Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Ytcb8eBNs

It’s courtesy of my friend, Mark Doyon, CEO of Wampus Multimedia and my publisher, Pocol Press,  and by the gracious permission of NewsChannel 8.

Since it’s almost that time of year, please consider my book as a unique Christmas gift for anyone who recalls Washington Senators’ baseball or pines for the simpler times before free agency in baseball.

Here’s a link to purchase the book from Pocol Press:

http://pocolpress.com/getBookDetail.php?bookID=000040

Saturday, June 20, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the DugoutZone, 9210 Baltimore Nat’l Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042. Here’s a link to the announcement: http://dugoutzone.com/frame.html

Saturday, July 11, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., SABR’s “Talkin’ Baseball” Monthly Get Together at Brighton Gardens, 7110 Minstrel Way, Columbia, MD., 21045.

Here’s the Link: July 11 “Talkin’ Baseball” link

Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 2: SABR National Convention at the JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C., 20004, I will be signing books at the Pocol Press table in the vendor area.

On Thursday, July 30 at 1:30, I will also be giving a 30-minute presentation at the SABR Convention entitled, “Frank Howard in 1969: Can an Old Dog Learn New Tricks to Get on Base? Greatest Improvements in Career High On-Base Percentage by Veteran Ballplayers.” You must register for the convention and become a SABR member (which I highly recommend, it is a great organization) to attend the presentation.

I hope you can come out to see me and talk Washington Senators baseball at one or more of these upcoming events.

The possibilities for fun with this are infinite. For example, I found out that one of my favorite players, Roberto Celmente hit the most home runs (six each) against Sandy Koufax and Fergie Jenkins, two Hall of Fame pitchers.

Here’s how you get there: Go to www.retrosheet.org  Click on Players on the menu on the left hand side of the screen. Choose the part of the alphabet the player’s last name includes. Once the player’s statistics appear, click on the “Pitcher Matchups” hyperlink. Once there, you can sort by the opposing pitcher’s name or by OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) your favorite batter achieved against each pitcher. It’s quite cool!

Below, you can read who the 1969 Senators loved to face and who struck fear into their hearts when they took the mound or entered the batter’s box. You’ll see some familiar names here if you’re old enough to have followed baseball in the 1960s. Some may surprise you. Look for Denny McLain and Frank Robinson. First the batters:

Bernie Allen:

Favorite: Denny McLain, 12-27, .444 avg., 2 HR’s, 5 walks, 2 strikeouts

Feared: Steve Hamilton, 0-13, .000 avg., 7 strikeouts

Hank Allen:

Favorite: George Brunet, 8-22, .364 avg., 1 HR

Feared: Joe Sparma, 1-10, .100 avg., 5 strikeouts

Brant Alyea:

Favorite: Wilbur Wood, 7-15, .467 avg., 3 HR’s

Feared: Vida Blue, 0-13, .000 avg., 2 walks, 4 strikeouts

Ed Brinkman:

Favorite: Dick Donovan, 13-19, .684 avg., 0 HR’s

Feared: Dean Chance, 5-50, .100 avg., 0 HR’s, 12 strikeouts

Paul Casanova:

Favorite: Juan Pizarro, 5-10, .500 avg., 1 HR, 3 walks

Feared: Tom Phoebus, 0-17, .000 avg., 0 HR’s, 3 strikeouts

Tim Cullen:

Favorite: Bill Lee, 7-13, .538 avg., 0 HR’s

Feared: Joe Coleman, 2-18, .111 avg., 0 HR’s, 4 strikeouts

Toby Harrah:

Favorite: John Montague, 6-13, .462 avg., 2 HR’s, 6 walks

Feared: Chuck Rainey, 0-13, .000 avg., 2 strikeouts

 Note: Harrah appeared in eight games for the 1969 Senators in September as a pinch-runner.

Frank Howard:

Favorite: Larry Sherry, 5-6, .833 avg., 4 HR’s, 1 walk

Feared: Jim Maloney, 4-34, .118 avg., 0 HR’s, 17 strikeouts

Most Senators fans believe Howard wore out Cleveland Indians’ flame thrower Sam McDowell. That’s correct.  Howard went 25-68 (.368 avg.) with 5 home runs and 34 walks (9 intentional) against McDowell.

