Ouch!

Outside, the sunshine pretends to make the day warm, but the reality is it's freezing and the wind is rattling the windows as winter launches one last attack before its death. Thirty-six days seems like an eternity when it is twenty-something degrees out. The mud is still hard and cold, even in Florida, and Brian Lawrence is packing his bags and heading to the surgeon's table. There's only one word to describe this, and I won't write it here, though it rhymes with luck, of which the Nats seem to have none. I hate having that "wait 'til next year" feeling in spring training, but...

Pray Rauch can step up to the mound.

Angelos is a devilos

Nats to Have Fewer Games Over the Air

The Washington Nationals yesterday announced a 2006 television schedule that reduces by nearly half the number of games that will be broadcast over the air, further limiting the team's exposure in the Baltimore-Washington region because major cable companies that dominate the market have not agreed to carry its games.

Make sure to bring your anti-Angelos signs to the Nats-O's games this season. I can't wait to go to Baltimore with Nats gear on and a sign that says something witty. We have a few months to come up with something good to combat this evil force that fights our saints day in and day out.

Pray that Angelos' O's have another poor season to spite him.

Twenty-six and always counting

Damon's Arrival Only Ups the Ante

The Yankees will spend more than $200 million on player salaries, which is nearly double the payrolls of the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals combined.

Wait, let me say that again:

The Yankees will spend more than $200 million on player salaries, which is nearly double the payrolls of the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals combined.

It's criminal, it really is. If the O's and the Nats had payrolls that high, they, too, would draw the crowds and would bring in more profits, thus perpetuating a cycle similar to the hated Yanks. Any club that fields a team of future Hall-of-Famers at the same time is going to wipe most other teams off the playoff map.

Some argue that the Yankees don't win every year, so the higher payroll doesn't make a difference. Um, hello? They've been to the playoffs every year since 1996 and won the WS four times in that span. Just because they choked at the last minute in the other years doesn't mean they aren't winning. As long as a team doesn't dismantle itself with injuries, a hyperpayroll does make a difference.

Justice would be Damon having a Guzman-like year. Pray he does just that.

Boycott!

I am seeking to take down Bygone Sports because of the whole Nationals trademark issue. Please join me in my personal boycott of anything with the Nationals name on it until that demon known as Michael Bergman and his ugly ass t-shirts stops his evil. (Curly Ws are allowed!) Actually, put a few extra Nats logos on your blogs, which is a copyright infringement.

Email bygonesportsllc@gmail.com to express your outrage, and email Michael Bergman personally at mbergman@lion-eyes.com and tell him not to be a jerk and settle before he ruins the name for all of us.



Take that, Michael Bergman!

Nats notes and bizarre stories of the day

On Thursday, some of the Nationals, including Ryan Church, Nick Johnson and Schneider, threw a farewell get-together for infielder Jamey Carroll last Thursday in Viera, Fla. Carroll was sold to the Rockies for $300,000 last week. Johnson said he was sorry to see his close friend leave the team.

"I'm going to miss him a lot," Johnson said. "He was a good friend. He played the game the way it was supposed to be played. He played hard. I plan to keep in contact with him."

But hey, at least we got the aged Damian Jackson and Royce Clayton and that jerk Robert Fick, right? [/sarc]
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Should we be concerned that the Nats pitching, which propelled the success of the entire 2005 season, is unstable? We can't have Hernandez and Patterson pitching every second or third day. I for one think the signing of Ramon Ortiz has to do with that whole mental disease of Bowden's that makes him sign everyone who has ever played with the Reds. I've heard that the Reds are going after Pedro Astacio. Surely Bowden's in that hunt, too. After all, isn't Astacio an aged hasbeen?
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In odd news, Cincy pitcher Josh Hancock was released for being fat.
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Redbirds Not Missing - Part Of Publicity Stunt

Mystery solved. It turns out 12 vinyl Cardinals missing from billboards in and around St. Louis, aren't really missing - because it's a publicity stunt.


Monday, Cardinal's media director Brian Bartow said they weren't acts of theft or vandalism. He said it was all part of the advertising plan and that the birds will show up on other billboards sometime soon.

Umm...why?
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Mets create mess giving Lima No. 42

Welcome to the first full day of workouts for pitchers and catchers, a picture-perfect snapshot of spring all over the St. Lucie complex.

With just one blemish...the sight of spring-training invitee Jose Lima in a No. 42 jersey blurred the picture just enough to taint it.

What the heck were the Mets thinking?

