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Friday, September 16, 2005; 11:00 AM
With the debut of the Washington Nationals, a professional baseball team is representing Washington, D.C., for the first time since Sept. 30, 1971.
Washington Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell was online Friday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m. ET to take your questions and comments on the team, Major League Baseball and his recent columns.
Newsletter:
Washington Nationals
The transcript follows.
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Thanks, NY: Finally, after a season of F-Rob, we see a manager (Willie Randolph) on another team making puzzling late-game decisions to his team's detriment. I saw Randolph's defense of not playing the infield at double-play depth in the ninth, but what about pitching to Castilla in the 10th? Did he not realize Osik was on deck?
Tom Boswell: Randolph claimed afterward that he (and his staff) didn't know that Schneider could not play because of his sore shoulder. So, they thought Schneider would pinch-hit for Osik. A really bad mistake. Schneider's condition had been reported in the papers and was even on the Nats MLB website. Just a complete screw up. Randolph is one of my favorite people, but his first year as a manager has NOT gone well.
(After the game Schneider told me, "Hey, I can lift it shoulder high today. I'm getting MUCH better. He refuses to take an MRI. Hey, why do that? It might show a real injury, then he couldn't play. If he just ignores the injury "maybe it'll feel better." If a couple of Nats pitchers had taken this view __not one I'm recommending__ the Nats prospects might be quite different.
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Washington, DC: So if Schilling hadn't put together that incredible start on Saturday, the Yankees would be in first place today. The AL East is going to be an interesting battle down the stretch, especially with the last series of the season being the Yankees at Fenway.
So do the Sox hold out or will the Yanks end up pulling the edge?
Tom Boswell: Everybody has talked about whether the yankees would miss the playoffs. My prediction, subject to multiple revisions, is that the Red Sox __without an effective Schilling or Foulke__ will be the team that misses the playoffs. Red Sox pitching is lousy. Yankees are detremined, despite all their problems (10 wins this year after trailing by 10-or-more runs).
Will it be A's or Angels in the West. (My sentiment is with the A's.) And I hope the Indians make the wildcard. I don't dislike any of the teams involved, so any of the outcomes are all right with me.
It would have been nice to see one more Yankee-Red Sox battle, but I have a feeling that one of them won't make it to October.
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Ottawa, Ontario: A comment, rather than a question - as a long-time (and since 1994, long-suffering) Expos fan, I am thrilled with what has happened this year with the Nationals, and delighted that I have been able to follow the season through your coverage and that of your colleagues. Thanks for that, particularly the way you see things in a larger context, which helps a lot with keeping things (both the great first-half and the, shall we say, less-than-stirling second half) in perspective.
Meaningful games in mid-September! There are LOT of baseball fans who wish they had that right now. Enjoy the ride folks.
Tom Boswell: Nice to think that there are still a few loyal Expo fans who still get to enjoy this season.
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Alexandria, Va.: So you might give up your Orioles tickets and become a "free agent" -- does that mean you're including the Bowie Baysox as an option?
Actually I'm in the same boat -- sharing in an O's package for many years, and now owning a Nats package. Will probably keep the O's for one more year for the interleague games, but I was surprised at how quickly my interest in going up there dropped this year. The facility and the food may be better in Baltimore, but it's been a lot more fun (and a lot less travel) going to RFK.
Tom Boswell: Pat Gillick said to me, years ago, when he weas O's general manager, "You are watching the destruction of a great franchise."
Pretty unusual for somebody to say that while he is still the GM!
Nobody's ruined the Baysox yet!
Somebody should make up "Free The Oriole 25" T-shirts.
I keep think that, years from now, I'll wish I'd kept a least a small number of O's tickets. They can't stay bad forever. And it si a GREAT ballpark. But it gets harder. As a customer paying (very) high prices, the gall rises higher each year.
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Ashburn, Va.: Can they just make up their minds!!!!!!! Win and make a real run at the wild card or lose and let us start the Hot Stove league!! These last few weeks have been like sitting in the dentist chair praying that the novacane has kicked in before he starts drilling!!! On the other hand, we could be the O's fans stuck with our big $$$ players watching in the stands...Thank God for the NATS!!!!
Tom Boswell: The wildcard race is actually even closer than it looks. The Nats schedule is just want it seems. But Florida has SIX games left with Atlanta. Phils have three with Atlanta and are now starting a nine-game road trip.
