Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Nats Win, get new owner, and play a game tonight
Well, now that the team has an actual owner, I guess I have to actually start blogging regularly again.
Lerner's Group buys the MLB Nationals
According to SI.com, the Nationals have been bought by Theodore Lerner and group for a reported price of $450 million (league purchased team for $120 million in 2002).
And as the Washington Post notes (just to add to the news sources):
The call is expected to be made at 4:45pm and a news conference is expected to be held by Lerner at 7pm (Fairmont Hotel in Washington, if you want to attend).
Of course Lerner's group is the "fast-track" choice and have not actually and officially been confirmed yet, apparently that will not occur until May 17-18 Owner's meeting in NYC.
And, of course, the DC Council, or select members of said council, still don't like Lerner's group:
Rookie picks up first career MLB win
Michael O'Connor pitches in his second major league start and picks up career first win in Nationals 6-2 defeat of the Mets. Read the Washington Post.com article by Barry Svrluga.
After 12 major league innings, O'Connor currently has an era of 0.75 (1 earned run plus 3 unearned runs given up in that first start). The 25-year-old "O'Connor can't overpower major league hitters, [and] he must rely on his fastball to set up his off-speed pitches . . .. Catcher Brian Schneider said because O'Connor was unfamiliar with every single Mets hitter, Schneider could dictate the game plan, and O'Connor never once shook him off." Schneider called a good game and the Nationals won, and O'Connor is now 1-1. ESPN.com recap of the game with box score and play by play.
Up Next:
The Nationals spilt the two game series with the Mets and will now host two games with the Florida Marlins (who currently reside in the NL East cellar). After those two games, the Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates for three games and then take off on the road for another series against the Reds.
Tonight:
9-18 Nationals will have 2-2 Tony Armas, with his 2.76 era face off against the visiting Florida team, with it's 6-18 record, and specificially against 0-3 Brian Moehler (4 GS, first start was just 2 innings long), and his 9.82 era.
So far the Nationals are ahead in wins when facing the Marlins, with a record of 2-1 this season. The Marlins won the first contest of this season on April 14, and the Nationals won the next two games. All three games at Florida.
Future Probable Starters:
Thursday: Livan Hernandez (1-3, 5.49) vs. Josh Johnson (1-2, 3.86)
Friday: Zach Day (1-3, 9.82) vs. LHP Oliver Perez (1-4, 7.53)
Saturday: Ramon Ortiz (0-3, 5.65) vs. Victor Santos (1-4, 5.06)
Sunday: Rookie LHP Michael O'Connor (1-1, 0.75) vs. LHP Zach Duke (2-2, 3.46)
Lerner's Group buys the MLB Nationals
According to SI.com, the Nationals have been bought by Theodore Lerner and group for a reported price of $450 million (league purchased team for $120 million in 2002).
The selection was confirmed Wednesday by a baseball official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement, expected in a late afternoon conference call, had not been made.AP, through SI.com
And as the Washington Post notes (just to add to the news sources):
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig called Bethesda-based billionaire Theodore N. Lerner today to tell him he will be the new owner of the Washington Nationals, team sources said.Washington Post.com
The call is expected to be made at 4:45pm and a news conference is expected to be held by Lerner at 7pm (Fairmont Hotel in Washington, if you want to attend).
Of course Lerner's group is the "fast-track" choice and have not actually and officially been confirmed yet, apparently that will not occur until May 17-18 Owner's meeting in NYC.
And, of course, the DC Council, or select members of said council, still don't like Lerner's group:
"It looks like we're headed to divorce court before we even say, 'I do,' " council member Vincent B. Orange Sr. (D-Ward 5) said yesterday of the city's relationship with the Lerners. A day earlier, Orange and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) had said that the Lerner family had not done enough to include black investors in its bid for the franchise.from Washington Post.com article.
Rookie picks up first career MLB win
Michael O'Connor pitches in his second major league start and picks up career first win in Nationals 6-2 defeat of the Mets. Read the Washington Post.com article by Barry Svrluga.
After 12 major league innings, O'Connor currently has an era of 0.75 (1 earned run plus 3 unearned runs given up in that first start). The 25-year-old "O'Connor can't overpower major league hitters, [and] he must rely on his fastball to set up his off-speed pitches . . .. Catcher Brian Schneider said because O'Connor was unfamiliar with every single Mets hitter, Schneider could dictate the game plan, and O'Connor never once shook him off." Schneider called a good game and the Nationals won, and O'Connor is now 1-1. ESPN.com recap of the game with box score and play by play.
Up Next:
The Nationals spilt the two game series with the Mets and will now host two games with the Florida Marlins (who currently reside in the NL East cellar). After those two games, the Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates for three games and then take off on the road for another series against the Reds.
Tonight:
9-18 Nationals will have 2-2 Tony Armas, with his 2.76 era face off against the visiting Florida team, with it's 6-18 record, and specificially against 0-3 Brian Moehler (4 GS, first start was just 2 innings long), and his 9.82 era.
So far the Nationals are ahead in wins when facing the Marlins, with a record of 2-1 this season. The Marlins won the first contest of this season on April 14, and the Nationals won the next two games. All three games at Florida.
Future Probable Starters:
Thursday: Livan Hernandez (1-3, 5.49) vs. Josh Johnson (1-2, 3.86)
Friday: Zach Day (1-3, 9.82) vs. LHP Oliver Perez (1-4, 7.53)
Saturday: Ramon Ortiz (0-3, 5.65) vs. Victor Santos (1-4, 5.06)
Sunday: Rookie LHP Michael O'Connor (1-1, 0.75) vs. LHP Zach Duke (2-2, 3.46)
