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April 02 BLOGnostication Credibility Challenge Brought To You By Ball-Wonk
NationalsNation Makes The Following Predictions:
1. Nationals Season Record will be 75 - 87.
2. Divisional Standing At End of Season: 5th.
3. Nick Johnson's Return? - Will Not Return This Season.
4. Question four is N/A because NJ will not return in 2007.
5. Team Leader in Pitching Starts will be Shawn Hill with 31.
6. The Nationals will have 11 different starting pitchers throught the season.
7. Manny Acta will be ejected twice during the season.
8. Guzman's Batting Average: .266, On Base Percentage: .317 & Slugging Average: .385
9. Nationals Home Runs Of 2007 @ RFK Stadium: 45
10. Attendance for Nationally Broadcast Rockies Game: 21,257.
OPENING DAY IS TODAY! APRIL 2, 2007 !!!
SEE YOU AT RFK STADIUM! GO NATS! March 28 OPENING DAY REPORT CARDHello Nat fans! Opening Day is just around the corner and it looks like my predictions in mid-February weren't too far off the mark. As of today, the five-man rotation looks like it's going to end up as John Patterson, Shawn Hill, Matt Chico, Jerome Williams and Jason Bergmann. So I guessed wrong with Tim Redding and Beltran Perez. In my opinion it appears that Perez was never given a serious consideration for a rotation spot - it was Acta's mindset pretty early on to have him spend development time at AAA Columbus. This is probably the wise course, but I expect to see Beltran in Washington sooner rather than later...look for him when the current staff begins to falter. Tim Redding was an extreme disappointment not only for me but for the Nationals organization in general. He has the stuff to be a real major league starter, unfortunately he never seemed to put together a solid enough performance to warrant giving him that opportunity. The biggest surprise this March for me was the performance of Jason Simontacchi. He showed that not only is he capable of being a quality major league starter, but also a dominant presence on the mound. Currently, Jason Bergmann is going to be holding on to the number five spot while he rehabs his strained groin at triple-A Columbus.
The bullpen panned out pretty much as I predicted except for Emiliano Fruto . Fruto will be back however, there's just too much upside for him to remain at Columbus. Once he finally gets his control in order - I remain optimistic that he will become a force in the Nationals bullpen. Also, I noted that Ayala wouldn't be available until at least May...looks like I got that one as well.
The outfield remains undecided due to an injury Nook Logan suffered last week to his groin. If he ends up starting at the beginning of the season anyway, then my picks will pan out right. However, what must be noted is the performance of Chris Snelling and Kory Casto...these guys performed outstanding during the spring and are nipping at the heels of Logan and Ryan Church.
Yet another surprise was the complete turn-around of Dmitri Young. He obviously came to camp with something to prove and provided the Nationals with ample reasons to give him a try at first base. I personally think he's not ready emotionally or physically, but Larry Broadway failed to perform when he needed to make the case that he was finally ready for a shot at the major leagues. I consider Broadway my biggest miscall - and unfortunately I think the ship has now all but sailed for him. One glimmer of hope was given when Travis Lee decided to quit the team - citing "lost passion for the game", which still leaves Larry in the mix (after Fick).
Now, let's play ball! I'd like to note that The Washington Post reported today that the opening day game is far from selling out and that season ticket sales are down for the second year in a row. Well really what do you expect? You drop Alfonso Soriano - then get nothing for him (don't get me started), you make no attempt whatsoever to get anybody new, tell everyone that you are "rebuilding" and not to expect much this year, don't advertise at all that this is going to be the last opening day at RFK stadium, and on top of all that - you screw over your most ardent supporters by making season ticket holders wait for the tickets that they have already paid for! Even today, with less than five days left, some have not received their tickets. Don't get me wrong, as you might have read in my previous posts, I'm on board with Lerner, Kasten & Co., but they are looking a little clumsy coming out of the gate.
Despite the dismal previews and depressing rankings, I am excited about the season getting under way. I do believe that the Nationals are going to prove alot better than some of the most grave predictions I've read by the so called "experts". Regardless of what transpires this season, it's another season of baseball in the nation's capital...and for that I'm grateful. February 27 THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS - INFIELDERS   MY PICKS:
Who I think will start this season on the diamond...
 C) Brian Schneider: The one consistent face on the Nationals roster has always been Brian Schneider. Still one of the most dominant catchers defensively, he continues to top the league in catching runners stealing. His offensive numbers have never been his appeal, but the experience and leadership he provides will prove to be an invaluable resource for all the young arms coming through the Nationals rebuilding strategy now in progress. Barring any injury – Schneider will continue to be the Nationals backstop for the foreseeable future.  1B) Larry Broadway: Constantly blocked in the past from his opportunity because of Nick Johnson holding onto the first base job in the majors, Broadway now has to put on a show - so break a leg Larry! I know…that was really bad. But in all seriousness, Broadway is 26 years old and he’s not getting any younger. He must use this chance as a catalyst for his career – whether that career be with the Washington Nationals or somebody else. He hammered 15 HRs and 78 RBIs at Triple-A New Orleans last year. The minors should be becoming rather ordinary for him, so it's now or never. 2B) Felipe Lopez: The Lopez, Kearns and Wagner trade for Bray and Majewski was one of the best moves Jim Bowden has made as General Manager of the Nats. Another speed threat on the base paths, Felipe is also taking pointers this spring from former Reds shortstop Barry Larkin. If he can improve his defensive skills either at second or shortstop (which is where I think he will end up), he will be an important asset to Nationals pitchers that will likely be struggling this season. 3B) Ryan Zimmerman: The Z-man is the shining beacon of light on the Nationals roster. He’s one of the untouchables that won’t be moved, traded or molested in any way. We as Nat fans have the privilege of watching a future all-star in the making. Nuff said. SS) Cristian Guzman: Oh boy…here’s the 300lb gorilla sitting in the living room. Back in November of 2004, the Nationals signed a $16.8 million contract for this Twins product. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to watch someone flush money down a commode? Guzman had the worse season in 2005 of any major league baseball player of any season…anybody can remember. Yeah, it was that bad. And then he topped that off with an injury that put him out for the entire 2006 season. I hope he makes me eat my words, but I don’t have much faith in Cristian. I believe he will be replaced as a starter before the end of May. WAITING IN THE WINGS:
The players chompin' at the bit to take somebody's place...
 Ronnie Belliard: This guy wears a 2006 World Series ring and nobody wants him? I know he’s not Albert Pujols but sheesh! This is a fantastic pickup for the thrifty Nats because it allows for a plan-B if Guzman falters and it’s only going to cost them a $750,000 minor league deal. Belliard supplies decent power at the plate and he had a .291 batting average at Cleveland before coming on board with the Cards to help them become world champs. Since he's not starting the season, we won’t have to worry so much about him getting worn down at the end of the season like he apparently did in St. Louis.
