Page 5 of 13
Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 3:53 pm
by Redskins1974
From what I understand, they gave Chavez a lot of time and coaching and he flat out refused to do the things it takes as a lead off hitter. I think this is a win-win trade b/c both guys needed a fresh start.
Heck of a series over the weekend. Despite the loss on Friday, I had an awesome time. The crowds were great all weekend.
Another series win under our belts!
Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 10:45 am
by tsaler
I was at Chavez's first game with the Phillies, Sunday afternoon, against the Reds. Most people didn't know who he was or much of anything about him, but he played very well, and he made a lot of new fans. He was very impressive with the triple he hit. I was telling everyone around me when they would ask "who's this Chavez guy?" that he was "very, very fast." They didn't really believe me until he hit that triple.
Unfortunately, even though Chavez has been playing well, he'll be going to the bench or maybe even AAA. Kenny Lofton is being activated soon, and he will be starting against all right handers, as well as lefties when he's hot (which is bad news for Jason Michaels, too).
I think Marlon Byrd has the ability to be a very good player still. I don't know where he fits in the Nationals' plans in the long run, since they have Church-Wilkerson-Guillen as the outfield for the near future, plus Sledge who is still up and coming, and now Hammonds is showing that he's still got a pretty nice bat. It's going to be tough, they need to make some decisions and, I think, some trades. I think they need to trade Zach Day and maybe Terrmel Sledge when he comes back from his injury, and they need to get a left-handed starter. Vargas can pitch in long relief, Ohka could be dealt elsewhere if he continues to struggle, and maybe a catcher prospect could be acquired in that trade.
Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 11:09 am
by Redskins1974
Byrd has been playing really well so far. He'll definitely be on the active roster for the forseeable future with Sledge down with injuries. I'd like to see him work his way into the leadoff spot. I think Robinson is testing things out before deciding what's best for him and the team.
The game last night was great, btw. The crowd willed that team to victory. Everyone was on their feet for much of the bottom of the 9th. Beautiful hit by Hammonds. I was ready to stay for extra innings but was glad when he slapped one down the 3rd base line! The crowd went nuts - another W on the books. Hopefully Livan can come through today.
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 9:28 am
by tsaler
Trade Zach Day for Brandon Claussen!
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 10:30 pm
by Hill66
Hey guys, know its a day late, but sorry for taking 2 of 3 up here in Canada...
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 11:36 pm
by Jake
Too bad the O's are still in first...

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 4:49 pm
by Redskins1974
Hill66 wrote:Hey guys, know its a day late, but sorry for taking 2 of 3 up here in Canada...
Too bad we took your only other ball team AND the NHL!! Half of Canada must have lost their jobs
In all seriousness, we're majorly banged up. I hope we can survive this next stretch until some of our guys come off the DL.
Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 5:16 pm
by tsaler
Blanco leaving 3 men on base last night sure wasn't helpful. I haven't seen the team play in a while on television, how's Blanco look out in LF?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 5:37 pm
by NC43Hog
Off Topic - tsaler is back!
Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 2:25 am
by Jake
Powell Joins Group Bidding on Nationals
By Thomas Heath
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 26, 2005; Page D01
Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell has joined a group of Washington-based investors led by Fred Malek and Jeffrey Zients that is trying to buy the Washington Nationals.
"In Washington, we have the opportunity to reinvigorate this city and bring baseball back to a generation of youth who have lost their connection to our nation's pastime," Powell said in a statement yesterday. "I'm encouraged by baseball's efforts to diversify its ranks and its reach, and the Washington Baseball Club shares that commitment to making this team accessible to every Washingtonian."

POWELL (Mike Segar - Reuters)
The Malek-Zients group, known for the last six years as Washington Baseball Club, also announced two other additions yesterday: Dennis W. Bakke, co-founder and CEO emeritus of Arlington-based AES Corporation, a leading energy supplier; and David A. Donnini, principal at GTCR Golder Rauner, a Chicago-based investment firm that manages private equity funds.
