SB Nation - Angel Pagan

Marlins to Play Mets in Puerto Rico?

GameFish — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:28:14 -0000

Joy of joys, the Marlins are once again entertaining the idea of playing one of their home series in Puerto Rico next season. Yes, we've heard this particular rumor before, but according to reports, the series is a lot closer to happening than the one that was being negotiated for the 2008 season:

Major League Baseball is considering a proposal for the Marlins to host a series against the Mets at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in June or July, according to a Marlins source.

The Marlins’ 2010 schedule has Florida hosting the Mets at Land Shark Stadium June 28-30 but not in July. The Marlins also host the Mets May 13-16 and Sept. 21-22.

Normally I would be excited by anything and everything that would keep Mets fans a nice stretch of ocean away from Land Shark Stadium, but not in this case. As much as I loathe being crowded by blue and orange-clad New Yorkers at home, the Marlins-Mets series are the most popular and well-attended home series of the season, and as such, it doesn't make sense to move one of them.

I will never be in favor of something that short-changes Fish fans three home games, especially not three of the most popular home games of the season. And, as much as I like to see them suffer, this isn't exactly going to please all the transplanted Mets fans, either.

For all their complaints about attendance, the Marlins certainly aren't helping their own cause here.

Then there's this:

The Mets would be a particularly attractive draw because of the team’s Puerto Rican presence, including Carlos Beltran, Pedro Feliciano, Angel Pagan and Omir Santos. The Mets also are investigating re-signing Alex Cora, who hails from the island, and won’t rule out bringing back Carlos Delgado, a native of Aguadilla, P.R.

If the Mets are such an attractive draw in Puerto Rico, let them give up a home series to play there.

Fantasy Baseball: NL Second Half Extra Base Hits Leaderboard

raygu — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:02:17 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

3 months ago: Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins 911) breaks his bat on a single off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Brad Penny in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 2,2009, in Philadelphia. San Francisco won 4-0. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Today, I look at the NL second half leaders in extra base hits (XBH). As stated in a previous post on a similar topic, looking at second half stats could result in finding a "hidden" power hitter for your 2010 draft. By "hidden", I mean someone who either is not expected to hit for power or is not hyped as a power hitter by the experts in the field.

So let's take a look at the second half leaderboard for XBH after the jump.

Player	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	XBH
Howard, Ryan 1B PHI	287	52	87	17	2	23	75	4	0.303	0.380	0.617	42
Lee, Derrek 1B CHC	254	51	85	22	2	18	55	1	0.335	0.433	0.650	42
Rollins, Jimmy SS PHI	326	50	89	23	4	14	43	15	0.273	0.308	0.497	41
Ethier, Andre RF LA	277	44	82	25	2	13	50	2	0.296	0.385	0.542	40
Braun, Ryan J. LF MIL	308	52	100	20	3	16	56	13	0.325	0.374	0.565	39
Holliday, Matt LF STL	271	54	97	21	2	16	66	5	0.358	0.419	0.627	39
Pujols, Albert 1B STL	269	52	85	24	0	15	50	6	0.316	0.419	0.573	39
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL	284	46	80	13	1	24	63	1	0.282	0.381	0.588	38
Murphy, Daniel LF NYM	271	31	77	28	3	7	37	3	0.284	0.315	0.487	38
Votto, Joey 1B CIN	269	49	81	24	0	14	43	2	0.301	0.400	0.547	38
Zimmerman, Ryan 3B WAS	268	52	78	15	3	19	54	2	0.291	0.370	0.582	37
Jones, Garrett 1B PIT	276	37	80	19	0	17	38	7	0.290	0.370	0.544	36
Tulowitzki, Troy SS COL	263	53	90	14	5	17	56	9	0.342	0.419	0.627	36
Pagan, Angel LF NYM	293	45	89	19	10	6	29	8	0.304	0.341	0.498	35
Gonzalez, Adrian 1B SD	248	41	76	17	1	16	47	0	0.307	0.427	0.577	34
Coghlan, Chris 3B FLA	304	54	113	21	5	7	32	4	0.372	0.423	0.543	33
Lee, Carlos N. LF HOU	286	30	84	20	0	13	53	3	0.294	0.333	0.500	33
Reynolds, Mark 3B ARI	257	43	66	13	0	20	40	9	0.257	0.344	0.541	33
Francoeur, Jeff RF NYM	285	40	88	20	2	10	39	1	0.309	0.336	0.498	32
Sandoval, Pablo 1B SF	270	38	88	20	2	10	35	1	0.326	0.387	0.526	32
McCutchen, Andrew OF PIT	283	51	81	17	4	10	31	15	0.286	0.378	0.481	31

Daniel Murphy and Garret Jones are two guys I wrote about in the previous article on extra base hit leaders. Most experts have their doubts that Jones can continue to hit like he did in 2009. I have my doubts that Murphy can turn those doubles into HRs in 2010, but a change of scenery would definitely help him, not that the Mets will deal him.

Speaking of the Mets, they have 3 outfielders amongst the top 21 in second half extra base hits on this list in Murphy (I know, he plays alot of 1B), Angel Pagan and Jeff Francoeur. Pagan is very intriguing in that he may be the perfect player for the Mets in their new ballpark. He has speed and some pop. The 10 triples in 293 ABs is amazing. Pagan may not have a starting job in 2010, but should see alot of time with Carlos Beltran's injury history and Francoeur's long slumps.

I am curious if Rollin's second half stats are more indicative of what we will see in 2010 from him, or is his full season stats (21-77-31-.250-.296-.423) the better indicator?

Poll

Are Jimmy Rollin's second half stats a better barometer for him in 2010 than his full season stats?

Yes, he had a down year in 2009, but should improve in 2010.

24 votes

No, his OBP is putrid, and he won't improve in 2010.

17 votes

41 votes | Poll has closed

Justin Maxwell Hits A Walk-Off Grand Slam!!! Washington Nationals Win 7-4, Sweep New York Mets.

Ed Chigliak — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:15:20 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

2 months ago: Washington Nationals' Justin Maxwell cleans the shaving creamfromn his face after hitting a grand slam in the ninth inning against the New York Mets in a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, in Washington. The Nationals won 7-4. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!

• Justin Maxwell works the count full with the bases loaded and two down in the ninth with NY ahead 4-3, and J-Max takes the Mets' high-priced closer Francisco Rodriguez deeeeeep to left and GONE for a walk-off Grand Slam in the last home game of the season in Nationals Park...DO YOU BELIEVE!!!!

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

See How The Mets Fans Took It At: Amazin' Avenue.

Check Out the Post Game And The Full Game Report (You Know, For The Completists), AFTER THE JUMP!!!

• Shadows from the stadium lights and the upper deck of Nationals Park are stretched in a large swath across the field of play from the left field grass, over third, the mound and wrapping around first as DC lefty John Lannan starts the final home game of the season against the New York Mets with a scoreless frame that Mets’ starter Tim Redding matches.

• Jeff Francoeur thinks for a moment that he’s hit a two-run HR to left off John Lannan in the top of the second, but it’s ruled a double upon further review, though the two runners who would have scored if it had been called correctly as a HR cross anyway when Fernando Tatis follows with a sac fly to right and Omir Santos hits an RBI single. 2-0 NY after two.

• Mets’ right-hander Tim Redding retires the first ten batters he faces before Elijah Dukes singles up the middle with one down in the fourth. Redding strands Dukes, but the Nationals finally get on the board in the fifth. Josh Willingham hits a leadoff single to center, moves to second when Josh Bard walks, third when Ian Desmond grounds out, and the Hammer comes home on a sac fly by Alberto Gonzalez to make it 2-1 NY after five.

• E: 140, 141...Angel Pagan hits a weak grounder to short with one down in the sixth, and Ian Desmond misplays what should have been the second out. E: 140. One out later, David Wright rrrrips a grounder to third, and Ryan Zimmerman sidesteps it and tries to snatch it with his glove and misses, E: 141. OUTCOME: Two on, two out. Carlos Beltran singles to center to score Pagan, 3-1 Mets’ lead after five and a half.

• THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! Ryan Zimmerman gives the DC Faithful reason to believe with a solo shot to center off Mets’ reliever Bobby Parnell in the eighth inning. Zimmerma---THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! hits his 33rd of ‘09 to make it 3-2 NY.

• E: 142. Ryan Zimmerman’s always had a habit of side-stepping hard hit grounders and trying to snap it up with his glove, but he’s missed two tonight and it might be time to start getting in front of them, cause his 17th error costs DC another run. OUTCOME: Jeff Francoeur reaches on the Zimmerman error and takes second. Fernando Tatis singles Frenchy over to third, and Omir Santos puts a perfect hit and run single behind the runner at second to score Francoeur for 4-2 NY lead...

