimir Guerrero (.337, 39 HR, 126 RBI) wins the American League MVP Award. The 28-year old former Expos outfielder signed as a free agent with the Angels, after the Mets refused to guarantee his salary based on advice from their medical staff.

2004 – After spending $67 million to acquire its former president’s shares of the Seattle Mariners, Nintendo’s U.S. subsidiary now owns more than 50 percent of the franchise. Due to the presence of superstar Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle is one of the favorite major league teams in Japan.

2004 – After guiding the Dodgers to their first division title since 1995, the club signs manager Jim Tracy to a two-year extension. Tracy, who has had four consecutive winning seasons with the Dodgers, will resign before the 2006 season to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates.

At a lunchtime celebration at Union Station, which includes a protest, the recently relocated Washington National League franchise announces its new name, logo, and colors. Using the official original name of the district’s team which used the nickname the Senators from 1901-56, the club clad in red, white, blue, and gold will be known as the Nationals.

U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) introduces a resolution congratulating the Red Sox on their recent World Championship, a four-game sweep of St. Louis. The team had never won the World Series during the lifetime of the 72 year-old legislator.

2004 – The Los Angeles Angels trade outfielder Jose Guillen to the Washington Nationals for OF Juan Rivera and IF Maicer Izturis. Guillen, now playing for his sixth team in an eight-year career, was suspended by the Angels after throwing a batting helmet during a tirade caused by being taken out for a pinch runner last September.

Although the Expos may not know where they are playing next season (until the MLB approves the shifting the franchise to Washington, DC) or the team’s new name, the former Montreal franchise will know who is the club’s manager. After compiling a 233-253 record despite many restrictions and hardships, Frank Robinson will return to the helm for his fourth year as the skipper of this nomad ship.

2004 – After being wined and dined by Detroit Tigers legend Al Kaline and team owner Mike Ilitch, free agent Troy Percival signs a two-year, $12 million deal, surprising everyone, including his agent, by announcing he wants to play in Detroit next season. Before the preliminary meeting in the Motor City, the former Angels closer had been scheduled to meet with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs later in the week. Bothered by arm problems in 2005, Percival will finish 1-3 with eight saves and a 5.76 ERA in just 26 games pitched.

Receiving 21 of the 28 first-place votes, Vladimir Guerrero (.337, 39, 126) wins the 2004 American League’s MVP Award. The 28 year-old former Expo outfielder signed as a free agent with the Angels after the Mets refused to guarantee his salary based on advice from their medical staff.

A lawsuit by former Montreal Expos owners against Major League Baseball and former majority owner Jeffrey Loria is struck down by arbitrators, ending legal moves to keep the Expos in Montréal, QC.