Marrero did not score on the play. He was thrown out at the plate.

Give Brian a press pass.

231's comment perfectly captures the philosophy of the unrepentant Bowden apologist:

1. Give Bowden excessively undeserved credit for anything that doesn't completely blow up in his face.

2. Excuse as completely unpredictable flukes any and all deals that do completely blow up in his face.

3. Despite 7 consecutive losing seasons, 1 playoff appearance in 16 years, and no WS appearances ever, dismiss all criticism as unfair cherry-picking.

4. Attack all criticism as being inspired by personal grudges and lack of loyalty.

5. Blame Marge Schott.

6. Blame the payroll.

7. Blame the Expos.

8. Blame gravity.

9. Blame Ralph Nader.

10. When all else fails, name-calling.

LoDuca sucks at first base.

For all you Bowden-apologists do, this game's for you.

What a pathetic display of baseball we're watching.

If you can spin positive on this, you must have taken PR classes from Baghdad Bob.

This is a comedy. Dukes not backing up Boone's bad throw to PLD. And PLD trying to play first base. And then Dukes getting picked off down by three. Should we just swap rosters with Columbus and have a go at it?

Wow, Lopez crushed that one!

Harmon Killebrew a guest in the Twins TV booth tonight. Says the reason the Senators left in 61 was that during the previous season someone called Griffith Stadium to ask what time the game would start and the answer was...what time can you get here.

Excellent point by Harper Gordek on why our possible psuedo-AS Guzman is overrated, even in this, his career year:

http://mvn.com/mlb-nationals/

"The other day I remarked that really only Elijah and Ronnie Belliard walk with any consistency out of the Nats current starters. Who's the biggest offender of not walking enough? Well, not to pick on the guy, but it's the Nats presumptive All-Star Cristian Guzman, who has a remarkable 9 walks in 300+ at bats and a isoOBP of .019!

"Again, I know what you're thinking. (MINDTAKER!) Who cares if Cristian Guzman doesn't get on base (1) he gets a ton of hits and (2) there are more important things.

"Ok I'll give you (2) - on the list of issues for the Nats, Guzman's lack of walking ranks just above John Lannan's pedestrian strike-out rate and just below the awful font used for the Nats uniforms in the list of things that need concern Nats management. I can't give you (1), though. Imean, yes, he does get a ton of hits, but there is more to providing offense than that. There are 32 major leaguers with 100ABs or more in the leadoff spot, Cristian has a better average than all but 1. (Furcal if you must know). His OBP though? Tied for 16th. It's not a big thing, but it's not a little thing either. I mean the guy is the Nats leadoff hitter and has zero walks since coming back to the spot on June 5th. Hell, he has zero walks since May29th, 4 in the past 2 months. He's last in all qualified major league batters with 3.06 pitches seen per plate appearence. The table setter doesn't really set the table as well as everyone thinks he does. If his average ever drops even a little bit under .300, he'll cease to be an effective offensive player, .285 average be damned."

4 pitch walk to DY.

Buck sez next guy SAFP.

OK forgot it was Flores up next. Wait till PLod gets up there.

Great game by Lo Duca tonignt. Teams will beating our door down to trade for him. Yesiree!

231 - in fairness to the folks who say no one knew Galarraga would do well, he was the 5th ranked prospect in the Nats system per Baseball America after the 2005 season. Rated as having the best slider in the system. Not that he was a key to that deal, but some had thought he had some promise.

It's kind of fun to look at the BA top 10 from November 2005 for the Nats:

1) Ryan Zimmerman
2) Colin Balester
3) Clint Everts
4) Ian Desmond
5) Armando Galarraga
6) Kory Casto
7) Mike Hinckley
8) Bill Bray
9) Larry Broadway
10) Darryl Thompson

Was Thompson packaged in the Lopez / Kearns deal? Otherwise, that list looks like 3 busts, 2 too soon to tell, a high end regular, a major league SP, a utlity guy, and a marginal bullpen guy.

A clip from Galarraga's bio on the Tigers website:

"Acquired by the Rangers along with OF's Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge in a trade with Washington for INF Alfonso Soriano on December 12, 2005...split the 2005 season between Potomac (A) and Harrisburg (AA)...combined to go 6-8 with a 3.80 ERA (66 ER/156.1 IP) in 27 games/starts...ranked among Washington's organizational leaders in strikeouts (3rd, 137) and ERA (8th)...was named as the 5th-best prospect in the Washington organization and the 7th-best in the Texas organization by Baseball America during the off-season...tabbed by the same publication as the 7th-best prospect in the Carolina League following the season."

PLO is proving how tough he is tonight isn't he, getting in front of those balls, taking one for the team. He'll be bruised all over before the night is through, what a guy. Jimbo must be proud.

PTBNL--

Your points are totally well taken. The issue isn't that it was OBVIOUS that the deal wouldn't work out. It's that the deal, at this point, HASN'T worked out.

Bowden's job is to do a BETTER job at evaluating players than anyone else in the game. That's the challenge. He would need to be better than the other 29 GMs, who are theoretically better at this than anyone in the world. He'd need to be WAY better than the media, and WAY WAY WAY better than us knuckleheads (me included).

Regardless, there is absolutely no truth to the assertion that "no one knew" that Galarraga had a chance to be good.

You post that he's the 5th best prospect in BA, implying I guess that 5th best is a low-rated prospect. But it's not. It's the 5th best, and if you plan on being any good at any point in the near future, your 5th best better be a future big-leaguer.

Here's the Baseball Prospectus blurb from the 2006 annual (which I've posted here before):

"Dumping Wilkerson in the Soriano deal was expensive enough, but having to throw in Galarraga might prove to be the really galling aspect of the trade. He`s got the power assortment and the aggressiveness in using it that everyone likes, mixing heat with a hard slider (a pitch some worry that he tips, however). Already a TJ survivor, Galarraga`s mechanics are pretty clean, and if he polishes his changeup, he might turn out much better than all the Rangers` oft-touted and rarely successful homegrown talents."

My understanding on Galarraga was that he was always considered a guy with big league stuff, but he was hurt a lot. So he had a lot of risk.

SoCH - don't think I was implying anything about being the 5th ranked guy in the system other than he was not someone off the radar screen. With some good self scouting, we might have seen if they would have gone for Everts or Hinckley (no one knows if they did and X said AG or no deal).

As for Slowey, I noticed he was on BA's 2007 AAA All-Star team, after being on their 2006 2d team for all classifications.

I meant we don't know if Texas picked AG or we offered him instead of everts or hinckley.

Bases loaded

Hey is it just me, or do Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge wear matching red necklaces? I've noticed this a couple of times now, and I'm wondering if it means anything in particular. Is this the big, tough guy equivalent of twelve-year-old girls with friendship bracelets? If so, I think it's adorable.

Also, when was the last time this team had a hit with RISP? This is really starting to make me mad.

...not anymore

groooooaaaaaaaan

bases loaded, that is.

***********

...not anymore

groooooaaaaaaaan

Posted by: NatsNut | June 18, 2008 10:12 PM

Steven- My reading comprehension may be a bit off today since I'm not wearing my Steven to English decoder ring. But how do you decipher points #1-10 from this:

"it's easy to be revisionist a couple of years later over a guy who was low A at the time.

but you don't really care."

