The Nationals are hurting.
But, alas, everybody hurts (sometimes). In fact any Major League Baseball franchise that spends time not hurting is accomplishing quite a bit--besides the Franchise that rhyme with Bankees of course.
After all, Major League Baseball was never meant to be fair. Unlike Major League Baseballs’ parity-obsessed, communist cousin the NFL, baseball teams fight it out like real men do—unfairly! A few rich teams in the northeast use their money to bully the unlucky suckers everywhere else—and we’re all better for it. ( I think)
Baseball’s post season is familiar. You start with a few lucky teams that are just happy to be there, then add a few teams that will only be happy when they cash their World Series bonus checks--and Voila!—the MLB déjà vu is complete.
You see, in baseball, there are not many teams that are truly playing for a championship. In baseball there are only four teams in each league that even make the playoffs. In the NFL 12 teams have a shot and in the NBA there are more teams in the playoffs than there are out!
The fact that the bourgeoisie and the proletariat of pro baseball dwell so far apart creates a completely different competitive landscape than fans of football and basketball (the Marxist sports) are accustomed to. In the NFL, it is close to a sure bet that in a span of 3 years all 32 teams will have played in at least one playoff game. In the NBA, the majority of the league makes it to the playoffs every year!
Which is why, in the NBA and the NFL there are teams that are not championship contenders who still are considered successful. Teams, like my beloved Washington Wizards, are not even trying to win a championship. Rather, they are putting together an entertaining cast of 2nd tier talent to keep their revenue flowing in. If the Wizards solely desired to win a championship, they would trade the players they have now for draft picks and young talent and start again.
Like a baseball team.
But, as usual, I digress from my point. The point is, Jim Bowden should have job security.
Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t.
He doesn’t have job security for the same reason you ate a cold-in-the-center hotpocket for lunch yesterday. People are impatient.
Lets look at Jim’s job. The Nationals were a team with no prospects—all traded away when the Expos thought they were going to be contracted—that had a few bloated corpses of veteran players that could probably be useful on other teams. Bowden’s job was to trade away whatever he could of the old talent (Livan Hernandez et. al) while simultaneously building a core of young talent. Although he has had a few missteps, Bowden has accomplished exactly that.
Bowden’s time in Washington has been wildly successful if you view the team realistically. Keep in mind it was never his job to create a World Series contender in 2008 (or 2009 for that matter). Since the team has been in DC, the Nats have cobbled together a core of young talent that could be the crux of a World Series team. They stole Lastings Milledge for pennies on the dollar from the Mets. They took a chance that looks like it might pay off on Elijah Dukes. They locked up a star third baseman for years to come in Ryan Zimmerman. They have a great looking young catcher in Jesus Flores. Not to mention, John Lannan & co. could be a formidable rotation if given some time to jell.
Sure, the team is likely to lose 100 games this year. Sure, Chad Cordero is going to be in traction for the next two years. Sure, Bowden overpaid for Dmitri “20,000 calories a day” Young. Sure, [insert depressing fact here]…
But guess what? Losses, injuries and fat guys are a part of the game. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Two years ago the Tampa BayDevil Rays were the doormat of the AL East. Now, with a little cajoling they are in first place in baseball’s most competitive division. And they’re not alone. Remember the 2003 Detroit Tigers? They were making a push to have the worst record in the history of baseball. Guess where they were three years later?
The World Series.
But, alas, everybody hurts (sometimes). In fact any Major League Baseball franchise that spends time not hurting is accomplishing quite a bit--besides the Franchise that rhyme with Bankees of course.
After all, Major League Baseball was never meant to be fair. Unlike Major League Baseballs’ parity-obsessed, communist cousin the NFL, baseball teams fight it out like real men do—unfairly! A few rich teams in the northeast use their money to bully the unlucky suckers everywhere else—and we’re all better for it. ( I think)
Baseball’s post season is familiar. You start with a few lucky teams that are just happy to be there, then add a few teams that will only be happy when they cash their World Series bonus checks--and Voila!—the MLB déjà vu is complete.
You see, in baseball, there are not many teams that are truly playing for a championship. In baseball there are only four teams in each league that even make the playoffs. In the NFL 12 teams have a shot and in the NBA there are more teams in the playoffs than there are out!
The fact that the bourgeoisie and the proletariat of pro baseball dwell so far apart creates a completely different competitive landscape than fans of football and basketball (the Marxist sports) are accustomed to. In the NFL, it is close to a sure bet that in a span of 3 years all 32 teams will have played in at least one playoff game. In the NBA, the majority of the league makes it to the playoffs every year!
Which is why, in the NBA and the NFL there are teams that are not championship contenders who still are considered successful. Teams, like my beloved Washington Wizards, are not even trying to win a championship. Rather, they are putting together an entertaining cast of 2nd tier talent to keep their revenue flowing in. If the Wizards solely desired to win a championship, they would trade the players they have now for draft picks and young talent and start again.
Like a baseball team.
But, as usual, I digress from my point. The point is, Jim Bowden should have job security.
Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t.
He doesn’t have job security for the same reason you ate a cold-in-the-center hotpocket for lunch yesterday. People are impatient.
Lets look at Jim’s job. The Nationals were a team with no prospects—all traded away when the Expos thought they were going to be contracted—that had a few bloated corpses of veteran players that could probably be useful on other teams. Bowden’s job was to trade away whatever he could of the old talent (Livan Hernandez et. al) while simultaneously building a core of young talent. Although he has had a few missteps, Bowden has accomplished exactly that.
Bowden’s time in Washington has been wildly successful if you view the team realistically. Keep in mind it was never his job to create a World Series contender in 2008 (or 2009 for that matter). Since the team has been in DC, the Nats have cobbled together a core of young talent that could be the crux of a World Series team. They stole Lastings Milledge for pennies on the dollar from the Mets. They took a chance that looks like it might pay off on Elijah Dukes. They locked up a star third baseman for years to come in Ryan Zimmerman. They have a great looking young catcher in Jesus Flores. Not to mention, John Lannan & co. could be a formidable rotation if given some time to jell.
Sure, the team is likely to lose 100 games this year. Sure, Chad Cordero is going to be in traction for the next two years. Sure, Bowden overpaid for Dmitri “20,000 calories a day” Young. Sure, [insert depressing fact here]…
But guess what? Losses, injuries and fat guys are a part of the game. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Two years ago the Tampa Bay
The World Series.
See, maybe Bow' does know baseball.
So Nationals fans, buck up. If it makes you feel any better start a savings account and put ten bucks in it every month. I bet by 2011 you’ll have enough to buy tickets to see the Nats in the October Classic.
So Nationals fans, buck up. If it makes you feel any better start a savings account and put ten bucks in it every month. I bet by 2011 you’ll have enough to buy tickets to see the Nats in the October Classic.
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