One Reason Nats fans are excited about the future is the Pitching of Jordan Zimmermann (Courtesy of Fedeal Baseball)

BY: MATTHEW FALKENBURY
ASSISTANT EDITOR

Hello again and welcome to another installment of “Interview with a Blogger” where we aim to get a look at the teams coming up on Mets schedule, from the people who know them best, Their Fans.

In advance of tonight’s first game of three against the team trying to break our 1962 record setting season of 120 losses, the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, I did an Interview with Ed Chigliak of Federal Baseball.

Matthew Falkenbury: 1. What has been the reaction of Nationals Fans about the firing of Manny Acta and what can Jim Riggleman do in the 2nd half to improve the ballclub?

Ed Chigliak: From what I heard/read it was split 50/50 between people who thought that Manny Acta had been given more than enough time to get something going and those who thought that he never had a chance with the rosters he was given. Personally, I thought firing Manny Acta was a big mistake that’s going to set the franchise back significantly. Acta was hired because of his patience and ability to teach and develop young talent, and just as the first wave of prospects the team had drafted and acquired was showing up in the majors in a significant way they cut Acta loose. I think Jim Riggleman’s going to find himself in a lose-lose situation as well, as he almost certainly will preside over a 100-loss team, and one that could possibly erase the 1962 Mets from the record books. How do you bring him back after that?

MF: 2. How much pressure is the franchise feeling to make sure that Stephen Strasburg is signed and is pitching for the Nats in the near future?

EC: I’ve read innumerable articles arguing against taking a starting pitcher first overall, and pondered the odds of Strasburg ever winning a Cy Young or even winning 100 games as a starter, and the numbers are clearly not with Stephen Strasburg developing into a franchise-saving ace…but it doesn’t matter. The entirety of the Nationals’ serious-baseball-fan fanbase will abandon this team if they don’t sign Strasburg. They failed to sign their 1st Round pick (Aaron Crow- 9th overall) last season and had to spend weeks explaining themselves, so I can’t imagine what the reaction to their losing Strasburg would be…They’re going to be forced to pay for the hype the excessive coverage of Strasburg created, but they just have to…or else….

MF: 3. What is the level of patience that the fan base in Washington has for a team that hasn’t had a winning record since coming to town?

EC: The patience of the DC Faithful has just about run out. It doesn’t help that the Nationals have gotten progressively worse every season since they moved from Montreal. The fans aren’t turning out at the park and the radio and tv numbers are consistently the lowest in the Majors in spite of their continued growth…but then again, from what I’ve been told, no one was showing up at Washington Capitals’ games until they started winning, so maybe there is still hope….

MF: 4. What player, other then Ryan Zimmerman, has given fans hope that the Nats are going to turn it around?

EC: The other Zimmermann, Jordan Zimmermann, who beat the Mets for his 2nd MLB win in front of 40,000+ in Citi Field back in May, has struggled at times since then, but he’s the first real legit pitching prospect to come up through the system. John Lannan came out of nowhere to become a solid starter over the last two seasons, so if an 11th Round pick can end up having an impact on the major league level, it has to at least inspire some confidence in the work the team has done in rebuilding the farm system. Strasburg’s the next big thing. And I know everyone wants to focus on the negative with Elijah Dukes, but if can ever get it together, stay healthy and play out a full season in the Majors I think people will realize what a truly unique talent he is…it’s really his choice whether he does it or not in my mind.

MF: 5. What do you think of this current Mets team coming in and what can the Nats do to win the series this week?

EC: I’d like to think the Nationals could take advantage of a struggling Mets team, but while they’re just below .500 against the rest of the NL East, the Mets are 7-2 against DC so far in ‘09, and they were 12-6 against DC last season, so they’ve kinda owned the Nationals. Livan Hernandez is (7-0) in his last 7 starts against DC, and the Nationals’ are throwing a debuting veteran (J.D. Martin) in the first game, so that’s not promising…If the Nationals are going to win the series, they’ll have to do what they’ve failed to do all season…Avoid making errors that give opposing team’s extra outs and second chances. Sounds simple…65 losses later we know it’s not.

Tags: Inerview With a Blogger, Jim Riggleman, Jordan Zimmermann, Livsn Hernandez, Manny Acta, Mets, MLB, Nationals, Ryan Zimmerman, Steven Strasberg

Categories: Bloggers , Livan Hernandez , MLB , Matt Falkenbury , Mets