 Dmitri Young: Despite all of Dmitri’s off the field issues last year in Detroit, the man still has some really good untapped natural talent that is lurking. He needs to get himself back into shape and refined by putting in some work down in the minors before he will be ready to don a major league uniform again. If he can return to previous form – he will be at minimum a great bargaining chip for some future trade. Travis Lee: Travis Lee isn’t going to awe you with his bat. Neither is he the kind of guy you look for in a fantasy player because he won’t be smacking balls over the fence, making a lot of RBIs or stealing any bases. No, what Travis Lee offers is a .997 career fielding percentage and 9 years of experience as a professional baseball player with four different clubs (five if you count his 19 at-bats with the Yankees in 2004 as Jason Giambi’s backup). It will be interesting to see what will be more valuable to Manny Acta come April. Jesus Flores: Considered by many in the Mets camp to have been the top catching prospect in their organization, Jesus Flores was snagged by the Nationals in last December’s Rule 5 Draft. In a bizarre twist of ironies: he was sidelined for much of the 2005 season with a broken thumb he suffered at the first baseball game played at RFK since 1971 (an exhibition game between the Mets and Nationals on April 3, 2005). New York is sorry to see him go – he’s excellent defensively and shows much promise with the bat when he brought in 70 RBIs and 21 homers in Single-A last year. As a Rule 5 draftee the Nats must keep Flores on the big league roster for the entire year or he will have to be offered back to the Mets. Decision time in Viera this spring. Not a hard one if you ask me. Josh Wilson: Pittsburgh-raised Josh Wilson looked all set to join the Rockies roster last year at spring training when he suffered a broken left toe and was placed on the 60-day DL. When he returned to Triple-A Colorado Springs though, he was all business: hitting at a .307 average with 45 RBIs and 10 homers through 89 games. His natural position is shortstop but he shared equal time at third base last year as well. I think Josh is a very capable infielder with some decent pop in his bat, but the infield competition is too overcrowded.
 Robert Fick: Fick got in 128 at-bats with the Nationals last year and ended the season with a .266 batting average. He is especially useful because not only is he available as a first baseman but he can also catch behind the plate. It is probably this versatility that allows him to keep playing at the major league level. However, that may change this year with the arrival of Jesus Flores into the mix. Brandon Harper: As baseball players go, being 30 years old and playing 10 years in the minors with 9 different teams isn’t something most guys aspire to. However, Brandon has stuck with it through the injuries and disappointments for all this time and keeps reaching for his chance. Flores is probably going to get in his way this spring, but Harper will just be a phone call away if the Nationals need a capable backstop. Bernie Castro: The Dominican switch-hitter batted leadoff in Triple-A New Orleans with a .284 average and 22 stolen bases in 2005. He was called-up to play with the Nationals on a limited basis to add speed to the bench. He’s a patient, slap-hitter who doesn’t strike out very easily (he only struck out 52 times in 378 combined ABs). Unfortunately, Castro had only mustered a weak .227 in Washington. His most useful function at the major league level seems to be as a pinch runner. D’Angelo Jimenez: D’Angelo has several unique links with the Nationals before arriving at spring training. He shares roots with team manager Manny Acta who both hail from the Dominican Republic. He was recruited by New York back in 1994 and shared the Yankee Minor League Player of the Year award with Nick Johnson in 1999. His best year in the majors was probably back in 2003 when he was traded to the Reds at the mid-way point from the White Sox. The GM for the Reds at the time? Yep, no other than our own Jim Bowden – well three months before he was fired anyway. That best year by the way was a .270 batting average and 14 home runs.THE HOPEFULS:
The rest of spring training players & invitees...
February 24 THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS - OUTFIELDERS MY PICKS...
Starting in the Outfield This Season:
 RF) Austin Kearns: Kearns arrived to Washington from Cincinnati and wasn’t happy with the move. But now it seems he’s turned that all around and is taking advantage of his position with the Nationals. Manny Acta named him as one of the team leaders that other players will be looking to for leadership. Last year, he ended up with his best career numbers in HRs (24), Hits, (142) RBIs (86), Runs (86) and SBs (9). The Nats are increasing their dependency on this Kentucky kid and it looks like he might be hitting cleanup in the batting order. I think Austin finally sees that this might be an opportunity that would be unlikely for him if he was playing somewhere else. CF) Nook Logan: Nook joined the club from Detroit in September of last year, so he’s a new member of the team. Detroit was hoping to capitalize on his speed and use him to steal bases. I’m sure that’s going to be on the mind of the Nationals as well, however Acta advised the media that he’s “not going to be stealing bases just to show people how aggressive I am”. Logan is categorized as a switch hitter, but he’s struggled hitting from the left side – something he will be working on this spring with hitting instructor Mitchell Page. LF) Ryan Church: I predict this will be Ryan’s year to finally put it all together. He had an outstanding rookie year and was rookie of the month in June of 2005. Unfortunately, he lost focus in 2006 and sank into mediocrity. Manny Acta has said several times before spring training that left field is “Church’s position to lose right now”. Ryan’s had 19 HRs and 77 RBIs in his two years in the majors – all he has to do is perform reasonably well at spring training and the slot is his for the start of 2007.THE COMPETITORS:
Players Hoping For An Opportunity...
THE HOPEFULS:
Other Players Hoping To Make An Impression This Spring...
