Everyone has something to be thankful for this time of the year (or any time of the year, for that matter) and that certainly holds true across NatsTown.
As a matter of fact, I somehow managed to interview more than a dozen Nationals players, staff members and team officials today and got them to tell me what they're most thankful for right now. I know, I'm just that dogged of a reporter to track all these people down and get them to pour out their soul for me. (Either that, or I just made these up.)
So with that, here's a list of what all the various residents of NatsTown are most thankful for this year...
Mike Rizzo: That the market for Adam Dunn may not be quite what Greg Genske thought it would be.
Adam Dunn: That there's at least one team out there willing to give him a three-year deal.
Ian Desmond: That errors aren't the only measure of defense anymore.
Danny Espinosa: That hamate bone surgery isn't a major procedure.
Ryan Zimmerman: That no one will ever see this. (Oh wait, too late for that. Watch with particular interest around the 2:00 mark.)
Livan Hernandez: That you can still win in the major leagues with an 85-mph fastball.
Bryce Harper: That there are apartments in Hagerstown available for month-to-month rent.
Stephen Strasburg: That there's no better place in America to sit around doing nothing than San Diego.
Jesus Flores: That he's finally playing competitive baseball games with no shoulder pain.
Nyjer Morgan: That Mike Rizzo is more forgiving than Nationals fans. And Wes Helms.
Jason Marquis: That he was a free agent after winning 15 games in 2009, not after winning two games in 2010.
Drew Storen: That he can always fall back on that Stanford degree if this baseball thing doesn't work out.
Jim Riggleman: That he's still got four months to plan his first double-switch of 2011.
Mark Lerner: That he may make up for any lost revenue from a smaller season-ticket base in new jersey sales.
Mark Zuckerman: That I have such a loyal, knowledgeable and gracious group of readers who made this the most enjoyable season of my professional career.
Warmest wishes for a healthy, safe and joyous Thanksgiving with family and friends.
35 comments:
Great list, Mark. Here's wishing you and your loved ones a festive Thanksgiving!
what is that wedding video of Zimmerman from?
Happy Thanksgiving Mark and everyone else.
Thanks Mark
This site has been the best info and analysis of the Nats!
Happy Turkey Day everyone.
Al M
Great list! Good Thanksgiving holiday tidings to Mark and family and all fellow Nats Insider readers.
Happy Turkey Day, Natstown! Thanks for a great year and continued Hot Stove coverage, Mark!
And I'm thankful for Nats Insider and all the good writing you do Mark! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I would like to add my most appreciative thanks for what you have done with this website, Mark! I am thankful every day that I can visit this site and get the latest news or the most thoughtful insight into the Washington Nationals! I would also like to add a my thanks for the posters here on an excellent job of "keeping it real". Even though we have our share of doubters (read: JayB) they are usually offset by a believer (read: JaneB) and it adds to the "Insider" experience.
I hate to gush, but I love this website! Sometimes I feel a little sad for other teams' fans, knowing they do not have the same coverage for their team that we get for "ours".
Anyway, thanks again Mr. and Mrs. Z!! I hope y'all have a great Thanksgiving holiday!
"Nyjer Morgan: That Mike Rizzo is more forgiving than Nationals fans. And Wes Helms."
And Mark Zuckerman.
"Jim Riggleman: That he's still got four months to plan his first double-switch of 2011."
Unless Dunn chooses arbitration, in which case he'll have it all worked out by December 1.
Mark - Great stuff. Yep, much to be thankful for!
Happy Thanksgiving, Mark! And to all the other longsuffering Insider regulars. Here's to 2011, may it not suck as bad as we think it will!
John C.
Mark,
nice list, great site, hope you and your family have happy and wonderful Thanksgiving.
Thanks for putting us in the right mood for Thanksgiving MarkMeister!
Me three on the 'Thanksgiving' of your great site. Its hard to hold the fans of a last place team together, and keep them interested---but you did it kid!
Definitely thankful for this site, Mark. Thanks1
Gobble gobble and watch for that impending signing/trade now that a slot has opened on the 40-man again. Happy Thanksgiving to Mark and his lovely wife and to all the die hard Nats fans! Gobble, gobble!
Stan Kasten: That he got out of Dodge soon enough to be able to put an ownership group together to bid on the Astros.
Mark, very thankful for your work.
