tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post116731128765005155..comments2023-10-20T04:28:04.547-04:00Comments on Nats320 -- A Washington Nationals Blog: The Last Time I CheckedScreech's Best Friendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1170550853621764192007-02-03T20:00:00.000-05:002007-02-03T20:00:00.000-05:00Your article is very informative and helped me fur...Your article is very informative and helped me further. <BR/> <BR/>Thanks, DavidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167358797651392812006-12-28T21:19:00.000-05:002006-12-28T21:19:00.000-05:00Well, I'm with the plan. What I want to know is ho...Well, I'm with the plan. What I want to know is how to get the home replica Nats jersey Santa gave me customized, and when do individual game tickets get sold so I can buy tickets to Opening Day 2007?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167345725751854302006-12-28T17:42:00.000-05:002006-12-28T17:42:00.000-05:00El Gran Color Naranja: My post today had nothing t...El Gran Color Naranja: My post today had nothing to do with anything you have said. I appreciate everything that you, Phil Dunn and many others has posted here. And, its true what you said about so much looking brighter for this Franchise that we are focusing on a narrow aspect of what we all know we can give opinions on.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again for your comments. You do have the best user name on the blogs.Screech's Best Friendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167340537569687532006-12-28T16:15:00.000-05:002006-12-28T16:15:00.000-05:00I didn't mean to single you out, or be-little you ...I didn't mean to single you out, or be-little you in any way. I am sorry if you felt that I did. <BR/><BR/>I think 95% of Nats fans are in agreement -This team has a deep long-term need for repair in the minors. This team has an immediate desperate need for some pitching. But somehow, when we discuss what is really our feelings about whether we should give Nats management the benefit of the doubt in fixing these two problems based on what we've seen so far, it comes across as something else. <BR/><BR/>I think to some degree there is some frustration in these debates because we aren't arguing the same points. The "Pro" sides are generally arguing that the Lerners and Katsen's need our patience. The "Anti" side is arguing the fixing the minors and maintaining payrolls are not 100% dependent on eachother financially. Those arguments are related but not directly opposed. So we are, as I think Farid once said, arguing in circles past eachother. <BR/><BR/>Of course, we're discussing this so much because frankly - there isn't anything else to discuss. Which is a good thing. The team is generally set in all other areas. The stadium is apparently coming along swimmingly. We all agree on the long term plan for the minors. All we have to discuss is the pitching problem for 2007.Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738813756060133236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167339066437884912006-12-28T15:51:00.000-05:002006-12-28T15:51:00.000-05:00Brandon, Why are people so wrapped up about 2007?...Brandon, Why are people so wrapped up about 2007? Because everyone likes a winner or at least a chance of winning and because, like it or not, we live in an instant gratification world. Losing translates into empty seats, and there were lots of them at RFK last year. If fans didn't care about winning, they would have been at the ball park.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167335423090332312006-12-28T14:50:00.000-05:002006-12-28T14:50:00.000-05:00I really can't understand why people are so wrappe...I really can't understand why people are so wrapped around the axle about the 2007 season. The Lerners spent $450 million to buy this team with the intention of running it profitably for years to come. I am not at all suprised, nor disappointed, to see them re-allocating some short term payroll dollars to the stadium and other items that will pay off for the bottom line rather than top line expenses like payroll.<BR/><BR/>I understand what the anti-plan folks are saying; that the team doesn't need to forsake the 2007 season in the process of building for the future. I would argue that the team is in a critical window in the next 18 months that will make or break the fan experience for years to come. We just have this one shot to make the stadium great, for example. Once it's built, it's built, and after-the-fact upgrades and overhauls are expensive and disruptive. <BR/><BR/>We can argue the merits of relative competitiveness all winter, but the fact is that this current franchise could plow all available resources into payroll and still finish no better than third in the N.L. East. It's just not our time. But the time to get the whole franchise off to a good start, including the stadium, the scouts and other back-office operations that you and I don't even hear about, is now. <BR/><BR/>As for any alleged ad hominem attacks, let's all remember that we're doing this for fun, and we all want to see this new team that we love flourish for years to come.<BR/><BR/>Happy New Year. I'll be back blogging at Curly W after the holidays.<BR/><BR/>-BrandonBrandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11928284083910072694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167326400122243802006-12-28T12:20:00.000-05:002006-12-28T12:20:00.000-05:00Phil: No doubt, the timeline for fielding a compet...Phil: No doubt, the timeline for fielding a competitive team is far shorther than The Lerners may realize. Living off the so called "NEW BALLPARK" revenue and doing little else would be shortsighted--and kill the fan base. And, I, like you, would love to see them also invest in the Exterior of the new stadium. If done correctly with glass, as originally stated, would be great. On the field, Stan Kasten has stated, publicly, many times, the Nationals can be a winner in a far shorter time frame than he first envisioned, as soon as 2008. And, when the time comes, Ownership will jump into the Free Agent fray to fill in those needed players. <BR/><BR/>I think The Lerners will pony up that money, but as their business past has proven, only when the timing is right to move ahead in the game, not, just to stay stagnant.<BR/><BR/>Many of the their upcoming business moves, we really don't know. But, I truly feel that over the past 6 months, The Nationals Franchise has moved forward by leaps and bounds. And, I am hoping they will continue to do so. I am enjoying the ride. <BR/><BR/>And Farid: Yes, you are very smart--my friend.Screech's Best Friendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167325673946764722006-12-28T12:07:00.000-05:002006-12-28T12:07:00.000-05:00I am inclined to agree with Harper. The Lerners d...I am inclined to agree with Harper. The Lerners did not open their pocket books until they could spend on things that enhanced the bottom line. As I have said many times, they didn't pony up a dime to bring baseball here and then they announced they wouldn't spend any money on enhancing the beauty of the new stadium exterior. While I agree that rebuilding the farms system is a priority, these owners still have plenty of money to field a competitive team in the meantime. (Weren't we told they had deep pockets??) The Nats do not have a seasoned fan base so their approach is very risky. I, for one, will not spend another season going to games that are over by the third inning. The farm system might take five years or more to develop. The newness of the stadium will wear off long before that. Then we might be back to hearing about what a terrible baseball town DC is. The Lerners need to hit the ground running and and forget their obsession with the bottom line.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-1167325269278679192006-12-28T12:01:00.000-05:002006-12-28T12:01:00.000-05:00Huzzah, my friend. Huzzah. I respect all viewpoint...Huzzah, my friend. Huzzah. I respect all viewpoints regarding the Nationals, but for some reason, some on both sides are taking the whole thing so personally.<BR/><BR/>I don't get it.<BR/><BR/>I like the part about the flexing muscles / deflating others. Who ever said that must really be smart.<BR/><BR/>:)Farid Rushdihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07654439979916844730noreply@blogger.com