Powell joined the group as Major League Baseball prepares to receive the initial bids on the Nationals from the nine groups or individuals that have placed $100,000 deposits with the league. The first bids are due Tuesday, although the sale process is expected to take at least a few months. Baseball, which hopes the Nationals will fetch up to $400 million, has said it wants to sell the team this summer.
In preparation for the auction of the Nationals, bidding groups have been adding new members to bolster their financial strength as well as burnish their image with Major League Baseball. Last week, a group of Northern Virginia businessmen led by William Collins added former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) to its investment team.
Because the Nationals are located in the nation's capital, officials close to Commissioner Bud Selig have said one important factor in determining who will be awarded the team will be its ability to have a figure who can command respect on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in Washington. Baseball's reasoning, these officials say, is that it anticipates the Nationals owners will often be looked at as spokesmen for the sport because of the team's location.
The Malek-Zients group already has several other political and financial heavyweights, including Vernon E. Jordan Jr., senior managing director of Lazard Freres & Co., Franklin D. Raines, former chief executive officer of Fannie Mae, and James V. Kimsey, founding CEO and chairman emeritus of America Online.
Powell, 68, was secretary of state under President Bush from 2001 until his retirement in January. He was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the administrations of Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He also served as national security adviser under President Ronald Reagan and in the first Bush administration.
Powell became a wealthy man after he retired from the Army in 1993 after 35 years of service. His 1995 autobiography, for which he received a $6 million advance, was an international best seller. He also commanded a high price on the speakers circuit and served on the board of America Online during its heyday. Since leaving the State Department, Powell has returned to the speakers circuit -- he now draws $100,000 an appearance -- but has stayed silent about other plans.
Powell is the founding chairman of America's Promise, a not-for-profit organization that helps young Americans.
Mayor Anthony Williams endorsed the addition of Powell to the Malek-Zients group, saying "this is another reminder of how the [Washington Baseball Club] has worked for the last six years, side-by-side with the city, to make the dream of baseball in D.C. a reality."
The others who are known to have put down deposits to bid on the Nationals are Collins; Yusef Jackson, an attorney and the son of Jesse L. Jackson, who has teamed with billionaire California investor Ronald Burkle; Stan Kasten, an Atlanta businessman and attorney with experience running pro teams in baseball, the NHL and the NBA; Franklin Haney Sr., a developer and financier; Washington businessman Jonathan Ledecky, a former part-owner of the Washington Capitals and MCI Center; Jeffrey H. Smulyan, 57, who heads a worldwide communications company and is the former owner of the Seattle Mariners; New York developers David and Jed Walentas; and the Lerner family, which owns a Bethesda-based real estate empire.
Powell is a close friend of Jordan and an old friend and former colleague of Malek, who helped select Powell, who was a lieutenant colonel in the Army, as a White House fellow during the Nixon administration. Powell was in the Office of Management and Budget when Malek, who was OMB deputy director, recruited Powell to be his assistant.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01427.html
Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:40 pm
by tsaler
NC43Hog wrote:Off Topic - tsaler is back!
Yes, yes I am.
Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:56 pm
by NC43Hog
Welcome back Bro.
Go Nationals.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:50 pm
by Redskins1974
Unreal win last night. I thought we blew it in the top of the 8th so I left my seat to enter the bowels of RFK in hopes of changing their luck (I'm a little superstitious with my teams

), came back flipped my lid rally style and changed seats and the rally commenced in the bottom of the 8th. Cordero entered the top of the 9th and shut them down. I hate the Braves so it makes it even sweeter. The left field seats were bouncing again at RFK ... good times.
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:19 pm
by welch
As of 8 June, 2005, the Nats have a record of:
Won Lost Pct Games Behind
32 26 .552 -
That's six games above .500, and zero games behind first place...aka, leading the division.
And as I look, they are leading 7 - 2 in the 8th inning.
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 9:03 am
by welch
W L % GB
Washington 34 26 .567 -
Eight games above .500; leading division
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 10:27 pm
by Jake
Boy was I surprised when I listening to tonights game in the car and heard the Nats got Junior Spivey. I am pumped. This is a great acquisition IMO. This kid is talented.