Do us a favor...don't reply. Just think this one through yourself.

PTBNL--got it. We are in total agreement. And with every start it becomes more clear that Bowden got hosed.

Steven. Shut the Aaron Boone up. You're not only repetitive, you're boring, and they're not the same thing.

Section 506 (Before moving)--

Good job elevating the tone and intelligence of the conversation.

Point number 11 on the Jim Bowden apologist check list:

11. Whenever a fact is pointed out, lash out and just tell the person speaking to shut up. Better to add some curse words like a psychotic road-rager.

LDO--231 was illustrating point #2. You are illustrating point #11.

We don't care.

So, I was going to try to give Steven on Capitol Hill another outlet to voice his deep-set irrational hate of Jim Bowden and googled "Fire Jim Bowden .com" just to see what popped up and lo! I found something:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/fire-bowden

I thought, "wow, this is just the thing and maybe he will go away forever so we can just be miserable for 3 @!^!@$#^ hours in peace instead of having to listen to this trope again!

So I started reading it to make sure it would truly satisfy his pedantic, smarmy standards for drivel.

"We, the fans of the Washington Nationals, have one goal: to see our team contend for and ultimately win a World Series championship. After careful consideration, we have concluded that we will not be able to achieve that goal until we replace General Manager Jim Bowden."

So, far so good, it pretends to speak for everyone and has a sort of prophetic arrogance to it.

"1. No Jim Bowden team in his 16 years as a MLB GM has ever won, or even appeared in, a World Series, and just one Bowden team has ever made the playoffs at all.

"2. Bowden is currently working on a streak of seven consecutive non-winning seasons.

"3. A slight uptick in wins in 2007 notwithstanding, the Nationals have consistently gotten worse, not better, during Bowden's regime."

Yep, yep, ye- hmmmm....

"4. A chronically bad drafter, he's a terrible fit for a team that has identified drafting and development as the keys. Case in point: in 16 drafts and over 600 picks, only two Bowden-drafted pitchers ever have posted winning records in more than 20 career decisions--Scott Sullivan (40-28) and John Riedling (17-13)."

Wait a minute that sounds familiar...

"4. A chronically bad drafter, he's a terrible fit for a team that has identified drafting and development as the keys. Case in point: in 16 drafts and over 600 picks, only two Bowden-drafted pitchers ever have posted winning records in more than 20 career decisions--Scott Sullivan (40-28) and John Riedling (17-13).

"Therefore, we urge you, Nationals President Stan Kasten and team owners the Lerner family, to fire Jim Bowden as general manager."

Yep, sure enough, first name on the signature sheet: Steven.

Amens are heard throughout the metro DC area.

Wow, we're playing awful tonight. You can't say that we didn't have any opportunities though. How many times have we had 2 on, nobody out tonight and done absolutely nothing. Oh yeah, that near triple-play that LoDuca grounded into should raise his trade value...

SoCH, on the other hand, does have good taste in movies, music, and Shakespeare.

@point #12--Then you are a miserable fan. If you don't care whether your team wins or not, you are not a fan at all.

Disagree with me about whether Bowden is the problem, but if you don't care, you are not a fan, period.

We don't care what you think about our fandom.

Steven, it's like this. We're down right now, because of the game.

And you're kicking us.

And kicking some more.

The same way you always kick us.

You know how sometimes a family member dies of lung cancer? NOT the time to have a twenty minute soliloquy about the proof of the deadly effects of smoking.

Kicking, kicking.

"The same way you always kick us."

And by the way, that's not cool, it's not prescient, it's douchey. You're not speaking truth to power, you're screaming in one little dark hole of the internet.

506--That's exactly how I feel. We're down, and you people every day tell me I should be happy about it.

Steven, there's a game on. Hint: Bowden's not playing.

SoCH, get a grip.

you repeatedly ignore the fact that i am *NOT* a bowden apologist. and that i've said *repeatedly* that i want a new GM next year. just because i disagree with some of your arguments doesn't mean i'm defending him. and the fact that you continue to ignore that fits perfectly with your "i don't care" comment from yesterday. it's just easier for you to essentially do what you accuse everyone else of doing: name calling.

calling me a "bowden apologist" is your way of calling me stupid, regardless of whether it's accurate or not. and it makes you exactly the kind of person who resorts to name calling you railed against in your post. and it makes you a hypocrit.

I'm not trying to be cool. I'm trying to find some commiseration. You're showing up at the funeral chirping happily about how the beloved family member lived a full life and how you wouldn't want them to still alive if it meant they couldn't enjoy smoking while alive and anyone who is actually sad about the death is a douche who should shut the Aaron Boone up.

Steven, I don't ever tell you to be anything. Sometimes I tell you what I'm happy about or what I'm not pig-biting mad about, but I've never once told you to be pleased with Bowden. I'm okay with your little online petition and your own opinion.

You, on the other hand, yell all day long about how much you hate Bowden and give me no option but to have it thrust upon me. And if I have a different opinion you don't say "oh, somebody else thinks something else" you begin to enumerate why I'm wrong. You like watching CNN at 1:30 in the morning while intoxicated, fine, but this is not CNN, my different opinion is not a threat to your existence.

If you're not so offended about other people thinking differently than you, then why the need to belabor the same points, over and over again. And yes, the redundancy was necessary, because not only do you belabor you belabor again and again. It's like a triple superlative of belaboring, because that is what is heard every day you post.

Have some respect, because to some people, whether or not Brian Sanches can stop the bleeding is more urgent than the status of Jim Bowden's job. Maybe, not to you, that's fine, but if you dominate 80 percent of all conversations, then lay off every now and then when it's really important to someone else.

oh, and wow, this has gotten ugly tonight (i'm speaking of the game, actually, but...).

231--It's amazing how many people deny that they like Bowden, then go on to point out how criticism of him is unfair.

Galarraga's better than anyone we have now. And he's young. We'd be a better team now if he'd never made that deal. It's completely impossible to argue that. For you to take up the mantle defending Bowden for giving up a good pitcher for a guy we don't even have any more IS BEING AN APOLOGIST.

ARGH!! THIS IS NOT A @$!^)*!@#$^ CAMPAIGN!)*@!%#

Stop Cross-firing Nationals Journal!

It is not us or them!!!

Poor Charlie and Dave. They've tried so hard to keep it light. This game is miserable.

looks like the board hates Steve on Capital Hill worse than me.

Sweet.

!@^!2 CRAB CAKES !@^!@$^(*!

What's going on? I usually lurk here for the witty banter, but lately ... so grouchy! I can read all the grouchy posts I want on Nationals.com. Yes, our team can be frustrating, but C'mon folks, be a little nicer.

ARGH!! THIS IS NOT A @$!^)*!@#$^ CAMPAIGN!)*@!%#

Stop Cross-firing Nationals Journal!

It is not us or them!!!
_______________

Spoken by Mr. "Shut the F*CK up."

