Boo of the Week 4/22

With the Baseball season in full gear there were many candidates from MLB for this Boo, but to me the NatiOnals organization stands out above the rest.

First, I am sick and tired of this organization. Every year they trot out a bunch of losers and continue to be the most inept team in Baseball and maybe in all of sports. Since 2000 they have averaged 73 wins and finished better than 4th place only once. The last and only playoff appearance for this franchise happened before I was born...and I'm turning 27 this year! I just don't understand the point of having a franchise who consistently finishes at the bottom of their division, had no history of winning and has lower than average attendance numbers. My solution...contraction.

I understand that you can say the same thing about 5 other teams in Baseball too, but there are two things that happened this week that sums up how much of a joke the NatiOnals really are. I mentioned in my rundown on Monday that they wore jerseys in a game last week that spelled NatiOnals....Natinals. How the hell did no one notice that? There had to be 30 people in uniform between coaches and players, as well as equipment mangers and other clubhouse personnel. Maybe they took the "O" out because they realized how bad their offense is.

Majestic Athletic has since apologized for their mistake saying "We take 100 percent responsibility for this event and we regret any embarrassment for the Nationals organization." While this is ultimately Majestic's fault, someone from the organization has to notice this. To me this is a testament to how much everyone in the organization cares about going to their job. Two weeks into the season and already they are going through the motions waiting for October 4th.

The second story that caught my attention was the NatiOnals fining, benching, and threatening demotion if it happened again to Elijah Dukes after he was five minutes late to a game (5 minutes late of the Nats set time, not the start of the game). Dukes was late because he was at opening day of a local Little League helping kick off their season. I understand rules and rules and Manny Acta is trying to change the culture of the team, but to bench the guy for showing up 5 minutes late because he was at a charity event is crazy. I am all for fining Dukes (fining him more than the $500 they did too), but it was unnecessary to take him out of the starting lineup. Dukes is a young talent who has a history of off-field issues and probably would have benefited more from Acta talking to him than benching him.

It also needs to be pointed out that Dukes took $500 from a Little League to do this appearance, which qualifies him for a mini Boo.....BOOO!

I am sick of this NatiOnals team and the way the organization operates. Baseball would be better without teams like this and I think it is about time Bud Selig bring up contraction again. For being oblivious to the writing on your own jerseys, for overreacting to Dukes' mistake, and for being just an inept organization, Washington NatiOnals, I have this to say to you...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!