Nats Enquirer

Fireproof?

(AP Photo. Manny Acta would find it amusing if he gets canned in NYC sometime over the next three days, considering he'll be hired again in NYC sometime in the Fall.)

"I'm still the manager."
(Manny Acta, via Nationals dot com, 6/16/2009)

Somehow, Manny Survived Monday.

Washington Times speculates that he's safe through Thursday...and beyond?

Monday came and went, and apparently Manny Acta is still employed by the Nationals. What happened, Stan?

Chico Harlan/Nationals Journal got the quote from an anonymous Nationals employee that sums up the situation perfectly:

Said one employee: "It's just disrespectful to leave him twisting in the wind."

Agree. But given the track record, should anyone be surprised? 

Meanwhile, SI dot com's Jon Heyman, who yesterday reported that Bobby Valentine is in the mix for consideration as a long-term replacement for Acta after Riggleman serves his time, offered up the following thought via Twitter last night:

heard bosses dont think acta fights enough. well, he'll have fight vs. $200-mil yanks. he may need sweep. and even then ... (Jon Heyman, via Twitter, 6/15/2009)

At least the "bosses" have something in common with most Nationals fans. So, a little fire in the Bronx these next few days could save Manny's job?

Meanwhile...

Yankees are licking their chops in the Bronx.

Yesterday, Bugs&Cranks offered an exclusive peek at Manny Acta's Tweets. But we thought THIS was Manny Acta's Twitter page?

Horacio Ramirez arrives just in time to save Manny's job.

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Just Waiting for the Press Release.

(AP Photo. Manny Acta checks the Yankees-Mets score on the Jumbotron as he departs from the field after pulling Ron Villone from yesterday's game in Tampa. The good news for Manny Acta is that Jerry Manuel's Mets are laying down like dogs again, unlike his Nats. A few weeks ago, we thought he's lost his team - we were wrong. Regardless, it's only a matter of time now...)

What time today will the Nationals make the worst kept secret in Washington official?

And will Silent Stan Kasten do the deed in person? Or will he send Mike Rizzo to do his dirty work? 

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The Bryce Harper Watch is Officially On in D.C.

(Photo of Bryce Harper by Stan Grossfeld/Boston Globe.)

"He said, 'Dad, why can't I take my GED and do this?' "
(Ron Harper, via Las Vegas Review-Journal, 6/13/2009)

The answer to the question posed here a couple of weeks ago has been answered:

No. It's not too soon to start the Bryce Harper Watch in D.C. And it's certainly more interesting than the Manny Acta Watch or the Austin Kearns DFA Watch.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Harper will take his GED test and will enroll at the College of Southern Nevada in the Fall. Via Las Vegas Review-Journal, 6/13/2009:

Harper, a 16-year-old who just completed his sophomore year, has registered at the College of Southern Nevada, where he plans to attend classes in August and play for the Coyotes next season.

His father, Ron Harper, announced the decision Saturday while in Oklahoma City for a baseball tournament.

"Bryce is always looking for his next challenge," Ron Harper said. "He's going to pursue his education, too. He's going to get pushed academically and athletically.

...

Bryce Harper and his mother, Sheri, recently went to CSN and signed enrollment forms and his letter of intent to play baseball. Harper is aiming to earn his GED test credentials in the fall.

Okay, we're buying the hype, no questions asked. Because at 16-45, it will be a lot more fun following the chase for the #1 pick in 2010 than the chase for the '62 Mets.

Meanwhile...theWashington Times' Ben Goessling reviews Rizzo's 2009 Draft Strategy.

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Flop at the Trop.

(AP Photo. Before today's game, Manny Acta daydreams about how nice it will be to have the rest of the summer off, and wonders whether he'd be allowed to board the team charter to NY after todays game. Reportedly, Manny got on that plane. Sources won't confirm or deny if he got off that plane.)

It's Always Something.

Rays 8, Nats 3 (Saturday): Jason Bergmann (single, single, homer, walk, homer) makes Manny pay on his way out the door in nightmare 6th; Colome, too. Zimmermann gets yanked early, deserved better.

Rays 5, Nats 4: (Sunday): That old, familiar feeling. Manny Acta's final game as Manager of the Washington Nationals, a loss - game winning hit by Tampa on a routine grounder to third that hit the bag. Seems oddly fitting.

