The Nationals Enquirer

Let the Bryce Harper Gag Order(s) Begin!

(Video above: The first hit of Bryce Harper's college career, last night in his College of Southern Nevada debut)

"I can't say anything about Bryce Harper."
(Jeff Zona, via Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1/30/2010)

That's okay, Jeff. Even Bryce Harper can't say anything about Bryce Harper these days.

With the Nationals' Bob Boone, Roy Clark, Kris Kline, and Jeff Zona in attendance and most likely heeding a gag order from GM Mike Rizzo, Bryce Harper made his College of Southern Nevada debut last night, going 1-3 with 2 RBI, a sac fly, a walk, a stolen base, and a throwing error -- reports Todd Dewey of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Dewey described a circus-like atmosphere at last night's game (via LVRJ):

Coyotes coach Tim Chambers said 40 scouts attended Thursday's practice at CSN and estimated about 100 were at the game...

...witnessed by the largest crowd in the program's 11-year history, about 1,300.

In a Las Vegas Sun article on Friday, Ray Brewer details the lockdown on access to Harper that's been put in place for this season as the 17 year old prodigy prepares for the June draft. It's called a gag order, people! (via Las Vegas Sun, 1/29/2010):

No autographs, handshakes, interviews or conversations. Just baseball.

"It became relentless after the Sports Illustrated article," CSN coach Tim Chambers said. "He would have to stay after games for an hour and a half signing autographs."

Meanwhile, the Nationals remain decidedly noncommittal when speaking about Bryce Harper at all. During the now infamous interview with Jim Bowden on XM/Sirus's Power Alley on Wednesday, Mike Rizzo stuck to the script when Jimbo asked about Harper (via DC Sports Bog):

"Bryce certainly would be one of the guys we'd talk about. We had ourselves a little bit of a mock draft here a couple weeks ago, we brought in all our amateur guys to discuss that. We set up a top 100. There's several [players] I think that'll be involved in the first pick. I'm gonna try to see somewhere around 30 or 40 players this year in the amateur draft. We've got a really good set of amateur scouts that I trust, and I think it's gonna be a strong draft year, and I think we're gonna have a strong draft."

Expect more of the same from both sides as another battle with Scott Boras looms this summer.

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Tony Plush meets Smokin' Al

 

(Photo of TV by Nationals Enquirer staff. Smokin' Al Koken interviews Tony Plush -- a.k.a. Nyjer Morgan -- on Comcast Sports Net between periods during Friday night's Caps/Panthers game.)

With a cast of Nationals players in attendance at Friday night's Caps/Panthers game at Verizon Center as the Drew Storen Caravan continues rolling through DC/MD/VA, Nyjer Morgan showed of his "hockey mentality" during an interview with Comcast Sports Net's Smokin' Al Koken between the first and second periods - wearing a Caps lid, no less. Mr. Plush discussed the following topics: his hand (100%); Nats Fest (Sunday); his days playing minor league hockey; and his all-time favorite hockey player (Mario). Mr. Plush finished by providing some analysis of the first period. Can't wait to see what he can do for a full season patrolling CF this season.

Meanwhile...

• Of course, the biggest news of the day -- from the Nationals' Hot Stove Luncheon for season ticket-holders  -- is that Adam Dunn and the Nats have started talking about a contract extension. Over at MASN Sports.com, Ben Goessling describes a priceless scene as the topic came up during Q and A:

  The subject was first broached by a fan's question, after which Dunn stood, began leading his own round of applause and did a deadpan staredown of owner Mark Lerner.

  Wonder if Mark gave his patented "two thumbs up" response to Dunn's staredown? 

• Goessling provides a nice recap of the Hot Stove Luncheon, during which Dunn claimed that Orlando Hudson's first choice is to sign with the Nats.

• Earlier today, the Nats announced the signing of the ancient Miguel Batista to a minor league deal. Unclear if he'll compete for a spot in the rotation or bullpen.

• After reading Dave Sheinin's recap of the Bacsik-Bonds #756 at bat, and listening to Mark Zuckerman talk about Bacsik/Bonds and about Tim Redding's clubhouse presence on an appearance on ESPN 980's The Sports Fix earlier this afternoon, we've come to the following conclusions: 1. Tim Redding is a prick. 2. Tim Redding was not a popular figure in the Nats' clubhouse  3. Mike Bacsik is a nice guy. 4. Bacsik didn't groove one to Bonds; that meatball down the middle was an attempt to "challenge" the HR King. Oh, and best wishes to Bacsik: his wife is/was expected to deliver their third child today.

