May 16, 2008 [LINK / comment]

The Nationals (heart) New York!

Thanks in no small part to the amazing -- dare I say miraclous -- horizontal dive catch by Willie Harris of a fly ball hit in the ninth inning by Ryan Church down the left field line, the Nationals held on to beat the Mets, 1-0. Several commentators said that catch was the "play of the year" -- so far. The lone RBI in the game was a sac fly in the eighth inning by Felipe Lopez, allowing Jesus Flores to score. The Nationals also won on Wednesday night, 5-3, as Tim Redding got his fourth win of the season. Against all odds, the Nats took three of four games up in New York, hopefully getting their season back on the right track again.

I checked my records, and found that the Nationals have had much better success against the Mets in Shea Stadium than at home. Remember when they swept the Mets up there in late September last year? I'm sure the Mets remember -- they got knocked out of the playoffs! From 2005 until the present, the Nats have a 19-14 record against the Mets when playing in New York, and a record of only 8-22 when playing at home in Washington.

I N.Y.!

And so, in honor of the Mets' aging, soon-to-be-retired home, which has been so friendly to the Nationals, I have updated the Shea Stadium diagrams, adding lights and other details. Note that I have lowered my estimate of the total diameter of the stadium by about 40 feet, which works out to about seven rows. Basically, there is more overhang by the middle and upper decks than I had realized, so they are a bit more "squeezed together" than I had thought.

Watching the Nats-Mets games on TV (MASN!) was a great opportunity to see the construction progress on Citi Field, which looms menacingly over Shea Stadium's left-center field. The west side of the new structure is only twenty or so feet in back of the center field black screen.

UPDATE: For some great photos of Shea Stadium and Citi Field, see baseball-fever.com; hat tip to Mike Zurawski.

Nick Johnson on DL

Nick Johnson hurt his wrist the other day, and after an MRI test, it was found that he has a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist. He is expected to be out for four to six weeks, but has been put on the 15-day disabled list, presumably in case he heals faster than expected. The Nats really need him, as he is one of the highest on-base percentages on the team, mostly because of his ability to draw walks. (Patience!) See MLB.com. Coincidentally, the man who replaced him at first base last year, Dmitri Young, is just coming off the DL. In any case, Aaron Boone has been playing extremely well -- both as backup first baseman, and as a batter at the plate. It's another example of how the Nationals have acquired one of the deepest rosters in all the majors, with multiple solid players at almost every position. It's just too bad some of their first-stringers can't perform at All-Star levels on a consistent basis...

May 13, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Tiger Stadium: clock is ticking

Time is fast running out on Tiger Stadium, as the demolition company plans to get started tearing the old hulk down in the next few weeks. Odds that the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy will raise the needed $369,000 by June 1 just to save a portion of the grandstand appear dim, as the New York Times reports; hat tip to Rod Nelson of SABR. (Besides, that group's Web site is still under construction!)

Judge rules on Miami stadium

A judge in Miami issued a ruling that allows Norman Braman to proceed with his lawsuit against the public financing deal for a new baseball stadium next to the Orange Bowl, but he rejected a key part of Braman's claim. The trial will begin in July. If the Marlins are still in first place by then, it just might tip the balance, getting government officials and private investors close enough to cinch the deal for good. If so, the Marlins plan to break ground in November. See MLB.com.

Nats back in a slump

Speaking of the Marlin's astonishing successes this year, they swept the Nationals in three games in D.C. last weekend. Now playing in New York, the Nats have split the first two games of a four-game series with the Mets, winning 10-4 on Monday and losing 6-3 tonight. Former Nationals Ryan Church and Brian Schneider played crucial offensive roles in tonight's game. Both are batting over .320, while former Met Lastings Milledge is batting just .245. (He keeps getting booed in Shea Stadium.) He made a superb catch in center field, however, robbing Carlos Delgado of a run-scoring double.

Cabrera's triple play

Asdrubal Cabrera, second baseman for the Indians, turned an unassisted triple play on Monday, but the home team still lost to the Blue Jays, in the second game of a double-header. Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies managed that feat against the Braves on April 29 last year, and Rafael Furcal (then of the Braves) did so against the Cardinals on August 10, 2003. See MLB.com. In all of major league history (since 1900), there have been only 14 unassisted triple plays, and one in 1878.