Thanks, Mark. As with other readers, this has become my go-to site for Nats news, and for fellowship with like-minded fans. I appreciate all that you bring to NatsTown.
On a somewhat related note, I'm thankful for the wonderful diversion that is baseball, and grateful that I was able to share it for many years with my brother, who passed away recently. I'm also grateful that he was able to witness a Fall Classic win by his beloved SF Giants during his final innings in this world (oh, and a ROY win by a certain ballplayer, from a certain town, that starts with an S and an F).
I wish a peaceful and joyous Thanksgiving to you and Mrs. Z., as well as to my fellow fans.
Happy Thanksgiving one and all. And as another former NJer who's found a much better home, my thanks to Mark too.
Natslifer
Happy Thanksgiving, Mark
Add my debt of thanks and gratitude to Mark for providing unmatched insight and context in his analysis of all that goes on in Natstown. Have a great thanksgiving Mark and everyone!
All I want for Christmas is Adam Dunn in a Nats uni for the next three years.
Happy Thanksgiving Mark, and thanks for such unique and excellent coverage.
"All I want for Christmas is Adam Dunn in a Nats uni for the next three years."
Have you told Adam? Because that decision is and always has been up to him. Rizzo has the offer right there on the table for him.
Matt Caps: Somehow getting a new contract from the Nationals and getting to play for a contender in the same year.
Nationals Fans: Not having to look at the ugly "Nationals" (or "Natinals," for that matter) home jerseys ever again.
Wilson Ramos: That Pudge Rodriguez did not actually find the fountain of youth, despite early appearances.
Josh Willingham: That this isn't a contract year.
Mark: Jane B said it all in the previous post, but I wanted to reiterate: You are the best. As Reggie used to say, you are the straw that stirs the drink, the creative power behind all this. We're just your Peanut Gallery, albeit a wonderful, offbeat collection of know-it-somes and utility players. Thanks for keeping us all together. That .500 season is coming. Who knows, if Allen H. "Buy a Ford" Selig keeps expanding the playoffs, we could be headed to October baseball in Nats Town.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone, hope you have reasons to be thankful. I'll be thankful if the Nats give me a reason to renew my season tickets.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Thanks yet again to you, Mark for your coverage. I check every day for the headline "Nats Sign Dunn". I know when it happens, you'll have it first.
Natsfan1a - so sorry for your loss
@natsfan1a: Very sorry to learn of the loss of your brother. Out condolences, please. You will always have his memory, which will only grow stronger.
Have you told Adam? Because that decision is and always has been up to him. Rizzo has the offer right there on the table for him.
Actually, he now has two choices where the Nats are concerned. The 3 year deal that is on the table (might now be off but still?) and the offer to go to arbitration. With arbitration he just has to spend another year in a Nats uniform and then a team like Texas, who should be very interested, wouldn't worry about losing that draft pick.
Happy Thanksgiving all. And thanks to you Mark for bringing top notch coverage of our home nine.
Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Nats fans! And a special thanks to Mark for taking the plunge into making this site the best place for Nats news on the web.
Natsfan 1a....my condolences about your brother. It is a great gift, the way baseball can bring people together. In a funny way, I always have a few other pairs of eyes watching games with me, especially when NY is playing, because I associate those teams with others who aren't here to watch anymore. Andvit makes me even happier the Giants won!
@Anon 11/25 12:05am: If Dunn accepts arbitration, would that guarantee that he would not be a Type A free agent again after 2011? Otherwise Texas (or any other team) would still have to give up a draft pick as compensation. Unless the CBA expires/changes or there is a provision that I'm not aware of - which is entirely possible, of course.
How about it, Mark - if Dunn accepts arbitration (which he won't) would that affect the ability of the team to collect for losing him in the future?
John C.
If Dunn agrees to and goes to arbitration, he gets a one-year contract, and we do this all over again next year.
Mark, I echo other folks' thanks for your terrific coverage and insight. Also thanks to everyone for keeping this a civil and lively place to talk about our team. Natsfan1a, I am so sorry to hear about your brother and will keep you and him in my prayers.
Thanks, Mark, for the columns, the fellowship and the birthday cake. (And yes, I'd be thankful even without the birthday cake.)
Here's wishing a restful and restorative Hot Stove season to all Zuckermans and all of Nats Town.
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