Ryan Church is ready for a big year. Manny Acta has confidence Church will be the starting left fielder on April 2. 

Church told the Washington Post “this is the year I prove everybody wrong.” And to start 2007 off on the right note he is leaving today from his suburban Cleveland home for Viera, Fla., to get an early start on spring training. Position players are not required to arrive until Feb. 18. Then again, he could be leaving early because its Florida and not Ohio. I mean that from a weather standpoint only.

Church uses the old athlete adage of something to prove. He sure does have something to prove-to himself and the organization for starters. Last spring, Church bottomed out hitting just .200 and was sent to AAA New Orleans to start the season. He went back to Washington, AA Harrisburg, then New Orleans before recalled in late July. In 71 games with the big club in 2006, Church batted .276 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs.

“I was devastated, and it affected my whole year," Church told the Post of his demotion to New Orleans.  "I was just like the other guys down there that don’t belong there, and I sure . . . didn’t belong down there. But it was my fault.

“I learned all last year. I’m mentally tough now, beyond belief. I’ve been basically through all my trials. Last year, I couldn’t deal with going up and down, all that stuff. I’m that much more confident now, and I’m just looking forward to getting down there and getting started,” Church told the Post.

My thought after reading this quote was he has to be mentally tougher. It’s not a choice. Church is coming into this spring training not only playing for job but his future in the nation’s capital. 

There was speculation about Church’s future during this offseason when he did not play Mexican Winter League ball.  He was subject to trade rumors as the Mexican ball situation seemed to spell the end of his time in the Washington organization. Church addressed that topic in the Post story.  Church said he and his agent were interested in going to Mexico but the Mexican club has signed another outfielder.  Instead, Church went to a vision specialist to improve his tracking the baseball. Church’s weakness for breaking balls is well documented.

The long debated question is not Church’s potential but whether he’ll show it on a consistent basis.  His 2005 and 2006 combined numbers read as follows:  282 batting average, .359 on-base percentage with 19 homers and 77 RBI.

Decent stats but let’s see it over a whole season. This would be the season to do it.  If Church could average those figures, he could be a good fit in the No. 6 spot.

Acta put his faith in Church telling the Post “if the season started tomorrow Church would be the starting left fielder.”

It’s a nice show of confidence in Church but is it premature?  Church seemed to have the starting center field job entering 2006 spring training too. The best thing Church can do is win this job early in spring training with a great work ethic, good attitude and even better play.

Church might be the manager’s vote but he still has to bust his hide during spring training. He’ll be competing against Chris Snelling, Alex Escobar and Nationals two-time Minor League Player of the Year Kory Casto.

I thought Church was going to be dealt during this offseason but it seems for now he is staying and will get the opportunity again to prove he can be the Nationals starting left fielder.  If he’s matured, we’ll see it. If the vision specialist helped, we’ll see that too (no pun intended).  If he’s improved, we’ll know it. If he doesn’t improve, his time in Washington might be running out.

Big year? I think it’s more a make-or-break year. 

Ryan Zimmerman made his first steps inside the new stadium Monday. So did Nook Logan and Mike O’Connor. The three Nationals were joined by several members of the media, including a few bloggers, as they scoped out the new, unfinished digs of the yet-to-be-named stadium.

The weather was ideal….for winter.  Temperatures were in the 20s and the terrain was muddy.  Hard hats were required obviously. Still, the event, part of the Nationals week-long Caravan, gave the players a chance to meet and thank the people on the front lines of building the new stadium.

There is a great link that allows people to see the updated progress of the park.  On the site, there are two cameras options (Camera 1 and Camera 2) and a time select option on the left to see time of day. On the upper left hand of the page, there is an option for the specific date to get a feel for how far the project has come.

Miss Chatter at Just a Nats Fan was able to sneak away from work to see the progress first hand Monday. Even better, she brought her camera for all the festivities. If you like pictures of steel, dirt and concrete, you’ve come to the right place.

Looking through the Nationals 2007 schedule, I noticed a couple interesting items. 

A Minnesota-Washington series for the first time since 1971.  The Twins should’ve waited three years on the Walter Johnson bobblehead doll night.

     Washington could face four future Hall of Famers this season, two of whom (Randy Johnson and Tom Glavine) are closing in on 300 career wins. Johnson could go in the series finale in Washington between the two squads on April 8.  Johnson is slated to be Arizona’s No. 2 this season.  Arizona and Washington both have seven games in seven days to start the season.  The Nationals could promote the future Hall of Famers who could be coming to town this year (Johnson, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez and Barry Bonds) just in case attendance decreases again this year.  The marketing plan worked with the old Washington Bullets: Come see Jordan, Magic and Bird plays the Bullets.

