Today’s District Daily features stories on Dusty Baker’s rotation decisions and the possibility of the Washington Nationals selling the naming rights to Nationals Park.
Good evening DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.
In today’s Daily, The Washington Post’s James Wagner discusses why Nationals manager Dusty Baker decided to place Gio Gonzalez second in the team’s rotation — between presumed ace Max Scherzer and before Stephen Strasburg.
As Wagner writes in his article, Baker hopes that Gonzalez being in between the team’s two best starters will help preserve the bullpen. Gonzalez often struggles to go deep into games, and if he were third in the rotation, the ‘pen could have intense workloads on days when the Nos.3-5 starters pitch.
With the way the rotation is set up, Strasburg is set to start the team’s home opener on April 7.
Here’s what Baker had to say about the rotation, via Wagner’s article:
"“You want to put Gio in between there and he’s a had a little bit inconsistency going deep into games,” Baker said. “Until that happens, you’d like to have an innings guy right behind that’s still trying to get it together. If not, you’re gonna tax your bullpen for three days in a row, and then potentially your No. 3, 4 or 5 [starters], if they have any short outings, boy, you’re in the bullpen and then stuck with Scherzer coming back.”"
Also in today’s Daily, CBS D.C.’s Chris Lingebach discusses a report that the Nationals are looking to sell the naming rights to Nationals Park. As Lingebach notes, the team has partnered with executive search and advisory firm Korn Ferry and MLB Advanced Media to help them with the process.
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The team has never sold naming rights to the stadium, but, as Lingebach notes, other teams in the NL East have taken advantage of lucrative deals to increase their revenue. If the Nationals can get a lucrative naming rights deal of their own for Nationals Park, it could help offset some of the money that the team is losing from the ongoing MASN controversy.
Be sure to check out both articles below, they’re definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.
Why Dusty Baker is slotting Gio Gonzalez between Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg this year
(James Wagner, Washington Post)
VIERA, Fla. — Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg will follow Max Scherzer in the season-opening rotation, Nationals Manager Dusty Baker said. Baker has shied away from declaring any starters, but has hinted strongly all spring that Scherzer will start opening day on April 4 in Atlanta. Scherzer started opening day last season, too.
“I haven’t talked to [pitching coach] Mike [Maddux] about it but I’m assuming it’s Scherzer,” Baker said. “He’s the man from the get-go. That’s a pretty good option right there.” Read full article here.
Report: Nats Shopping Naming Rights for Nationals Park
WASHINGTON —
Nationals Park naming rights are up for sale, Eric Fisher reports for Sports
Journal.
According to the report, the Nationals have partnered with executive search and advisory firm Korn Ferry, and MLB Advanced Media, to “bring the naming rights for Nationals Park back to market.”
Such a
would bring in additional cash flow which could, in theory, be used on free agency acquisitions. Mark Lerner, the Nats’ managing principal owner, has
about Washington’s growing payroll. Those same complaints have
underscored the club’s ongoing legal battle
with MASN over fair TV rights compensation.
Read full article