Since we have time for a short break between post-season games, let's catch up with the Nationals and their centerfield conundrum. Capital Punishment has an excellent post up that reviews how this position was handled by Manny Acta in 2007. Nook Logan, Ryan Church, Ryan Langerhans, and rookie Justin Maxwell all spent time roaming centerfield, but … Read more »
It hasn't been a good weekend for the Washington Nationals. First, Nook Logan and John Patterson went down: Logan a strained groin, while Patterson "kind of passed out". Then today, Washington released 1B Travis Lee despite his .267 spring batting average and .997 career fielding average. Lee had informed GM Jim Bowden that he "didn't want … Read more »
While I haven't been a big fan of Jim Bowden and his style of running the Nationals, I haven't written him off completely. In fact, I think he shows some real moments of baseball intelligence at times. Signing Manny Acta as the Nationals' new manager is an example of one of Jim's best moves with this … Read more »
I'm bummed: I really thought Girardi was going to end up at the helm of the Nationals dugout in 2007. However, Washington Post Staff Writer Barry Svrluga is reporting that Girardi has declined the position. The Cubbies snagged Piniella. That leaves us with Manny Acta, Terry Pendleton, Tony Pena, and [cough] Dusty Baker. Acta's the only one … Read more »
It seems that my Bring Girardi to Washington! campaign has been heard up in the offices of the Nationals! MLB.com speculated earlier today that manager Frank Robinson will not be invited back to coach the Nationals next season. This news doesn't surprise me in the least. What did catch my eye was that the article mentions … Read more »
I've been a Frank Robinson supporter since he signed on with the Expos, but it's now my opinion that we need a change of the guards in Washington. It's not about pointing fingers and saying who did what wrong, but more a matter of bringing in a new face and a new managerial style. Florida Marlins' owner (and former Expos … Read more »
It looks like the Nationals will see plenty of changes post All-Star game:Soriano wants to stay: While I was adament about trading him before the season started, and I remain so inclined in light of the prospects he could potentially fetch, I'm liking Soriano more and more. The Washington Post's latest article about him is rather endearing. RFK getting … Read more »
MLB Rumors Clearinghouse makes an excellent point: Why isn't Larry Broadway in DC? If Stan Kasten plans on focussing on rebuilding from within, then surely it makes sense to give some playing time to Broadway who's been on a tear at the minor league level–especially since Nick Johnson has been taking some time off the field. … Read more »
When your game heroes are Royce Clayton and Marlon Anderson, you know something's gone awry. Perhaps the Rays will show some mercy this weekend… … Read more »
Nationals' bullpen coach John Wetteland was relieved of his duties last week. A "respect problem" with manager Frank Robinson was cited as the reason for his dismissal.
"This is a linear sport. Something happens and then something else happens, and then the next man comes up and digs in at the plate. Here’s the pitch, and here, after a pause, is the next. There’s time to write it down in your scorecard or notebook, and then perhaps to look about and reflect on what’s starting to happen out there now. It’s not much like the swirl and blur of hockey and basketball, or the highway crashes of the NFL. Baseball is the writer’s game, and its train of thought, we come to sense, is a shuttle, carrying us constantly forward to the next pitch or inning, or the sudden double into the left-field corner, but we keep hold of the other half of our ticket, for the return trip on the same line. We anticipate happily, and, coming home, reenter an old landscape brightened with fresh colors. Baseball games and plays and mannerisms—the angle of a cap—fade stubbornly and come to mind unbidden, putting us back in some particular park on that special October afternoon or June evening. The players are as young as ever, and we, perhaps not entirely old." - Roger Angell, in Once More Around the Park