On the topic of whether Galaraga was known to be a prospect when he was traded: Yes, of course he was a prospect. Did you really think that the Rangers would trade Soriano for Wilkerson and Sledge? Galaraga was never just a throw in. He was a key to the deal. Think about it. Sledge was never a great prospect and had his hamstring torn from the bone. Wilkerson was not Soriano worthy on his own. Wilkerson was the name, but not the bait. The indictment should be against the subsequent release of Galaraga by the Rangers. I believe all three players traded for Soriano were released or filed for Free Agency within 18 months of the trade.

well, i'll finally resort to some name calling. you're completely thick-skulled.

i can dispute some of your individual points about bowden doing a bad job and still think bowden has done a bad overall. it's really not a complicated concept. but you consider *any* dispute of *any* point you make about bowden being a bad GM means the person debating your individual point is automatically a bowden apologist.

i don't live in a world of pure black and white. there are shades of gray in my world. not everything bowden has done that hasn't worked out perfectly is the result of him being incompetent. every GM in baseball has a pile of "galarraga" type transactions out there. just because i'm not willing to nitpick every little thing a few years later and consider each individual one a nail in his coffin doesn't mean i'm an apologist, it just means i'm a realist and i understand that deals work out like that sometimes. and for every one galarraga there are 20 other guys at that level who you've never heard of and never will.

oh, and being #5 in the 30th best minor league system is probably like being number 15-20 in the 10th best. a bunch of the other guys in that top 10 are already history. what happened to mike hinkley?

Steven started it.

*****************

... C'mon folks, be a little nicer.

Posted by: dcbatgirl | June 18, 2008 11:00 PM

@NatBisquit--How refreshing. A substantive response. No name-calling or personal attacks. Is this Nationals Journal? I hardly recognize it.

You're right it seems like the Rangers blew it too. But he was traded, not released. I don't really know whether they got anything more for him than the 1-year rental we got.

"i can dispute some of your individual points about bowden doing a bad job and still think bowden has done a bad overall. it's really not a complicated concept. but you consider *any* dispute of *any* point you make about bowden being a bad GM means the person debating your individual point is automatically a bowden apologist."

This is what I mean when I say the crossfire effect. It's this same pollutant that has destroyed political discourse in this country. This idea that anyone who doesn't agree entirely is entirely wrong.

This idea that the most important thing to do is to label people in an us or them way. Boo Republican, yay Democrat!

Ironically, it originally came to politics from sports radio, particularly football. Yay, Packers (right, Steven?), you suck Visitors (except for Dallas, they really do suck). Now it's crept all the way around and it is KILLING baseball, the one sport where you were expected to give a hand to the other pitcher for pitching a great game, even if it meant you lost.

And on this blog, I've watched it grow from a place where everyone followed the lead of Hendo and Wigi, to a place where there were some real differences of philosophies when Catcher50 had a different take on who should be traded or what the best play was, and now to a place where whoever can post lengthier posts without conceding to anyone else wins.

And it's terrible.

To reiterate, Steven, I don't care that you hate JimBo. I care that you won't tolerate anyone not hating JimBo.

@NatsNut: um, sorry. Not guilty. I've never called anyone a name or used a curse word against anyone ever.

A little dry humor from time to time, yes. Repetitive, of course. Focus on the core of our problem, i.e. the guy picking the players. YES!

If you want to find out who's causing this blog to degenerate into a name-calling infantile slur-fest, it ain't me babe.

i'll note you didn't comment on your own name calling when i pointed it out, SoCH...

506--YOU TOLD ME TO SHUT THE F*CK UP.

Saying you are being an apologist is NOT name-calling. You may think it's an unfair description, but it's not name-calling.

Name-calling is calling someone a douche.

I think Ty Cobb was a douche, so in a sense, it was a comparison to one of the all time greatest players that ever lived.

I did, Steven, I did! AND I called you a douche! And I said that you were kicking us at a funeral!

And when have I EVER, EVER said anything like that to anyone on the blog ever?! When do I call anyone here names or tell anyone to shut-up?

That's how far you've pushed me. Occasionally you ought to ask why people react this way. Maybe you've done something to really tick them off?

And to fill in the blank for your little petty point with a quick google search, the Rangers DFA'd Galarraga and were forced to make a trade by the Tigers for Michael Hernandez, a move that was widely considered a solid trade at the time.

Hernandez got cut from the Rangers in April and was signed to a minor league contract with the Mets, where he tore up A-ball for 9 games, but has not adapted well in his 7 in high-A yet.

when you say it as an insult (which you did) and you know it will insult me (which it did), it's semantics to say it wasn't name calling. just because you chose to use a roundabout way to do it instead of directly calling me a douche doesn't change what you intended. maybe it's not as base as being called a douche, but calling me something purely with the intent of getting a rise out of me over what you called me is name calling.

As a SoCH certified Bowden apologist (certificate is in the mail? Hope so, I'll frame it and put it on the wall next to my Zach Day signed jersey), I would like to hereby call Bowden a douche for acquiring Dukes for Glenn Gibson. Any form of support, after all, is 100% support.

To further continue with this nonsense, thanks to more sophisticated googling, Galarraga was DFA'd to make room for Jason Jennings on Texas' 40-man.

Galarraga's complete minor-league stats are available here:
http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=20541

As you will see, they show a lot of promise, but nothing hugely special. Note the lack of performance in the Texas system.

Compare to Collin Balester, who was also in the system at the time:

http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=16739

Not too different, really, but slight edge to Balester.

And, to truly complete it, here's Jason Jennings.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jennija01.shtml

Wah, wah, Texas, you lost out big time on that one.

The Nat's Journal hasn't gotten ugly-- the Nats have gotten ugly. We are all victim to the soothing but misleading mantra of "The Plan."

I thank my lucky stars that Steven doesn't root for the Rangers.

You know you had to look up who I was. Admit it.

This team is brutal to watch at times. Tonight was a case in point. I really wish they would audition some of the propects. LoDuca and his gang are just going through the motions. Our bullpen is done.

"I went to Cornell, ever heard of it? Graduated in four years, didn't study once. I was drunk the whole time."

I didnt realize LoDuca was in a gang. Do they have a name? If not, I'll call them 'The Apologists'.

Can't do that, LDO. "The Apologists" is already the trademarked name of the Langerhans-Boone-Lo Duca-Young Barbershop Quartet, and, as John Fogerty proved, you can be sued for copying yourself.

Which one of the quartet is the baritone? Gotta be tough since none of the four can get hit it deep.

Wow, tuning in to the NJ for the first time tonight... This is amazing what is going on.

Calm down guys, its just a game. I love it and obviously you all do as well but really?

When in rome, agree to disagree.

I'm ron burgendy?

It's Young, LDO, at least until Nick Johnson's pipes heal up. Even when he's not hitting the notes, he at least always knows when they're slightly off.

"I went to Cornell, ever heard of it? Graduated in four years, didn't study once. I was drunk the whole time."

Posted by: Jon Daniels | June 18, 2008 11:41 PM
---------------------------------------------

"Oompa loompa, doompadee dawesome, Dwight is now gone, which is totally awesome. Why is he gone, he was such a nice guy. No, he was not, he was a total douche. Doompadee doom."

