What a depressing scene at Nationals Park last night.
The weather stunk, the crowd was nearly invisible and the big pregame message on the clubhouse blackboard reminded players to pay for their dry cleaning.
Thank goodness the Nationals’ home season is done.
The bad news is next season doesn’t offer any more promise of a turnaround than the economy. It’s like Wall Street and the Nats are vying for who’s worse.
The Nats best farm prospects are mostly two years away. The current staff lacks trade bait. And the front office seems to be waiting to see if anyone leaves.
Manager Manny Acta should be safe. Casey Stengel had more talent on the Amazing Mets.
Team president Stan Kasten is also a minority owner so it’s his choice to depart. Don’t bet on it.
That leaves general manager Jim Bowden as the potential scapegoat for the worst season since the Nats arrived. While not a big fan of the GM, it’s hard to really say this mess is all his fault. Bowden made some nice moves. Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge delivered decent seasons and no off-field incidents. Willie Harris was a nice free agent signing.
Paul Lo Duca was a bust, but it was only a one-year deal. Dimitri Young’s two-year deal collapsed because the player mishandled his diabetes. Johnny Estrada didn’t work out, either.
In the end, Bowden broke even with an ownership that hasn’t opened its wallet even to pay the city rent despite drawing a respectable 2.3 million. Should Bowden return? There doesn’t seem to be much sentiment either way.
Who’s really at fault for this debacle? Major League Baseball and specifically commissioner Bud Selig. Competing owners greedily stripped the franchise before selling it and Selig didn’t nothing to stop the raiding. Scorched earth takes years to recover and the Nats are still two years away at best from contending.
Critics use the relatively low attendance for a new stadium and poor TV ratings as proof Washington isn’t a baseball town. That’s pure nonsense. For a last-place team to draw nearly 30,000 nightly is a tribute to fans loving the sport. You might come once to see the stadium, but you come back to see the game.
“Everybody knows it hasn’t been a good season,” Acta said. “[Fans] know what we’re trying to accomplish here. They’re been supportive and patient. … There are clubs that have been competing all season and some clubs that are going to the playoffs that are drawing less people than we are. … It’s about winning.”
Yes, it’s all about winning in this town. The Lerner family needs to spend money in the offseason. Maybe it’s not a great free agent pool, but better to buy a player or two than simply keep the money made from overpriced concessions and seats. That is, whatever money’s left after paying the overdue rent.
Maybe next year with a couple pitchers, some healthy players and …
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
