Some recruiting bits as we wait for the outcome of the coach search. Good to see that we haven't lost anyone yet and that the coaches are apparently hard on the trail trying to keep the class intact.

Generally an approval of DDJ (and his contract) and Moore's strategy to trade older players for prospects.

I haven't read it yet, but I did notice Tim Smith and Jose Bonilla getting mentioned.

Nothing out of the ordinary, but any Greinke interview is a good interview. From a couple days ago.

That KC has the highest attendance in the AL Central is something for four other teams to be embarrassed about.

maybe someone posted this already, and if so, pardon my oversight

The long and the short of it is Strasburg probably signs for $20M b/c no way he turns down the most money ever offered to a draftee and no way the Nats go two years in a row not signing the #1 pick in the draft (especially when one of them is the best pitcher to come along in a decade).

But at the same time, nobody around the league is very confident in predicting the outcome.

good insight from some Nats blogger/reporters, with mixed opinions on whether or not Strasburg will sign.

here's part 2:

http://www.federalbaseball.com/2009/8/10/983627/washington-nationals-stephen

Please don't ban me for continuing to post the Royals' progress towards overtaking the Naturals for last place.

Go Nats! Go Pirates!

Little blurb from Keri on some poor management/lineup construction by Hillman, posted a few days ago.

- - - - - - -

"There are a million facts and figures one could use to describe the Royals' ineptitude this season.

They have Sidney Ponson in their starting rotation
Since coming over in trade, their new starting shortstop has an OPS of -25
The "big bat" they acquired this off-season is hitting .214 with a .291 OBP

With all that said, they do have a few half-decent players, plus a few guys who are useful in the right spots. Yet the Royals' manager, a brilliant tactician who's cost his team at least five games solely based on his inability to run a bullpen, finds ways to muck that up too.

To wit: Who do the Royals go to in the #2 slot in their order today, vs. big righty Jeff Niemann?

Wilie Bloomquist, he of the .293 OBP vs. righties this year, and career line of.256/.308/.313 vs. right-handers.

Batting order, in the grand scheme of things, doesn't make that big a difference. In general, you want your best hitters batting as high in the order as possible, to garner the most at-bats.

It's just reassuring to know that the Royals aren't just messing up the big decisions when it comes to winning baseball games. They get the little things wrong too."

Also, a more recent article from the Nationals SBN blog saying that there is no news on the Strasburg front since the ESPN report saying that the Nationals were not on pace to sign Strasburg.

http://www.federalbaseball.com/2009/8/4/976635/nationals-news-6-4-in-the-last-10

Where were you when the bristles of the former nose broom hit the floor?

Interesting post from RA that looks at Hoch's pitch selection since the All-Star break as a cause behind his recent success.

With quotes from/about some royals such as Willie Wilson. And why did this traitor "Dan Fox" leave K.C. with his baseball stats and take them to Pittsburgh? (not that it's helped them, apparently)

H/T jonahkeri.com

The page is ESPN "insider", but the Moustakas blurb is before the jump. At least someone besides us thinks he can still emerge as a top prospect.

Surprisingly, no other Royals were mentioned.

.105 !!!! but will it last?

P.S. Zips preseason prediction of .227 BA for TPJ -- what were they smoking?

(please note that this post was penned by DRaysBay blogger RJ Anderson)

Howell's tRA: 2.73
but we counter with Farsworth's tRA: 2.87