Chico Harlan/Nationals Journal reports that the Nats let Manny on the plane to NY earlier this evening...

After today's game, the elephant remained in the room. Manny Acta has in fact boarded the team plane, heading to New York for the upcoming series against the Yankees

...but we wouldn't put it past Stan Kasten and Mike Rizzo to push Manny out the door of the plane at 10,000 feet somewhere along the flight up the East Coast.

Thanks for the memories, Manny.

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No Manny's Land.

(Photo by Getty Images. The good news for Manny Acta is that Jerry Manuel won't be around for long in NY. Things are falling into place just like Manny hoped they would for the Nationals and Mets.)

Manny Acta: Fired. Almost.

According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Manny Acta Era is nearly over, and the Jim Riggleman Era is about to begin.

Well, sort of. Any day now. Almost. Just as soon as Stan Kasten gets around to making it official. Why else would Silent Stan be in in St. Pete this weekend? Then again, Silent Stan gives a typically Kasten-ian answer to the question everyone knows the answer to:

"Do you have sources that say that? So you're asking me to respond to another media report? That's kind of a silly thing to ask. I would never talk about personnel. ... I've been asked that question by some media outlet almost every day since the first week of the season -- radio, TV, print."
(Stan Kasten, via Nationals dot com, 6/13/2009)

Yet, SI's Jon Heyman says on Twitter that "NL Sources" confirm Rosenthal's report. Maybe Stan is waiting until Monday:

manny acta likely to be fired soon, perhaps even monday, NL sources confirm. no surprise, ken rosenthal is correct.

Over at Chatter, Washington Times' Ben Goessling reported that Manny seemed to be having a blast with his bosses prior to tonight's trainwreck:

Acta was laughing and talking with team president Stan Kasten and acting general manager Mike Rizzo before the game...

You'd be laughing, too, if you were about to be handed a get out of jail free card and could spend the rest of the summer watching Fresh Prince of Bel Air reruns while waiting for your dream job to open up with the Mets.

Meanwhile, more bobbing and weaving from Kasten, courtesy of Chico Harlan/Nationals Journal:

"I can't tell you how perplexed I am by this season and this team and the things that are going on. And our record is, you know, very troubling for me every single day ..... So yeah, I'm troubled by everything. We continue to look for solutions. Have I thought about every possible recourse? I have. As has [acting general manager] Mike [Rizzo], as have our owners. We're certainly not satisfied with our record; far from it. We're distraught over it and we're going to consider everything we need to do to make it better."

Enough, already! Just get it over with Stan! And while you're handing out pink slips, be sure to fire the team employee who leaked the story to Rosenthal. Here at the Nationals Enquirer, we highly doubt that Manny's firing will make much of a difference, but we agree that it's the right move to make; it's a move that had to happen. But once again, this organization seems incapable of doing anything right - even when they're making the right move.

Love him or hate him, Manny Acta deserved better; his firing shouldn't have gone down like this.

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Dropicana Field.

 
 

(Photos of Nick Johnson on TV by Nationals Enquirer Staff. Raise your hand if you knew what was coming when Nick J. dropped the 3rd out of the 8th.)

"I just missed it. Plain and simple. Saw it the whole way. Didn't catch it."
(Nick Johnson, via Washington Post, 6/13/2009)

Rays 4, Nick Johnson's Glove 3: The Drop at the Trop. And now, we've seen everything.

Gabe Kapler makes Nats pay for second chance.

Rays fans weren't saying "Duuuuuuuukes." A mixed bag in Elijah Dukes' return to Tampa.

Stammen was good enough to win, but Hanrahan in the 6th is just like Hanrahan in the 9th, coughs up 3-2 lead.

Another close call goes against the Nats: Joe West blew a call at the plate in the second. Perfect throw by Dukes; tag by Bard; Ben Zobrist was out. Shockingly, Manny emerged from the dugout; naturally, he didn't put up much of a fight.

Keep those fingers crossed that Zimmermann is okay tonight.

At least Nick J's drop wasn't the worst of the night. Luis Castillo's drop takes the cake. 

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Kearns: on the outs?

Time seems to be running out for Austin Kearns...