February 20 THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS - RELIEVERS My Picks:
 Chad Cordero: The Chief got a pleasant surprise last week when he and his agent ended up winning their salary arbitration hearing to the tune of $4.15 million - he was making $525,000. Handsome raise, but a well deserving one considering he is still considered one of the top young closers in the league with very little mileage. He's going to remain frustrated here for the near future however because he's not going to be able to gather as many saves as he could with a contender. Jon Rauch: We all know the wookie, he’s no stranger to Nat fans. Apparently not so hairy these days, since he reportedly lost a bet and had his ears lowered. Aside from the clubhouse shenanigans, he had a spectacular year in 2006 and there was even talk this year of him being a starter. Rauch quickly dispelled that idea when he answered to the media that he isn’t “durable enough” to be a starter and prefers the relief role. He’s a sure bet to be in the bullpen from the start. Jason Bergmann: Also a candidate for a starter position, Jason had a few starts in the latter half of 2006 after doing really well in triple-A but didn’t have a very good showing at the major league level. I find the possibility of using him in the relief role more plausible at this point. Ray King: Last season for Colorado Ray had a 4.43 ERA with the Rockies. That seems ordinary, but he had great success before he came to Colorado when he played for the Cards, Braves and Brewers. He’s a situational left-hander that will be coming from the worst pitcher’s park to the best. I expect he will be the go-to guy for now. Ryan Wagner: Wagner was the less-heralded third player traded by Jim Bowden mid-season along with Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez for Gary Majewski and Bill Bray. His last couple of years have been filled with lost opportunities. During the late months of the 2006 season Wagner was showing glimpses of his former glory. He’s been groomed as a closer, but he will be used as spot relief for the Nationals. His role could increase if he continues to do well and regains his command. Micah Bowie: Micah pitched 20 innings in 15 games last year with 11 strikeouts and a 1.37 ERA. Those are good numbers – but not a whole lot of data to really see if they are a decent litmus test of his ability. I think he’ll get that chance the beginning of this year. Emiliano Fruto: Other than having one of the coolest sounding names in the Spanish language, Emiliano is a force to be reckoned with in the battle for a bullpen spot. We obtained Fruto from Seattle through the Jose Vidro trade along with Chris Snelling. His repertoire includes a 91-94mph fastball, curveball and a nice change. His only problem is that he issues a lot of walks. If he can stay ahead of batters and not try to paint the corners, he would easily be the best man in contention for a spot.Reserve:
The ones in the running...
 Luis Ayala: Ayala disappointed the entirety of both the fans and his teammates when he put himself out of the 2006 season because he insisted on playing for his home country of Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. The clubhouse tried to tell him that he wasn’t fully healed from his elbow surgery but he wasn’t having any of it and pitched anyway. What quickly followed was a trip to Tommy John surgery and year's worth of recovery. Ok so now that that’s out of the way – Ayala is back and hopefully he can return to form. He is now at the 11 month mark after the procedure and should be ready to go by May or June at the latest. Mike Bacsik: Mike was actually at spring training last year with the Nats, but was cut and ended up with Arizona’s triple-A club Tucson for 2006. He then proceeded to go 11-0 with a 2.79 ERA in 28 games. He’s no stranger to the major league level taking the mound for Cleveland, NY and Texas in a five year span. He’s usable as a starter or middle reliever, but whether he can outshine the pack is yet to be seen.  Winston Abreu: Not much out there to find about former Oriole Winston Abreu. He managed to pitch eight innings in seven appearances in the majors last year but posted a 10.13 ERA. This number is deceiving however, because he was performing rather well until his last three appearances against the Yankees and the 2006 AL Champion Detroit Tigers. He seems to have the triple-A level mastered and may very well eventually end up in the Nats bullpen this year. When that could be, I couldn’t say. Jermaine Van Buren: JVB was once regarded as a potential future closer for somebody. Unfortunately he was owned by the Boston Red Sox last year and only got to make a handful of appearances. Just as disappointing was his performance during those shots – he pitched 13 innings and allowed 17 runs. He ended the year with an 11.77 ERA and some walking papers. Then he walked himself right into our training camp. Jesús Colomé: That’s Hey-Soos, not Jesus for those of you who aren’t bilingual. Some of my fellow bloggers are the funniest people they know. Now I digress: Colomé has been kicking around the Devil Rays organization since 2001 and there were high expectations with his 98mph fastballs. He was thought of as a closer candidate in the 2005 season until he was plagued with two trips to the DL for shoulder issues. He went 2-3, 4.57 ERA in 36 appearances and was cut by the Devil Rays. But the Yankees signed him to a minor league contract before we got him…so he’s Yankee sloppy seconds instead of a Devil Rays discard. Believe you me, that makes a difference when you are talking about him at the bar. Levale Speigner: Another guy who hasn’t received much exposure. He’s been playing for Minnesota’s triple-A Rochester for the past couple of years and improved from last year at that level with a 4.97 ERA. Notice I say improved. Not expecting Mr. Speigner to be donning a Nationals uniform yet, unless the crap really hits the fan…he’ll be wearing the dark blue pinstripes of Columbus. Journeymen:
The other guys who hope to find a home at RFK...
February 16 THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS - STARTERS PART 1; STARTERS
My Picks:
You're guess is as good as mine with this crackerjack bunch,
but here's who I have most likely to succeed at Spring Training...
John Patterson: Yeah, he's our ace. He said he's not affected or perturbed by his failed arbitration for a higher salary. Yes, I do think John deserves more money than $850,000 but he's got to put together a solid season and prove that he's not the Washington version of Mark Prior - a fantastic pitcher that is always on the DL and sitting on the bench. Beltran Perez: We all remember Beltran from last year. I know it's early, but I'm rooting for him to be in the rotation. He’s one of the most exciting young arms in spring training this year. He was able to make two starts at the end of the season last year and he was 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA. In his 121.2 innings while starting for Harrisburg he maintained a 3.11 ERA. Shawn Hill: Canadian born Shawn Hill is a familiar face for Nationals fans. He’s been up and down the farm system and major league level for a few years now. He missed all of 2005 with Tommy John surgery. On his return to the majors for the Washington Nationals 2006 season on May 27th, he racked an impressive seven innings allowing only one earned run. He was moving along rather well until he was placed on the DL with a sore right elbow on July 1st and never returned back to the bigs. He has a solid chance to become a starter if he makes a good showing this Spring. Tim Redding: Tim has all it takes to be a true major league starter. If I was going to bet on the new faces of the group, I’d put my chips on Tim. The guy is a fully developed pitcher with a good arsenal of pitches which includes a slider, breaking curve, change and mid-90s fast ball. His problem is totally mental…he gets a few guys on base and the wheels fall off. The Astros stuck with him because they knew his potential – now it’s Randy St. Claire’s turn to try and shake the kooties off and turn him into a major league starter.
Matt Chico: This 23 year old Southern California native was a key component of the Livan Hernandez trade when he was dealt along with Garrett Mock from Arizona. He maintained a good showing in AA ball in both California and at Harrisburg last year. If he can perfect his curveball or offspeed pitches he will make an ideal starter because he’s left-handed which has always been in strong demand for the Nats rotation.
On the Bubble:
These guys have a shot at either taking a spot or playing later in the season if somebody falters...
Michael O’Connor: Got to meet Mike at the Winter Caravan. I can remember watching him at Potomac. He’s a lefty and he’s proven he can pitch in the majors. I don’t think Manny Acta will be preventing him from continuing to prove that fact this season. Unfortunately Acta says he's still in the rehab stage from his surgery in November and will not be available for opening day.
Brandon Claussen: Back in 2005 Brandon Claussen had a bright future in the Reds organization. He has a great strikeout pitch in that wicked slider he throws. He pitched 166 innings with 121 strikeouts and a 4.21 ERA before his torn rotator cuff in June. The typical recovery time is 8 months to a year – so I wouldn’t expect him to be in the rotation until mid-way into the season. But his future could be a rotation spot after that.