Here’s a few other pitchers Hondo crushed (Walks include intentional BB’s):

Clyde Wright: 18-40, .450, 6 HR’s, 18 walks

Robin Roberts, 9-17, .529, 3 HR’s, 3 walks

Whitey Ford, 6-12, .500, 2 HR’s, 3 walks

Dave McNally, 37-110, .336, 13 HR’s, 15 walks

Mike Epstein:

Favorite: Joe Niekro, 7-10, .700 avg., 4 HR’s, 4 walks

Feared: Mike Cuellar, 4-39, .103 avg, 0 HR, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts

Jim French:

Favorite: Jim Palmer, 6-18, .333 avg, 4 walks, 0 HR’s

Feared: Denny McLain, 1-14, .077 avg, 1 walk, 0 HR’s

Lee Maye:

Favorite: Gary Bell, 9-14, .643 avg., 0 HR’s, 1 walk

Feared: Dick Ellsworth, 1-22, .045 avg., 0 HR’s, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts

Ken McMullen:

Favorite: Paul Linblad, 13-25, .520 avg., 3 HR’s, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts

Feared: Bruce Howard, 2-28, .071 avg., 0 HR’s, 9 strikeouts

Ed Stroud:

Favorite: Joe Horlen, 7-12, .583 avg., 1 HR, 2 walks

Feared: Rickey Clark, 0-12, .000 avg., 0 HR’s, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts

Del Unser:

Favorite: Lynn McGlothen, 20-50, .400 avg., 4 HR’s, 9 walks, 1 strikeout

Feared: Denny McLain, 1-26, .038 avg., 0 HR’s, 3 strikeouts

Here’s the pitchers:

Dave Baldwin:

Favorite: Frank Robinson, 2-13, .154 avg., 0 HR

Feared: Davey Johnson, 6-10, .600 avg., 2 HRs

Dick Bosman:

Favorite: Don Wert, 3-19, .158 avg., 0 HR’s, 3 strikeouts

Feared: Mickey Mantle, 8-13, .615 avg., 2 HR’s, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts

Joe Coleman:

Favorite: Lenny Randle, 5-35, .143 avg., 0 HR’s, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts

Feared: Bobby Murcer, 29-67, .433 avg., 2 HR’s, 12 walks

Casey Cox:

Favorite: Tony Horton, 0-16, .000 avg., 3 strikeouts

Feared: Felipe Alou, 7-14, .500 avg., 2 HR’s, 1 walk

Jim Hannan:

Favorite: Bobby Knoop, 2-21, .095 avg., 0 HR’s, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts

Feared: Duke Sims, 8-15, .533 avg., 4 HR’s, 5 walks, 1 strikeout

Dennis Higgins:

Favorite: Frank Robinson, 0-10, .000 avg., 0 HR’s, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Feared: Joe Foy, 6-13, .462 avg., 1 HR, 5 walks

Bob Humphreys:                                                          

Favorite: Tom Tresh, 0-13, .000 avg., 0 HR’s, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts                  

Feared: Jim Northrup, 7-14, .500, 1 HR          

Darold Knowles:

Favorite: Willie Horton, 1-15, .067 avg., 0 HR’s, 7 strikeouts

Feared: Thurman Munson, 8-18, .444 avg., 2 HR’s, 3 walks

Barry Moore:

Favorite: Chico Salmon, 2-19, .105 avg., 0 HR’s, 3 strikeouts

Feared: Reggie Smith, 8-19, .421 avg, 3 HR’s

Jim Shellenback:

Favorite: Mickey Stanley, 0-11, .000 avg, 0 HR’s

Feared: Rico Petrocelli, 10-14, .714 avg., 2 HR’s, 4 walks

Some earned World Series’ rings with virtuoso and clutch performances, others contributed nothing. Two set records with outstanding play, including a mark impossible to break. One former Senator sustained a heartbreaking injury that limited his play to one game and likely cost his team a World Series berth.

Who were these men, the 1969 Senators’ biggest baseball winners?

Darold Knowles – Oakland A’s, 1971 American League Championship Series (ALCS), 1973 World Series, 8 games, 6 2/3 innings pitched, 2 saves, 0.00 ERA.

