I feel bad that Manny Acta is carrying the entire burden of the Nationals' failures. Did Acta make the decision to gut the bullpen in the off season? Did Acta make the decision to go with mostly rookie and inexperienced pitchers? Did Acta make the decision to have one of the lowest payrolls in the Majors?

Whatever Acta's shortcomings as Manager, they pale in comparison to over-arching problems in the organization that won't be fixed by sticking a new person in that position. What do you think?

I think DC got screwed on the stadium. The DC Council, Tony Williams, and the Lerners are real fuckers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/2009 12:55AM by Eastsider.

It's always the manager's fault.

Even if it's not.

That's just the way things usually work.

He looks and acts like a manager expecting to be fired. He has lost the fire in his belly...and that is why he needs to go.

Registered Voter...a Big talking coward..big man on FFXU...little man in life.

Vince(1) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He looks and acts like a manager expecting to be
> fired. He has lost the fire in his belly...and
> that is why he needs to go.


I'll give you that, but I think he's too handcuffed by some real ineptitude in, and poor decisions from, the front office. Regardless, there has to be be a scapegoat and it's always the manager. Whoever the next hire is will have to fight the same battles with the main one being that the Lerners are one of the worst owners in sports,

Yeah, Acta is a victim of circumstance, but it's his head that will roll.

He didnt make the decision to "go cheap"; but he'll be the one to lose his job over it.

Hopefully, they'll get an experienced guy who will hold their feet to the fire about acquiring talent (and paying for it) before he accepts the job.

I hold the Lerners (and their purse-strings) completely accountable.

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

Vince(1) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He looks and acts like a manager expecting to be
> fired. He has lost the fire in his belly...and
> that is why he needs to go.


Wow. Something I have to agree with Vince(1) on. Watching the Nationals takes a significant amount of strength that I currently cannot muster. Drive/Metro all the way to SW/SE DC, pay large amounts of money, and then likely have to wait for a two hour rain delay.

Think I'd rather listen to the Hari Krishnas on the corner of 18th an K Downtown.

fairfaxdude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, Acta is a victim of circumstance, but it's
> his head that will roll.
>
> He didnt make the decision to "go cheap"; but
> he'll be the one to lose his job over it.
>
> Hopefully, they'll get an experienced guy who will
> hold their feet to the fire about acquiring talent
> (and paying for it) before he accepts the job.
>
> I hold the Lerners (and their purse-strings)
> completely accountable.

Under Stan Kasten, the Braves made it to multiple World Series on the arms of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. During his time with the Nationals, the team has had some of the worst pitching in the league.

If the Lerners aren't listening to Kasten, I doubt they will listen to Grady Little or whoever they ultimately get in there as manager.

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Vince(1) Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > He looks and acts like a manager expecting to
> be
> > fired. He has lost the fire in his belly...and
> > that is why he needs to go.
>
>
> Wow. Something I have to agree with Vince(1) on.
> Watching the Nationals takes a significant amount
> of strength that I currently cannot muster.
> Drive/Metro all the way to SW/SE DC, pay large
> amounts of money, and then likely have to wait for
> a two hour rain delay.
>
> Think I'd rather listen to the Hari Krishnas on
> the corner of 18th an K Downtown.


Strongly suggest watching the College World Series while it finishes over the next week:
1) great baseball
2) free
3) You can FFXU AND watch the game. LOL
4) complete lack of Lerner stress.

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

Any feel for actual attendance numbers in the past month or so? Got a call from a friend who told me about a bunch of free coupons he was given. They're ho hum seats, but they're free ($30.00 stub value which likely puts it in the LF/RF mezzanine section).

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any feel for actual attendance numbers in the past
> month or so? Got a call from a friend who told me
> about a bunch of free coupons he was given.
> They're ho hum seats, but they're free ($30.00
> stub value which likely puts it in the LF/RF
> mezzanine section).


That's an interesting question. I am a fan of their Facebook page. Yesterday they released a ton of tickets to the Red Sox game, which was supposedly going to sell out to season ticket holders. Apparently there weren't enough season ticket holders to make that happen.

