Nationals Look on the Bright Side – The Post
Nats are ready to believe – The Wash. Times
Good morning! Baseball returns today (or last night if you are a Phillies or Braves fan) with the Nats down in Florida to face the Marlins for some reason to start the season. Mark Lerner The Wash. Times shares in my befuddlement, though Stan Kasten* does not, on this one. Nothing says Opening Day like a half-empty football stadium, but then again, Nats Home Opener sales are not too great right now either, so who are we to talk?
I made my prediction yesterday and hope they exceed it. I really expect this to be one of the “better” seasons we’ve had so far. So far, I would say only two of the four seasons (2005 and 2007) have been tolerable by traditional baseball measurements and not the “we haven’t had a team for 33 years” metric.
Manager Manny Acta has his hands full this year with some promising, but very young pitchers (The Post) as well as a couple of castoffs from elsewhere. He also has too many outfielder/first base types, but not enough middle infielders. The Opening Day roster is here. Today’s starting lineup is as follows:
1. Lastings Milledge — CF
2. Cristian Guzman — SS
3. Ryan Zimmerman — 3B
4. Adam Dunn — LF
5. Nick Johnson — 1B
6. Austin Kearns — RF
7. Ronnie Belliard — 2B
8. Jesus Flores — C
9. John Lannan — P
Austin Kearns earned the right field job with a strong spring after a bad 2008. This is a setback for Elijah Dukes, but while he may be the future in right, his bad spring held him back. As much as I would like to see Dukes develop, I agree with not just handing him the job. Hopefully, he will take it well and improve his game. That also means Josh Willingham is the fifth outfielder which can’t be a lot of fun for him after being a starter with the Marlins last year. Slugger Adam Dunn is in left and occasionally first base. Cristian Guzman has shortstop locked up and I expect him to regress at the plate after signing a big contract, just because there is precedence for that happening with him. With Anderson Hernandez on the DL, newly svelte Ronnie Belliard is at second. At third of course is the face of the franchise Ryan Zimmerman, who announced he will not negotiate for a new contract during the season (The Post). Don’t worry about it though, he is here for the next few years. He may even sign something today, but I doubt it. At first base, Nick Johnson has the job until he gets hurt, so by the bottom of the second, Dunn or Willingham will probably be wearing a first baseman’s glove. Jesus Flores is the catcher and lastly, Lastings Milledge is the centerfielder and leadoff hitter. Given that Milledge is going to be an “agressive leadoff hitter” (The Post), I think you can say he is in the wrong spot at the plate and in the field.
Up I-95, my AL team is opening in Balmer for some reason. Frankly, having the Orioles host true Opening Day is terrible and the Yankees are not unworthy enough to have to face the Orioles. Hopefully, C.C. Sabathia will shut them out those subsidized cowards.
Back down here, I am looking forward to introducing my son to Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler on the ride home from daycare. Will has a Nats onesie, windsuit and cap to wear tomorrow (and next Monday too). I cannot wait!
PLAY BALL!
* We will always get July 4 though.