• And Now The Epic Bottom Of The Ninth...

The New York Mets gave Francisco Rodriguez to a 3-year/$37 M dollar deal to close games for them, and the hard-throwing right-hander, who set the Major League record for saves last season, was called upon in the ninth tonight with the Mets desperate for a win against the pesky Washington Nationals who were threatening to sweep and seriously embarrass New York. Rodriguez, who'd converted 34 of 40 save opportunities this season, started Alberto Gonzalez with a 91 mph heater for a called strike and followed with a change that Gonzalez ripped to short and beat to first, sliding in headfirst ahead of Wilson Valdez's throw. Pinch hitter Mike Morse worked the count full in the next at bat and lined a K-Rod change back up the middle. Willie Harris fouled off one bunt attempt before getting a successful sac down to move Gonzalez and pinch runner Jorge Padilla into scoring position for Elijah Dukes, who worked the count full and took a gutsy ball four to load the bases for Ryan Zimmerman. Zim K'd swinging on the third pitch he saw, (curve for a called strike, fastball fouled off and an 0-2 change), to bring up Adam Dunn. The Big Walky battled K-Rod to a full count and took three straight out of the zone for a bases loaded walk and a one-run game which NY still led 4-3. Enter Justin Maxwell:

• Justin Maxwell...(1) Took a curve for ball one from Francisco Rodriguez then watched as a (2) second curve dropped in and the veteran hit the low outside corner with a (3) fastball for a called strike two. A four-seam fastball followed (4) that Maxwell took for ball two, 2-2, and then fouled off a fastball (5) and took a change outside (6) and looow to work the count full against K-Rod. 4-seam fastball up high (7), fouled off, four-seam fastball down low, (8) fouled off, and then a third straight fastball (9) that gets LAUNCHED TO LEFT AND GONE!!! GRAND SLAM!!! GRAND SLAM!!! Justin Maxwell wins it with a walk-off Grand SLAM!!! Nationals win, 7-4!!!

FULL GAME REPORT:

New York Mets At Washington Nationals. Game 158 Of 162.

Josh Willingham takes a knee to catch a low line drive from Angel Pagan. Anderson Hernandez makes Willingham spring to his left and leap up for a second hard-hit line out. David Wright flies to right and Elijah Dukes stares into the sun and makes the catch...Jeff Francoeur catches the first out for Tim Redding off Willie Harris’ bat. Elijah Dukes goes the other way with a high fly to right. Ryan Zimmerman swings through a high fastball to end the first inning.

Carlos Beltran walks to start the second and Jeff Francoeur lines one off the very top of the wall for what might be a HR? They’re taking a look. It’s ruled a double. Fernando Tatis flies out to right, Elijah Dukes tries for a throw home, but has no chance, 1-0 NY. Francoeur takes third on the bad throw. Omir Santos scores Francoeur with a single to center. 2-0 Mets. Lannan gets the DP grounder from Wilson Valdez, Alberto Gonzalez to Ian Desmond to Adam Dunn, double play...Adam Dunn flies out to left field for the first out of DC’s second. Josh Willingham grounds weakly to short. Josh Bard pushes Angel Pagan back to the track to end the bottom of the frame.

Tim Redding starts the third against Lannan with a ground ball to third for the first out. Angel Pagan lines out to Ian Desmond. Anderson Hernandez sends Elijah Dukes breaking back but he makes catch to end the Mets’ third...Ian Desmond’s grounder to short is cut off by David Wright, who fires to first. Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to short. John Lannan is the ninth-straight Nationals’ batter retired.

David Wright skies one to Dukes in right. Carlos Beltran’s way out in front of a two-strike change. Jeff Francoeur grounds to third, Zimmerman snaps it up and throws to first to end NY’s fourth...Willie Harris hits a high fly ball to center, Carlos Beltran makes the catch. Elijah Dukes singles up the middle to break up Redding’s streak of ten-straight set down. Jeff Francoeur avoids the stands that stick out into right and catches a foul ball from Zimmerman. Adam Dunn just pulls a long fly foul and ends up lining out to first to end the fourth.

John Lannan throws a high two-strike fastball by Fernando Tatis. Omir Santos grounds out Ian Desmond at short. WIlson Valdez rolls the first pitch out to third and Ryan Zimmerman’s throw ends the Mets’ fifth...Josh Willingham starts DC’s fifth with a sharp single to center. Josh Bard works a walk. Ian Desmond hits a swinging sac bunt toward first to advance both runners. Alberto Gonzalez flies out to center to score Willingham from third, 2-1 NY. John Lannan slaps a two-out single through short. Willie Harris K’s swinging through a fastball outside to end the fifth.

Tim Redding K’s in the first AB of the sixth. Angel Pagan grounds to short, and Ian Desmond gets a bad hop and misplays it. E: 140. Anderson Hernandez pops out to Dukes in right after a long AB. David Wright rips a grounder through Zimmerman at third. E:141. Carlos Beltran singles up the middle to score Pagan from second, 3-1 New York. Jeff Francoeur flies out to right...Elijah Dukes drops a surprise bunt down the third base line and David Wright can’t make a play. Ryan Zimmerman pops out unproductively. Adam Dunn's up when a wild pitch moves Dukes to second. Dunn flies out unproductively to center. Josh Willingham swings at the first pitch and grounds out to end the frame.

Fernando Tatis lines to left and beats the throw to second for a leadoff double. Omir Santos flies out to right field. WIlson Valdez takes a two-out walk and Gary Sheffield gets pinch hit intentionals to bring up Angel Pagan. Pagan grounds to Ian Desmond, who takes the force at second...Bobby Parnell vs Bard. Bard battles for 10 pitches and eventually walks. Ian Desmond grounds into a force at second in the next AB. Desmond avoids a ground ball from Alberto Gonzalez and Anderson Hernandez tries to get the force at second, but his toss is late. Two runners safe. Pinch hitter Cristian Guzman pops out unproductively to third. Willie Harris works the count full. Willie Harris grounds out to second to end the seventh.

Zach Segovia’s on to pitch the top of the eighth. Anderson Hernandez K’s swinging to start the inning. David Wright grounds out to third. Carlos Beltran pops out to the infield and Ian Desmond’s catch ends NY’s eighth...Elijah Dukes gets jammed and grounds out to the mound. Parnell vs Zimmerman. Ryan Zimmerma--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! HR to straight center, 3-2 NY. Pedro Feliciano comes on to face Dunn. Adam Dunn pops out. Sean Green vs Willingham. Josh Willingham grounds to third, David Wright fields and throws...by first, Hammer is safe, and he takes second. Justin Maxwell runs for the Hammer. Josh Bard works another walk to put two on for Ian Desmond. Desmond grounds up the middle, Anderson Hernandez gets there and tosses to second for the inning-ending force.

Jeff Francoeur vs Segovia in the ninth. Francoeur grounds sharply to third that Zimmerman can’t come up with, Zimmerman drops it and throws way over first, E: 142. Frenchy takes second. Fernando Tatis lines a single over short. Omir Santos smacks a hit and run single through second to bring Francoeur home, 4-2 NY. Wilson Valdez grounds back to the mound. Segovia gets one out at first. Ron Villone replaces Segovia and gets a weak grounder toward first from pinch hitter Daniel Murphy grounds out to first. Ryan Zimmerman throws out Angel Pagan to end the Mets’ half of the ninth...Alberto Gonzalez singles to short, deep in the hole and Gonalez beats Wilson Valdez's throw to first. Mike Morse makes a pinch hit appearance, and he singles to center!!! Jorge Padilla comes on to run. Two on for Willie Harris. Harris gets a sac bunt down. Second and third for Dukes!! Dukes works the count full and walks. Ryan Zimmerman K’s swinging through an 0-2 slider. Adam Dunn works the count full, and walks in a run!! 4-3 ballgame. Justin Maxwell works the count full, fouls off two fastballs, and then OH LORD!! IT’S GONE!! J-MAX takes K-ROD Deeeeeeeeeeep to left and GONE!! GRAND SLAM!!! GRAND SLAM!! GRAND SLAM!!! THE NATIONALS WIN!! THE NATIONALS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7-4 final. Francisco Rodriguez is on to end it. Alberto Gonzalez reaches safely on a grounder deep in the hole at short.

Nationals now 55-103!!!

