SB Nation - Julian Tavarez

Weekend Dad Mug -- Hall of Fame Edition

Fatter than Joey — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:57:51 -0000

Will former Brewer Dave Parker who "did everything that you could possibly do in baseball", be a part of the 2010 HOF class? (AP Photo/File)

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Hey Kids! Back so soon? -- Why did your Regular Dad drop you off at my doorstop again? Your guess is as good as mine.

In either case let me get some clean sweatpants on (I had a little trouble with the turkey), and tell you all about a bunch of guys that played the game the way it was supposed to be played, not with all the muscle pills that the players use today.

The BBWAA is a group of Busterolney's that randomly elect retired players to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown every year. They released their ballot on Friday. The names that are going into the fishbowl this year are as follows:

Roberto Alomar, Kevin Appier, Harold Baines, Bert Blyleven, Ellis Burks, Andre Dawson, Andres Galarraga, Pat Hentgen, Mike Jackson, Eric Karros, Ray Lankford, Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Shane Reynolds, David Segui, Lee Smith, Alan Trammell, Robin Ventura, Todd Zeile

Former Brewer, Dave Parker believes he should be elected.

The most interesting ballot newbies this year are Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff and Barry Larkin. This quartet should make for an interesting election, as none of them are slam-dunks, nor are they easily dismissed.

The Bleacher Report makes an argument for Edgar Martinez. Did you know only Jimmy Foxx and Babe Ruth have a higher BA, while accumulating more BBs (at least 1200 BBs) than strikeouts in their careers?
The Bleacher Report then continues on wondering "How can the Crime Dog McGriff not get elected"? Maybe the answer is to kick Tony Perez out of Cooperstown?
The NY Times catches us up on who Roberto Alomar is spitting on these days...
MLB.com has a summary of the arguments for including Barry Larkin.
And finally, the Bleacher Report just wonders if no one at all will be elected in 2010.

In other turkey grease fires, former Milwaukee superstar Bud Selig announced his pending down-stepping. Stories about Bud Selig interest me about as much as stories about your Regular Dad, or what you are doing in school, so I will leave it to you to find more about this if you so desire.

The Red Sox are in the market for a SS, and now that Alex Gonzalez has been inked by the Jays, Marco Scutaro is the Sox's primary target (Too bad the Brewers didn't have a SS to trade to Boston). Weighing in with the definitive opinion on Scutaro, is deep-frying super-utility man Lou Merloni.

Will Felipe Lopez be joining JJ Hardy in Minnesota next year? -- Bleacher Report seems to think Lopez could be a perfect fit. This just in, Felipe Lopez's wife is turkey-fire hot!

Doug Melvin weighed in on the future of Felipe Lopez and other things in a ESPN interview.

The Brewers may very well pass on offering Lopez and Mike Cameron Arbys.
Mat Gamel could end up in the OF
Cory Hart's attempt to embrace patience was an epic fail
2010 Batting order musings.

I don't want you to think that every Thanksgiving story needs to be exclusively about turkey fires, so here is a nice piece about Prince Fielder and Casey McGehee's son Mack. On the other hand, I do want you to commit to memory the things I am not thankful for, conveniently organized in one of those Sporcle quizzes your Regular Dad seems to be so fond of.

Unless you are Ned Yost, Ned Yost IV or Julian Tavarez, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Poll

Which newbie do you think should get the most votes on the 2010 ballot for the HOF?

Edgar Martinez

40 votes

Roberto Alomar

40 votes

Fred McGriff

25 votes

Barry Larkin

52 votes

Shane Reynolds

4 votes

161 votes | Poll has closed

Washington Nationals: Friday AFL/DWL Updates.

Ed Chigliak — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:03:40 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

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AFL:

With the Phoenix Desert Dogs down 1-0 to the visiting Peoria Javelinas after six and a half innings, the Washington Nationals' second '06 1st Round pick and future first baseman, Chris Marrero, tied it with his third HR in 12 AFL games, this one off Phillipe Aumont, the top-rated pitcher and 3rd overall prospect in the Mariners' organization according to Baseball America's '09 rankings. The Javelinas rallied for four runs in the top of the eighth to retake the lead, and even a three-run eighth by the D-Dogs wasn't enough as Phoenix drops a 5-4 decision and falls to
10-6 overall, which is still good for 1st place in the three-team AFL East.

Notes: Marrero ended the game 2 for 4 with the HR, RBI and a .362 AVG after 47 AB's for Phoenix. Danny Espinosa got the start at short and went 1 for 4 with his second double as a Desert Dog. Espinosa's hitting .302 with a .360 OBP, 349 SLG and a .709 OPS after 12 games and 43 AB's in the AFL in which he's collected 2 doubles, 5 RBI's, 5 walks, 12 K's and 1 SB.

• Final Score: Javelinas 5, Desert Dogs 4 - MLB.com GameDay.

BACKPAGE:

• DWL's Tigres Win 3-1 Over Aguilas.

BACKPAGE:

• DWL's Tigres Win 3-1 Over Aguilas.

The Tigres del Licey broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run top of the eighth that saw former Nationals' reliever Julian Tavarez surrender the game-winning HR by to Kansas City Royals' catching prospect Matt Tupman. Washington Nationals' SS Ian Desmond finished the game 0 for 4, and the 24-year-old infielder is now hitting .192 after 7 games and 26 at bats with the Tigres. Nationals' pitching prospect Atahualpa Severino started the eighth by giving up a single, and two outs later he was lifted for former Dodgers' reliever Yhancy Brazoban who recorded the final out of the frame without a run crossing. Severino (0-0, 0.00), who went (10-0) with a 2.62 ERA and 15 saves at two stops in the Nationals' system in 2009, is still unscored upon in 7 appearances and 4.1 IP for Licey, in which he's allowed just 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3 and holding DWL opponents to a .143 AVG.

• Final Score: Tigres 3, Aguilas 1. MLB.com.

Saying Goodbye to the Metrodome: Top 5 Memories

Jesse — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:00:23 -0000

What are yours?

Barring a minor miracle, tomorrow night the Minnesota Twins will open their final series in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. 28 baseball seasons ago, on April 6 1982, the first baseball game was held as the Twins played host to the Seattle Mariners. In just a few hours the Kansas City Royals will be baseball's last visitors under teflon skies.

There are a lot of easy memories when you think back. Of course there's the unbelieveable run by the 1987 Twins, when they returned to Minneapolis down three games to two but still took down the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games; Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky and Frank Viola became household names over night while a 36-year old Bert Blyleven threw a now unthinkable 267 innings. Even more of you might choose the 1991 incarnation of the Twins, starring some of the same characters while also including franchise names like Rick Aguilera, Chili Davis, Brian Harper, Kevin Tapani, Shane Mack, Scott Erickson and Jack Morris; Puckett's homer in game six and ten innings of shutout baseball by Morris in game seven. Or maybe you were there for the alpha, for a 102-loss team with 22-year olds Herbie and Viola? How about the completion of one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the organization, when the team won the AL Central title after the final out of their season was recorded in 2006?

I'm too young for some of these, at least to remember them properly. My top five metrodome memories will all be from games where I was actually there; when I was actually sitting in those horribly placed seats, under a dirty yellow sky. Check out my top five after the jump, and then feel free to share your own.

Five

This one isn't even baseball. In high school I was lucky enough to be part of a team that made the state playoffs for football. Two consecutive seasons I got to play at least one game on the turf of the Dome, the same turf as Puck and Hrbek and Radke, the same turf as Anthony Carter and John Randle and Randall McDaniel, as a member of the Breckenridge Cowboys in November of '95 and '96.

