Assessing the Blame

Chico Harlan of the Post had an in-depth interview with Manny Acta at the end of last week (unknown if it was before or after he knew almost all of his coaches would be released). Among the nuggets was that Manny wouldn't evaluate himself, that he would let others do that. So, where should we start? Obviously Acta was not dealt a full hand on the playing field, so it's hard to access the job he did baseball-wise. So how about in the clubhouse?

Acta talks about the "change in character" of the guys in the clubhouse at the end of the season compared to the beginning. How much can a couple bad apples spoil the cart? To hear Acta and other team officials the last few days, quite a bit. But what the team hasn't said, despite further trying to distance themselves from Paul LoDuca, Johnny Estrada, Felipe Lopez, Jon Rauch and Luis Ayala, is how these players became the malcontents in the first place. Who should be held responsible for that?

LoDuca has a long and storied history of being a trouble-maker in the clubhouse. He's the rah-rah guy that isn't getting the job done in the first place. If LoDuca had hit .280 instead of .230, would he still have been a bad character guy? So LoDuca and Estrada both complained about not starting at catcher when they came back from injury as Jesus Flores cemented the starting position -- one he probably should have had from spring training. Did the team lead them on when they signed them? Did they promise X amount of playing time? Or did they just assume as "dependable veterans" they would have a spot waiting. And so much for Estrada's vow to get back at the Nats. He hasn't even has so much as a sniff of a contract since his departure.

Lopez is a head-scratcher. He started for this team pretty much from the get go, first in left then at second base. In 325 at bats, he hit a paltry .234/.305/.314 with 2 HRs and 25 RBIs. Some wondered if his playing career was over. Then, a day after the team couldn't give him away at the trade deadline, he signed with St. Louis as a free agent, and in 156 at bats he hit .385/.426/.538 with 4 HRs and 21 RBIs. He drove in almost as many runs in his 156 at bats in St. Louis than in 325 at bats here. How does a player flip a switch and go from bad to good just like that?

Luis Ayala was passed over for the closers job, twice. When Cordero got hurt, the job went to Jon Rauch. By many accounts, Rauch and Ayala did not get along very well. Not shocking; the men come from different backgrounds, have vastly different personalities, etc. At least Rauch was a veteran with extensive experience like Ayala, but that didn't keep Ayala from apparently asking for a trade and sulking all season like Rauch ripped the head off his teddy bear. Then, when Rauch was traded, Ayala was passed over AGAIN, this time for rookie Joel Hanrahan, a pitcher who has had his share of commend problems. Granted, Hanrahan has done a mostly good job since given the keys to the ninth inning. But how would YOU feel if you were passed over for a promotion you felt qualified for, TWICE; once by a disliked co-worker and the second time by an entry-level staffer?

So if this team was filled by attitude problems and malcontents for much of the year, who is to blame? Certainly no one has stepped up so far to say "I could have done a better job at handling that situation" or "I made a mistake signing this guy to begin with". Acta makes a point of how he goes about his business:

"But I haven't done anything different than I've done in the past. At all. And that's where bad characters come out, when things are not going well. I have no regrets, and I'm not going to change. I give players space. I let them have their own space. I don't need to be in their locker room all day and in their faces. I need to give them space. That's why I draw a line. I have a good atmosphere for them over here, and they respect me and I respect them."

But then later he acknowledges there was a problem in his clubhouse:

Q: Looking at the clubhouse -- beginning of the year to now, has there been a change in the character here, and do you feel better about the composition of things?

A: I do. I think everybody was able to tell the difference. We needed some new blood in here, some hungry young guys like we have gotten, and things have gotten better. Listen, not one clubhouse in the big leagues is perfect. You can never put together 25 high-character guys. You're always going to find a couple of guys who need more work than the other ones when it comes down to shaping their attitude and how they approach their job. But we're moving in the right direction.

Q: Were there too many bad characters on this team at the beginning of the year, do you think?

A: Umm... I think so. I think so. I think when you're building, like we're doing here, I think you need more high-character guys than what we had at the beginning of the season. Without naming any guys.

Q: Organizationally, lesson learned maybe?

A: Yes. I think we have. I think we have.

So if you have "a couple of guys who need more work" and know that when you're losing "that's where bad characters come out," but insist on "giv[ing] players space", what else would you expect than to have a clubhouse that "need[ed] some new blood in here."