Fantasy Baseball: 2009 Breakout Hitters-NL East

raygu — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:00:19 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

3 months ago: Philadelphia Phillies' Jayson Werth follows through on a grand slam off Washington Nationals pitcher Jason Bergmann in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 6-1. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Today I am starting a series on the hitters who have had breakout seasons in 2009, starting in the NL East. First up are the world champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Phillies-Jayson Werth- Werth has improved upon his 24-67-20-0.273 2008 season by going 35-96-15-.266 in his first year as an everyday player. He has accomplished his power increase by increasing his BB% from 11.8% in 2008 to 13.5% in 2009, while maintaining a HR/FB% of 14.8% .Ron Shandler, from BaseballHQ, predicted a 30-30 season for Werth, and Werth exceeded his power prediction. He will be a top 5-6 outfielder in NL only leagues in 2010.

Braves-Martin Prado-Prado won the 2B job from Kelly Johnson earlier this season and has never looked back. Prado was a part-time player each of the last 3 seasons in Atlanta, but Prado has performed well as a starter. In 474 ABs this season, he has gone 11-49-.303-.353-.463-.816, which is solid for a second baseman. He has a good eye at the plate as evidenced by his 53/33 K/BB ratio. He never hit more than 5 HRs in the minors, but has always hit for a solid AVG and gotten on base. I am curious if he can improve upon his HR totals in 2010, but his 35 doubles tells me that he may just do that.

Marlins-Chris Coghlan-Coghlan was called up by the Marlins back in May to play everyday, whether it was at 3B spelling Emilio Bonafacio or 2B filling in for Dan Uggla, or LF for Jeremy Hermida. But once Hermida started his annual slump, and Coghlan showed that he could hit and get on base at a solid rate, Coghlan took over in LF, a position he never played before. Well, that certainly didn't affect him at the plate. In 482 ABs, he has gone 9-44-7-.315-.385-.450-.835 in his first full season in the majors. As I stated over the weekend, Coghlan stole alot of bases in the minors. Should he start stealing bases, his value will increase, especially since the Marlins plan to move him to 2B in 2010.

Mets-Angel Pagan-although he hasn't played a full season, as he was hurt like most every other Met this season, Pagan has hit very well when he is healthy. In 352 ABs, he has gone 6-31-13-.298-.346-.473-.819, which is solid production for a guy who figures to be a 4th outfielder in 2010. Should the Mets not go out and sign a left fielder, Pagan could be starting everyday in 2010, and should be a cheap source of SBs at the end of your draft or auction.

Nationals-Ryan Zimmerman-I am not sure if Zimmerman had a true breakout season in 2009, as he already has had some pretty solid seasons, but he has established himself as one of the top 2-3 third baseman in the NL in 2010 and beyond. In 588 ABs, he has gone 32-102-105-.287-.360-.517-.877. He has set personal bests in HRs, runs scored, AVG, OBP, SLG and OPS in 2009. He has accomplished these personal best by increasing his HR/FB% from 8.2% to 12.6%, his line drive % from 17% to 21%, his BB% from 6.7% to 10.5%, and lowered his GB% from 0.88 to 0.66.

Elijah Dukes Will Run Through Walls. Washington Nationals 4, New York Mets 3.

Ed Chigliak — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:20:27 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

2 months ago: Washington Nationals' starter J.D. Martin, pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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We've learned two things about Elijah Dukes this year:

1) You don't run on Dukes.

2) Elijah Dukes will run through walls.

If David Wright didn't know that second one already he found out as he came around first and watched Elijah Dukes run full speed into the out-of-town scoreboard in right to rob Wright of a potentially game-tying extra base hit with two out in the top of the ninth tonight in DC's 4-3 win over New York. Dukes' catch gave Mike MacDougal his 18th save in 19 opportunities a half-inning after Washington took the lead with the help of two errors from NY's middle infielders. The Nationals take their second straight over the Mets and set themselves up for the sweep in the last home game of 2009 tomorrow afternoon. (ed. note - "And I'm telling you right now...Teddy Roosevelt will win tomorrow, buy your tickets so you can say you were there...") (ed. note - "The previous opinion is in no way based on facts, just gut feelings, like Riggleman!!")

BACKPAGE:

• Martin v Pelfrey.
• Elijah SSSSSUPER DUKESSSSS!!!! F.O.D.&D. Rejoice! Desmond Does It Too!!!
• Adam Dunn Gets The Beyond The Box Score Treatment.

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

• Check Out the SB Nation's NY Mets Blog: Amazin' Avenue OpenThread.

• LINK: Game 157: Enjoy 2B Next Year, Guz..." - Doghouse.

• For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP...

Nationals now 54-103. (Countdown To 100 Losses, Over For Days Now).

BACKPAGE:

• Martin v Pelfrey. J.D. Martin gets himself in trouble early, giving up a leadoff double to Angel Pagan and letting Luis Castillo reach base on a sac bunt attempt. David Wright walks to loaded the bases and Carlos Beltran walks too to force in the first run. 1-0 NY. Martin gets a line drive to short, a fly ball to short center and an out at second to escape further damage, but he gets right back in trouble in the second. Wilson Valdez doubles to start the frame, moves to second on a sac bunt by the Mets' starter and scores on an Angel Pagan single for a 2-0 lead. David Wright doubles Pagan in, 3-0 Mets.

• Mike Pelfrey retires the first eight batters he faces before allowing a bloop single to the opposing pitcher in the bottom of the third. The Mets' right-hander throws four scoreless for NY, holding DC to just a walk and a single, but the fifth starts with "Pinch Hittin'" Pete Orr singling on an 0-2 fastball up and out over the plate. Ian Desmond's up next and the Nationals' rookie shortstop gets a 1-2 fastball from Pelfrey that doesn't quite make it inside, Desmond explodes on it, launches it to left and GONE!! Two-run HR, 3-2 NY. Two outs later, still in the fifth, Willie Harris and Elijah Dukes hit back-to-back singles and Mr. Gold Glove Himself, the one and only Ryan Zimmerman gets two straight and I mean "straight" fastballs inside, the second of which is lined to left for Zim's 103rd RBI and the 3-3 tie.

• J.D. Martin ends up throwing four scoreless after the rough start, and leaves after 6.0 IP, having given up 7 hits, 3 ER and 2 walks, but the win ends up going to DC reliever Tyler Clippard who throws 2.0 scoreless, the second of which I still can't believe he escaped. Clippard gave up back to back singles to Carlos Beltran and Daniel Murphy, then walked Jeff Francoeur to load the bases with no outs and the score tied at 3-3 tie in the eighth. Former Nationals' catcher Brian Schneider (Call us, Brian?) does Washington a solid by popping out unproductively and pinch hitter Jeremy Reed lines to second, Alberto Gonzalez catches it, throws to first, Francoeur's out, (where was he going?) DOUBLE PLAY!! Clippard's one lucky reliever...

• Mike "Danger" Morse walks with one down in the Nationals' eighth, Justin Maxwell takes over on the basepaths, and pinch hitter Cristian Guzman follows with what should be a double play, but Anderson Hernandez fields at short and tosses one low to Luis Castillo, and right by second, both runners safe. Ian Desmond follows with another DP grounder, Anderson Hernandez gets to it behind second, tosses to Castillo, Castillo fires wide of first and out of Daniel Murphy's reach, Desmond's safe. Maxwell scores from second, 4-3 DC!!

• Top Of Ninth...Mike MacDougal comes on to close it. Cory Sullivan K's swinging. Angel Pagan...singles, (3 for 5), but MacDougal paints the outside corner to get Luis Castillo looking with Pagan still at first. David Wright, works the count full and destroys a 96 mph MacDougal heater. Wright drives it to right, Elijah Dukes sprints toward the wall, and runs into the out-of-town scoreboard as he makes the grab, Dukes bounces of the wall, falls back and rolls to his feet, then jumps up pounding his chest!!! SSSSSUPER DUKESSSS Runs through walls! Nationals win, 4-3 final.

LINK:

• Adam Dunn Gets The Beyond The Box Score Treatment.

Walter Fulbright has an article up at Beyond The Boxscore, the SB Nation's "Saber-Slanted" blog, entitled, "The Two Sides Of Adam Dunn: Graph Of The Day", in which Mr. Fullbright determines that Adam Dunn is, "...still a superstar, just playing out of position because he no longer has one," and recommends that fans, "...start a letter writing campaign to see if we can find the Nationals an American League trading partner." Dunn ranks dead last on Mr. Fulbright's league-wide UZR chart and the BtB writer's description of the nation's capital's favorite first baseman is at odds with most of what I've heard from the DC Faithful:

"Adam Dunn can't hide his failings at the cold corner. Whatever advantage he has for reaching to balls above his head (a pretty low percentage play anyway) are absolutely obliterated by his inability to scoop balls in the dirt, either from throws or from ground balls. He's so completely top heavy that he has an inherent disadvantage to those born with the virtue of just being closer to the ground. This is a pretty definite trend, he has roughly the same power off the bat as when he was 23, only with 60-70 more pounds packed on, his defense has gone from pretty bad to awful to absolutely unacceptable."

