Bad Karma and the Bare Assets

Twenty-seven innings in seventy-two hours can cure a good case of spring fever, but in years past when there were more split-squad games, I know we have done more.

Viera, FL and Space Coast Stadium are the spring training home of the Washington Nationals. It is a troubled team searching for a positive direction in the wake of Jim Bowden’s departure under a cloud of suspicion. Stan Kasten eased the worst GM in baseball out of town about as well as it could be done, but there has been a real cost to pay for the worst record in baseball in 2008 and the associated bad news. The bad karma was there for anyone to see in the scanty crowds for the Saturday afternoon match against the Astros. There were almost as many Houston fans over from Kissimmee to see their elder statesmen as there were Nats fanatics.

You cannot miss the newest face of the Nationals franchise. Adam Dunn seems larger than 6’-6” and he is impressive as fans of the WBC learned in recent weeks. He sent a Jose Capellan pitch screaming toward right center with enough gettyup on it to clear the fence. But the steady 25-mph head wind blowing in off the ocean knocked it down like a wiffle ball in the back yard. Hunter Pence danced around the ball as it was blown around the outfield, but watched helplessly as it fell in for a wind-aided double.

Spring training nears its end, but the game was sloppy enough for late February. Cristian Guzman made three errors and the wind had nothing to do with them. Alex Cintron’s double and triple accounted for much of the offense as the Nationals won 6-3, but the real story was in the comings and goings of the players on the field. Dunn played in left for much of the game, but was replaced by Josh Willingham in the seventh inning. Willingham has started and put up good numbers for the Marlins for three seasons, but is odd man out now for the Nationals. Dunn stayed in the game and slid over to first base to replace Nick Johnson.

There are just too many starters for too few positions. Austin Kearns may not have earned a spot with his inconsistent performance over the past two seasons, but he is just one more player who could start if the right circumstance presents itself over the next few weeks. The Nationals need a GM. They need someone to make sense of the situation that exists as players begin to pack their bags for the trip north. Stan Kasten has said in the Washington press that he and Assistant GM Mike Rizzo have it all under control, but there is plenty of room for doubt. It is just one of the unspoken questions in Viera. Who is going to be the new GM? And it may be just as uncertain who is going to end up at first base?

Fans who watched the WBC know that Adam Dunn is not a smooth fielding infielder. Nick Johnson is, but no one knows whether he is truly back to the form he has shown at times, but never sustained for a full, healthy season. But Dunn looked good in the field on Saturday. He handled a grounder at first and pulled in three liners to left to help support Scott Olsen who got the win.

Oddly enough Scott Olsen and the Nationals starting rotation and bullpen look as settled as anything on the team. Olsen looks like he is growing into a dependable starter. He may have lost something off the fastball, but he can pitch. He is the only real addition to the Nationals rotation from 2008 that let Odalis Perez and Tim Redding walk. The 25-year old Olsen will be the ancient mariner on a staff that will feature second-year pitcher John Lannan on opening day. Rookies Shairon Martis and Jordan Zimmermann have pitched very well in their spring starts and won for themselves a spot on the 25-man roster going north—although Zimmermann as the fifth starter may stay behind until needed in mid-April.

As baseball economist Ken Voytek pointed out, the small crowds at Viera may be just one symptom of a sour economy. Other signs might include the even smaller crowd for the Redneck Omelet–ham, bacon, sausage and American Cheese–at the Harbor City Diner. The Harbor City now features a free breakfast on Mondays and Wednesdays as their part of the economic stimulus. Further signs of the downturn could be seen on Highway 192 where Bare Assets, a Gentleman’s Club, was promoting a no cover Customer Appreciation Day.

There is still a lot of spring baseball to play, plenty of time for the Nationals to work out their problems. They look better than the team that lost 102 games last season, but how good are they? We have two more days here in Viera to get some answers. As long as we keep driving past the Bare Assets and sticking to the Red Neck Omelet, I feel confident we will find the solutions to these and other of life’s persistent questions.