Four

On June 22, 1992, my family made a trip to the Cities for a vacation away from Greater Minnesota, and I saw my first Twins game. The Angels were in town. We arrived early enough to watch the guys warm up in the outfield, and I can still remember how in awe of them I was. They were just a few feet from me, in the flesh--real, live people, not on television. Kent Hrbek wasn't in the lineup that day, but I still got to see Knobby and Kirby. Knoblauch singled in the first, stole second base and eventually would score on a Chili Davis single. In the seventh Brian Harper walked, Pedro Munoz doubled moving him to third, and two batters later Harper scored on a Greg Gagne sac fly to make it 2-0. That was the final score, the Twins winning my first ever game on the back of those two runs and 8.1 innings of scoreless ball thrown by John Smiley. Aggy got the save, of course.

Three

I went to a Twins - Blue Jays tilt with my friend Mike on June 22, 2007. There were four drunk Jays fans in front of us, and honestly I don't even remember what the score was, although I do know the Twins won. Why? Because all I can remember is this:

Why did I take this picture, you ask? Why wouldn't I take this picture. Nasty.

Two

I got goosebumps when I saw Johan Santana pick up his 1000th strikeout on June 13, 2006, as I went to a game to see myself in Dugout Splinters for the very first time and to catch a game with some friends a couple days before my birthday. But while Johan more than did his job, striking out 13 over eight innings while allowing just five hits, he couldn't hold the Boston Red Sox scoreless. Jason Varitek's line drive home run to center field put Boston up 1-0, and the Twins would only manage to tie the game on a Michael Cuddyer homer in the bottom half of the inning. Santana left the game tied, and it wasn't solved until Jason Kubel decided to make Julian Tavarez pay for intentionally walking Torii Hunter to get to him. With the bases loaded and the count full, Kubel took Tavarez deep for a walk-off grand slam home run. It. Was. Amazing.

One

On April 5, 2004, Opening Day, I watched as the Twins slowly sunk to a four-run deficit through six innings at the hands of the Cleveland Indians. Brad Radke struggled early, giving up a second inning homer to Travis Hafner and a third inning homer to Jody Gerut, before settling down for the next couple innings. He gave up another solo shot to Hafner in the top of the sixth, and there wasn't any life in the Twins' offense, which had managed just one hit (a single by Shannon Stewart to lead off the bottom of the first) off CC Sabathia over seven innings. But then came the bottom of the eighth.

Joe Mauer walked to lead things off, and Christian Guzman followed that up with a single before the top of the order cylced around and Stewart moved both runners up on a ground out. Cuddyer followed with a hard liner to center, scoring both runs, and was moved to third base on a Doug Mientkiewicz single. Corey Koskie was sitting dead red on a 2-2 pitch and drove it into the left-center gap for a ground-rule double, scoring Cuddyer to maker it 4-3, before Hunter singled to tie the game and finish the scoring for the inning. Jacque Jones and Matt LeCroy struck out to end the rally.

Then all went silent once more.

via www.minorleagueballparks.com

J.C. Romero, Joe Nathan and Juan Rincon combined for three scoreless innings. Aaron Fultz and Joe Roa had already combined for two of their own, but those three bridge us to the bottom of the 11th. Jones struck out again, for the fourth time in four at-bats. LeCroy managed to squeeze out a walk, and was replaced on the bases by Nick Punto. Mauer pulled a hard shot into right field, allowing Punto to take third on the one out single. Guzman struck out for the second out of the inning. Alertly, Mauer took second base on defensive indifference with Stewart now at the dish, giving the Indians the option of intentionally walking Stewart to face Cuddyer. Chad Durbin and the Indians decided to go after him, and Shannon repaid them by smashing a line drive home run into the left field seats, about four rows in front of where I was sitting. The crowd went absolutely berserk, and I'm pretty sure Mike and I were already nomiating Stewart for MVP on the back of his strong showing with the Twins in 2003.

This, of course, was also Joe Mauer's very first game with the Minnesota Twins. I studied him closely before the game started, warming up with Brad Radke in the bullpen. There appeared nothing unusual, he wasn't wearing bling and he wasn't acting up and he didn't strut. He just squatted down, held out his glove and let Brad warm up. From moment one Joe was all business, even when his name was announced (hitting eighth, by the way) and the crowd rained down applause like they already knew he was Baby Joe Jesus. That in itself almost qualifies as another memory, seperate from the game, that I will always remember.

What about you?

Better Baseball Through Chemistry: Cubs vs. Reds Preview, Saturday 9/12, 12:05 CT

Al — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:00:31 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

This entire season has been a little squirrelly.

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Yesterday wasn't the first time a squirrel entertained fans at Wrigley Field by running across the field during a game. It also happened on October 6, 2001; that Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article simply notes its presence, but I remember the squirrel running rings around Roosevelt Brown in center field that afternoon. That didn't stop Brown from having his career day; he hit two homers and drove in seven runs in a 13-2 Cubs win over the Pirates that was also notable for Julian Tavarez taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning.

That game was also the last Cubs telecast directed by legendary WGN-TV director Arne Harris; he suffered a fatal heart attack while out to dinner that evening.

This morning I also want to talk about what a seemingly innocuous player move can do to help a team go on a long winning streak. I was watching the beginning of the Rockies/Padres game last night, and the Colorado announcers were going on and on and on about how Jason Giambi's presence had helped the chemistry in the clubhouse; Giambi had made friends quickly, brought some laughter, and also spent hours in the batting cage working on his swing, being ready for one pinch-hitting appearance.

Now, I admit that clubhouse chemistry is something that's hard to get and even harder to define. Sometimes a team that's said to have "good chemistry" is just a team that's winning. Does winning make for good chemistry, or does good chemistry breed winning? It's impossible to tell. But I do know that I'd rather have had Jason Giambi signed by the Cubs when the A's released him, than have had Micah Hoffpauir flailing away at pitches, even though Hoffpauir has done well since his return. In 14 plate appearances for Colorado, Giambi has three hits and six walks and has directly contributed to several of the wins during the Rockies' now 8-game winning streak, including a two-out walk in the Rox' ridiculous two-out, two-strike, ninth-inning come-from-behind 4-1 win over the Padres and their closer Heath Bell late last night.

Clubhouse chemistry in and of itself doesn't make for winning teams. Good baseball players do. But Jason Giambi has given the Rockies both, and the clubhouse presence DOES matter. There's also something to be said here about American League players coming to the National League -- look at what Matt Holliday has done since his return to the NL. The Cubs should have signed Giambi when he was released by the A's. But Jim Hendry rarely thinks outside the box like this. He needs to start doing so.

Today's Starting Pitchers


Randy Wells Cubs	vs.	Johnny Cueto Reds

10-8	W-L	9-10
2.84	ERA	4.39
84	SO	116
35	BB	49
12	HR	21
vs. Hou	--	vs. Cubs

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Randy Wells	10-8	22	22	0	0	0	0	139.1	135	51	44	12	35	84	2.84	1.22

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Johnny Cueto	9-10	26	26	0	0	0	0	147.2	148	78	72	21	49	116	4.39	1.33

Johnny Cueto beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 22, throwing seven shutout innings. He's made two other starts vs. the Cubs this year, one in Cincinnati, one in Chicago, and allowed nine earned runs in 11.2 innings in those starts (6.94 ERA). Derrek Lee, Ryan Theriot and Geovany Soto all have career BA over .300 vs. Cueto.

Randy Wells has started three times vs. the Reds this year and is 2-0 (and the Cubs won the other game, too). Ryan Hanigan (4-for-8) and Brandon Phillips (3-for-8) have hit him well, otherwise he's handled the rest of their hitters pretty well. With J.A. Happ injured and possibly on the shelf for a while, Wells has a shot at increasing his Rookie of the Year chances with strong performances for the rest of the year, likely four more starts.