We also added Ryan Drese and Jacob Sequea. I am also happy top hear about those signings.
Nationals acquire Spivey, Drese
Outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds announces retirement from baseball
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 8:52 pm
by Jake
10 straight!!

Spivey came through big.
Spivey, Armas Drop Sweep on Seattle
Nationals 3, Mariners 2
Associated Press
Sunday, June 12, 2005; 4:39 PM
WASHINGTON -- Junior Spivey hit a two-run homer, Tony Armas Jr. waded through trouble for five scoreless innings, and the Washington Nationals completed a 12-1 homestand by beating the Seattle Mariners 3-2 Sunday.
Washington stretched its winning streak to 10 games, tying a franchise record and setting a high for the NL this season. The team has swept three straight series and four overall; as the Montreal Expos, the team had three sweeps in all of 2004.
When the 37,170 fans rose to stretch in the middle of the seventh inning at RFK Stadium, many altered the lyrics of the traditional sing-along, proudly belting out "Root, root, root for the Nationals!"
It's tough to tell who's enjoying the Nationals' current run of success more, the team that felt as if it didn't have a real home the past couple of seasons, or the fans who waited 34 years for a major league club to call their own.
After two years of being forced to play a portion of its "home" schedule in Puerto Rico, the club has taken to its new digs quite well. Washington improved to 24-9 at home, a .727 winning percentage that's the best in all of baseball.
Manager Frank Robinson and several players have pointed to the crowd support they're getting. The team topped 1 million spectators Saturday night, and Sunday's crowd made for the largest season total attendance in D.C. baseball history.
And of the Nationals' 37 wins this season, 16 have been by one run.
The recent string came on the heels of a 2-7 road trip that dropped Washington under .500. Now the team heads back on the road at 37-26, with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.
Armas (3-3) has made a similar turnaround. On May 25, he fell to 1-3 with a 6.20 ERA. In three starts since then, though, he's 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA.
Chad Cordero worked the ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances.
Ryan Franklin (2-8) took the loss, giving up all of Washington's runs on six hits plus three walks in five innings.
Armas gave up five hits and three walks, but had six strikeouts and got plenty of help from Seattle's batters, whose woes with runners in scoring position continued.
The Mariners left two men on base in each of the first four innings, including five in scoring position, and they left a total of 11 men on base in the game. They went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, making them 8-for-55 on their road trip.
Armas never had a 1-2-3 inning and needed 90 pitches just to get the first 12 outs. He left after throwing 107.
Gary Majewski entered in the sixth and gave up the Mariners' runs on RBI doubles by pinch-hitter Gary Dobbs in that inning, and Raul Ibanez in the seventh. Luis Ayala got four outs, and gave way to Cordero.
With Nick Johnson on after doubling, Spivey hit a first-pitch home run to left that smacked off a poster that shows Armas in mid-delivery in the foreground and the White House in the background.
It was Spivey's sixth homer of the season and first hit of any sort since joining the Nationals in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
Washington went up 3-0 in the fourth when Jamey Carroll sent a blooper to left with two outs to score Vinny Castilla, who singled and stole his fourth base of the season. Carroll started for slumping shortstop Cristian Guzman (.192) and made a nice leaping grab of Ibanez's liner in the fifth.
Notes: Seattle OF Ichiro Suzuki entered the game one hit shy of 1,000 for his career and went 0-for-5. He flied out to left in the first and fourth, grounded to short in the second and sixth, and lined out to right in the eighth. ... Mariners 3B Adrian Beltre doubled in each of his first two at-bats, then left the game in the fifth inning with tightness in his left hamstring. Dave Hansen replaced him. ... Armas singled to right in the third inning, his first hit since April 5, 2003.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01110.html
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:56 am
by air_hog
HA HA! YEAH! Not today my friends, I guess them Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are just the best team in Baseball.
However, this would make for a pretty good W.S. matchup...
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 6:19 am
by Redskins Rule
air_hog wrote:I guess them Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are just the best team in Baseball.
Why??? Because they have to cheat to win?