Give me a break. Lima is past his prime, and even when he was in his prime, he didn't deserve to wear 42. No one in the Majors today deserves to wear the number, except maybe some older coaches like Frank Robinson, who endured so much racism and so many death threats he had to leave Cincinnati. Jackie Robinson did something not simply for baseball, but for this entire nation. Lima simply runs his mouth.

I wonder how big this story will get.

Steinbrenner speaks - hope the world doesn't listen

In Steinbrenner's worldview, a classic distraction

George Steinbrenner finished his salad and stuffed shells, rose from the lunch table and headed for his ever-ready golf cart.

Such an image!

...when someone asked about the inaugural World Baseball Classic, Steinbrenner hit the brakes and took the bait.

"Well, we don't like it too well, because if a player gets hurt, he's risking a lot," Steinbrenner said. "But it was Selig's idea and he wants to do it, so I suppose we're going to do it."

Steinbrenner said his players were welcome to withdraw, but he would not tell them to.

In pinstripe language, doesn't that mean, "if you DO play, I'll make your life hell for awhile?"

Other than Selig, is there anyone worse for the game than Steinbrenner?

My kind of state

For one month out of the year, anyway.

Griffey has reported early to camp to get into baseball shape before he heads off to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. This guy was my favorite non-Reds player back in the day - I even had a poster of him on my wall. (He is my favorite Reds player now, especially with the departure of Casey.) That one sweet day he came to Cincy is one of my most revered baseball memories, and it was Bowden's best baseball move in his rather infamous career. Of course, the heartbreak that followed over the next few battered years was tough to take, but last year's numbers have washed some of those negative feelings away and put that spirited smile back on his face. Although there will always be the "what if?" when Griffey's name is mentioned in the history books, his career is far from over.

The spring restlessness has set in. I can nearly smell the hotdogs...

It's all about pitching!!!

These are Pitchers:



These are not Pitchers:


Yet they have been signed by the Reds, and they are on the baseball field right now, working out for the team who had the worst pitching in baseball last year. You would think that all effort would have been exerted to get some quality pitching rather than some hasbeens and neverweres. How will Dave Williams do? I suppose 10 - 11 is pretty good for pitching for the Pirates Offense.

Sporting News says this about the Reds:

In terms of upgrading the talent on the roster, it was a bad offseason for Cincinnati. Aside from the addition of Williams, a pitching staff in need of an extreme makeover was only tweaked. The Reds never landed a top-end starting pitcher or an established closer. The only plus to the loss of Sean Casey is it allows Adam Dunn to move to first base, which opens left field for Wily Mo Pena and right field for Austin Kearns, both of whom finally will get to play every day.

MLB.com says this:

The biggest issue facing the team this spring is assembling a pitching staff with depth. Cincinnati ranked at the bottom of the National League in several categories in 2005 but made few significant changes to the 2006 staff. The club also did not find an established closer.

Last year, I was excited at the Reds prospects. This year, I feel last place coming on. But hey, miracles can happen, right?

At least we have better ownership and hope in Krivsky.

Dreaming of Summer

They're packing their bags to head for Florida. Pitchers and catchers will report to spring training at the end of this week. The first breath of this year's life is about to be taken, a rushing warm feeling of energy and rebirth. I sit restless, staring out an office window at the remnants of a winter's storm, dreaming of hot dogs and cheering and shorts and sunshine. The waiting is always eternal, isn't it? The cold slows time, teasing us with a spot of warmth here and there, only to rip us back into the reality of the season, torturing us with the memories of a Dunn homerun or a Patterson strikeout. I pull my Reds winter cap over my head, step outside of the office, and wish I could turn left instead of right and head down to the Metro to catch a game at RFK.

Our dearly departed Jamey

All the more proof that Bowden is one of Satan Selig's henchmen, plaguing the Earth with his evil deeds and destroying good wherever he encounters it.

In the article on MLB.com, we receive a brief explanation for this evil act. "Bowden was bothered by the fact that the Nats' bench was unproductive in 2005, and he didn't feel Carroll was a good fit. Carroll didn't drive in enough runs and some in the organization felt that he was not good enough defensively to replace a player like Guzman."

On Basil's post about this wanton deed, I said, "Um... you have to have players ON BASE to drive in runs. The bench was unproductive? The STARTERS were unproductive. Kind of hard to have meaningful pinch hits when your starters don't get on base."

As far as defense goes, he doesn't have the springboard range of an everyday starter, but he is one of the most fundamentally sound players in the game. He's simply not going to screw up, not only on physical errors, but mental ones as well, and we all know mental errors are just as bad as the Es on the scoreboard.