May 7, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Nationals Park after one month

So far, Nationals Park seems to be fairly balanced as far as hitter-vs.-pitcher friendliness. For the first 18 games played at the new ballpark, there have been an average of 0.86 home runs per game, compared to the major league average of 0.94 homers. Surprisingly, given the shorter dimensions in the power alleys, it is almost exactly the same home run frequency as in RFK Stadium. For the three years the Nats played there, an average of 0.83 homers per game were hit. Given the fact that the Nationals are not known for their slugging prowess (last in the National League with 18 homers), it's just as well. See Washington Post.

Problems in Houston

Fresh on the heels of their superb 8-3 home stand, the Nationals have blown two games in a row to the Houston Astros. Last night, they were leading 5-4 going into the bottom of the ninth, and Houston scored two runs to win. Tonight they were tied in the ninth, whereupon Houston scored one run to win, once again due to sloppy relief pitching. D'oh! Ryan Zimmerman's two home runs went for nought.

Julio Franco retires

I was wondering what had become of Julio Franco as he approaches the mid-century mark, and learned from the Washington Post that he has retired from the Quintana Roo Tigers at the age of 49. (He had previously played in the Mexican League for a couple years before the Braves called him back up, which was a very smart move.) In his 23 years in the majors, Julio had an average of .298, with 173 home runs, the last one being in May 2007 against fellow-40-something Randy Johnson. I was lucky to snap a photo of his next-to-last home run, in RFK Stadium in September 2006. Baseball fans everywhere salute this inspirational, doggedly competitive ballplayer.

May 3, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Some issues with Nationals Park

Issue #1: Why are most of the seats behind home plate empty? Part of the reason, as today's Washington Post explains, is that the Nationals front office overestimated how many upscale patrons they could attract in the "Presidential" seating area, where ticket prices start at $325. That's the highest in the majors -- ridiculous! I'd be willing to bet that part of the problem is that too many of those seats have been bought by corporations and lobbying firms for entertainment purposes, the cost of which can be written off for income tax purposes, so it doesn't really matter that much to anyone if the tickets don't end up getting used. That is the origin of the problem of "phantom fans," which I first described in April 2005. Simple solution? Abolish the corporate income tax!

Issue #1: When are they going to fix up that concrete plant eyesore on the south side of the stadium? Some day it will be a beautiful tree-lined cluster of high-rent restaurants and night clubs on the banks of the Anacostia River, but getting from here to there depends on some developer with a fat wallet stepping up to the plate. The current owner of that land, Florida Rock Properties, has submitted such a proposal, but it's uncertain if that company is up to the job. See the Washington Post from last Monday; thanks to Mike Zurawski for reminding me.

Nationals continue to win

The Nationals scored just enough runs to stay ahead of the Pirates this afternoon, winning 9-8. The hero of the game was Cristian Guzman, who batted in six runs, tying his career-record high RBIs per game. He is really starting to shine, after three frustrating years with the Nationals in which he had poor performance and injuries. Last night the Pirates trounced the Nats, 11-4, as John Lannan's "Cinderella" streak of 19+ innings of shutout pitching came to a sudden end. Perhaps that rude shock of six runs in the third inning was what caused some of the lights to go dark in the fourth inning, causing a 25 minute delay. Anyway, the Nats have won seven of their last ten games, a hell of a lot better than they had been doing. Most of their wins have been close ones, with a margin of two runs or less. That is a tribute to their bullpen, but all aspects of the team are presently meeting or exceeding expectations. Keep it up, guys!

April 27, 2008 [LINK / comment]

New box seats at Turner Field

While watching the Nats play the Braves the other day, I got my first good look at the new "SunTrust Club" box seats at Turner Field. As with the premium seats at Nationals Park and the newly-added box seat sections at other stadiums, they come as part of a package including free buffet, drinks, and valet parking. (Perhaps there will be a butler to shell the peanuts and serve the Cracker Jacks on a silver tray...) The distance to the backstop has been reduced to a mere 43 feet, which barely even qualifies for college baseball standards, let alone minor league. Stop the insanity! See the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

And so, I have updated the Turner Field diagram, which now includes the structures surrounding the stadium per se, as well as lights and a few other details.