Check out Mr. Fulbright's article HERE or in the title link above to see how he reached his conclusions. Let him know what you've seen from Dunn...

GAME REPORT:

New York Mets At Washington Nationals. Game 157 Of 162.

DC right-hander J.D. Martin takes a deep breath, stretching his jaw as he does, then he exhales and fires the first pitch home to Angel Pagan. Pagan ends up doubling to right off the out-of-town scoreboard to start the game with a runner on second. Luis Castillo bunts to third and J.D. Martin cuts Ryan Zimmerman off to field and not throw to first. First and third for David Wright. J.D. Martin walks the bases loaded and goes 3-0 to Carlos Beltran, hitting the outside corner for 3-1 and getting a foul for another full count. Then Martin walks Beltran and walks in a run, 1-0 New York. Daniel Murphy lines toward short, Ian Desmond catches and holds it. Jeff Francoeur flies out to short center, and Willie Harris catches it coming in to hold Castillo at third. Brian Schneider lines to Pete Orr to end the threat with just the walked in run scoring...Willie Harris pops out to left to start the bottom of the first. Mets’ righty Mike Pelfrey gets a weak grounder to third from Elijah Dukes. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to short.

Wilson Valdez doubles over short to start the second. Mike Pelfrey bunts to Adam Dunn, who can only throw to first. Angel Pagan singles to score Valdez and it’s 2-0 New York with one out in the second. Luis Castillo pops out to left. David Wright doubles off the base of the wall in left, Pagan scores from first, 3-0 Mets. Carlos Beltran grounds out to first, Adam Dunn fields it and hustles to first...Dunn leads off DC’s second with a swinging K on a bender off the plate. Mike Morse grounds out to Wilson Valdez at short. Pete Orr grounds to Castillo at second and it’s 3-0 NY after three.

Willie Harris has to run way into left to catch a line drive off Daniel Murphy’s bat. Francoeur flies out to Elijah Dukes in right. Brian Schneider grounds out to first and Dunn tosses to Martin to end the Mets’ third...Ian Desmond flies out to right field. Mike Pelfrey gets off the mound quickly to field a dribbler toward third and throws a strike to Daniel Murphy at first to get WIl Nieves. J.D. Martin sends a bloop single to center for the Nationals’ first hit. Willie Harris walks. Elijah Dukes rolls the third out to short.

Wilson Valdez grounds out to Pete Orr. Mike Pelfrey’s groundout rolls over the first base bag to Dunn. Angel Pagan sends Mike Morse sprinting back to make an overhead catch for the final out of the Mets’ fourth...Ryan Zimmerman grounds to short, Wilson Valdez double-pumps and throws to first. Adam Dunn flies out to deep center. Mike Morse grounds out to short, Pelfrey’s got four scoreless.

Willie Harris takes two steps back and catches a line drive off Luis Castillo’s bat. David Wright pulls a bender over third and into left for a one-out double. Carlos Beltran grounds weakly to second. Daniel Murphy flies out to Mike Morse and it’s 3-0 NY after four and a half...Pete Orr smacks a single through short. Ian Desmond goes deeeep to left on a high inside fastball and it’s GONE!!! Two-run HR, 3-2 NY. Wil Nieves grounds out to WIlson Valdez at short. J.D. Martin K’s swinging over a two-strike sinker. Willie Harris sneaks a grounder under a diving Luis Castillo at second. Elijah Dukes singles to center, but Willie Harris holds up at second. Ryan Zimmerman gets a fastball before it gets inside and singles to center to score Harris. 3-3. Adam Dunn grounds out to first, tied after five.

Jeff Francoeur lines to left, Morse misjudges it but hustles back to make a leaping catch. Brian Schneider throws his bat at a fastball and singles to center. Wilson Valdez sends a fluttering line drive out to Willie Harris. MIke Pelfrey flies out to right...Mike Morse grounds out to third. Pete Orr grounds to Daniel Murphy at first. Ian Desmond slides in safe at second on a one-hopper to third that gets by David Wright and rolls out to left. Wil Nieves lines out to right.

Tyler Clippard starts Angel Pagan with three balls and then blows Pagan away. Ian Desmond throws out Luis Castillo. Clippard gets Wright on a called strike three, 3-3 in the seventh...Alberto Gonzalez grounds to Murphy at first. Willie Harris flies out to center. Elijah Dukes grounds one through Pelfrey’s legs for a two-out single. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to right, 3-3 after seven.

Carlos Beltran singles to center to start NY's eighth. Daniel Murphy rips a grounder by Dunn at first, Beltran takes third. Jeff Francouer walks to load the bases for Schneider. Brian Schneider pops out foul of third. Pinch hitter Jeremy Reed hits a broken bat liner to second, Frenchy gets doubled up!!...Adam Dunn K’s and Pedro Feliciano’s out after one batter. Mike Morse vs Sean Green. Morse walks, Justin Maxwell on to run. Cristian Guzman will hit. Guzman grounds to second, Anderson Hernandez tosses it but Castillo at second, both runners safe. Ian Desmond grounds to second, Anderson Hernandez knocks it down, tosses to second, Castillo....throws it wide of first, Maxell scores, Desmond's safe. 4-3 NY. Francisco Rodriguez comes on. Desmond takes third without a throw. Angel Pagan makes an underhand catch on a line out by Alberto Gonzalez.

Mike MacDougal vs Cory Sullivan. Angel Pagan lines off Zimmerman’s glove and into left. Luis Castillo takes a called strike three for out No. 2!!! David Wright flies to deeeep right, Elijah Dukes tracks it and catches it as he hits the wall at full speeeeed. SSSSSUPER DUKESSSSSS!!!!!!!! Sets up the sweeeep!!!!

Nationals now 53-104.

Ross Detwiler Claims First MLB Win, 2-1 Over The Lowly New York Mets.

Ed Chigliak — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:55:33 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

2 months ago: Washington Nationals' starter Ross Detwiler pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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• Ross Detwiler's First MLB Win...The Mets' SNY announce team of Gary Cohen, former Nationals' announcer and Mets' pitcher Ron Darling and Seinfeld star Keith Hernandez criticized Ross Detwiler at one point, claiming that he should still be pitching in the minors as raw as he was, and on any team other than the Mets or Nationals he probably would be, but Ross Detwiler, (the 6th overall pick and the 3rd pitcher taken in the '07 Draft behind #1 overall David Price and left-hander Daniel Moskos, who went 4th overall to the Pirates), was able to beat the Mets tonight, so...Enjoy the rebuild Citi Field season ticket holders!!!

Detwiler goes 6.0 IP and allows just 7 hits, 1 walk and 1 ER as he earns his first MLB W...Here's How It Happened...

• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Are Still Watching...

• Check Out The SB Nation's New York Mets Blog: Amazin' Avenue GameThread.

• "Revenge of the softball girls" - by Doghouse.

FULL GAME REPORT AFTER THE JUMP...

• A productive groundout by Ian Desmond moves Justin Maxwell from second to third after a leadoff hit off NY Mets' right-hander Nelson Figueroa in the first inning tonight, and Ryan Zimmerman follows with an RBI flyout to short right that scores Maxwell on a close play at home, and that’s all the Nationals need for Washington’s first run...oh, that and an error on a backhand attempt by David "Gold Glove" Wright who turns an infield hit into a runner on second to start the game and Ryan Zimmerman’s 102nd RBI.

• After two quick frames, Ross Detwiler gives up a two-out walk to Angel Pagan. A hard-hit grounder by Luis Castilla gets by third when Ryan Zimmerman tries a Zimmermanesque sidestep stab. David Wright steps in with two and two out...Ross Detwiler gets D. Wright looking to end the Mets’ first threat...Still 0-0 after four, Detwiler gives up a leadoff single to Anderson Hernandez in the Mets' fifth, and Nelson Figueroa reaches first safely on a sac attempt when Josh Bard throws late to second, so Angel Pagan’s bunt, which follows Figueroa's, moves two runners into scoring postition with one down. Detwiler gets a line drive out to Ian Desmond at short from Luis Castillo and gets a groundout to short from David Wright. 5.0 scoreless for Detwiler in what is probably his last start of ‘09.

• The Mets get on the board in the sixth. Detwiler gives up a single to center by Carlos Beltran, who takes second on a wild pitch and scores one out later when Fernando Tatis singles to right. 1-1 ballgame. Another wild pitch puts two runners in scoring position with Nelson Figueroa at bat, but Detwiler gets the opposing pitcher swinging to end the top of the frame.