Billy Traber: Traber played 15 games and 43 innings for the Nats last year. He scored a 4-3 record with a less than adequate 6.44 ERA. When he was coming up through the Indians organization he held so much promise, then Tommy John surgery came in 2003. He's been discombobulated ever since. Maybe his workouts with his old college coach this winter will help him right the ship. If he ever can return to his pre-surgery dominance, he would be a solid left-hander to add to the Nationals rotation.
Jerome Williams: This is another one I think has a decent chance at making the staff. Although I’m not thrilled with Mr. Williams, I do think he has both the experience and talent to serve as a Nationals starter in a pinch. He played five starts in September last year and managed a 2.10 ERA. He’s not going to dazzle you with anything nasty, but he can eat up innings to set up the bullpen.
Staying on the Farm...
I don't believe these players are going to be making any surprises...
Joel Hanrahan: Joel was ranked 70th best prospect in the nation by Baseball America back in 2000 when he was picked up by the Dodgers organization. But that was seven years ago. The rest of his career is rather obscure except for a sterling performance back in 2003 for the Jacksonville Suns in which he won the Southern League’s Most Outstanding Pitcher award. Unfortunately, he has control issues and hasn’t been able to get himself above AA level with any success. Colby Lewis: Colby was “all that and a bag of chips” back in 2002. In his major league debut that year he faced the AL East Champion New York Yankees and retired seven batters in order and shattered two bats. He was progressing in the Texas farm system when he blew a rotator cuff, putting him out for the 2004 season. The Tigers grabbed him upon his return but he spent the entire 2005 year in rehab. He’s a shadow of his former self – rotators can do that to you. Mike Hinckley: I watched Mike pitch at Potomac and he was having trouble – the opposing team was teeing off on him like BP. He’s never been able to recover his velocity after the shoulder surgery he had early last year. He’s now 24 years old, so the world isn’t over for him – but he’s got to get it in gear so he can start climbing the ladder. I don’t expect him to make a rotation spot on the major league team. Josh Hall: Josh is a semi-local prospect out of Lynchburg, VA. Even though I have an affinity for a fellow Virginian…I have to say that his numbers recently are still rather unspectacular to justify bumping up to the majors. The Reds gave him a shot back in 2003 and he was torched - 24.2 innings pitched with 4 HRs and 18 earned runs. His numbers since then have remained average. He’s a return invitee to Nats Spring Training from 2006 and he’s 26 years old, but I still don’t think he’s MLB quality yet. Jason Simontacchi: Another victim of surgery issues, Simontacchi last pitched in 2004 for the St. Louis Cardinals. Labral surgery – very bad word in the pitching language. He could be ready to go and he was on the Italian team for the World Baseball Classic, but I think his only chance is as a middle reliever at best. February 12 Are We Really Gonna Be THAT Bad?
This is what’s written on one of America’s top fantasy baseball publications; RotoTimes. It’s the first sentence in their preview of the Washington Nationals for 2007. I myself play fantasy baseball every year and spend about $30 on scouting, ranking and analysis periodicals right about this time in February. It’s one of the most exciting times for me because I get to read about all the new rookies, off-season moves and pre-season strategies of all the clubs before spring training begins.
First thing I usually do right off the bat (pardon the pun) is thumb to the team previews, then I eagerly turn to the Washington Nationals page to read the verdict of what the writers think we have in store for the upcoming season. Whoops. What I was thinking? I guess just like when your team is down by 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th, you just hope for something unexpected to happen.
Well, unfortunately nothing unexpected happened. In fact, if you surf the net and read the various sports analysts they all come to one complete conclusion: that the Nats are going to stink this year. And not just badly – but reeking from the bottom of the garbage heap. So says senior fantasy writer Eric Mack from CBS Sportsline Fantasy.
How about Mr. Dayn Perry over at Fox Sports, placing our beloved Nationals dead last in his “power rankings” behind both the Pirates and the Royals. Or maybe you would prefer the wording by the 2007 Major League Baseball Yearbook & Fantasy Guide: concluding their preview by writing “the 2007 season in RFK Stadium promises to get as ugly as the park itself”. Nice.
So how are we as Nats fans supposed to feel about the upcoming season now that it’s already over in the minds of all the “experts”? First off make no mistake, this year is going to be a painful one. My feelings can best be described as "patient optimism". We are going to need bucket-loads of patience…but you can offset that frustration with optimism for what’s in store for the future.
You're going to need the patience to endure the losing streaks, the bad commentary, the jokes on SportsCenter and the ridicule by opposing fans at our own ballpark…be prepared my friends, for all these things shall come to pass. If you can’t handle what’s coming in 2007 then I would advise you to tune out until next year when they play at the new stadium. But that’s what bandwagon fans do – and if you are reading this blog, then obviously you aren’t a bandwagon fan.
Look at it this way, the Nationals organization was a walking corpse when Ted Lerner bought the team. And as with any person with a terminal illness, the treatment usually involves some kind of invasive and painful procedure to fix it. So try and think of this year as the surgery required to heal the “sick body” of the Nationals and unfortunately we are stuck in the waiting room.
During the off-season the Nationals consolidated their farm system by dropping the New Orleans triple-A and Savannah single-A teams in favor of closer clubs in Columbus, OH and Hagerstown, MD respectively. They’ve made enormous changes in the scouting department – hiring what some say could be the best scouts in the business. And finally but most importantly is the hiring of former Expos and Mets third base coach Manny Acta to the manager position.
I got to meet Manny during the Nats Winter Caravan in Hagerstown (pictures in the photo album upper right) and was very impressed with his youthful demeanor and what seems to be natural charisma. He’s been known as a “player’s manager” around the league and I can see why. He has an infectious way about him that I’m sure will be much different from what some of the athletes are used to. A little historic note comes to mind: The last time Washington took a young, “players manager” was in 1924. A 27-year-old Pennsylvanian by the name of Bucky Harris – and of course we all know what happened that year! Oh, there I go again! Sorry, I just can’t help myself.
The bottom line is that regardless of how many games the Nationals lose, or how many pitchers they put in & out of the starting rotation throughout the season…there’s plenty to be excited about. I have faith in Stan Kasten in the long run because I know he’s been in this position before and the last team he fixed didn’t do too shabby. I’m sorry, how many pennants does Atlanta have again? Yeah, don’t fret…Stan knows what he’s doing.