Nats win 2 of 3 vs. Cubs

After an extraordinarily dismal month of April, the Nationals finally won a series at their new home ballpark, raising hopes for a prompt return to normalcy. On Friday they beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 in extraordinarily dramatic fashion: They took the lead in the first inning with an upper-deck home run by Nick Johnson (the first one in Nationals Park, I believe). Eventually, the Cubs tied it 3-3 going into the bottom of the ninth when journeyman backup catcher Wil Nieves made his mark by knocking a walk-off homer into the Nats' bullpen in right field. It was his first major-league homer! Nieves has been impressive behind the plate, showing a fierce competitive spirit, making some great throws to second base, while keeping the pitchers calm and focused. Maybe Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada (first- and second-string catchers) have something to worry about! As a reward from his teammates, Nieves got a cream pie in his face while being interviewed after the game.

The Cubs came back to even the series with a 7-0 shutout last night, but with Carlos Zambrano pitching, what else do you expect? But the Nationals took an early lead in this afternoon's rubber game, and John Lannan threw seven shutout innings, raising his streak of scoreless innings to 19. See MLB.com. Pretty impressive! [Final score, 2-0.] The Cubs are still in first place in the NL Central Division (a half game ahead of the cards), and are in very good shape to make a postseason bid and maybe even win the World Series for the first time in exactly one century!

UPDATE: Total attendance for the three-game series with the Cubs at Nationals Park: 104,137.

April 24, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Tiger Stadium: The End Is Near

I recently noted that Tiger Stadium is liable to be demolished before long, and thanks to Bruce Orser, I've learned that "doomsday" may be fast approaching. Under a deal reached by Detroit's Economic Development Corporation, historic preservation activists must raise $369,000 by June 1, or else demolition will get underway at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Street. They may try to save about a quarter of the old structure for the sake of posterity, integrated into a new commercial center. See Detroit Free Press. OK, let's go, sports fans: Preserve Tiger Stadium! Ironically, the Web site of the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy, which is supposed to raise the needed funds, is "under construction" even as demolition looms.

Nats finally get hits

After a promising start of the 2008 season, the three batters at the heart of the Nationals' lineup -- Ryan Zimmerman, Nick Johnson, and Austin Kearns -- have fallen into an awful slump, which is the main reason the team keeps losing. Thankfully, the team's pitching has been pretty solid, and some other guys are pulling more than their share of the load at the plate. Tonight Felipe Lopez got six RBIs, leading the Nats to a 10-5 win over the Mets. In the sixth inning, he crushed a homer deep into the right field seats, the first grand slam in Nationals Park history! Attendance for the two Mets games averaged over 30,000, which is a respectable figure, but you expect a lot more fans whenever a New York team plays.

The mail bag

More news courtesy of Mike Zurawski: St. Petersburg officials are dubious of the design of the Tampa Bay Rays' proposed stadium on the waterfront, which would cost $450 million -- pretty steep for a medium-sized city. The ballpark would feature a huge retractable "sail" to provide shade, complete with an enormous "mast." The roof itself looks a lot like the roof at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. If the funding uncertainties can be resolved (a big if), the proposed ballpark could open as early as 2012. See Ballpark Watch. Also, the co-owner of the Oakland A's, Keith Wolff, now says that the new ballpark in Fremont, which is pretty much a done deal, it seems, may not open until 2012, or even later. Given that the baseball stadium is intended to be the centerpiece of a comprehensive development project, everything hinges on the state of the economy. See San Jose Mercury News

Finally, Rob Stevens wants to know when I'll get started on a Citi Field diagram / page. Next month, for sure! (I'll be swamped for the next couple weeks.)

April 19, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Tiger Stadium update

Based on intensive inspection of old photos (several of which were provided by Bruce Orser) and other research, I have updated the Tiger Stadium diagrams, making a few corrections. The biggest change is that the grandstand is about 15 feet less deep than I had estimated before. (I had erroneously assumed that the number of bleacher rows was the same as the number of grandstand rows, yielding an estimate that was too high.) Also, I learned from the latest edition of Phil Lowry's Green Cathedrals that the actual distance to center field from 1955 on was only 425 feet, not 440 feet, as the distance marker said. There is a new post-1955 version that includes lights and other details.