• Mike Morse gives DC back their lead!! Solo shot to right to start the Nationals’ sixth, 2-1 DC. 3 HR’s in 3-straight games for Morse who’s now matched his career total coming into the season...Justin Maxwell singles to start the Nationals’ seventh, and moves to second on a sac bunt by Desmond, but then Zimmerman grounds to short, and J-Max runs anyway and gets thrown out at third...Dunn flies out, DC will have to settle for a one-run lead.

• Jason Bergmann walks the first batter he faces in the seventh but gets out of the frame with the lead when he K’s Jeff Francoeur, throwing a high heater outside by Frenchy with two on and two out. Bergmann comes back in the eighth and retires the side in order, to put the Nationals three outs away from their 53rd win and Ross Detwiler’s first.

• MacDougal Will Do It...After allowing 4 hits and 5 runs in his last two outings, Mike MacDougal...for the first time in 6 trips to the hill...was able to pitch a scoreless frame as he converted the 16th of 17 save opportunities this season and closed out Ross Detwiler's first Major League win...

Nationals win, 2-1 final.

For The Completists, Full Game Report Starts....NOW!!!

New York Mets At Washington Nationals. Game 156 Of 162.

GAME REPORT:

Angel Pagan lines a little too hard to right where Mike Morse takes an awkard leap to catch the first out. Luis Castillo flies weakly to Morse. David Wright lines over first for a two-out double off DC lefty Ross Detwiler. Ian Desmond fields and fires to first to get Carlos Beltran and end the top of the first...Nelson Figueroa gives up a leadoff hit to Justin Maxwell on a high chopper to third that David Wright can’t backhand. Ian Desmond’s groundout to second moves J-Max to third. Ryan Zimmerman flies to short right, Maxwell tags up and breaks for home as Jeff Francoeur throws in and up the line, 1-0 as Maxwell avoids the tag. Adam Dunn K’s swinging to end the first.

Mike Morse hustles back and catches the first out of the second at the wall off Jeff Francoeur’s bat. Ian Desmond throws out Fernado Tatis. Omir Santos flies out just left of center to Justin Maxwell...Josh Willingham hangs one up in the air for Carlos Beltran to catch. Mike Morse rips one to the hole at short, and Anderson Hernandez just knocks it down. Josh Bard pops up the first pitch he sees. Alberto Gonzalez grounds into a force to end the DC second.

Anderson Hernandez grounds out to Ian Desmond. Nelson Figueroa grounds out to third. Ross Detwiler walks Angel Pagan with two down. Luis Castillo gets knocked down but not hit by a fastball inside and ends up singling by Ryan Zimmerman at third when he tries to snatch it instead of getting in front of it. First and third for Wright. Detwiler hits the inside corner with a two-strike fastball for a backwards K...Detwiler gets called out on strikes. Justin Maxwell flies out to the wall in right center. Ian Desmond rrrips a two-out triple off the out-of-town scoreboard. Ryan Zimmerman walks with two down. Adam Dunn grounds to Luis Castillo at second to end the third.

Ian Desmond throws out Carlos Beltran. Jeff Francoeur grounds out to Dunn at first. Fernando Tatis’ double falls in fair down the line in right. Omir Santos flies to center to end the Mets’ fourth...Josh Willingham chases a slider into the left-hand batter’s box. Mike Morse grounds sharply to short, Anderson Hernandez gets there but throws it by first. Morse to second. Josh Bard grounds out to first to advance Morse to third. Alberto Gonzalez gets the intentionals to set Detwiler up with two on and two out. Detwiler K’s to end the fourth.

Anderson "Elvis" Hernandez singles to center, Justin Maxwell charges in to field it on the curly-W in the grass. Figueroa drops a bunt in front of home, Bard throws to second too late, and Desmond holds it at second while Figueroa slowly runs to first. Angel Pagan bunts both runners into scoring position. Luis Castillo lines out to short. David Wright grounds out to short to end the fifth...Justin Maxwell pops out to right. Ian Desmond drops a bunt toward third, Wright barehands and throws behind the runner and past Tatis behind first. Desmond takes second. Ryan Zimmerman gets a two-strike slider inside that’s called strike three. Adam Dunn gets the intentionals. Josh WIllingham grounds into a force at second to end the fifth.

Carlos Beltran singles to center to start the sixth. Jeff Francoeur’s up, Detwiler throws a fastball by home, Beltran to second. Francoeur K’s chasing a high two-strike fastball outside. Fernando Tatis lines to center, Beltran scores and it’s tied at 1-1. Omir Santos flies out to center. Anderson Hernandez grounds to second and reaches safely when Alberto Gonzalez’s throw is late. Another wild pitch moves both runners up. Nelson Figueroa K’s swinging to end the frame...Mike Morse goes the other way with a high fly ball to right and GONE!!!! HR for Morse, 2-1 DC!! Josh Bard pops out. Alberto Gonzalez flies out to left. Jorge Padilla lines out to end the sixth.

Jason Bergmann tries to hold the lead for Detwiler. Leadoff walk to Angel Pagan is not a good start. Luis Castilla’s sac bunt moves Pagan to second. David Wright grounds out to Desmond at short for the second out. Carlos Beltran gets two balls and then gets the intentionals. Jeff Francoeur K’s chasing a curve in the dirt!!! Called strike three!!!!...Justin Maxwell vs Sean Green. J-Max shoots a low-liner to right. Ian Desmond bunts J-Max over. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to short, Maxwell breaks for third and gets thrown out. Figueroa out for Pedro Feliciano. Adam Dunn flies out to left to end the seventh.

Fernando Tatis flies to right and Mike Morse has to make a basket catch to avoid Justin Maxwell as he cuts in front of the right fielder. Jason Bergmann gets a line-drive out to center from Omir Santos. Daniel Murphy pops out to third to end the Mets’ eighth...Bobby Parnell vs Willingham to start the Nationals’ eighth. Elijah Dukes in on to run. Mike Morse K’s swinging. Josh Bard grounds into an inning ending DP...Wait for it...

Mike MacDougal vs Cory Sullivan. Sullivan grounds to first, ONE!! Angel Pagan grounds to Desmond, TWO! Luis Castillo grounds to short, Desmond to first, Ballgame!!! Nationals win, 2-1 final. Ross Detwiler gets his first career W. Congrats, Mr. Detwiler!!!!

Nationals now 53-103.

New York Mets Too Much For Washington Nationals, 6-2 Mets Sunday.

Ed Chigliak — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:12:23 -0000

More photos » by Henny Ray Abrams - AP

3 months ago: Washington Nationals' starting pitcher Garrett Mock delivers in the first inning of the baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

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Game Notes:

• Ian Desmond's decision to throw home in the second when Mets’ catcher Josh Thole bounced a grounder off DC starter Garrett Mock with a runner on third, may not have ultimately been a good one, but it was an aggressive play, and the extra runner that Desmond let on didn’t cost the Nationals. Jim Riggleman, Garrett Mock and catcher Jamie Burke’s decision to pitch to the Mets' catcher in the 7-spot with one down, a runner on third and the .250-hitting Wilson Valdez up next with the Mets' pitcher John Maine to follow...Well...1-0 NY...And Valdez did ground into a DP in the next AB for the record...(ed. note - " I know, It's not like Thole's a .300+ hitting backstop that you have to avoid pitching to, I know, he's a rookie called up from Doubl...What? He is hitting over .300? Whatever...pitch to him, go ahead...")

• Runners on first and second after back to back singles in the third. Garrett Mock fields a grounder from David Wright, but double pumps before throwing to second for the force, Ian Desmond can’t get the ball out of his glove to make the DP throw to first. First and third for Carlos Beltran, who takes a two-seam fastball back up the middle for an RBI single. Daniel Murphy doubles in the next AB, Wright and Beltran score, 4-0 NY.

More Game Notes After The JUMP...But First

Historical Note: When the Washington Nationals do eventually lose their 100th game of 2009, two or three games from now, it will be the first time in franchise history going back to 1969 with Montreal that a team has had back-to-back 100-loss seasons, and it will be the first time a DC-based franchise drops 100 or more in two-straight season since the Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers) finished with 100+ losses in 4 consecutive seasons from 1961-64. The Original Senators, (now the Twins), had 5 100-Loss seasons, but never back-to-back...

• Mets win, 6-2 final.

• "Game 149: No heros or goats, only FAIL" - Doghouse

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

Nationals now 51-98.

Game Notes (cont)...

• With WIlson Valdez on first and Angel Pagan up with two out in the Mets’ fourth, new Nationals’ back stop Jamie Burke’s tested for the first time. Valdez breaks for second, Burke’s throw is right over the bag, Desmond catches it and tags Valdez for Burke’s first caught stealing as a National. Burke’s first RBI opp comes in the top of the fifth, first and third, one out, and Burke K’s swinging through a high fastball. The pitcher follows with a groundout and it’s 4-0 NY after four and a half.