TV today is cable-only, CSN Chicago and FSN Ohio. Reminder, that means you're blacked out if you're not in the local areas for those channels, due to Bud's Idiotic Saturday Blackout Rules (no EI before 6 pm CT). For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter.

Once again, just two overflow threads today -- 1:15 and 2:30 pm CDT. If there's a need for another one, please post as a FanShot.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Bloody Sox Laundry - 8/14/09

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:10:07 -0000

Today - Madden 10. Tomorrow? WOODSTOCK 40th ANNIVERSARY!!!

Oh, right, baseball. Umm... Alright, today we start the crucial series against the Texas Rangers that will knock us out of the lead for the wildcard if we don't win it. If it's that important, we'd better study up on the opponent. So, let's see what the rest of the Internet is saying about the Sox - Rangers series.

Series Preview - NESN.com

An interesting note, among many others, from the fine folks who broadcast all these games for the Red Sox:

Entering Thursday’s game, Sox relievers led the AL with a 3.47 ERA (130 earned runs, 337 1/3 innings). The ‘pen had allowed multiple runs in eight of their last 10 games, with a 5.92 ERA (25 earned runs, 38 innings) in that stretch. It had surrendered homers in seven of the last nine games (10 total) after no homers in its previous 15 outings since the All-Star break.

Red Sox-Rangers Scouting Report - BostonHerald.com

Some more interesting stuff, but not anything particularly of note.

More links and stories after the jump.

Lots of players slumping and streaking right now... and a fan who was caught doing the latter

David Ortiz woes continue - BostonHerald.com

Ortiz, who famously battled a career-worst slump for the first two months of the season before breaking out in June and July, was 0-for-4 in yesterday’s 2-0 loss to the Tigers with three strikeouts, dropping him to 4-for-41 in the last week and a half.

The Line-Up That Wasn't There - Surviving Grady

This is some great stuff to get you out of the dumps.

There are two great axioms in baseball. One is, "When Julian Tavarez asks you if you'd like to see his pet snake Armando, never answer in the affirmative." The other and perhaps more famous one is, "Good pitching beats good hitting." Yesterday, Justin Verlander (AKA, pretty freakin' awesome pitching) took on a Red Sox line-up sans Youkbacca and Dustin Pedroia (mediocre, streaky hitting). So you could pretty much see where this one was going before a single pitch was thrown.

Smoltz's Future - Fire Brand of the American League

Smoltz's immediate future is still in the Sox hands, as they still must choose to release or trade him. According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Sox will be required to pay the remainder of his $5.5 million contract if he is released. If traded, the Sox will owe Smoltz a $500,000 bonus.

Smoltz DFA'd - THT Live
Old article, but it still has some important stuff:

Of course, Smoltz's ERA is 8.33; however, the Red Sox are supposedly one of the more sabermetric friendly organizations out there. Anyway, Smoltz is now free to all teams and could be a good pickup for a contending team with a hole in the starting rotation or bullpen (hint, hint... Cardinals).

About that Buchholz kid... - Fire Brand of the American League

The folks at Fire Brand agree with most of us that Buch's looking good in recent starts:

Despite consistently having to come out of the game due to his erratic fastball control and always on the precipice of complete and utter disaster, Buchholz has actually shown poise on the mound, minimizing the risks that he finds himself in. All too often, we would witness one small hit or walk snowball into a conflagration that resulted in Buchholz walking off the mound, head down in shame.

...

At 24, Buchholz has certainly been part of some major growing pains after finding the majors to his liking in 2007. At 24, he's still young. At 24, Buchholz finally looks like he's starting to figure things out.

Buch starts here? - Worcester Telegram & Gazette

An interesting comparison here - is Buch the next Derek Lowe?

With Buchholz's ups and downs, it has always been more than pure numbers. He is, in a sense, a more recent version of Derek Lowe. For all of his ability, Lowe did not handle adversity well. A bad play behind him, a missed call by an umpire, a bloop RBI single with two outs — they would all send Lowe stomping around behind the mound, pained look on his face, a woe-is-me demeanor.

Clay Buchholz looks better and better - BostonHerald.com

Not only are other blogs and news sources feeling good about Buch, even Tito likes what he sees:

By his own manager’s account, Buchholz made exactly one mistake yesterday when he grooved a fastball to Ryan Raburn, who belted it out to left in the seventh inning. The only other run was unearned, the result of an error by rookie right fielder Josh Reddick in the fourth.

Michael Bowden armed, ready to help pitch in - BostonHerald.com

Maybe Theo doesn't hate Bowden:

Michael Bowden, who pitched well Tuesday for Triple-A Pawtucket, is a good first bet [to get Tazawa's starts, should he falter]. He threw 5 1/3 shutout innings against Charlotte, striking out four and allowing three hits and three walks, a nice rebound from his previous start. Against Norfolk Aug. 5, he got lit up for six runs and six hits in three innings, a start that did not help his cause to get called up instead of Tazawa.

MassLive.com - Man Arrested for Wearing Sox Hat... and Sneakers

Because, even when streaking, you have to make sure everyone knows where your loyalties lie:

MONSON - Monson police arrested a man for open and gross lewdness and disorderly conduct after he was found walking nude, except for sneakers and a Red Sox baseball cap, and holding a beer in the area of Silver Street early Saturday morning.

Now for some stories to broaden your horizons

The Boston Globe - Minor League Notebook - Portland’s Nava no longer playing catch-up

More minor league stuff, to complement USG's Minor Lines.

Before Nava begins telling the near-impossible story of how he came to play for Double A Portland, he has a question. "How far back we going here?’’ he asks.

He has been passed over as a baseball player so many times in his life, he needs direction to pinpoint the best place to start.

MVN.com - Around the Majors - Bean Balls and Sensitivity

In case you weren't ready to shove your computer out a window to avoid reading more about the debacle on Tuesday, here's a good summary of the Internet's opinion:

But what happened between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers, and between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants shows how far out of touch we have gotten with the game, the difference between being hit intentionally and unintentionally, the difference between hitting someone with intent to injure or intent to retaliate, and how throwing inside (not hitting batters) is part of the game.

On a related note...

Yahoo! Sports - Honoring career of man who delivered a fatal pitch

Eighty-nine years later, a handful of people are trying to get him recognized for what was one of the best careers of his era, long overshadowed by baseball’s only lethal pitch. Their goal is to have Mays enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

The Boston Globe - Depression that hit Remy befalls many after cancer

A lot of you have the privilege of watching NESN for Sox games, and the absence of Remy has been as a big a storyline as the season itself. With his recent return to the booth, albeit a short one, we learned that he isn't just dealing with cancer anymore - he's now suffering from depression, which apparently isn't all that uncommon for a cancer survivor:

To an outsider, such despair in a cancer survivor would seem surprising: Surely the patient must be triumphal, having won a victory over a potentially lethal disease. But that is not what Fasciano witnesses in her office at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Most of us know someone who's had cancer, and this article is an eye-opener into the world of pain that they feel.

Nationals eye Jed Hoyer - BostonHerald.com

We could be losing an important part of our Front Office very soon:

Red Sox assistant general manager Jed Hoyer is a finalist for the Washington Nationals general manager’s job, according to an industry source. The other finalists are Washington’s interim GM, Mike Rizzo, as well as former Red Sox scout Jerry DiPoto, who is currently the director of scouting and player personnel for the Diamondbacks.

That's all I've got for now. If you find anything while surfing the web, throw it into the comments section.

P.S. - Pitch F/X School

Try to figure out which pitches are which - this is Justin's Verlander's start from yesterday, showing the average path of each of his four pitches from a bird's eye view. I'll post the link to the answer at during the GT - NO CHEATING.

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:01:50 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Jeff Karstens is stopped by umpire Chad Fairchild, right, and Jason Kendall from getting to Chris Smith after being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning on Monday. No players were ejected, and the Pirates won 8-5. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Some things to read while changing your misleading name.

