Jim Bowden, The Examiner
2007-09-07 07:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

ESPN’s Buster Olney went on live national television during spring training to predict the Washington Nationals would lose 130 games this year. He was wrong.

Besides underestimating a group of young hard-nosed players, he obviously demonstrated little respect for the team’s rookie manager, Manny Acta.

Although the stultified prediction angered most Nationals players at the time, they all knew to politely “no comment” and let their wins and losses do the talking.

Besides, Olney’s prediction will only be off by 35-40 wins. Ouch.

A respectable season for a young building franchise should also lead to some post-season individual awards. Manny Acta should lead the way by winning the National League Manager of the Year. His leadership. motivation, game strategy and ability to develop such a young starting rotation should be noticed. Although Arizona’s Bob Melvin, Chicago’s Lou Piniella and Milwaukee’s Ned Yost should get well-deserved votes, Acta beat the experts’ gloom and doom predictions with the 3rd lowest payroll in baseball.

The Nationals should have two Gold Glove winners. Ryan Zimmerman should have won last year, but he fell short of The Cardinals’ Scott Rolen. However, due to injuries and decline in range, Rolen’s run as perennial Gold Glove winner should come to an end.

Zimmerman’s time has come. His range and sparkling plays on an everyday basis should make him the winner. In addition, Manny Acta has been clear in his opinion that right fielder Austin Kearns should win a Gold Glove. I agree. His jumps and angles in right field are the best in the league and the number of singles he takes away from other teams are amazing.

Dmitri Young will be the NL Comeback Player of the Year and might even win the batting title. His energy, enthusiasm and work ethic has been a phenomenal influence for a young developing team.

Sergio Mendez will not get the publicity like the others. However, he was named Manager of the Year in the Summer Dominican League. As his club gets ready for the final championship game against the Yankees Dominican team today, all are reminded that the Nationals are now a real force in Latin America.

Chris Marrero was named best hitting prospect in both the South Atlantic League and Carolina League — a rare feat.

We might not be playing in October this year, but there sure has been progress and there will be some well-deserved awards heading our way for some inspirational solid performances.

As told to The Examiner’s John Keim.

Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden provides an exclusive column to The Examiner each week, ranging on topics from the Nats to the state of Major League Baseball.