Closing Arguments in Washington
The Nationals have played their last 2010 spring game in Viera, FL and are headed north. Â The jury is still out. Â They have won a few more spring games, but benching Cristian Guzman for Ian Desmond...
View ArticleGoldstein Sounds Alarm in Harper’s House of Charm
Kevin Goldstein took aim at Bryce Harper’s imposing rep this week in an article at Baseball Prospectus.com about his “makeup.” Â The amateur draft is counting down and Harper is more and more the only...
View ArticleCuban Relaxation
Cuba and Puerto Rico are never as close as when Pudge and Livan Hernandez are Nationals battery mates. Â Rockies’ manager Jim Tracy said watching the two seasoned pros, “It’s like they are playing...
View ArticleAnother Brick in the Wall
Is Strasburg’s looming debut next Tuesday more important for the future of the Nationals, or Roy Oswalt’s admission on Tuesday of this week, that he would accept a trade to Washington? The two are...
View ArticleWashington Is a Baseball Town (Again)
At the top of the seventh inning the crowd began the chant, “Let’s Go Stras-burg” to the same cadence that fans in DC have grown tired of listening to from Philly, Dodger, Red Sox and just about...
View ArticleChris Coste Is 37, Has Had Elbow Surgery and Been Released But Retirement...
This is not a retirement story as I have seen implied elsewhere, but then why would anyone think a little thing like elbow surgery would put an end to Chris Coste’s playing career. It will take...
View ArticleOpportunity Costs Will Dictate Modest Harper Bonus
Nationals fans, management and players are all seeing just what a great and phenomenal talent can do to transform a team. Â Strasburg left everyone breathless for more, but although some see Bryce...
View ArticleAre Innings Limits Here to Stay?
If Hamlet had been a modern general manager in Major League Baseball instead of the tragic heir to the Danish throne, the doomed Dane would have morosely uncovered the reports on his young talented...
View ArticleDunn can be a big difference maker
What would you say if I told you that your team has just acquired Adam Dunn? You would probably sigh and say something like, “we better prepare ourselves for a lot of strikeouts,” or “another classic...
View ArticleTaking the Challenge, Both Harper and the Nationals
Bryce Harper’s new teammates challenged the young man to fish or cut bait in the days before the August 16 signing deadline. Â Stephen Strasburg said, “If he doesn’t want to play here, we don’t want...
View ArticleStephen Strasburg: It Was Bound To Happen
Almost three months ago, Nationals Stadium was filled for the first time in it’s existence. Not because the Nationals were playing well, but because the most sought after prospect in baseball,...
View ArticleBottoming Out in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
They should bottle Showalter’s elixir and sell it outside Camden Yarks. Â The Baltimore Orioles are showing signs of life in response to their new manager’s tonic after flat-lining for more than half...
View ArticleDear Yankee Fans: Be Proud, Be Grateful
Just a day removed from the Yankees elimination, it isn’t hard to find a disappointed New Yorker. The beloved Yankees are done for the year, and their dreams of a second consecutive world...
View ArticleAny Fish’ll Bite If You Got Good Bait
The Nationals continue to make notable progress in building their minor league organization. Â Rated consistently in the bottom tier since the move from Montreal in 2005, the system is on the rise, but...
View ArticleTrying to Focus on the Positives
At his best Nyjer Morgan is a scrappy, prototypical lead off guy. Â Diminutive in size, he plays with grit and determination. He hurt himself sliding head-first into second base one too many times a...
View ArticleDC Opening Day Always a Historic Moment
Opening Day in Washington today was notable for the absence of two persons, the first being President Obama. Â Starting with President Taft more than a hundred years ago in 1910, they have been there....
View ArticleCenterfield in Washington Is Ankiel’s Now
When Rick Ankiel laid down the perfect squeeze bunt in the seventh inning yesterday all the thoughts of the Nationals nagging center field question disappeared like Brad Wilkerson going back into the...
View ArticleThe Catch of the Young Season
Several years ago I went up to Harrisburg to interview Justin Maxwell, the promising young outfielder of the Harrisburg Senators at the time. He was a warm and sincere young man and I spoke to John...
View ArticleIf I Ran Baseball-Interleague Edition
Recently a few managers have come out against interleague play, stating the uniqueness has worn off, and that interleague play is tired. I disagree. I think it’s great that some interleague...
View ArticleKnow When to Hold Them, When to Fold Them
Last year at this time the Washington Nationals were patting themselves on the back about reeling in Wilson Ramos for Matt Capps. It was a good trade because everyone was a winner. Fishing for Denard...
View Article2011 Voyage over for Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog
I managed to watch part of tonight’s game while I was packing for my flight to Italy in the morning and was not even fazed by the 7-0 trouncing at the hands of The Oakland A’s as I was focusing on my...
View ArticleFirst Division Finish
No, the Nationals are not headed for the playoffs, and yes, the smug fans up the coast will shake their heads in bemusement at the joy we share at finishing in the top half of the 30 Major League...
View ArticleThe Lighting of the Hot Stove
Perhaps the Hot Stove season does not commence until after the World Series. Or maybe it adds fuel to the fire. Either way there are instructive failures from last year to consider. There were Carl...
View ArticleWhen Is The Fan Going To Think About These Things?
“They are governed by private associations or corporations by a minimum number of promoters or sports clubs or both classes, to promote, sponsor and organize a sport and will boost programs of public...
View ArticleGet Used to It Mr. Strasburg
On the same afternoon when I watched Mike Pelfrey pitch eight innings of one-run ball only to see the bullpen (aided by a muffed fly ball) blow a 4-1 lead and cost him the victory, I saw that the same...
View ArticleHarper Means Hustle and the Giant Combo Size
Bryce Harper is only a few days into his major league career. It is like a movie and the credits are still playing over the first few frames as we are introduced to the action. And maybe it is too...
View ArticleWhy Davey Johnson Is So Unhappy
One thing about Bryce Harper’s steal of home a few days ago, it brought a smile to the face of his manager Davey Johnson. Johnson has otherwise found too little to smile about during the first month of...
View ArticleAnother Kind of Parkway Series Imagined
Watching the Orioles-Nationals series play out over such a gorgeous weekend, with so much fine young talent on both sides of the diamond, it was hard not to project into it something more than just...
View ArticleBuild It and We Will Come
For years now the fans of D.C. have been whispering, “Build it and we will come,” in response to questions about attendance. In 2005, when the Nationals were the newest thing on the block, they drew...
View ArticleThe Bull-Moose Juju
As the first month of the baseball season drew to a close in 2012, the Gio Gonzalez trade looked like an inspiration. Stephen Strasburg was back and the Nationals had the best pitching in the National...
View ArticleWhich Way Does Davey Johnson’s Second Act Go?
Davey Johnson was Manager of the Year in 2012 because he brought out the best in a team few picked to win much of anything. Patience and quiet confidence in his players worked those wonders. But this...
View ArticleKeeping Navy Yard Neighbors in Our Thoughts and Prayers
Events like those that transpired in DC yesterday, just down M Street, SE from Nationals Park, seem to plague our country with disturbing frequency. It is unfortunate that they happen at all, or that...
View ArticleStrasburg Redux
Washington has many fine sportswriters. Atop the list are Tom Boswell, Tim Kurkjian, and until recently John Feinstein. Last season Feinstein was one of the louder voices calling for the Nationals to...
View ArticleJack Spradlin: Lefty Pitcher Recalls His Professional Baseball Journey
Jack Spradlin was a left-handed pitcher who played at just about every possible level of professional baseball except for the big leagues. By no means was that a failure, as he had a long and...
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