Thanks to Tristarscoop for picking up the slack while I was away yesterday. Between getting married, honeymooning, buying a house, moving, being in another wedding and now a funeral, I feel like I've been away more than I've been home in the last two months, but (knock on wood) I should be back for the long haul now...at least through the end of the week.

Did you skip out early on last night's game? I almost went to bed in the seventh inning and would have missed the bench clearing incident involving Chris Smith and Jeff Karstens. Smith hit Karstens with a pitch in the eighth inning but later said the pitch wasn't intentional, which is probably the same thing Karstens said after hitting Ryan Braun in April. This HBP had some increased historical significance, being the 600th plunking at PNC Park.

Because the mess happened so late last night, possibly after many Brewer bloggers had gone to bed, there wasn't a lot of reaction to it on the web this morning. Don't be surprised, though, if Jason Kendall picks up a suspension of a game or two for his actions in the shoving match that followed. Kendall shoved Jeff Karstens down the first base line and was later involved in a shouting match with Pirates pitching coach Joe Kerrigan.

The incident also overshadowed the Brewer debut of Felipe Lopez. Lopez missed an early flight because he was waiting for his bats and would not have been in the starting lineup if not for the rain delay, but went 4-for-4 with a triple and a walk, becoming the first Brewer to record four hits in their debut since Chuckie Carr in 1996. TheJay sent me that link, and also this note:

By the by, it took Jody Gerut only 20 games (5 starts) over six weeks to reach four hits.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic discussed the D-Backs' reasons for trading Lopez. He (Lopez, not Piecoro) stands a good chance of being a Type B free agent this offseason, but had also been vocal about enjoying playing in Arizona. The D-Backs would have had to offer him arbitration to receive any compensation if he left, but weren't willing to pay him the $5-6 million he would have received if he accepted the offer. They also seem to think Roque Mercedes is similar in value to the compensation pick they could have received.

Manny Parra has allowed just 12 baserunners in 13 innings since returning from AAA and lowered his ERA from 7.52 to 6.37 in the process. Has he figured it out? Zach Sanders of Baseball Digest Daily seems to think so.

In the minors:

Cody Adams, the Brewers' second round pick from 2008, has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for amphetamines. (Also noted in FanShot) Adams wasn't pitching well for the Timber Rattlers in the first place, but will now be set even farther back.
While the struggle to draw fans to games in Huntsville has drawn some negative attention this season, the Nashville Sounds are just happy the attention isn't on them. Despite making some improvements to Greer Stadium, the Sounds' attendance is down from last season, and ranks 15th in the 16-team PCL.
2009 draftee Josh Prince is the Prospect of the Week over at Between the Green Pillars. Battlekow interviewed Prince back on June 23.
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers lost 15-1 to Lansing last night but still lead by two games in the Midwest League West Division Second Half Standings.
The Cub Reporter has a nice interview with Nashville hitting coach Sandy Guerrero, perhaps better known for being Prince Fielder's BP pitcher at the Home Run Derby.

Ever thought about attending a Brewer Fantasy Camp? Bill Schroeder has the sales pitch for you.

On rankings:

FanGraphs ranked Ryan Braun #8 in their Trade Value rankings, one spot ahead of Tim Lincecum. I love Braun, but if the Giants called and offered Lincecum I'd have a hard time turning it down.
The Brewers dropped four spots to 18th in WhatifSports' Power Rankings.

Around the majors:

Angels: Released reliever Rudy Seanez, who had been pitching in AAA. (h/t Diamond Notes)
A's: Placed Jason Giambi on the DL with a strained quad.
Mets: Placed starter Fernando Nieve on the DL with a leg injury.
Nationals: Placed Scott Olsen on the DL with a back injury and designated Julian Tavarez for assignment.
Orioles: Acquired reliever Cla Meredith from the Padres for infielder Oscar Salazar.
Padres: Placed catcher Edgar Gonzalez, who was hit in the head by a pitch over the weekend, on the DL.
Phillies: Designated reliever Tyler Walker for assignment.
Rangers: Placed Frank Francisco on the DL with a mild case of pneumonia.
Red Sox: Designated Julio Lugo for assignment.
Reds: Placed Ramon Hernandez on the DL with inflammation in his knee.
Tigers: Placed Joel Zumaya on the DL with a sore shoulder.
Twins: Signed Mark Grudzielanek to a minor league deal.

Last week I mentioned that I had participated in SBNation's NL Central Roundtable, and linked to part 1 of the conversation. Part 2 is up over at Viva El Birdos. It was written prior to the Lopez acquisition, but there's still some relevant stuff in there.

Happy birthday today to former Brewers Lance Painter (42), Geoff Jenkins (35) and CC Sabathia (29).

Oh, and I already knew Amy K. Nelson was a baseball writer, but discovering that she's also an old school video gamer made her infinitely cooler in my book.

Drink up.

Washington Nationals (0-4) Under Jim Riggleman After Chicago Cubs Sweep Series With 11-3 Win.

Ed Chigliak — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:30:39 -0000

More photos » by Evan Vucci - AP

5 months ago: Washington Nationals starting pitcher Garrett Mock, center, is pulled out of the game against the Chicago Cubs by manager Jim Riggleman, left, as catcher Josh Bard, second from left, and first baseman Nick Johnson look on in the fourth inning of a baseball game on Sunday, July 19, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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HEADLINE:

The Longest Fourth...

The Washington Nationals entered the fourth inning of this afternoon's series finale against the Chicago Cubs with a 2-1 lead courtesy of Ryan Zimmerman's third inning sac fly to center. DC right-hander Garrett Mock, making his first start of the season after being called back from a successful stint at Triple-A Syracuse, had allowed the leadoff runner on in each of the first three innings, and given up a single, three doubles and a walk, but only one run to that point. Mock got Micah Hoffpauir to fly out to start the fourth, and he got a ground ball from Cubs' third baseman Jake Fox to short, that was unfortunately blown by Alberto Gonzalez, who let it slip under his glove. Alfonso soriANO!!! followed with a long fly ball to left for a two-run HR and a 3-2 Cubs' lead. Nine batters later, Alfonso Soriano would line out to end the fourth, but only after six more runs were scored and the Washington Nationals were down 8-2 and well on their way to being swept in four straight at home by the visiting Cubs...

Cubs win, 11-3 final.

Miss The Game...The DC Faithful Suffered Through It...Uh, Were Watching...

BACKPAGE: (Continued After The Jump...)

• E: 86

• E: 87

• Bullpen 3.0 Coming Soon...

• Nationals' Highlights.

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The Jump...

Nationals now 26-65. (Countdown To 100 Losses Begins At 70. Countdown To History At 110.)

BACKPAGE:

E: 86

Alberto Gonzalez' fourth inning error came with one down in the frame and started the Cubs' 7-run rally. Garrett Mock got a routine grounder with a first-pitch fastball to Cubs' third baseman Jake Fox, and instead of getting in front of it, or at least putting his glove down, Gonzalez tried to field it on the run, snatching down at the last second only to have it roll under his glove. What should have been the second out was followed by Alfonso soriANO's two-run HR to left, and then Garrett Mock completely imploded. Three singles a wild pitch and a walk later (not in that order), Mock was lifted and everyone's favorite reliever Julian Tavarez was on in relief...

E: 87

Julian Tavarez takes over on the mound for Mock with runners on first and third and the Cubs ahead 5-2. Ryan Theriot flies to left-center, and Nyjer Morgan cuts in front of Adam Dunn to make the catch for the second out, but his throw home bounces off Josh Bard as the opposing pitcher, Kevin Hart, scores from third, and Kosuke Fukudome, who'd been on first, takes second on Morgan's errant throw. 6-2 Cubs. Three straight singles by Micah Hoffpauir, Derrek Lee and Jake Fox followed and by the time Soriano was retired, the Cubs led 8-2 and Washington was essentially done.