• John Maine dominates DC, but he’s on a pitch count, so he’s out after 5.0 scoreless over which he strikes out just 1, and holds the Nationals to 2 hits and 1 walk. Maine throws 75 of the 80 pitches he was scheduled to throw, 50 of them for strikes, and gets 5 groundouts and 9 fly outs out of the 18 batters he faces before he hands it to the Mets’ bullpen...Garrett Mock through 5.0, you ask? 5.0 IP, 8 hits, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K’s, 82 pitches, 55 for strikes, 8 groundouts and 3 flyouts from 22 batters faced.

Mock ends up throwing 115 pitches, 74 for strikes, over 7.0 IP, allowing 9 hits, 4 runs and 2 walks while striking out 5 and getting 10 groundouts and 5 flyouts from the 30 batters he faces. Mock’s replaced by Zack Segovia, who give up a leadoff single Carlos Beltran that’s erased by a line drive to second by Daniel Murphy that’s an easy DP when Alberto Gonzalez makes the catch with Beltran running. Segovia then walks two batters with two down and is replaced by Victor Garate, who gives up a two-out, two-run triple to the corner in right, 6-0 Mets. Logan Kensing comes on and walks the first batter he faces, Fernando Tatis, but strikes out Pagan to end a long eighth.

• The Nationals mount a rally in the ninth with back to back RBI doubles by Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn, who collect their 97th and 101st RBI’s of the year after a one-out infield single by Ian Desmond. Josh Willingham takes strike three, Elijah Dukes walks and Francisco Rodriguez comes on to get the last out with a backwards K of Cristian Guzman.

The Mets clinch 4th and the season series with the Washington Nationals, going up 10-5 with 4 games remaining.

GAME REPORT:

Washington Nationals At New York Mets. Game 149 Of 162.

Willie Harris smacks a 1-2 pitch right to Jeff Francoeur, who catches the first out of the day. Ian Desmond flies out to Carlos Beltran in center. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to short, Wilson Valdez fires from deep in the hole to get Mets’ right-hander John Maine through a scoreless first...Angel Pagan doubles to the wall in right with a low liner on an 0-2 pitch that DC righty Garrett Mock leaves up in the zone. Ryan Zimmerman charges and throws out Luis Castillo on what would have been a bunt single but is instead a sac. David Wright stares a full-count curve all the way in for a called strike three. Carlos Beltran grounds out to second and Alberto Gonzalez’s throw ends the first...

Adam Dunn grounds to first, Daniel Murphy tosses it a little to high to the covering pitcher. Josh Willingham pops out behind the plate. Elijah Dukes hits a one-hop liner to Luis Castillo to end the second scoreless frame for Maine...Daniel Murphy rips a line drive to the outfield just right of center and an odd bounce off the wall turns a double into a triple. Garrett Mock busts Jeff Francoeur inside with a two-strike fastball for a swinging K. Josh Thole grounds back to the mound and off Mock’s glove, and Ian Desmond tries for the play at home, but the throw is late. 1-0 NY. Wilson Valdez grounds to short, Desmond fields, steps on second and throws to first, double play.

Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to short. Jamie Burke in his first DC AB, works the count full and walks. Garrett Mock pops up a bunt, but it drops in for a sac. Willie Harris pops out to Angel Pagan in left to end the third scoreless for John Maine...Maine pops out in his first AB of the day. Angel Pagan drops a soft liner into short center for a one-out single off Mock. Luis Castillo lines to right to put two on for David Wright. David Wright grounds back to Mock, who takes out the runner at second but can’t get a DP, Desmond holds on to it after struggling on the exchange. Carlos Beltran singles up the middle on a two-seam fastball outside. 2-0 NY as Pagan scores from third. Daniel Murphy hits a carbon-copy of his first triple, though this time it’s a two-run double off the wall in right center. 4-0 NY. Jeff Francoeur pops out to end the third.

Ian Desmond gets jammed and pops out to Beltran in short center. Ryan Zimmerman pops out to Daniel Murphy foul of first. Adam Dunn pops out to left...Josh Thole grounds out to second base to start the Mets’ fourth. Wilson Valdez takes a one-out walk from Mock. John Maine K’s trying to bunt with two strikes. Angel Pagan up when Valdez gets caught trying to steal second. Jamie Burke throws out the first baserunner who tests him, nailing Valdez on the attempted stolen base.

Josh Willingham singles to right for the Nationals’ first hit. Elijah Dukes pops out to second on the first pitch he sees. Dukes doesn’t run to first, Castillo catches it anyway, sparing Dukes embarrassment. Alberto Gonzalez punches a hit and run single through second. Jamie Burke K’s swinging through a high fastball from Maine and Garrett Mock grounds out to end DC’s fifth, stranding two...Angel Pagan grounds to second base for the first out of NY’s fifth. Mock’s still in, and he gives up a single to Luis Castillo, who promptly takes second for the first SB off the Nationals’ catcher. David Wright flies to deeep center on a 3-0 pitch. Castillo takes third. Carlos Beltran grounds to third, and Ryan Zimmerman makes it look easy. 4-0 NY after five.

Elmer Dessens takes over for the Mets in the sixth inning. David Wright and Wilson Valdez converge on a foul pop from Willie Harris, but they both let it drop. Harris flies out to short left. Ian Desmond’s robbed on a scorched single to second that Daniel Murphy dives for and stabs. Two down. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to Pagan to end a quick sixth...Daniel Murphy pops out to Ian Desmond in short left. Desmond throws out Jeff Francoeur on a weak grounder to short. Mock walks Thole with two down. Wilson Valdez flies out to Dukes in right. Still 4-0 NY.

Adam Dunn starts the seventh against Dessens with a fly ball out to Pagan in left. Josh Willingham pops out to Luis Castillo at second. Elijah Dukes flies out to Carlos Beltran in center. 7.0 scoreless frames...Pinch hitter Cory Sullivan vs Mock to start the seventh. Mock throws a high fastball by Sullivan for a swinging K. Angel Pagan sneaks a fly ball to center in front of Willie Harris. Luis Castillo grounds to second, Alberto Gonzalez takes out the lead runner. David Wright up with two down, one on. Mock strikes Wright out with another fastball up and in.

Sean Green starts the eighth for NY against Alberto Gonzalez. Gonzalez grounds out to short for Wilson Valdez. Pinch Hittin’ Pete Orr grounds out to second. Josh Bard grounds out to second too to end the eighth scoreless for the Nationals...Carlos Beltran smokes a low liner to right for a leadoff single. Daniel Murphy lines to second with Beltran running, Alberto Gonzalez fields and throws to first, double play. Jeff Francoeur walks with two down. Mets’ catcher Josh Thole takes the second two-out walk and DC Manager Jim Riggleman’s seen enough. Victor Garate vs WIlson Valdez. Two-run triple to right for Valdez, 6-0 NY. Logan Kensing replaces Garate and walks Fernando Tatis with two down. Angel Pagan K’s swinging through a full-count fastball to end the eighth.

Brian Stokes takes over in the ninth. Willie Harris pops out to the catcher. Ian Desmond hits an excuse-me single a foot in front of home and beats it out. Ryan Zimmerman hits an RBI line drive to left center to finally get the Nationals on the board, Desmond scores, Zimmerman in at second, 6-1 NY. Adam Dunn doubles Zimmerman in from second with an RBI single, 6-2. Josh Willingham takes a two-strike slider outside for a backwards K. Elijah Dukes uses his Discerning Eye to draw a two-out walk. Cristian Guzman will have to face Francisco Rodriguez. Guzman flinches at a backdoor change inside that breaks into the zone for a called strike three. Mets win, 6-2 final.

Nationals now 51-98.

Washington Nationals Hand New York Mets Sixth-Straight Loss, 6-5 In Citi Field.

Ed Chigliak — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Henny Ray Abrams - AP

3 months ago: Washington Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman, center, is congratulated by teammate Josh Willingham, right, after driving-in Cristian Guzman, left, with a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

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• Ryan Zimmerman’s 2-run home run off Mike Pelfrey in the first is Zimmerman’s 30th of the season. The Nationals’ 1st 1st Round pick is now 6 over his previous season high of 24 set over 162 games back in 2007. Zimmerman now has 30 in 142 games played in '09, and he put Washington up 2-0 over Pelfrey and the New York Mets after one...

• J.D. Martin got through two scoreless, but gave up a leadoff double to Wilson Valdez in the third. After a sac fly by Pelfrey, the Mets hit back to back singles with Angel Pagan knocking Valdez in and taking third on a low liner to center by Luis Castillo. One out later, after Josh Willingham leaps at the wall to rob David Wright, Carlos Beltran singles in the second run with the fourth hit of the inning and it's a 2-2 tie.

