Washington Nationals thread

[YankyDave]

To answer the question below and because there should be some chatter about the new owner soon, I started this thread. If there is already one, I apologize.

OT- but is there still a big buzz in Washington over the baseball team. How have the fans reacted to the trades made?

There is a buzz, but it's mostly over the stadium deal, which should be done soon and guarantee a team in D.C. for the next 30 years.

Losing some pitching garnered some groans but not everyone noticed. The Soriano deal woke some folks up and it got mostly the desired reaction, that is fooling people into thinking MLB gives a crap about the roster right now.

[CaptainThurman]

The buzz down here is mostly centered around the fact that baseball has finally returned to a baseball-starved city, and lots of baseball fans are soaking up the Nationals. But because most of these fans never rooted for the Expos, the sub-plots are becoming very interesting.

As an aside, there is a fantastic group of baseball journalists and a world-class newspaper covering the team, so that's a contributing factor to the buzz.

Some of the buzz is about Peter Angelos, who has rightfully become the most hated baseball personality this side of Barry Bonds, who has done everything in his power to try to prevent the Nationals from coming to Washington, while at the same time he has been instrumental in turning the Orioles from one of the best-run franchises in baseball into the worst-run franchise in baseball. It is believed that he has pumped lots of money into Linda Cropp's DC mayoral election campaign, and she has been the most vocal opponent to the major league stadium deal. We can all appreciate the uselessness of Bud Lite Selig while we watch him allow Angelos to destroy two franchises at once.

Then there's Soriano, who will be the highest-paid and highest-profile Nat next year, already showing his selfishness by saying he won't move to the outfield. Let's see, who do they start at 2B, Jose Vidro or Alfonso Soriano....? Late in the season, if the Nats are in a pennant race and Soriano is asked to move over a runner during his walk year, think he'll do it? Or, more likely, will be flail at sliders on the outside corner while tying to boost his power numbers?

Bowden's recent moves have energized the hot stove talk around Washington, but the stadium deal ($700 million?) and the possibility of new ownership have the Tom Boswells and Tony Kornheisers filling the Washington Post with great reading.

Yes, there's a buzz, and we're enjoying it.....

[yankeebot]

MLB is doing a great disservice to this franchise by not getting ownership into place pronto. Bowden is doing an excellent job given the circumstances but it is past time to establish who is going to own this franchise and allow them to establish themselves. There is no reason for Bud to be dragging his feet on this and it was grossly unfair to force them into another hot stove season without a clear idea of what their budget will be for player payroll in 2006.

[YankyDave]

MLB is doing a great disservice to this franchise by not getting ownership into place pronto. Bowden is doing an excellent job given the circumstances but it is past time to establish who is going to own this franchise and allow them to establish themselves. There is no reason for Bud to be dragging his feet on this and it was grossly unfair to force them into another hot stove season without a clear idea of what their budget will be for player payroll in 2006.

They are doing all they can to reduce the talent level on the team and it makes no sense. They obviously figure that they will get top dollar no matter how bad the team is.

What has happened with the ownership situation has been MLB business as usual. Bud and his boys clearly want to sell to Smulyan but when they floated that out, it went over like a fart in church. Then they had Smulyan add some local heroes to his group but no one bought it. Even the mayor came out against that idea. I personally want the Malek group to win because they have baseball experience, local ties, tons of money and are one of the reasons we have a team to begin with.

[NYDCYankee]

People are stoked about Soriano coming to town.

[montrealer]

City has already lost 2 franchises....It`s not time to f...ck around.
As far as budget well....it`s been a few years they`ve been able to get away with not having one.....guess MLB is getting to use to that.

[NelsonMuntz]

People are stoked about Soriano coming to town.