Bullpen 3.0 Coming Soon...

After the game it was widely reported that RHP Julian Tavarez was designated for assignment, with RHP Kip Wells, (heh, Logan Kensing, I can't tell the difference) called up to take his place on the roster.

UPDATE: Confirmed:

Washington Post - Nationals Journal - "Tavarez DFA'd; Kensing Returning" - Chico Harlan

"Sunday afternoon's game was a mess. 'Just a breakdown all the way around,' interim manager Jim Riggleman said. It was also Julian Tavarez's last as a member of the Washington Nationals. Following the 11-3 defeat against the Cubs, Tavarez, 36, was designated for assignment..."

Nationals' Highlights:

• Adam Dunn's solo HR in the seventh off of Jeff Samardj...Samardzj...Samardzija.

• Nyjer Morgan stealing second and third after singling to start the third inning.

• Tyler Clippard, Sean Burnett and Mike MacDougal throw 3.0 scoreless...

• Did I mention Dunn's HR...and uh, Tavarez getting DFA'd...Hmmm...

• You should've seen Dunn's HR!!!!

GAME REPORT:

Chicago Cubs At Washington Nationals. Game 91 Of 162.

Garrett Mock throws a first-pitch fastball to Kosuke Fukudome, who doubles to the right field corner to start the Sunday finale. Josh Willingham speeds over to catch a line drive off Ryan Theriot’s bat and spins to throw but his aim is off. Derrek Lee up with one down, and he grounds to third, Ryan ZImmerman fields, tags Fukudome and fires to first, in time, double play, Mock through the first...Nyjer Morgan bunts his way on, beating the throw to first, but he gets caught trying to steal second. Nick Johnson uses his Discerning Eye to draw a walk from Cubs’ starter Kevin Hart, but gets forced out at second on Ryan Zimmerman’s grounder. Adam Dunn flies out to center to end the first.

Micah Hoffpauir singles to center to start the second. Garrett Mock drops a 74 mph curve on Jake Fox to get a swinging K for the second out. Alfonso Soriano lines to right and beats Josh Willingham’s throw to second, Hoffpauir to third. Mike Fontenot drops a blooper in front of Dunn in left, Hoffpauir scores, 1-0 Chicago, and Dunn’s throw in allows Fontenot to take second. Garrett Mock throws a high two-strike fastball by Koyie Hill. Mock gets the opposing pitcher swinging to end the top of the second...Josh Willingham walks to start the home-half of the frame. Josh Bard bashes single through second, Hammer moves up. Ronnie Belliard’s high fly to center lets Hammer take third. Alberto Gonzalez flies out to center, Willngham scores to tie it. Mock takes a fastball outside for a called strike three.

Garrett Mock walks Fukudome to let the leadoff runner on again. Ryan Theriot grounds to third, Zimmerman to Belliard to Johnson, double play. Zimmerman has the glove low on a hotshot from D. Lee, the throw to first is true...Nyjer Morgan takes a fastball to left for a leadoff single. Stolen base by Morgan. Nick Johnson up, Morgan takes third. Johnson uses his Discerning Eye™ to work a walk out of Hart. Ryan Zimmerman lifts a sinking fastball to second for an RBI sac fly, 2-1 DC. Adam Dunn goes to left with a line drive hit and run single, oh yeah, and the fleet-footed NIck Johnson takes third. Josh Willingham grounds to short, Theriot to Fontenot to Lee, double play.

Micah Hoffpauir flies out to Adam Dunn in left. Jake Fox grounds to short and it goes under Alberto Gonzalez’s glove for the Nationals’ 86th error. Alfonso Soriano gets a fastball down the middle and he destroys it, GONE. 2-run blast for soriANO! 3-2 Cubs. Mike Fontenot follows with a single, and takes second when a bender in the dirt gets by Bard. Mock walks Koyie Hill. Kevin Hart singles up the middle when DC’s looking bunt. Kosuke Fukudome singles as well, and it’s 5-2 Chicago. Mock is done. Julian Tavarez gives up a fly ball to short center, Nyjer Morgan cuts in front of Dunn to make the catch, and he throws home, but bounces it, E on throw, Hill scores, Fukudome to second, 6-2 DC. 7-2 on Derrek Lee’s single to score Fukudome. Micah Hoffpauir singles in his second at bat of the fourth. Jake Fox lines to center, D. Lee scores, 8-2 Chicago. Alfonso Soriano flies out to left, the inning is finally over...Josh Bard flies out to Fukudome. Ronnie Belliard lines a single to left and pulls up after turning the corner. Alberto Gonzalez reaches on a fielder’s choice, Belliard’s running and safe at second when Jake Fox’s throw pulls Fontenot off the bag. Cristian Guzman walks to load the bases. Nyjer Morgan bounces a grounder off Jake Fox at third, who fields and throws home for the force. Nick Johnson pops out to the Cubs’ catcher Koyie Hill to end the the threat. 8-2 Cubs after four.

Mike Fontenot lines a single into left to start the Cubs’ fifth. Koyie Hill pops up a fastball from Ron Villone. Kevin Hart gets a swinging bunt down to move Fontenot to second. Kosuke Fukudome flies out to left, and it’s 8-2 halfway through the fifth...Ryan Zimmerman pops out to second to start the fifth. Adam Dunn grounds into the dramatic shift. Josh Willingham works a two-out walk off of Kevin Hart. Josh Bard flies out to right, and it’s still 8-2 Cubs after five.

Ryan Theriot singles to left in front of Dunn to start the sixth. Ron Villone gets D. Lee looking with a low fastball outside. Micah Hoffpauir singles to right and Ron Villone grooves a fastball to Jake Fox that ends up in the visitor’s bullpen, 3-run blast, 11-2 Cubbies. Alfonso Soriano takes a one-out walk. Soriano’s forced out at second on a broken bat grounder to first. Koyie Hill grounds out to end the Cubs’ sixth...Jeff Samardzija gets a ground ball to second from Belliard for the first out. Alberto Gonzalez chops out to second. Austin Kearns with a broken bat single over short. Samardzija strikes out Nyjer Morgan to end the sixth.

Samardzija grounds to short to start the seventh. Tyler Clippard walks Fukudome, who takes second on a groundout by pinch hitter Andres Blanco. Reed Johnson works a two-out walk off of Clippard. Hoffpauir flies to right and it’s 11-2 Cubs in the seventh, stand up and stretch...Samardzija vs Johnson to start the seventh. Johnson K’s swinging. Ryan Zimmerman skies on straight up that falls at short. Adam Dunn unloads on a fastball from Samardzija that ends up in the first row over the out-of-town scoreboard, 11-3 Cubs. Wilingham K’s to end the seventh.

Jake Fox doubles to start the eighth. Sean Burnett on for DC. Pinch hitter Jeff Baker grounds back to Burnett, who catches Fox off second. Mike Fontenot K’s swinging through a high heater. Koyie Hill K’s chasing to end the top o’ the eighth...Josh Bard flies out to start the Nationals’ half. Ronnie Belliard grounds out to third. Alberto Gonzalez flies out to left...11-3 after eight...

Mike MacDougal gets Jeff Samardzija to ground out to start the ninth. Ryan Zimmerman throws out Kosuke Fukudome on a sweet charging swipe and throw. Andres Blanco K’s swinging through a fastball outside and it’s on to the ninth...Jeff Stevens on to end it. Austin Kearns pops out foul of first and Hoffpauir makes a nice catch at the tarp. Anderson Hernandez pops out to center. Willie Harris works a two-out walk. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to short to end the game.

Cubs win, 11-3 final.