In the meantime, as die-hard fans we have the opportunity for great seats at RFK and an outstanding look at some young kids playing the underdog role against the best major league baseball can throw against them. And who doesn’t like rooting for the underdog? February 08 2007 PREFACEWell here we are again for another season of America’s pastime in America’s capital city…and as I write this first entry of 2007, it’s about -5 degrees outside my home. But no matter how cold it is in Washington and no matter how cold our football team is... <large sigh> …my heart is always looking to summer and my mind is thinking of a baseball diamond somewhere in my imagination. So I’m ready to start my blogging again and I’m happy to see that my readers have continued to stop by during the off season to see if I’ve posted anything. I won’t keep you waiting any longer. It’s five days before spring training and I’m ready to get going. First off, you might have noticed that I’ve added video. This is a new feature for MSN spaces and I will add new vids and links as they become available on the internet. Don’t forget to stop by our sister-site: SenatorsNation which centers on Washington's baseball history for some new features, links and videos there as well. Now I would like to congratulate my fellow bloggers Nats320 and TheBeltwayBoys for scoring some really great interviews. Nats320 was able to land some time with both Jim Bowden and Stan Kasten and TheBeltwayBoys had a chat with MLB Nationals correspondent Bill Ladson (you guys didn’t think I was reading did you?). Not only is this big news for us bloggers, but The Washington Post ran a story about the rise of the Nationals “blogosphere” (printing the names of several blogs in the article) and it’s influence on how both the management and the team use blogs to place their finger on the pulse of the fan-base. I would also like to thank Just a Nats Fan for her really neat short-segment news videos from her blog. Yet another example of the creativity and ingenuity that only comes from baseball fans that have been starving for 34 years. Despite a losing season last year and what looks to be a thrifty team in 2007, the Nationals are blessed with some of the most dedicated and rabid bloggers in the sport. In fact, we are ranked 6th of all teams in major league baseball. Now that the awards have been passed out – I want everybody to know that I’m neither a lawyer nor a journalist. I don’t have connections with the team and I’m not a diamond club seat owner. I’m just a fan…pure and simple. I’ve been waiting for baseball in Washington since I played Little League and collected baseball cards from my middle class neighborhood in the Braddock Heights section of Alexandria back in the early 80s. My father used to take me to the Alexandria Dukes games at Four Mile Run Park every weekend and he always had stories to tell about the old Washington Senators: a team that left the city on the year I was born. So I have no delusions of grandeur and I’m not in any way attempting to compete with those blogs that are clearly much better than mine. NationalsNation is just my way of waving a pennant when I’m not inside RFK Stadium. I thank everyone who visits here for giving me purpose to continue writing about my passion as a Nationals fan and as a lover of the game. Hope you enjoy the season…I’ll get to commentary in my next entry. Spring Training is only FIVE DAYS AWAY! October 02 THANK YOU FRANK!Summer's over and no run for the pennant for the kids from DC. Nope. No post-season for the Washington Nationals in October of 2006. College and professional football are in full swing, basketball and hockey are right around the corner. Schools are now open and the leaves are turning. Baseball fans now turn their attention to the remaining teams left in the hunt - the teams that have a chance to be crowned World Champions. The lucky ones. But baseball fans in Washington have been lucky in their own right for the past two years. Yesterday, you could see it in the eyes of the fans at RFK Stadium. At a little past 4:15pm on a crisp, autumn day in Washington - a historic moment just as important to the franchise as the first pitch thrown on April 14, 2005. The Nationals and 29,000 of their faithful fans said goodbye to their inaugural manager: Frank Robinson. The same man who led a neglected Montreal club from a tortureous and agonizing situation as Major League Baseball's "step-child", to the franchise today that represents the national past-time in the nation's capital.
FRANK ROBINSON LEADS THE TEAM IN TRANSITION TO WASHINGTON IN 2005 Frank Robinson began his 51 years in major league baseball in 1956 as a left fielder for the Cincinnati Reds. Right from the start, Frank displayed his aggressive style when he became an All-Star and National League Rookie of the Year with 38 home runs and 122 runs scored - both records were National League leaders for that year. He was the first player to win the Most Valuable Player award in both the National and American Leagues (Cincinnati Reds & Baltimore Orioles). In addition to that accomplishment, in 1966 - in his very first year with Baltimore (after being traded from Cincinatti for Milt Pappas) he obtained the American League triple crown (led the league in home runs, batting average & RBIs). The Orioles went on that same year to win the World Series by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers and Frank was chosen as the World Series MVP.
FRANK ROBINSON IN 1966: TRIPLE CROWN WINNER AND WORLD SERIES MVP At the time of his retirement as a player in 1976, he had 586 home runs (only Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth & Willie Mays had more), 2,943 hits and 1,812 RBIs. His career batting average was an outstanding .294. He was an ELEVEN-time All-Star, led the American League in slugging percentage 4 years: 1960 (.595), 1961 (.611), 1962 (.624), & 1966 (.637) and in runs scored in 3: 1956 (122), 1962 (134), 1966 (122). Frank Robinson is an inductee of the Baseball Hall of Fame and was elected the first year he was eligible in 1982. The year before Frank retired in 1976, he was made player-manager for the Cleveland Indians and thus became the first African American to ever manage in the Major Leagues.
FRANK BECOMES PLAYER-MANAGER OF THE CLEVELAND INDIANS IN 1975 After a short stint as manager in San Francisco between 1981-1984, he returned to his team of fame in Baltimore to try and right a ship that was in dire need. Under his leadership, the Baltimore Orioles went from a 54-107 record in 1988 to 87-75 in 1989. For this amazing feat he was awarded the American League Manager of the Year. Frank's #20 jersey is retired in Baltimore & Cincinnati and he is a member of both team hall of fames. He left managing for a while in 1991 and took on a job as Major League Baseball's Director of Discipline. He got a call in 2001 and was asked by MLB to manage yet another team in trouble - the Montreal Expos. Amid rumours of contraction and relocation, "home games" in both Canada and Puerto Rico, Frank maintained a team on a shoe-string budget, a half-interested ownership and a minimal fan-base. Finally, in 2004 it was decided that the Expos would become the new franchise of Washington D.C. and Frank would be at the helm.
Again, with an improved yet less than ideal situation in 2005, Frank carved his team with his no-nonsense "from the gut" style that was often criticized by both sportswriters and fans alike. Robinson relied on instincts and love of the game. He was loyal, but hard-nosed. He would not tolerate disrespect from young players and could sometimes deal harshly with those he didn't favor. However he was also known to be compassionate for those that listened to him - often taking troubled players under his wing and giving them opportunities when conventional wisdom (and the especially the press) said to do the opposite. On April 20 he accomplished his 1,000th win as a manager and played/managed over 5,000 games of professional baseball. Frank Robinson has entertained us with 51 years of the game he played, lived & conquered. A game to which he says that "once it gets in your blood, you can't get it out". Indeed Frank, and thank you from the grateful fans of Washington.