Knowles appeared in all seven games of the 1972 World Series for the World Champion Oakland A’s, setting a record that a future pitcher may equal, but never break. He pitched brilliantly, retiring the New York Mets’ Wayne Garrett for the series’ final out.

Frank Howard – Los Angeles Dodgers, 1963 World Series, 3 games, .300 batting average, 2 Runs, 1 HR, 1 RBI.

Washington’s beloved Hondo helped the Los Angeles Dodgers sweep the New York Yankees in four games. He gave the Dodgers the lead in Game 4, an eventual 2-1 victory, with a 5^th inning home run off of Whitey Ford.

Joe Coleman – Detroit Tigers, 1972 ALCS, 1 game, 9 innings pitched, 1 win, 14 strikeouts, 0.00 ERA.

With his team, the Detroit Tigers, facing elimination, Coleman pitched a dazzling shutout against the Oakland A’s at Tiger Stadium. He won the game, 3-0. His 14 strikeouts stood as the ALCS record until Baltimore’s Mike Boddicker tied the mark in 1983. Another Oriole, Mike Mussina, broke the record with 15 strikeouts in the 1997 ALCS.

Ed Brinkman – Detroit Tigers, 1972 ALCS, 1 game, .500 batting average, 2 doubles.

Brinkman, in the playoffs for the first time in his career with Billy Martin’s Tigers, hit two doubles and handled two chances flawlessly at shortstop. The A’s won the game 3-2 in 11 innings, on pinch hitter Gonzalo Marquez’s single. Al Kaline’s throwing error on the same play plated two runs and erased Detroit’s 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 11^th inning. Late in the game, Brinkman injured his back and missed the rest of the series. The Tigers missed his glove in Game 5. An error by his replacement, Dick McAuliffe, led to the A’s second run in their 2-1 victory.

Dick Bosman – Oakland A’s, 1975 ALCS, 1 game, 1/3 inning pitched, 0.00 ERA.

Bosman pitched in Game 1 for the Oakland A’s. He retired the only batter he faced, Rico Petrocelli, on a pop out in the 7^th inning. The Red Sox won the game 7-1 and swept the three game series, putting an end to Oakland’s three-year reign as baseball’s best.

Mike Epstein – Oakland A’s, 1971 ACLS, 2 games, .200 batting average; 1972 ALCS, 5 games, .188 batting average, 1 homer run, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base; 1972 World Series, 6 games, .000 batting average, 1 run, 2 errors.

Epstein played post-season baseball for the Oakland A’s in 1971 and 1972. His 13 playoff games are the most of any 1969 Senator. While he performed poorly, never hitting above .200, he earned his 1972 World Series ring by playing a major role in getting the A’s into the playoffs with his fine hitting and play at first base.

Del Unser – Philadelphia Phillies, 1980 National League Championship Series (NLCS), 5 games, .400 average, 2 runs, 1 double, 1 RBI; 1980 World Series, 3 games, .500 average, 2 runs, 2 doubles, 2 RBI.

The Phillies have one World Series title in their history and Del Unser played a crucial role. In Game 5 of the NLCS, with his club four outs from elimination and trailing 5-3, he stroked a pinch-hit, game-tying single. He doubled in the 10^th inning and scored the run that put Philadelphia in the series. In the Fall Classic, Game 2, 8^th inning, he hit an RBI pinch-hit double and scored the tying run to help the Phillies rally from a 4-2 deficit on their way to a 6-4 victory. In the 9^th inning of Game 5, the Kansas City Royals led 3-2. They stood three outs away from a 3-2 lead in the series. Unser, once again in a pinch hitting role, doubled home Mike Schmidt with the game tying run. The former Senator later scored the winning run on Manny Trillo’s infield hit against Royals’ closer Dan Quisenberry. Two days later, the Phillies returned to Philadelphia and won the series.

Ken McMullen – Los Angeles Dodgers, 1973 NLCS, 1 game, .000 batting average (1 at-bat)

McMullen played for the World Champion Dodgers in 1963, but was not on the post-season roster. In 1974, again for the Dodgers, he struck out in a pinch-hitting role in Game 3, a 7-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. McMullen did not appear in the Dodgers’ loss to the A’s in the 1974 Fall Classic.

