Weekly Rundown: Citi Field, Andre Woodson, Guthrie

Weekly Rundown is a combination of links and brief comments on stories and topics that I couldn't get to during the week. If there's something important that I missed, don't hesitate to send an email or leave a comment.

• Thomas Boswell on the Orioles:
  

  
  After years of meddling, owner Peter Angelos has gotten out of the way. Now, if the front office spots a David Ortiz released by the Twins, his signing won't be nixed so David Segui can stay at first base. If the Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell trade is offered to the O's with Larry Bigbie the biggest piece Florida would get in return, no one will kill the idea and let the Red Sox jump on it.
  
  Now MacPhail decides. But how much can he spend? No one knows yet.
  
  "We need a big bopper in the middle of the order and a veteran starter to stabilize all our young pitchers," said one veteran Oriole.
  
  "Grow pitching. Buy bats," responded MacPhail.
  

  
  He also talks about how difficult it is for the O's to compete in the AL East. It's nothing new or surprising, but it's still a good read. [Washington Post]


• Citi Field, the Mets' stadium that hasn't even been open for a full season yet, is apparently falling apart. That's not good. [Bugs & Cranks]


• Here's what happened after Prince Fielder's game-winning home run against the Giants yesterday in the bottom of the 12th:
  
  
  
  
  I wouldn't be surprised if his teammates weren't acting -- Fielder may actually be that powerful. [Larry Brown Sports]


• John Feinstein on Daniel Snyder amid the whole "ticket scandal" thing:
  

  
  All of that said, a lot of people in this town have gotten pretty tired of Dan Snyder’s act. He’s owned the team for 10 years and, like any owner, would be forgiven pretty much anything if the team was winning. But after being a truly great franchise from 1982 to 1992, the Redskins have won two playoff games since Snyder bought the team. Every year he spends huge money on free agents because he loves having his picture taken with them and bragging about how rich he is to other owners and then, because all the team’s cap money is spent on a half-dozen players, the Redskins usually fold somewhere along the way when the inevitable injuries that hit every team hit them because they have no depth. Hearing Joe Gibbs talk about injuries during his four year return as coach almost moved people to tears. The Redskins, it appeared, were the only NFL team that EVER had an injured player.
  
  While Snyder has spent big money on big names, he has done everything in his power to make every possible dollar. Some call this good business; others call this ripping off a public that adores the team. He’s jammed more seats—many of them obstructed—into the stadium, upped prices every chance he gets, charged outrageous ($35) prices for parking and tried a few years ago to more or less blackmail club seat holders into renewing with years left on their contract at twice the price by threatening to raise prices even more if one didn’t renew instantly. A lot of people—I was one of them—didn’t take him up on it.
  
  At the same time that Snyder was paying $107 million for Albert Haynesworth this winter, he was laying off office employees. Again, fans will forgive that if Haynesworth produces and the Redskins win. Winning will get you forgiven for just about anything.
  

  
  Feinstein's right -- if the Redskins win, no one will care about the owner. However, it is getting a little tough to stomach his act of nickel-and-diming fans at every turn. [Feinstein on the Brink]


• Clinton Portis and John Riggins just can't get along. [Hogs Haven]


• A remote-control airplane interrupted a Diamondbacks-Dodgers game last Tuesday night. Matt Kemp on the airshow/distraction: "That was tight, I liked that." [Big League Stew]


• Dan Steinberg presents a rational assessment of the Redskins ticket controversy. [D.C. Sports Bog]


• Chase Daniel opted to join the New Orleans Saints' practice squad, so the Redskins have signed former Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson. [Redskins Insider]


• Kelly Dwyer thinks that Gilbert Arenas is the top second-round draft pick of the last decade. [Ball Don't Lie]


• Jeremy Guthrie has been pretty good lately, and his performance yesterday -- seven shutout innings -- was no different. [Camden Crazies]