In the real world of baseball, meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers got off to an extremely disappointing start this year. Perhaps the planned demolition of their old home is giving them some bad karma...

Nats win in the Nick of time

Thanks to a clutch 3-RBI double by Nick Johnson in the seventh inning at Dolphin Stadium last night, the Washington Nationals won for only the second time in their last 14 games. Nevertheless, at 5-12, the Nationals remain the only team in the majors currently with a win-loss record below .300.

April 17, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Papal mass at Nationals Park

Pope Benedict XVI said mass at Nationals Park this morning, and it was quite a sight to see the ballpark converted into a genuine "Green Cathedral." An altar draped in white was built in center field, with a couple thousand seats installed just beyond the diamond. (The infield was closed.) Of course, all the advertising signs were discreetly covered. I didn't watch the whole service, so I don't know if he blessed the stadium or the team that makes its home there, but the mere presence of His Holiness certainly cannot hurt the Nationals' success. The way this month has gone, they could really use some divine intervention. To read all about the papal visit, see washingtonpost.com.

One of the questions that pops up once in a while is whether Nationals Park could be used as a venue for football games. Bruce Orser pointed me to a discussion thread raising that question at baseball-fever.com, so I have added two alternative football gridiron layouts to that page. The answer is "yes," it fits -- just barely.

Role reversal

Tonight the Nats try to avoid being swept by the Mets at Shea Stadium. One year ago, I would have been rooting for the team with Ryan Church and Brian Schneider, and against the team with Paul Lo Duca and Lastings Milledge. Since the off-season trades, there has been a big switch in rosters. Church and Schneider both seem to be fitting in very well with the Mets, and the same seems to be true of Milledge and Lo Duca with the Nats. Next, the "D.C. Nine" head to Florida to face the Marlins.

The mail bag

To see a closeup video of the new "Coca Cola" section at Fenway Park, go to boston.com; hat tip to Mike Zurawski, who also called my attention to a photo of the same thing from a distance at webshots.com.

Also, I learned of a relatively new blog focusing mainly on baseball: Roto Journal, by Scott Campanella. Blogroll update pending...

April 13, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Lucky 13: Nationals finally win!

Maybe the 13th of the month is lucky when it falls on a Sunday. From Atlanta's perspective, it was certainly a bad omen when aging superstar ace Tom Glavine had to leave the game in the first inning. The Nats had a 5-0 lead going into the sixth inning, and the Braves closed the gap to 5-4 by the eighth inning. Chad Cordero made an appearance as a closer for the first time this year, and for the first two batters he was looking very good, just like in 2005. But then Yunel Escobar and Chipper Jones got on base, and Manny Acta took Chad out. It was fingernail-biting time, but the Nationals just barely hung on to win their first game since April 2. Whew! Jon Rauch got credited for the save with a single pitch, and Lastings Milledge got three hits, raising his average to above .300. Ryan Zimmerman and Ronnie Belliard made some superb infield plays. See MLB.com.

The MASN announcers noted that the last time the Expos/Nationals franchise lost nine in a row was in September 2000, but I consider that to be distinct from the club or team record.

I noticed on TV that several entire sections of the middle deck in the right field corner were completely empty. I think the Nationals need to refigure their seat pricing structure.

Milledge got a bad reputation in New York, but he comes across very well in interviews, and his performance at the plate thus far certainly meets or exceeds expectations. The future looks bright for the Nats.

Bosox jinx foiled

And while we're on the subject of curses and superstition, the Yankees found out about a Red Sox jersey (David Ortiz, to be exact) that was buried in concrete under the new Yankee Stadium by a construction worker whose loyalties are suspect. He now faces legal jeopardy. See Yahoo News; link via Bruce Orser.

MASN-Comcast shirt

Comcast customers who (like me) upgraded their cable TV service in response to their deal with MASN, through which we can now watch Nationals and Orioles games, can get a free long-sleeve shirt with the Washington Nationals logo on it just for asking. (Supplies are probably limited, so hurry!) I guess this means I can't say bad things about MASN any more.

