Quotes from Jim Bowden:
"I get a big kick out of some people saying, 'This team overachieved in the first half.' I got to tell you, this team underachieved. When I look at the batting averages and the production of some of these guys, I think they underachieved in the first half. I'm expecting better production in the second half than we saw in the first half." July 25, 2005.
"Our goal is to win the division, win the playoffs and win the World Series. Anything short of that is a failure." July 25, 2005.
"Look around this locker room. These are the guys we are going to war with. ... What's different about the first half? ... We've got the same people here. ... Why can't we do it?" July 29, 2005.
When the Nationals were winning Bowden made these statements to convince people that he was the architect of the team. As the trade deadline neared Bowden made these statements to convince people that his failure to make a deal was no big deal. Now that the Nationals are losing, Bowden is criticizing the players.
We suspect that were he to be honest Bowden would admit that he was handed a team that overachieved in the first half and that he couldn't make a significant deal that would lock in an owner to a particular strategy that he or she hadn't approved.
Instead of being bombastic and self-aggrandizing, we would prefer that Bowden be honest with fans. How about saying "Listen, there really isn't a whole lot I can do until we get an owner, so I'm going to try to leverage the pieces we already have and hope that it's enough to get us into the playoffs." The fans would be a lot more understanding of an honest Jim Bowden than they would a dissembling Jim Bowden.
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2 comments:
You don't know baseball. I put together the greatest squad of players since the 1990 Reds. They just aren't trying hard enough. If they would just put out 50% effort we'd be looking at 120 wins right now and my pants would be made of the richest Corinthian leather.
Great comment!
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