Back at this blog...

 Got this a few weeks ago, so thought it was time to jump back into this blog (that I created years ago, before the Nats won it all...lol).

Just so you all know...

Are we ready, Nats fans?

Only a month (or so) until the season starts. Can't wait. Meanwhile...??

Sigh of relief...

Nationals sign Erick Fedde; Andrew Suarez returning to Miami [Updated] http://wapo.st/1r9LjIv

Showtime

Don't you love watching "checkout time @ the LaRoche Motel"? LMAO
Fastballs check in; Adam checks 'em OUTTA HERE!! 2-0 Nats, top of 2nd.
Strasmas on the mound. I got me a good feeling tonight.

Go figure...lol

Okay, who had Gio Gonzalez & an inside-the-park homer in their betting pool? LMAO
Man, I am enjoying this game. Can we play the Mets the next 160 games? (Note to Mike: OUCH!!! lol)
Anyway, back to the game...

This HAS been awhile, hasn't it?

Wow. 9 months since I last wrote a blog here? Amazing...lol
Anyway, nice to see the Nats pull one out today against the Mets.
And only 161 more games to go...
So, I'm trying something new--from here on out, these entries get posted on Facebook as well as Twitter and/or Google+. Which means I can't use bad words (like I used to...lol) any more.
So if you read this on FB, make the attempt to follow me on Twitter. Really.
I'll do this whenever I get a chance. For some reason I can't put up pictures here (like I once did), but otherwise I'll try to give you my take on the Nats...lol
Bye for now...

Mediocrity

Today I watched the Nats do absolutely nothing...both on the field & as concerns the trade deadline.
I am NOT pleased.
Well, it was a "Christmas in July" promotion in Detroit...and true to form Gio Gonzalez got lit up like a Xmas tree. 10 earned runs in 3.1 IP?
Un-fricking-believable.
"World Series or Bust", is how Davey Johnson defined things back in March. Today before the game he stated, "I guess you can call it a bust now".
Anybody want to take bets his retirement party gets moved up...to before September 1st? Sure sounded (to me, anyway) like he was expecting that scenario...
Waste of a season, to be completely honest.

Can this season be salvaged?

It's only the end of June, but any shot the Nats have of making and/or winning a World Series...has to begin tonight.
And maybe, Anthony Rendon is the key. More in the coming days on all this.
I guarantee it. LMAO

Defending the crown...

It begins in earnest around 1:00 tomorrow (Monday) afternoon.
The Nats' quest for a World Series title, I mean. After all, Davey Johnson said it in no uncertain terms...#WorldSeriesOrBust.
So, I'm saying it too.
Let the fun begin.

Can't wait...

And we wait for the Nats for begin their World Series Natitude run...oh, and also defending their NL East Championship.
This'll be fun...lol
More extensive blog entry, the closer we get to Opening Day. Till then...World Series Natitude!!

Small compensation for not making a World Series, but...

Now that we're almost two weeks removed from the Giants winning the World Series (which, by all rights, should be the Nats' trophy...but that's another story)...the major awards are being handed out this week.
And so far, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) has gotten it right. Bryce Harper won NL Rookie of the Year, and Davey Johnson took NL Manager of the Year. Mike Trout and Bob Melvin took the AL honors, respectively. (Buck Martinez should've won MOY, in my view.)
So tonight (Wednesday), it's Gio Gonzalez's turn to take the NL Cy Young award. If he doesn't, a Congressional investigation is needed. Seriously. (Yeah, like R.A. Dickey really has a shot...LMAO)
At any rate, that's all I need to talk about right now. Maybe later, I'll get around to what the Nats need to address in the offseason.

Next year? We win it ALL

The last shared WordPress blog, all about Friday night's disaster.
The last one
Next time I write here, on Blogger, will be as events warrant. I'm taking a sabbatical from baseball for awhile...lol

I can breathe now...

Your 2012 NL East champion Nats.
It's all I need to say for now.
At LAST, it's over!!
(And thanks, Mike, for the congrats tweet. I'll be on Twitter in a moment to answer it...lol)

As I promised...

The start of the connection between this blog and my WP sports blog.This'll be fun...lol
Enjoy, all one of you who read this Blogger site...LMAO
Oh, and everyone else who finds this place from Google Plus, too...LMAO

Announcements...

Yes, it's been awhile since I've written on here. I've been waiting for the Nats to clinch the NL East. But, since it might be Thursday (at the earliest) before that happens, I have to find something else to write about.
So, here it is.
Beginning next week, and for as long as the Nats progress in the postseason, I'll write on my WordPress sports blog...find it here...and share it here on this blog. This way, those who read the WP blog can catch up on this blog (and vice versa).
Anyway, that's it for now.

So now you KNOW...

Only two more to go.