Camilo Pascual – Minnesota Twins, 1965 World Series, 1 game, 5 innings pitched, 5.40 ERA, 0-1 record.

The 1969 Senators’ opening day pitcher appeared in Game 3 of the series for the Minnesota Twins. Another former Senator, Claude Osteen, pitched a brilliant complete game shutout to beat him. The Dodgers defeated Pascual’s Twins in seven games.

Tim Cullen – Oakland A’s, 1972 ALCS, 2 games, .000 batting average (1 at-bat)

Cullen appeared in Games 3 and 4 of for the Oakland A’s as a defensive replacement at shortstop.

Brant Alyea – Minnesota Twins, 1970 ALCS, 3 games, .000 batting average, 1 run

Alyea appeared in all three games, two as the starting left fielder, for the Minnesota Twins, who lost all three to the eventual World Champion Baltimore Orioles. He went hitless in seven at-bats. Alyea played for the 1972 Oakland A’s, but a September injury ended any chance of making Oakland’s post-season roster.

Zoilo Versalles – Minnesota Twins, 1965 World Series, 7 games, .286 average, 3 runs, 1 double, 1 triple, 1 home run, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 0 errors.

The 1965 American League Most Valuable Player, a late season addition to the 1969 Senators, played valiant baseball in a losing effort, as Versalles’ Twins fell to the Dodgers in seven games. His three-run homer led the Twins to an 8-2 win over Don Drysdale in Game 1. He scored two runs in the Twins’ 5-1 victory in Game 2. He managed a hit against the overpowering Sandy Koufax in Game 7, but Minnesota lost to the Hall of Fame pitcher, 2-0.

See www.Retrosheet.org for complete statistics on these men, the 1969 Senators’ biggest winners.

Information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. 

Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at "www.retrosheet.org".

The Senators roster included many students of the game, men who loved baseball and studied its fine points. Many went on to coach baseball at various levels from college baseball to winter leagues in Latin America to the minor leagues to the big leagues. In fact, ten still work in baseball. Below are their names and the teams they work for:

Joe Coleman, Pitching Coach, Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit’s High A farm club in the Florida State League)

Toby Harrah, Roving Minor League Instructor, Detroit Tigers

Camilo Pascual, Scout – Venezuela, Los Angeles Dodgers

Jim Shellenback, Pitching Coach, Elizabethtown Twins, Rookie ball, Appalachian League (Minnesota Twins)

Frank Howard, Professional Scout, New York Yankees (Aside – Wouldn’t it be great if the Nationals could somehow employ him?)

Del Unser, Professional Scout, Philadelphia Phillies

Dick Bosman, Minor League Coordinator, Pitching, Tampa Bay Rays

Darold Knowles, Pitching Coach, Dunedin Blue Jays (Florida State League, Toronto Blue Jays)

Dick Such, Pitching Coach, Camden Riversharks, Atlantic League (Independent)

Wayne Terwilliger, Coach, Fort Worth Cats, American Association (Independent) [Note -- In 2005, Terwilliger, the '69 Senators third base coach, at age 80, led the Cats to the league championship. To keep a promise to his players, he had his ear pierced!]

One other Senator deserves special mention – Jim Hannan as Chairman of the Board for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA). He passionately pursues pension rights for former major league players, especially those in financial distress. Our heroes of lore made little money and often have little more than memories of glory days past. Hannan, along with others, including current president Brooks Robinson help put some money in the pockets of men who brought us childhoods filled with joy.

The 1969 Washington Senators countered this trend. Twenty-three men who played for the Senators in 1969 attended college, 11 earned bachelor’s degrees and two catcher Jim French and pitcher Jim Hannan earned Masters of Finance. Despite years of losing, the Senators played intelligent, winning baseball in 1969, finishing the season with an 86-76 mark, good enough to earn a rookie skipper named Ted Williams Manager of the Year honors.

Here’s a list of the 1969 Washington Senators who were college material.

