"Personally, I won't be unhappy if we move the next phase away from this [Winter Meetings] setting -- I never liked this auction setting with agents all in one place. So next week, when agents are back on the phone, we will talk to them one at a time. That will not be a bad thing." Team President Stan Kasten on Nationals.com this morning.
Love that quote for Our Team President because I am not much for the posturing by Teams and the perceived self-worth of Agents and their Players.
I just want to see progress made which moves Our Washington Nationals in a positive direction--FORWARD.
So rumors like Wily Taveres possibly heading to The Nation's Capital for Tim Redding don't worry me. Call me when something concrete and solid is actually decided. Only then, will the players named by "sources" have meaning.
But in the meantime, taking from Mr. Kasten's quote--What I would like see from the various beat reporters out there in Las Vegas right now covering The Winter Meetings is a sense of HOW BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED. Are Owners, Team Presidents and GM's really scurrying all over The Bellagio Resort & Casino running down each other? Or, is there more a sense of decorum where meetings are set and the various participants head from room to room, looking for the best deal?
Please give me an idea of what's going on out there in the Nevada Desert? How is business conducted? What's JimBo doing throughout the day (and night)? Is Mr. Kasten working something on the side? If Mark Lerner is there, what impact is he having on negotiations? What's Mr. Lerner's role (other than to give the go ahead on a cash outlay)? What's the impression of their teamwork at these Winter Meetings--so far. Are they organized? Are other teams interested in talking with The Nationals? Or, are the conversations totally Washington initiated?
Write About The Dealings Behind The Deals.
Even when there is no movement on the player front, there is always The Scene Setter.
Tell us something more than unsubstantiated rumor. For a moment, step away from the pack journalism.
Atmosphere & Color--Please!!
8 comments:
Your point is well taken. I am with you.
Problem is, we're living in a world where the majority is tuned into "information now and I mean NOW," even if it is wrong. Reporters don't get time to report because they are always being asked to update the Web - even if they have nothing.
One of the great frustrations in my previous job was constantly being asked, "Where's the Web update?" Well, I'd say, we've done 2-3 and now the reporter needs time for tomorrow's story. "NO, WE NEED UPDATES." Really. I had that yelled at me several times.
It's a shame. I still believe newspapers that give their readers something real to read have a place in today's NOW NOW NOW! society.
Leave the nonsense to us bloggers!
If/when the Nats sign Teixiera and if/when they follow it up by doing a Rays imitation in 2009, then and only then will you see the kind of reporting you are looking for now, SBF. Dave Sheinin will channel his inner Bob Woodward and write a book with all the backstage intrigue on how it all came about, starting at these very winter meetings, a la Woodward's series of books on the inner workings of the Bush administration during the Iraq war. There will of course be a week-long series of front-page excerpts from the book in whatever's left by then of the Washington Post. Chico Harlan will kick himself for having been wherever he is this week instead of in Vegas at the winter meetings.
But of course this is all contingent on the Nats signing Teix and going to the Series this year. Sports sagas spanning multiple seasons are a much harder sell to publishers. So, SBF, what do you think are the odds?
The odds on signing Teixeira are probably better than many may believe, only because the market is depressed due to the current economy. Of course those odds are still pretty long. but I not ruling anything out until he puts his John Hancock on a contract. But I also believe he's not signing anywhere this week also--which means Teixeira is thinking it through and not just making a rash decision solely based on money. Teix is looking at the overall picture of his career. In fact, he's playing everything pretty smart and doesn't seemed overwhelmed by all the attention.
Something which Sabbathia seemed to be bothered by until The Yankees wouldn't take no for an answer. It's almost as if C.C. took the money whether he really wanted to play there or not. Sadly.
Yahoo says there IS an offer. 7/150.
PER ESPN -
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Nats, Rockies trade won't happen
The proposed trade between the Nationals and Rockies involving right-hander Tim Redding and outfielder Willy Taveras fell apart because one of the players did not pass his physical exam.
According to MLB, the Nats have offered him an 8 year contract at 180 mil
Kasten is building the team and the vision for Boros to convince his guy Teixeira that he can both parlay the negotiations into more than $170 million, counting incentives, and be the keystone for the "Atlanta Braves of the second decade of the 21st Century in the Nation's Capitol."
By putting a young career .280 super fielding, base-stealing leader in center in Willy Taveras; batting .300 hitting solid SS Guzman second; a potential super-star third baseman Zimmerman third; Tex the keystone at clean-up; a potential monster in right, Dukes, batting 5th; a .280 hitter with some pop in left, Milledge 6th; a very nice young smart catcher Jesus Flores 7th; and a good defensive 2B 8th in A.Hernandez, Boros can make the case that Nats are young, fast, powerful. That like Atlanta in the early 1990's, they are set for lift-off...
Tex can be the center, here, in the most important city in the world,not the final piece of the puzzle in Boston, for example - close to home, and with his name all over it.
Pitching is supposed to be the long-term strength of the team, too, for his 8 years here: Olson steadies a young staff (Ditweller; Ballester; Zimmermann; Van Allen) which will be enhanced by selection of highly touted Strasburg this year. Trading Johnson and Kearns for relievers probably in the works, too, to steady back end.
Yes, Virginia (and Maryland, D.C.), there is a Santa Claus. And he looks like Stan Kasten - along with his helper Bow Bow, and of course a big checkbook!!
The baseball coverage at the Post is the result of the decision-making by an extremely young, inexperienced editor, who would rather serve us daily soap opera offerings from the Redskins, ad nauseum, rather than any color and flavor of the baseball meetings. Especially with the economy in free fall, I'm wondering what the chatter is among the would-be money spenders.
I think the Post's philosophy, sadly, will be to report on the Nats only when something "happens".
On a side note, I'm glad Stan is there to act as Bowden's governor in case Bowden wants to sign another high-power, poor-contact outfielder.
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