I wish I could photoshop well. I'd have a pic of the Nats quartet in red/white striped shirts, bowties and boater hats as my screen saver.

Based on LoDucas foul outs tonight I guess he's the soprano. Jeez, he had a horrid game tonight.

Flores left 9 on base tonight, too. Ouch.

don't forget the triple play that lo duca hit into (which was subsequently robbed from the twins by a bad call).

I see our team as the "good Nats" and the "bad Nats". The "good" team plays like it can go toe to toe with most teams in both leagues and have a decent+ chance to win. The "bad" team gets derailed and winds up playing so poorly that it's painful to watch/listen to the games. Regrettably, lamentably, the bad team has been ever so dominant this season.

Jeff Passan, the omnipotent baseball guru of Yahoo! Sports, has not named a National to either of his all-overpaid or all-underpaid teams. Apparently, all Nationals players are paid commensurate to their production.

Chico please call Acta on his whole "we are so young" story........... What was the average age of that lineup last night? Answer = greater than 28 years old....that is not young, rather just a poorly constructed MLB roster.

Nats are NOT that young, they are just THAT BAD under your leadership Manny. If you can get the Mets to trade a real prospect for Acta.....do it.

NJ has sunk low
Opponents aren't enemies
Unless you make them

Let's play two!

"
Reyes and Wright and Jesus Christ would make whoever was managing's job a lot easier.

Posted by: Devil's Advocate | June 18, 2008 5:14 PM
"

....yeah, for one thing injuries woudn't be such a problem.

Does anyone think Acta is doing a good job managing this team?

My number one beef with the job Acta has done this year is his inability to stand up to Jimbo and call for from the farm and play the best players.....Lo Duca at first? If that was Acta's idea fire him, if it was Jimbo's idea fire Acta for listening and Jimbo for forcing him.

Enough with the excuses of being too young or too many injuries......if you are going to cry youth then let's see the youth.....bring up and cut the dead weight on the MLB roster.

This says it all:

"I am not disappointed," Manager Manny Acta said. "This is what we have. We're going to battle every single day. We're going to win some and we're going to lose some."

"As you perhaps heard, the jersey giveaway for kids planned for Sunday's game has been canceled. Instead, the first 10,000 children 12 and younger will receive a voucher for two tickets to any upcoming home game this season."

How come?

The Edsel, Cop Rock, and New Coke

The beauty of baseball. Today is another day, and a day game at that. A time to wash the bad taste out of yesterdays memory. So lets all do that, put last night behind us and look forward to today. I just put last nights game into the category of one of the 60 we knew we'd lose before the season even started. Afterall, you know you'll lose 60, win 60, it's the other 42 that make the difference.

I can (and do) just scroll past Steven's Screeds. It would be nice if the names were at the top, but if I have to scroll to see whose it is, I don't need to scroll to see whose it is. If I have to scroll past the whole blog, that's not lurking, that's outta here.

We mostly ignore the trOll, when he's being One. We're going to have to do the same here if we're going to stay out of the septic system.

Look, the guy is unsocialized, OK? He really *doesn't know how* to play with the other kids. That's a shame, but it's not ours to fix. Quit trying to enlighten him, it's the light that attracts them.

"As you perhaps heard, the jersey giveaway for kids planned for Sunday's game has been canceled. Instead, the first 10,000 children 12 and younger will receive a voucher for two tickets to any upcoming home game this season.

How come?"

Remember the Seinfeld episode where George buys the cheapest possible wedding invitations he could find, and then they end up killing Susan from licking the poisonous glue on them?

Thank you, SC.

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Odds, ends, canned goods
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Conversation revived
Well, such as the lineups are capable of doing.

Washington

Guzman -- 6
Dukes -- 9
Milledge -- 8
Young -- DH
Flores -- 2
Boone -- 5
Lopez -- 4
Lo Duca -- 3
Casto -- 7
(Bergmann -- 1)

Minnesota

Gomez -- 8
Casilla -- 4
Mauer -- 2
Morneau -- 3
Cuddyer -- 9
Kubel -- DH
Young -- 7
Buscher -- 5
Harris -- 6
(Slowey -- 1)

By Chico Harlan | June 18, 2008; 4:25 PM ET
Previous: Chat reminder | Next: Odds, ends, canned goods

Comments Please email us to report offensive comments.

Does anyone know what happened to the Japanese pitcher the Nats signed in the offseason?

Posted by: res21 | June 18, 2008 4:34 PM

I thought he got cut?

Posted by: Mark | June 18, 2008 4:36 PM

If Bergmann fails tonight, anyone out there think this is his last start as a National for a while/forever?

Posted by: Let's Go Nats | June 18, 2008 4:37 PM

"Does anyone know what happened to the Japanese pitcher the Nats signed in the offseason?"

Dmitri ate him. Thought he was sushi.

Posted by: jimbo's brain fart | June 18, 2008 4:37 PM

Lo Duca at first over Dmitri says something about Dmitri's fielding prowess.

Also, I second this post, especially since I wrote it under a pseudonym for my pseudonym:

"My guess is that Guz will be a Type B free agent this year and that the Nats will offer arbitration. My guess is he declines and goes for a multi-year, and the Nats are happy with a sandwich pick.

Sandwich . . . mmmmm!

Posted by: @RKGF | June 18, 2008 4:37 PM "

Posted by: PTBNL | June 18, 2008 4:42 PM

"Lo Duca at first over Dmitri says something about Dmitri's fielding prowess."

I think it says more about how desperate the Nats are to find something else to do with Lo Duca than play catcher. Given how he couldn't stop a ball in the dirt when he was set up with his whole body in front of it, I'm not hopeful for his abilities on the bag.

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | June 18, 2008 4:45 PM

Does anybody what the deal is with Johnny Estrada he's been hurt forever. not that we need him it's just we need him to get healthy soon we can trade him an loDuca.

Posted by: DJ26 | June 18, 2008 4:46 PM

there's no way we can trade Estrada. Now that Bavasi has been canned, there isn't anyone stupid enough to trade for him.

Posted by: e | June 18, 2008 4:48 PM

Didn't he have some hit-and-run issues?

Posted by: Japanese pitcher | June 18, 2008 4:49 PM

Why do you think the Nationals would not make a competitive offer for Guzman if he ends up a free agent? After all, if he's not here they'll have to pay at least as much to someone else to replace him at shortstop. If there is a better free agent shortstop than Guzman out there, they'll have to pay more. I stick to my prediction that they'll re-sign Guzman (the pleasant surprise of this season) just as last year they resigned Dmitri and Belliard (the pleasant surprises of 2007).

Posted by: Ray King's Gut Feeling | June 18, 2008 4:49 PM

Why start LoDuca at first in Minnesota? Just what he needs is a really bad bounce on artificial turf. I think personally this is a mistake, but obviously Dmitri needs a break due to being so fat.

Posted by: Mike | June 18, 2008 4:49 PM

Anybody pissed they canceled the Kids promotion??? I just wish I was 12 and could get the complimentary tix.

Posted by: 10,000 Kids | June 18, 2008 4:56 PM

Guzman signing all hinges on number of years. Under 5, definite go for it. Over 5, definitely no.