Name                                        Position                                        School                                    Status

Bernie Allen*                         Second Base                                Purdue                                  Attended

Hank Allen                            Outfield                                        Baldwin-Wallace                Graduate

Dave Baldwin+                    Relief Pitcher                              Arizona                                 Graduate

Rich Billings                         Infield                                            Michigan State                  Graduate

Dick Bosman                        Starting Pitcher                         Wisconsin                            Attended

Ed Brinkman                       Shortstop                                    Cincinnati                            Attended

Doug Camilli                       Catcher/Coach                          Stanford                                Attended

Casey Cox                            Starter/Reliever                        L.A. State College                Attended

Tim Cullen                        Utility Infield                               Santa Clara                        Graduate

Jan Dukes                         Starter/Reliever                         Santa Clara                         Graduate

Mike Epstein                    First Baseman                             U. of Calif (Berkeley)        Attended

Jim French                     Catcher                                           Ohio University                Graduate

Jim Hannan                   Starting Pitcher                         Notre Dame                         Graduate

Dennis Higgins             Relief Pitcher                                Lincoln University            Attended

Gary Holman                First Baseman                             Southern Cal                        Attended

Frank Howard               First Base/Outfield                    Ohio State                             Attended

Bob Humphreys           Relief Pitcher                               Hampden-Sydney             Graduate

Darold Knowles            Relief Pitcher                               Missouri                                Attended

Jim Miles                       Starter/Reliever                        Delta State College             Graduate

Barry Moore                Starting Pitcher                         Pfeiffer College                     Attended

Dick Such                    Starting Pitcher                         Elon College                           Attended

Del Unser                    Centerfielder                                Mississippi State                  Graduate

* Bernie Allen was an All-American quarterback for Purdue. He beat Notre Dame three times.

+ After baseball, David Baldwin earned an M.S. in Systems Engineering and Ph.D. in Genetics

You have no doubt heard all the negative comments about the stadium’s cost, the still-developing neighborhood, the lack of parking — ignore all of it. Take the time to visit, take a tour of the park (see the Nationals’ website www.nationals.com for information) and escape our world’s breakneck pace and take in a game with a friend, your relatives or your family. Baseball affords a time to relax and chat and reconnect with each other. What better setting than the Nation’s Capital, with the Capitol Dome in view nearby and the Washington Monument standing in majestically in the distance and the ships, symbols of our nation’s diligence, at harbor in the Navy Yard.

Let the relaxation and fun of a baseball game, the best game ever devised, wash over you. I’d suggest making a summer’s day of it. Go into Washington and park near the Gallery Place Metro stop or the nearby Verizon Center. There’s plenty of parking garages there and you can hop on the green line at Gallery Place. It’s just a few stops to the ballpark – Navy Yard Station. Take in the museums, the monuments, have dinner at one of DC’s many fine restaurants – all the world’s foods are available – then enjoy the game. Ignore the naysayers and let yourself have a great time in what will soon be one of the city’s most beautiful places.

Now, on to the ratings. Managers — I love Manny Acta, but he’s not at the top yet, though I think he will be one day, hopefully soon. I rate Bobby Cox the best since he has such a winning pedigree. Charlie Manuel second, because his temperament and old-time baseball ways are a perfect fit for his team. A Larry Bowa-Joe Girardi type would have ground the Phils into a sub-500 record last year after their horrible start. Acta squeezed more out of a limited roster than anyone thought possible last season. I loved Willie Randolph as a player and felt he would be a great manager, but he fiddled while the Mets crashed and burned last year. Freddie Gonzalez has little to work with in Florida, but he had much more talent than Acta and still finished two games behind the Nationals.

So, here’s the ratings — 1- Cox/Atl, 2 – Manuel/Phils, 3 – Acta/DC, 4 – Randolph/Mets, 5 – Gonzalez/Fla.

Running scores — Mets – 28; Braves – 28; Phils – 31; Nationals – 35; Marlins – 42.

Now, I gotta run. We’ll finish up with the benches before Opening Night.

