April 25, 2008...3:43 pm
The Cubs Go To Washington
The Cubs’ three-game weekend series in Washington’s new ballpark reminds me how sorry I feel for Nationals fans.
It’s already clear Nats’ G.M. Jim Bowden is cutting from the same mold he used while in Cincinnati. And, we all know how well that turned out in the Queen City.
In fact, turning Cinergy Field into a clinic for re-treaded pitchers was about the only building process Bowden completed with Cincinnati.
Believe me; the Nationals have a seat waiting for them next to the Reds in the basement of the National League.
Cinergy Field, a.k.a. Bowden's sandbox
Of course, it’s a shame that neither club could put a winning product on the field for the respective openings of their new ballparks. The Reds finished its inaugural season at Great American Ballpark (69-93), and the Nats (7-16) are equally awful this season.
Perhaps, what’s even more fitting about this observation is Bowden’s open door policy with former Reds players; Dmitri Young, Aaron Boone, Bob Boone (advisor), Brandon Claussen, Austin Kearns, Willy Mo Pena, Felipe Lopez and Barry Larkin (advisor).
Well, at least Bowden’s players – past and present - will have some company during their off-season fishing trips.
On the other hand, watching the Nationals open the new park reminded me of my experience attending the first ever game at Great American Ballpark.
The Reds cracked the lid open against Pittsburgh on March 31, 2003. I happened to be working for the Reds that season and vividly remember the special day from start to finish.
One memory is of the enormous presence of secret service officers patrolling the park, President George H. W. Bush would soon throw out the first pitch. Even the elevators had men in black pressing the floor buttons for you.
Besides the security, the atmosphere was just incredible. It was a beautiful 53-degree day and the full capacity crowd (+42,000) waived American flags to the back drop of a clear blue sky and a fly over by the U.S. Air Force.
Also, I remember “Singing Policeman,” Daniel Rodriguez, who captivated America with his talent during the 2001 World Series, singing the National Anthem.
Great American Ballpark: Opening Day 2003
However, in typical Reds fashion, the Pirates obliterated Cincy 10-1 in the actual game. Still, not even the game’s lop sided outcome could extinguish the excitement of a new home for the Reds. Well, maybe a little.
Other perks that come with opening a stadium are witnessing the park’s firsts such as the first hit (Ken Griffey Jr’s double), home run (Pirates’ Reggie Sanders), and the first lineups.
Of course, many of these memories came back to me while watching the Washington National fans experience similar thrills opening night.
Opening Day 2007: Aaron Harang delivers the first pitch to Alfonso Soriano
Moreover, here are some other coincidences I noticed between the G.A.B. opener and the Nats opener.
First, Dubya One tossed the opening pitch out in Cincy, while Dubya Two had the ceremonial honor in Washington this year.
Secondly, who would have ever guessed that the Reds would open G.A.B. with right-hander Jimmy Haynes as its starter? And, the same can be said about left-hander Odalis Perez for Washington.
Sadly, Haynes’ pitching success seemed to end after a 15-win 2002 season. Eighteen games into 2003 Jimmy was (2-12) and out of baseball.
Similarly, the Nats picked Perez (0-3 in ‘08) off the scrap heap before the start of 2008.
Luckily for Washington, Perez pitched a much better opening game (1-R, 4-H, 5-IP) than Haynes did (6-R, 5-H, 4-IP) and was also saved by Jeff Zimerman’s walk-off job in a 3-2 win against the Braves.
The Nationals' new yard
On the bright side, both parks added state-of-the-art scoreboards. Now, fans can clearly see replays and follow how many runs the home team trails its opposition by.
All in all, I thought both the Reds and the Nats did a nice job celebrating the inaugural opening days in each venue. Now, I just wish there was something more for both these organizations to celebrate; you know, like a winning season.
Anyway, let’s hope the Cubs take two of three in its inaugural series in Washington.
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