July 3, 2008
Happy 4th a day early! Wow, I started writing this post this morning. What a day it’s been! Anyway, we’re going to to have a farm weekend. First, we’ll take in the minor league P-Nats game tomorrow evening and then stay for the fireworks for a truly festive 4th of July. I hear they even allow monopods in the seats. Woo! Expect some photos of our young prospects (ok guys, play well and preen for the camera, please).
Saturday night - first Baseball On The Barn of the season when the Nats take on the Reds in Cincinnati. I know you’ve been waiting patiently for it. Email me (misschatter at gmail) for info if you’d like to come! Kids and pets are welcome. Gametime is 7 and we’ll stick food out about the same time. Again, it will be Rocklands BBQ. Bring your own drinks (we may whip up some mojitos) and see the link for other stuff (bug spray is a really good idea too).
I’ve been remiss in mentioning this, but Partnership for Public Service is again offering discounted tickets for the July 12th game…
Catch a Nats Game and Celebrate Public Service with the Partnership for Public Service!
Discounted tickets available at www.ourpublicservice.org for the Saturday, July 12th game vs. the Houston Astros.
Limited discounted tickets available, so buy early!
Again, thanks to them for the offer!
Austin Kearns is back tonight! Kory Casto was the unlucky straw drawer and was sent back down.
Posted in MLB, Washington Nationals 
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July 2, 2008
So I won’t even try! Seeing as hardly anyone comments around here anymore, it’s hard to get feedback and a back-and-forth conversation going. It also makes me feel like I’ve gotten stale. Frankly, I’m getting bored talking to myself and the silently staring world-wide-internets. So jump on over to Nats of the Round Table where Harper of Oleanders and Morning Glories and Chris from Nationals Enquirer pulled me away from my mutterings and allowed for (ohmygosh) human interaction!
Yesterday’s game, aka the Collin Balester (but not “Bale-ster” as in hay) was kick-butt. A nice spark and I was really rooting for a no-hitter, even though I realized that was a bit much to ask of a rookie making his major league debut. Ha! Still, he pitched awesome for the first four innings and his family was great to watch. Added a little enthusiasm back into the game. Plus, they won! Ronnie Belliard’s grand salami was umm.. grand (ok, I’ve lost all creative juice). Seriously, I haven’t smiled that much during a game in a long time. Nice!
Posted in MLB, Natosphere, Washington Nationals No Comments »
July 1, 2008
But this time without incident, so Chad Cordero is headed to the DL without me. Very sad for The Chief! After another shoulder examination, a torn labrum was discovered and surgery will likely take place later this week in LA, meaning he’s done for the season and probably much of next season. Really sad is the fact that people tend to forget all about the players on the DL while they live in the day-to-day nowness of games. Remember who Nick Johnson is? Some guy named Austin Kearns is due to return soon.
Hours after learning the team’s closer was out for the season, the stand-in setup guy turned closer blew the game… twice. First Jon Rauch allowed a solo home run in the bottom of the 9th, letting the Marlins tie the game up. In the bottom of the 10th he allowed the winning solo home run. In a reversal of Sunday’s extra-inning game, I actually thought the Nats were going to win this one. Ah well.
Now I think I’ve figured out why Rauch blew the game. It was a ploy to make darn sure the Marlins aren’t interested in acquiring him! It’s all clear now (hmm… but should they be interested in Lo Duca?)
According to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, the Marlins are looking to acquire a righthanded reliever and a veteran catcher. Frisaro says indications are that the Fish are “not serious” about Paul Lo Duca.
[…] Possible righty relievers: guys like David Weathers, Chad Bradford, LaTroy Hawkins, and Mike MacDougal. I don’t see the Marlins chasing bigger fish like Huston Street and Jon Rauch. There are no reports indicating it, but I’d like to see the Fish go after Trevor Hoffman (an original Marlin).
DC Sports Bog has an approval ratings poll on GM Jim Bowden. Vote early and often. I’ve been surprised how approving the DC area fans are. This one will be interesting to watch for a deviation what has been a very positive return on results.
Now back to stuffing my face as a reward for exercising this morning. Mmmm beer (cheese fries)! (in my best Homer voice). As in, cheese fries where they apparently put some beer in the cheese. My husband thought I was actually drinking beer for lunch every day! Now there’s a thought…
Posted in Front Office, Injuries, MLB, Washington Nationals No Comments »
June 29, 2008
Without fancy computer generated graphics and suspension kits (I’m assuming you’ve all seen the “Ball Girl” Gatorade video by now).
