After a first-year honeymoon, the Washington Nationals second time around is starting to look like a good marriage going bad.
Dr. Phil, do you make locker room calls?
The Nats reached their second midway point since coming to Washington an awful 33-48. That’s 17 games worse than last year’s inaugural half season. Over the past 162 games, the Nats are 64-98, which is pretty much how this season looks to end.
Why aren’t Nats fans more upset about a team whose pitching is one half-notch above disaster — thanks only to a couple rookies pitching gamely — and hitting is like some tee-ball club? Maybe because fans are smart enough to know Major League Baseball sold Ted Lerner a team held together by duct tape. If this were a real estate deal, the first rain would have collapsed the roof and flooded the basement.
Things gotta get better because they can’t get worse.
The Lerners’ check hasn’t cleared yet, but they’re in control. The first move was to keep general manager Jim Bowden. After asking for Bowden’s dismissal following a drunk driving charge, I’ll now settle for the courts dispensing justice and the Lerners putting Bowden on notice that a repeat offense won’t be tolerated.
Bowden has done a credible job given MLB’s enormous restraints.
Drafting third basement Ryan Zimmerman was a franchise move and trading for Alfonso Soriano gave fans someone to watch at the plate despite bad streaks.
Trader Jim will really show us what he’s like by month’s end when probably dispatching pitcher Livan Hernandez and Soriano for prospects.
The Lerners must now decide manager Frank Robinson’s fate. Robinson deserves a respectable exit instead of some late-night move worthy of Redskins owner Dan Snyder. Indeed, there would be nothing wrong with Robinson returning for 2007, though more likely as a front office executive. Given the roster, Robinson has done a fine job.
The new owners are also heavily involved in the new stadium that desperately needs their attention. Aside this nonsensical issue over parking going above or below ground, it’s better not to leave the stadium to the City Council or fans will regret it for a generation.
Fortunately, the ownership transition is finally ending and the franchise can now make long-term decisions. Let’s just hope they’re not just about raising concession or ticket prices.
Rick Snider has covered local sports for 28 years. Contact him at [email protected].