• Update (via @MikeBacsik)! Mike Bacsik and family welcomed a healthy baby boy into the world today. How come they didn't name him Tim?

  "The Bacsik family would like to welcome Cal Henry to the family. A healthy baby boy!!!" (Mike Bacsik, via Twitter, 1/29/2009)

• Mark Zuckerman's new blog, NatsInsider, launches on Monday.

• FJB would like some of what the BP guys are smoking. PECOTA projects 82 wins for the Nats. You gotta love those computers on drugs.

• The Artist Formerly Known as Oleanders and Morning Glories seems to agree with Ryan Zimmerman that the 2010 Nats can be a 63 win team. He examines, in two parts, how much better the 2010 Nats will be than the 2009 model. How much better? How much better? - Part 2.

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Bacsik and Redding should settle this feud with a steel cage match.

 

(AP Photo. August 7, 2007: Barry Bonds waits for Mike Bacsik to finish warming up prior to #756. Tim Redding would tell you Bacsik threw harder during warmups.)

So, Capitol Punishment emerges from Blog Purgatory and promptly lights a small fire on the internet, with a simple post in reaction to a throwaway interview with Tim Redding on XM/Sirius last night: Redding contends that Mike Bacsik grooved a pitch to Barry Bonds for Bonds' record breaking 756th HR.

Not surprisingly, Dan Steinberg appears today with an expanded transcription of Redding's interview in hand at DC Sports Bog, and the fire spreads. Next thing you know, USA Today picks up the story online.

Then, Mike Bacsik stands up and defends himself (on Twitter, naturally), and confirms what we all already knew: Mike didn't groove one to Barry  for #756, he was just crappy. At least, that's what he'd like us to believe. Via @MikeBacsik:

For everyone on my page that needs a denial; I didn't try to give up the homerun. I was crappy enough to do it without trying.
(Mike Bacsik, via Twitter, 1/27/2010)

So there you have it.

Meanwhile, Mike doesn't sound pleased with former teammate Tim Redding:

If somebody would have asked me, what teammate will say you tried to give up a homerun? After laughing my answer would have been Tim Redding.
(Mike Bacsik, via Twitter, 1/27/2010)

Tim Redding: Bad teammate. Or so says Mike Bacsik.

So, we propose that once Redding gets dumped from the Rockies later this summer the Nationals should hold a steel cage match promotion at Nationals Park pitting the two former teammates against each other to settle this feud once and for all. Throw in a couple of bobbleheads, and, VOILA! Mike Bacsik vs. Tim Redding Bobblehead/Steel Cage Match Night would be complete.

Sadly, at the moment, more people care about this Mike Bacsik/Tim Redding feud than baseball's HR King. Is Barry Bonds even alive?

*Sigh* Any word on Orlando Hudson? How many days until pitchers and catchers report?

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He's just not that into you.

 

(AP Photo. Livan Hernandez is apparently the backup plan for Mike Rizzo's backup plan. Or maybe not in Rizzo's plans at all.)

"[My agent and I] sent a proposal. I'm waiting for Rizzo to call me back, so I don't know what's going on. I called him a couple of times, and he never called me back. I want to go back to the Washington Nationals."
(Livan Hernandez, via Natioanls.com, 1/27/2010) 

Poor Livo, waiting by the phone.

Rizzo won't call back!

Livan Hernandez wants to return to Washington - but the feeling doesn't appear to be mutual.

Now, we sort of figured all along that Livo would inevitably land back in Washington after all other possibilities had been exhausted. But if Mike Rizzo really isn't even returning his calls...maybe the Nationals really just aren't interested. At all.

About all Livo has going for himself now is his reputation as an innings eater. In his eight starts with the Nats in 2009 after being picked up off the scrap pile, he mostly delivered on that promise, pitching into the 6th inning in six of those eight starts (6, 8, 5, 7.1, 6, 3.2, 6.1, 6.1), for a total of 48.2 IP. But most of those starts were a mixed bag, and several were complete disasters. At the very least, the results (2-4, 5.36 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) were better than Daniel Cabrera. So,maybe Livo can still eat innings, but is it worth it if those innings are garbage? If Rizzo is unwilling or unable to take a chance on the remaining old/tired/injured/ etc. FA arms still hanging around on the market (Smoltz, Washburn, Wang, Bedard, etc.), are the Nats better off just taking a shot with one of the current in house arms for the rotation?

