Washington Nationals Wiretap

Nationals Get #1 Overall Pick In 2009 Draft

They swept the Oakland A's at home to finish off the season, which subsequently wound up costing the Mariners a No. 1 overall draft pick next June.

The Washington Nationals dropped nine of their final 10 games to edge out the 61-101 Mariners for the worst record in the major leagues. Chances of the Mariners landing San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg -- if he becomes the top pick as forecast -- faded with Seattle's final weekend surge.

Via Seattle Times


Bowden Supports Acta, Looking For First Baseman

Nationals' General Manager Jim Bowden showed his support for Manager Manny Acta and admitted that the team might have to look elsewhere for a first baseman, according to Washington Post.

"I'm a big supporter of Manny," Bowden said. "I think Manny has done an excellent job with this team. He stayed positive through the most difficult times. It's hard to do. Like all of us that are young in the game, he continues to develop."

Acta is under contract for the 2009 season.

"He's the manager," Bowden added. "Stan [Kasten] is the president, I'm the GM, he's the manager -- and that's what it is until they announce something different for any of us."

He also says that the Nationals shouldn't go into the 2009 season with just Nick Johnson and Dmitri Young at first base.

"You hope that players come back from injury, and certainly we believe based on all the medical and doctors' reports on both players that there is good reason to be optimistic that both of them will be ready to be healthy next year," Bowden said. "But certainly you can never count on any one player ever being back. We always look at opportunities to get better."

Via Washington Post


Hurting For Attendance, Nats Lower Prices

The Nationals have lowered ticket prices for next season after ranking in the bottom half of Major League Baseball in attendance this season, according to Associated Press.

Prices will go down for 7,500 seats in the 41,888-seat Nationals Park, mostly in the outfield sections. They will lower the stadium's average season-ticket price for a non-premium seat to approximately $29.

Via ESPN


Nationals Sep 2008 Archive