Stadium Cost Rises But Stays Below Cap – The Post
Project Passes Legal Hurdle; Architect Picked
PHEW! This was what had me very concerned. The good news is the big financing estimate from Natwar M. Gandhi, chief financial officer, for the site acquisition and cleanup is within the parameters set in the final legislation. The heroic Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) had this to say in the original version of this article from last night:
This is a go. This is what we’ve been waiting for and now we can start to move aggressively to acquire property, do environmental cleanup and infrastructure and design. All have to be completed by April 2006, so we can get in the ground and get started…No question there will be a debate over the numbers. But we have a process. We followed the process and the stadium is a go and we can move ahead expeditiously.
Adrian Fenty (D-Ward 4), continued to be critical of the project. Linda Cropp (D, at-large) wants to save as much money as possible.
Check this graphic for a breakdown of costs.
HOK Sport to design Nationals’ home – The Wash. Times
HOK, designer of 10 of the last 14 ballparks is the chosen one. They are taking about stone and glass in the design. I am all for the stone, but skeptical of the glass.
Exhibition game unlikely to sell out – The Wash. Times
Why not? Folks, we have been waiting for this for 34 years! If you don’t already have tickets, go get some.
More from The Wash. Examiner: City hopes to knock it out of the park
Nats chop down Braves in extra innings – AP/The Wash. Examiner
¡LIVAN! pitched eight innings of one run ball and had two RBIs. There was trouble out of the bullpen though. Joe Horgan blew the W for ¡LIVAN!, but J.J. Davis had a walkoff HR to seal the win.
Also of note, Julio Franco is alive and playing for the Braves. I think he started with the Philadelphia A’s.
Also see Blanco, Davis In; Baerga Out? (The Post) and Blanco seems to have made roster (The Wash. Times)
Guzman’s Turn to Lead Off – The Post
Top Spot in Order Remains A Problem for Nationals
Cristian Guzman is fairing no better than Endy Chavez at the top of Frank Robinson’s clipboard, so it should be no surprise that The Wash. Times article is called Wilkerson likely choice to lead off.
MLB, O’s Agree On Sports Network – The Post
Shared Ownership Would Include Nats Broadcasts
Details have emerged in the ongoing coddling of Peter Angelo$. It looks like Channel 20-WDCA will get over seventy games this year. Apparently, a new network is being called Mid-Atlantic Sports is being formed and will initially be owned by MLB and Angelo$. No figures on who owns how much though.
More from The Wash. Times: Nationals’ TV picture clearing up
More from The Sun: Orioles, MLB reach tentative deal on TV network to show Nationals and D.C.’s Channel 20 gears for broadcasts of Nats
Thomas Boswell – When You Crunch the Numbers, The Nats Don’t Get Creamed – The Post
I almost missed this column. Boswell thinks we are in for a lot of one-run games.
A GM must make the tough decisions – Florida Today
Jim Bowden is talking to Scott Brown (’94 Journ) again.
Tim Kurkjian – National pastime belongs in nation’s capital – ESPN.com
We don’t need national columnists to validate the existence of baseball in D.C. to us, but it is still kind of cool.
O’S FANS JUMPING SHIP
You can add Basil Tsimpris of Nationals Inquirer to the list of people who wanted to be Nats and Orioles fans, but had to jump off the black and orange ship that is sinking like so many Pride of Baltimores. He can no longer support the Birds because of the behavior of Angelo$, who is intent on seeing that a self-fufilling/defeating prophecy comes true.
Tom Boswell’s had an excellent column about Angelo$ destroying the Oriole Way and running everyone (John Miller, Mel Proctor, Davey Johnson, Cal Ripken, etc.) out of the organization/ballpark. You have subscribe to the Nationals newsleter to get it, which is worth doing if you are a Nats fan. You can also try going here to read it. The link will probably be good for a week, until the next newsletter goes up.
I am not an Orioles fan, but when I was younger, I could say that I was one. That ended when the Yankees woke up from their slumber and I focused all my energy on them, rather than sharing any with Baltimore. That being said, generally I only wish for them to finish behind the Yankees, not to fail and go belly-up. I like their ballpark and what it meant for the sport. The city is an interesting place and I admire the pride the people take in it and the state of Maryland in general. So, when I call them a sinking ship, I do it to point out just what Angelo$ has done, not to cruel.
I have been boycotting Camden Yards for a few years now because of his behavior. I was ready to return this year to see the Yankees play, but after insisting that I “did not exist” and then demanding that he and only he is entitled to my business, I cannot see giving Angelo$ another penny ever again. It is a shame, I enjoyed my many trips to Camden Yards. Perhaps the next Baltimore owner will fix the situation and we can have a friendly rivalry where I can feel comfortable giving that organization my money. It did not have to be this way, but Angelo$ left me (and many others) no choice.
SAY IT AIN’T SO SVRLUGA!
Yesterday, we learned that Nationals Journal, featuring Barry Svrluga,the greatest beat writer in Washington Nationals history, is closing up shop. It will be missed.