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Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER The Nats look to take two in a row from the Orioles this afternoon. |
1. Nyjer Morgan is in Jim Riggleman's starting lineup, leading off and playing center field. Looks like they're ready to move on from yesterday's events.
2. Justin Maxwell has been recalled from Class AAA Syracuse, filling the roster spot made available when Scott Olsen went on the DL. Maxwell's time here figures to be brief, because the Nats will need a starting pitcher Saturday in San Diego. Until then, they'll go with an extra player off the bench.
3. Presumptive No. 1 draft pick Bryce Harper had a performance for the ages yesterday. The 17-year-old went 6-for-6 with four home runs, a triple, a double and 10 RBI in leading the College of Southern Nevada to a 25-11 victory over Central Arizona, ensuring a spot in next weekend's Junior College World Series. This all came one day after Harper hit for the cycle in another victory Friday night. Now, I'm no baseball expert, but the only player in the history of the game I can think of who ever did anything like that was Roy Hobbs.
4. I'm taking today off, enjoying a couple of days at home before heading out on the west coast trip Tuesday. So no updates throughout the game. But please continue to discuss with each other...
ORIOLES at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m.
TV: MASN-HD, MASN2-HD
Radio: WFED-1500 AM, WWFD-820 AM, WTEM-980 AM
Weather: Scattered storms, 70 degrees, Wind 9 mph in from CF
STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (22-22)
CF Nyjer Morgan
2B Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam Dunn
LF Josh Willingham
RF Roger Bernadina
SS Ian Desmond
C Wil Nieves
P John Lannan
ORIOLES (14-30)
LF Corey Patterson
RF Nick Markakis
3B Miguel Tejada
2B Ty Wigginton
1B Luke Scott
CF Adam Jones
C Matt Wieters
SS Julio Lugo
P Kevin Millwood
47 comments:
Keep your head up, Nyjer. I'm wearing your shirt to the game today (hopefully they'll play).
Second that (though I don't have a Morgan t-shirt). Oh, and perfect game today, seeing as how Mark is taking off? ;-)
Ah, say it ain't so Mark. Leaving us leaderless, againnnnn! Anyway, have a well-deserved day off, MarkMeister.
But you gotta remember, Mark, that Roy Hobbs wasn't a top draft choice, like Harper. In fact, Hobbs' major claim to fame was that he looked a lot like Robert Redford. Goooooooooo Naaaaaaaaats!!!!
According to a Rizzo comment of a few months ago, "...Harper hasn't separated himself from the pack like Strasburg...". What pack he be talking 'bout---the future Hall of Famers' pack??
Doc- as you said the comment was from a couple months ago, when Harper was struggling a bit. Pretty sure Rizzo would agree he's seperated himself now.
Also, take a look at the article. 6-6 with 4 hrs would be awesome even if they were playing on the moon, but it should be noted that the wind was blowing out at 45mph. Harper wasn't the only one taking advantage- final score was 25-11.
Was that picture from another day since there was no bp?
Anon: Yes, that photo is from a previous day. I don't take a new one of Nationals Park every day, maybe one or two per homestand.
But still . . . he led the league with 23 homers, the next closest guy had only 11. At age 16 he hit a ball 502 feet in a HS Home Run derby, the longest ball ever hit in Tampa Bay Tropicana Park.
He's no guarantee for Hall of Fame of course, or even of success at MLB. But he is clearly the best hitting prospect coming into the draft in a long time.
Our sufferings of two consecutive worst-record in baseball is showing a decent upside! It's quite amazing that the best pitching prospect in easily a generation, and the best hitting prospect in perhaps a decade, happen to come up during the two years the Nats had the worst record.
I would have though they would bring up an extra catcher for a few days. Mark, I know you are off but it would be great to get some kind of read on Flores. It has been a long time....what is his daily routine like now that we are nearing June. Can he play throw or not, can he hit or not. It has been enough time to get a honest view of this status I would think.
Harper for the season:
94-211 (.446). 29 HR 87 RBI, .981 slugging in 64 games.
I've seen him live. There is NO other pick besides Harper. CSN plays in a very good league (wooden bats!) and he is insanely better than anybody else. His stats are - dare I say it - Ruthian. He broke the team record for HRs. Not the individual record, THE TEAM RECORD.
A follow-up on Harper. CSN is a gooooooooooood team, playing in a good league. Harper leads the team in:
Batting average
Slugging percentage
On base percentage
OPS
Runs
Hits
RBI
Homers
Doubles
Steals
Second in walks.
The only other catcher on the 40-man is Chris Coste, and he's injured too. At this point we have to hope Nieves stays healthy and we don't have another Matt LeCroy moment.
I'm over yesterday. I hope NM goes 5-5.
just before the Nats take the field to start the game, a long instrument is played. Does anyone know what it is. Someone on Nats320 said it was Thunderstruck but that is not it.
English horn? Didgereedoo?
Nicole,
It's actually sort of amazing he's only second in walks. Why on earth would you be pitching to him??
If you're talking about song they play after the "It all starts....RIGHT NOW" when they wave the flags and the Nats take the field, that is indeed Thunderstruck by AC/DC.