Angels reliever Brendan Donnelly was ejected before he threw a pitch Tuesday after Nationals manager Frank Robinson asked the umpires to check the pitcher's glove for foreign substances, leading to an exchange of words between Robinson and Angels manager Mike Scioscia, a brief benches-clearing confrontation and a Nationals' comeback win.
The Angels were leading 3-1 in the seventh inning when Scioscia brought in Donnelly with one out and a man on first. As Donnelly warmed up, Robinson came out and talked with home-plate umpire Tim Tschida. Tschida then conferenced with the other umpires and inspected Donnelly's glove.
The umpires found pine tar on the glove, violating rule 8.02b, which prohibits a pitcher from having a foreign substance on his person or equipment.
"The glove was confiscated and will be sent to Major League Baseball tomorrow," crew chief Dale Scott said, meaning the glove will be inspected by the Commissioner's Office, which will determine possible further penalties, such as a suspension. "Pine tar is not allowed."
Robinson also accused Donnelly of using sandpaper, but the umpires said none was found.
Scioscia and the Angels were steamed.
"Pine tar is accepted practice for pitchers," Scioscia said after the game, which the Nationals won, 6-3. "Pine tar is not doctoring the ball; it's just giving you a normal grip for guys who sweat a lot if it's cold."
That conviction led Scioscia to issue a warning to Robinson on the field after the ejection, which incensed the Washington manager, leading both benches to clear.
"I told Frank that we were gonna undress his pitchers when they were out on the mound," Scioscia said. "He obviously wasn't happy."
Indeed he was not. After the game, Robinson carefully and slowly laid out the following response to Scioscia's comments.
"I've known Mike Scioscia for quite a while. I've always respected Mike as a person and a player," Robinson said. "His guy got caught tonight cheating, and he was way off base. He took me by surprise when he came over to me and he gave me a threat and he told me that he was going to have every one of our pitchers undressed."
The first one, at least. Prior to the bottom of the seventh, Sciocia asked Tschida to check Nationals pitcher Gary Majewski's glove for foreign substances. Nothing was found, but Robinson took umbrage at the action and at Scioscia's statement that he would have the Nationals' pitchers checked, which Robinson considered a "threat."
"I lost a lot of respect for Mike tonight as a person and as a manger and there's nothing he can say to me now," Robinson said. "I don't even want him to come close to me or try to apologize to me. If he even thought about it, I will not accept it."
Scioscia was displeased with Robinson's conduct as well. He said that Donnelly had been targeted and that he thought Robinson's decision to have him checked would spark an ugly trend in baseball.
"You'll have to have pitchers walk through a metal detector before every game," Scioscia said. "Or have umpires strip-search pitchers every time they come into the game."
Scioscia and Robinson weren't the only ones steamed. The Nationals' Jose Guillen -- who played for the Angels until last September, when he was suspended from the team after an extended altercation with Scioscia -- felt that Scioscia had shown up Robinson on the field.
No punches were thrown during the scrum after Donnelly's ejection, but Guillen tried to confront Scioscia and needed to be restrained by three Nationals.
"You guys saw what happened there," Guillen said. "That's what [ticked] me off. We're talking about respect, and I don't think [Scioscia] showed any respect to Frank. Frank deserves more respect than that."
Guillen, who has endured heavy booing by the fans at Angel Stadium all series, hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning and, after flipping his bat, made a slow, celebratory trot around the bases. He batted again in the ninth, but further incidents were averted, as the Angels pitched to him and he flew out on the first pitch.
Donnelly did not throw a pitch in the game, but the Nationals torched the man who relieved him, Scot Shields, for four runs in the eighth en route to the 6-3 win. After the game, Robinson said that he watched video on Donnelly prior and said he saw Donnelly used foreign substances on the mound.
Tuesday, Robinson said Donnelly was caught for having pine tar but escaped a potentially more serious violation.
"He also had sandpaper on his pitching hand," Robinson said. "He either put it in his back pocket or gave it to [second baseman Adam] Kennedy."
