Hondo

WaPo’s Dave Sheinin notes that Frank Howard is out of a job and makes a pitch for the Nationals to do something about it:

At 72 years old, Howard is, in fact, a free agent, having been let go recently by the New York Yankees, for whom he had been working as a professional scout. He had a lifetime contract with the Yankees, courtesy of longtime owner George Steinbrenner, but — with the Boss in poor health, and having ceded control of the franchise to his sons, Hal and Hank — Howard was approached about terminating the contract, and agreed to do so . . .

. . . Nationals President Stan Kasten said this morning he is aware of Howard’s release from his Yankees contract, but declined to comment on a potential fit with the team. “I don’t have anything to say about that,” said the notoriously tight-lipped Kasten.

It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: This is something that needs to happen. The Nationals maintain few tangible ties with Washington’s baseball past — the franchise’s official history includes the 36 years it spent in Montreal, but not the two incarnations of the Senators — and could make a major impact by bringing onboard the extremely popular Howard, who hit 237 of his 382 career homers in a Washington uniform.

I agree completely. History matters in baseball, and the Nats — a team without much of an identity of its own — have a century’s worth of baseball in Washington lying around waiting to be claimed.* Even if they don’t need him as a scout, Howard could prove incredibly valuable just by hanging around to do media, meet the fans, and serve as an ambassador for Nats’ baseball. It’s not like the Texas Rangers are claiming him.

Added bonus: if the Nats take my advice from yesterday and sign Adam Dunn, they could print up a bunch of posters with the 6’6″ Dunner next to the 6’7″ Howard and call it “Return of Hondo” or somethin’.

Like you wouldn’t buy one?

*Before you chime in with the wisecrack, no, the Senators were nowhere near as bad historically as we tend to think of them today (See: «  What’s wrong with “Warthogs?”

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glenn
15 years ago

First you want Dunn, now you want Hondo?  Next thing, you’ll be wanting the Lerners to pay their rent or something. smile

DC boy
15 years ago

Frank got a huge reaction at the last game at the old stadium when they brought the Senators back.  Best Hondo anecdote: The Senators painted a handfull of seats white in the upper deck where he hit some monster homers.  The seats stood out in a sea of tan.  Ted Williams came back to visit for some reason about ten years after his managerial career with the Senators.  He had a friend with him.  He pointed out the white seats to the friend and said “That’s where Frank Howard hit some tape measure home runs.  The tan seats are for every time the sonofabitch struck out on me.”