The Same Old Washington Nationals Drop One To The Chicago Cubs, 6-2 final.

Ed Chigliak — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:00:55 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

5 months ago: Washington Nationals starting pitcher John Lannan delivers against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 16, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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What was new about the Washington Nationals in their first game under "Interim Manager" Jim Riggleman? Nothing. They got a new manager not a new team. The same old Washington Nationals dropped a 6-2 decision to the visiting Chicago Cubs, in a game filled with errors, another bullpen implosion and another wasted effort by a starting pitcher. This time, it was staff "Ace", lefty John Lannan, who left the game down 3-1, having given up just 7 hits and 3 runs, 2 earned in 6.2 IP. DC reliever Jason Bergmann got the Nationals out of the seventh and through the eighth, but in the ninth, Julian Tavarez gave up a leadoff walk and back to back singles and saw all three Cubs score to turn a 3-1 game into a 6-1 blowout. Nick Johnson hits an RBI groundout in the sixth, and Ryan Zimmerman sends one into the right field bullpen in the ninth for the Nationals' only two runs. Cubs' starter Rich Harden K's 7 in 6.0 IP and gets his 6th win when Kevin Gregg eventually closes it...

Cubs win, 6-2 final.

Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

Check Out: The Bleed Cubbie Blue GameThread...

HEADLINES: (After The Jump)...under construction

• E = 83

• E = 84

• The Julian Tavarez Experiment Is Over?

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The Jump...

Nationals now 26-62.

HEADLINES:

• E = 83

If you have been able to ignore it up to this point, it hit home in an instant when Ryan Zimmerman came in on a weak grounder by the Cubs' catcher Koyie Hill in the third and threw it right over Nick Johnson at first allowing Hill to take second, move to third on a sac bunt and score on a sac fly for Chicago's first run of the game. Zimmerman, who would go on to make several stellar defensive plays in the game, just occasionally sails them...it's always when he loads up and has too much time, he's rarely off on a rushed throw, but when he has a moment to think, he's developed a tic, or at least a tendency, and it's one he really needs to eliminate from his game.

• E = 84

The Nationals' second error of the game, and 84th in '09, came on a weaker grounder back to the mound with runners on first and third, when DC lefty Sean Burnett, who'd inherited the situation, bobbled the ball and tossed home to Josh Bard a second too late to get the Cubs' runner, Sam Fuld. Fuld scored after having singled off Julian Tavarez earlier in Chicago's half of the frame...And speaking of Julian Tavarez...

• The Julian Tavarez Experiment Is Over?

In just 3.0 IP over his last 5 appearances, Julian Tavarez has now allowed 6 hits, 8 runs, 5 ER and 5 BB. Tavarez is (3-7) with a 4.72 ERA in 34.1 IP '09 in which he's allowed 26 runs, 18 ER, 27 walks and 1 HR. Of course, he is coming off of a (2-1) June in which he posted a 0.79 ERA in 12 G and 11.1 IP in which he gave up just 1 ER....Can that Julian Tavarez come back? Or is he done?

Chicago Cubs At Washington Nationals. Game 88 of 162.

Josh Willingham waits and then lunges for the first out of the game off Cubs’ center fielder Reed Johnson’s bat. Ryan Theriot rolls the second out to the Nationals’ second baseman, Alberto Gonzalez. Milton Bradley skies one to right, and John Lannan’s got a scoreless first...Nyjer Morgan pops out halfway to first, Derrek Lee makes the catch. Nick Johnson flies out to Reed Johnson in center. Ryan Zimmerman K’s swinging in his first post ASG AB. Cubs’ righty Rich Harden is through the first.

Josh Willingham’s glove is on the ground when he catches Derrek Lee’s line drive to right. John Lannan’s all over the zone as he walks Aramis Ramirez. Alfonso Soriano tries to check his swing, but can’t hold up on a high 2-2 fastball. After Aramis Ramirez walks Jeff Baker grounds to short, Guzman to Gonzalez for the force to end the Cubs’ second...Adam Dunn K’s swinging at a mid-90’s 2-2 fastball. Josh Willingham flies out a few feet left of center. Cristian Guzman flies out to short left, Soriano hops and catches it.

Ryan Zimmerman throws away a ground ball from Cubs’ catcher Koyie Hill. Rich Harden’s sac bunt moves Hill to third. John Lannan drops an 0-2 bender on Reed Johnson who K’s trying to check his swing. Ryan Theriot flies to right and just inside the line. Hill scores from third. 1-0 Cubs. Milton Bradley pops one up he wants back, Willingham makes the catch...Josh Bard pops out to short right. Alberto "The General" Gonzalez triples to right when Milton Bradley bobbles the liner after it bounces off the wall. John Lannan goes down swinging in an unproductive AB. Nyjer Morgan grounds out to second to end the third.

Derrek Lee drives a double into the right field corner to start the Cubs’ fourth. Aramis Ramirez flies out to short center, Morgan makes the catch and holds Lee at second. Alfonso Soriano singles to center, Lee holds up at third as Nyjer Morgan throws in, and Soriano gets caught between first and second and tagged out at first. Jeff Baker flies out to right, and Soriano helps out his old team...Nick Johnson grounds out to first, Lee tosses to Rich Harden covering. Ryan Zimmerman K’s swinging at a boring sinker inside. Adam Dunn K’s again.

Cristian Guzman backhands a sharp grounder from Koyie Hill, and the Guz fires to first to get the Cubs’ catcher. Rich Harden hits a weak grounder for out no. 2. Reed Johnson hits a line drive to right that drops in front of the Hammer. Ryan Theriot ground out to second, Alberto Gonzalez throws to first...Josh Willingham pops straight up, Derrek Lee gets under it. Cristian Guzman K’s looking. Josh Bard gets hit by a pitch that bounces first. Alberto Gonzalez rips a single through short, Bard in scoring position. John Lannan grounds into a force at second to end the fifth.

Cristian Guzman takes a single away from Milton Bradley with a sliding play on a one-hopper to short. Derrek Lee gets hold of a hanging curve outside that’s deposited in right for a 2-0 Cubs’ lead. Nyjer Morgan catches out no. 2 off Aramis Ramirez’s bat. Alfonso Soriano grounds out to third...Nyjer Morgan bunts his way on to start the Nationals’ sixth. NIck "Two-Spot" Johnson up, Morgan steals second, and Koyie Hill’s throw bounces and sails into center, Morgan takes third. Nick Johnson grounds to Ryan Theriot’s backhand at short, Morgan scores, 2-1 Cubs. Ryan Zimmerman’s 0 for 3 after a groundout to short. Adam Dunn’s a mess, another K.

Cristian Guzman knocks down a hard roller deep in the hole at short, but Jeff Baker’s on with a single. Ryan Zimmerman charges in on a sac bunt from Koyie Hill and makes the throw. Nick Johnson robs Micah Hoffpauir with a backhand stab on a high hopper. Baker takes third. Reed Johnson hits a two-out single to center to score the Cubs’ third run, and Lannan’s done. 3-1 Chicago. Bergmann throws a high heater that bounces out of Bard’s glove to give Reed Johnson an extra base. Theriot K’s swinging through one of Bergmann’s patented slide pieces...Josh Willingham rolls a weak grounder toward first, and Cubs’ pitcher Angel Guzman makes the play and tag. Cristian Guzman flies out to Soriano in left. Josh Bard K’s trying, and it’s 3-1 Cubbies after seven.

Jason Bergmann makes an ill-advised return to mound in the eighth. Milton Bradley flies out to Nyjer Morgan in center. Derrek Lee rips a liner to third, Zim knocks it down and pockets it. Ground ball to short from Aramis Ramirez, Guzman to Alberto, to Nick Johnson at first, double play!!...Carlos Marmol vs Alberto Gonzalez. The General rolls a dribbler out to first. Ronnie Belliard at bat. Ronnie B. K’s chasing a slider. Nyjer Morgan takes a two-out walk, and then gets picked off to end the eighth.