         The Nationals luck out by having the two World Series teams come to Washington this year, a first for the city. St. Louis has to come to town (part of rules).  Still, Detroit coming to town for three is an added bonus.

            Look out, boys and girls; Stan Kasten is doing a Live Event Chat Wednesday at mlb.com. Some questions I think will come up include: The Plan, the new stadium, the expansion of the scouting department, Soriano, the lack of quality pitching in the starting rotation, and when will Nationals single-game tickets go on sale.

The last question is mine. I just want to know for Opening Day purposes and for my birthday (April 5) so I can to go to the Nationals Ticket Office the day they go on sale.  I just left myself open for a lot of punch lines. The rest of the games I can go to the box office the day of the game so I don’t have to pay the service charge and handling fees. I don’t think the Nationals will be selling out the joint in ‘07.

            Several years ago, I used to work for a national ticket company (there’s only two main ones that come to mind).  I took calls nationwide for tickets to MLB games. One of the first things I learned in training was (and for most of us it’s a no-brainer) buying tickets at the box office cuts out the middle man and eliminates the extra fees. The service charge is a per-ticket fee and the handling fee is a one-time fee for the entire order. Ticket companies got to make their living somehow.  I try to avoid the $3-$4 service charge and $2 handling fees at all cost even if I have to drive a little more (or take Metro in DC) to get there. To pay face value is golden. 

            However, I realize that stadium box offices aren’t on every block like Starbucks. Also, the out of town crowd have no choice but to go to the phone and computer for tickets. The convenience of buying tickets at home is great. Nothing is better than going to your computer and buying tickets. There’s the option of going to an outlet near the home/work and buying them there as well. I also realize my mindset is Washington-focused. For those in New York, Boston, Chicago or elsewhere in the country where sellouts could actually occur, the tickets are a little harder to come by. Do what you gotta do!

            I noticed the Chicago White Sox have a 13-game plan known as the Ozzie Plan. Each game is a little different-check the link. If they had that plan in Washington, I would be inclined to go for that type of setup. I think having your minimum game plan be a 20-gamer is far too high for the Nationals especially coming off a season where the attendance dipped 20% and expectations are low for 2007. The more options the better.

This week, the Washington Nationals set official start times for their 2007 home games.

One noticeable difference is that Sunday afternoon games will start at

1:35 p.m

, 30 minutes later than previous seasons.

"We thought it would be worth experimenting to allow a little more time for those fans who would be coming from church," Nationals President Stan Kasten said in Saturday’s Washington Post. "We’ll see how people like it. We regard it as an experiment."

Apparently, This Base for Rent has learned that the time change isn’t just for fans. The Nationals players and coaches have been asked to attend their respective places of worship. 

“Lord, we need all the divine intervention we can get this year,” said one member of the organization. “A little guidance from up above would certainly do some good in 2007. Everyone is picking us to finish dead last in the NL East.”

However, churchgoers weren’t having it.  One person said the time change makes no difference.

“It could be

2:05

, we’re just not interested in Nationals baseball after church,’’ said one churchgoer in Northern Virginia who declined to disclose his name. “Although from what I read, the Nationals might need some salvation this year.”

This Base For Rent asked a Washington official does going over to Ryan Church’s house for early Sunday breakfast qualify as attending church. The answer was met with a stern look, a roll of the eyes and uncomfortable silence.

The Nationals will play eight weekday games including a July 4^th contest against the Chicago Cubs at 12:05 p.m. The starting time should give fans who want to attend the game and attend the Mall enough time to find an inch of land to stand or sit to watch the fireworks. All other weekday games are

1:05 p.m.

including the Labor Day game against Florida.

Three of the day games are in April-the season opener against Florida on April 2, the series finale against Florida on April 4 and the series finale against Philadelphia on April 19.

-Nationals majority owner Ted Lerner looks at the team’s books. According to Mark Lerner, son and principal owner, in Thursday’s Washington Post, [Ted Lerner] "checks every expense sheet, because that’s how you find out where mistakes are being made."

Who wants to a mistake in front of him? I made a huuuge mistake in front of my boss once. Worst feeling in the world. Even worse to make it in front of full-fledged Republican.  Oh yeah, Ted Lerner is not too wild about the free agents signings during the past 90 days. He thinks they’re out of control. The Plan is still in full effect!

-How much is an Alex Escobar worth? Apparently, $530,000 this year. Some PayDay. It’s $430,000 more than 100 Grand and $530K more than a Zero. All this typing makes me want a candy bar.

-Nook Logan is the everyday center fielder going into Spring Training. Call me in early March when this matters. I know there’s some statistical rationale why this might be a bad move but I’m not ready for it just yet. Speaking of Nook, I want to have a Nationals player nicknamed Cranny. There’s a PR campaign the Nationals could do: a product placement with Thomas’ English Muffins. Breakfast food and baseball go together like ginger ale and hockey!

