Ah yes.  It's a dreary, rainy, cold morning here in the nation's capital.  I'm up after a mediocre night's sleep.  I thought I would sleep better after watching the first installment of Ken Burn's "Baseball". Don't worry, his documentary is not what effected my sleep.  As a matter of fact, his documentary was some of the better television I've seen in a long, long time.  In fact, did you know that "purists" of the game derided the curve ball when it was first introduced?  Ha!

So, after a scrumptious plate of scrambled eggs w/cheese, bacon and a glass of orange juice (New Year's resolution be damned) I opened up the Washington Post while XM's; The First Team on Fox w/Steve Czeban sarinaded me in the background.  Ah!  What's this?  News on the Nationals, Manny Acta specifically...

COLUMN:  Contract Status Not An Issue For Acta

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/06/AR2009010603369.html

If this is how the Nationals run the team then:  "Lucy!  We got a problem!"  The article mentions Acta (whom I like because of his attitude and demeanor) taking the family to London.  He mentions that he mostly read some history and traveled.  Nothing wrong w/that right?  He calls it:  "Just getting smarter."  Hmmm, I wonder.

The article mostly covers the fact that the Nationals haven't offered him a contract extension for 2010.  Manny, he's o.k. w/that and gives respectable reasons for being so.  ...HOWEVA!  I was pretty amazed to find out that while Manny was in London his:

* Phone didn't work there.  Uh, pardon me?  In this day and age of interconnectedness, he didn't contact his wireless carrier prior to the vacation to determine whether or not he could get service there?  He didn't bother to ask how to change the settings in his phone to work in Europe as opposed to the states?  C'mon Manny, you can admit it.  You just forgot to take the European adapter you purchased at the local Radio Shack to charge your phone in London.  Right?  Weren't you expecting any calls from the front office on possible acquisitions?  Or doesn't the player personnel manager confer w/the team manager?

* Wife didn't allow him to pack his computer.  Uh, I'm sorry.  Since when did wives dictate what the hell a man can pack in his bag?  Sure, I can understand that part of the reason for the vacation is to get away from it all, but c'mon.  That computer sure would have helped since his cell phone didn't work.  Come to think of it, did his wife's cell phone not work either?  Maybe she didn't pack hers. ...LOL!  NOT BLOODY LIKELY!

* Had to rely on British newspapers for baseball news:  "I couldn't believe how far removed it is from baseball there."  Manny, after watching the first installment of Ken Burns's Baseball last night I can tell you that Rounders, a precursor to baseball, and the game of cricket are more highly respected than baseball.  As a matter of fact, one Mr. Albert Spalding (yes, that Spalding) went on a worldwide crusade in 1874 to try to sell the game of baseball to the masses.  Do you know who didn't bite?  The Brits.  They looked down upon baseball because they felt it was a ripoff of, you got it, Rounders and Cricket.  So I don't find it too hard to believe that they're not going to be a "promoter" of the game in their local daily.

Sorry gang.  You may find my bewilderment and sarcasm against Manny and Co. unfounded, but I believe that if you're the team manager, you take the extra effort to stay connected to what's going on and whom may be playing for you.  ESPECIALLY on a team that had the worst record in baseball last year and whom will be in its second year in its new stadium.

Well, off to the gym.  (Damned New Year's resolution).