The Nats, as rotations now stand, will miss Pedro Martinez in BOTH their series with the Mets, including next weekend, while both the Phils and Marlins WILL face Pedro. Nice break.
The wildcard race may come down to how well the Brewers, who really want to finish above .500 and are a decent young team, and the talented but screwed-up Cubs, can do in their 10 remaining games against the Astros.
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Section 416: Mr. Boswell:
Just returned from a business trip to Lost Wages, where on Tuesday night I found myself in the hotel's sports book watching all three games impacting the NL Wild Card race simultaneously (I couldn't have watched the Nats game if I were here, but that's another rant).
This is how bizarre this race has become: I was rooting for the Phillies to beat Houston Tuesday, but for just the opposite result last night. Am I sick or what?
Tom Boswell: No, you're a baseball fan!
Frank Robinson said yesterday that his daily double for the night games was for Atlanta to beat Philadelphia and Houston to beat Florida. He got both his wishes.
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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: So maybe we can put away all this talk of calling it curtains for Vinny. Guzman I can understand, but Vinny? come on, can we leave the man alone?
Tom Boswell: Yesterday I FINALLY figured this one out.
When Castilla arrived, Bowden said he hoped that he could hit as well as he had in his two years in Atlanta ('02-'03) and field well.
In Atlanta, Castilla averaged 543 at bats, 61 runs, 26 doubles, 2 triples, 17 homers, 69 rbi and hit .255 with a .704 OPS.
Well, right now, Castilla __playing most of the year on one knee__ is on pace for 522 at bats, 59 runs, 35 doubles, one triple, 13 homers, 72 RBI while hitting .251 with an OPS of .719.
So, Castilla is producing EXACTLY the numbers that Bowden wanted cfrom him.
However, it looks like Ryan Ziummerman __right now__ might well produce more. He looks more than impressive. But Castilla is important in the clubhouse and has been in the playoffs four times. He's a trouper, and starting to hit. (His knee finally hurts a little less.)
So, you're right: "Leave the man alone."
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Arlington, Va.: Mr. Bos -
I have a 41-game package, and my seats are just a couple rows up in left field. Will you consider me a failure as a fan if I don't mercilessly remind Barry Bonds what a disgusting human being he is at both the Tuesday and Thursday games? (I'm hoping you say "yes," just so I'll have an excuse to be obnoxious.)
Tom Boswell: Be kind if you feel like it. However, it's a fact that his lawyer, last December, acknowledged that Bonds had used both the "clear" and the "cream" version of the BALCO steroids. But, of course, Bonds claimed he didn't know what they were.
I would say that the liklihood that Bonds is not a conscious cheater is quite small. Your response to him may depend on your generosity of spirit, your adherence to a high "burden of proof" or, of course, plain old-fashioned gullibility.
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Silver Spring, Md.: Over the years I have enjoyed reading your columns and participating in these chats. But your column yesterday on Barry Bonds really disappointed me. In the column you encouraged Nats fans attending the game to go after Barry Bonds. I don't think that's appropriate material for an influential newspaper from an extremely well-respected and accomplished writer. I don't have a problem with you writing what you think of Bonds as a person and player, but you shouldn't instruct the fans on how to behave toward him or provide them with a justification for inappropriate behavior. Your words could very easily influence someone to throw something on the field or even, if they are very drunk, go out on the field itself to confront him. There is already enough bad behavior at sporting events. Why are you encouraging more of it?
washingtonpost.com: For Bonds at RFK, All Signs Point to . . . ? (Post, Sept. 15)
Tom Boswell: I doubt that Bonds arrival in town, or his past history, or the possibility that fans might react __as they have to Palmeiro__ would have gone unnoticed if I hadn't written about it.
Tuesday is a fan referendum. But a vocal one. It is NOT an opportunity to throw things at players __unless you want to go to jail. Let me say that throwing anything at a defenseless athlete is certainly at least as bad as being cheating in a sport.
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Mechanicsville, Va.: Hi Tom,
The Atlanta Braves have been consistently successful since the early '90s due in large part to their farm system. You identified that The Nats farm system is pretty much a wasteland at this point. If the GM of the team next season identifies the repairing of the minors as top priority, and decided to trade veterans to replenish it, would you consider that a good move? It would be a bitter bill to trade some of these guys, I know that. But The Marlins have a $60 mill. payroll this year. If the new owners jack ours up from the $48m level to, say, $66m next season, the team could still acquire free agents, keep the team competitive, & build a long term dynamo of a team. What do you think?
