tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post6695192906358390293..comments2023-10-20T04:28:04.547-04:00Comments on Nats320 -- A Washington Nationals Blog: Jim Bowden/Mike Rizzo ESPN Zone Part TwoScreech's Best Friendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-20258795648986288222008-09-24T22:11:00.000-04:002008-09-24T22:11:00.000-04:00Read the articles now in San Francisco and Oakland...Read the articles now in San Francisco and Oakland about their horrible teams as well as Baltimore to the North and Pittsburgh to the West.<BR/><BR/>San Francisco rode the gravey train on Barry Bonds and lost that sideshow.<BR/><BR/>If Baltimore didn't have the Red Sox and Yankees in for 3 series per year they would be empty most nights and their support is eroding. <BR/><BR/>All these franchises were once contending teams and haven't seen success in a while.<BR/><BR/>The tough economy doesn't help either.<BR/><BR/>It seems you certainly need the combination of a team in contention with a great ballpark and a big-name player.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-21096964572019187512008-09-24T21:15:00.000-04:002008-09-24T21:15:00.000-04:00Dave Nichols said... as for Andrew's opinion that ...<I>Dave Nichols said... <BR/><BR/>as for Andrew's opinion that<B> ST sales </B>will increase because of visiting opponents next eyar, let's just say i have a differing opinion. </I><BR/><BR/>PLEASE DAVE---DON'T PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH. If ST stands for Season Tickets, where did you read that I wrote anything about ST sales???<BR/><BR/><I>Here is what I wrote...I think 2009 will do better than 2008 ticket sales of 2.4 million based upon a more favorable schedule.</I> <BR/><BR/>I would expect ST sales to drop if you want my opinion on ST sales, but I never mentioned ST sales. I specifically wrote about TOTAL ticket sales and felt that there is a favorable schedule which I believe will give the Nats several sell-outs which I detailed giving a Net gain to overall sales and going over 2.4 million.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-4753591550110314692008-09-24T21:02:00.000-04:002008-09-24T21:02:00.000-04:00Anonymous said... Andrew, you seem to be an inside...<I> Anonymous said... <BR/>Andrew, you seem to be an insider. How much of the article was true? Was there bias, or it is one of those situations where the truth lies in between?<BR/><BR/>I think the article came about from a byproduct of the losing. It's far easier to overlook problems when the team is winning, than when they are losing.<BR/><BR/>12:20 PM</I><BR/><BR/>I don't consider myself an insider but I have no problem giving my opinion when asked. Obviously, yesterdays topic on everyone's mind was the Washington Times article.<BR/><BR/>I like Mark Zuckerman so I was somewhat surprised by the negative tone. Truth, bias, I always say the truth is somewhere in the middle. I find it hard to believe Stan is going anywhere. <BR/><BR/>I listened to the 3PM interview on 980AM with Mark Zuckerman. It was toned down and he said he hadn't spoken to anyone in the Nationals ownership since the article. I wish I had the transcript of the interview with Zuckerman because there was a comment he made that I will try to give my take on it as he said something like "off the record some employees thanked him for his comments as they thought it would bring some positive change".<BR/><BR/>The season is about to end so I am sure after the season we will wait and see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-26353397771939604782008-09-24T15:14:00.000-04:002008-09-24T15:14:00.000-04:00Now this...http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/vi...Now this...<BR/><BR/>http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=462356<BR/><BR/>If the owners trusts Bowden over Kasten, there's no hope for the forsesable future.<BR/><BR/>Pathetic.Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-11044184795536677712008-09-24T14:43:00.000-04:002008-09-24T14:43:00.000-04:00the article was an off-day piece to push copy. su...the article was an off-day piece to push copy. sure, there was exaggeration and hyperbole, but it's plain to see that morale in the organization (despite the management's statements to the contrary) is awful. there's not a person without ownership status that can't wait for the season to be finished.<BR/><BR/>as for Andrew's opinion that ST sales will increase because of visiting opponents next eyar, let's just say i have a differing opinion. the Nats sold out three games this year: opening night and two against the Orioles. why would ANYONE buy season tickets just to see the Red Sox or Cubs? as they used to say on the radio "Plenty of good tickets remain, come join us down at the park."