Here we go again: it's time for the latest edition of the Nationals.com Mailbag! For the uninitiated, here's how it works: Fans email their questions to Nationals beat writer Bill Ladson at MLB.com. We copy and paste the questions over here. We answer the questions.
But this week, a twist: I've enlisted the help of my 9 (Editor's note: your kid is 8 months old on Thursday, not 9!) 8 month old son (above) in answering each question. His answers are preceded by "My kid:"
As always, keep those e-mails coming to Nationals.com, and we'll keep copying and pasting them over here and giving our half-assed answers. Thanks a bunch.
Do you have any predictions on how the Nationals will play in 2007?
-- Mark R., Ottawa, Canada
NE: Think 2003 Tigers + or - a win or two. However, they will be more lovable and huggable than the 2003 Tigers.
My kid: g5fghsjhkljtttttddddddddddddddjklbbbbsafd
If Cristian Guzman can produce the way he did a few years back, the Nationals' infield looks pretty good with Ryan Zimmerman, Guzman, Felipe Lopez and Nick Johnson. However, with the loss of Alfonso Soriano and Jose Guillen, I am worried about our outfield. Is this a legitimate concern?
-- Jon D., Washington, D.C.
NE: Hmmm...replacing Soriano's production is a legitimate concern, but I think in general the OF is the least of our worries. Unless you actually start thinking about it, and then yeah, you might have a point there, Jon...
My kid: am4';;lkjn
Has Acta voiced his opinion on the Chad Cordero trade rumors?
-- Will S., Reston, Va.
My kid: fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
Reaction to Woody's question about Expos-Nats in last week's Mailbag:
No disrespect to Dawson, but I thoroughly agree with Woody that it is a "burden" to Washington baseball fans to have Expos history shoved down our throats.
Dawson never played in Washington. The people who are interested in him are in Montreal. Instead of featuring him on the Nationals' Web site, we should have seen features on Cecil Travis and Mickey Vernon, both of who played for the Washington Senators. Dawson would have been better served if his feature had appeared on the site of the Toronto Blue Jays.
I really do cringe every time a former Expo is featured on the site or mentioned by the broadcasters, because I know there are plenty of Senators records and tales of old that are being ignored.
-- George T., Scottsdale, Ariz.
A burden? What the hell are we talking about here, George? I'm just bored to tears by this whole Senators vs. Expos "controversy". Go to hell.
Just a comment to Woody S. from Orlando: Don't discount the Expos connection to the Nationals. I started following the Expos as a 9-year-old growing up in Montreal and lived and died with their every move.
Yes, the Expos are gone and are now the Nationals, but they'll always be mine. So please, Woody, don't take them away from us. We are as much behind the Nationals as you are. Please give us that same respect. Go Nats!
-- John M., Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
John -- get a grip. "Woody" isn't trying to take anything away from you. Bud Selig already took care of that.
Please ask the fans who are whining about the Expos to give it a rest. Washington fans, of all people, should be sensitive to what it means to have all evidence of your team's former existence washed away.
-- Alan R., Alexandria, Va.
You had me, then you lost me Alan. Let's not go overboard here about being sensitive and all that crap. But ok, I will personally ask those fans to stop whining.
I respectively disagree with you, Bill. The Washington Senators are the team we look to for our former records to be broken, not any Expos, all of whom we mostly never heard of, even Dawson.
-- Earl B., Sebring, Fla.
"Our former records?" Hmm...let's see, I'm looking around for a former player on the Senators named Earl B., but it's not checking out..."Our former records?"
As a former longtime Expos, now Nationals fan, I have to agree with some of the Nats' fans comments regarding the Expos history. It's time for the Nationals to write their own. I think it's safe to say that if the Nats were still in Montreal, they wouldn't have had the budget to have signed the players they drafted in the last couple of years, most notably Ryan Zimmerman. Also, they wouldn't be in a position to sign the influx of talent they have been signing from the Dominican Republic.
-- Michael R., St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
My kid: fffffffffffffffffa;lk;lk kl; aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
There will be many former Expos fans who will continue to be Nationals fans and compare present and future players to former players. I look forward to the Nationals having a team like the Expos had in 1994.
-- Dave A., Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
NE: Hard to argue with your logic.
My kid: fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
Your kid sounds like Tom Paciorek!
Posted by: Chris | January 23, 2007 at 12:17 AM
Hey, better Paciorek than Darling.
Also note: My kid is actually 8 months old, not 9 as I originally said; my wife pointed this out to me...
Posted by: The Nationals Enqurier | January 23, 2007 at 05:30 PM