September 21 A FEW MINOR CHANGES...When the Lerner family purchased the Nationals in May, Stan Kasten made the announcement that developing a much improved minor league system would be one of their first priorities in producing a winning product. Now as we approach the end of the 2006 season, there are changes happening down on the farm. Our deep South clubs; Savannah & New Orleans will be departing to be replaced with teams that are much closer in Maryland and Ohio. It has also been reported that the Vermont Lake Monsters might be leaving for new parents soon. The Potomac Nationals have signed a new agreement to the year 2010 to remain affiliates of Washington. The new farm system is shaping up like this so far (click the logos to visit their website):
September 16 ALFONSO SORIANO IS:40 / 40
 Congratulations to Alfonso Soriano...for thrilling the fans of Washington and becoming the face of the franchise in 2006. While playing at home in front of the faithful, Soriano joined the exclusive club of players who have obtained 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases within a season. Only the fourth player in Major League history to ever accomplish the feat. Alfonso's name will be entered in the record books along with Jose Conseco, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. It was reported during the game that his uniform will be shipped immediately to Cooperstown to be added to the Baseball Hall of Fame - proudly displayed for all eternity with the words Nationals across the front and the letters "DC" on the shoulder.
Now to rain on the parade. I would like to bring attention to the 800-pound gorilla sitting in the living room: will Alfonso Soriano remain a Washington National next year or won't he? Those who wish to remain in a fantasy can stop reading now. Having Soriano here was a boost for Nationals marketing. No one can deny the excitement and joy Washington fans have had watching him play with his jovial personality and infectious smile. He's most certainly brought fans to the stadium. More effectively however...he's marketed himself to go somewhere else.
I wrote in an earlier blog about Jim Bowden making a huge blunder by not making a trade at the deadline. The negotiation advantage has now swung completely to Soriano's agent. Now that Soriano is officially a 40-40 man, his market value is hotter than molten lava. Attention Major League Baseball: Fonzie's just hit the powerball and it's time to pony-up the dough.
The Lerners have two options - either pay-up to the tune of $15-18 million per season over 6 years with a no-trade clause, or lose him to a large market club such as New York, Boston or Los Angeles. And those of you who might take comfort in draft pick compensation think again. The collective bargaining agreement is due to expire on December 15, 2006. Many questions have been posed by bloggers and sports writers on whether there will be an elimination of the compensation rule. If that becomes reality, it would surely make Jim Bowden's failure complete. September 13 THE STATE OF NATIONAL DEFENSE: NATIONALS PAUSE FOR A TEAM PHOTO IN THE LOCKER ROOM AT COORS FIELD
Have you ever witnessed anything so embarassing as last Saturday's game in Denver? I've been watching professional baseball for a pretty long while, ever since I was a kid in the late 70s to be exact. And I can never remember anything as pathetic as what took place during the Colorado series. Though we lost on Thursday too, the Follies started on Friday:
WE WERE TIED in the bottom of the 8th. Wagner pitches against Jamey Carroll who fights his way to a full count: two Rockies at first and second. Carroll hits a chopper that bounces off the top of Wagner's glove..dribbling over to Lopez...who then fumbles with it like a blind man. Meanwhile...the runner from 2nd runs around 3rd and sneaks into home plate. By this time Lopez had the ball but then drops it behind his back - so everybody's safe.
 THIS LOOKS LIKE A JOB FOR THE NATS DEFENSE!
THEN - the next Rockies batter chops the ball toward right field - to which Nick makes a really good catch...unfortunately as Nick is running towards first base...so is Ryan Wagner, because he forgot to cover first...in fact he's running FULL SPEED LIKE A RETARD AT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS, and crashes face first into NJ. So the Rockies decide to make a break for home plate again - Still daized from the collision, Nick throws like a girl to home causing the ball to bounce past Brian Schneider. Now here comes the Jamey Carrol from 2nd to take 3rd! Everybody's safe again! Carroll scores with the next Rockies batter who lines a hit into left field.  Absolutely comical if it wasn't from a major league ball club. 
NATS DEFENSE TAKES THE FIELD! Unbelievably, the next night on Saturday was even worse with a record-setting SIX errors being commited. A see-saw battle where both teams left much to be desired, but the bottom of the 7th became an educational film for Little Leaguers on how NOT to play. With the "Rivera who is not Mariano" on the mound. Melvin Dorta started the show with an error grounded up the middle, which allowed a baserunner to third. Following that, "Rivera who is not Mariano" made a great play for a comebacker - only to throw it towards the Beer Man in Section 112 allowing the baserunner to score. After the ball kicked around the 3rd base wall a little bit, Z-Man was able to recover it and promptly beaned it between Brad Hawpe's number 11. Field Goal!
JON RAUCH LEASHED With the horrorshow in Colorado over with...it is hopeful that the Nats can move on and put the past behind them. Fortunately...they are playing the Diamondbacks. A team that they have a history of performing well against - so far so good as they have taken two of the series as of today. September 05 WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH RAMON ORTIZ?!
I have to be honest. I missed most of this amazing game. I work at night and was asleep all the way to the 8th inning. But as I awoke, I knew that the Nats were playing a day game at RFK so I flipped on my stereo first thing before getting out of bed. I was still attempting to wipe the sleep out of my eyes and clear the cobwebs when I heard Charlie go crazy about some guy named Ortiz hitting a solo home run. "Ortiz?" I thought to myself..."since when did Charlie do play-by-play for the Red Sox?!? Then it hit me...he was talking about RAMON Ortiz! And he's working on pitching a no-hitter into the 9th inning against Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals!
I got tickets at the beginning of the year to attend the get-away game on Wednesday. But I doubt it will be anything as spectacular as Labor Day in Washington at RFK Stadium. Even during a losing season, there are highlights such as these for us to hold on-to, as small sucesses in a down year. September 03 DON'T FRET, THE END IS NIGH...One more month to go for this most disappointing season. As we approach the first week of September it seems like there isn't much to be upbeat about. In fact, a lot of my fellow Nats bloggers have packed it in and can't wait for the off-season which is sure to provide plenty of excitement all in itself. If you are a Redskin fan like me - it appears that the football season is also running a serious danger of being very depressing as well. Well just so long as we beat Dallas! <heavy sigh>
Just when I thought that Nick Johnson was actually going to make an entire season without getting hurt...wham! Jeff Francoeur spoils that. After Francoeur's comments last year ("The Nationals are nothing more than Expos in a different uniform") and his much unappreciated performance hitting homers against our pitchers...I'm really starting to develop a hatred for this man. Some people have suggested that Francouer threw a shoulder at Nick intentionally - but I dismiss this allegation, it would take an amount of courage and bravado that everybody knows is impossible for anybody with a French name.