Tom Boswell: The Nats, because of their strong play, may have some players __including some young players__ whose trade value is as high now as it will ever be. I would certainly take such trade possibilities seriously. This is an organization which __76-71 at the ML level or not__ does NOT have the depth of talent that produces sustained success.
There will, among other things, be a great deb ate on whether or not to trade Wilkerson or Church. Did Wilkerson just have one poor year __in which case it would be idiotic to trade such a very-good-not-great core player? Or is this the "real" Wilkerson. (Put me down as 100% DON'T trade him.) As for Church, he got hurt in the minors, he got hurt this year. But he is an absolujtely beautiful looking players. He hit over .365 in May-June combined. (He also hasn't had ANY home runs since he ran into the wall in Pittsburgh.) Church is a tough call because there will be offers. Can you afford to have two key players who are as talented, but as injury prone, year after year, as Nick Johnson and Church.
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No respect: To me, it has appeared that the Nats get no respect outside of DC. For one, the payroll on this team is much less than the top contenders in the NL (outside of pitching which has been great, there is NO superstar on offense). Second, we don't have ownership or TV deal that would enhance fans to the Nats.
So in my book, playoffs or no playoffs the Nats have been a real positive for DC and sport fans alike.
Tom Boswell: Agree on all points. This last Mets sweep underlines everything that has been best about the team all year and take some (just some) of the bitter taste of clubhouse squabbling out of the analysis.
As I mentioned on Tony's radio show this week, I sometimes think that D.C. does not yet have a clear view of the SHAPE of this season. It's really very well defined. A 24-25 start. A major 26-6 hot streak. A major 9-24 slump. And, since August 11, a stable, competitive __but severely pitching-depleted__ period of 16-15 play.
IOW, the Nats have NOT been in a slump since July 4th. That's nonsense. They were in a very bad slump for five weeks. They have now been OUT of that slump for as long as they were IN it.
Now, what happens the last 15 games? With Carasco in the rotation! With Loaiza pitching on three days rest at least once and perhaps twice on the last day of the season. And with ANOTHER platooon-pitching game on tap next weekend against the Mets when Carasco can't start.
By the way, if his arm doesn't fall off his 35-year-old shoulder, and he can throw 75 pitches, as he did in his last start, it's conceivable that Carasco could be a perfectly effective five-inning starter in his three up-coming turns. He has great stuff. OTOH, he's never done it before. The Nats front office is still stunned (and not happy) that Halama, who has a long history as a competent starter, couldn't give them a professional performance in his three starts. Yes, Frank yerked him too soon. But the Nats still lost his three starts by 25-2. Bad front office pick-up. But poor performance by a veteran.
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Burke, Va.: Boz -- does Bowden return next season or do you see a guy like Gerry Hunsicker being here?
Tom Boswell: As I pointed out, Bowden did not make a mistake on Castilla. He got his money's worth. So everybody can just drop that one.
On Guzman, he's hitting .302 in September! He has 10 extra-base hits in his last 71 at bats! He may be the team's hottest hitter. I don't think __after watching him hit .270+ of the last three weeks__ that you don't give him a chance to be the starting shortstop next spring, assuming he continues to hit decently in the last 15 games.
As Earl Weaver always told us, "Stick with 'em." Guzman's home run yesterday may not be the last of the surprises from him. You may even see him batting second __and approve of it__ before October 2.
Bowden gets big points for adding Loaiza (when nobody wanted him), Byrd (a steal for Chavez), Spivey (who'll be good trade bait over the winter), Drese (who may still be a $0 steal after arm surgery), Wilson (a 99-RBI pace in his 55 games as a Nat) and Carasco.
BUT, ultimately, no matter how much Robinson wanted to get rid of Ohka (11th win yesterday) and Day, it is still the GM's responsibility to make sure that a contending team has five starting pitchers in September. Not all quality, but at least warm bodies. I have NEVER seen a team end up with three starters __all pitching on fumes, by the way__ and a 10-man bullpen where you are risking the health of several arms. If anything costs Bowden a return invitation, that will be it. But OVERALL I had seldom seen a GM get so little credit for so many moves that were very good to decent. And even Guzman is not a total disaster __yet.
Don't be in a hurry to dump Bowden unless you are SURE you have somebody better. If he leaves the Nats and he and his core people AREN'T hired by somebody else, then the game has gone nuts.