Donnelly, while unhappy about the ejection, was very measured with the media after the game Tuesday. When told about Robinson's statement, he first asked the reporter if he was joking. After learning the Nationals manager was serious, Donnelly was surprised and upset.
"You know what, that's just a ... lie, that's what it is," Donnelly said. "That's a [darn] lie. Can you write that?"
Scioscia found Robinson's statement equally hard to believe.
"Are you kidding me?" Scioscia asked. "That's absolutely ridiculous."
Scott said that the umpires did not find any sandpaper on Donnelly.
"Donnelly did not put up much resistance at all," Scott said. "We don't know anything about any sandpaper."
The umpiring crew did not know if there would be a suspension handed down or how long it might be. However, Jay Howell was suspended for three games after being found with pine tar on his hat during Game 3 of the 1988 National League Championship Series, which was played in a cold rain. The penalty was reduced to two games upon appeal.
"I don't know what the precedent is," Scioscia said. "This is different than sandpaper, this is different than Vaseline, this is different than whatever pitchers might use to alter the flight of the ball. You have a rosin bag out there. Rosin and water, you're making pine tar."
The Angels and Nationals will play for the third and final time this season Wednesday night. Scioscia said the Angels would be ready for any further inspections that might occur.
"Obviously, it's something we're gonna have to address with our guys and make sure they don't have any [foreign substances] on there," he said. "It is in the rulebook."
Check it Out
I guess the National hitters are just to dang good. You got to put anything on the ball you can find if you want to get them out. Especially, if you're pitching to them in the late innings.

Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:14 am
by welch
Pine tar is common, says Sciosa. Harrumph!
In 1961 or '62, the Senators (v2) had a young pitcher named Joe McClain, who had been nothing special in the minors, but had been given to Washington during the expansion.
Suddenly, Joe became a dazzling pitcher. He made the All-Star team, managed by the Yankees' Ralph Houk.
Before the game, Houk saw our Joe sticking his pitching hand into a bucket of pine tar.
The next time the Joe faced the Yankees, Houk went to the umpires and asked them to check McClain's hand. He was tossed out, and now the whole league knew, and he had to pitch honestly.
Without the pine tar, McClain was ineffective, and spiralled out of baseball.
[Source? I think I read the story in Nats News, the newsletter of the Washington Baseball Historical Society.]
Pine tar is an accepted substance? Try again, Sciosia!
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:09 am
by John Manfreda
How about that brawl last night sweet. I am so glad we have Baseball in DC.
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:17 am
by Redskins1974
How sweet is that for Guillen? The team that boots you the previous year trys to cheat to win and he hits a clutch HR to tie the game.
I missed the game last night but I sure as hell am staying up tonight!
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:37 pm
by air_hog
Hey, you guys cheated too!!
Gary Majewski's strings were to long!

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 3:44 pm
by Fios
Mike Sciosa managed to make himself look petulant in front of thousands of people with that maneuver, he's just pissed because he knew his pitcher was cheating and he got busted. The "I'm gonna do it to you too" line of thinking is immature and unprofessional. Frank Robinson is 100% correct.
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 4:59 pm
by Jake
Sparkling Debut For Nats' Drese
Cordero Closes Out the Masterpiece: Nationals 1, Angels 0
By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 16, 2005; Page E01
ANAHEIM, Calif., June 15 -- The night had so many elements, starting with Ryan Drese's surprising but sparkling eight-inning performance, finishing with Chad Cordero's escape act in the ninth, the seminal story lines in the latest exhilarating victory for the Washington Nationals, this one 1-0 over the Anaheim Angels on Wednesday night.
Click
The thriller -- in which Cordero worked out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the ninth -- came just 24 hours after the incendiary events of Tuesday night, when Angels Manager Mike Scioscia and Nationals Manager Frank Robinson squared off, face to face, over the fact that Robinson had Angels reliever Brendan Donnelly investigated, and then ejected, for having pine tar on his glove. That led to an outburst from Jose Guillen, the Nationals' right fielder who was suspended by Scioscia for insubordination as a member of the Angels last year.
Click
here for the rest of the article.