Here's more from Livan from that Nationals.com piece:

"When I call people, I would like them to respond to my phone calls and talk to me. Sometimes, it's very disappointing and frustrating. ... I want to show that I can help the team win. It's better now by signing Ivan and a couple of more guys."

Pick up the phone, Mike. Give Livo a call. Let him down gently if you're just not that into him.

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"Mark Lerner" chats with Nats fans...

(AP Photo. Mark Lerner, seen here possibly losing a thumb war against himself last summer at Nationals Park.)

More soft stuff than a Livan Hernandez start!

"Mark Lerner" (a.k.a. Mark Lerner and the rest of the Nationals marketing folks who weren't lucky enough to be out on the road for the first day of the Nats Winter Caravan) held an online chat with Nationals fans yesterday on Nationals dot com.

We certainly appreciate the owner taking some time out of his busy schedule for this chat with "fans", but when every question reads like a plant, and every answer seems canned...well...it all came across feeling...like a colossal waste of time.

Exhibit A, The Appreciative Season Ticket Holder chimes in:

bflojack: Season ticket holder here. Just wanted to say thanks for staying the course for this team. As we've seen with the Caps, a long-term strategy bears much better fruit for the sustainability of the franchise.

Lerner:: Ted Leonsis is a dear friend and mentor and is an innovative, effective owner. I have said many times that Ted has been a great influence on me ever since we first met. He laid out a plan for building a winner and it is paying off. I think the model he used with the Capitals is pretty much what we're doing with the Nats now. He also advised me that patience would be required for a long-term plan, but that the wait is worth it.

There was maybe one interesting moment during the proceedings, Lerner's answer to the following question:

natsfantx: Long term, do you see the Nationals having a top 10 payroll in MLB?

After droning on again about building the franchise the right way from the ground up like Stan Kasten said to and blah blah blah, Lerner said:

Lerner:: .... I would anticipate that our payroll will continue to grow as our team grows and becomes more successful. I certainly do envision the day that our payroll is in the top ten.

We can now envision the day that the "Lerners are Cheeeeep!!" calls go away!

Meanwhile...

• The Bowden/Rizzo interview on XM/Sirius yesterday was compelling radio. We Tweeted along some of the highlights while listening to it live, of course butchering the highlights in 140 characters or less...thankfully DC Sports Bog and Federal Baseball lovingly transcribed the interview for posterity.

• Strasburg ranked #2, Storen #40, on MLB Network's Top 50 prospect rankings.

• Mike Bacsik grooved it? You don't say!

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Sidney Ponson is still available.

(Photo by Reuters. Yes, Sir Sidney is available. It could come to that.)

Is Odalis Perez available?

How about Pedro Astacio?

Scratch two more names off the wish list:

Jon Garland to San Diego. Ben Sheets to Oakland.

The list of options to "upgrade" the Nats' 2010 rotation keeps getting shorter by the day. So, why not just get it over with and announce the inevitable signing of big fat Livan Hernandez immediately? Who knows, maybe Mark Lerner will officially announce the Livo signing during his "live" online chat on Nationals.com tomorrow at 1PM?

Who's left? Smoltz? Washburn? Wang? (we'll ignore the "scoop" delivered to our email inbox that the Nats were talking to Pedro Martinez.)

Meanwhile...

• Chris Needham resurrects Capitol Punishment just long enough to eviscerate Chico's story on Rizzo's brand new front office.

• Orlando Hudson tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson: "You can put it on the Internet and on TV. I'm going to sign." Done. Now, if only he'd say where.

• The Artist Formerly Known as Oleanders and Morning Glories breaks down the Tyler Walker (sadly, not a "druggy NASCAR driver"), Chuck James, and Chris Duncan moves.

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Orlandon't!

 

(AP Photo. Like choosing Miami, OH over Miami, FL. Or Paris, Texas over Paris, France, the Nationals are considering free agent Orlando Cabrera. Over Orlando Hudson.)

