Nats Enquirer

Lerners probably aren't making any friends in Florida, either.

Will "rent-free" Ted pay his rent at Space Coast Stadium if $557K in upgrades are rejected?

After neglecting to pay rent to the District on their brand-spanking-new (but "substantially incomplete" stadium), the Nationals have requested $557,000 in upgrades out of the Brevard County (Florida) Commission for Space Coast Stadium in Viera, FL (upgrades which, according to anonymous, unnamed sources with no knowledge of the situation may or may not have included a special batting practice ball shagging area for Mark Lerner).

According to FloridaToday dot com, Brevard County has put a decision on the upgrades on hold for two weeks:

This afternoon, the Brevard County Commission unanimously delayed a decision on $557,000 in proposed upgrades at Space Coast Stadium.

At the request of Commissioner Mary Bolin, the issue will resurface in two weeks. The commission next meets in regular session on Oct. 14.

The Washington Nationals presented the list of capital improvements, including $125,000 in drainage upgrades, $25,000 for sidewalk replacement and $50,000 for pedestrian walkway repairs.

The $557,000 outlay would be financed using tourist tax dollars.

Enquiring minds want to know: if the Commission doesn't approve the upgrades, will the Lerners stop paying rent at Space Coast Stadium, too?

(Photo by Reuters)

YOU ALREADY KNOW WHO THE BIG BOPPER IS.

"We need some help in our lineup. If you look back to 2006 when [Ryan] Zimmerman had that great season, he wasn't the main focus of this team. It was Alfonso Soriano. I really want to get to a point where some of those kids can just go out there and play and have some weight lifted off their shoulders." (Manny Acta, via Washington Times, 9/30/2008)

Tex? Manny? Nope! Picking up where he left off at the Trading Deadline in 2007, you just know Jim Bowden has his heart set on one man -- and one man only.

The only question is: Will Jimbo blow his entire $15 million offseason budget on Adam Dunn, or does he try to spread it around among a bunch of Johnny Estradas? Follow up question(s): What is Jimbo's offseason budget: $15 million in increases? $10 million? Follow up to the follow up question: Will The Family let Jimbo increase payroll this offseason? One more, while we're at it: how much of Jimbo's budget does he blow on the upcoming 2-year deal for Willie Harris?

Anyway, cue up the Adam Dunn-to-Washington rumors; at the very least he fits in with the ex-Red model.

Meanwhile...

Ben Goessling of the Washington Times checks in on the state of player development down on the farm. 

(Photo from Getty Images)