Is the Austin Kearns Era in D.C. finally nearing its end? Manny Acta indicated that  Kearns will get a crapload of playing time over the next six interleague games in AL Parks (with Dunn safely installed as DH) in hope that he can break out of the 2+ year, ~1000 AB slump he's been mired in since the midpoint of his arrival in Washington in 2006. But don't count on it; and don't be surprised if an 0-for-Tampa for AK leads to a DFA on Monday:

"We need him to step up. We're going to see what he is going to do now in this interleague series because it is going to give us an opportunity to have an extra hitter there. Then after that, we're going to have to make a decision."
(Manny Acta, via Nationals Journal, 6/11/2009)

Before you go feeling too bad for Kearns (and who doesn't?), the following excerpt from a Nationals dot com piece on Kearns' "recent" struggles provides a little comic relief:

Kearns' slump comes at a bad time for the Nationals. They are looking to deal him before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but opposing teams don't have serious interest in him. Kearns has a $10 million option for 2010, but the Nationals are not expected to pick it up.

True: that 2+ year slump has coincided with a bad 2+ years for the Nationals. But you're telling me that "opposing teams don't have serious interest in him."? No shit? No takers?

Can you picture a scenario where any team with a living, breathing human being as GM is sitting around considering a deal involving Austin Kearns? At last check, Jim Bowden is still unemployed, after all.

Good luck this weekend in Tampa, Mr. Kearns.

No Homecoming Parade planned for Elijah Dukes in Tampa this weekend?

(Photo of Elijah Dukes on TV by Nationals Enquirer Staff. Good luck in Tampa this weekend, Mr. Dukes.)

"I'm cool with it. I've been playing in Florida for a long time. I'm pretty familiar with playing in front of my home crowd. I have family watching over there. It's like playing at home."
(Elijah Dukes, via Nationals dot com, 6/11/2009)

Elijah Dukes returns to Tropicana Field for the first time since turmoil in his personal life derailed his rookie season in 2007.

Sure, Elijah's cool with it; but no doubt Rays fans will have their knives sharpened in Tampa Bay this weekend.

This morning's St. Petersburg Times rehashes Dukes' personal struggles, and indicates that just last month, ANOTHER lawsuit was filed against Dukes (which was kept under wraps here in Washington):

And just last month, Shana Elisa Marbra, 23, filed a lawsuit claiming Dukes is the father of her 1-year-old son.

Another kid? By our count, that would bring his kid-tally to seven. Seven! That's a lot of kids; especially for a guy who's had trouble paying for the other ones. 

Good luck in St. Pete this weekend, Mr. Dukes. We're honestly hoping for nothing but the best for you. Hopefully James Williams is on duty. Just don't knock anybody out or up, and maybe keep your cellphone off, too.

58* games in, and the Natinals finally catch a break.

 

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta. Miracles. They happen sometimes.)

Nats 3, Reds 2: Thank you, Brandon Phillips! (nice slide, Alberto Gonzalez!)

Now there's something you don't see every day! For once, it's the team in the other dugout f##king up to blow the game.

Another good start for Lannan. Julian Tavarez is a winner. Joe Beimel is a savior.

Where'd Beimel find that beard?

Anonymous sources report that several Nats runners are still stranded on base at this hour. Hope they make the flight to St. Pete.

That's 14 LOB today, folks. Not surprisingly, Manny seems unfazed by the offensive slumber.

Full disclosure: We voluntarily switched over to C-SPAN after Kearns struck out to end the 7th with 2 out and Zimmerman & Willingham aboard. Fortunately when we switched back in the 9th, MASN2 hadn't morphed into C-SPAN2 (again).

Pick one. The most likely event to happen next:

• a) Manny Acta, fired.

• b) Austin Kearns, DFA.

• c) Natinals win 20th game.

• d) All of the above.

• e) None of the above.

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An All Too Familiar Scene

(AP Photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta. It seems rain delays outnumber wins for the Nats this season.)

"Very disappointing. You wait for two hours. Then we come back roaring and score two runs off their closer to tie the ballgame. We just couldn't finish the deal."
(Manny Acta, via Washington Times, 6/11/2009)

Reds 4, Nats 2: Like Manny said, very disappointing. Loss #42 comes after a late rally, a ~2 hour rain delay and 12 innings.

The Unbeatable Ron Villone finally loses.

Meanwhile...

Signability! Welcome to DC, Drew Storen.

Mike Wilbon points out that Strasburg was a risky choice. Really?

Check NFA for a breakdown of Draft Day 2.