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Washington, D.C.: Yesterday in the 9th, how can Frank use Baerga to pinch hit instead of Short. Short already has more homeruns and has a good chance to at least get a sacrifice fly with one out and Watson on 3rd base. Might have saved us an inning. Why I dont necessarily agree with Moneyball, Frank's gut thing is starting to wear thin.
Tom Boswell: What about Jose Vidro, who was available on the bench and has a career average (.302) which is eight points higher than Frank's career average (.294).
OK, Baerga is a proven pinch hitter. Not special, but adequate.
Frank's addiction to veteran players gets on everybody's nerves. But it's his way. Short had a fine pinch-hit at bat against Glavine __ending in a 3-2 pitch base hit__ on Tuesday.
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Boston, Mass.: What can you tell us about Rafael Palmiero? The man seems to be in utter denial that he is a cheater. I've kind of been appalled over some of the quotes recently attributed to him. For example: "I've always done things the right way" and "I've always played within the rules."
I wanted to forgive Raffy but his persistant refusal to apologize or show any sort of contrition makes me downright angry. (And I'm sorry to get political, but it reminds me of a certain friend of his in the executive branch.)
Please tell us what you make of his behavior.
Tom Boswell: I've known him for 15 years and I am mystified. And sad.
The secret places of the human heart __and conscience.
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Anonymous: Just curious. John Patterson's performance on the field this year has been a huge, huge plus. Tom, are you with Frank, and apparently some of the players, in the feeling that he's not coming back as soon as he should (especially with guys like Wilky & Castilla playing every game since the Spring with serious injuries).
Tom Boswell: Leave Patterson alone. Frank was over the line this time. Patterson has pitched hurt, come back early. The guy was sick as a dog. He left one game becasue he was so sick and was ineffective in another. He's a tall lean guy who needs to get semi-healthy, get his strength back and pitch four good games down the stretch.
This "tough guy" stuff can go to far. Patterson is definitely "a bridge to far" on this one. Sometimes, Frank just gets too cantankerous.
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Tom Boswell: In answer to several questions along new-ownership lines, I'm hearing rumors that Selig and Co may be considering anolther shamelessly cynical "bag job" like the way the Red Sox were handed to Henry-Lucchino because they were "baseball insiders" rather than the high bidders. It worked with the Red Sox. But ifr Jeff Smulyan (and Stan Kasten) are awarded the Nationals, it may be a disastrous decision for baseball, Washington and the Nationals.
Smulyan's credential as a baseball owner are brief and tissue thin. He's just part of the club. That's it. Nothing else on his side. He's not even particualrly deep-pocketed compared to others in the hunt. As for Kasten (playing the Lucchino role), if he's so hot, then maybe one of the LOCAL Washington grousp will pick him up as team president. Kasten is first rate. But he's no reason to give the team to Smulyan when D.C. has at last two totally viable LOCAL ownership group __Malek and Lerner.
The D.C. City Council and the public have every right to go bonkers if local ownership is bypassed __especially for undistiunguished outside ownership that smacks of Bud's Buddy string-pulling.
If the Nationals don't go to local owners, especially since, according to my sources, both Zients-Malek and lerner are willing to hit the magic $450-million-or-higher price, then the Council has every right to start thinking about doing a major refurbishment of RFK Stadium but NOT take the risk of spending $535-million on a new Anacostia River ballpark.
Doesn't Bud remember the most important name in D.C. baseball history: BOB SHORT.
I doubt that Washington will tolerate __or risk__ another carpetbagger owning a local baseball team. And it shouldn't. An 11th-hour end-run that gives Smulyan the team would be exactly like The Worst of Baseball. So, I fear it.
I know folks at MLB sometimes read this chat. Tell them that this Smulyan rumor is a ticking bomb. D.C. would be crazy to sign off on a stadium lease at a moment when it seems like the new team __now viewed as a gold mine__ might be handed off a "member of the baseball lodge."
The Malek group has worked for six years to bring baseball to D.C. The Lerner family would be eminently qualified __rich, philanthropic, the deepest imaginable local roots. OK, they never lifted a finger to help Washington get a team but, once it arrived and was a success, they said, "Wow, let's buy it!" But that's tolerable.
If you want to see long-time Washingtonians __like me and MANY others__ go ballistic, just try to jam an outside owner (who is a minor baseball insider) down our throats after various Washington business people and politicans have spent 30+ years trying to get a team.
I thought enough of us had made this point clear to Selig. Doesn't he remember the joys of dealing with Linda Cropp? Does the name Marion Bary ring a bell?