For all the penny pinching the Larners have been accused of -- including allowing their first round draft pick go for what amounted to $900K -- it's indicative of this management team to have to throw away almost $14MM in salary to get rid of bad characters Lopez ($4.9MM), LoDuca ($5MM), Estrada ($1MM), Ayala ($1.7MM) and Rauch ($1.2MM), most of which they went out and acquired on purpose in the first place.

So who is to blame? The Larners for being cheap in the first place, making the team sign washed up veterans to start with? Bowden for selecting and signing the malcontents? Acta for his laisse-faire attitude in the clubhouse? Seems like there's plenty of blame to go around, but to this point, no one has accepted it.

GB&U: Rock Bottom?

RESULT: Nats lose 12-0 to Mets, shut out for league-leading 18th time. Sixth straight loss.

GOOD: Nothing. Absolutely positively freaking nothing. They were one-hit by a pitcher coming off the disabled list. They forced in a run by walking the starting pitcher. They gave up a base hit to a relief pitcher. They gave up 11 walks total. In the 8-run 3rd the Mets got four hits and five walks. A routine ground ball that would have halved the 8-run inning went right between the recently re-signed shortstop's legs. The batting averages of the three pinch-hitters? .257, .217 and .198. They have a guy on the bench that CAN'T EFFING PLAY and hasn't for NINE DAYS but yet still has not been put on the disabled list. WHO RUNS THIS TEAM?!?

BAD: See above. You know how bad it was? The Mets player of the game, recently called-up Daniel Murphy's bio page doesn't have a picture up yet, just a silouette of an anonymous player. Yuck.

UGLY: Jason Bergmann. Terrible. Terrible. Terrible. The numbers don't even tell the story. 3 IPS, 10 runs, 6 earned, 8 hits, 6 walks, 1 (one) strikeout. Simply terrible.

Bonus Ugly: Manny Acta. Manny, you're losing me. You created a stir last night arguing a call that was correct, then tonight when the first base umpire VERY CLEARLY missed the call on the first batter of the game, you sit there on your hands and do nothing. There's a reason these calls keep going against the Nats: You continue to do nothing when you have a right to speak out, and the umps have no fear of retribution or threat of being embarrassed in front of the crowd because you won't come out of the dugout. Being the manager of a major league team is an interactive position. You have to make your presence known. It's called "gravitas".

NEXT GAME: Tomorrow night against these same Mets. Rookie Collin Balestar (2-4, 4.66) faces Oliver (no relation) Perez (8-7, 3.90).

It's also Ladies' Night. Be nice to the ladies.

GB&U: Can't Scratch Fever

RESULT: Nats lose nail-biter to Mets 4-3.

GOOD: Odalis Perez. He recovered nicely after allowing two in the first to settle down and keep the team in the game. He went six innings, allowing 3 ERs on 8 hits and one walk, striking out 5. Ryan Langerhans! Pinch-hit home run. YAY!

BAD: Emilio! 0-for-5 with 3 Ks. Might have to move him down for a while to get comfortable again. Looked real awkward in last at bat.

UGLY: The Umpiring. First base ump Mike Reilly missed a call on Guzman and the critical missed strike on what was called a check swing by Tatis in the pivotal seventh inning to set up the phantom hit by pitch that forced in the winning run.

And Manny, if you're going to blow up for the only time all season, you should, um, have it right. A caller post-game had it right: if you don't let the umpires know you're willing to go out and make yourself a pain in the ass to them, they have no impetus for getting the call right since they don't have to worry about you coming out and making them look bad. Manny, where were you on the blown checked swing?

NEXT GAME: Wednesday against the Mets. Jason Bergmann (2-8, 4.13) takes on John Maine (9-7, 4.13) Gee, identical ERAs, much different won-loss record. Still think wins is a good way to evaluate a pitcher's value. Nah, me either.

