Teammates Livan Hernandez and Vladimir Guerrero finished second and third in the voting, respectively.

Cabrera had a career year in '03 while playing in 162 games, hitting .297 with 17 home runs and a team-leading 80 RBIs. All this despite playing with a bulging disc in the lower part of his spinal cord.

"I feel really good about [being named Expos Player of the Year]," Cabrera said during a conference call. "I was trying to be consistent all year. I think I was down a little bit in the last two months but in the end I was able [to hit for a high average] because I had a lot people on base. My teammates helped me with the numbers that I had."

Cabrera has had his back problem since Spring Training of 2002, but has only missed nine games during the period. Cabrera said on Monday that he started to feel the pain again the last two months of the '03 season.

Cabrera is trying his best to avoid back surgery. He said he can manage the pain as long as he can does his exercises. "I was kind of like tiring and the pain was coming back. I managed the pain. Somehow I was trying to stay in the lineup and just think about how I did during the end of the season in 2002, when I was playing well. The home runs didn't come. I was trying to put the bat on the ball, try to play my defense. I was thinking about the team. We were in the Wild Card race in September ... and you do whatever to play every day."

Before the season ended, manager Frank Robinson credited Cabrera for stepping up when key players such as Guerrero and Jose Vidro were injured.

"He has been there every day. He has been solid. He was the main guy," Robinson said. "His all-around game and his professionalism is what impressed me. He suddenly took on a lead role on the field. "It really started during Spring Training. I wanted to take him out of a game and not play him in a game and he would shake his head and say, 'No, I'm not coming out. I want to play. I want to start.' He had a mindset coming into Spring Training that he was going to play this year."

Cabrera also talked about next season and how important it was to re-sign Guerrero, a free agent, keeping the core group together and making some acquisitions. "That's our star, the main guy on the team," Cabrera said of Guerrero. "What team don't want Vladimir in the lineup. Vladdy has been consistent every year. Hopefully the Expos can close that deal with him and we have the big guy again in the lineup for the 2004.

"I think it's good that you keep the same guys together like the Marlins did. I think one more year with the same guys will not hurt us. It's going to make us better because of what we've been through this year."

Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com.

SHORTSTOP ORLANDO CABRERA IS THE EXPOS MOLSON PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera is the Expos Molson Player of the Month for September. On a five-three-one point basis for first, second and third place votes in a ballot conducted by the Montreal chapter of the Baseball Writers Association, Cabrera amassed 25 points, compared to 23 for Vladimir Guerrero and 21 for Todd Zeile.

Others getting votes were Chad Cordero, Luis Ayala and Wil Cordero. Cabrera, who averaged .326 and led the team with 30 hits and 10
doubles, had three of the 10 first place votes, three second and four thirds.

Guerrero, who led the team at .346, had four first place votes and one second. Zeile, who led the team in homers (5) and RBIs (14), had one first place vote, five seconds and one third.

Montreal Expos – 27 October 2003