"It's a huge part of the puzzle. It's a huge part of the makeup of a championship-caliber club. I've been on several championship clubs in the big leagues, and you don't win unless you have guys in the clubhouse that have character, that stick together and that play as a unit."
(Mike Rizzo, via Washington TImes, 7/3/2009)

He's the wrong Orlando!

...and not just because of the whopping 33 games at 2B in his career (last time in 2000 with Montreal). Bill Ladson reported Friday night that the Nationals are interested in Orlando Cabrera as a backup plan to Orlando Hudson. The O-Cab, not the O-Dog, would play second base:

If the Nationals were to sign Cabrera, the plan would be to put him at second base, while Cristian Guzman would remain at shortstop.

But the off-the-field "stuff" has us a bit concerned. Phil Wood touched on it last night at MASN Sports dot com:

It's the fact that he keeps jumping around that concerns me. I've heard the rumors that he's not a great clubhouse presence, but there's always someone who wants him.

Since 7+ years in Montreal from 1997-2004, the Other Orlando has made stops in Boston, to LA/Anaheim, Chicago, Oakland, and Minnesota. But the jumping around isn't even what's got us most concerned, per se. In a 2008 story in ESPN the Magazine on O-Cab's fued with fellow Columbian SS Edgar Renteria, Jorge Arangure Jr. touches on the shady details of why the Red Sox didn't want him back after his 2004 heroics:

After the Sox won the World Series, Cartagena celebrated its native son. Civic leaders sent a fire truck to pick Cabrera up at the airport and take him directly to a ceremony at City Hall. But not long after that, Red Sox management decided that the free agent was no longer in their plans. There were rumors that Cabrera partied too much, according to a source close to the organization.

But if you start digging a little deeper -- and all that means is simply googling "Orlando Cabrera Boston character rumors" or trauling some of the Red Sox message boards for posts related to O-Cab...there's definitely some dirt flying that seems to go beyond "partying too hard". Of course, all of it is completely anonymous, unsubstantiated, internet dirt, but there seems to be a common thread there. For example, from the Sons of Sam Horn board, there's an entire thread from 2008 in response to an online chat with the Boston Globe's Bob Ryan. Ryan's answer to the mystery of Cabrera's exile from Boston goes a little something like this:

Dewey24: Looks like Orlando Cabrera is on the outs in Chicago. Should the Sox consider bringing him back here next year, even with Lowrie?
Bob Ryan: There's a reason why he has bounced around that has nothing to do with what he does on the field, and we'll leave it at that.
[...]
Jeff_from_Maine: Re: Cabrera. Don't reporters have a responsibility to, you know, report, instead of protecting the players and maintaining ridiculous unspoken "rules?"
Bob Ryan: It has nothing to do with "rules." It has to do with not wanting to get sued if you're wrong. I'm just telling you there's a reason why he's been bouncing around.

So, according to the "experts" on SoSH and other internet sources, Cabrera was doing all, some, or none of the following: rolling with an undesirable crew of thugs; sleeping with a teammate's wife; and/or pursuing underage girls. Not good. And maybe: not true. But it gets us back to Ryan's point above...there IS a reason why he's been bouncing around. 

Seems like a bad idea for a Nationals team being reconstructed by Mike Rizzo: a guy who has gone on record numerous times placing a premium on "character" in the players he pursues. Just doesn't seem like a good fit...

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Sure, Stan. Strasburg is reeeeeally disappointed to miss NatsFest.

 

(Photo by Getty Images. Stephen Strasburg and then-girlfriend now-wife Rachel Lackey after his introductory press conference last August. Can you believe Strasburg would rather spend his time honeymooning than shaking hands and kissing babies at NatsFest?)

"He was really disappointed to miss Fanfest, but personal stuff takes precedent, obviously, He's already committed to attending next year's Fanfest."
(Stan Kasten, via Nationals Journal, 01/22/2010)

Pfffft! Of course he was, Stan. Of course he was!

First of all, congrats to Stephen Strasburg and Rachel Lackey on their marriage earlier this month, as reported yesterday by Dave Sheinin at Nationals Journal. When the list of Nats Winter Caravan and NatsFest participants was released a few weeks back, we wondered why Strasburg was conspicuously absent. Maybe he'd make a surprise visit - like jump out of a cake or be "unmasked" as one of the Racing Presidents? Or maybe Scott Boras included a clause in his contract sparing him the aggravation. Or maybe Strasburg still wasn't comfortable with all the attention. Remember his comments after his first workout last August?