Nats Bats Can't Dent Phils Myers; Lose 2-1

Washington--Right now, the Washington Nationals are the perfect team for a struggling pitcher to regain his confidence. Philadelphia's opening day starter Brett Myers has been ineffective most of the year -- including a much-publicized trip to the minor leagues. But on Tuesday night at Nationals Park before 34,039 fans split between the home and visiting teams, Myers (W, 4-9, 5.46) dominated the Nationals allowing one unearned run on just four hits and one walk and the Phillies bullpen held on to secure the 2-1 victory. The Nationals scored that unearned run in the eighth inning after being shut out in their last 25 innings, going back to Friday night's game in Los Angeles.

The Phils could not muster much more than that though against Nationals rookie starter Collin Balestar. Balestar went six full innings allowing just two earned runs --via Chase Utley's 26th home run of the season. He gave up six hits and no walks, striking out five. "One mistake," was all Balestar had to say about his performance. Balestar's record falls to 1-3, 5.13 ERA.

With a line-up that's last in the NL in average, runs, home runs, on base percentage and slugging percentage, however, one mistake is all it takes. Philadelphia did not get a runner past second base in any other inning against the rookie right-hander, but in the end did not need to.

Utley's homer was his first since July 7, snapping a fourteen game drought.

Washington has now lost seven straight games, eight of ten and have scored a total of three runs in their last five games. "The offense -- it's been a struggle the whole season," Washington manager Manny Acta said. The first four hitters in Acta's line-up Tuesday -- Willie Harris, Ronnie Belliard, Ryan Zimmerman, Austin Kearns -- combined to go 0-for-14 with one walk.

Ineffectiveness was again coupled with base running mistakes, as 1B Paul LoDuca and Zimmerman both were thrown out in run-downs on the base paths. "A dumb mistake," Zimmerman acknowledged. "You can't let that kind of stuff happen there. Learn from it and move on."

Garrett Mock, Charlie Manning and Joel Hanrahan all pitched one inning of shutout baseball to finish things up for Balestar. Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Phils, recording his 25th save.

Wednesday night Tim Redding (7-5, 3.98) takes on Jamie Moyer (9-6, 3.76) in a 7:10 pm showdown at Nationals Park.

NATS NOTES: The loss moves the Nats record to 38-68, 19.5 games behind the division-leading Phillies.

All-star shortstop Cristian Guzman pinch-ran but was still not in the starting line-up, unable to grip the bat with both hands. The precautionary MRI performed Wednesday morning on his left thumb returned negative and confirmed the original diagnosis of a soft-tissue contusion at the base of the thumb. He is considered day-to-day.

Willie Harris drove in the Nats only run, set up by a single from LoDuca, Utley's fielding error and a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Ryan Langerhans.

Hill Lose Hill to Forearm Pain, Game to Halos 8-3

Washington, DC-In the microcosm, it was just another loss in a season that has been full of them, and will, in all likelihood, continue. In the grand scheme of things, however, this loss could prove more costly in significance if this was the end of Shawn Hill on the mound for the Washington Nationals for the foreseeable future.

Hill (L, 1-5, 5.83) was hammered by the Angels for eight runs -- six earned -- on eight hits and a walk in just three innings of work, as the Washington Nationals lost to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 8-3 Tuesday night before 28,531 at Nationals Park. He gave up six in the first and another two in the third inning.

The bigger news, however, in what has become a lost season for the reluctant ace, was when after the game Manager Manny Acta announced Hill was likely headed to the disabled list and on his way very soon to see specialists at the Mayo clinic to re-examine his elbow and forearm, the source of Hill's pain and frustration this season. Hill was despondent in his post-game interview, stoic and brutally honest as always with the gathered press. "I'm just not right." he said. "Not a whole lot of guys throw through this for as long as I have…[M]aybe two weeks off, a week off, a month off, whatever it may be, I have no idea. I might come back and feel like a new guy, or [the rest] might do absolutely nothing. I have no idea."

His performance on Tuesday night was described as "flat" by Acta and his location "suffering" by pitching coach Randy St. Claire.

Hill started the season on the DL and has struggled every start since his return. In the beginning, the pain forced him to give up throwing between starts, something he's acknowledged as being important for him to maintain his control and consistency. He recently had returned to throwing side sessions, but the pain has worsened and left him in a reduced capacity during games. Tuesday's fiasco was, apparently, the final straw. Hill is no longer able to pitch through the pain, and the incredible effort he's been putting forth just to get on the mound for the Nats is not enough when the results were as bad a they were last night, effectively ending any chance the team had to be competitive in the first inning.

