Archive for February, 2006

The Nationals received an unfortunate blow on Saturday: right-handed pitcher Brian Lawrence, acquired this off-season for Vinnie Castilla in a trade with the Padres, left spring training camp after it was confirmed that he has a torn labrum. Lawrence will have surgery soon and while there's a chance he could be back by August, he may miss all of 2006 if the injury is worse than it appears.

Both Jose Vidro and Alfonso Soriano had their mugs in the press this week, re-igniting plenty of speculation about how these two second basemen will be used on the field by the Nationals in 2006.

Despite the recent comment posted on MLB.com, "Bowden was not willing to increase the offer", the Nationals reportedly doubled the cash in their offer to Sammy Sosa, bringing the deal to $1 million, non-guaranteed.

echo: "Former major league baseball star Albert Belle tracked his ex-girlfriend with a GPS device and repeatedly threatened her, according to a police probable cause statement filed in support of stalking charges."

Collectively, most of us Nationals fans are breathing a sigh of relief today: Sammy Sosa has officially rejected the Nationals' most recent offer of a $500,000, non-guaranteed contract. The MLB.com article offers further comfort: "Sosa wanted at least $1 million to sign with the team, but Bowden was not willing to increase the offer." I stand … Read more »

Some news has finally broke about yesterday's meeting between the Nationals and Sammy Sosa's agent, Adam Katz. Sosa has not decided if we will sign, but has made it known that he wants at least double what the Nats have offered him. According to the slugger, the pivotal issue is respect: there are only four other players in … Read more »

I really didn't want to see it come to this: the Nationals have shipped utility infielder and Frank Robinson-favourite Jamey Carroll to the Colorado Rockies for $300,000. For more than three years, Carroll has been a reliable player off the bench, and has been lauded by Robinson for his club house composure and willingness to do whatever was … Read more »

I was a little surprised to see the numbers on the contract offered to Sammy Sosa by the Nationals: $500,000, non-guaranteed. Sosa earned a whopping $17 million last year. I can't imagine that he'd accept such a huge pay cut. What's more humiliating for Sosa: accepting this deal, or slinking over to the Japanese league for the season? Read more »

Boston's new shortstop Alex Gonzalez scored the winning run in Venezuela's Carribean series victory last night. This, combined with his recent signing with the Red Sox, has amounted to quite a bit of ink lately for Gonzalez.Not to be outdone, the other Gonzalez–Alex S. Gonzalez formerly of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (or should I say Read more »

UPDATE, Feb 9, 2006: The news I'm reading today is saying that Bowden's contract offer to Sosa is NOT guaranteed. The difference between this and previous offers to Sosa is that this is a major league contract, as opposed to a minor league deal. Still no word from Sosa's camp.  Despite saying recently that they would not offer … Read more »