Which amazes me. Soriano and Wilkerson have an identical OPS+ for their careers yet everyone down here seems to be fooled into thinking that Soriano is the answer to this team's scoring woes. It's impossible to reason with some of these fans. I tried to explain that the reason they were last in the league in scoring last season was because they were last in the league in OBP and they just exasperated the situation by acquiring a guy who only got on base 27% of the time last season. But of course the standard response is "what good is getting on base if no one is driving in the runs ... at least Soriano is a home run hitter". Forget trying to explain park factor to these guys.

Anyway, the Nationals had a legitimate trading chip in Brad Wilkerson and they wasted him on a position that did not need to be upgraded. I believe they now have five 2nd basemen. If they can somehow spin Vidro and Spivey off for pitching and another outfielder then this deal may work out okay but as it stands right now it is a horrible trade for the Nats.

As far as the general "buzz" around town, most of it is focused on the bickering between the city council and MLB on the stadium costs and the fact that MLB still has not named an owner.

[YankyDave]

Yeah Nelson, I tried to explain that to a bunch of people. Soriano is vastly overrated by fans who only remember him as the kid who hit postseason homers for the Yanks.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

What has happened with the ownership situation has been MLB business as usual. Bud and his boys clearly want to sell to Smulyan but when they floated that out, it went over like a fart in church. Then they had Smulyan add some local heroes to his group but no one bought it. Even the mayor came out against that idea. I personally want the Malek group to win because they have baseball experience, local ties, tons of money and are one of the reasons we have a team to begin with.

If there is a decent article on the various prospective ownership groups and what they bring to the table, please post a link.

[NelsonMuntz]

If there is a decent article on the various prospective ownership groups and what they bring to the table, please post a link.

Not very detailed information, but apparently MLB has narrowed the field down to the following three groups:

•Theodore Lerner, a real estate mogul in the Washington region;

•Fred Malek, a co-owner of the Rangers with President Bush from 1989 to 1998, and partner Jeffrey Zients, a fellow Washington businessman; and

•Jeff Smulyan, the CEO of Indianapolis-based radio empire Emmis Communications and the owner of the Mariners from 1989 to 1992 …

[SoCal Pinstriper]

Thanks NM. I've kind of lost track of this deal. Is the primary reason that an owner has not been named the stadium issue, or are there other factors?

[YankyDave]

Thanks NM. I've kind of lost track of this deal. Is the primary reason that an owner has not been named the stadium issue, or are there other factors?

Bud and the boys have claimed it was the stadium deal but that's their excuse NOW. They could have named one last year and had a different one. They could have sold the team when they moved them here.

[RhodeyYankee2638]

I hope Alfonso hits over .230 in the NL. I mean, he has to play 81 games in RFK, 19 in Shea and 19 in that awful Marlins stadium. Have phun Fonzie

[Evil Empire]

I still think Sori's getting traded.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

I still think Sori's getting traded.

Sori/Frank Robinson will be like Oil/Water if the switch to the outfield remains an issue.

[drjeckyl]

Mike Stanton signs on with Nats for one more year at 1 M. Lefty pitching must still be at a premium.

link

[Screech]

Jim Bowden is the dumbest GM in baseball. By far. Sox fans, take solace in the fact that he was never hired by you guys.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

WASHINGTON -- Former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer was picked to mediate the deadlock between Major League Baseball and the District of Columbia over a lease for the Washington Nationals' new stadium.


Archer met Tuesday with Mayor Anthony A. Williams, members of the city's Sports and Entertainment Commission and a lawyer representing the Nationals, according to Vince Morris, the mayor's chief spokesman.

"We need to find a way to get the [D.C. Council] to honor the commitment it made to get a stadium built," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer. "I am guardedly optimistic that we can find a way to get it done."

If no agreement is reached after 15 days of mediation, the dispute would move to binding arbitration.