The lack of any consistent offensive production from this patchwork line-up of discarded veterans and untested youngsters places an extra premium on pitching, especially the starters, and trailing 6-0 after the top of the first is a death sentence for a squad hitting .238 as a team, last in all of Major League Baseball.

Jon Garland got the win for the Angels, leaders of the American League West. He went seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk, including solo home runs by Wily Mo Pena (2) and Elijah Dukes (3).

Adding insult to Hill's injury, the defense was atrocious again Tuesday, as the Nats committed four errors, two in that fateful first inning. Paul LoDuca, starting in left field for the first time since 2004, threw away the first ball hit to him, allowing a runner to advance an extra base. Dmitri Young booted two grounders at first base, and Willie Harris kicked one away at second, starting once again for Felipe Lopez. To their credit, the Nats did complete three double plays, including a strike-em-out, throw-em-out by Jesus Flores.

The Nats conclude their three-game series with the Halos Wednesday night, as Tim Redding (6-3, 4.12) takes the mound against Ervin Santana (9-3. 3.17) for the Angels.

NATS NOTES: The loss lowers the Nationals record to 30-49, last in the NL East, twelve and one-half games behind Philadelphia. The Nats have lost four straight, and are 2-7 in their last ten games.

LoDuca summoned the trainer in the top of the second inning during Vlad Guerrero's at bat. He experienced dizziness and nausea and was removed from the game. He was taken to a hospital for observation. He was given IVs and was reported to be feeling better later in the evening. No further word from the team has been released at this writing.

Redding appeared at the ESPN Zone downtown Tuesday at lunchtime for a Q&A with Nats fans. Radio play-by-lay Charlie Slowes emceed the event, attended by roughly 75 Nats fans.

LoDuca Activated, Clippard Sent Back to Columbus

According to CBS Sportsline.com, Paul LoDuca was activated and P Tyler Clippard was returned to Triple-A Columbus. I mention the source of the report for two reasons: 1) MLB.com transaction page has no mention of it; and B) Neither the WaPO, WaTi or ESPN.com have anything on it.

Various media sources have speculated that was going to be the case, but there has been no official press release or word from the Nats themselves as of this writing. I will post the Press Release when it becomes available.

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ed. (2:41 pm) The move has been posted at MLB.com now, but still no word from The Post.
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LoDuca's activation brings with it much speculation about how he will be utilized and what role he'll play going forward. He was signed in the off-season as a stop-gap, basically to allow Jesus Flores a full season in the minors to work on his defense and to get a full season of at bats. But to this point, LoDuca has been a spectacular mess and Flores the brightest spot on the Nats, a team full of darkness right now, despite the weekend sweep of the Mariners, the worst team in baseball.

Manager Manny Acta went on record over the weekend saying LoDuca will get some at bats at DH during interleague play, and afterwards, will play some first, some left and some catching. In his 1035-game career, LoDuca has played 37 games in the outfield, 76 at first and one at third. And exactly NONE anywhere but catcher since 2004.

GB&U: No Help For Lannan

RESULT: Nats lose to Pirates 3-1

GOOD: John Lannan. Six strong innings, allowing 2 earned runs. He worked his way out of several jams, and deserved a better fate. He's getting the lowest run support in the league and it's a shame, because he -- along with Tim Redding -- have been the best pitchers on this team.

BAD: Joel Hanrahan. One inning, with three hits and one walk. How did he only allow one run?

UGLY: Acta-Dukes. With the videos, the talking heads, the flaming blogs, etc., this isn't going away. It's a big deal that Acta had Dukes right back in the line-up, though. Most managers would have benched Dukes to prove that they are in control of the team. Manny put him IN the line-up to show who's boss. Kinda surprised Snell didn't put one in his hip pocket though.

NEXT GAME: Tomorrow afternoon in the rubber match, Jason Bergmann (1-3, 5.23) takes on Tom Gorzelanny (4-5, 6.83).

All Quiet Again, Nats Lose to Pirates 3-1

Pittsburgh, PA--On a day when Manager Manny Acta, General Manager Jim Bowden and right fielder Elijah Dukes remained mum on the subject of their closed door meeting after last night's confrontation in the dugout, the Washington Nationals bats observed the code of silence as well, managing only one run and seven hits against four Pittsburgh pitchers, and fell to the Pirates 3-1 before 15,439 at PNC Park.

