A Move in the Right Direction... FINALLY!

I know I've neglected my blog the past couple of weeks, and for those who follow my musings closely, I dearly apologize. Times have been a little rough and busy recently, and I will resume my normal writing schedule soon. Today I take a break from my usual political ranting (though I will have a doozy of a political post once the Sotomayor confirmation hearings are completed) and talk about sports.

I am an avid sports fan. I LOVE ALL my DC sports teams, even though they will probably lead me to an early death because of the indigestion and disappointment they bring each year, in some way or another. Now, before the Expos moved to DC and became the Nationals, I was an avid Orioles fan. I still watch their games, still root for them (except when they play the Nats), but I am a home team guy. I try to make an occasional Nats game or two a month when the season's in play, watch them all the time on the teevee machine. The high points, and the many, many, many, many, many, many low points.

This season, however, has shaved about ten years from my life expectancy.

This season has been an abject, complete failure. I can deal with losing. I may HATE it, but I understand that a team is not going to win every game. But the way that the Nationals have lost games this are just downright unbelievable! Not being able to catch a routine fly ball, missing the second base bag and costing the team a run and an out (Adam Dunn, this past Saturday, even though the Nats blew out the Astros 14-2), a bullpen that absolutely collapses after the 6th inning, among many, many others. To watch a Nats game is like looking at blood, you better have an extremely strong stomach, and a lot of Maalox. Or Tums. Or a stomach pump.

Today, well last night, the Nationals fired Manny Acta, the manager for the past 2 1/2 seasons. Now all the blame can't be placed on Acta. He is a very knowledgeable manager, but was not the right manager for this team. Well, I don't really know who really is for the team as currently constructed. My brother's little league team is better than this team. The Nats have absolutely NO bullpen, NO one who can play an ounce of defense, except for Nyjer Morgan, who was acquired for Lastings Milledge, NO one willing to play situational baseball (move a runner over, bunt for a base hit, hit a sacrifice to move over or score a runner, etc.), a crapshoot middle infield, outfielders afraid to charge the ball or make the tough catch (besides Morgan). NOTHING!

This team should be completely blown up. Castrated. Stripped to the core. Hit the reset button. Here's who should be saved: The starting rotation. The Nationals have an excellent up-and-coming young core of starters in John Lannan, Shairon Martis, Jordan Zimmerman, Scott Olsen, Craig Stammen, and Ross Detwiler. Lannan has the stuff to be an ace. Jordan is one of the game's most promising rookie starters. Stammen just pitched a complete game against the Astros. Winning in the majors begins and ends with great pitching, and the Nationals' rotations has the ability and talent to be one of the game's best, with further development. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is the face of the franchise. With Zimmy, Adam Dunn, and Josh Willingham anchoring the 3-4-5 spots in the lineup, you have a trio that can easily hit over 100 homeruns a season. Jesus Flores is a remarkable young catcher. Morgan has what it takes to be a star centerfielder. If Mike MacDougal can control his wildness, he can be an outstanding closer.

Everyone else: Trade. Cut. Release. Send to Mars. Bury them in the Red Sea, whatever. They have to go! This season has been a complete embarrassment. Steps have been taken to try and righten the ship, by forcing the disaster named Jim Bowden to resign, trading Milledge, sending down Elijah Dukes, and, now, firing Manny Acta. Hopefully, in the offseason, our penny-pinching owners will open up the wallet, land one major free agent, get some serviceable players who can play defense, small ball, the little things, and hire a competent, energetic, fiery manager, and maybe the Nationals will become respectable and not the national punchline they currently are at the present.

It's been done before. The Tigers hit rock bottom in 2004, and less than 2 years later they were in the World Series. The Marlins fire-sold their team, TWICE, and they've won 2 world championships. The Celtics did it in the NBA in 2008. The question is: Will this be a sign of change for the Nationals, or just the same? We'll see in the coming months...

Be blessed.