DA MEAT HOOK: GROUNDED

"As I said, it's a two-pronged mission. You can't do the second prong until you do the first prong."
(Jim Bowden, via Washington Post, 7/28/2008)

Even a big hug with Jim Bowden won't save Dmitri Young this time. Nor will a massage.

In related news, the Nationals have fired Richard Simmons as Da Meat Hook's personal trainer.

From Nationals dot com:

...Dmitri Young is still having problems controlling his diabetes and will remain in Washington, D.C., for the time being.

In fact, general manager Jim Bowden went so far as to say that Young is not feeling well and unable to travel to Florida to get into shape. There is no timetable as to when Young will return to action.

It's sad, really. Like Jim said above, you can't do the second prong until you do the first prong. And you certainly can't do the third prong until you do the second prong. And the fourth prong? No way, not without prongs three and one. So, the big guy (Dmitri Young) can't or won't fly to Florida to get in "first class physical shape" until the first prong is accomplished. But let's be honest: see you in Viera in 2009, Dmitri. There probably won't be a second prong this year. Dmitri Young is done for 2008 (and to be honest, hopefully that's the worst news for Dmitri as he battles to get his diabetes under control), and each day that goes by, Jim Bowden is sweating that $10 million, 2 year extension he signed DY to just before the trading deadline last season.

And one more thing, Jim: remember, when Stan Kasten calls you into his office to fire you, if he tries to use Dmitri's extension against you, just remember this whopper from Stan in the aftermath, when he called that $10 million deal an "easy decision" (via Washington Post):

"The one thing I think we should be consistent about is that we are opportunistic," Kasten said. "If there is an opportunity to add a player, then we'll take it.

(AP Photo by Evan Vucci)

Comments

[ckstevenson]

So how poorly does Dmitri have to be feeling not to be able to fly to Florida? How did he so quickly go from "Playing 1B for a MLB team" to "Not able to fly 3 hours"?

I've been to Vegas before, I've been hungover on a return trip from there. Sure, flying when you don't feel well sucks. But HOW BAD can he be? And if he truly can't fly there, how did this sneak up on him? If it is so horrific, shouldn't he be, you know, in a hospital?

This team is CURSED.

[Ben]

This team is not cursed. This team is in terrible shape.

I know nothing of diabetes so I have no idea how fast it comes on, or how to prevent, or live with it. I just hope Dimitri gets better.

As for the rest of this team, you can't help but feel that a few extra laps of the field before batting practice, and five minutes in the weight room would do them a power of good. A bunch of them are out and out fat!