April 12, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Nats set record losing streak

I suppose the high hopes fostered by the initial three wins this season were bound to get a reality check sooner or later, but does it have to get this ugly??? After the 10-2 thrashing at the hands of the Braves today, the Washington Nationals have now lost nine games in a row, setting a club record for the longest losing streak. That aggravating loss to the Phillies on April 3, blowing a five-run lead, evidently created bad karma or something. If they don't beat the Braves tomorrow, it will be the first time the Nationals have lost two consecutive three-game home series, other than two home series in September 2005 that were separated by a road series.

What the hell is wrong? Pretty much everything except fielding. At the plate, only one regular player has a batting average over .270, and that's Cristian Guzman, currently batting .320. On the mound, Matt Chico and Tim Redding are doing pretty well, but otherwise the rotation is weak. Jon Rauch is not filling Chad Cordero's shoes as closer, and it remains to be seen whether Cordero can live up to the high reputation he established in his first year in Washington, 2005. In the field, the team has only committed four errors, the third best in the NL, but Cristian Guzman was responsible for three of those, and only three other NL players have made more errors this year.

April 8, 2008 [LINK / comment]

More Wrigley Field tweaks

Based on a tip from Mike Zurawski, I have made some minor modifications to the Wrigley Field diagrams, mainly on the third base side where the new "CBOE" seating section is located. I noticed from Bleed Cubbie Blue that since the resodding was done over the winter, the infield dirt area is now conventionally shaped.

Also from Mike: The Red Sox (in last place!) open their first home series at Fenway Park this year with the new "Coca-Cola Corner" upper deck section. The "Bleacher Bar" ground-level restaurant in center field will open in May, after which the maximum capacity will be 39,928. See boston.com . You know what this means: still more diagram "tweaks." (Groan...)

Back home again

The return of the Washington Nationals to their brand-spanking new home failed to boost their playing success last night. Somehow Tim Redding lost the superb control he showed against the Phillies last week, and the Marlins kept batting the ball out of the park. The Nats made several comeback attempts, but kept wasting run-scoring opportunities. Final score: 10-7.

Bonds reprieve?

The Giants have put a small banner in honor of Barry Bonds on the right field wall at AT&T Park. Well, they can't erase history. See MLB.com.

April 6, 2008 [LINK / comment]

More Nationals Park tweaks

Anyone who bought today's Washington Post in 7-11s or certain other stores got a free glossy color poster of the first pitch thrown at Nationals Park on March 30. It is just like the poster of RFK Stadium they gave out after the first Nationals home game in April 2005. They will probably have more copies of the poster to go with next Sunday's paper as well. Based on it, and further scrutiny of other photos, I've made a few more corrections to the Nationals Park diagram. I just realized for the first time that the "bend" in the fence near the foul line is bigger and closer to the infield on the first base side than on the third base side. That is an element of asymmetry I had not appreciated before. Also, the huge baseball that was on top of the Red Porch restaurant just left of center field is no longer there. Weird.

Cards sweep Nats

The Nationals were shut out for the first time this year, losing the third and final game of their series in St. Louis. They got several hits, but just couldn't capitalize on any of them with a rally. After allowing a run in the [bottom] of the first, John Lannan settled down and pitched 6 2/3 superb innings, giving up only one more run. Even though the Nationals have fallen below .500 after an impressive three straight wins to start the season, let's keep things in perspective: Of their first seven games they played in the past three years, they had won three, two, and one game, in that order. They have every reason to expect to do much better this year than in 2006 or 2007, and should strive to beat their 81-81 record of their inaugural year in Washington, 2005.

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Angry hawk in Boston

UDPATE: A Red-tailed hawk that had built its nest on the roof at Fenway Park attacked a girl who was taking a tour of the old ballpark, necessitating a trip to the hospital. The nest and the egg were later moved elsewhere. The incident reminds one of the Alfred Hitchcock horror movie The Birds. What could have prompted such bizarre aggressive behavior? Well, the girl's name is Alexa Rodriguez. See boston.com; hat tip to David Pinto. Believe it ... or not!!! Could this mean an alliance between Red-tailed hawks and the Red Sox?

