In an interview with Sirius/XM host (and uh, former DC GM) Jim Bowden this winter, which was transcribed for a Washington Post D.C. Sports Bog article by Dan Steinberg entitled, "Jim Bowden interviews Stan Kasten", when asked by Mr. Bowden if he envisioned a day when, "...the Nationals payroll (would) be competitive with Atlanta, Philadelphia," in the NL East, (I guess NY is in a league of its own payroll-wise) or if the Nationals' payroll would, "...always be somewhere between Florida and the rest of the group in that division," Washington Nationals' team President Stan Kasten responded, as he had before, that he believed Washington, D.C. was, "...a big revenue market ultimately. We're not maybe New York or L.A., but I think we're on that tier right below it, certainly enough to compete with anybody, and I do foresee the day that happens."
While the Nationals are not in the Braves, Phillies, Dodgers or Yankees/Mets' league in terms of talent or payroll right now, according to a Los Angeles Times' article by Bill Shaikin entitled, "Dodgers' payroll plans are detailed", Washington is on par with those big market teams when it comes to average ticket price, as Mr. Shaikin writes:
"The Dodgers' average ticket price last year ranked eighth in the majors, behind the two New York clubs, the two Chicago clubs, the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals, according to Team Marketing Report."
So Washington fans are paying "elite-level" prices to see the Nationals play, I look forward to the day Mr. Kasten envisions when the Nationals field an elite-level team to match the ticket price.
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The Nationals offered who what?
BACKPAGE:
The Nationals offered who what?
MLB.com's Bill Ladson sent a message out via his Twitter feed after the Nationals had announced the signing of free agent right-hander Chien-Ming Wang which reported that, "#Nats GM Mike Rizzo said he is not finished when it comes to improving the roster. The team is still looking for pitching. The fact that Washington was still in the market for pitching wasn't surprising, what was, however, to me at least, was the fact that Mr. Ladson followed up on that story by reporting this morning that the Nationals had extended offers to free agent pitchers Braden Looper and Chan Ho Park, though both players rejected Washington in favor of other options. (Park signed w/ the Yankees). If Looper and Park got offers and turned them down, who else is left?