In selling Carroll, Bowden has rid the team of the one infielder who isn't going to bitch about his playing time. While the bench will be full of aged hasbeens and former semi-stars, no doubt there will be some unhappiness spilling from the clubhouse onto the field.

Jamey is proof that you can be a fan favorite and not be a superstar. He's a real class act. I wish him luck and hope he gets a chance to play in Colorado.

Pray that Bowden suddenly loses the ability to grip a pen so he can't make anymore stupid moves.

This site under construction

I'm still working on this site, for anyone who may visit. I am busy redesigning and have not concentrated so much on content yet, but I am getting closer to something I like. (Blogger is a pill to redesign!) This site will be under construction all weekend, though I will post something. 51 days until Opening Day!

Internet Explorer users - this page may not view correctly. I'm trying to get it right, but there's a two pixel difference and the right sidebar (the Nats side) keeps dropping to the bottom. Argh. Step out of the dark ages and use Firefox! ;) Free download here. Come on, everyone is doing it!

(Isn't the photo beautiful?)

A prayer

NOT AGAIN!!!!! Fehr: No collective bargaining soon

Collective bargaining for a new basic agreement won't formally begin anytime soon, the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association told a gathering of media, advertisers and baseball executives at the 16th Annual Bay Area Baseball Luncheon on Thursday.

The current agreement expires on Dec. 19.

"There's a long time between now and December," said Don Fehr. "Let's hope we don't use all of it."

The only person worse for baseball than Fuhrer Selig is Comrade Fehr.

Pray there is not another strike, unless it is Patterson pitching.

Today's Sermon: Long shot

MLB.com has this to say about the Nats:

The Nationals added Soriano, Brian Lawrence and Ramon Ortiz to essentially the same bunch that went 81-81 last season. The pitching staff, led by Livan Hernandez, John Patterson (3.13 ERA last season) and closer Chad Cordero (league-leading 47 saves) has the potential to be good again this season. Having Soriano should help even more, as Washington's weak spot last year was an anemic offense. The Nationals finished last in the league in both batting average and runs.

Projected regular-season finish: Fourth place

Biggest Spring Training challenge: Convincing Soriano to move to left field, which would enable the Nationals to keep a now-healthy Jose Vidro at second, would make Washington stronger offensively and defensively.

Best position battles: The back end of the rotation behind Hernandez and Patterson looks like a dogfight. Four veterans -- Ortiz, Lawrence, Tony Armas Jr. and Ryan Drese -- will battle it out for three spots.

Wild Card: The Nationals stayed in contention longer than most observers gave them a chance to last season. Perhaps adding Soriano and good health from regulars like Vidro, Nick Johnson, Jose Guillen and Brian Schneider, might be enough to boost the Nationals a half-dozen wins or so higher in 2006. If so, that would likely put Washington in contention again.

While it is true that the Mets and Braves are better on paper, the fact is that the Mets had a decent team last year and flopped. The Braves, well? The Braves. I'm sick of the Braves and hate them nearly as much as the Yanks. I don't see the Phils finishing above the Nats unless Washington's injuries take the toll they did last year. I'm liking the Nats prospects this year. It's all about the pitching (and a new powerful bat in the lineup.)

Picture this, a beautiful sunny April day, Livan is getting ready to take the mound. 45K sit in the stands, awaiting the first pitch of the new year, a .500 season of disappointment still lingering in their anxious hearts. A decent April, a better May, a June equal to last year's. First place in the division, the talk of the country. Deja vu. An injury. Soriwhino has the team bickering in the clubhouse. Another injury. Tim Russert stuffing hot dog after hot dog through his fat face. No owner. The heartbreaking sound of another broken bat out, another loss. It can't happen again, can it?

Bowden gives Brandon Larsen a minor league contract, a neverwas who never was hitting? What is this, Cincinnati, 1998? Instead of developing prospects, we're going to have the highest payroll of all minor league organizations, a payroll full of hasbeens and neverweres. Oh, the agony of suffering through a season with Bowden. As a Reds fan, I had to do it for years. Why must he follow me everywhere? And why must Branden Larsen, too?

The heartbreak is starting. Maybe MLB.com is right. Fourth place? A long shot?

Pray that Soriwhino takes the outfield position and keeps his mouth shut.

A prayer

Please, Sammy, DON'T take the contract. We don't need an aged, 'roidless, extra outfielder taking up a chunk of our payroll. We prefer to remember you as the Cub who raced McGuire for the record, who hit 60+ three times, who sprinted out to the outfield like you were just happy to be playing baseball. Don't be another one of those players who tarnish a brillant career by lingering around.