 And poor Alex Escobar. Man, this guy needs to start getting superstitious and tuck a lucky rabbit's foot in his jock or something. He is a walking jinx! The kid was signed in 1995 by the Mets as an amateur free agent at the young age of 16 years old...he was talented and the Mets were super excited about him - he was rated #18 of all prospects in 2001 by Baseball America ahead of Alfonso Soriano and Albert Pujols. Starting in 1999, he missed most of the first half of the year with stress fractures involving two of his lumbar vertebrae, then underwent season-ending surgery to repair the labrum (a thin layer of collagen seated between the humerus bone in the upper arm and the depression where the humerus fits) in his left shoulder.
 In December 2001, he was traded by the Mets (along with four other players) to the Cleveland Indians as a key part of the high-profile Roberto Alomar deal. Then during a spring training game in March 2002 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, FL, Escobar wrecked his left knee making a spectacular catch and crashing into the outfield wall. Tests revealed a complete tear in the anterior cruciate ligament and a strain to the medial collateral ligament. His first season with the Indians was over before it had even begun. Escobar missed all of the 2002 season after the knee surgery, and then made it back to the major leagues for 28 games with Cleveland in 2003.
 Then another significant injury in 2004, this time a stress fracture in Escobar’s right foot, would lead to another surgery and an untimely end to yet another disappointing season. Escobar struggled at the plate for the Indians in 2004, batting just .211 in 152 major league at-bats in 46 games.
Escobar was designated for assignment on August 8, 2004, released four days later and was claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox on August 16th. He would never play for the White Sox and was traded to Nationals on February 13, 2005 in exchange for minor leaguer Jerry Owens. Escobar reported to spring training with the Nationals in 2005 and tried to play through his foot injury, but the screws surgically placed in his right foot were “backing out” and rubbing against tendons, causing Escobar ongoing pain in his foot and forcing him to sit out another entire season after another surgery to remove the screws and more rehabilitation.
Now he's out for the rest of the season for a tear in his right labrum. After all the injuries in his past...it will be very hard for Alex to get to the major league level again. No clubs are going to want to take a chance on him...except of course, in it's current state, the Washington Nationals. A WEEKEND WITH THE OLD SENATORS...I spent the last week in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota; better known as the "Twin Cities". Of course I made sure that I was able to watch a couple of ball games while in town with the club that USED to be the original Washington Senators - version 1 (the second team was the one that moved to Texas). It was a great series between the Twins and the White Sox...division rivals and both are neck & neck for the AL Wild Card race. Twins won Friday...the ChiSox on Saturday. John Garland for the White Sox was freaking amazing Saturday evening.
Anybody who is aware of Washington Baseball history...the Minnesota Twins is the original ball club that started in Washington D.C. This is the same team that brought us the great Walter Johnson, Goose Goslin, Joe Cronin, Ossie Bluege, Joe Judge, Cecil Travis & Early Wynn. Check out my RFK Hall of Stars column on the right for more information about these great men of Washington baseball.
  CLARK GRIFFITH: KING OF THE GUNGANS
One cold day...a day that will live in INFAMY! (ok maybe that's a little over the top...but heck with it!) Clark Griffith's nephew: Calvin Griffith, packed up his uncle's legacy and moved Washington's historic baseball team to Minneapolis-St. Paul. He rarely if ever came back to Washington - however he did come back in October of 1999, 'cause he's buried here (in a private location no doubt).
All that aside, the twin cities was a really nice laid back metropolis that still appears to be growing. The MetroDome as a venue is not the best of ballparks I have been to - but as domes go, it's really not bad. The climate is controlled and the seats are wide enough. The concessions are ample and there is a wide variety of cold beers. Plenty of transit options and the light rail stop is right across the street.
CLICK PICTURES BELOW FOR LARGER IMAGES MELTDOWN SAVE THE CHAIRS: THEY NEED YOUR HELP!
I'm sure you have all heard about it by now. Damian Jackson had a fight with an inanimate object in the locker room prior to yesterday's game. And it appears from what I've read that seating devices were not the only things being thrown around either...apparently the environment inside the Nats clubhouse featured many words that would not be appropriate for young ears. I cannot for the life of me understand what could be frustrating DJ so much? For that matter...I can't remember anything Mr. Jackson has done to make me feel one way or another?! Why again are you here? Oh that's right as a pinch runner, certainly couldn't be for your bat - please Damian don't make me laugh.
Then after a wonderful performance by Tony Armas against the one of the most potent lineups in the league - Jon "the WOOKIE" Rauch served up some biscuits & gravy for Michael Tucker who promptly homered and sent the game into the trash heap. So what does our Hall of Fame PLAYER (not manager) do? Blames the entire game on bad pitch location - cleverly implicating Brian Schneider without blaming Brian Schneider. The finger pointing runs unabated as Brian tells reporters that Rauch missed a pitch that stayed up against Tucker and that was the reason they lost. But this was before some unsuspecting sports reporter asked if Brian's offensive numbers were suffering because he was hurt.
 JON RAUCH UNLEASHED
Now parents grab your children and cover their ears and escape the tirade: "I'm not BLEEPing hurt. I'm sick of people telling me I'm BLEEP ing hurt." (Getting up walking away from reporters) "I'm done with BLEEPing people saying I'm BLEEP. People keep saying I'm BLEEPing hurt! I'm sick of that BLEEP!" (yells something and throws a chair).
It appears to me that a combination of a losing season and the fact that familiar faces are now leaving the team are starting to wear on the team emotions. As I stated in the blog entry before this one. Livan will be sorely missed in the locker room, and more will be packing their bags...leaving orphans without their mommas at RFK. This is the birthing pangs of a new era...as the team struggles for a new nucleus the process will be painful. I'm afraid the rest of this season will be a struggle for both the fans and the players...the good news is - it will get better. EISLER LIVAN HERNANDEZRemember last year? The run to first place up to a month after the all-star break? Winning those nail-biting one run contests game after game after game? Those were the days of dominant Nationals pitching: Livan Hernandez, John Patterson, Esteban Loaiza, Tony Armas and Drese / Ohka / Day. Backed-up in the bullpen with Hector Corrasco, Gary Majewski, Luis Ayala and Chad Cordero. These were the days of low-scoring pitching matches with a terrible offense. We couldn't score to save our lives. This year we can see the alternate universe...where the offense is explosive and the pitching (to refrain from better terms) leaves much to be desired.