Baseball filed for mediation on Jan. 4, after the city failed to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for approving a ballpark lease. That deadline was in the 2004 deal with the commissioner's office that paved the way for the Montreal Expos to move to Washington before the 2005 season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2296063

[utopiapkwy]

Everybody is pretty pissed off about the stadium deal. The fans are split between being mad at city counsel for jerking around and not holding up the deal, (non-fans are mad they even made the deal) or at MLB for not selling the team. Meanwhile the City continues to put out media statements like MLB is totally unreasonable and had better meet them half way. or what? I am no Bud fan, but they signed a contract and now the city doesnt want to do it. I cant imagine anything other than an outright loss for the city in mediation. They want MLB to pay the any extra costs over the original estimate (200 million) when the contract clearly says the city pays those costs.

There is alot of excitement about Sori, and I usually just let them be excited without breaking the bad news about K/BB and whatnot. All I can remember is the World Series against the Marlins...low and away-swing, lower and awayer-swing, lowest and awayest, swing, strike three. The club, in response to Sori wanting more money and refusing the outfield, has started to put out statements like "the name on the front is more important than the one on the back," which to me lays the groundwork to move Sori and have the fans sure that you made the right move. They cant play Sori and second and if he refuses to take the outfield, I cant see how he can remain on the team. I always thought he was a big underacheiver, now he has a big attitude to go with it.

[Sandman]

They could sign Sosa as well and start working on an All-Arrogance Team.

While this could be an appropriate theme for the politicians in DC, I read of the Nats woes with great sadness, as I am from DC area and saw the great support the city gave the team last year.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

The Washington Nationals continued their pursuit of free agent slugger Sammy Sosa last night, though it remains unclear whether the seven-time all-star will be willing to come to spring training without a guaranteed contract.

A contingent including Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden was expected to dine with Sosa somewhere in the Miami area, where Sosa makes his offseason home. Bowden declined to discuss the meeting yesterday afternoon.

To this point, the Nationals have been unwilling to guarantee Sosa any money and are merely inquiring whether the 1998 National League MVP would be interested in trying to make the team.

Meanwhile, the Nationals moved forward on two other fronts, including filling the final spot of their coaching staff. They are scheduled to meet today with former all-star closer John Wetteland about becoming the bullpen coach.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...012501962.html

[SoCal Pinstriper]

VIERA - A major hurdle to Sammy Sosa joining the Washington Nationals -- and spending spring training in Viera -- has been cleared.

Nationals general manager Jim Bowden said Tuesday the team has offered Sosa a major-league contract and is waiting to see if the seven-time All-Star accepts it. The deal is believed to be for only one year and laden with incentives.

It does not guarantee Sosa a spot on the team and the Nationals would only have to pay a 30-day contract termination fee if Sosa does not make the Opening Day roster.

The Nationals previously had offered the free-agent outfielder a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, but Sosa wanted a big-league deal.

Bowden made it clear that, with its latest concession, Washington has done all it can to sign Sosa, who is 37 years old and coming off his worst season since becoming a full-time starter. When asked what the chances are that Sosa will be in a Nationals uniform this season, Bowden said, "You'll have to ask Sammy."

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc...91/1002/SPORTS

Any updates on the stadium deal?

[yankeebot]

MLB skeptical of D.C.'s revised stadium plan

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11227457/

“Major League Baseball has not yet been provided with the filings made by the D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission with the City Council last Friday, nor the text of the legislation passed by the Council last night,” baseball spokesman Rich Levin said in a statement. “We are very concerned about what we heard during the debate, and we need to read the materials and the legislative language so we can determine whether they are consistent with the agreements between Major League Baseball and the city.”

[YankyDave]

D.C. has done more than they should to this point. Baseball has not once acted in good faith. It's MLB's turn to accept the deal, give us a frickin owner not named Smulyan and then give us our television rights back from the Balmer troll.

[Mark19]

As a Yankee fan working in DC, I have to say that people are sincerely behind the Nats but not exactly in love with some of Bowden's moves. The Soriano-Vidro battle is likely going to be a mess and the team signed too many bench players and not enough pitching. I think the team is destined to battle with the Phillies for 4th place this year.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

As a Yankee fan working in DC, I have to say that people are sincerely behind the Nats but not exactly in love with some of Bowden's moves. The Soriano-Vidro battle is likely going to be a mess and the team signed too many bench players and not enough pitching. I think the team is destined to battle with the Phillies for 4th place this year.