Today's Sermon: Approaching Baseball's Holiday

I've been a Reds fan since before I was born.

I saw my first game as a one-year old in Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego. My mother is from Dayton and my family has been rooting for Cincinnati for generations, so when my mother moved out to Southern California and I first drew breath from the living air, I inherited the love for the Reds. Five years later, we were in Dayton, where I remained for 20 years and saw countless Reds games in dear old Riverfront Stadium (may it rest in peace.)

I remember teachers turning on the television for Opening Day in elementary school, and I would rush home between the third and fourth innings so I wouldn't miss a pitch. Back in those days, I was never allowed to miss school; now, I make sure I take Opening Day off. It's a holiday. Just because I don't live in Cincinnati doesn't mean I shouldn't celebrate, right? In these days of technology, I can watch my Reds online, which is great. (Every so often I can get 700 WLW out here on the radio in DC. I think it was Jack Kerouac who said 700 WLW reaches half of America.) Still, none of this is the same as going to Opening Day. I've never been. Well, maybe one day...

I did have the good fortune of going to the Nats' home opener last year. It was the second best baseball game I had ever been to, the first being the World Series game at Pac Bell Park in good old San Fran. Love those Giants! (It will always be Pac Bell to me, my weekend playground and my favorite ballpark.)

55 days and counting...

Pray that Opening Day weather is sunny and 70 degrees.

Today's Sermon: Thank God football is over

Congrats to Ben, but bring on baseball! Brings me back to my days at Miami U when I used to sit out at the baseball games doing my homework and preparing for classes. Free baseball, spring, free baseball...ah, the memories.

Georgetown has its first game on Saturday at Williamsburg, and the first homegame is on the 25th. Here's the schedule. Something to tide us over until Opening Day.

Pray we have a beautiful spring with fountains of baseball.

Today's Sermon: 160 games

Vidro targeting 160 games in 2006

Nationals second baseman Jose Vidro said his goal is to play 160 games in 2006. If he reaches that plateau, it will be the first time since 2002 that Vidro was injury free.

Fat chance. He only played in 87 games last year and 110 in 2004.

Personally, I've always like Vidro. I felt sorry for him when he played for Montreal, because he was the best second baseman for awhile but received zero attention. I liked his leadership last year with the Nats, too, but he was only on the field half the year. (Oddly, his return to the diamond coincided with the Nats' collapse in the second half.) Good luck, Jose. A return to form would be welcome.

I suppose this is why Bowden feels the need to sign every aged has-been infielder to minor league contracts and Soriwhino, too. There are plenty who can fill Vidro's spot when he goes down again. Frankly, Carroll did a damn good job last year taking the role. Poor guy is forgotten in all of this infield mess.

Pray Vidro's health can give him those 160 games.

Today's Sermon: I called him Flippy

Another error - I was sick of them. Who was this clutz, this guy who was supposed to inherit the position that would be vacated by my favorite player and childhood hero, Barry Larkin? Felipe Lopez came up, couldn't field, couldn't hit...I kept wondering why the Reds would not just give up on him. 15 errors in 50 games? .213 average? I was excited when they signed Rich Aurilia, whom I had like when I rooted for the Giants while living in California. Suddenly, though, this clutz started making plays. He started hitting. And then he was an All-Star.

It remains to be seen if he can have another year like last. My skeptism is based on a profound annoyance with him that I still haven't been able to shake. Still not sure he's worth $2.7 million.

Pray he can have another good season.

Today's Sermon: The heat is on

It feels like Baseball!

But this is only February, and we still have two weeks until pitchers and catchers report to spring training (oh, what a glorious hymn that is, music to my ears!) Yet, it is mid-fifties and the smell of burgers has infiltrated the air. My soul pines for the aroma of hot dogs and the sweet sound of a buzzing crowd and the crack of the bat.

Global climate change is occuring before our eyes. Does that mean we get more baseball in a year? Maybe more heat will allow new Nats shortstop Royce Clayton to stretch out those aged muscles and make him more effective than Guzman (guess that's not hard to do, eh?)

Pray that we don't get baked by the sun in the next few years.

Daily Prayer: Save us from this woman!

Private Stadium Funding Canceled

The decision not to use the Deutsche Bank plan could be politically damaging to Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp (D), who is running for mayor and who led the council's charge to find private financing.

YES! Bye, bye, Linda Crapp. You've done your best to destroy DC baseball, but divine punishment from the Baseball God is heading your way.

I'm starting to feel like RFK will stand forever. PLEASE, Baseball God, rescue us from that dreadful pit of despair.