[Photoset] Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t scale quite high enough to snag that home run from Luke Scott that tied the game 1-1 where it remained for a (calculating) lot of innings. Major congratulations to him for his first major league hit in his first at-bat of the game, batting lead-off no less!! Oh yeah, and his leadoff hit led to him scoring the first run that began the never-ending tie. What a day for him! Savor that ball forever. Was he #7 in the minor leagues? I found it interesting that he’s sporting the same number as Nook Logan at the same position. I hope it’s not an omen.
Ronnie Belliard rocks. Nationals win this Beltway(s) series and final game 3-2 in the bottom of the 12th inning on a two run home run by Ronnie Belliard with pinch hitter Dmitri Young on base after drawing a walk. Woo! But boy that game felt long! And hot. And it never did storm, so we could have boated after all! Shout out to our neighbor who picked us up and drove us using the season ticket parking, though. Definitely a life-saver!
P.S. There were three Wil*s in a row in the lineup today. Wily Mo Pena (6), Willie Harris (7), and Wil Nieves (8).
Posted in Gameday, MLB, Washington Nationals 1 Comment »
June 29, 2008
[Photoset] Mr. Chatter and I arrived late to last night’s game because we had to be on an international phone call at 7 PM. By the time we parked in Lot W, the Nats were down to the Orioles and Lastings Milledge had left the game with a groin injury after chasing a ball to the wall, was immediately placed on the 15 day disabled list, and Roger Bernadina called up. Wow, all that in the first three innings! That’s a huge bummer for Lastings, who is really growing on me. I hope 15 days is all it takes for him to recover, but I am looking forward to seeing another minor leaguer get a shot to inject some spark into the team. The sky was blue in all directions when we parked, so I didn’t bother putting the top up on the Jeep as we hurried to the stadium, catching a ride in one of those GEM carts.
After getting some food and a beer, we stood at the overlook near the new Scoreboard Walk Bar in time to see Teddy win the grudge match against the Orioles Bird. Go Teddy! Too bad it doesn’t really count.
We took our seats with the rest of the Baseball 101 participants where one was valiantly trying to hold a Willie Harris #1 banner over the railing. An usher told her not to and the section booed him. Seeing a cloud in the distance and worried about the Jeep, I whipped out my iPhone to check email and the radar (Weather Underground has an awesome iPhone application). The top email was from Falls Church Alerts:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
NORTHWESTERN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND…
HOWARD COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND…
EASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND…
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND…
ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
CITY OF FAIRFAX IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
* UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
* AT 845 PM EDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM ELLICOTT CITY TO LORTON…AND MOVING EAST AT 30
MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
ELLICOTT CITY…
THE NATIONAL MALL…
WASHINGTON DC…
Ruh roh!!! I switched over to the radar view and there was just one little red dot about to bloom right above us. Just as I told those seated around us, a cooler gale blew through our section. I packed my camera away and tucked my bag under my seat. Initially, we were semi protected from the rain, but the lightning was a little disconcerting, especially sitting near the foul pole, which I would imagine serves as a giant lightning rod! The top of the 6th inning ended and the grounds crew unrolled the tarp on the field. Just as they finished, the storm really picked up. The ribbon bars urged fans to seek shelter on the concourse — a warning I had only seen in tests prior to the stadium opening. Pretty wild to see it needed in a real situation!
We were in section 237 - the usually empty one to the right of the scoreboard (if you’re looking at it). We scampered up to the already packed 2nd level concourse and found a pretty good cubby hole under some stairs with a great view of the field and the open air concourse where Five Guys is where Orioles fans and Nats fans alike ran for cover.
Noooooo!!! My Jeep!!!
The storm passed relatively quickly and an unusually large percentage of the packed crowd stayed for the conclusion of the 9-1 loss to the Orioles.
The only fun part of the game itself was noting Pete Orr’s “Intergalactic” batting music and Paul Lo Duca’s use of “Stroke Me!” Totally cracked me up.
In other news, one of the Nats’ top pitching prospects, Collin Balester, will take Shawn Hill’s place in the rotation beginning Tuesday.
Ok, I’m off to top off the air in the inflatable boat and hope I can find a place to tie it up along the sea wall for today’s game! At least if it rains, I have nothing to worry about :-)
Posted in Gameday, Injuries, MLB, Washington Nationals No Comments »
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