 HERNANDEZ STRIKES OUT 7 IN SAN DIEGO
But in San Diego August 6th, we were treated to a glimpse of yesteryear by our old horse Livan Hernandez. Inning after inning, like an old soldier returning to battle...LiVANN danced, mystified and confused the Padres. Swing! - strike 3. Whoosh! - strike 3. Can I help you? No just lookin' - strike 3. Six scoreless innings, seven strikeouts and one mistake, which cost him the game. 2005 returns for one day in Southern California.
Eisler Livan Hernandez was born in the province of Villa Clara, Cuba February 20, 1975. He is the half-brother of Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez who is now currently playing for the New York Mets. While living in Cuba at the age of 19 he was making $6 a month and had only one shirt to play in. Livan credits his mother who with meager means took care of both him and Orlando. He says his mother taught him to be the man he is today and he never wants to forget where he came from and the struggle it took to get where he is today.
 LIVAN HERNANDEZ WINS 1997 WORLD SERIES
Livan's bid for freedom began one day in September of 1995 in Monterrey Mexico. At midnight across the street from the Cuban team hotel, famed sports agent Joe Cubas waited as young shy Livan Hernandez hesitantly made the decision to defect from Communist Cuba. The decision apparently almost cost him his life, but not in a way you may have guessed...a speeding car narrowly missed him as he crossed the street. In the days that followed, Hernandez travelled to Mexico City, Venezuela, and Costa Rica where he signed with the Florida Marlins and began his rich long career with Major League Baseball. Two years and twenty pounds later he was a World Champion. That same night before the game after living in exile for two years, he was able to hug his mother in a very emotional reuninion.
 FAREWELL SOON?
Livan Hernandez is one of the most down-to-earth, jovial players in the game today. If you have ever had the chance to talk to him in his broken English you will understand. He is known almost every game to strike-up conversation with fans sitting near the on-deck circle. His contagious smile and love for the game shines out and he is a favorite among youngsters. There's been much talk about trading Livan, and I'm sure that's probably inevitable...but for the time being, I'm going to enjoy having the big teddy bear from Cuba in a Nationals Uniform.
NOTE: Three hours after I posted this blog: News broke that Livan Hernandez had been traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for two pitching prospects. So long Livan, we'll miss you.
CLICK THE PHOTOS BELOW FOR LARGER IMAGES SO SORIANO STAYS...OK...so Alfonso Soriano remains a NATIONAL, well at least for the next two months anyway. That's great I like Alfonso, but here is my initial reaction: The trade deadline came & went and we did - NOTHING?!? Can someone look me straight in the face and say that this team isn't in need of improvement? What about Livan or Vidro...we didn't trade anybody? I may be wrong but I feel like we missed an opportunity to improve this team. I don't think they will make the commitment to re-sign Soriano to a multi-year contract next year. His asking price is going to be enormous...which would hamper the very strategy Kasten touted during the ownership handover which was to build-up the farm system. It appears that the Lerners are going to either have to open the checkbook big time or have to go to plan B.
If they decide on opening the wallet and signing Alfonso to a $80 million 5 year contract (which is the rumour of what he wants)...then in order to keep the REST of the team competitive you are going to have to change your payroll budget. Now earlier this year I was touting this...I WANT them to do this. If the Nationals become the new New York Yankees of the National League you wouldn't hear any complaints coming out of my mouth. However this is NOT the plan that Kasten laid on the table when he described the team stategy. Not only that but Major League Baseball stated that one of the reasons they chose the Lerner group as new owners of the Nationals is that they were NOT going to be inflating salaries.
 ESPN snapped this photo of Soriano's Agent; Diego Bentz at 4:00 PM July 31st
Please don't get me wrong I love Alfonso Soriano. But now Jimbo's stuck...he absolutely HAS to sign him for the long term (no doubt Soriano's agent knows this too). Worse case scenario of course is if we get Alfonso for just two more months and then he moves on to another team. In this option we would be left with two draft picks that does nothing but put a very large question mark in your head. I understand what people are saying: there were no good offers on the table, so Jim Bowden decided to stand pat...but no one believes that was his plan going into the trade deadline: Jimbo was hoping that another GM would get careless and give something of value for a two month rental. When that failed to happen, then all the sudden people are calling him a genius for not giving in. Well I'm not one of them. Now we will lose our bargaining power if Soriano doesn't sign on the dotted line for an extension. If he doesn't, we're gonna have to settle next year for what we get in the draft. Then of course all the people who are praising Bowden now will be asking for his head. KASTEN PRESSES THE RESET BUTTON... The Presidential Foot Race Turns LIVE and un-animated!
Stan Kasten literally rolls out the red carpet this weekend with the Grand ReOpening of RFK Stadium. The limitations of what you can do with a 45 year old stadium are self-evident, but even so the Lerners are going to provide a much needed face-lift to the aging venue in Southeast Washington. Starting with a themed weekend of "Painting the City Red", in which fans attending the games this weekend against Chicago will be given hats, T-shirts and rally towels.
A food court will be open on the mezzanine level featuring 5 new vendors, all from the D.C. area: Cluck University Chicken, ARs, Cantina Marina, Hard Times Cafe and Capital-Q. Added to the 500 level will be another Red, Hot & Blue and a Papa Johns...and a Kosher stand is opening on Sunday at the third base side. Some new food selections that will be available:
In addition to the new vending will be new "Fan Zone" on the 300 level which will include such features as Radar-Gun Pitching Stalls, Photo Booths, Virtual Batting Cages and an X-Box Video Game Stations.
ZIMMER MAN! The home grown rookie has become the big talk of the town lately. With two walkoff home runs and last night's walkoff single with two outs in the bottom of the 11th...his bat is definately scalding! With 58 RBIs through 87 games, Zimm leads all MLB rookies in RBIs, hits (90), doubles (25), extra base hits (38) and multi-hit games (28)! He's hit safely now in 10 straight games, batting .444 with 10 RBIs.
There's no reason in my mind why Ryan Zimmerman can't be considered for the Rookie of the Year as he has displayed excellent play not only with the bat, but his defensive range and performance has been most impressive. With the media concentrating on Alfonzo, Ryan Zimmerman is slowly becoming a force worthy of attention in his own right.
CLICK THE PHOTOS BELOW FOR LARGER IMAGES |
Kory Casto: Casto was selected back in the third round of the 2003 draft and was brought on as a third baseman.
Chris Snelling: An Australian 25-year-old with great hands and great coordination.
Alex Escobar: Snelling and Escobar should be great friends in spring training.
Michael Restovich: Mike Restovich has had 137 career games in the major leagues with a .250 batting average.
The next inning Jon "The Wookie" Rauch was given a dog bath by the Rockies to the tune of four runs and end the score at a very deceptive 11-8 victory.
HOLY CRAP!!! 
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