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | June 18, 2008 4:56 PM

Huh??? Please explain ...

--------------------

Anybody pissed they canceled the Kids promotion??? I just wish I was 12 and could get the complimentary tix.

Posted by: 10,000 Kids | June 18, 2008 4:56 PM
Posted by: e | June 18, 2008 4:59 PM

Asked if we'd trade Manny for Church and Schneider, Chico says, "No...Mention Reyes or Wright, and I'd listen..."

More like Reyes AND Wright AND Jesus Christ himself, and we MIGHT have a deal, but only if JC can go 7+ innings.

Chico, besides the above mistake, I'm impressed with your chat answers. You're not afraid to post questions you don't know for sure, but you answer with authority on the ones you do know.

Posted by: NatsNut | June 18, 2008 5:12 PM

Reyes and Wright and Jesus Christ would make whoever was managing's job a lot easier.

Posted by: Devil's Advocate | June 18, 2008 5:14 PM

In the first inning last night, Guzman was charged with an error when he stabbed at a Casilla high hopper that eventually bounced off his outstretched glove.

No doubt, he should have caught the ball. But could he have made the play? Ranging to his left, it would have been a tough throw to get the speedy Casilla out.

In the end, it doesn't matter. But when Lannan was into the fourth with no hits allowed, I began to wonder what would happen if Lannan somehow earned the no-no.

What if, upon further review, the play was ruled a hit after the game, robbing Lannan of his would-be no-hitter? Has that ever happened before?

Posted by: John in Mpls | June 18, 2008 5:16 PM

I'm also actually impressed with LoDuca at the moment. My main reason for disliking him is his ego and big mouth but this can't be easy for him.

He basically got passed over on FA contract with the Mets, then finally signed (late) with a combination scrap-heap/baby/last place team, then he got Mitchell Report-ed.

Lives through that and gets hurt getting plunked, and while he was healing gets his a** bumped by the Rule 5 guy he probably blocked in the first place two years ago. Then to suffer the indignity of being thrown out in left field or 1st base?

C'mon, with his personality, he could easily be a pr**k about it, and he's said nothing but the right things. I stop short of sympathizing but he's earned a tiny bit of respect in my book.

Posted by: NatsNut | June 18, 2008 5:22 PM

Only on 2-1 counts.

-----

Didn't he have some hit-and-run issues?

Posted by: John in Mpls | June 18, 2008 5:22 PM

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/367450_next18.html

Mike Rizzo, Washington Nationals assistant GM and VP of baseball operations: "He's worked his way up, doing scouting (signing Frank Thomas among others)."

Rizzo was hired by the Nationals from the Diamondbacks two years ago after building the Arizona farm system. When he took over in Arizona, the Diamondbacks were ranked 29th in minor league talent. When he left, they were ranked first.

Posted by: Who might replace Bavasi? | June 18, 2008 5:24 PM

e, I believe the reference was to the planned kids' jersey giveaway that was canceled due to circumstances beyond the Nats' control according to Charlie and Dave's broadcast last night. They did not expand on what the circumstances might have been.

Posted by: natsfan1a | June 18, 2008 5:28 PM

HOF Marrero injured his ankle in A+ ball today and had to come out of the game. Hope he's alright.

Posted by: Jimmy Tango | June 18, 2008 5:32 PM

e, but I think if you show up on time anyway, the kids who would have gotten the jersey, get two free tickets to another available game. or something like that.

Or if you had tickets to the game solely for the reason of the promotion, they'll let you exchange for another date.

Posted by: NatsNut | June 18, 2008 5:33 PM

Yes, that's my understanding as well, NatsNut.

Posted by: natsfan1a | June 18, 2008 5:34 PM

I'm stunned to see LoDuca playing first, especially his first game for the Nats at that position in a stadium whose background may not be conducive to his fielding success.

Posted by: leetee1955 | June 18, 2008 5:35 PM

Honestly, only the Nats do stupid crap like put their back-up catcher at 1st when he's never played it before! I'm so sick and tired of it! If Chico asks Manny or Jimbo about it, they'd likely say, "he took grounders out there before yesterday's game..." What a load of doodoo. This is the majors, not a JV high school team! Stop trying to be "cute" with the lineup.

I agree that somewhere in Jimbo's twisted mind, he feels like this raises LoDuca's trade value. In reality, only a team in relative contention is going to trade for this has-been, AND ALMOST ALL OF THOSE TEAMS ALREADY HAVE 1Bs WHO CRUSH BOMBS! Not only that, most of those teams have back-up 1Bs who crush bombs! If they have neither, they're sure to have a corner infielder who can play first, BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE! Ahhhh! Our god-forsaken team is the only one left on the planet using stupid gimmicks like this!

Posted by: 756* | June 18, 2008 5:35 PM

I have to admit that playing Lo Duca at first, and your starting first baseman at DH, is curious at best. I would understand having Lo Duca pinch hit and then finish the game at an unusual spot, particularly if it was during a blowout, but this doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Unless they're hiding an injury to Dmitri. But of course they would never do that.

Posted by: Bob L. Head | June 18, 2008 5:49 PM

Why not Lo Puca to Cleveland? They are without Victor Martinez for a long time now.

Posted by: Mike | June 18, 2008 5:50 PM

actually, if you look at 1B around the league this year, other than the studs, there are a lot of "underperforming" 1Bs out there (considering the expectations for the position).

that said, loduca is unlikely to be an improvement over any of the underperforming 1Bs, so i don't get the urgency to play him there over people who've actually played the position before. i think they're just desperate to get him on the field somewhere so he doesn't turn into an issue in the clubhouse if he's not playing more than 1-2 days a week.

Posted by: 231 | June 18, 2008 5:56 PM

NatsFan1a! 506! Bob L. Head! CALLING ALL BLOGERS!

From BBTF
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Padres consider allowing bloggers in the press box
Alderson: The other thing we've been toying around with is allowing people like yourself into the press box. I know there's a lot of controversy about that among mainstream media and so forth, but our attitude is, the more access, the better. In Paul's case, it's a chance for him to express himself on an unflitered basis. He doesn't get interpreted by [radio host] Philly Billy [Werndl] or [newspaper columnist] Tim Sullivan or somebody else. It's an unvarnished line of communication.
Posted by: flynnie | June 18, 2008 5:59 PM

What can a last-place team do to be more fan freindly? Admit bloggers to the press-box!

Posted by: flynnie | June 18, 2008 6:04 PM

That's funny, flynnie!

Posted by: natsfan1a | June 18, 2008 6:05 PM

They practically do. Check out how they roll out the red carpet for Nats320, and how no matter what, SBF and buddies will not explain how they get exclusive access to events closed to the public. Kiss Stan's rear enough, and bloggers can do what they like.

Posted by: antinats320 | June 18, 2008 6:06 PM

I think eventually we will see bloggers getting press passes. But those will be the people with blogs on leading websites with the most traffic, not random idiots like me posting on a third party's site.

OK, so what if, before the season, I said to you look, I have a crystal ball, and I've looked ahead to June 18, and I have good news and bad news. The good news is that Jesus Flores is not only the starting catcher, but he's hitting over .300 and batting fifth. The bad news is that Paul Lo Duca is playing first base.