I hope that this Smulyan rumor is simply that __ a rumor. But in baseball, 11th-houyr rumors have a way of turning out to be The Secret Smelly Plan All Along.
This one REALLY stinks.
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Brooklyn, N.Y.: Pujols or Jones for MVP? Who do you pick and why? This is just too close I don't think I could choose.
Tom Boswell: Jones. Cards were going to win their division even if Pujols had an average year. Without a MONSTER career season for Andruw, the Braves might not even have made the playoffs as a wildcard. To me, Jones DEFINES an MVP year __a great player rising to another level for months when his team desperately needs him.
Plus, Jones is a GREAT centerfielder. Pujols is a first baseman, for heaven sake __a position of minimal defensive value, unless you're Keith Hernandez, which he isn't.
Everybody says this should be close. It's not. It's Jones.
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New York: Tom- Enjoy your column(s). We saw our Nats play the Mets this week at Shea. The difference with the way the teams are managed is mind-boggling. The Mets are never engaged in the game, sleepwalking at Shea. The Nata, probably less talented than the Mets, are totally hustling, down and dirty ballplayers with a tremendous amount of heart!! They did us proud at Shea this week. Question: Do you have any feelings as who the new owners will be?? Any rumors, something juicy to share with us??
Tom Boswell: The Mets drip with talent. They have outscored the league by 64 runs, which should translate to about 88-89 wins. The Nats are really not terribly gifted. Okay, if they were ever semi-healthy maybe we'd get a better "read" on that. But the Nats have now been outscored by 31 runs, which ought to project a 77-85 type season.
Managing/motivation is a big part of the difference. Randolph is stoic and restrained by nature __dignified. That's just him. Frank has been a fiery demanding leader all his life, especially IN games. Willie may work more hours. Maybe many more. But Frank has more impact. Willie may, yesterday aside, be a better (more conventional) tactician. But Frank's hunch moves __his willingness to take blame if they blow up (and, man, some of them are beauts)__ set an example of an aggressive don't-be-afraid-to-lose attitude.
This week, the Mets were dead when they should have been alive. The Nats, for all the bitching about Frank, all his fussin' and feudin' with players, were able to suck it up and not quit when everybody had them in the ground for about the fourth or fifth time.
The crowd at Shea yesterday could not have been more than 3,000-4,000 at game time and 5,000 later. I thought I was back at a Senators game in '71. Barry looked up the attendance at RFK on the day it was announced that the Nats were moving to Texas. It was 1,072. That's "paid." Who knows how many actually came. (That year. in one of the few stories that a copyboy-coffee-fetcher was allowed to write, I said that "the crowd for yesterday's twi-night doubleheader at RFK were lined up outside the ticket window two wide and one deep.")
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Washington, D.C.: T-Bos-
I loved your article about Bonds. It didn't give me any crazy ideas about running on the field or throwing anything at him. Anyone with the capacity of behaving wouldn't need to be provoked by a newspaper article. I will make a shirt or sign and boo vigorously. Peace!
Tom Boswell: Thanks more in the proper spirit of the thing, I'd say. Thanks.
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Still Blacked Out: T-Boz, my favorite baseball columnist and favorite member of TLC, I hope I'm not too late to get in this week. OK, please tell us that an ownership group will not stand idly by while fans miss out on the chance to see an 3 game sweep on the Mets next year when the Nats are on the road.
This is sickening, radio is great, but this ain't the 20's, we should have TV. A new owner will step in and make sure the games get on the air. I mean we gave Angelso 75 million, so even if he gives us $21M a year for the next three years to not show the games, it only costs him 9M to stifle the growth of a fanbase....This is beyond ridiculous and MLB is leading the charge.
Please help Tom, you're our only hope....
Tom Boswell: A similar Tv deal greed war in New York, involving the Mets, took about 18 months to be resolved. Finally, about 1 million fans, who couldn't see their team, got "justice."
When the rich and the greedy, with lawyers by the phalax, get involved, it takes some time. Let 'em both bleed! MASN is losing a bundle by paying the Nats $20+ million NOT to resell their broaqdcasts. And Comcast is taking a well-deserved PR drubbing for refusing to buy the games because...well, because they want to keep their MONOPOLY and drive MASN out of business. (What is this, 1875 in the Ohio oil fields? Too bad that fans are losing MUCH more.