As I said above, I havn't been following the situation too closely, but my perception is as follows.

1.)The Nationals "on field" problems have been exacerbated by the fact that what was supposed to be an interim managnent team (Bowden etc.) has still not been replaced by a permanent ownership group.
2.)The reason that MLB has yet to sell the franchise to new owners is that they want to be sure that a stadium deal is in place first.
3.)The reason that a stadium deal is not in place is that the DC Council played bait and switch with MLB by changing the terms of the agreement after MLB had committed to move the team to DC.
4.) Therefor, almost all of the Nats on and off the field issues can be traced to the disingenuous behavior of the DC Council.

Am I way off here? Please let me know if I'm missing somthing important.

[YankyDave]

As I said above, I havn't been following the situation too closely, but my perception is as follows.

1.)The Nationals "on field" problems have been exacerbated by the fact that what was supposed to be an interim managnent team (Bowden etc.) has still not been replaced by a permanent ownership group.
2.)The reason that MLB has yet to sell the franchise to new owners is that they want to be sure that a stadium deal is in place first.
3.)The reason that a stadium deal is not in place is that the DC Council played bait and switch with MLB by changing the terms of the agreement after MLB had committed to move the team to DC.
4.) Therefor, almost all of the Nats on and off the field issues can be traced to the disingenuous behavior of the DC Council.

Am I way off here? Please let me know if I'm missing somthing important.

While the council holds some responsibility, MLB has asked for a ton and not acted in good faith all the time. I like the fact that the council dangles the "no" out before finalizing the "yes". MLB used Washington on multiple occasions as a pawn in their game against other cities, like Pittsburgh. I don't think the people of D.C. owe baseball anything just yet. Sure, the team came here but then they hurt the team's future earnings by handing over TV rights to Angelos. So while I would be pissed if we lost the team over the stadium deal, I would hold MLB responsible.

FYI, a major hurdle was cleared when a judge rule today that the eminent domain the city is using to get the stadium site it legal and in good faith.

[utopiapkwy]

While the council holds some responsibility, MLB has asked for a ton and not acted in good faith all the time. I like the fact that the council dangles the "no" out before finalizing the "yes". MLB used Washington on multiple occasions as a pawn in their game against other cities, like Pittsburgh. I don't think the people of D.C. owe baseball anything just yet. Sure, the team came here but then they hurt the team's future earnings by handing over TV rights to Angelos. So while I would be pissed if we lost the team over the stadium deal, I would hold MLB responsible.

FYI, a major hurdle was cleared when a judge rule today that the eminent domain the city is using to get the stadium site it legal and in good faith.

I agree except with the conclusion. If the team was moved by mlb it would be exclusively because the city signed a deal to cover all costs over $550 million and is now renegging. I agree both sides are shifty, but the contracts got done, and the city isnt holding up their end of the contract.

[NYDCYankee]

We were talking about this at work today. Where the heck is Sosa gonna play? He better not take Jose Guillen's spot. That would be crazy.

[hardrain]

The Sosa signing is baffling. Sammy has become a joke. And yes, these cavernous NL East ballparks aren't going to help Sosa or Sori.

With Vidro playing 2nd and no DH - maybe Sori gets traded.

[NYDCYankee]

Well...Nick Johnson will get hurt so maybe Sosa or Sori can play first.

[ShaneTravis]

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc...602100338/1002

FLORIDA TODAY: Assuming Jose Vidro is healthy, do you think Soriano will accept a move to the outfield?

Bowden: If Vidro is healthy, Vidro is our second baseman. Jose Vidro is not a player that has other places he can play and be as effective as he is at second, where we feel that Soriano is so talented that he could move to either center or left field and really help our team.

He's also a very special player; not many players in our time have had the kind of speed and power combination that he has. We hope at some point that he agrees to play the outfield, because that's how our team is going to be best-structured.

