You Too Can Punch Jim Bowden

Any of you Nationals fans (or heck, you Nationals players) have any ambition to punch GM Jim Bowden? Believe it or not, you wouldn't be the first, as Bowden explains in his column for The Examiner:

The first time I had to cut a player, it went ... poorly. It was 1986 and I was an assistant director of player development and scouting for Pittsburgh. I told the player in question he was going to be unconditionally released.

The player looked at me kind of funny, jumped over the desk and punched me. It's never been that bad again. But it's always a tough process.

And people wonder why Jim Bowden will only cut players while wearing a cup and a beekeeper's mask.

Let's take a look at the early line as to who might be the next player to punch Jim Bowden if he was the next one cut (after the jump):

Brian Schneider: Schneider once had an implosion in front of a television camera when a reporter insinuated that he was playing through an injury. And catchers always have a little alpha in them anyway. Odds: 2-1
Ryan Church: This guy was on the minor league shuffle in '06 after putting up good numbers in 2005, so he may be a little frustrated. Odds: 4-1
Jon Rauch: Rauch once fled the White Sox locker room without answering questions, which led to his trade away from the White Sox. So he would probably opt for flight rather than fight. But can you imagine the damage that a 6' 11" guy could do? Odds: 8-1
Austin Kearns: "You got me out of Cincinnati and now you cut me?" Odds: 15-1
Jose Guillen: His chances are hurt not being on the team and all, but you never know what grudges he might hold. And who knows what he could have done to Pedro Martinez last April if he wasn't held back. Odds: 25-1
The Field: Luis Ayala is an intriguing possibility, but punching Jim Bowden would probably slow his recovery time. Ditto Nick Johnson and Mike O'Connor. Odds: 10-1