Tony Batista Autographed 2005 Topps #201 Montreal Expos Card

A final-era Montreal issue from Topps flagship baseball set, this Tony Batista autographed 2005 Topps #201 Montreal Expos card features Batista following his productive 2004 season with the Expos. Although the franchise relocated to Washington for 2005, this Topps card retains Batistas Montreal Expos affiliation, creating an interesting collectible from the transition between the Expos and Nationals eras.

Batista spent his lone season in Montreal in 2004, joining the Expos after three productive years with the Baltimore Orioles. He appeared in 157 games and delivered one of the strongest run-producing seasons of his career, hitting 32 home runs and driving in a career-high 110 runs.

That performance marked Batistas third season with at least 30 home runs. His biggest power season came with Toronto in 2000, when he established a career high with 41 home runs, drove in 114 runs and earned his first American League All-Star selection. He returned to the All-Star Game with Baltimore in 2002 after hitting 31 home runs that season.

Batistas 2004 campaign became part of baseball history when it proved to be the final season of the Montreal Expos. Rather than joining the relocated franchise in Washington for 2005, Batista continued his career in Japan with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. That makes his 2005 Topps card one of the later mainstream issues to preserve his connection to the Expos.

Known for his extraordinarily wide-open batting stance, Batista completed his 11-year Major League career with 1,146 hits, 221 home runs and 718 RBI. Combining Topps flagship identity with its Montreal Expos designation after the franchises final season in Canada, the 2005 Topps #201 is an appealing addition for Expos collectors, Tony Batista fans, Topps set collectors or collectors assembling comprehensive autographed player runs.

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