-Skipper Manny Acta, Center fielder Nook Logan, and pitcher Michael O’Connor, who will not be part of the team’s opening day roster, did the 2007 Nationals Winter Caravan Tour around the Washington DC area. They met people, signed autographs and gave interviews. This tour seemed weird since most of the appearances this week were during daytime hours. It also got me thinking……

Why didn’t these guys go to Baltimore or even Howard or Anne Arundel County? Does Peter Angelos have a tracking device on all Nationals players? Is Howard County the border?  I would’ve loved to see an N.W.O angle (wrestling reference to the 1990s faction New World Order or could mean the Nationals World Order) where they went to Baltimore and spray-painted the DC logo in various places to start a “local” rivalry.

-Steve Traschel and Mark Redman aren’t in the mix.  Gosh darn it! All the talk of having the league’s worst rotation has me bummed out.

- Thomas Boswell invented a new word-tragicomic. Okay, I didn’t learn this from the Nationals but it’s worth mentioning. Boswell’s Friday column pretty much demands the Nationals upgrade their starting pitching situation by Opening Day. At least that’s how I perceive it.

I got the inspiration for this blog a couple days ago. I saw it on television. I forget which channel; it might have been on all of them.

This Base For Rent’s State of the Nationals Address

My Fellow Nationals Fans,

This is the third year of Major League Baseball’s return to our nation’s capital, a fact that gives all Nationals fans a reason to be thankful.

The year 2006 saw the Nationals make great progress off the field.  After several years of Major League Baseball’s ownership, the Lerner Group was awarded ownership of the Nationals. The fans received some much-needed food and entertainment options not seen during the team’s inaugural season. The Racing Presidents made their debut and were a hit with the fans. RFK Stadium got a powerwashing and an overall touch-up. Now if they can only something about those seats (laughter from the crowd).

Also in 2006, Team President Stan Kasten came on board and quickly became the face of the organization. Jim Bowden continues as general manager to make the deals in the best interest of the Nationals organization.  Or so we hope.

In 2006, Nationals fans witnessed Alfonso Soriano’s 40-40-40 season. I want to thank Soriano for his great season. He helped me win my fantasy baseball league. I wish him the best of luck in Chicago. Ryan Zimmerman became a fan favorite in 2006 with his late-inning heroics and just missed out on NL Rookie of the Year.

(applause)

The Nationals organization said farewell to manager Frank Robinson, who guided the team through the difficult transition of relocation from Montreal. The franchise should be forever thankful for Robinson’s efforts.  While I am disappointed Frank will not be part of the Nationals organization in the immediate future, I am pleased to see him join ESPN as a baseball analyst especially for the 60^th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s major league debut.

(long standing ovation)

Washington selected a new manager in November. Manny Acta has proven to be quite the popular guy around the Washington DC area.  A veteran baseball man, Acta brings enthusiasm and a fresh spirit to the organization. He is a hero in his native Dominican Republic. Acta and the Nationals will grow together into a competitive team before too long.

Washington’s minor league system continued to improve in 2006 through wise draft selections and trades. While the minor league system still has a ways to go to before it can be compared to some of the league’s top minor league systems, I am confident in the strides made at this juncture.  Kory Casto, Zech Zinicola, Kory Casto and Colton Wilhelms are just some of the names that should grace Nationals rosters in the coming years.

The year 2007 will see the Nationals continue to grow. There are a couple of starting positions up for grabs going into spring training and the competition should be interesting. The wins and losses may not truly reflect the strides Washington will make during the 2007 season.  The end goal has not changed. The Nationals will stay the course and follow The Plan set forth.  If they do, victory will be at hand in due time. If not, the fans will let the Nationals brass know their displeasure. There will be accountability.

During these times, the Nationals must not forget the fans. Fan experience should not be sacrificed for any reason. Less than sterling customer service is unacceptable (standing ovation).

In today’s age, there is a lot of pressure to win now.  The free agent market is a minefield in which the Nationals must be careful not to pay too much or offer too little, as either avenue is unwise.  The Nationals should invest in free agents wisely. I believe this can be done. In the coming years, I look forward to the Nationals joining the free agent market as a fiscally wise team.

The next year will bring a truly long-awaited treasure with the opening of the Nationals new stadium. All indications are the stadium is on schedule for April, 2008. Each day, more progress is made on the stadium which will be a tribute to all those who worked day and night into making the stadium a jewel of our Nation’s Capital. (applause, no standing ovation)

I am confident in the Nationals long-term plans. Its presence in the Dominican and Venezuela will show Major League Baseball and Nationals fans the Nationals are serious about establishing a long-term baseball outside the United States. The new stadium will bring in more fans as the team continues down a road of rebuilding followed by success. Ryan Zimmerman will certainly be a cornerstone of this organization not only on the field but in the community.

