In Thomas Boswell's most recent online chat, he said: "I think, in stock market terms, this is "the bottom," or close to it. This winter, some semi-fans may not renew their tickets at Nats Park. Then, perhaps, more of the best seats in the house__and within various sections__ will be returned to their rightful owners."

I'm one of those "semi-fans" who is unlikely to renew.

Just a quick "thank you" to the popcorn / pretzel guy working behind Section 238 last week (he declined to give his name, saying he was "just doing his job"). Your good service is appreciated.

As many of you know, Nationals Park has a great big scoreboard out in center field. If you've ever heard team president Stan Kasten or owner Mark Lerner talk, you'll eventually hear something about how amazing the scoreboard is.

Unfortunately, our "great and amazing" scoreboard is putting up some of the most pathetic stats you'll ever see.

Just look up at the scoreboard when a National comes up to the plate. Ignore the low batting average and non-existent power numbers, but look in the top center of the scoreboard.

I went to my first Potomac Nationals game on the 4th of July. It was exactly like the big Nationals only cheaper and the team played better. I was completely charmed.

Highlights:

Elite, Field Box Seats: $13
An attendant toweling off our seats, another taking food orders from our seats: priceless.

The manager, Randy Knorr, is also the 3rd base coach. My friend Amelia said he's also the mayor and runs the Post Office.

Wasn't it just spring? Didn't we just have a bright, new season ahead of us? Weren't the concessionaires nice?

I try to be positive, despite the climbing temperatures, the growing belly and the team's win-loss record, but I can't help but wonder where our happy-to-serve-you concessionaires went. You know ... the ones who spent weeks learning how to love their job and believing the customer is always right? And while there is no one more sympathetic than a pregnant woman on a very hot day, I don't understand why the people working the concession stands have gone from happy to belligerent in a matter of months. Is it really so hard to be nice to a person who politely asks for a hot dog and soda? Yeah, it's hot working the grill. Yeah, the Nats are terribly inconsistent. Yeah, the pay probably does stink. But why do you have to be so mean?

This weekend, I finally caught a game with my season ticket partners. Sharing a plan had the paradoxical effect of keeping us from seeing as many games together, and a lot of our experiences were shared by e-mail or phone rather than at the park. To my surprise, we all independently came to the same conclusion:

"I wonder how much we'd love the stadium and the experience if the team didn't . . . stink."

The heart of DC's summer is descending upon us and you might be tempted to wear shorts to the ballgame thinking you'll be more comfortable. A brief word of advice: don't.

Don't even think about wearing shorts unless they reach near your knees. Let's just say 3 hours of bare skin on hot, sticky plastic can lead to discomfort.

Here at Grounds Crew, we suffer so you don't have to. Consider yourself warned.

So after a hiatus due to switching employers, I was unable to attend a Nationals game for a while. Okay, almost a full two months. Inexcusable, I know. Yet I remain unapologetic. I like being me.

My first experience at Nationals Park was in the 400 section and the view was very good for the amount I paid, so being the natural vagabond that I am, I decided for the other extreme. On Monday, June 23, I sat in Section 128 row DD seat 10. My gratitude to Tom L., a season ticket holder and a coworker, hopefully you will continue to find it in your heart to throw some more tickets my way.

The view, I must say, was terrific. Sitting about 20 rows back from the Nationals dugout was just right. Not too close, just the right elevation from the playing field and a good view of the scoreboard. Every swing, foul ball, pop fly took on a completely different vantage point that I had not experienced before. I almost even got my hands on a couple of foul balls, which was a first for me as well.

(A side note: Not to sound like a little sissy, but sitting that close, I must say that Elijah Dukes is a scary dude. If he barked at me about giving him my lunch money back in the fifth grade, I think I would have wet myself. But it's good to see him healthy and back in the lineup. Go Dukes!!!)

A few weeks ago, I watched as a hearing impaired family struggled to communicate their food order to a concessionaire not prepared to deal with the challenge of taking an order from a family that could not simply say what they wanted to eat.

The couple and their two children were able to make a drink request when they could lift up the bottle of water sitting on the glass shelf. However, the family struggled to communicate an order that consisted of more than one type of food (hot dogs, half smokes with and without chili, pretzels, and fries) simply because they could not easily point to what they wanted. The family could not communicate their order in a simple, straightforward manner.

This water bottle fascism is getting ridiculous. My friend Amy was stopped at the gate by security on Saturday. Her crime: One or two "teeth" had come disengaged from the seal on her just-purchased water bottle and it was deemed "open."

Nationals Park policy states, "Metal, plastic or glass containers of any kind (except factory-sealed, plastic water bottles, no larger than 1 liter and juice boxes) are prohibited at Nationals Park.Only one bottle of water per person will be permitted."

I was surprised to see that the city seems to have suspended the broad post-game police presence and traffic detail around Nats Park. Friday night saw beautiful weather and a respectable crowd over 30,000. At the end of the regulation nine innings, baseball fans strolling back to the Nats Express bus had to rely on the talking electronic crossing system ["wait . . . . wait . . . .wait]. The previously-overstaffed traffic control guards from DC's finest were nowhere to be seen on M Street -- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Streets SE were all without the familiar glow-in-the-dark traffic vests.

All in all, it seemed a good decision; cross-town traffic on M is reliably light after games, at least this year, and the crowds are surprisingly well-behaved. Downright obedient; we all stood there listening and waiting to cross ["wait . . . wait . . . wait"] without an oncoming car in sight.

Don't forget to press the "cross" button! You'll be there all night.

Oh, by the way - Nats Express remains one of the best bargains in town [free game night parking, with a five-minute shuttle?!?]; enjoy it while it lasts. There's no way they'll bring it back next year