<BR/><BR/>Considering how the Nats went out of their way to alienate much of the season ticket holder base this year, i'd be shocked if the number of renewals--especially from businesses--didn't dip significantly. also, the next couple of night look up into the suites and check out how many of those are empty.<BR/><BR/>the Nats have A LOT OF WORK TO DO this off-season to win back the faithful.<BR/><BR/>as for new season ticket packages, i'll bet they sell less than 2500 new plans.<BR/><BR/>i think there's a general distrust from most fans -- serious and casual -- of the organization. from the rent dispute with the city to the GM's involvement in the hispanic scouting scandal to the product on the field, there's an awful lot of goodwill that needs to be recovered before attendance goes up at Nationals Park.<BR/><BR/>oh, and woe to the team if Mobil/Exxon buys the stadium naming rights.Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-27185063528018629892008-09-24T12:20:00.000-04:002008-09-24T12:20:00.000-04:00Andrew, you seem to be an insider. How much of the...Andrew, you seem to be an insider. How much of the article was true? Was there bias, or it is one of those situations where the truth lies in between?<BR/><BR/>I think the article came about from a byproduct of the losing. It's far easier to overlook problems when the team is winning, than when they are losing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-90040532422647403052008-09-24T08:03:00.000-04:002008-09-24T08:03:00.000-04:00SenatorNat said... Reality lies somewhere between ...<I>SenatorNat said... <BR/>Reality lies somewhere between the vast expanse between the Washington Times accounts of the state of the Nationals and the accounts by Kasten-Bow-Bow- and Rizzo herein and in the papers.</I><BR/><BR/>I agree with you. I happened to be camped out at the entrance to the President's Club last night and got there early. This article was on many peoples minds.<BR/><BR/>I ran into one of the many owners (outside of the Lerner family) Art Fucillo who asked me what I thought of the article and I said "Harsh".<BR/><BR/>I talked to some employees and one guy goes it seems like the article was written in July when the team was playing horrible and morale reflected that and then it got better again as optimism on the field improved.<BR/><BR/>I think winning is contagious to all parts of a team including staff.<BR/><BR/>Also,I think 2009 will do better than 2008 ticket sales of 2.4 million based upon a more favorable schedule. Cubs in the summer and Boston comes to town for their 1 time in 6 year rotation and then you got Cardinals for a 4 game weekend series and of course Baltimore should draw near capacity again.<BR/><BR/>Before the game started, there was Mark Zuckerman doing an on-air video on the field with a MASN microphone (so he still had credentials - lol).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-33604971919357287562008-09-23T22:26:00.000-04:002008-09-23T22:26:00.000-04:00Once again, thanks much for providing the transcri...Once again, thanks much for providing the transcripts in full. That was quite a task.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-84651096729597381122008-09-23T20:18:00.000-04:002008-09-23T20:18:00.000-04:00I have not read the Times article, but I have to g...I have not read the <I>Times</I> article, but I have to give them props about one thing---they at the very least display the MLB standings the way they <B>SHOULD</B> be in a NL town. Go to the newspapers in St. Louis, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc. where there is only one NL team or the NL team is more dominant.<BR/><BR/>Do any of those papers show the American Leage standings on the left or the top, and the National League standings on the right or bottom? The <I>Post</I> argues that they are "honoring" the NL, but that does not wash when you see the NFL standings---the NFC (with the Redskins) is always on the left or top.<BR/><BR/>The <I>Washington Times</I> will display the NL standings on the top or to the left, and they do <B>NOT</B> show the Orioles in their schedule of local upcoming games.Edward J. Cunninghamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11925008506185290162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-83823825863723085572008-09-23T17:40:00.000-04:002008-09-23T17:40:00.000-04:00ABM has very good points about the unusual dynamic...ABM has very good points about the unusual dynamic between the two cities and the two ownership groups and the T.V. arrangement thrust upon D.C. as a compromise for the NIMBY problem going into this proposition. Lerners-Kasten are among those who do not tune in to the MASN since they have NO VESTED INTEREST - they merely bank the check. At this point, the fewer watching, the better they feel about the size of the check!