The incident in the dugout -- where Acta confronted Dukes after Lastings Milledge's home run in the ninth inning giving the Nats the lead and eventual win -- was widely talked about in the media journal pages and had the "Natosphere" on fire throughout the day. It unfortunately overshadowed what should have been a cherished come-from-behind win, as the Nats broke loose for five home runs, two by Ronnie Belliard.

Unable to savor the victory, instead a pall hung over the Nats offense Wednesday night, who never really threatened against starter Ian Snell (W, 3-6, 5.33) and a trio of relievers, finishing with Matt Capps earning his sixteenth save, the pitcher victimized the previous night by Milledge. Snell pitched six innings and allowed one earned run on six hits and three walks. The Nats had their chances against Snell, getting runners on base in each of the first three innings, but never drawing blood in the early going.

But the Nats offense going silent is not an unusual occurrence, particularly when John Lannan is on the hill. Lannan "leads" the majors in lack of run support, receiving less than 2.7 runs per start from his hitters, and they lowered that average in this game. Lannan (L, 4-7, 3.43) turned in another quality start, as he went six full innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and no walks, striking out three. He surrendered Jason Bay's RBI double in the first inning and Ryan Doumit's eleventh home run -- his third of this series -- in the fifth. He flirted with trouble in other innings, but managed to keep the Pirates to two runs during his tenure.

The Nationals got their run in the seventh, as Felipe Lopez doubled to the gap in right, Willie Harris walked and Dukes singled to center, driving in Lopez. But there would be no home runs, no celebrations and no confrontations in this game -- a game where the Nats seemed devoid of energy from the very beginning.

The rubber match of the series is Thursday afternoon at 12:35 pm EDT. Jason Bergmann (1-3, 5.23) looks to rebound from a sub-par performance last time out against Tom Gorzelanny (4-5, 6.83), who has been a major disappointment for the Bucs this season.

NATS NOTES: The loss puts the Nats record at 26-41, thirteen games behind division leading Philadelphia.

The team announced Ryan Zimmerman will be out another four to six weeks -- at least. After being evaluated by Dr. Tim Kremcheck of Cincinnati, the team said that Zimmerman has about a "70 percent" chance of avoiding surgery. Zimmerman will continue with a strength and conditioning program for his injured left shoulder.

GM Jim Bowden commented on the matter, "We will know at the All-Star break if he will [need surgery]. If in fact he's not better at the All-Star break, then at that time we'll operate so that he's 100 percent for next year. We will not wait until the season's over to risk going into next year."

For All the Apologists

You gotta see this. Manager Manny Acta finally finds something to get his back up about. Milledge and Dukes have quietly been spoken to about their on-field histrionics, and Milledge certainly carried some baggage down from New York with him in that regard.

But the little pose-down by Dukes, including the look back at pitcher Matt Capps, after Milledge's homer in the ninth tonight didn't sit well with Manny.

Here's the video courtesy of ESPN's Baseball Tonight.



Dukes dropping his hand in the post-game high five is great, but Manny's smirk afterwards is classic. It will be very interesting to see how Acta handles this going forward.

Nats Fall to Brewers in Extra Innings 4-3

Washington, DC--On as perfect a summer day as one could ask for in the Nation's Capital, a Memorial Day crowd of 28,552 was witness to a memorable ball game despite the home standing Washington Nationals losing to the visiting Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in eleven innings.

The game time temperature at the park was 78 degrees, but felt warmer sitting in the beautiful sunshine that bathed most of the crowd. Emotions would rise with the afternoon temperatures, though, as disputed plays and frustrating results were cause for patrons to get hot under the collar.

The deciding inning was ugly for the Nationals, not for the fact they gave up the winning run, but how it went down. With Luis Ayala unavailable to pitch due to overwork earlier in the series, and closer Jon Rauch having already pitched in the ninth inning, Manager Manny Acta let Saul Rivera go back out into the heat for his second inning of relief work. Milwaukee's stout first baseman, Prince Fielder, led off the frame and doubled down the left field line. Manager Ned Yost ordered fifth-place hitter Corey Hart to sacrifice, and he did his job, moving Fielder over to third. Rivera struck out the next batter, Russell Branyan, on three pitches, and with two outs the home fans remained hopeful that Rivera would emerge unscathed.