Jesus Flores! Jesus Christ!

Posted by: Bob L. Head | June 18, 2008 6:08 PM

Maekawa was the Japanese pitcher signed by the Nats this past winter.

He had visa issues as a result of his ability to hit people with a car.

Posted by: Los Doce Ocho | June 18, 2008 6:28 PM

Chris Needham . . . Mr. Chris Needham . . . please pick up the white courtesy phone for a message . . .

NatsFan1a! 506! Bob L. Head! CALLING ALL BLOGERS!

From BBTF
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Padres consider allowing bloggers in the press box
Alderson: The other thing we've been toying around with is allowing people like yourself into the press box. I know there's a lot of controversy about that among mainstream media and so forth, but our attitude is, the more access, the better. In Paul's case, it's a chance for him to express himself on an unflitered basis. He doesn't get interpreted by [radio host] Philly Billy [Werndl] or [newspaper columnist] Tim Sullivan or somebody else. It's an unvarnished line of communication.
Posted by: WebberDC | June 18, 2008 6:37 PM

Thanks for laughs, NJers!!

"[Japanese pitcher Maekawa] had visa issues as a result of his ability to hit people with a car." - Los Doce Ocho

"Why start LoDuca at first in Minnesota? Just what he needs is a really bad bounce on artificial turf. I think personally this is a mistake, but obviously Dmitri needs a break due to being so fat" - Mike

Posted by: AJ | June 18, 2008 6:43 PM

Here's a statement from a Nats' official, J. Blues, regarding the "circumstances beyond the Nats' control" that caused them to cancel the kids' jersey giveaway:

"Honest... I ran out of gas. I, I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts. IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!"

Posted by: lastrow | June 18, 2008 6:59 PM

"Lo Duca at first over Dmitri says something about Dmitri's fielding prowess."

I think it says more about how desperate the Nats are to find something else to do with Lo Duca than play catcher. Given how he couldn't stop a ball in the dirt when he was set up with his whole body in front of it, I'm not hopeful for his abilities on the bag.

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | June 18, 2008 4:45 PM
---------------------------------------------

Did any of you look at the lineup? Boone is in, along with Casto. That means Boone is at 1B, and Casto at 3B. LoDuca will be in left field.

Posted by: Fisch Fry | June 18, 2008 7:13 PM

Woops -- my bad. The positions are in the lineup. I guess LoDuca is at first, and Casto in the outfield. I guess that makes more sense.

Posted by: Fisch Fry | June 18, 2008 7:14 PM

I think the Nats ought to showcase LoDuca for a trade right now. Flores is our catcher and Nieves is the back-up. If there's real trouble, Luke Motz is hitting the heck out the ball at Harrisburg....

Posted by: Fisch Fry | June 18, 2008 7:16 PM

RayKGF - The Nats will probably be competitive, up to a point, with Guzman. You are right that it will take a multi-year deal to get the job done. My thinking was more that any deal will be after the season rather than during. It's in Guz's interest to gauge the market, and the Nats probably will not cut a deal early, in season, unless it is a deal.

The Nats will offer arbitration if they can get compensation, but I do not see him taking arbitration when the market will give him a multi-year. If it plays out that way, the Nats might be tempted to take the compensation and a cheap, glove-first SS. That'd be especially the case if they decide to make a serious play for Hudson.

Of course, that is my gut feel, and Ray, your gut is much more ample than some geeky poster to be named later's gut.

Does anyone know if there are websites out there that take SWAGs at offseason contracts?

Posted by: PTBNL | June 18, 2008 7:21 PM

Actually, Fisch Fry, your surprise that PLD is at first makes sense. Didn't Chico say they were going to try PLD in the OF when they said he'd be a utility guy? Which way of arranging PLD, Casto, Felipe, and Boone has the fewest guys playing out of position?

Posted by: PTBNL | June 18, 2008 7:26 PM

I'm more sad that there's no Ronnie Belliard.

Does anyone know what value Langerhans adds?

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | June 18, 2008 7:29 PM

Gee, T-Shirts don't show up. Why not give the kids a ticket to two games. Parents will have buy tickets and overpriced food for two more games.
How smart am I? Stan can I keep my job?

(Sound more like a minor league promotion.)

Posted by: Marketing Guru | June 18, 2008 7:30 PM

Actually, that's two tickets to a given game.

Posted by: Beyond the blue horizon | June 18, 2008 7:34 PM

[T]he Nats might be tempted to take the compensation [for Guzman]and a cheap, glove-first SS.
Posted by: PTBNL | June 18, 2008 7:21 PM
******************************************
Nooooooo! Go with Ray King's Gut! Pleeeez sign Guzman to a long-term deal - Pleeeeeeez! To quote NatsNut - can we have him? Can we have him? Please, please, please can we have him, Mom?
No more years of suckitude!

Posted by: flynnie | June 18, 2008 7:39 PM

Was Chris Needham refused a press pass? Is that why he quit?

Posted by: flynnie | June 18, 2008 7:40 PM

Did any of you see Peter Gammons play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"? Baseball Tonight is featuring 10 straight nights of different groups doing it. Peter was awesome - he did it as a tribute to Bo Diddly, just Peter and the guitar, but he rocked hard. He's excited about a Cuban group's rendition. He said that one of the best ballgames he's ever attended is when Industriales and Islay play. TMOTTB should be the joint National Anthems of the US, the Dominican, and Cuba.

Posted by: flynnie | June 18, 2008 8:04 PM

The intro to the radio broadcast is absolutely thrilling! I'm so grateful for Baseball!

Posted by: flynnie | June 18, 2008 8:06 PM

From Baseball Think Factory:
Rosenthal: Injury-riddled Yanks sign Ponson
The New York Yankees, adding a possible alternative for their starting rotation, have signed free-agent right-hander Sidney Ponson to a minor-league contract, according to major-league sources.
Posted by: flynnie | June 18, 2008 8:08 PM

Quick return to the All-Star question.

Hands down, it would be Armando Galarraga, if he was still a National. 7-3 with a 3.03 ERA, 49 Ks, 29 BB in 71.1 IP. And that's pitching in the AL Central.

It's official: Bowden came out on the short end of the Soriano trade. I know, I was a huge fan of it at the time. As recently as this April, on this very blog, I called the trade GENIUS.

I was fooled. Bowden has repeated the B.J. Ryan mistake--who he traded for a 12-start rental of Juan Guzman for a team going nowhere. But with Bowden himself constantly describing it as a deal of Wilkerson for Soriano (conveniently omitting the power arm he "threw in"), who knew?

Sure, if Smoker and Zimmermann pan out, then we'll come out ahead. But before you nominate either of them for the HOF, remember... if either of them can post an above .500 record in more than 69 career starts, it'll be the first Bowden draft pick to do that EVER in 16 drafts and 800+ picks.

Posted by: Steven on Capitol Hill | June 18, 2008 8:12 PM

Guys, guys. Manny isn't starting Lo Duca at first because Bowden wants to showcase him to contenders as a potential first basemen, Bowden just wants to give him at bats and hopes he will get a few hits making him more appealing as trade bait. Manny wants to rest Dmitri tonight and so can't use Lo Duca as the DH. Hence, he's the designated first basemen.