I love baseball and I like having the Nationals here, even if they do suck. However, the Lerners can't keep running the team like this. This isn't Kansas City or Milwaukee where a team can suck for decades and still draw a crowd.

The Nationals suck serious ballz and the talent is horrid overall, but Acta had what I consider (on paper) a worse team last year and got better results, so he needs to go.

I'm gonna be in Vegas this weekend and totally plan to put some money down on the Blue Jays winning both games against these losers. I just looked at the money line for today's game against the Yanks: it's at -360! Ouch.

RESton Peace Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Nationals suck serious ballz and the talent is
> horrid overall, but Acta had what I consider (on
> paper) a worse team last year and got better
> results, so he needs to go.


Well, that's open for debate. He didn't have as many big bats last year. But the guys he had could field. Dunn can't field worth shit and Dukes runs hot and cold. The team leads the league in errors. Also, last year Acta had a starting pitching line-up that was pretty horrid. But at least he had a mix of veterans and rookies. This year, almost all his starting line-up has no Major League experience (or very little). And, unlike last year, Acta can't rely on the bullpen to pull out a win because the bullpen is worse than his starters.

[once again, I'll recommend the College World Series. Last nights game between ASU and Texas was an epic. The ASU starter, #8 pick in the draft( Reds), and 16-1 this year with a 1.38 ERA and WHIP under 1.0, gets handed a 6 run lead and promptly hands it back for a 6-6 tie in the 4th.

UVA plays Arkansas tonight at 7 pm in an elimination game.

Take your minds off the Nats suck-dom, and enjoy watching some FUTURE ML ballplayers have a go at the grand 'ol game! ]

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

Bring back Frank Robinson

fairfaxdude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> once again, I'll recommend the College World Series.


Nothing says "baseball" like the clank of an aluminum bat.

Sneed Hearn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bring back Frank Robinson


To coach, or to play?

Actually, I went to a "Vienna Senators" game on sunday. Wooden bats, nice crowd, some good eye candy, and good baseball (using wood bats).

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Actually, I went to a "Vienna Senators" game on
> sunday. Wooden bats, nice crowd, some good eye
> candy, and good baseball (using wood bats).


Seems to me that when I was a kid colleges used wooden bats. Nobody likes the aluminum bats and the colleges aren't doing the pro-bound kids any favors by requiring that they use them. Is it an NCAA thing? Is it cost? Or safety? Because, frankly, more people have been killed by wild throws than by broken bats.

All the college level summer ball is played using wood bats. MLB still contributes $$$$ to those leagues around the country, and of course they want to see kids hit with wood.

Aluminum is a cost issue, obviously. All the way up from Little League to College. At $40 a pop, god knows how many wood bats the typical college team would break in a season? 50-100-200? Plus, the aluminum bat folks have weaseled their way into the college marketing scene...

If you're a total wood purist, I feel for ya. Guess it's the Nats, and only the Nats, that you can ever watch. Enjoy the $6 hot dogs and lousy losing baseball. Oh, and sitting 400 feet from the field.

Itrade: Waters Field is kinda cool, huh?

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

fairfaxdude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> If you're a total wood purist, I feel for ya.
> Guess it's the Nats, and only the Nats, that you
> can ever watch. Enjoy the $6 hot dogs and lousy
> losing baseball. Oh, and sitting 400 feet from the
> field.
>
> Itrade: Waters Field is kinda cool, huh?

I'm just busting your balls. I'll watch the Cavs next time out. I'm not into watching teams from Texas and Arizona.

7 PM tonite. Must win game. ESPN2.

Actually, the minors around the area are good too. Frederick, Woodbridge, etc.

Not as handy by Metro, but a great outing for your employees and kids. Let the kids run all over the park--can't do that at a Nats game. Rent a beer bus with the money you save NOT going to the Nats, and have fun. I've done that a few times--employees LOVED it!

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2009 11:53AM by fairfaxdude.

It ain't Manny's fault that the Nats suck. Keep him around for awhile-they'll improve.

By the way: My parents gave me the coolest name!