It was not to be though, as Gabe Kapler singled on the first pitch he saw from Rivera to drive in Fielder and give the Brewers the cushion they would need. Rivera (L, 3-2, 4.26) managed to get out of the inning without another run, but it was not for lack of effort. He walked light-hitting catcher Jason Kendall and pinch-hitter Craig Counsell on eight pitches, and would throw three more balls to second baseman Rickie Weeks. But Weeks eventually rolled over on a slider and grounded out with the bases loaded to end the threat.

The bottom of the ninth would find no triumphant retort. Brewers Manager Ned Yost summoned his closer of the moment, Salomon Torres, and Torres shut down any thoughts of an extra innings comeback. Aaron Boone (0-for-5) and Wil Nieves both grounded out to short and Lastings Milledge (1-for-5, .242) struck out to end the matinee.

The Nats did have a few offensive heroes on this day, though not quite enough. Cristian Guzman continued his strong spring, by going 2-for-5 with a home run (his fifth) in the bottom of the first inning to get the Nats started. Jesus Flores, who looks stronger everyday as the Nats regular catcher, went 2-for-4 and raised his average to .340.

The biggest and most exciting play of the day centered around the Nats' big man himself, Dmitri Young. Down 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, with the Nats having just surrendered the lead in the top of the inning, Young sauntered to the plate with two outs and a chance to tie, and he came through -- although in a controversial and contested manner. On an 0-1 count, Young blasted a shot toward the Red Porch in left center field that found Brewers center fielder Mike Cameron racing back to the wall. Cameron leapt at the wall but could not come down with the ball, and the ball ricocheted back into center field. By the time Cameron was able to recover and track the ball down, Young had carried his large frame all the way into third base with what appeared to be a triple.

But no sooner had time been called than Manny Acta came confidently out of the dug out to confer with the umpires. Acta pointed out to the men in black that Young's blast had carried over the outfield fence and had, in fact, bounced off the front wall of the Red Porch, some three feet or so behind the center field fence before bouncing back into play. After deliberating, the umpires agreed that had indeed been the case, and awarded Young his first home run since August of last season. Yost came out to protest mildly, but left after getting the explanation from the umps.

After the game, Cameron suggested changing the color of the second wall to alleviate the confusion, as both walls are green. "They [the upmires] got it right," Cameron said. "They've got to change it or do something to fix that."

Nationals starter Jason Bergmann had another terrific outing, extending his scoreless innings streak to nineteen and two-thirds since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus. He pitched five and two-thirds scoreless on the afternoon, allowing four hits and one walk with eight strikeouts.

The Nationals travel to San Diego for a three-game series with the Padres starting Tuesday night. Shawn Hill (0-1, 4.08) returns to the mound to test his right elbow against Randy Wolf (3-4, 4.76). Game time is 10:05 EDT.

NATS NOTES: The loss drops Washington's record to 22-30, nine games behind division leading Florida.

Ryan Zimmerman had the day off to rest his sore left shoulder. He is listed by the team as day-to-day on the injury report.

The Nationals are 1-9 in their last 10 extra innings games dating back to last season.

Nats Fall to Brewers in Extra Innings 4-3 also posted at DC Sports Box

Photos (c) C. Nichols 2008

The Verdict Is In: Johnson Out 4-6 Weeks

The bad news just hit the Natosphere like a ton of bricks. Nick Johnson, leading the team in on-base percentage and playing his usual stellar first base, will miss the next 4-6 weeks with a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist.

Dmitri Young will be activated for tonight's game and according to Manny Acta, will receive the bulk of playing time at first, being spelled occasionally buy Aaron Boone. Acta said Meathook won't be pushed at first since he's coming back from his own injury, but indicated that the doctors say that Young is back to 100%.

BOTTOM(FEEDER) LINE: Real bad news. If you know anything about Nick Johnson, it's that he is injury-prone, and that when he gets injured, takes longer than normal to heal. Fully expect Nick to be out up to the all-star break. This gives GM Jim Bowden one less tool in his box for mid-season trading, and severely depletes the already thin bench.

The primary benefactor: Rob Mackowiak escapes the chopping block once again.