Posted by: Section 222 | June 18, 2008 8:21 PM
--------

Playing LoDuca at first raises his trade value in only one respect. It keeps teams from seeing runners go wild on his "arm."

More to the point, they HAVE 20,000 tickets to give away off a screwup?
Not news, but ... man.
***********
"As you perhaps heard, the jersey giveaway for kids planned for Sunday's game has been canceled. Instead, the first 10,000 children 12 and younger will receive a voucher for two tickets to any upcoming home game this season.

How come?"

SoCH - Do you really think that harping on Bowden is going to change things this season? Given the Nats roster, injuries and ownership, the best GM in the world would not have been able to make a significant difference in the Nats W-L. Frankly, nearly everyone thought that the Nats would have more offensive pop this year. Didn't happen for a variety of reasons. Look at the Mets, Tigers and the even more woeful Mariners not meeting expectations. Sometimes things just don't work out. Just take a short break with the Bowden stuff. Your Bowden commentary will have more relevance in September and October. Just a hope.

One silver lining on last night - Bergman pitched well enough - imagine if Bergman had gotten some backup.

On a personal note - has anyone been to Dolphin Stadium? Any observations would be welcomed. My wife and I will be in Miami on 6/30 and 7/1 and we will go see the Nats one of those nights.

Cue the new post ...
AHEM ...

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=1179

here's a good link about burgess and rhinehart at their SAL All-Star game.

be careful, though, it's about baseball.

CE,
Two tickets to ANY upcoming home game. It would be a stretch to think 20,000 seats weren't available for another 44 home games (455 seats per game)

I don't know, I kinda liked Lo Duca at first. And you can have Dmitri come in for a late inning defensive replacement! It's how baseball should be...

Re. the Seinfeld reference in response to the kids' jersey mystery, perhaps they ordered cotton rather than polyester and were afraid that the jerseys might shrink if it rained?

The jerseys weren't organic cotton as ordered, so they sent them back.

I think the kids jerseys is a positive sign. See, they had ordered a bunch of Lo Duca shirts because the company gave them a pitycount, which is like a discount, but out of pity, which the Lerners needed because they are so cheap, but Jim Bowden is going to be fired this weekend thanks to the intrepid activism of Steven on Capitol Hill, who will be credited on the new HD Scoreboard for saving the Washington Nationals and Mike Rizzo's first act as the new GM will be to release Lo Duca. Naturally, the Post will cover none of this.

Mike Rizzo's first act as the new GM will be to release Lo Duca.

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | June 19, 2008 9:07 AM

This would be the very best thing that could happen to the Plan.....

Wow, last night sucked! But come on, look at that lineup we trotted out there. As I've stated before, there's a reason most of these players are signed to be reserves. You don't want them playing most every day!

LoDuca didn't look like an All-Star at first last night, but hey it was his first game there this year (first time ever?). He's been away for a month or so and it'll take a few more games to get his timing back at the plate. I am in no way a fan of PLD, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt and think that at the very least he'll be able to get some base hits for this team. Then let's can his a##!

Now, let's hope they win this afternoon's game and come home with a 5-4 road trip!

Who' with me?!

Seattle 25-47
Washington 29-44 (3.5 "games back")

I'm with you on rooting for a win, e!

I can bring a can of corn, just as soon as I catch it...oops :(

"Hands down, it would be Armando Galarraga, if he was still a National. 7-3 with a 3.03 ERA, 49 Ks, 29 BB in 71.1 IP. And that's pitching in the AL Central."

What about his unsustainable .207 BaBIP? When that goes back to normal (and it will) he'll be a younger Tim Redding if he's lucky.

Finally, check the trade record. Really, it's not too bad. The odd stinker but many more good deals than bad.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/02/jim-bowden-trad.html

With the, shall we say, less than competitive infield the Nats trotted out last night, Manny Acta seemed to be sending a coded message to those of us on the outside as if he were in solitary.

All we need to do is decipher it. I don't think Charlie or Dave could figure it out, but maybe we can.

@Gal Revels in Pee--without getting bogged down in each little trade, don't you think that if his overall performance was as good as you say that he would have won more games? Seven consecutive non-winning seasons is a pretty strong piece of evidence that all those trades HAVEN'T actually added up to a winning team.

Hey, when they going to send Charlie Manning down? I had 3 days in the pool after he gave up that homerun shortly after he was brought up. More brain dead non-action by the management.

@Gal Revels in Pee--But you're right, a .207 BABip is unsustainable. I didn't know that. Excellent point. We'll have to see how it goes from here.

Also, congrats on making a substantive point without name-calling or attacking another poster personally. 506, LDO, CE, ABM, et. al., take note of how nice it is to chat pleasantly with people about baseball, no name-calling, swearing, or personal attacks required.

Trade Rumors Text to follow....
It's likely that Bowden is a middling GM, one who won't single-handedly destroy a team but who probably can't raise the dead either. The Nats right now are the dead. It's Bowden's moment to discover if he has a magic touch.

By Big Mike Glab

Chico, honestly, we need some reporting on Jimbo as GM. You mostly ignored questions from me and two others I know off about GM situation in your Chat. The PLAN is all about player development and hiring the best personal right.....Nobody thinks Bowden is the best GM or even close to top 50%.....Is he being protected by Lerner because of social reasons.....Chico....why Jim Bowden for his team, to me it does not make baseball sense.....what is the rest of the league saying...what is Boz saying....hello is anyone at the Post there?

What happened last night? Commet passed over the planet and caused all rationale and polite thought to be overtaken by a mindless Zombie brain eating virus?

Try to play nice. Ignore the trolls. Do not fight with the Billy Goats.

LoDucca not evil. He made an effort. His name went in the lineup, he took the field at an unpracticed position, and made his best effort. If Frank was still here he would have cried and taken the blame on himeself. I believe that the general population (as comared to the NJ population) is much more forgiving of past offenses. At least I hope it is true. LoDucca, Dukes, Milledge, Estrada, Belliard, Young, Lopez, Bowden and probably others on the team have all made mistakes of varying severity in their past. Each day they get up in the morning and face another day. If we don't give them a chance to do better each day we all lose. Same goes for bloggers. Forgive each other and start a new day. The Nationals play a day game today. Go Nats.

If Mock goes 4 innings with 4 or 5 runs again I'll be very disappointed. It's a shame Clippard and Balester aren't in this rotation right now.

And it'd be great if Lenny Harris and Jim Bowden were fired before tomorrow's homestand.

Marginal GM. Obsessed with toolsy outfielders and former Cincinnati Reds. Wears leather pants and likes to preen for the camera.

Borrrrrring

yo steven. dontcha think mlb knew all about my reds record when they hired me to gm the nats? yet they hired me anyway. dontcha think lerners and kasten knew all about that and my nats record too when they retained me? dontcha think they know what all i've done throughout my career? yet i'm still here! ha ha! you're gonna need to find the smoking gun if you ever hope to get me fired. why dontcha go undercover for say the next ten years and do that. report back here whenever you find something new. we won't hold our breath.

