Apr 09 2010 02:56 PM
Where do you start with the Nationals, a team desperately trying to establish a culture and a home, but after extending the tenure of interim manager Jim Riggleman, they retain an interim-ness to their character in so many facets.
Start with opening day in a stadium packed with the wearing of the red — Phillies red. It was an ugly little day that prompted this little epistle to the Washington Post
| Thursday, April 8, 2010 I have been a baseball fan for almost 60 years. I started out attending Cardinals and Browns games in St. Louis, where I grew up. Later, I joined the Marines and saw home games of the Athletics (in both Kansas City and Oakland), as well as games in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Diego, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Boston, New York and even Philadelphia. Now that I live in the Washington area, I love the Nationals. On Monday, I went to Nationals Park, thrilled that the season was opening and hoping for a victory. But my enthusiasm was dampened quickly. After the Phillies fans cheered loudly for their team (which I do not begrudge), they booed the whole time our team was being introduced. They booed our president, our mayor and our beauty queen, who was to sing the national anthem. At least they had the grace not to boo the national anthem and our wounded warriors from Walter Reed. Those in sections 136 and 137 continually harassed Willie Harris and even yelled at Ian Desmond to "get hurt" as he chased a foul ball behind third. These were the most rude, crude, obnoxious fans I have seen in all my years of attending baseball games. They worked hard to make the day miserable for us few Nats fans in the section. I have stopped taking my son to Redskins games when they play the Eagles. Now I will not take him to Nats games when they play the Phillies. Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, ain't. Ted Bean, Woodbridge |
Welcome to America, Ted. You hardly know who to be more disappointed in: Phillies fans for being horrid boors in the park where Harry Kalas passed a year ago, Nats fans for not representing, or MLB and the city of Washington for trying to force this thing to work in a ballpark that alternately blasts horrible modern country music to pander to Virginians and craptapular hip hop to pander to the idea that they’re not only pandering to Virginians. The best seats all go to Vitamin Water salesmen.
Anyhow, after getting punked up that day and the next, they scored three in the first yesterday and hung on for the 6-5 win to come into this series with a 1-2 record that equals the Mets’. Boo on that last part.
Let’s see whose holding the place of the Nats until they put together a team you can really get behind.
At catcher for the team is future HollaFamer and 2009 .280-OBPer Ivan Rodriguez. He may look good on the media guide, but not so much on a lineup card these days. He’s typical of the vet laden lineup and he’s probably there to help make a soft landing for Stephen Strassburg. Former cootie-covered Yankee Wil Nieves backs his pudgy ass up.
At foist base is the controversial Adam Dunn. Putting him there seems logical, as many would place that position at the end of the defensive spectrum past the outfield spots, but close National watchers consider him a greater danger there, as — not unlike Dave Kingman — his worst position is the one that allows him to handle the most balls. Anyhow, the guy hits homers and walks a ton, so I guess I shouldn’t say anything bad about him. He has red hair and has worn the uniform of our great nation in international play (making him a true National, I guess). He had back cramps messing up his spring training.
Anyhow, despite being a hitter and a half, Dunn (along with Ryan Zimmerman) is famous for wearing a jersey that misspelled "Nationals." This feat was matched last week by Giants outfielder Eugenio Velez:
So it’s hardly novel any more.
It doesn’t feel very Nat-tastic without big chubby corn-rowed Ronnie Belliard at second, but don’t worry, the Nats have replaced this place-holder with gritty Adam Kennedy, who is, um, holding a place. For whom, I don’t know. Maybe Luis Castillo. Kennedy distinguishes himself not at all by being 3-17 career against Johan Santana. Psych!
Short is the only place where the Nats look to the new, starting big-jawed rook Ian Desmond. He’s gotten off to a good start, but perennial is-he-still-there? candidate Christian Guzman has also. Relegated to “super sub” status, Guzman played all three games against the Phils and there are whispers of him getting his old job back.
At third is Ryan Zimmerman, who works out with David Wright when Derek Jeter isn’t looking, and last year finally outplayed his fellow Virginian. He’s the face of this team and, if anything, he’s far more boring than Wright.
Josh Willingham is in left, though Nat fans would sure like to see him swap with Adam Dunn at first. He’s had some big hits against the Mets. He and his wife Ginger started the Josh Willingham Foundation to help children and families in the Alabama Shoals area.
These dudes have a lot of professional hitters, I tell you.
Let’s move over to center, where Nyjer Morgan plays. You may remember Morgan as Pirate, or perhaps as a hockey player. He’s the sort of Mookie Wilson heckuvanathlete/stilldevelopingbaseballplayer that’s fun to have on any team, will definitely knock your socks off a few times a year, but you don’t want to rely on too much. He recently said this in an interview: “I want to keep bringing energy, be consistent and keep playing the way I play. When the media gets to me, I just go out there and play -- be mentally ready and play my game.”
At the bottom of that interview, a reader posted: “At least they hustled. To the showers from embarrassment . Well, it can't get any worse, I hope.” Har!
Anyhow, rounding out the lineup is one Willie Harris, who plays right and backs up Zim at third. Harris has begun a new PotG tradition for the Nats, appearing before the media dressed like this.
That will get old in a short span, but points for trying to keep things light in the baseball purgatory that is pre-Strassburgian Washington, DC.
Pitching? You want pitching? Shit. OK Pitching. The Nats under GM Jim Bowden may have stocked up on professional hitters, but man he didn’t invest a thin Roosevelt dime in the pitching staff, hoping perhaps to create some fireworks until he grew a staff out of whole cloth. Anyhow, new guy Mike Rizzo has altered that a little, bringing in the likes of Jason Marquis and Sean Burnett. Some Met fans disliked these guys getting away. I think they are no big whoop. No. Big. Whoop.
Go ahead and mock, but the Nats are opening this series with Garrett Mock. He won some sort of spring derby to make the team, but after going 3-10 5.62 last year, it couln’t have been the Kentucky Derby. "The expectations are high," Mock said. "I expect a lot out of myself. It goes a lot deeper. There are a lot of things I expect out of myself. I don't feel any pressure. I know [the Nationals] believe in my stuff. It's time to get started and it's time to win." Garrett is 0-1 career against the Mets in three games, with a 3.79 ERA. Eat Pelfrey, Garrett.
John Lannan goes against Ollie in game two. Lannan has had some heartbreakers against the Mets. He isn’t very good but he brings his best against New York and shows up with absolutely nothing against Philadelphia, which sucks, because he’s a lefty and they’re stacked with lefties. He may be 100% responsible for the Mets and not the Phils staying home in 2008 and 2009. Anyhow, Phlliie pasted him on opening day. Nice job, John.
Johan Santana goes Sunday against Livan Hernandez, making his 2010 preview. If you don’t know him by now, you will never never never never known him.
Besides, Hernandez, Tyler Walker joins the ex-Met contingent. Fernando Tatis was an Expo. Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco feel like ex-Nats but they aren’t.
Anyhow, beating up on this team will help the Mets be a good team. That's news? No, but, there you have it.
Teach yourselves about the bullpen. I’ve got to go.
