This entry was written by DCist contributor Jeff Beam.
Just another day at the office for the 2006 Nationals.
After Monday’s much-needed day off, Tuesday was off to the races. By midday, the team had learned that Ryan Drese would be out four to six weeks, but would avoid season-ending surgery. By the late evening, when Gary Majewski was wrapping up a 10-3 victory in Philly, their GM was on the hot seat, and the tables had turned in the ownership bidding.
Hours after the team revealed that GM Jim Bowden had been arrested over the weekend, the Nats took the field at Citizens Bank Park for an important early series with the Phillies. Daryle Ward provided early offense, leading off the second with a solo shot to right, while Ryan Zimmerman had a pair of RBI doubles. But just as on Sunday, Ryan Church made the biggest statement, slamming a Geoff Geary pitch to right for his first career grand slam to blow the game open in the 9th. Tony Armas had another solid start and picked up his first win of the year.
Off the field, the news about Bowden was quickly overshadowed when the Washington Post reported that former Braves executive Stan Kasten had joined the Lerner family’s bid to buy the Nationals. Known for the remarkable stewardship of the Braves (while simultaneously running the NBA Hawks and NHL Thrashers) and a longtime favorite of Commissioner Selig, Kasten gives the Lerner bid a dramatic boost as Selig moves toward naming the winning ownership group this week.
Tonight Livan Hernandez takes the mound in Philly, looking to avoid another shaky start as the Nats aim to win their fourth straight and keep the hot bats going. After impressing this spring, southpaw Billy Traber is expected to get called up for a spot start Thursday.