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Crystal City, Va.: I've kind of been in the camp of saying the Guzman move was a disaster from a contract point. His play was surprisingly poor for most of the year, but I agree you have to give him a shot next year, and probably Vinnie as well. If oneof them plays poorly for the first half, then RZ comes up from AAA.
Does Minaya deserve a bit more credit than Bowden? Carl Everett for Majewski and Jon Rauch . A lefty set up guy for Ryan Church. Vazquez for Johnson and J Rivera, who became Jose Guillen. Yes, I'd love to have Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips, but the Expos were in a Wild card race and all those guys were 3 years away from contributing (Sizemore only got a chance to play because Juan Gonzalez and Jody Gerut were hurt). Minaya signed Livan and left here with all those pitching prospects and middle infielders (Izturis, Machado, Harris) in place so Bowden could deal or release them
Tom Boswell: Good points on Minaya. Thanks.
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Arlington, Va.: A little inconsistent there, aren't we?
You defend Patterson and refute the toughness argument. But when Church was going through his injury difficulties, you were quick to pile on.
Which is it? Does toughness matter or not?
Tom Boswell: My remarks on Church are simply part of covering the team. You can't bring up his name within the organization or the clubhouse without this issue being the first subject __with illustrations going back throughout his minor-league days.
I'm a huge fan of Church's talent and haven't seen him long enough to judge on the toughness-vs.-injury issue. BUT yesterday all the rookies had their clothes taken and replaced with women's clothes as a standard prank. Only one player __who had to wear a dress last year__ found that he'd have to wear one AGAIN this year. Never seen that before. Few missed noting it. I asked Church why he was so angry looking when the dress he had to wear "wasn't that bad." He said, "I had to do this LAST year."
Clubhouses are hard-edged places and all judgments are not fair. But to ignore this subject __about a player who is so obviously talented, smart and aware of his "rep," which he doesn't think he deserves__ is simply not to cover the team candidly.
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Crofton, Md.: You ought to turn those paragraphs about local ownership of the Nats into a column...
Tom Boswell: It's safe to say that's under consideration.
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Natsville: Isn't ironic that because the Nats were so successful this year, they have made a mint for the MLB owners who dragged them through the mud for 3 seasons?
Tom Boswell: "Ironic?"
Can't we find a tougher word than that?
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Reality Check, Va.: That Burke answer is just INSANE-that's all there is to it. Guzman, despite what he may or may not do for the rest of the year, was historically terrible. Day for Wilson was questionable, Ohka for Spivey (trade bait?!?!?) questionable, Vargas (who COULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE MINORS WITH NO PENALTY) & Kim inexcusable.
Plus, no one EVER mentions the draft picks lost because of the Guzman(?) & Castilla signings.
Good things Bowden is responsible for: Loaiza, Carrasco, Guillen (maybe -- he's borderline loony, and those he was traded for aren't that much worse)
Tom Boswell: Oh, I forgot Guillen, didn;t I?
Day is doing nothing but getting bombed in Colorado (like last night). Check Wilson's numbers as a Nat. Exactly what Bowden said he wanted/expected to get __.250, but with punch.
Vargas looks like one of the worst moves of the year. But try to find ONE PERSON in all of baseball who dreamed he'd make such a transformation from Nobody to Decent Starter. This is the classic "secoind guess." Kim was an awful move. He wasn't much, but he was The Only Insurance Policy in the whole organization. At the time of Ohka-Spivey, Bowden was still aiming too high __thought he had the reincarnation of his out-of-the-blue Reds team that won 95+. So, he thought he HAD to get Spivey to cover until Vidro returned. So, he misread the basic level of his team. However, he also got Drese the same day. In essence, he traded Ohka for Spivey and Drese. The REAL problems is that everybody __including me, in this chat and other places__ said, "Look at Drese's numbers in Texas. They SCREAM "arm trouble."
But Bowden didn't hear the screaming. After a couple of exceptional starts (1-0 in Anaheim), Drese blew. Bowden should have smelled it, should have had backup and didn't. Isn't it easy after the fact. But that's how these things are graded in baseball. You act in real time, then get rehired or fired in hindsight.
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Washington, D.C.: Admittedly its late - but are there any starting pitchers that might be available now somehow.
Tom Boswell: Yes, there are two available on waivers. I haven't found out their names. Neither is great __just useable. But, to get one of them for 15 games, you'd have to give up a prospect, and not a small one.
Soooo, many questions. Funny what one little three-game sweep will do!
See you next week.
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