Nationals’ Transition Extends Off Field – The Post
Barry Svrluga gets Stan Kasten on the record about the Rosenthal columns from last week. Some excerpts:
The Lerners have gone from owning businesses whose operations were essentially out of the public spotlight to taking on a franchise that Ted Lerner’s son Mark — one of the Nationals’ four principal owners — called “a public trust.”
snip
Ted Lerner has rarely spoken in public since his family took over the club. Mark Lerner — who, with brothers-in-law Robert K. Tanenbaum and Edward L. Cohen, serves as a principal in the ownership structure — declined to be interviewed for this story, referring questions to Kasten. But in an interview just before the season started in April, Mark Lerner said the family is still familiarizing itself with the business of baseball, a process he said “could take two or three years.”
“We bought a business, a business that really wasn’t run very well,” Lerner said. “It was given to us in a very poor state. Our first goal was to get our arms around the business, whether it was baseball, football or selling meat.”
snip
And while Kasten is loath to give specific payroll projections for next season, he did offer a scenario. “Say we had $30 million to improve in the offseason,” he said. “Who goes out there in November with $30 million burning a hole in your pocket? I can say to anyone, ‘Come talk to me.’ ” He stressed that such a number was an example, not a hard figure.
And while Kasten is loath to give specific payroll projections for next season, he did offer a scenario. “Say we had $30 million to improve in the offseason,” he said. “Who goes out there in November with $30 million burning a hole in your pocket? I can say to anyone, ‘Come talk to me.’ ” He stressed that such a number was an example, not a hard figure.
Screech’s Best Friend has a lengthly interview with Kasten as well.
Jerome Williams is scheduled to take John Patterson’s spot in the rotation on Tuesday. Williams looked good (The Wash. Times) in his AAA rehab start. Patterson’s elbow has no structural damage (nationals.com) by the way. Josh Wilson is now a Devil Ray too.
Manny Acta relies on Successories (The Wash. Times) to keep a positive attitude.
The Marlins are in town as the Nats begin a 10-game homestand tonight. Shawn Hill looks for win #3 vs. Scott Olsen.