April 5, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Early season oddities

For the third game in a row, the Washington Nationals wasted multiple run-scoring opportunities and finished the game one run behind their opponent. Today and yesterday it was Cards 5, Nats 4. Well, they won two of their first three games by one run, so I guess that's expected. Baseball is a game of inches, and most games could go either way. An amazing defensive play in today's game by second-baseman Adam Kennedy put cold water on what would have been a big rally by the Nats. Ryan Zimmerman finally started getting hits (aside from his two game-winning homers) today, and Nick Johnson hit his first home run since he broke his leg in September 2006. Second-string catcher Jesus Flores hit a homer in the ninth inning, while first-stringer Paul Lo Duca has yet to live up to his reputation. Maybe his arm is still weak.

Even with three straight losses, the Nats somehow remain tied for first place in the NL East, but all five teams are bunched together. The AL East standings appear "upside down," meanwhile, with the "diabolical" Tampa Bay Rays at the top and the Yanks in last place. In the AL Central, Detroit has yet to win a game this season, after getting swept by Kansas City, to everyone's surprise. Acquiring high-priced stars Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins has not paid off yet, but the season has barely begun, so let's reserve judgment.

Cleveland photos

I've added four photos of "Progressive Field" (formerly known as "Jacobs Field") that were sent to me by Mike Hoecker. I really appreciate fans who submit photos.

April 3, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Nationals cruise, hit a bump

Until the [sixth] inning today, the Washington Nationals were in dominant form, heading confidently toward their fourth straight win to open the 2008 season. Cristian Guzman led off the first inning with a double, and a five-run rally ensued. With a comfortable cushion, Jason Bergman held the Phillies to only one run for the first five innings. After the Phillies started to connect with the ball in the sixth inning he was taken out, whereupon the bullpen promptly collapsed as the Phillies scored six runs. The Nats evened it up in the eighth, and let slip a chance to take the lead in the ninth. In the tenth inning, Jesus Colome was obliged to intentionally walk Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, loading the bases, and then he walked in Jayson Werth on four straight pitches. D'oh!! And so the Nats lost their first game of the season. Well, at least they are still in first place!

Nationals Park tweak

I've seen enough photos [e.g., jdland.com -- thanks, Mike Z.] of the Opening Day Night game at Nationals Park to see that a few minor adjustments were needed, so I took care of that. The high-priced seating sections behind home plate and around center field ("Red Porch," etc.) were the most notable changes.

Booing the Prez

Reluctantly, I bring up the disrespectful attitude of some fans toward our Chief Executive as he threw out the first pitch in Washington on Sunday night. Love him or hate him, he is our president, and happy occasions such as Opening Night should be off limits to political nastiness. For some reason, this incident elicited a blase "so what" attitude from many opinion-makers, including the editorialists of our local paper, the News Leader, who seemed to suggest that he deserved it. What!??? A letter to the editor in the Washington Post likewise asserted that booing is a fundamental right, saying that "respect had to be earned." How utterly inane and beside the point. Of course we have the "right" to boo, just as we have the "right" to be obnoxious in other ways. But why anyone would waste their breath making excuses for such behavior is beyond me.

April 1, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Nationals lead the majors

What an appropriate headline for April Fool's Day! Well, believe it or not, sports fans, it's true! The Washington Nationals are currently the only team in the majors with a 2-0 record, but since they are off tonight, it's likely that there will be other teams with perfect records by this evening. Last night's game in Philadelphia was almost as thrilling as the Opening Night game against the Braves in D.C. on Sunday. This time it was tied 6-6 going into the ninth, and then the Nats unleashed a torrent of doubles, scoring five runs altogether, thus winning the game, 11-6. Some will recall that the Phillies beat the Nats in their first-ever game (April 3, 2005 -- and I was there), and then the Nats came back to win the next two games in the series.

The superior batting, fielding, and base-running performance by Nick Johnson in the first two games is very encouraging for the team's prospects this year. Dare we dream of a post-season bid???

The mail bag

Another news item from Mike Zurawski: The economic slowdown has put the brakes on the planned "Ballpark Village" next to the new Busch Stadium (III) in St. Louis. See stltoday.com