As opening days go, that was a stinker.
The ace of the pitching staff was battered. The center fielder was hurt running into the wall. The shortstop pulled a hamstring. Teddy Roosevelt finished dead last in the president’s race despite his own flying machine.
At least Ryan Zimmerman continues to give fans some hope, banging out two hits plus a defensive gem in the Washington Nationals 9-2 season-opening loss to Florida before 40,389 yesterday at RFK Stadium.
Notice that wasn’t a sellout figure. There were more people throwing out first pitches than seated in the center field bleachers. By the eighth inning, most fans were playing Washington’s favorite pastime — beating rush hour traffic.
The doomsdayers project 120-plus losses. That’s a little pessimistic, but probably not by much. If manager Manny Acta is one of those who doesn’t eat when stressed, the man will look like Calista Flockhart by Memorial Day.
“It’s going to be kind of a rollercoaster as far as this year,” Zimmerman said. “We’re going to play real well at some points. At times, we might not play so well.”
Is it Redskins season yet? Gotta admit looking at the preseason schedule released in the second inning and thinking they can beat Pittsburgh at home and Jacksonville on the road for a 2-2 mark.
Meanwhile, the Nats are nearing the end of their honeymoon. Attendance fell 600,000 last year from the inaugural season. Watch it dip below 2 million this year.
If the team is going to field a mediocre product, mediocre crowds will follow. And to say hang on for a few more years doesn’t work in today’s world.
The new owners can send Chad Cordero and Zimmerman to meet fans at the entrances, but decent pitching will attract bigger crowds. The Nats’ prized free agent is the new stadium, but by 2009 it will be a white elephant if the team doesn’t start winning.
For now, it’s about scratching by each day. There’s enough hitting to win some days. The pitching could produce a decent effort here and there. The losses will pile up, but a new manager isn’t going to get beaten down right away.
“We’re tied for second with the rest of the league,” said Acta with a grim smile. “It’s just one game. . . . It was a beautiful day, a beautiful crowd.”
Rick Snider has covered local sports for 28 years. Contact him at [email protected].