FT: What do you do if he doesn't want to move? Trade him?

JB: We'll deal with that if the time comes. We respect Alfonso and we'll continue to talk to him.

This has potential to get real messy for the Nats.

[Sandman]

Luckily Soriano plans to make enough in arbitration to pay for the ballpark.

[YankyDave]

I agree except with the conclusion. If the team was moved by mlb it would be exclusively because the city signed a deal to cover all costs over $550 million and is now renegging. I agree both sides are shifty, but the contracts got done, and the city isnt holding up their end of the contract.

With everything MLB has pulled and is still pulling, I am not going to blame the city council for capping what is already more money than they would get from any other city. MLB went so far as to tell the bidding groups not to say anything about paying for the stadium. I know one guy on a group and he's only on there for the stadium portion so I am sure he would be willing to pitch in some extra cash if needed. Bud and his boys need to take the sweetheart deal they got and sell the team for more than it's worth so the new owner can get on with suing Angelos to get their TV rights back.

[utopiapkwy]

With everything MLB has pulled and is still pulling, I am not going to blame the city council for capping what is already more money than they would get from any other city. MLB went so far as to tell the bidding groups not to say anything about paying for the stadium. I know one guy on a group and he's only on there for the stadium portion so I am sure he would be willing to pitch in some extra cash if needed. Bud and his boys need to take the sweetheart deal they got and sell the team for more than it's worth so the new owner can get on with suing Angelos to get their TV rights back.

I am no fan of Bud and the boys, that is for sure, and I am thinking of suing angelos myslelf for a that rain delay last season when we won in baltimore 20-7 or whatever it was, but the city isnt so great either. I agree, MLB turned the screws on DC, the fact is it was a sellers market and the city bought it. So now that the city looks at the terrible deal they signed, I am thinking more along the lines of "buyer beware", rather than "poor DC", and they should stick to the deal they signed.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

From Murrat Chass:

Actually, the team can be the Nationals forever more, but the Nationals may not want to be the Nationals because they may not be allowed to sell merchandise under that name, and who in professional sports wants to have a name that cannot be marketed for financial gain?

Did someone say, "Oops"?

Last week the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted a request by Bygone Sports, a Cincinnati company that specializes in historic trademarks and historic sports apparel, for federal trademark registration on the name Washington Nationals. The company applied for the trademark in September 2002

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/sp...ll&oref=slogin

[YankyDave]

Baseball claims it had a deal. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if they did this on purpose to have another big sale on a second name.

[NelsonMuntz]

Brian Lawrence likely out for the season with a torn labrum and rotator cuff. Jim "The Genius" Bowden didn't think it was necessary to do an MRI on Lawrence before finalizing the trade with the Padres. Nats sign Astacio to compete for Lawrence's spot in the rotation:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...022701359.html

"That's our bad," Robinson said. "We chose not to give him an MRI. The physicals should cover everything. . . . I would think that would be something to get our attention for the future, at least. Why not? [An MRI is] the only way you're going to be able to look at someone. But I don't make policy around here."

Bowden later said the team decided against an MRI, which can cost as much as $10,000, because Lawrence had been one of the most durable pitchers in baseball over the previous five years.

So because Bowden was too cheap to shell out $10,000 on the MRI, he now has to spend $700,000 on Pedro Astacio. That's some nice management JimBo. Oh and there's still the issue of Soriano refusing to move to the outfield. What a joke this is turning into.

[Sultans of Swing]

Brian Lawrence likely out for the season with a torn labrum and rotator cuff. Jim "The Genius" Bowden didn't think it was necessary to do an MRI on Lawrence before finalizing the trade with the Padres. Nats sign Astacio to compete for Lawrence's spot in the rotation:

Sometimes you just can't make this stuff up. Bowden's such a joke.

[utopiapkwy]

Sometimes you just can't make this stuff up. Bowden's such a joke.