Two more starts for Stephen Strasburg, and then he gets shut down for the 2012 season. This coming Friday at home against the Marlins, and then a week from Wednesday (9/12)...against, dare I say??...the Mets.
(Oh, get your tickets early for both games, won't you? LMAO)
Look, we've known since the start of the season this was happening. No one had an inkling the Nats would have the season they're having...not even me.
So you'll understand why I'm not sweating this. I have all the confidence in John Lannan to pick up where Strasburg leaves off.
(And if that's not confidence, you tell me what is...lol)
Now if we can have the Braves start losing, so that they're out of the wild card picture...that'll make me so happy.

Cheers, Chipper!!

After watching Stephen Strasburg do his shit tonight...all 10 K's of it...we know the Nats have this series with Atlanta won. Only the game tomorrow is left.
Which means it's Chipper Jones' last appearance in Washington. So this is as good a time as any to salute Chipper, before the season (and his career) ends.
You have to understand, 20 years ago he was what Ryan Zimmerman is now...THE man at 3B. (Although my friend Mike just might disagree and put David Wright's name in place of Zim. Why quibble? LMAO)
Which reminds me...how come Fredi Gonzalez didn't have Chipper pinch-hit w/2 out in the 9th? You could've just as easily had him bat instead of Juan Francisco. Wonder if they talked about that during the Braves postgame show?
Anyway, the Nats are now 7 games up on Atlanta for the division lead. First Place Nats...that does have a nice sound to it, don't it?

This is NOT a collapse, I tell you...

Okay, so the Nats salvaged something out of this series with the Phillies. It's not the end of the world, you know.
But what pisses me off, is the absolute arrogance and piety of these so-called Philadelphia sports "fans" on Twitter. So I said last night, "You're in LAST place. STFU." Whereupon...
They come after me with a vengeance. And no originality, either...you know, typical "hey yo, living at home, etc." Trolls.
(Thankfully it didn't show up in my timeline...but it did in a few of my followers' lines. Que sera, sera...)
At any rate, to the game itself last night. Anyone doubt Jayson Werth didn't want payback, after how Phillies fans laughed at his hurting his wrist back in May?
He contributed, as did Adam LaRoche by smacking a homer. And who the fuck was Michael Martinez trying to impress, thinking he could run on Bryce Harper? Bro threw you out, clown!!
Ah, it's great to be in 1st. Yet the front office sticks to the plan to shut  down Stephen Strasburg after 160 IP. I got mixed feelings on this, but...I look at it as being on the safe side.
Still, there's this twinbill today w/the Marlins. Yes kids, a real honest-to-God twi-night doubleheader. Game 1 at 4, Game 2 around 7.
Fire sale Phillies and Marlins. And now Cliff Lee is on waivers. Mike Rizzo, are you listening? Make sure he doesn't go to Atlanta or the Mets...all right? ROFL
OK, done here. God, why aren't people following this blog? Come September this may be the only place to find out about the Nats...lol

Halfway home after tonight

Game #81 starts in a moment...and the Nats sit at 48-32.
Let me say that again. The Nats are 48-32, and atop the NL East. Sinking in yet, America?
This is fun. And oh yes, Strasmas goes against Drew Pomeranz...meaning we get to see two guys from the '09 NCAA tournament go head-to-head as pros (since they didn't in college*).
*Strasburg at San Diego State, Pomeranz at Ole Miss
At any rate, the so-called "experts" can shut up now. This Nats team is for real.
Now if they just get a top notch pitcher by the trade deadline to step in when Strasburg gets shut down in September...

News items?

Now that the Nats and Orioles have wrapped up their annual exercise...with the O's pulling it out yesterday on Brian Roberts' 2-run homer...I guess I can talk about some other things in the baseball world.
If they had told me when the season started Kevin Youkilis would become expendable in late June, I would've told you that you were a candidate for Bellevue. But that's what happened yesterday, as Youk goes to the White Sox for Brent Lillibridge.
I had this feeling when I started reading about Will Middlebrooks, that Youk's days were numbered in Boston. So I can say I got to see him play in person when I was there 2 weeks ago. Anyway...
So happy to see Derek Norris make it to Oakland...and just as overjoyed when he hit a 3-run walkoff jack yesterday to win it for the A's. (To refresh your memory, he went over--along w/Tom Milone, AJ Cole and Brad Peacock--in the Gio Gonzalez deal in the winter.)
They have a new hero in Oakland now, and his name is Derek Norris.
Lastly, Livan Hernandez is in Milwaukee now. Can't fault Livo for wanting to extend his career, but I still wish he were here w/the Nats (even if it meant coming out of the bullpen like he said he wanted to do). Oh well, we can't have everything go our way...lol
At any rate, we're still in first. Now on to Colorado for three...