Closers – Chad Cordero is the cardiac kid of this group, with Billy Wagner the most reliable. Watching Cordero is akin to seeing a high wire act every night. More often than not, though, he gets the job done. Wagner, when he is healthy and on his game, is a lights out closer, but he does seem to struggle with elite line-ups like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies. He’s more reliable than Cordero, but I look at how he pitches and wonder how his keeps his elbow from exploding. When the Mets come to DC, go watch a game or two. If Wagner comes in (an unpleasant thought) look at how much torque he puts on that elbow! The Phillies may have upgraded their closer with Brad Lidge, but he got off to a bad start with a minor knee injury. His confidence appeared fragile after his last two years in Houston. It will be interesting to see how he handles the bandbox Philly ballpark, though he thrived 2005 and before in an even more biased-toward-hitters park in Houston. The Braves’ Soriano throws heat, but is vulnerable to left-handed batters and wildness. Florida’s Kevin Gregg is solid, if unspectacular.

Overall, I’d rank the closers like this:  1 – Wagner (NY) 2 – Cordero (Was) 3 – Lidge (Phi) 4 – Gregg (Fla) 5 – Soriano (Atl) – though, I will admit, the new ballpark and Cordero’s flyball tendencies could be interesting. I think 2-5 are very close, but Wagner a clear #1.

The Nationals’ strength lies more in the depth of their pen then in Cordero. On the right-hand side they have proven veteran Luis Ayala, Jon Rauch, one of baseball’s best set-up men in 2007 and a possible closer if Cordero falters plus Saul Rivera, who allowed only one HR last year and Jesus Colome, who seemed to recapture his ability last year. No other team has that kind of depth on the right side. Chris Schroeder might be a budding star and Joel Hanrahan could do better in relief, with his 95+ MPH stuff.

On the southpaw side, the Nats might be a little thin. They have Ray King as a lefty specialist, but little else. They might need some help on the left side.

The Marlins are relying on a lot of young pitchers or journeymen in their pen. They got hit hard last year and probably will again.

The Phillies got some unexpected help from J.C. Romero last year and their pen held together for their playoff run, only to implode in the NLDS. You have to wonder how much longer Tom Gordon will last.

If Duaner Sanchez is healthy and returns to form, the Mets might have a much better bullpen, but their relievers fell apart last season at the end.

The Braves upgraded their pen with Will Ohman and Mike Gonzalez, acquired through trades. This might be their secret weapon this season.

So, Steve, how about the grades? Ok, this is always a tough area to judge, but here’s how I see it:

1 – Nationals 2 – Braves 3 – Phillies 4 – Mets 5 – Marlins

So, the total scores now are:

Mets – 24

Braves – 27

Phillies – 30

Nationals – 32

Marlines – 37

Next, the benches, then the managers. Will the Phils and Braves inch closer to New York? Will the Nats climb a bit? We’ll soon see.

I hope, when you read this post, you feel the affection for Washington baseball that I — and thousands of others — feel. Many disparage Washington as a town of soulless transients, with loyalty to nothing but political parties and self-preservation. If it was ever true, it is a dated notion that changed long ago. Now, multiple generations of people have lived and worked — and stayed in the area. They root for their home teams as passionately as any other  town. Until 2005, Washington simply lacked one of two necessary conditions to fall in love with baseball. They had no home team. They still wait for the second, a winning team that, at least, makes the playoffs or a serious, down-to-the-wire run.

No town embraces baseball until that happens. Not even Cubs’ fans. True, they haven’t won a World Series in 99 years, but they’ve made the play-offs many times since 1984. Red Sox’ fans had turned away in droves — until the Impossible Dream of 1967. When the  WBHS held a reunion for the 1969 Senators, the event’s capstone, breakfast with the players, quickly sold out — this from a town devoid of baseball since 1971. In the coming months, I will set about debunking myths about Washington as a baseball — and sports — town. Here’s the article excerpt:

The memories and stirred senses of the joy of baseball in Washington bring more than nostalgia. Pure reminiscing is hopeless, a simple reverie of a time long ago, never to return. It cannot be only, merely that. My memories give me a vision — of a future, quite near, where I experience the feelings and sensory pleasures of baseball again, right here in Washington, D.C. This time, as a parent, with my three sons.

In my vision, we stroll, no, trot toward a new stadium. It’s unquestionably modern, with a classic look and feel that complements the surrounding architecture. Centerfield has a 90 degree bend, a la Griffith Stadium, and there’s a big, black clock with long white hands and Roman numerals, like RFK’s signature Longine’s timepiece.