"Once I get into playing games and stuff, it should be able to die down. Hopefully it will die down sometime soon. I'm just a baseball player. It's not like I'm the president or anything."
(Stephen Strasburg, via Washington Post, 8/31/2009)

Or maybe *gasp!*...Strasburg and the Nats were concerned that he wouldn't be able to hide the limp from his gimpy knee?

But rest assured, Strasburg has a good reason. And Stan Kasten assures us Strasburg will attend "Fanfest" next year. Fanfest?

That reminds us: how is Strasburg's knee, anyway?

Meanwhile...

Mike Jacobs?

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MASN Announces 2010 Nats TV Schedule

 

(Photo of TV by Nationals Enquirer staff. April 4, 2007: The image above captures one of our favorite MASN/Nats bloopers of all time. Manny Acta's first career victory with the Nationals comes courtesy of a walkoff bloop single down the left field line by Dmitri Young, and someone in the MASN production booth accidentally hits the "Grandslam!" button. Oops! MASN, you've come a long way, baby!)

MASN has released the 2010 Nationals TV schedule (Orioles, too, but who cares about them?)

From the official press release:

The Nationals will have 95 live games on MASN and MASH HD and an additional 67 on MASN2 and MASN2 HD. Washington DC-area viewers will also be able to watch nearly every Sunday afternoon Nationals game on MASN's over-the-air partner, DC50.  MASN's partnership with DC50 will feature 20 Nationals games, including Opening Day, simulcast on the Washington broadcast network.

If you do the math, the really good news for Nats fans (and O's fans, too, but who cares about them, really?) is that every game will be available in HD this season.

What MASN didn't reveal is how many (if any?) Spring Training games will be broadcast. We should probably ask them about that...

How many days until pitchers and catchers report?

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Trade Ham!

 

(AP Photo. Josh Willingham: tradebait?)

"I guess I didn't feel one way or the other about it. I understand it's part of the business. When you talk about a trade, you realize both parties are trying to upgrade their team. If they are going to upgrade their teams, then that will happen."
(Josh Willingham, via Nationals.com, 1/21/2010)

Ham unfazed by trade talk...

Now, if Boz's "guess" in a recent chat on Washington Post dot com the other day is even close to being truth: that a "major-league ready pitcher of Jordan Zimmermann quality" was available in a deal for "Willingham-plus-somebody",there aren't too many "somebodies" in the organization that you wouldn't package up and deal with Mr. Ham in an instant for a Jordan Zimmerman quality arm. Here's what Boz said:

I've heard that, within the last week, the Nats thought they were close [to a] trade for a major-league ready pitcher of Jordan Zimmermann quality but it fell through when the other team backed out. My guess, and that's all it is, is that it was one of those Willingham-plus-somebody-for-a-young-pitcher deals that everybody knows the Nats are looking at.

Which "somebodies" would be untouchable in that sort of deal?

Chico Harlan (he's still around on the Nats beat for the Post?) checked in yesterday on Nationals Journal with some soundbites from Mike Rizzo about the team's free agent targets.Rizzo told Chico:

"I think we need another pitcher in our rotation," Rizzo said. "I'd certainly like to add one. I'd rather not start the season with three very, very young pitchers in the rotation. Two young pitchers is much more palatable, I think. But if the right pitcher comes around that fits what I'm trying to do, we'll certainly make a run at him."

So who is that pitcher? MASN's Phil Wood thinks odds are against the Nats landing Sheets...and we'd have to agree. And it won't be Joel Pineiro. Who's left?

Meanwhile...

We're pleased that the Nats avoided a potentially nasty arbitration hearing with Wil Nieves. That could've gotten ugly. And it remains to be seen if the Nats can avoid arbitration with Brian Bruney and Sean Burnett, just like Jason Bergmann, Jesus Flores, Wil Nieves and Josh Willingham.

Charlie Slowes is on the mend. Bill Ladson Tweeted yesterday:

#Nats broadcaster Charlie Slowes had successful elbow surgery Wednesday. The surgery was performed by Koco Eaton.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Charlie.

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