In conclusion, Nationals fans, we must continue to support our squad through these growing pains because the benefits that await us at the end of this road will be worth it.  Thank you very much! (standing ovation).

Former Montreal/Washington pitcher Tomo Ohka is taking his talents to the American League signing a 1-year, $1.5 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Mlb.com’s article says Ohka could as much as $3 million in performance bonuses.  I would like to know what these bonuses are.  Finishing below a 4.50 ERA?  180 innings? 10 wins? 30 starts?

He’s joining a team that had one of the league’s best offenses last year and took second in the AL East, a shocking accomplishment considering the 1-2 stranglehold the Yanks and Sox have had for the past several years.

Ohka went 4-5 with a 4.82 ERA last season with Milwaukee, but injuries limited him to just 18 starts. A partial tear in his right rotator cuff kept Ohka on the disabled list from May 3-July 17, but the injury wasn’t severe enough to require surgery. He also suffered a hamstring strain late in the year. I’m worried right away about a pitcher who doesn’t require surgery for a partial rotator cuff tear. If he passes the physical, I guess it’s a moot point.

Washington traded Ohka to Milwaukee during the 2005 season. He had an 11-11 record with a 4.55 ERA in 40 games for the Brewers in 2005 and 2006. It had been rumored the Nationals were among a short list of teams rumored to be in the running for Ohka, a report that was refuted earlier this week. Last month, the Nationals offered Ohka a contract well below market value.

I’m not wild about average pitchers from the NL moving to the AL. I guess Ohka (48-57 lifetime with 4.04 ERA) soon will find out if his 1-year gamble pays off. If not, Washington can always take him back in 2008 at bargain basement prices.  Ohka would’ve been a decent option for the Nationals 2007 rotation-an actual veteran pitcher with big-league experience.  I guess that’s not part of the plan.

Felipe Lopez and the Washington Nationals met in the middle and agreed to a 1-year deal with $3.9 million Monday.
Lopez, who will move to second base this season, filed for arbitration requesting $4.1 million. The Nationals offered $3.7 million. He ends up with a $1.2 million raise from 2006. Not too shabby.

Lopez, who is expected to bat leadoff this season, batted .274 overall in 2006, with 11 homers, 52 RBIs and 44 steals for the Reds and Nationals. No multi-year deal, eh? Read into that what you will. Maybe they iron out an extension during the season or let him loose in the free agent market in 2008.

Ramon Ortiz, Washington’s only pitcher to hit double-digits in wins last year, has a new employer signing a 1-year deal worth $3.1 million with the Minnesota Twins Monday. Ortiz is expected to be a No. 3 or No. 4 pitcher for the Twins, who are without two of their starters from last year-Brad Radke (retirement) and Francisco Liriano (left elbow surgery; out for 2007). Ortiz went 11-16 with a 5.57 ERA for the Nationals last season. Ortiz is 0-3 lifetime with an 8.00 ERA at the Metrodome. I wish the Twins luck with Ortiz. Sure, he can eat up innings but the ERA? Ouch.  If Ortiz tanks it, the Twins have a couple of talented young arms (Matt Garza and Scott Baker) ready to replace him.

When Brian Lawrence throws a pitch in a 2007 regular season game for the Colorado Rockies, it’ll be one more pitch than he did as a Washington National.

Lawrence, who suffered a torn labrum and rotator cuff during last year’s spring training and was never heard from again, joined the Rockies Monday agreeing to a 1-year deal worth $750,000 ($500K base salary) with a $250K buyout club option for 2008. 

The Nationals paid Lawrence a base salary of $3.5 million in 2006. There was a club option for $7.5 million for 2007 and a buyout for $550,000. The Nationals bought out Lawrence deal owing just $125,000, while San Diego paid the rest.

Lawrence is known as a groundball pitcher which should help him in the thin air of Denver. Lifetime at Coors, Lawrence is 4-2 with a 4.72 ERA in nine games. Apparently, he lived there as a youngster and still has family there.  I don’t know why I added that but I’ll leave it in anyways.

Lefty pitcher Michael O’Connor isn’t a part of the Nationals starting pitcher rotation logjam come spring training. Whew! That’s one crossed off the list.

The Nationals Farm Authority is the premier site for all things related to the Nationals Minor League system. On Friday, NFA interviewed Nationals Director of Scouting, Dana Brown, who has racked up some crazy frequent flier miles during the offseason. Great in-depth interview.