Chris Coste hurt his elbow at the end of March and was put on 15 Day DL......What is he doing now it is near June. My Guess he is sitting in Vera as a Bull Pen Catcher for Wong and Ross D....Why keep him on the 40 man if that is all he is doing?
Anyone still here?
Did anyone see Lugo kick dirt on Willingham as he went by him on the base paths after the walk off? I think he deserves an ear buzz the next time we pitch to him.
I turned to the MLB Network right after Willingham's walkoff and the crawl across the bottom of the screen read, "Nats express interest in Oswalt." I'm just sayin'
Lugo deserves one in the earhole just on principle.
@scorekeeper, yeah i saw that too... waited for a replay but they only showed Hammer after he had rounded 3rd...
@unwashed--that's based on Ladson tweet that the Nats explicitly don't confirm beyond saying they're interested in lots of people, but they have a plan and they're sticking to it. See Kilgore's post on the subject for the quote.
Lugo insulted the Nats tonight. Not good for a hitter on the worse team in baseball.
Good thing the Nats are a classy club
Lugo is an A-hole.
DC Wonk @ 12:44: I agree that it is pretty remarkable that the two years that the Nats finish last, they are in position to draft such extraordinary prospects. As many have said, extraordinary prospects do not always turn into extraordinary pros, but both of these guys are more than just the best prospect in their particular draft. They each have some very compelling stories. And making it even better, neither draft was considered very strong, making the importance of being #1 (v. Anywhere else in the top 10) a huge advantage.
One bar of chin music wouldn't be enough for Lugo Pogo. I'd say we need a whole symphony of rock n' roll, including a riff in the @#&s, a couple of high notes behind the head, and a major drum roll at second base! NOBODY disses the Hammer!!!!
Oh, geez. Here I was basking in the glow of witnessing the wins in person yesterday and today, and you had to go and bring up that moment. :-)
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At this point we have to hope Nieves stays healthy and we don't have another Matt LeCroy moment.
scorekeeper and janner, I missed that (maybe because I was jumping up and down and cheering and all), but kinda bush league if so. Yeah, maybe there could be some payback for him when we play the O's in June. Assuming Lugo's still with the team, that is... :-)
1a, you need to go to more games. I'm just sayin...
Good win though for the Nats. Congrats to Matt Capps for headlining the bullpen this season. He's been great and deserves some kudos on his 16 straight saves to begin the year heading into today's game. 16/17 ain't bad at all
Well, if we leave out the exhibition game vs. the Sox, I *am* undefeated this year. ;-)
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1a, you need to go to more games. I'm just sayin...
Also saw the lugo kick of dirt. What the heck was that?
Wow, I just watched the replay on the Nationals' official site. It's VERY obvious Mr. Coughedupa Lugo kicked the dirt on Josh on purpose.
It's also nice to hear the commentary of the MASN crew, Rob and Jim, being objective, being bland and inoffensive, representing the only co-broadcast of a rivals game in the history of American sports. More than sickening, this collusive sports broadcasting is un-American.
Seeing as how it's an off day, methinks that people need to get on over to Goessling's blog on the MASN site and vote for their fave moment from the Beltway series. Currently running away with the poll? The inside-the-parker. That's just wrong. :-)
Mark
Any truth to the rumor that we offered Matt Chico, Colin Balester, Sharoin Martis, J.D. Martin and Brian Peacock (A) to Houston for Roy Oswalt.
@Anon at 9:05: No, but we did offer all those guys to the New York Knights for Roy Hobbs :-)
@natsfan1a, I tried to find a poll at the Goessling Game site, but I couldn't. Could you post the URL?
Re Harper, is anyone worried about the league Harper's playing in? A juco league? and giving $15M for a 17-year-old from a 3rd rate league who's employed the agent from hell, makes arrogant comments, and is a potential head case?
Lugo's move was completely disrespectful and without class but deserves no on-field response.
However, I would not object to an order of ribs.
@Anon 9:26 AM: No.
Not a third-rate league. Best hitting prospect in recent memory.
Cf. discussion above. He plays with a wooden bat in a well-respected league. I don't see how Rizz can avoid drafting him.
The "agent from hell" that you refer to has an excellent working relationship with Mike Rizzo and your comments on a 3rd rate league are way off base.
The juco league he plays in is every bit as good as any of the mid major forums that 4 year schools play. He's playing with a wood bat and he's playing with guys who, on average, are 3 to 4 years older.
His arrogant comments came after being hounded unmercifully for for the first game of a double header in which he did not hit a home run. He blasted 2 in the nite cap and got thrown out of the game after gunning down a guy from right field and and making a bow and blowing a kiss to the opposition. Those were his "arrogant comments".
I'll take him in a heart beat.
Dave, if you follow the link below, it should appear in the top right area of the page under "Nats XTRA Question of the Day":
http://www.masnsports.com/the_goessling_game/
Mrs. Z --- priceless comment!
"[T]here goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was in this game."
@natsfan1a, thanks for the link. I voted. Of course, the fact that there's only one Orioles-related choice will cause the votes for Nats moments to split, which is what seems to be happening.
You're welcome, Dave. Good point about the one O's choice splitting the vote (which hadn't occurred to me). BTW, the poll is still active at the Goessling blog, but it may take a few seconds to load. I think it stays active until the next live game broadcast.
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