• Josh Bard, who came into the game with a .167 AVG with 4 hits in 24 September at bats, so of course, Bard gets a hold of a sinkless sinker from Mike Pelfrey and launches it to right center, and just into the bullpen for a two-run HR that scores Ian Desmond, who’d doubled to the corner in left to start the fifth. 4-2 DC...

(The SHOCKING Conclusion After The JUMP)...

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

• Check Out The SB Nation's Mets Blog: Amazin' Avenue Open Thread.

• "Game 147: Yeah, it's the Mets, but a win is a win" - Doghouse.

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

Nationals now 51-96.

• J.D. Martin walks Carlos Beltran to start NY’s sixth, and gives up a one-out single to Jeff Francoeur before he’s lifted from the game after (5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 3 K's)....Ron Villone takes over, and walks the first batter he faces, Fernando Tatis, to load the bases, and Villone gives up a line drive to left to Wilson Valdez, Josh Willingham charges in to catch Valdez’s liner and the Hammer throws home as Beltran tags from third, Bard catches the throw on one hop, reaches across the plate and makes the tag as Beltran slides around and reaches for the dish..., "You’rrrre OUT!!!" yells the Ump as he punches the air.

• Elijah Dukes scores the Nationals’ 5th run of the game after a throwing error on an excuse-me single in the seventh...Dukes takes second after Mets’ catcher Josh Thole throws by first on Dukes' dribbler. Ian Desmond’s grounder to second moves Dukes up to third and Josh Bard drives in another run with a sac fly to center for a 5-2 DC lead.

• Best and Worst Of Bergmann And MacDougal...

Jason Bergmann started the eighth by striking out both David Wright and Carlos Beltran, Wright with a heater, Beltran with the curve (he still can't hit those!), but then Rutgers' Finest gives up a two-out single to Daniel Murphy and another single to Jeff Francoeur, and DC closer Mike MacDougal has to come out in the eighth for the 4-out save. MacDougal strikes out backup backstop Josh Thole to strand Murphy and Frenchy and preserve the 5-2 DC lead.

• STOP: Hammertime - Top of the ninth...Josh Willingham leads off against Brian Stokes. Stokes throws a first-pitch fastball and instantly regrets it, 94 mph coming in, and gone just as quick, Josh Willingham hits his 23rd HR of 2009 and knocks in his first run since September 4th...

• Back To MacDougal... It's at this point that Mike MacDougal decides he'll continue the "DC Closer Tradition of 'Making It Interesting'", walking the first batter of the ninth, before popping up pinch hitter Jeremy Reed...and walking Angel Pagan...Luis Castillo singles, bases loaded, David Wright singles, 6-3 DC. Carlos Beltran grounds into a force but scores a run. 6-4. Daniel Murphy rips a hotshot to short, Ian Desmond stabs it and throws high to first and off Adam Dunn's glove. Castillo scores, 6-5. Jeff Francoeur rips one to the mound that takes MacDougal's glove off his hand, the pitcher recovers, throws to first, ballgame.

• E: 125, 126.

E: 125 - 2nd Inning, Jeff Francoeur pops up foul of first, Adam Dunn tries to stay with, tries to make the catch...and...drops it. Dunn's 15th Nick-Johnson-esque error is the Nationals' 125th as a team. OUTCOME: Francoeur flies out given another pitch, and Brian Schneider flies out to end the inning. No harm. E: 126 - 6-4 Nationals, bottom of the ninth, Mike MacDougal's reeling, and Daniel Murphy rips a two-out one-hopper to short, Ian Desmond stabs it with his backhand but throws high to first, Dunn leaps, but it's off his glove. Desmond's 3rd is DC's league-leading 126th. OUTCOME: A run scores on the error to make it 6-5, but MacDougal recovers to end it one batter later.

GAME REPORT:

Washington Nationals At New York Mets. Game 147 Of 162.

Mike Pelfrey’s on the mound for the Mets, Willie Harris leads off for DC with a fly ball to Carlos Beltran in center for the first out of the game. Daniel Murphy tries to toss a weak grounder to first with his glove, but it doesn’t quite work, Guzman’s safe. Ryan Zimmerman goes the other way with a low fastball outside and just gets it over the fence for a 2-run blast and a 2-0 DC lead. Adam Dunn fouls off a few full-count pitches and flies out to Angel Pagan in left. Josh Willingham swings over a two-strike sinker inside...Josh Willingham pulls up just short of the wall in foul territory in the left field corner to catch Angel Pagan’s fly ball out. Luis Castillo throws his bat at a two-strike fastball outside for a swinging K. David Wright rolls the second fastball he sees out to third for Zimmerman to handle.

Elijah Dukes rrrrips one back off the pitcher’s feet, and David Wright can’t make a barehand play. Dukes safe. Ian Desmond grounds to second, Luis Castillo tosses to second for the force but Dukes’ slide into Wilson Valdez ends any chance of a DP. Josh Bard gives them another chance, grounding to Luis Castillo to Valdez to Daniel Murphy at first, double play...Ian Desmond dives over a grounder from Carlos Beltran who’s on first to start the Mets’ second. Daniel Murphy K’s swinging over a two-seam slider that breaks outside at the last second. Adam Dunn drops a foul pop off Jeff Francoeur’s bat, but Frenchy just flies out to left unproductively given the second chance. Brian Schneider flies to Willingham to end the second.

J.D. Martin grounds out to Wilson Valdez at short. Willie Harris flies out to Carlos Beltran. Cristian Guzman flies out to Pagan in left for a quick 1-2-3 by Pelfrey...Wilson Valdez rips a double by Josh Willingham and to the wall in left. Mike Pelfrey’s sac bunt moves Valdez to third. Angel Pagan drives a sinking fastball outside through second and into center. Valdez scores, 2-1 Nationals. Luis Castillo hits a low liner back up the middle for the third hit of the inning. David Wright flies to deeep left, WIllingham leaps at the wall, and makes the grab!! Hammer!!!! Carlos Beltran sneaks another single under a diving Desmond at second for an RBI single and a 2-2 tie. Daniel Murphy flies out to center to end the frame.

Ryan Zimmerman starts the fourth with a single back over the mound and up the middle. Adam Dunn flies out to Angel Pagan in left field. Josh Willingham lines on one hop to Beltran in center. Elijah Dukes grounds to Valdez at short, to Castillo to Murpy, double play...J.D. Martin gives up the second straight leadoff double, this one to Jeff Francoeur. Brian Schneider takes a free pass. Wilson Valdez grounds to second, Desmond, to Guzman to Dunn, double play. Francoeur to third. Pelfrey grounds back to the mound, 2-2 ballgame.

Ian Desmond pulls a hanging bender to left for a leadoff double. Josh Bard gets a sinkless fastball over the heart and takes it deeeep to right and gone, two-run blast, 4-2 Nationals. J.D. Martin takes a fastball for a called strike three. Willie Harris swings through a fastball for the second out. Guzman chops one slowly to Pelfrey to end the inning...Angel Pagan grounds out to second to start the Mets’ fifth. Josh Willingham charges in to catch the second out off Luis Castillo’s bat. J.D. Martin throws a high two-strike fastball by David Wright for a swinging K to end the frame.

Ryan Zimmerman rips a line drive right at Angel Pagan in left. Adam Dunn flies out to left for David Wright. Josh Willingham swings through a high fastball for the second-straight K to end the sixth...J.D. Martin walks Carlos Beltran to start the home half of the frame. Daniel Murphy sends a high fastball out to Willlie Harris in center. Carlos Beltran’s running as Jeff Francoeur lifts a low slider to center for a one-out single. J.D. Martin’s lifted. Ron Villone vs Fernando Tatis. Tatis walks to load the bases for Wilson Valdez. Valdez lines to left, Willingham catches it coming in and fires home as Beltran tags from third, Josh Bard catches it on one hop and tags Beltran before his hand slides over the plate. "You'rrre OUT!" yells the UMP.

Elijah Dukes surprises the new catcher with a swinging bunt on a fastball inside, and Dukes is safe when Josh Thole throws it by first. Dukes takes second. Ian Desmond does his job, grounding Dukes over to third. Josh Bard flies out to center, Dukes tags and scores. 5-2 DC. Mike Morse grounds a few feet in front of home for the last out of the inning...Sean Burnett takes over on the mound. Gary Sheffield sends a screamer right into Ian Desmond’s glove. Sean Burnett gets a swinging K out of Angel Pagan. Luis Castillo pops out to second.