<BR/><BR/>And this mindset occurs where the D.C. government is concerned - Lerners obviously view the city leaders as a nuisance at best and as an opposing party at worst. And, politics does play a part in reverse, too, as there are some influential folks seemingly pleased to recount how this franchise is failing - perhaps doomed from the outset. Leads conspiracy buffs to wonder if Angelos himself acts behind the scenes to keep that pot stirred, but to what practical end I cannot surmise...<BR/><BR/>Take Barry Bonds out of the equation, and despite its unique qualities, would PacBell in S.F. have been as good a draw in its first year as Nationals Park? I doubt it, but it cannot be proven. Conversely, put Soriano in left at Nationals Park this season, and the draw may have been 2.6 million or more. Again - impossible to prove.SenatorNathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10049860385485455410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-88252217054664084152008-09-23T16:06:00.000-04:002008-09-23T16:06:00.000-04:002.4 million, decried as second lowest for the firs...<I>2.4 million, decried as second lowest for the first year of a new park in the "modern era" and only 19th in the league</I><BR/><BR/>And the thing that no one ever mentions when they bring up this statistic: This is the <I>second</I> new park many of us in the area have opened up in the so-called "modern era". The first being that one 35 miles up the road in Baltimore, the groundwork for which was laid by an owner from Washington, EBW. So when it comes to opening new parks, even before this season we were in many ways already "been there, done that" in attitude. The new park smell was not so strong here from the get-go.<BR/><BR/>And I wonder, of all the teams who opened new parks more successfully in this timeframe, did any others basically take a big chunk out of another team's prime marketing area when their teams were created? I don't think so. And no other new parks were opened so close to another team's facility, either. Of course, that will change twice next year when the Mets and Yankees open up their new houses. But I think NYC will be able to handle it - provided both of their teams continue to win, that is. Unlike both of the teams around here.An Briosca Morhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06855174362787324401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-17396873687641540592008-09-23T15:54:00.000-04:002008-09-23T15:54:00.000-04:00Reality lies somewhere between the vast expanse be...Reality lies somewhere between the vast expanse between the Washington Times accounts of the state of the Nationals and the accounts by Kasten-Bow-Bow- and Rizzo herein and in the papers. <BR/><BR/>First, there seems to be overemphasis on acquiring the very young players, 23 seems to be the magic age, and "controlling" them for years to come; resembles the Pirates/Twins M.O. and smacks of small market economics. <BR/><BR/> Conversely, 2.4 million, decried as second lowest for the first year of a new park in the "modern era" and only 19th in the league, but still respectable; consider, for example, the constant harping about "new one being able to find a place to park" as a chilling effect on crowds early in the seaso: now balanced out by higher numbers later in the year than one would have anticipated in light of the team's dismal record and lack of star power. The park has actually won a lot of folks over to it through the course of the year, I think.<BR/><BR/>Seattle is tanking faster than Wall Street, wishing only for double-headers so it can lose twice a day, rather than one, in the Strasburg sweepstakes. If the Marlins and Phillies take care of business, we still can lose one more, hopefully. No way the Nats can avoid signing the man, especially after the heat they took over Crow. Interesting that Bow-Bow seeks to have four 23 year-olds as our rotation next season: Martis and Zimmermann penciled in? That kind of expectation is criminal - and must change. Of those four, logic suggests only two can serve as Number 3 & Number 5 in true MLB rotation. Expectations like this killed this season - the Times has that point right...<BR/><BR/>Regardless of how dispirited employees may or may not be working for the Lerners: the team is at a point, with its four-five 23-24 year-olds regulars in the line-up, plus Guz, that if Nick Johnson were to be healthy, and one power hitter added to the line-up, along with one legit Number Two starter, that for $65 million or less, the team can play at or near .500 next year. And that would bring in 2.5 million or more fans, putting the team right in the middle of MLB for attendance.<BR/><BR/>Elite franchise? No. Disaster? Not, either. Potential to grow? Depends on how much Ted Lerner is willing to learn new tricks. And whether providence is kind for N.Johnson; A.Kearns; S.Hill; and D.Young, too.<BR/><BR/>Trust in Dog Obedience - Washington Times style. All Woof.SenatorNathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10049860385485455410noreply@blogger.com