Julian Tavarez vs soriANO? Leadoff walk. Sam Fuld singles through second to move Soriano to third. Koyie Hill singles to score Soriano and it’s 4-1 Cubs, Tavarez is done. Grounder back to the mound from pinch hitter Jake Fox and Sean Burnett bobbles it and tosses toward home too late, Fuld scores, 5-1 Cubs. Reed Johnson flies out to center after a wild pitch moves both runners up. Two down, Burnett out. Tyler Clippard gives up an RBI sac fly from Ryan Theriot to Willingham in right. 6-1 Cubs. Milton Bradley’s called out looking...Nick Johnson flies out to Sam Fuld in left. Ryan Zimmerman vs Kevin Gregg. Zimmerm...THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Solo shot to right and over the wall, 6-2 Cubs on Zim’s dinger. Adam Dunn takes a one-out walk. Josh Willingham flies out to right. Cristian Guzman flies out to center to end the first game of the Riggleman era.

Cubs win, 6-2 final.

Nationals now 26-62.

When Eight Runs Aren't Enough. The Atlanta Braves Beat The Washington Nationals, 9-8 Final.

Ed Chigliak — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:16:14 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

5 months ago: Washington Nationals reliever Ron Villone (41) is pulled by manager Manny Acta (14) against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 3, 2009, in Washington. Nationals catcher Josh Bard, back left, and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (11) look on. The Braves won 9-8.(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Quick Take:

DC lefty Ross Detwiler allowed 10 hits and 5 ER in 3.1 IP against Atlanta tonight, walking 2 and striking out just 1, while throwing 86 pitches to 22 batters, who combine for 4 doubles and 6 singles to chase the 23-year-old starter in the fourth. In spite of Detwiler's inability to keep anything down, when the Washington Nationals handed the ball to right-handed reliever Jesus Colome in the seventh inning, he took the mound with the game tied at 5-5. Two outs and two walks later, Colome surrendered a three-run HR on an 0-1 fastball to Brooks Conrad, yes Brooks Conrad, who collects the first HR of his MLB career. Colome had nothing, but it was actually the run Ron Villone and Julian Tavarez combined to force in in the eighth that is eventually the difference as Washington rallies for two in the ninth but falls one short in the end dropping a 9-8 decision to Atlanta in DC's Nationals Park.

Braves win, 9-8 final.

Miss The Game, The DC Faithfull Were Watching...

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The Jump...

BACKPAGE:

• The Ron Villone And Julian Tavarez Show.

• SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! Did You See How Far Adam Dunn Hit That HR????

DWDT: 19.

Nationals now 22-55.

BACK PAGE:

• The Ron Villone And Julian Tavarez Show...

Ron Villone threw a 2-2 slider to Martin Prado in the eighth that was lined to right for a leadoff double. Villone then walked Chipper Jones on five pitches and gave up a sac bunt to Brian McCann to put two runners in scoring position for Yunel Escobar, who got four balls and a free pass that ended Villone's night after 0.1 IP, 1 hit and 2 walks with the three runners on base his if they scored. If? Julian Tavarez replaces Villone and promptly walks the first Brave he faces, missing with a full-count fastball low and inside to force in a run on the 3rd walk of the inning.

• SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! Did You See How Far Adam Dunn Hit That HR????

Yes, Adam Dunn did hit another tape measure blast to right on a 1-0 fastball from Atlanta Braves' right-hander Kenshin Kawakami in the third to give Washington a 4-3 lead over Atlanta, but a half-inning later the Braves were back up 5-4 when Ross Detwiler gave up three-straight one-out singles and Tyler Clippard gave up an RBI double to Yunel Escobar after starting the Braves' shortstop with three straight balls. Josh Bard's RBI ground out tied it at 5-5 after five, and then Ron Villone...well you know the rest...

GAME REPORT:

Atlanta Braves At Washington Nationals. 77 or 78 of 162.

Ross Detwiler vs Nate McLouth as the game gets underway in Nationals Park. Willie Harris fields McLouth’s grounder on the grass in right and throws across his body to Nick Johnson at first. Martin Prado grounds weakly to second. Nyjer Morgan motors over to make the grab in right center robbing Chipper Jones of extra bases and ending the top of the first...The newest National, Nyjer Morgan works the count full against Kenshin Kawakami and takes a leadoff walk in front on Nick "Two-Spot" Johnson. Nyjer Morgan steals second, sliding in headfirst ahead of the throw. Nick Johnson gets called out looking at strike three low and outside. Ryan Zimmerman pops the first pitch he sees up into foul territory off third. Adam Dunn takes a low 3-2 pitch for ball four. Josh Willingham brings Morgan around with a line drive to left. 1-0 Nationals. Cristian Guzman K’s looking to end the first.

Brian McCann hits a fly ball to right and runs slowly to second coming in ahead of Willingham’s throw wide of the bag. Yunel Escobar’s bunt moves McCann to third. Matt Diaz rips a line drive to center to score McCann and tie it at 1-1. Nyjer Morgan backs up all the way to the angle in the outfield wall in center to catch the second out off Francoeur’s bat. Casey Kotchman goes back up the middle with a two-out single to center. Ross Detwiler walks the opposing pitcher to load the bases. Detwiler drops a two-strike bender on Nate McClouth to end a long Braves’ second...Josh Bard hits a long fly ball to McLouth in deep center.Willie Harris sneaks a 1-0 liner in under McLouth’s glove in center, and speeds around to second. Ross Dewtiler’s grounder to second hits off a diving Martin Prado’s glove, Harris scores from second, 2-1 DC. Nyjer Morgan lines out to Kotchman at first. Nick Johnson hits a trademark single to center to score Detwiler from second. NJ™ 3-1 DC. Ryan Zimmerman pops up again to end the second.

Martin Prado doubles over first to start the third. Chipper Jones doubles off the out-of-town scoreboard to score Prado from second, 3-2 Nationals. Ross Detwiler fields a grounder back to the mound, looks Chipper back to second and throws McCann out at first. Yunel Escobar doubles to left and Adam Dunn doesn’t even bother with a throw. Chipper scores to tie it at 3-3. Ross Detwiler leaves another fastball up for Matt Diaz, who singles to center. Jeff Francoeur grounds weakly to first. Casey Kotchman gets the intentionals. Kenjin Kawakami flies out to Morgan to end the Braves’ third...Adam Du--SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! A HR to the upper deck in right, 4-3 DC. Josh Willingham swings over a two-strike bender. Cristian Guzman sends a flare into right. Josh Bard grounds weakly to third. Willie Harris gets the intentionals. Detwiler K’s to end the third.

Ross Detwiler’s back in the fourth. Nate McLouth rolls a weak grounder to first for Nick Johnson to handle. Martin Prado singles and takes second on a pitch from Detwiler that bounces a foot in front of the plate. Prado scores from second on a Chipper Jones’ liner to left, the throw in is late, 4-4 ballgame. Brian McCann singles through second to chase Detwiler. Yunel Escobar will face Tyler Clippard. Escobar takes a 3-1 pitch to left and off the wall. 5-4 Braves. Diaz and Francoeur go down swinging to end the fourth...Kawakami gets Nyjer Morgan swinging at an 0-2 bender inside. Nick Johnson flies to center, Nate McLouth makes a sliding catch to take away a trademarker. Ryan Zimmerman grounds back to the mound to end the Nationals’ fourth...