Sean Green vs Willie Harris in the eighth. Harris grounds back to the mound. Cristian Guzman grounds out to Castillo at second. Ryan Zimmerman beats David Wright with a high hopper to third. Green out, Pedro Feliciano gets a fly ball to right center from Dunn to end the inning...David Wright vs Jason Bergmann. 92 mph fastball gets Wright swinging for the first out. Beltran swings over a two-strike bender from Bergmann. Daniel Murphy sneaks a single through second. First pitch fastball to Francoeur, who singles, and it’s first and third with two down after a double. Bergmann out, Mike MacDougal’s going to try for four outs. Francoeur takes second without a throw. Josh Thole swings through a fastball for strike three to end the eighth.

Josh Willingham gets a hold of a hanger from Brian Stokes and sends it out to left and GONE! HAMMER!!! 6-2 DC. Elijah Dukes flies out to left. Ian Desmond grounds out to short. Josh Bard pops up over short, Wilson Valdez makes the grab...Mike MacDougal looks to end it. Cory Sullivan walks to start the frame. Jeremy Reed flies out to Willie Harris in left. Angel Pagan takes the second walk. Luis Castillo singles by a diving Zimmerman at third to load the bases with one out. David Wright rips a single to right to score Sullivan. 6-3 DC. Carlos Beltran grounds to second, Desmond to Alberto Gonzalez to Dunn...not in time, 6-4 and two down. Daniel Murphy rips a hotshot to short, Ian Desmond stabs it, spins and throws high to first and it hits off Dunn’s glove, run scores, 6-5, second and third. Jeff Francoeur lines up the midd--MacDougal knocks it down and it knocks off his glove, MacDougal recovers and throws to first to end it.

Nationals win, 6-5 final.

Nationals now 51-96.

Welcome To The World, Dylan Lee. Thanks For Sending Your Dad Back; Derrek Lee Homers Twice In 5-3 Cubs Win

Al — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:00:21 -0000

by Frank Franklin II - AP

Two homers for your new son. Nice game, D-Lee!

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NEW YORK -- Bet you didn't realize exactly how much the Cubs missed Derrek Lee the last two days while he was away for the birth of his second child, and first son, named Dylan.

The Cubs welcomed him back and D-Lee sent two homers into the upper reaches of Citi Field -- two of the longer homers hit there, according to my "Cubs By The Numbers" co-author Matt Silverman, who I met for the first time today (we did the entire book by email and phone calls. And yes, that link above is a shameless hint to you to get your copy of the book if you haven't already). Matt provided the ticket, for which I thank him, and D-Lee provided the offense, going 3-for-4 with the pair of dingers and 3 RBI. That leaves Lee one homer short of his fourth 30-HR season (second with the Cubs) and with seven more RBI, he'll have his second 100-RBI year.

Lee's fine offensive year -- in a season when many Cubs fans (not me, though) were clamoring for him to be replaced by Micah Hoffpauir -- may go for naught; unless the Cubs start a long winning streak with this victory and the four teams in front of them start losing, the Cubs will have to settle for wins like this one, 5-3 over the Mets, as moral victories as they look forward to retooling for 2010. Lee was hitting .198 on May 16; since then in 92 games he's hitting .327/.405/.636 with 26 HR and 77 RBI. Sound like a guy in decline? Hardly. If only the rest of the offense had contributed in the same way all year.

Meanwhile, Rich Harden was striking out batters left and right through the first five innings -- that is, when he wasn't allowing a HR to Cory Sullivan, who hadn't homered all season until last night. Sullivan has to be happy to see Cubs pitchers, even if they don't return the favor. Harden had to be lifted after five innings after throwing 102 pitches; the bullpen did a decent job, except for Aaron Heilman, who was back to his old ways of not hitting his spots. He didn't walk anyone, but was charged with the Mets' third run. He was roundly booed when introduced and then again when he was taken out for John Grabow -- I thought, "Why are Mets fans booing him? He just gave them a run, they should be cheering and wanting him to stay in the game!"

Carlos Marmol was summoned with the tying runs on base in the eighth inning. He immediately walked pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed, provoking the "uh-oh" that's been the case with Marmol much of the year. But he got Angel Pagan to fly to center and dispatched the Mets quickly in the ninth, including a pair of K's, for his ninth save. If he can keep this up, that's hope for him to be a solid closer next season.

I walked all the way around the lower level of Citi Field today; parts of it, particularly a large food court in center field, reminded me of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. In fact, the food has been the best part of the ballpark; today's tickets were part of the "Ebbets Club", a semi-fancy enclosed area where you don't have to dress up (as you do for the other private clubs at Citi Field); they have sandwiches and other well-made food there that's a bit above the usual ballpark fare. All of the food, including the chicken quesadilla from last night, has been outstanding. The rest of the park seems kind of generic; Mets fans, as I noted yesterday, were very upset that the huge rotunda was turned into a Brooklyn Dodger/Jackie Robinson memorial with no Mets mentions at all. I do understand the rationale behind honoring Robinson -- but after all, it's a Mets ballpark, and the Dodgers are more than 50 years gone from New York.

One thing that the Mets don't do that almost every other team -- including the Cubs -- do is play some sort of "guess the attendance" game, or, for that matter, even announce the paid crowd. Maybe that's because there are so many no-shows; of the 38,759 that the boxscore says paid today, maybe 20,000-22,000 were in the house. At the prices the Mets are charging (fortunately, I didn't have to pay today), they'll have to do some serious changing in the offseason, or lower ticket prices, or they're going to have a huge attendance decline next year.

Credit to Mets fans, who were universally friendly -- maybe because their team is so far out of the race that they can afford to be -- and Mets employees and New York people in general, whether it be on the street or in the subway. I've never had a bad time here, and a win tomorrow to take this series will make it an even better trip. Randy Wells will take the mound Sunday afternoon -- keep up the good work, and who knows? Maybe a Cubs miracle is still possible.

Angel (Pagan) In The Outfield

Eric Simon — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:00:31 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

Alex Cora should be taking notes. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Angel Pagan was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 1999 draft¹ and put up so-so minor league numbers before being sold to the Cubs during the 2006 offseason. He had a couple of so-so seasons as a part-time player with the Cubs before being dealt back to the Mets during the 2008 offseason in exchange for two minor leaguers. Pagan then spent the next year-plus repeatedly showing promise and then subsequently getting hurt. After returning in July following his second stint on the disabled list this season, Pagan settled in as the Mets' regular centerfielder and has shown, at least so far, to be better than just an adequate fill-in for Carlos Beltran.

For the season, Pagan is batting .298/.343/.498 and his .356 wOBA is ninth among big league centerfielders with at least 240 plate appearances. He hasn't walked much -- just 16 unintentional walks in 248 times to the plate -- but he hasn't struck out much, either. Pagan's power has been the most surprising aspect of his game, as his .200 ISO is even higher than Carlos Beltran's .191. Much of his slugging surge has come as a result of his eight triples, a mark that would extrapolate to a franchise record over a full season. Only half of his triples have come at Citi Field, so it's not as if he's simply taking advantage of the spacious dimensions of his home park. The bump in power is not entirely unprecedented for Pagan: in 161 plate appearances with the Cubs in 2007 he posted an ISO of .175. He is also just entering what would normally be considered the prime of his career -- he turned 27 in July -- so it's not out of the question that he might begin to play his best baseball right around now.

Further, his .298 average doesn't appear to be luck-inflated, as his .319 BABIP is supported by his 20.3% line drive rate (if we use a revised xBABIP we get .293, which is a bit lower than his actual BABIP of .319, but not dramatically so).

Defensively, Pagan appears adequate in centerfield. UZR has him rated around average: a few ticks above for his arm, a few ticks below for his range. Of course, it's hard to glean much from the range numbers because UZR is still using Shea's dimensions to calculate its values. His .989 RZR is the best among big league centerfielders. I'd guess he's at least an average defensive centerfielder; anecodotally, he doesn't appear to be embarrassing himself out there.

The bad news is that Pagan's value takes a big hit if he doesn't play center. If Carlos Beltran is healthy next year, Pagan will be relegated to either a) a corner outfield spot, or b) a bench role, with occasional starts in center to give Beltran some rest. The good news is that if Pagan's power spike is real, and if his defense is above average, he might actually be competent enough to play a bit of left field for the Mets. Short of that, his pop would make him plenty useful as a bench player/spot starter, and the fact that he hits pretty well from both sides of the plate makes him versatile in a good way. He would also be a decent insurance policy against Beltran missing significant time due to injury again.

Given Pagan's own injury history, it'd be tough to endorse him as a Plan A starter in 2010, but we know he'll be cheap and, if healthy, pretty effective to boot. Whatever 2010 holds for him, he has been one of the few bright spots for the Mets this season.

¹Interestingly, the Mets didn't have a first-round pick the year Pagan was drafted, having signed Robin Ventura the previous offseason. With their compensation pick, the White Sox selected future Met Matt Ginter.