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...

A little late, but...

In case some of you may not have read the piece I wrote earlier this week about my trip to Boston--you can find it here, btw--I'll hit the high moments for you.
For starters, the trip up (via Amtrak) was nice for the scenery...though seeing all the boats around CT and MA almost made me want to break out into the "Gilligan's Island" theme. Still, it made the time whizz by...7+ hours worth from DC to Boston.
After taking time out at our hotel room to rest--and by "we", I mean my brother Larry and me--it was time for the game.
(And yes, the seats were uncomfortable...but that didn't matter. Being at Fenway Park made up for it.)
As always, Stephen Strasburg put on a show. But Bryce Harper upstaged everyone by hitting one out to deep center to insure the Nats would win the game. 7-3 was the final.
Next day, back on the train bound for DC. 8 hours later, and after a subway ride to bro's SUV, we made it back to Luray before 8 p.m. Saturday night.
Scratch this off his (and my) "bucket list"...lol
Now, the pictures that accompany this piece:
1) I'm on the right, and Larry in the center, in a pic from July of 2010 @ Nats Park.
2) The skyline of NYC, as we were coming up.
3) Selected pics of Fenway Park...including the Green Monster.
4) Strasburg on the mound. (This was as close as my cell phone camera could get.)
Up until this weekend w/the Yankees, the Nats were 6-0 on their road trip by sweeping the Red Sox and Blue Jays. These last 2 games, however, have been losing efforts. Not the way to show the baseball world you're serious about being a contender...though we're still your first place Nats.
Just so you know...lol

Two weeks (and counting)...

Come June 8th, and I'm pretty sure I'be talked about it, I'll be at Fenway Park to see the Nats take on the Red Sox.
(This is on my brother's "bucket list", BTW.)
What'll happen with this blog, is I hope to write about the experience as the trip develops...40 hours altogether, from leaving here in Luray (around 4 a.m. Friday morning) to coming back close to 7 or 8 p.m. Saturday night.
God, I hope WiFi works along the Amtrak corridor...lol
(Oh, I'm on the right in both pictures.)

And the "Battle Of The Beltways" is underway...

What with the Nats and O's playing above expectations, it looks like this year's installment just might be fun to watch.
O's take it tonight in 11 innings, 2-1. Edwin Jackson gets a no-decision after 8 IP...because Ian Desmond tied it up in the 6th with a jack in the LF seats.
So there's the next 2 games for the Nats to take the series. Natitude lives
here...and everywhere. (Hey, I have to find some way to work this blog's name in...lol)

Mike Rizzo, "junkyard dog"

And now, a few words about the "Take Back Our Park" campaign this past weekend.
SUCCESS!
Okay, so Sunday night was a letdown...even if you do include Jayson Werth's injury. But you have to admit Bryce Harper has become a breath of fresh air for the Nats (and MLB, I might add).
Stealing home will do that for you. Still think it's "old school", Cole Hamels? You fucking pussy. ADMITTING you hit Bryce on purpose? It shouldn't be 5 games, but 5 starts you should be suspended for this.
And Mike Rizzo is right in calling it a "chickenshit move". (Oh, the title? Credit Tracee Hamilton of the Washington Post in today's cover story for Rizzo's secretary referring to him as a "junkyard dog".) I love this man.
Incidentally, for you lowlife Phillies fans taunting J-Dub after his injury...all you've done is prove why you have the (richly deserved, I may add) reputation of being the absolute scum of the sports fan world.
Enjoy last place, suckers...oh, and,also enjoy your 2012 NL East champion Washington Nationals!!
Natitude RULES...

So, wadda ya think?

Curt Schilling said it himself on ESPN earlier tonight..."The kid can play".
Need I say any more?
Two days of Bryce Harper, and two days of memorable moments. Starting with when he showed up in Dodger Stadium on Saturday...after getting notified of his callup from Syracuse. Bryce in LF, and batting 7th...with Strasburg on the mound.
And for 7 innings, it was memorable. Strasmas striking out Dodgers at will, and Bryce getting his 1st MLB hit...and later his 1st RBI on a sac fly.
(Oh, and about the idiot behind home plate who mooned when Bryce got his hit...dude, you're not in Boston. Have better class, douchebag.)
Unfortunately, on Saturday night, we saw the Henry Rodriguez of 2011 rear his ugly head. It was not pretty...or "Pretty Fricking Bueno", as it were.
No, sad to say, he couldn't find the plate...and got pulled in the 8th. Leave it to Tom Gorzelanny to give up the walkout HR to Matt Kemp in the 10th for the 4-3 loss.
Today (Sunday)? More of the same...though the one bright spot was seeing Tyler Moore make his debut (and get his 1st MLB hit). 2-0 Dodgers win.
But, as I hashtagged on Twitter today, "The Future Is Now And Loving Every Minute of It". Enough said.