Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Make-or-Break Series starting Tonight
In this all-important make or break series in Houston (if the Nationals sweep the Astros then they are leading the Wild Card race, if they don’t, then they are likely done), only the last game on Thursday will be available to be seen on local television. DirecTV and RCN will carry the Tuesday-Wednesday games.
What do the Washington Times and Post have to say today?
Washington Times:
“MLB is Setting a Price for Nats: Buyers facing $450 million tag” by Thom Loverro (On-line version).
A Loverro source notes: that the MLB will set a price to try to cut down on the number of bidders, and hopefully, for the MLB, there will be more than on be bidder willing to pay that $450 million price. If more than one bidder is willing to pay that huge price, then the MLB can look at more than just money.
Unless something unexpected were to occur, baseball will likely “choose a winner [of the bidding process] by the end of August or the beginning of September.”
Notes: 1) There already is an architect firm creating stadium plans, and submitting proposals to a DC council. (August 8th, 2005 front page Washington Post article by David Nakamura).
2) According to the Loverro article: industry sources say that the winning bidder will have to allow former Atlanta Braves President Steve Kasten to run the team.
3) Team name & Uniform colors & Mascot already chosen.
4) Nationals TV rights under control of the O’s, and the majority of the regional sports network (MASN) will go to the O’s.
5) Asking price: $450. MLB bought the Montreal team in 2002 for $120 million.
At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if the MLB were to require a maximum and minimum salary cap. What are the new owners buying? What will they actually be allowed to control? I originally thought that the new owners would have full control and be able to run the team like normal. But then these conditions kept coming up, like the regional television network and the possibility that they team will be forced to allow Kasten and his group to run the team.
“Up to the Pitchers: Staff Carries Heavy Burden for Cold Nats” by Ken Wright
On-line version.
Basically this article is about the fact that the pitchers are doing well, but the offense is not. For example: “Patterson has strung together seven straight quality starts but has been victimized by his teammates’ silent bats.” (Victimized?)
One final Times note by Mark Zuckerman: “Guillen Out 3 to 7 days.”
Washington Post:
“For Guzman, the Mean Season: As Slump Deepens, Nats Shortstop Feels the Chill” by Les Carpenter (On-line version, not sure if exactly the same as print version).
Guzman: “the first player Nats fans love to hate. It has gotten to be too much with Cristian Guzman.” Does Carpenter ever attend a game? He says that the disdain of the fans comes through other means than boos in the ballpark, though the boos are starting, but the disdain comes through “sniping on talk shows and Internet chat rooms . . .” I’ve been hearing boos every time Guzman’s name is announced for months now. Even the inclusion of his name in the line-up gets boos (when they display it in the stadium before the game). And when he gets an RBI, like in a recent game, the crowd goes wild with clapping. Then boo him when he next steps into the batters box. The booing has been an on-going fan reaction for a long while now.
Also a “Nationals Notebook” article by Barry Svrluga (and someday I’ll spell his name correctly).
On-line version, not sure if same as print version.
Tonight:
Patterson (5-3, 2.42) vs. Ezequiel Astacio (2-4, 6.33)
Nationals.com preview. ESPN.com stat pack.
What do the Washington Times and Post have to say today?
Washington Times:
“MLB is Setting a Price for Nats: Buyers facing $450 million tag” by Thom Loverro (On-line version).
A Loverro source notes: that the MLB will set a price to try to cut down on the number of bidders, and hopefully, for the MLB, there will be more than on be bidder willing to pay that $450 million price. If more than one bidder is willing to pay that huge price, then the MLB can look at more than just money.
Unless something unexpected were to occur, baseball will likely “choose a winner [of the bidding process] by the end of August or the beginning of September.”
Notes: 1) There already is an architect firm creating stadium plans, and submitting proposals to a DC council. (August 8th, 2005 front page Washington Post article by David Nakamura).
2) According to the Loverro article: industry sources say that the winning bidder will have to allow former Atlanta Braves President Steve Kasten to run the team.
3) Team name & Uniform colors & Mascot already chosen.
4) Nationals TV rights under control of the O’s, and the majority of the regional sports network (MASN) will go to the O’s.
5) Asking price: $450. MLB bought the Montreal team in 2002 for $120 million.
At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if the MLB were to require a maximum and minimum salary cap. What are the new owners buying? What will they actually be allowed to control? I originally thought that the new owners would have full control and be able to run the team like normal. But then these conditions kept coming up, like the regional television network and the possibility that they team will be forced to allow Kasten and his group to run the team.
“Up to the Pitchers: Staff Carries Heavy Burden for Cold Nats” by Ken Wright
On-line version.
Basically this article is about the fact that the pitchers are doing well, but the offense is not. For example: “Patterson has strung together seven straight quality starts but has been victimized by his teammates’ silent bats.” (Victimized?)
One final Times note by Mark Zuckerman: “Guillen Out 3 to 7 days.”
Washington Post:
“For Guzman, the Mean Season: As Slump Deepens, Nats Shortstop Feels the Chill” by Les Carpenter (On-line version, not sure if exactly the same as print version).
Guzman: “the first player Nats fans love to hate. It has gotten to be too much with Cristian Guzman.” Does Carpenter ever attend a game? He says that the disdain of the fans comes through other means than boos in the ballpark, though the boos are starting, but the disdain comes through “sniping on talk shows and Internet chat rooms . . .” I’ve been hearing boos every time Guzman’s name is announced for months now. Even the inclusion of his name in the line-up gets boos (when they display it in the stadium before the game). And when he gets an RBI, like in a recent game, the crowd goes wild with clapping. Then boo him when he next steps into the batters box. The booing has been an on-going fan reaction for a long while now.
Also a “Nationals Notebook” article by Barry Svrluga (and someday I’ll spell his name correctly).
On-line version, not sure if same as print version.
Tonight:
Patterson (5-3, 2.42) vs. Ezequiel Astacio (2-4, 6.33)
Nationals.com preview. ESPN.com stat pack.