Casey Kotchman pops up behind short for the first out of the fifth. Guzman fields and throws from deep in the hole to get Kawakami at first. Ryan Zimmerman catches a pop fly off of McLouth’s bat...Adam Dunn fouls strike three into McCann’s glove. Josh Willingham can’t get out of the way of a fastball inside. Cristian Guzman grounds back to the mound, Kawakami tries for the DP at second and throws it away. Second and third for Bard. Kawakami replaced Boone Logan. Josh Bard grounds to short to score Willingham from third, 5-5 ballgame. Willie Harris flies weakly to right.

Tyler Clippard vs Martin Prado to start the sixth. Prado pops out to Zimmerman in foul territory down the line in left. Chipper Jones lines to Nyjer Morgan in center. Morgan backs up to catch Brian McCann’s fly ball to center...Alberto Gonzalez hits a soft liner to first. Nyjer Morgan grounds weakly to second. Nick Johnson flies out to left to end the Nationals’ sixth.

Jesus Colome starts the seventh against Yunel Escobar. Leadoff walk. Matt Diaz gets a sac bunt down to advance Escobar to second. Jeff Francoeur rips a grounder to third, unfortunately Zimmerman plays there. Casey Kotchman works a two-out walk. Brooks Conrad gets a fastball in his wheelhouse and the kid hits it out of the park, three-run HR, 8-5 Braves’ lead...Ryan Zimmerman vs Peter Moylan. Zimmerman reaches on an infield single. Moylan walks Dunn. Josh Willingham rips a grounder to third, Chipper makes a diving play and gets the force at second. Cristian Guzman hits a line drive to left, Matt Diaz makes the catch and fires first almost doubling up Willingham as Zimmerman scores. 8-6 Braves. Bard grounds out to second to end the comeback attempt.

Ron Villone vs Martin Prado in the eighth. Prado doubles down the line in right to start the frame. Ron Villone walks Chipper Jones, and McCann bunts both runners over. VIllone gives Yunel Escobar the intentionals to load’em up for Matt Diaz. Julian Tavarez vs Diaz. 3-2 pitch, low, ball four. 9-6 Braves on the forced-in run. Garret Anderson flies out to right, Willingham fields and throws it back in to hold Chipper Jones at third. Casey Kotchman grounds out to second to end the Braves’ eighth...Mike Gonzalez vs Anderson Hernandez. Hernandez takes a high curve for a called strike three. Austin Kearns K’s on a called strike in under his arms. Nyjer Morgan K’s swinging to end the eighth.

Joe Beimel gets Gregor Blanco looking for the first out of the ninth. Martin Prado lines to left center, Nyjer Morgan speeds over to make the grab. Beimel throws a pick-off attempt by first. Chipper Jones gets the intentionals to bring up McCann. Beimel gets a swinging K to end the frame...Nick Johnson uses his Discerning Eye to draw a leadoff walk. Ryan Zimmerman walks in front of Dunn. Adam Dunn pops a 1-2 pitch up over third. Josh Willingham swings through a 2-2 heater up high. Cristian Guzman rips a high heater to right for a two-run double, Johnson and Zimmerman score, 9-8 Braves. Josh Bard grounds the first pitch he sees to first, Kotchman tosses to Soriano to end it. Braves win, 9-8 final.

Nationals now 22-55.

Memo To The Washington Nationals: DO NOT TRADE NICK JOHNSON!!!

Ed Chigliak — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:28:10 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

5 months ago: Washington Nationals left fielder Josh Willingham watches from the dugout in the ninth inning against the Florida Marlins during a baseball game at Land Shark Stadium in Miami on Wednesday, July 1, 2009. The Marlins won 5-3. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Asked by Washington Post writer Chico Harlan in a 7/31/08 Nationals Journal article entitled, "The Fully-Contextualized Jim Bowden Q&A", why the Nationals' didn't make a deal to trade away any of the veterans on their roster, then-DC GM JIm Bowden explained that there had indeed been conversations, but in the end:

"We just came to the decision, We don't want to give anybody away. That didn't make sense. We need to get a piece back that was helpful, that had a chance to help us in the big leagues someday. Those kind of deals made sense to us. But to give somebody away to a contending team and not get talent back? That didn't make sense."

ESPN.com's Buster Olney, in an article today entitled, "The trade market goes bear", wrote that the Nationals are still, "...said to be asking high prices for the likes of Nick Johnson," and if I might interpret Mr. Olney's opinion from what he says next, the price that Washington's asking might be too high, as he warns, (Is that the right word? You judge his tone):

"If interested teams turn elsewhere, the Nationals might face a day this summer when they won't be able to move Johnson at all."

(ed. note - "That "day this summer" Mr. Olney writes about would be the best day of the season for me!")

Nick Johnson Trade Talk Continues After The Jump...

So The Nationals Played The Marlins Today, Do You Have To Ask? The DC Faithful Assembled To Await The Inevitable In Wednesday's GameThread...

Marlins win, 5-3 final. Marlins now 9-0 vs DC in '09.

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• "One Of Us!! One Of Us!! Sean Burnett's Dramatic Debut With The Washington Nationals." (Under Construction)

DWDT 17.

Nationals now 22-54.

Mention Nick Johnson's name and it's inevitable that someone will bring up his injury history, (as opposed to, say, his trademark singles, NJ™), so it's understandable that other teams are reluctant to part with top prospects for a player they're worried might go on the DL at any moment, but the Nationals, who obviously have a better idea of Johnson's true worth in the batting order, on the field, (where, until recently, he'd been considered sure-handed) and in the locker room, would most likely argue that Johnson's injuries...a "deeply bruised" heel, a fractured right femur, or last year's torn right wrist tendon, are far too random a collection of injuries to form a consistent pattern or an injury "history". It's not like Johnson has chronic back or groin issues, or some recurring issues, so why shouldn't they expect legitimate talent in return?

"Acting" DC GM Mike Rizzo told New York Newsday columnist Ken Davidoff, in a late May article entitled, "Nationals are building for future," that the Nationals were willing to make a deal:

"'Nick Johnson, or (Josh) Willingham, or (Austin) Kearns, anyone on our roster, if we can make a good baseball trade and improve ourselves, not only for our present but also for our future -- a player that can impact us -- we have to make those kinds of trades...'"

Both Josh Willingham and Nick Johnson are included on a list of the "Top position players available" NY Newsday's Ken Davidoff put together for an article yesterday entitled, "Trade deadline looms, excitement begins" where Mr. Davidoff tosses out a quick line to sum up each player's value, noting that Willingham, "always hits" while Nick Johnson is a, "a better player than (Aubrey) Huff," who is also rumored to be available, but, of course Johnson is, "far more injury prone." Mr. Davidoff then goes on to explain the Nationals' strategy going into late July, writing:

"Everything must go! Well, maybe not Adam Dunn, signed through next year."

Was yesterday's trade for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett just the beginning as Washington Post writer Thomas Boswell speculated in a Nationals Journal post yesterday entitled, "The Meaning of the Nats Trade"? Mr. Boswell mentions Nick Johnson, Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, Willie Harris, Joe Beimel and Ron Villone as players the Nationals could potentially deal. MLB.com's Bill Ladson writes, in an article on yesterday's deal entitled, "Nats get Morgan, Burnett in deal with Bucs", the Cristian Guzman, "...is on the trading block", with the Nationals looking for "young starting pitching". Enjoy it while you can, this might be the last month of the Nationals as we know them...

(ed. note - "I think Washington Times' writer Ben Goessling had it right in one of the three options he offered in an article entitled, "The Nick Johnson Conundrum", which was published in late May..."Resign (Nick Johnson) to give the position some stability until Chris Marrero is ready.")

Who Will Be The Next National To Go...?

Adam Dunn?

19 votes

Nick Johnson?

78 votes

Josh Willingham?

25 votes

Cristian Guzman?

26 votes

Ron Villone?

10 votes

Joe Beimel?

20 votes

Austin Kearns?

60 votes

238 votes | Poll has closed