Catch that UVA game, WTL?

Season over now, unfortunately, but damn what a game!

UVA with a 3-1 lead in the ninth, ARK ties it on a 2 out 2 run homer...extra innings were crazy, etc etc....

Worth your ticket price?....lol

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

fairfaxdude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Catch that UVA game, WTL?
>
> Season over now, unfortunately, but damn what a
> game!
>
> UVA with a 3-1 lead in the ninth, ARK ties it on a
> 2 out 2 run homer...extra innings were crazy, etc
> etc....
>
> Worth your ticket price?....lol


I was flipping back and forth between the Nats and UVA game but settled on the Nats when it looked like they would pull it out, which they did.

Harmon Killebrew Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It ain't Manny's fault that the Nats suck. Keep
> him around for awhile-they'll improve.
>
> By the way: My parents gave me the coolest name!


I tend to agree. The season is lost anyway. Bringing in a new manager now won't change that. Virtually all of Acta's tenure has involved working with Jim Bowden's talent. I think the Lerners should at least give him till the end of this season to see if they can't get something going with the new people that are being brought it. If that is their plan, Kasten should come out and say it.

Usually, one of the primary reasons for a mis-season firing is to get the whole "there's a new sheriff in town" dynamic working. Hold the vet's feet to the fire, take a look at the newbies, etc.

I doubt Acta sees July 4th, for that reason alone. When the veterans are stinking it up, and the kids aren't getting it done either, it's the easiest piece to experiment with. Find some old codger, name him interim manager, and kick ass. If he does a good job, give him a contract.

It sucks for Acta. Looking back, his best option may have been to point out repeatedly to the press that Bowden's talent acquistion sucked, but he was a good organization man and stayed the course.

He'll land somewhere else within a year, I'd bet.

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

I'm really not sure how changing the manager will fix Adam Dunn dropping balls in the outfield. Maybe if the manager screams more that will help. I don't know.

True. But a new guy can make Dunn "run poles" for every ball dropped, if he has the balls.

Problem with MLB is the insane $$$$ these guys make. Dunn's on pace to make $615,384 PER ERROR this season. LOL

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

fairfaxdude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Usually, one of the primary reasons for a
> mis-season firing is to get the whole "there's a
> new sheriff in town" dynamic working. Hold the
> vet's feet to the fire, take a look at the
> newbies, etc.
>
You assume that there are vets - the feet of which are available for holding.

> I doubt Acta sees July 4th, for that reason alone.
> When the veterans are stinking it up, and the
> kids aren't getting it done either, it's the
> easiest piece to experiment with. Find some old
> codger, name him interim manager, and kick ass.
> If he does a good job, give him a contract.
>
Awful, just awful.

> It sucks for Acta. Looking back, his best option
> may have been to point out repeatedly to the press
> that Bowden's talent acquistion sucked, but he was
> a good organization man and stayed the course.
>

Its not just immediate talent. Its the whole line. The Nationals farm system is without prospects. This team has been run like the keystone cops. Only that the keystone cops knew how to swing a wooden stick.

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Its not just immediate talent. Its the whole
> line. The Nationals farm system is without
> prospects. This team has been run like the
> keystone cops. Only that the keystone cops knew
> how to swing a wooden stick.


I like the Yankee's farm system. It's called "the rest of the league."

.
Attachments:

Both!

ITRADE Wrote:

> You assume that there are vets - the feet of which
> are available for holding.

Not many, its true. But Dunn, Guzman, Johnson, Kearns, Belliard, Bard, and even Zimmerman are now vets, as well as a few on the downside of their careers (ala Tavarez). At some point-like NOW, it's time. Or get outta town.


> Awful, just awful.

You lost me here. ?????

> Its not just immediate talent. Its the whole
> line. The Nationals farm system is without
> prospects. This team has been run like the
> keystone cops. Only that the keystone cops knew
> how to swing a wooden stick.


It ain't pretty, but they just drafted the best pitcher in college ball, Strasburg. Watch their desparation fuck up the career of a stud prospect--I'm sure the Nats are more than capable.

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.