Breaking News! Following Walk-Off Win, Natinals Manager Riggleman walks off

The Natinals swept the Seatlle Mariners with a walk-off win Thursday afternoon to push their record to 38-37, one game above .500.

However, immediately following the game the Nats General Manager held an impromptu news conference announcing that manager Jim Riggleman, a product of the metropolitan area, had offered his resignation as a result of his displeasure with ongoing contract negotiations with the team. Mike Rizzo said the team with have a manager in place by Monday.

This news is not altogether stunning. It is actually quite consistent with the management misadventures that have troubled our local professional sports franchises from the Redskins to the Wizards.

Recent reports have emerged that Riggleman is one of the lowest paid managers in major league baseball.

Natinals Opening Day Tix couldn’t be given away

The City Paper’s Dave McKenna has a good article about the lack of enthusiasm in the city for the Natinals recent Opening Day. Citing the 33 season absence of baseball in the 202, the article says that the tradition and allure of Opening Day in DC is from a past era. Unless a team from New York, Philly, or Boston opposes the Nats on Opening Day in the future, the 2011 ticket fire sale will most likely be repeated.

Although the Lerners are not mentioned, we must mention that the Lerners have done a so-so job connecting with and cultivating a fan base. The Dream Foundation is slowly laying down roots in the community from Ward 7 to Bethesda, but in my opinion that can’t compensate for losing Adam Dunn and treating him like a used bag of batting practice balls. The Lerners bought the Natinals as a real estate investment, nothing more and nothing less. The value of the team is the stadium which the city financed and built for $611 million while the market-powers-that-be are still twiddling their thumbs waiting for some sort of development to happen which can feed off of the baseball team/stadium. Half Street SE is not 7th Street NW, just yet.

For those restless Nats fans, like myself, there are some cheap ways to see a game this year. Check out this year’s promotions here.

*I was at the 2008 Opener when Ryan Zimmerman christened the stadium with a walk-off home run.*

Natinals Hold Auditions for 2011 GEICO Racing Presidents

Natinals Hold Auditions for 2011 GEICO Racing Presidents
 
WHAT:     Beginning this week, the Washington Natinals will give fans the opportunity to run in the footsteps of giants as a GEICO Racing President. The team is now accepting applications and will hold auditions during the Presidents Day weekend to fill the shoes of Abe, George, Tom and Teddy for the 2011 baseball season.
 
To be eligible, applicants must fulfill the following requirements:
-          Measure between 5’7” and 6’6” in height
-          Ability to run from center field to home plate in 40 seconds (approx. 200 yards)
-          Ability to wear a costume weighing approx. 45 lbs for several hours
-          Available for at least 35 Nationals home games
 
Racing hopefuls will have until Friday, February 11 to submit their cover letter, resume and photo to Entertainment@nationals.com. Once these materials are received, applicants will be contacted and required to answer six mascot-related questions.
 
Select candidates will then be invited to Natinals Park on Saturday, February 19, 2011, where they will be required to perform a freestyle dance, run a 40-yard dash and run two Presidents Races from center field to the home dugout. They will also be interviewed by the Game Operations panel.
 
This tryout is by invitation only and is not open to the public. Tryouts will take place regardless of weather conditions. For more information, visit nationals.com/racingpresidents. 

Developed in 2006, the four GEICO Racing Presidents (Abe, George, Tom and Teddy) are 12-foot oversized mascots who race during the fourth inning of every Natinals home game. The popular figures can be seen promoting the team and its community efforts at Natinals Park, the District and around the Washington region. In 2010, all four Racing Presidents visited the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll and Fourth of July celebrations and made guest appearances in The Washington Ballet production of Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker at the historic Warner Theatre.
 
WHEN:     Saturday, February 19, 2011
                  10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
 
WHERE:   Natinals Park – 1500 South Capitol Street, SE Washington, DC 20003

Has the city just witnessed the reincarnation of The Big Train?

Last night Stephen Strasburg burst on the scene with the full force of Major League history. In striking out 14 Pirates and walking none Strasburg did something that has never been done before. (The MLB record for most strikeouts without issuing a walk in a debut was previously 11.)

Strasburg’s debut reminds The Syndicate and others of Walter Johnson’s debut more than a century ago when the 1907 Washington Senators faced off against the Ty Cobb lead Detroit Tigers on August 2nd in the city. Johnson and the Senators would lose 3-2.

From Cobb: A Biography…

“On August 2, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw in the ball field. He was a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington. Evidently, manager Pongo Joe Cantillon of the Nats had picked a rube out of the cornfields of the deepest bushes to pitch against us… He was a tall, shambling galoot of about twenty, with arms so long they hung far out of his sleeves, and with a sidearm delivery that looked unimpressive at first glance… One of the Tigers imitated a cow mooing, and we hollered at Cantillon: ‘Get the pitchfork ready, Joe– your hayseed’s on his way back to the barn.’

…The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. And then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn’t touch him… every one of us knew we’d met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ball park.”

 

With Walter Johnson people in town knew something special had arrived. After last night’s performance the city is once again feeling that vibe. In The Syndicate’s frame of reference Michael Jordan lacing up for the Wizards in the twilight of his playing days can’t compare. Maybe the 1991 ‘Skins taking the Lombardi Trophy from Super Bowl 26 back to the city, maybe. No local (We mean local as inside the Beltway as we recognize the magic of Cal Ripken’s 1995 season in which he broke the Iron Horse’s consecutive game streak by hitting a home run versus the Angels in games 2129, 2130, and 2131. Young Strasburg has a way to go to get up there with Cal. We do give propers where they belong.) sports experience in the 26 old years of The Syndicate can compare to last evening.

Johnson would go on to be a Hall of Famer with 417 career wins (2nd in MLB history behind Cy Young’s 511), 110 shutouts (MLB record), 3,508 strikeouts (later broken by Nolan Ryan), 1924 World Series champion, MLB manager, and Montgomery County activist for which a high school in Bethesda carries his name.

Oriole Bird knocks down Teddy in President’s foot race; Nats beat O’s 7-6

Thanks to Nats 320 for the video.

Yesterday the Natinals beat the Orioles 7-6 at Nationals Park despite Adam Jones 5th home run of the year — an inside the park version– when the Natinals Nyjer Morgan misplayed a ball that layed at his feet yet he threw his glove in disgust. Left fielder Josh Willingham, who hit a 2-run homer, ran to center and retrieved the ball but he got there too late to prevent Jones from scoring. It was the second inside the park homer hit against the Nats in two days – both on misplays by Morgan. When Morgan came to at-bat in the bottom of that inning the crowd of more than 30,000 gave him welcome boos.

It was the Orioles first inside the park homer since David Newhan at Boston on July 21, 2004.

President Obama just a touch high and outside as he opens the Nationals season wearing a White Sox hat

The President’s swag is unbelievable as he demonstrates his loyalty to his squad from the southside of Chicago by wearing a White Sox hat.

The Nationals are now in last place in the NL East as they were embarrassed by the Phillies 11-1 on Opening Day. Of note – Pudge Rodriguez had 3 hits; 2 doubles in 4 at-bats to start the season .750.