Nationals Ownership To Retain Bowden

[ThomasTomasz]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Nationals will retain general manager Jim Bowden when the team is officially sold to a group headed by Theodore Lerner, incoming team president Stan Kasten announced Friday.

Kasten said he had admired Bowden before the Lerners were granted team ownership, and that Bowden's performance in Washington -- including a highly regarded draft -- was a reaffirmation of those beliefs.

"I came in believing this was the course I was going to take," Kasten said. "This is what I always thought I was going to do. People close to me will tell you I have been talking about this for a long while."

Bowden was arrested for drunken driving in Miami Beach, Fla., in May, but Kasten would not comment on the impact that incident had on his decision.

Kasten and Bowden refused to discuss the terms or length of his contract, and both declined to comment on the future for manager Frank Robinson.

Major League Baseball is still reviewing the sale to the Lerner group, and Kasten said he doesn't know when the deal will be approved. Officials have previously said the sale likely would be made final in late June or early July.

The Nationals have struggled after a surprise first season in Washington in which they won 81 games. They are in last place in the National League East after finishing a nine-game road trip with one win, and could be looking to move some of their best players as the July 31 trading deadline draws near.

Bowden, 45, was hired as interim general manager in November 2004, as Major League Baseball was planning the team's move from Montreal to Washington. Before that, he was the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds from 1992 until 2003.

Bowden was credited with a strong draft this June, which included the selection of six highly regarded high schoolers in the first six rounds.

Bowden said he cherished the opportunity to work for what he said would be a big-market ownership under Lerner.

"I think the exciting part about it is, the Lerner family and Stan are dedicated to running this franchise the right way, from the bottom up," Bowden said. "Stan Kasten is dedicated to winning for the long term for the Washington fans. And that means building it right, starting with player development and scouting."

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

[Kingdom]

mckain: **** shit damnit shit mother ****er raaaawrrr

[ThomasTomasz]

This is a crazy move. Bowden, during his time with the Nationals, took prospects away from an already poor farm system in a desperate attempt to compete. It is a surprise he didn't move Zimmerman, Everts, or Broadway yet. Add to the fact he was arrested for a DUI earlier in the year, and this is not a guy you want under the scrutiny of the USA capitol.

[McKain]

I've been playing enough Hitman: Blood Money lately that I could confidently assassinate Bowden and not be caught, so this move doesn't bother me, it only changes some of my future plans.

sigh who am I kidding, I'll just ***** about it for the next 2 years until he gets fired for being awful.