 
The stadium is open, with a view that takes in the Capitol and the gorgeous D.C. skyline on a clear night. A large American flag flies over center field, boldly symbolizing that this park is where defenders of freedom live and work.

 
Metro stops here, with thousands riding up its (working) escalators, pictures of great Washington baseball players from Walter Johnson to Josh Gibson to Frank Howard lining either side. A carnival atmosphere prevails, with vendors selling shirts, hats, souvenirs and all kinds of food and drink.

 
The grounds outside the stadium are well kept, with clean, green space for picnicking and leisurely talking baseball – or politics. The laughter and anticipation brings the nearby streets and bars alive. The crowd has many colors, languages, and cultures – its diversity reflecting a city full of variety and vitality — and, the make-up of the Washington baseball organization itself.

My boys sprint down the steps, past a distracted usher and down the steps to the right field foul line to crowd in for an autograph from a Washington ballplayer. I sit down in my seat, open my score book, and sigh contentedly. Baseball has returned to Washington, where it belonged all along.

The Nationals have much better talent than last year’s tryout camp and a few young guys in Colin Balester and Ross Detwiler that might make some waves later in the year. Garrett Mock and Tyler Clippard have potential, but it probably needs to be refined. The good news is that both are power pitchers, something the Nats sorely lacked last season. Washington’s problem is that the two best pitchers, John Patterson and Shawn Hill have a track record of despair — lots of injuries and only one semi-full season between them. Also, we’ll get to see if Matt Chico is more Tom Glavine or Mike O’Connor. I think he’s tough enough to withstand the challenge from Odalis Perez and pitch well, but the beauty of baseball is that time will tell.

Enough chatter, let’s get to the ratings:

1 – NY – Santana, Martinez, Maine, Perez, Hernandez/Pelfrey

Comments: By far the best rotation in the division if Martinez, Perez and El Duque stay healthy – but Santana and Maine could both win 20. Santana makes an average, risky group strong and puts the Mets above all rivals.

2 -  Atl – Smoltz, Hudson, Glavine, James, Hampton/others – #1 to #3 are old, but solid and strong. Glavine gives them the good left-hander the team has lacked. The Phillies aren’t far behind, but the Braves’ group gets the nod because of its experience and health. The are pretty weak after he big 3, though.

3 – Phi – Hamels, Myers, Kendrick, Moyer, Eaton/Benson(?), others — Didn’t see Benson on the depth chart, but my Philly source tells me he’s signed. An intriguing group. Hamels is scary good, close to Santana in my book. I’m just not sure Myers is as good as everyone says and Kendrick seemed to overachieve — also, health is an issue as Hamels and Myers have had arm trouble. But, if Kendrick is real, Moyer has one more year left and the top 2 stay healthy, this rotation might be good enough to get Philly into the #2 spot.

4 – Was – Patterson, Hill, Bergmann, Lannan, Chico/Redding – The Nats have excellent depth at the back end of the rotation – Clippard, Redding, Mock, Balester, Detwiler and a few other youngins’ could probably fill those 3-5 slots. Detwiler might be fantastic, but likely not this year. The trouble is there’s no real ace. Patterson and Hill are good, not great even when healthy (though Hill could be a top line NL pitcher with that sinker) – but they’re just NEVER healthy. The new park will also separate the men from the boys in this group. But, if the Nats keep drafting like last year, this rotation could be excellent top to bottom by 2010. There’s potential here, but nothing proven and no ace like Santana, Hamels and Smoltz. That will change soon, but likely not in 2008.

5 – Fla – Olson, Mitre, Miller, Hendrickson, Nolasco/others — A weak group with Willis long gone and Anibal Sanchez injured(?) – Olson and Mitre are good #3/#4 guys, but not really aces. Unless help is coming from the farm, this group is way behind the others.

So, if we add these ranking to the previous ones (remember 1 point for first…5 points for 5th) we stand:

Mets – 20

Braves – 25

Phils – 27

Nationals – 31

Marlins – 32

Next: The bullpens. Do the Nationals really have one of baseball’s best? Stay tuned to find out my opinion.