My understanding of it is that the Nats were dealing a guy with bad knees for a guy with a bad shoulder, so they were willing to take the risk and get it done quickly as the guy they were getting rid of wasnt going to get through an MRI either.

[Sultans of Swing]

Ah, makes more sense now. I wasn't familiar with the deal at all, it seemed such a farce at first glance. Along with the typical brilliance of that franchise's front office, it seemed to fit right in, heh.

[NelsonMuntz]

Finally some good news for the Nationals:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030500607.html

Baseball Signs Nationals Stadium Lease
Major League Baseball today signed a lease for the Washington Nationals use of a proposed $611 million stadium project along the Anacostia Waterfront, clearing the way for the city to begin construction of the stadium and baseball to move ahead with the sale of the team, according to sources familiar with the process.

Baseball delivered a signed document to the D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission on Sunday afternoon, with a provision that the lease not become effective until the city begins its sale of the bonds to cover the stadium project, sources said.

[BronxBaumer]

To be fair, the team is owned by the MLB -- I mean look how well Selig runs his organization

[NelsonMuntz]

Here's another article on the lease agreement:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/

That massive sigh of relief you can hear all across the Washington area tonight is the sense not only that the Nationals are now on firmer ground as a permanent institution in these parts, but also a hope that the District can move on beyond the needlessly polarizing politics of baseball.

Even the greedheads of Major League Baseball could see that any effort to extend the uncertainty over the D.C. stadium lease would result in disaster--a lost chance to build a new neighborhood around the stadium, a significant and potentially longlasting deterioration of the Nats' fan base, and an extension of the ugly and downright idiotic wrangling with the D.C. Council, a fate you wouldn't wish on your worst enemies. So MLB today said Yes to the stadium deal.

This is great news for Nationals fans.

[YankyDave]

I can't believe this thing might be done. I am saying "might" because it still needs one last stamp of approval from the schizo board.

[NelsonMuntz]

I can't believe this thing might be done. I am saying "might" because it still needs one last stamp of approval from the schizo board.

Everyone is saying it's a done deal, but I'll believe it when I'm sitting in the new stadium. This city council is capable of f*cking just about anything up. Not that Selig and company are completely blameless for the debacle up to this point.

Edit: Looks like it's official:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030601438.html

Mayor Anthony A. Williams signed the lease for a new Washington Nationals' ballpark Monday, a day after Major League Baseball signed the deal.

The lease calls for a ballpark to be built along the Anacostia River, south of the Capitol, but limits city spending on the project to $611 million.

[NelsonMuntz]

Update -- City Council approves the contract; Sale of the Nationals Imminent:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/sport...244r_page2.htm

Council approves stadium contract
With the contract and stadium lease approved, MLB could name a new owner for the Nationals within a month.

"This is a huge step forward," said Mark Tuohey, chairman of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission. "It's a huge victory for the city. After months and months of debate we now can move forward, and this will be the beginning of some very important times."

[YankyDave]

Sweet, now they can screw us over by giving us Smulyan as the owner. I want either the Lerner or Malek groups to get the team. Malek's group has the most money but also has too many big names and we all know Selig and his boys are afraid of guys like that. Lerner is good because they have money and less big names. Smulyan is a former owner so that gives him the edge. Of course he also has the least amount of money and no ties to the city so, that too, gives him an edge in the world of baseball's neverending moronic decisions.

[NelsonMuntz]

Sweet, now they can screw us over by giving us Smulyan as the owner. I want either the Lerner or Malek groups to get the team. Malek's group has the most money but also has too many big names and we all know Selig and his boys are afraid of guys like that. Lerner is good because they have money and less big names. Smulyan is a former owner so that gives him the edge. Of course he also has the least amount of money and no ties to the city so, that too, gives him an edge in the world of baseball's neverending moronic decisions.

lol, yep I agree. Personally I'm pulling for Malek.

[YankyDave]

lol, yep I agree. Personally I'm pulling for Malek.

Me too. For the money and because I know someone in the group.