Juan-John, I have a question. Can you email me at natsnut@gmail.com?

Hey, sorry about copying and pasting the entire comment section. If I knew it was happening, I obviously wouldn't have posted. Apologies.

BREAKING NEWS:
Steven on Capitol Hill's rants about Jim Bowden rely on cherry-picked statistics

Steven's Version: Jim Bowden has not had a winning record for seven consecutive seasons

Full story: To add up to seven consecutive non-winning seasons, you must count 2008 as a completed season. Otherwise, it's under 6.5 non-winning seasons. One may decide 2008 is probably a non-winning season and not face much criticism, but to not clarify that that assumption is made is disingenuous. Furthermore, non-winning season includes one season of .500 ball, a fact omitted in order to make the situation more dire.

Steven's Version: The Reds failed because of Bowden.

Full story: Jim Bowden has a WINNING RECORD as Red's GM. His teams went 942-937 (.501) over his twelve years as GM. In fact, even when adding in the seasons as GM of the Washington Nationals, a perpetually last place team destroyed by major league baseball, Jim Bowden's career as GM is 1167-1198 (.493).

Not only did the Reds not collapse under Bowden, but they never went more than three consecutive years with a non-winning season in 12 years. In fact, in that tenure, Bowden had 5 winning teams and one .500 team, so for over half his tenure the Reds performed well and under three different managers.

Steven's Version: Jim Bowden's Reds only one 1 Division title

Full story: His Reds finished 2nd in the division 3 times, 1st once, and were well in the lead in '94 when the strike. One of those times, in 1999, they finished with 96 wins and didn't get the title or a wild card.

Steven's Version: People who blame Schott are apologists

Full story: This is the woman who announced half way through the season Davey Johnson would be fired, regardless of performance, because she didn't like that he had a live-in girlfriend, among other things.

Here's all of Bowden's teams

2008 29-44 (.397) (Acta)
2007 73-89 (.451) (Acta)
2006 71-91 (.438) (Robinson)
2005 81-81 (.500) -T--(Robinson)
2003 69-93 (.426) (Boone/Knight/Miley)
2002 78-84 (.481) (Boone)
2001 66-96 (.407) (Boone)
2000 85-77 (.525) -W-- (McKeon)
1999 96-67 (.589) --W-- (McKeon)
1998 77-85 (.475) (McKeon)
1997 76-86 (.469) (Knight/McKeon)
1996 81-81 (.500) -T-- (Knight)
1995 85-59 (.590) --W-- (Johnson)
1994 66-48 (.579) --W-- (Johnson)
1993 73-89 (.451) (Perez/Johnson)
1992 90-72 (.556) --W-- (Piniella)

Nationals: Unwatchable.

Nationals Journal: Unreadable.

I see ... in order for Bowden to be successful, he needs Davey Johnson or Jack McKeon to be the manager. Sorry Manny ...

Also, what's with the hate for Manning? Ever since his one blowup I thought he'd been pitching pretty well. Or am I missing something?

2+ years ago, everyone thought the Nats got the better of the Soriano/Wilkerson+Sledge+Galarraga deal.

2 years later, the Rangers don't have either of the three we dealt them. The Tigers have Galarraga. The Cubs now have Soriano. The Nats now have Smoker and Burgess.

Right now it may look like the Tigers got the better of the deal. But in two years, will we be praising this deal or will we be blasting it? Hard to say. No one knows whether Smoker or Burgess will pan out. No one knows whether Galarraga will implode or get the yips or be a HOF-caliber pitcher. No one knows whether Soriano will still be productive. That's what you get when you trade a prospect for an All-Star.

But I must say that it must be nice to live in a world where hindsight is the primary way to live. I know I'd be one happy camper.

(and in case anyone thinks otherwise, I am in no way a Bowden supporter. I'd hate to get lumped into that group).

506 and SoCH: Get a room. Then fight away to your heart's content, or do like in the movies and fall into a lip lock. Either way, we don't care. Just go away until you have something new and/or interesting to contribute here. Otherwise, the rest of us will be going away, I guarantee you. Last one out of the blog, turn out the lights. I'm sure SoCh and 506 can still argue in the dark.

If I hand them a can of corn, will they drop it?

Oh wait, that's just Kearns...

-----

Also note the Thanksgiving in June food drive promo. (Message from team: Bring those canned goods.)

Man, am I glad there's not an obvious canned food pun for anemic offense. We'd never hear the end of it!

I scrolled through a lot of stuff in this thread, so I might have missed this. But last night was not exactly Paul Lo Duca's first game at first base. No, in fact, it was his 78th game there, and his 45th start. That's right, he played 446 innings at first base before last night. And he has a fielding percentage there of .989. So those of us that were screaming about this travesty last night (like, ummmm, me for example) need to revise our opinions somewhat.

But he was juicing for those 446 innings, wasn't he?

Point taken, Ray King's Gut Feeling.

Sorry

Also, while the team looked shaky for much of it, Bergie's line of 6 IP, 1 ER looks good in the dead trees this morning.

Also also, Barry's reporting on someone else named Shawn now, and it sounds like he's fallen for a certain vault ...

It wasn't like LoDuca was replacing Keith Hernandez at first...Dmitri isnt really a glovesmith either.

For me, the LoDuca issue is his bat. Thats why he was signed. Almost seems like LoDuca left his batting stroke in the TV booth or on the DL and he needs to find it quick....for the betterment of all mankind (or at least the NJ).

Does anyone have a can of Whupass they can bring for us to use this weekend? The more the better. If there are any cans left over after the games, we'll donate them to the Capital Area Whupass Bank. We promise.

Man, last night was tough. So many aggravations - too many to list, in fact.

I stayed through all eight and a half innings of terrible baseball. It was a hard thing to do. I know we're looking toward 2011, but it's hard to see past the 11-2.

I'm glad I don't run a professional sports team, because last night I would have pulled a Minaya and fired someone at midight. It's frustrating to watch such a dismal performance knowing there will be no repurcussions, no visible corrective action taken. Just me, walking home, miserable.

But baseball is nothing if not forgiving. It's a new day, there's a new pitcher, and I'm pretty sure he won't have to face Mauer (and the .750 OBP he's posted this series). I'm going to grab a beer and a scorecard - my first attempt at it - and enjoy the day.

Jason Bergmann, since returning from Columbus on May 15: 7 starts, 41.1 IP, 3.05 ERA. In four of those starts he has given up one earned run or less. But the team's record in those games is 1-6.

Also also also, I just read the O's gamer. Read it and weep.

newpost

Nice post, John. Thanks for hanging in there and being our man in Minneapolis for this series. Have fun with the scorecard (and beer).

Also, what's with the hate for Manning? Ever since his one blowup I thought he'd been pitching pretty well. Or am I missing something?

Manning's been outstanding. The morning after that homer Chico suggested there be a pool on when he would be sent down, which I thought was inappropriate. I guess Chico would say he was being funny, but being sent to the minors is not that funny if you're the guy being sent, and the suggestion that one home run your first week in the majors means you stink seemed sort of dumb to me.