Let’s take a look at the NL East outfield:

Left field – 1 – Josh Willingham (Fla) 2 – Moises Alou (NY) 3 – Pat Burrell (Phi) 4 – Pena/Dukes (Was) 5 – Matt Diaz (Atl)

Comments: A flawed bunch. Willingham gets the nod due to his talent and youth. He’s a good, solid, young power hitter. I could switch Burrell and Alou, but gave the nod to Alou since he’s a more versatile hitter, a tougher out. Burrell’s feast or famine, with lots of K’s. Neither can field at all. I’d love to rank the Nationals tandem higher since both are young and full of potential, but neither has proven their worth over an entire season. Pena has great power, but strikes out way too often and never walks. Dukes might be great, but he needs to prove he can play well and hold his temper and regulate his behavior for an entire season. Baseball eventually brings out the worst in everyone. It’s long, long season. Nats’ fan saw Jose Guillen hold it together for half a season, then he exploded when Pedro hit him in the back on July 5, 2005, taking the clubhouse and the team down with him. If Dukes and/or Pena blossom, they could surge ahead of the two old guys ahead of them. Atlanta appears to trail the pack here, but they always seem to find a prospect to come in and play well. Diaz is ok, but nothing special from what I’ve seen.

Centerfield 1 – Carlos Beltran (NY) 2 – Cameron Maybin (Fla) 3- Lastings Milledge (Was) 4 – Mark Kotsay (Atl) 5 – Shane Victorino (Phi)

Comments: I know my Phillies fans will question this one, but I’m not sold on Victorino. He can field well, but his hitting seems inflated by the Philly park. Beltran is the best by far of this bunch, but Maybin and Milledge could both break out this year and be very good. Judging from the players on the other end of the trades, it seems Maybin has a higher upside than Milledge, but time will tell. Kotsay is a solid vet to keep the position warm until Jeff Schaeffer, the Braves hot prospect, is ready.

Right Field – 1 – Jeff Francouer (Atl), 2- Jeremy Hermida (Fla) 3 – Austin Keanrs (Was) 4 – Ryan Church (NY) 5 – Geoff Jenkins/Jayson Werth (Phi)

Comments: Francouer has his flaws at bat – lack of patience – but he has power, drives in runs, and is a great fielder. Kearns fields nearly as well, if not better than Francouer, but hasn’t shown he can hit like Hermida can. In today’s baseball, you need some power in your OF. I’d love to see Kearns reach his hitting potential – he has everything else you’d want – fields great, great teammate, plays hard, but he’s not shown he can his consistently — yet. I really liked Chuch – 46 doubles are a testament to his ability, but he does have some holes in his swing and somehow, since 2005, seems hesitant and unsure of himself in the field. The NY media might grind him up — or he could put it all together and pass Kearns. I think Jenkins will hit a lot of home runs in Philly, but strike out way too much and butcher too many fly balls to keep Philliy’s fickle fans happy. Werth is a solid back-up who will have his moments, both good and bad.

So, the Nats have an OF full of potential, but unproven — and completely right-handed. I could see this group being death on left-handed pitching, which would help the Nats in the lefty-heavy NL East. But righties like Myers, Pedro, Smoltz and Hudson could eat these guys alive. It’s one of the most intriguing stories about the 2008 Nationals that will be fun to follow. For instance, Pena could hit 45 home runs and/or strike out 200 times with under 40 walks. He needs to heed the advice Ted Williams gave Frank Howard in 1969 – learn how to take a strike and a walk!

Ok, let’s add up the rankings. Florida, surprisingly, comes in first with 5 points. The Mets are second with 7. The Nats and Braves tie with 10. Philadelphia is 5th with 13 points.

So, how does the NL East look so far, taking infield and outfield together? Below it’s total score (IF score/OF score)

1 – Mets 19 (12/7)

2 – Braves 22 (12/10)

3 – Phillies 25 (12/13)

4 – Nationals 27 (17/10)

4 – Marlins 27 (22/5)

Gulp! The Marlins catch up to the Nats now and we see some separation between the top 3, with the Phillies taking a big hit. I believe they will really miss Rowland, just like the White Sox did.

Next, starting rotations. Who has the best? How will it change the overall rankings?