Danny Espinosa's big league debut over the past few days reads like one of those kids' novels from the 1940's and '50's: complete fiction. His 6 RBI game today was something Nationals' fans will remember for a long, long time. Walking around the concourse to the MASN set in the seventh inning took a lot longer than usual today. Every 50 feet or so someone
It's amazing that so many fans seem to think that stealing bases when you're down by double digit runs is somehow breaking one of the game's unwritten rules. When you're up by a bunch you don't steal; when you're trying to come back - with 5 innings left to play - it's a calculated risk and nothing more. If the runner in question is Adam
I won't pretend to know what's happening with Nyjer Morgan this past week. His on-field behavior, at times, has bordered on the bizarre, and he's the only one who knows why. Running into Florida catcher Brett Hayes Tuesday night - and getting tagged out - was a play that bore a strong resemblance to Pete Rose bowling over Ray Fosse to score the winning run
I imagine waiting out a nearly three-hour rain delay is a bit like waiting to catch a flight that's been delayed. You wander around the airport/clubhouse looking for something to occupy your time and try not to eat too much junk food out of sheer boredom. The modern day big league baseball fields have state-of-the-art drainage systems that allow the game to be played the
Take one of, if not the best pitchers in the National League, and have him face an .059 hitter. More often than not, the pitcher will prevail without breaking a sweat. Not today, however. John Lannan doubled his RBI total for the year - and raised that average to a sizzling .081 - in the second inning at Nationals Park this afternoon by doubling in
A guy comes up to me at the MASN set in center field this afternoon and says "The Nationals need to figure out who's responsible for Strasburg's injury and fire that person immediately." Really? Let's see, who's on the list of suspects in this crime? How about Domonic Brown, the Phillies' hitter at the plate when Strasburg felt the pain that took him out of
The news today that Stephen Strasburg is likely out for the next 12-15 months for Tommy John surgery can't be much of a shock. For a 21st century pitcher who throws that hard, it seems almost an inevitability. The list of successful returns from the TJ procedure is long and impressive, and includes two guys you've seen this week in opposing uniforms: Ryan Dempster of
Nationals' players were on the field early this afternoon, for an around-the-mound meeting, and some remedial infield; call it what you will. Likely a response to Monday's less-than-stellar effort against the Cubs, it hasn't seemed to make much difference midway through tonight's contest. The easy thing to say is that the Nationals are in a team-wide funk, but one scout suggested to me that you
Okay, I'm old. That fact hit home tonight watching Casey Coleman pitch for the Cubs. Casey's dad, Joe, pitched for the Senators 1965-70, and I saw him throw many times. Joe's not much older than I am - he was Washington's first ever first round pick in the 1965 draft out of high school, the third player taken overall. Later he was involved in the
I wouldn't get too worked up over the decision to put Stephen Strasburg back on the DL. After the discomfort he felt in Philadelphia the other day and the reams of evidence - anecdotal and otherwise - that young flamethrowers are especially prone to debilitating arm miseries until about age 24, it just makes sense. Some have offered the subpar - for him, anyway -
