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.

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.

To "Begin the Beguine" for another year

So now spring training is done for 2012. Good.
Come Thursday, the Nats launch an assault on the wildcard in the NL...which means it's time to give my prediction on how (and where) the Nats will finish.
Last year I said it would be 77-85...and it wound up 80-81. So I'll just reverse those numbers, and say 85-77 (and contend for the wildcard).
Oh, and 2nd or 3rd in the NL East, too. Meaning, ahead of the Mets and Marlins...again!! (Just like last year...lol)
This year I can honestly say the Nats are a playoff-caliber team...provided everything falls in place. And by that I mean Stephen Strasburg fully recovers from Tommy John surgery (just as Jordan Zimmermann did last year).
Now add Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson to this rotation, and there's no telling what'll go down. Plus, I can say I have no reservations about Henry Rodriguez sharing the closer duties w/ Brad Lidge (until Drew Storen comes off the DL) at the start of the season.
All this, and Bryce Harper, too...
What, you didn't think I was leaving him out of this piece? Personally, I'm holding out for seeing him up w/ the big club by the time my brother and me go to Boston on June 8 to watch the Nats take on the Red Sox.
(His "bucket list" deal...before he retires from the government...and truthfully my only chance to see Fenway Park. I may never get this chance again.)
So that's it. Have at me, people...lol

For God's sake...DO SOMETHING!! Please?

     The annual MLB winter meetings are happening this week in Dallas. And so far, I've heard absolutely NOTHING out of the Nationals' camp.

     All right, what's the fucking problem? ARE we going after Prince Fielder, or not? (And exactly how much is it gonna cost us?) Look, if the Marlins can throw around money for Jose Reyes and Heath Bell--not to mention offering Albert Pujols a 10-year deal--certainly the Lerners and Mike Rizzo can find a couple hundred million for Prince. RIGHT??

     I mean, now that we know Chris Marrero is out for spring training (and Adam LaRoche ain't the long-term answer @1B, and Michael Morse belongs in LF full-time...IMO), we need somebody to man the position. Am I right? So something has to be done. Right??

     Well, that and finding a CF. Or does Roger Bernadina figure in the Nats' future plans? We already know Laynce Nix is in Philly, so that option is off the table.

     So having ranted on the inaction in Dallas, let me move on to other matters. Namely, how Danny Espinosa got shafted for NL Rookie of the Year.

     You can NOT convince me Craig Kimbrel (or Freddie Freeman) of the Braves beats out Danny. Who are you trying to bullshit here? There's a bias here against either the Nats as a team, or D.C. as a baseball city. Either one or the other. What DO we have to do to get respect for the Nats?

     So there you have it. I've written yet another blog post here.

     Yee-ha.

     Gary