It appears that MLB has at long last made their decision regarding Nationals ownership, it appears Ted Lerner will be awarded the right to spend $450M for the team. I’ll direct you to several of my fellow bloggers who have provided tremendous coverage of the ownership situation.
What I find most appealing about the selection is the inclusion of Stan Kasten in Lerner’s winning bid. Dave Sheinin has an excellent profile of the former president of three of Atlanta’s professional sports franchises (Braves, Hawks, and Thrashers). From a minor league/prospect perspective, fans of the Nationals long term health should be excited to have Stan Kasten leading the charge to rebuild a farm system that once was the pride of MLB.
Kasten was presented with the uneviable challenge of rebuilding a Braves franchise that was among the worst in MLB. One of the first things he did was to take a step back and question how the Braves were doing business:
The better approach, Kasten told him, was to invest in player development — by buying additional minor league teams, signing more draft picks and improving minor league facilities.
This is exactly what the Nationals need to do. Much credit needs to be given to Dana Brown, Adam Wogan (since left for the Mets), Andy Dunn, and the rest of the Nationals’ player development and scouting staffs, they all have operated a system that was stripped of its depth, provided limited funding, and more or less forced to compete on an uneven playing field. The presence of Chad Cordero (2003 1st round pick) and Ryan Zimmerman (2005 1st round pick) are testaments to their abilities and should not be ignored. But if Stan Kasten can duplicate his success in Atlanta here in DC, Nationals fans should welcome him with open arms.
Another quote from Stan Kasten also brought a smile to my face:
Spending huge money on free agents, Kasten said, “takes yourself farther from your goal, not closer.”
While I’m not opposed to signing key free agents when the need arises, the fact that Kasten identifies the most important aspect is to build a foundation for the organization. And that foundation is driven by an investment in the personnel in your player development system. This is more than just the players. I’m speaking off the coaches, scouts, and people that manage the day-to-day operations of the minor leagues. Over the last four years, the Nationals have lost valuable off the field personnel to other organizations that offered more stability. Who could blame them?
Kasten may begin his rebuilding efforts at the top.
Not surprisingly, the triumvirate of Kasten, [John] Schuerholz and Manager Bobby Cox became the model for what the power structure in a baseball franchise should look like. Each knew the limits of his role, but partly because of Kasten’s background as a general manager, the open lines of communication were often used by the team president to challenge the GM’s ideas. “Don’t forget I did 10 years as a GM. I speak their language. I’m sympathetic to the challenges they face,” Kasten said. “I think all my GMs would tell you that. . . . None of them would try to [b.s.] me. They’re not built that way. But it would be a waste of time trying to [b.s.] me.” Schuerholz said: “I suppose [Kasten's influence] could be intimidating or problematic for somebody who doesn’t have confidence in their ability and their knowledge and their work ethic. But if you don’t lack those traits, then it’s a vibrant, energized environment to be around.”
As expected, Kasten had no comment about the future of current GM Jim Bowden, but realistically, the writing is on the wall. Bowden appears to be the antithesis of what Kasten would look for in a GM. In fact, he is the polar opposite of Kasten’s greatest signing as Braves president, John Schuerholz. While Bowden is flashy, loves the spotlight, and is quick with a comment, be it positive or negative, regarding personnel in his own organization; Schuerholz is more measured and doesn’t negotiate or manage through the media. I would be surprised to see the team retain Bowden.
It’s unlikely any decisions on who stays and who goes will be made any time soon, but I believe we can rest assured that there will be changes made to resurrect a long neglected franchise. While there are those out there wary of the selection of Lerner/Kasten, I believe that Stan Kasten provides the Washington Nationals with the greatest opportunity for long term success
#1 by Bote Man - May 3rd, 2006 at 21:16
I concur. Lerner Group + Kasten as the already-announced President of the club bodes (oooooh, there’s that word again!) well for the future.
Your job just became much more important, as I certainly hope Kasten does as he said he would and rebuilds this whole organization from the ground up. Good scouts who are paid well enough to live comfortably (unlike other organizations), good minor league instructional guys, and on down the line.
The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades!