1. VERY concerned with Shawn Hill, elbow, and second opinion in same sentence. My heart sank when I read that.

2. Not too concerned with Ryan Wagner's date with Dr. Andrews. We've been doing okay without him.

3. Ayala's return: keep Levale, maybe send Billy back down? I have a decent feeling about Levale, and think holding on to him might be worth it.

4. Thanks, yet again, for posting on your day off.

I was surprised at the stats split from April to May. Did the improvement start in April? The numbers (except W-L) were not significantly better. Did we play worse teams? What happened?

Springer has never impressed me, so I'd be inclined to risk losing him. I enjoy watching Traber pitch. Really concerned about Hill because I think he's more dependable than Patterson over the long haul.

Barry,

I would agree with your willingness to buy into the "tip-your-cap-to-Penny-and-Lowe" theory and move on, except for the fact they also averaged 7.5 runs against us. 7.5 to 4.1 is still a loss by 3.4 runs.

Concerned. Unhappy. Resigned. (Snakebit?)

Why don't we just get the Kerlin Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic to buy the old D.C. General Hospital and open a satellite facility there? And since we're on an economy kick, we can just board the guys there when we're home.

Dismayed, dispirited, despondent...

Barry, off topic a bit, but do you have any word about the DFE's from last year's draft (had to be signed by midnight yesterday or rights lost). There were two in particular, Moore and Peacock, that were said to be 4-5 round talent. Thanks

The Hill news hurts, we need him back sooner rather than later. Speigner? I hear what you're sayin, but I just don't see it, especially with all the young talent we have in the pen, I'd be fine with droppin him. No heartburn from the Dodger losses, accept Penny-Lowe theory.

You think Johnson will sneak up on us and have a surprise return before the All-Star break?

Is the draft next week? I hope it doesn't rain this Sunday!

I'd have thought Chris Michalak would be a reasonable choice on Saturday if he was healthy. Alas, he is not. The Columbus Dispatch reports a groin tweak that is liable to send Michalak back to the DL.

So much for alternatives. The Nats seem to be down to just two: bringing Hanrahan up to pitch on four days' rest, and praying that either Schneider or Flores can catch Dmitri Young's knuckleball.

Concerened, of course, about the news re: Hill and Wagner.

Barry, you said you would let us know how Patterson felt a couple days after he threw his bullpen session. That was on Tuesday and it is now Thursday. Could you please let us know how his arm is feeling now? Thanks.

If I wasn't waiting for this water heater to be installed -- I'm thinking it would be best to shower before I drive over to Comcast studios -- I swear I wouldn't keep looking at my computer.

Patterson: Talked to John yesterday. Said he felt really good. No pain. Is doing lots of strengthening exercises and getting massages on his forearm. He is taking a very slow, measured approach to returning, so they'll schedule another bullpen session with him before he throws a simulated game.

Peacock: I just added an update above, but they signed him yesterday. Was a 41st round pick who went to community college and served as a closer.

Barry, Peacock was going to be the closer but ended up as the Palm Beach #1 SP

When can we expect an official decision on Saturday's starter?

Ditto. Good luck with the water heater -- it may take a while for the water to warm up after it's installed...

---

I am absolutely willing to buy into the "tip-your-cap-to-Penny-and-Lowe" theory and move on.

I can't remember this many injuries to pitchers as there are these days. Whoever thought up the idea that starters couldn't go nine? They used to years ago. Specializing the pitching staff into starters / middle relievers / closers .. why? Heck, it used to be a 4 man rotation. How did Baltimore keep Palmer, Cuellar, Mcnally & (senior moment..4th pitcher I can't remember) healthy eneough to win 20 games each one year?? Perhaps that was a fluke season. It'd be nice to see someone try that approach again. Economics most likely won't allow that to happen, but if it worked, wouldn't that be something. GO NATS....GET HOT

We keep getting lured into the whole winning hype...

I am really worried about Hill... but not cause of this year. There will always be a body to put out there, and if you think about it, they only have to get through August, and then the roster expands, and I betcha most of the additions are pitchers.

2007 is (turning out to be) about getting pitchers healthy... which is fine, because there's no sense in risking what is turning out to be a talented bunch of starters to win games that don't matter this year.

It would definitely be preferable to have Hill healthy now, but as long as things are not catastrophically bad, I would prefer that he he healthy and ready to go April 1, 2008 (same for everyone else).

From the "Rain on Your Parade" department, does anyone else have this nagging feeling about Nick Johnson's injury being career-threatening?

Have a nice day!

Wigi

"Pitching, Pitching, Pitching...Women, Alcohol, Pitching" - who says that?!?

One of the Nats other draft and follows (besides Brad Peacock) was Tyler Moore. Moore was the Nats 33rd rounder in the 2006 draft. Moore hit .471 and slugged .927 in JuCo ball this spring. Baseball America has Moore as a potential 5-7th rounder, although he is not on their Top 200 list.

Slot-money for a fifth rounder last year would put his bonus in the $150K-225K range. Even offering 3rd round slot-money would only have cost the Nats $300K-$475K.

All that being said, how much of an effort did the Nats make at signing Moore? Would you look at this performance from a 33rd Round DFE as found money?

To clear bullpen space, I strongly hope that the Nats trade one of the relievers (Rauch, Colome, or Cordero) for a AAA/AA outfield prospect and maybe an arm. Two contenders, Cleveland and Boston, need extra bullpen arms and have OF depth at that level. At AAA, Cleveland has Franklin Guttierez, Shin Soo Choo, Brad Snyder, and Ben Fransisco, and at AA they have Brian Barton and Trevor Crowe. All except Fransisco I think have been highly rated prospects by Baseball America in the past couple of years (Choo and Gutierez no longer qualify as rookies). Given Sizemore's presence, Crowe might be available (in my dreams). The Red Sox have Jacoby Ellsbury, Brandon Moss, and David Murphy. While the 1st is probably untouchable and the last is only a 4th OF, Moss has always had big power and this year has hit for average and OBP. Moss plus Edgar Martinez (AAA RP) for Rauch would be awful tempting. Do the deal, give the OF 1/2 a season in the bigs to see what you have, and if Moss or whoever turns out to be a starting OF, you are 1/2 of the way to filling out your off season position needs.

Lemme rephrase that...

It would definitely be preferable to have Hill healthy now, but as long as things are not catastrophically bad, the main goal now should be that he be healthy and ready to go April 1, 2008 (same for everyone else).

See Ruth, George Herman Jr. (Babe)
----------------------
"Pitching, Pitching, Pitching...Women, Alcohol, Pitching" - who says that?!?

quick addition - for Cordero, we'd ask for WM Pena, but the Sox will say no.

Wigi: I've been silently thinking about the same rainy parade. I think there's a LOT of hope for NJ, from fans, the team, probably even himself. I hate even voicing it, but I have a nagging feeling he'll keep working hard, he'll get back on the field, VERY late this season, if not next year, and find that he'll just never get back up to 100% and his career will fade. I really, really hope not because it would break my heart, but yea, the thought is there for sure.

So, Jon, you don't see the same kind of possibilities with the Cubs -- say Matt Murton -- or the Yankees -- say Melky Cabrera?

I know it seems a stretch, but those teams are desperate, especially the Pinstripes. OK, so not Cabrera, but... Anyway, I actually think a Murton deal would be doable.

Hendo - either of those guys would be nice. My guess is that Bowden will ask for major league OFs, seeing he was able to get that kind of price for Bray and Majewski (and a .300 hitting SS that Cinci gave up on, too). I'm not sure Cashman moves Melky. He's resisted in the past, is trying to get younger, etc... But they do need bullpen help. As for Murton, I just can't figure out the Cubs. On paper, one hot streak puts anyone back into contention in the NL Central. Murton never really nailed down a starting job, so maybe he'd be available. The focus on Cleveland and Boston was more that they are definite contenders, have blocked high quality OFs, and even perhaps fallen prospect arms to give back as kickers to the deal. But the Cubs and Murton makes sense if they try to push for the playoffs.

given Patterson's fragile arm, how about bringing him back as a reliever and let him build his arm strength gradually?

Now is a great time to be scouting the Yankees (while they still think they have a chance), but I think there's something to be inferred by Bowden's lack of business with the Yankees in the past...

Fredericksburg:

There are at least two problems with that... one is that the existing bullpen is pretty strong as it is, and moving Patterson there (where you risk injury in game situations, both physically and mentally) I think doesn't make sense. Second, with a relative glut of relievers, you want them pitching (successfully, hopefully) so that scouts see them and attract trade offers. Plus, Patterson isn't necessarily suited to that role.

Draft question: I've seen some speculation that Weiters (C, Georgia Tech) could fall to 6, and my thinking is that if a guy with that good of a bat at C comes along, you've got to take him. But here's the thing: Schneider's been awesome, and Flores is looking great as well. Without Flores in the picture, I think you pick Weiters and groom him to take over at C when Schneider rides off into the sunset. But with Flores in the picture, do you: a) Pick Weiters and ask him to move to, say, 1B; b) Pick Weiters and trade Flores for a whole lot more than he cost in the Rule 5; or c) say screw it and pick someone else?

This is all assuming that Weiters is the Brady Quinn of the draft and falls far below where his value would place him....

". . . but I think there's something to be inferred by Bowden's lack of business with the Yankees in the past..."

Granted, Wigi; given recent history and publicity, if the Chief were to sneeze, the deal might well be off the table.

barry,
I was just watching you on washington post live and you were all discussing the a-rod "hah" incident from the game last night. You mentioned polling the nats players on what they think of that play. I would love to hear the results of that. In the meanwhile what does everyone else think of of that play?

Well, I thought the A-Rod play was kind of hilarious. Not the kind of thing I would want to see become habit amongst the players, and I think the backlash from this might convince others to not try it, but taken on its own, I thought it was funny. He gambled on something, it paid off. Though the best part was the smirk on his face after he made it to base.

Walks: 123 in April (1); 80 in May (T12)

cool!

Did you notice how the walks really bit us in the last couple of games?

For some reason, I'm still positive on Speigner. I guess since we're building for the future he seems as good a choice as the rest.

The HA-Rod play was bush league. I don't think I have ever seen that in the bigs. Never thought he'd stoop to that level. Superstars shouldn't have to even think of lowering themselves like that, nor should any big leaguer, or aspiring big leaguer. Shame on F-Rod

natsinthevalley:

... A-Rod did what every other player in pro sports does whenever he feels it will work. Try to get the other guy off his game, so he'll screw up. Anything you can do to rattle the opponent is fine in my book, so long as it doesn't break the rules. And if baseball devises a rule to say you can rattle your opponent, then I'd certainly be gob-smacked.

natscan, I have been trying to figure out how I feel about this whole situation and I am all for trying to get the other guy off his game. But I feel that in this day and age when we see awful outfield collisions (see: ryan freel and nick johnson) that trying to trick the other player with a standard safeguard is not cool, although it was just "hah". I'm sure that clark was afraid of a collision with his shortstop if he were to keep pursuing the ball. I think it was a poor move on a-rods part.

I think people are missing the point about the A-Rod thing... if I am the manager and my player drops the ball, and then tells me that the reason he did that was because A-Rod says "HA" to him, the first thing I say is "You're a major league third baseman, and you get paid a gazillion dollars to play, and someone screaming at you was enough to distract you?"

It is bush, but only because it works on third graders playing pickup after school, and any reasonable person would think that a professional wouldn't be distracted by such a thing.

I've noticed the last few games the Nats pitchers have had pretty low pitch counts, at least through the first several innings. Are the Dodgers just aggressive about swinging early in the count, or is this some savvy playing by Nats pitchers?

How long till Dmitri Young gets traded to an AL team looking for a DH?

natsinthevalley:

... the game was on TV but I wasn't watching. In fact I have yet to see a replay; all I know is what I read in the game reports in the newspapers.

... but here is what I understand happened. When A-Rod was running past Clark, he yelled out something like "I got it", or words to that effect, and that Clark backed away from the play. Now today, I hear it said that he yelled 'Hah' and did so right in Clark's ear. I can't figure that out. I doubt he would vary from his running path just to do that.

... here's how I felt about it. I play hockey, and I have done this and had it done to me (successfully, to my chagrin). A player has the puck and is skating towards the net intent on shooting or making an offensive play. An opponent is skating behind him and calls out "Right here", meaning for the guy with the puck to drop it back. The guy in front has to decide if it's a team mate calling. If he decides it is a team mate, he drops the puck and the opponent picks it up and takes off the other way. When you're caught like that, you feel like s**t, but you wouldn't think it was a dirty play by any means.

... so without having seen A-Rod's play, from what I read, that's about what he did. Maybe I'll feel differently when I see the replay, if it shows something quite different.

... okay, I just watched the video of "The Play", and saw nothing to make me change my opinion. Clark, playing his first MLB game I believe, got caught and in order to save face and shift attention away from his own mistake, begins shouting at A-Rod. There was no infraction, and I'm still trying to decide if it's bush or not. I mean, I'd do it without even thinking about it. Bottom line is it worked, and as Rodriquez said, they needed to do something to get back on track. My only concern is that it came when the Yankees were leading but that's a minor point in my mind.

... and amid all this A-Rod talk, Micah Bowie is doing a pretty good job on the mound, and the Nats are ahead. Seems to me all's right with the world at the moment.

didn't see the ARod play, but from the description above, it's not bush, it's Offensive Interference if he yelled "I got it" or words to that effect, maybe not if he just yelled like Howard Dean.
Rule 2.0 Interference
"(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play."

... So it looks like Barry's theory about running into two sizzling pitchers has some weight... put a human pitcher out there, and the Nats are all over them...

and speaking of offensive, HEY BARRY, what DID tick Manny off so bad yesterday? And was that the back of your head I saw on TV last night?

nats win!!!!! love all that offense, boys!

nats win!!!!! love all that offense, boys!

nats win!!!!! love all that offense, boys!

Atta Boys!!

Wigi - Which AL contender is going to want Dmitri Young now? My best guess would be Minnesota and perhaps the NYY. I did a quick run through of all the current .500+ teams and a few of the sub-.500 teams that are likely to improve, and all seem to have regular DHs or effective injury subs. OK, Jack Cust is a stretch if you don't think Piazza will be back, but otherwise the needy aren't many (Anderson/Hillenbrand, Vidro, Sheffield, Hafner, Thome, Papi, Thomas, the mess in Angelos land). Giambi is out for 3 weeks - maybe you can take advantage. As for the Twins, biggest need, some pitching surplus, but don't expect Slowey / Garza. Maybe Scott Baker, who I'd take in a minute.

So I guess we don't suck, huh? :-)

At what point will Church be considered a legitimate "slugger"?

My rowmate Cathy claims to have done an empirical study and concludes that the Nats do better when Zimm is wearing the old school plus-fours and high sox than when he wears the long trousers. Despite the risks of small sample size, I am down with that.

Way to slug and get the good ABs, guys! Oh you Nats!

Re A-Rod, what he did may have been bush, but has lofty precedent. No less an icon than Connie Mack was tempted to some pretty low stunts (e.g., bat-tipping) in his playing days as a catcher for, among others, our 19th-century NL Washington Nationals.

That said, if Rule 2.0(a) had been pulled on A-Rod by the men in blue, he'd have no sustainable gripe. In the meantime, he'll be thinking a little more (for at least the next couple days) about those runners charging in from second.

Just play the game the right way. It isn't right what A-Rod did...pure and simple. Baseball isn't hockey!!

and....way to go Nats...STAY HOT

Hey Barry, can we get an update on Bergmann?

re: A-Rod's move was just cheap and unprofessional. For a team like the Yankees it's just sad. Hate to harp on the payroll thing again, but sheesh. With their payroll, uber-star roster, they just look like they're in meltdown mode when they can't even rely on plain good baseball to beat the Blue Jays. It's sad and pathetic. I hope Manny would never tolerate, much less encourage, that kind of nonsense.

p.s. Read A-Rod's lips on the replay. It looks a lot more like "mine" than "ha".

Juan-John, Church will be considered an actual slugger when he beats, in a single season, what will soon be Barry Bonds's career home run record. Unless he gets traded, in which case he will be considered a legitimate slugger as soon as he shows up in the clubhouse. Ha.

Barry

Can you please redo the May calculations after last nite's game? We might be out of 16th place for slugging.

Markus

Hendo: I made the same observation as Cathy last week about Ryan's uniform.

NatsNut, re Ryan Zimmerman's uni: You did indeed make that observation last week. Thanks for corroborating; I apologize for the lack of attribution.

The evidence is gathering. Zimm, your task is clear.

By the way, JP, gotta like the new 'do.

cevans:

... first, Howard Dean's "scream" was simply a marvel of conservative media creation, but it's not baseball. This is:

"(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play."

... I'm not perfectly in tune with all of baseball law, but I can go along with all of this one ... except the bit about "confusing". If I interfere with, impede, obstruct, or hinder my opponent, I have put him at a disadvantage since I have acted 'actively'. But confusion is his responsibility, and my actions are 'passive' in that regard. It is his responsibility to keep from being confused. He might not be able to keep from being hindered, or impeded, or obstructed. But he has to keep from being confused.

... Dear MLB, This is a stupid rule, and needs to be changed.

... it seems that baseball is quite conflicted when it comes to "playing the game like gentlemen".

... while it is okay to go into second with your spikes high, it's not okay to 'confuse' your opponent by calling out "mine". While it is okay to use the catcher as a battering ram at the plate, it's not okay to sneak a peek at him to see where he's setting up. While it's okay to 'brush back' a batter who's crowding the plate, it's not okay to argue balls and strikes.

... no, baseball isn't hockey, but neither is it croquet.

... and of course it's okay to get a guy out by confusing him using the 'hidden ball' trick, but it's not okay to fake a pitch, then pick him off first (balk).

Coincidentally, one of my current bedside reading books, "Baseball and Philosopy," devotes two articles to ethics/cheating in baseball.

Re. A-Rod's latest adventure, I tend to agree with natsinthevalley about the potential for collision making such plays a poor move. I haven't seen the clip, but have read two different versions where he claimed to have said "that's it" or something to that effect or "hah." He's also quoted as saying (a) that he didn't know what his intent was, and (b) that he was just trying to get a win. Might want to get your stories straight next time, Alex.

A crumb for the hungry...

Baseball Prospectus has published a series of articles pondering the tendencies of scouting directors around MLB, and speculating on their draft strategies. Here's the link to the NL East article in the series, which includes the Nats:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6294

The A-Rod thing was completely bush league. He showed no class at all in doing it. Funny though (whether his claim that he gets it from competing ballplayers every day is true or not), he will surely hear it from every opposing player and fan on nearly every fielding play he makes for the rest of the season (or possibly career). My guess is that in time he'll wish he would have kept his mouth shut.

I don't think the hidden ball trick has the potential for injury that the A-Rod play had. There are rules regarding a pick-off attempt. The baserunner can read the pitcher and if he makes the mistake, he might pay for it. As a batter, you might sneak a peak, but if it is suspected a false signal can be given for an outside pitch and should the batter lean a bit to far the pitcher can buzz him inside. That will effectively end the peaking, I'd say. Coming into second with spikes high, while admittedly not clean, has nevertheless always been a part of the game and is accepted by players as such, same for barrelling into the catcher. In brief, thats what makes the game so great, so many opinions that we can all voice our thoughts on and agree to disagree on many.

Word on the street is;

1. TBay is looking to trade Elijah Dukes.
2. Phillies need a reliever, willing to deal Adam Rowand.
3. Brewers looking for 2B help since Ricki Weeks is probably going on the DL (might already be there)

Imagine this; Dukes for two AAA relievers. Rauch & Langerhands for Rowand straight up. Guzman or Belliard to the Brewers for AA or AAA ready arms.

Your outfield is; Church, Rowand, Kearns and Dukes off the bench as needed.

Sorry Nook/Ryan L but your lightweight bats ain't cuttin it in the 8 hole.

Having just provided Jose Guillen with an opportunity elsewhere, improving clubhouse chemistry tremendously in the bargain, I'm not sure I'd be willing to take a flyer with Dukes. Not this season, anyway.

Or any other season if the allegations by his estranged wife are true.

---

Having just provided Jose Guillen with an opportunity elsewhere, improving clubhouse chemistry tremendously in the bargain, I'm not sure I'd be willing to take a flyer with Dukes. Not this season, anyway.

Regarding A-Rod's bush league antics, in the old days, a nice tight fast ball would go a long way towards keeping him from ever doing it again. That's how it should be handled.

Re: A-Rod: George Will needs to rename his book, "Boys at Work."

Boys will be boys, even at ludicrously high salaries.

And another thing . . .

All this trade speculation is interesting, but . . .

Does anyone believe that Lerner/Kasten/Bowden can consistently outsmart the sharks on the other teams? Suppose the Majewski deal's challenge by Krivsky is taken seriously by "baseball people"?

I've felt previously that the L/K/S team must be channeling Clark Griffith, now I'm thinking it's really Peter Angelos who's haunting the Nats' brain trust. They'll do deals all right, but hold your hats (or noses) about the results.

Just my $00.02.

Dancer13,

... agree totally. Bush or not; infraction of the rules or not, it is one of those things that should be dealt with by the players themselves, not by crying 'poor me' and appealling to the umpires or other authorities.

... and finally:

SC Nats Fan,

... you offered ".. so many opinions that we can all voice our thoughts on and agree to disagree on many."

You have hit the nail on the head. This incident has brought about great discussion around baseball, not just our group but around offices and pubs far and wide, and one of the things it's done is to highlight exactly what you suggest: as fans, we are not all cut from the same cookie cutter. Nonetheless I feel we all believe in the game and its integrity, and for me that's the bottom line.

Well, I see Levale Speigner is due to pitch Saturday, scratch up another loss.

"Well, I see Levale Speigner is due to pitch Saturday, scratch up another loss."

Nuh-uh, because I'm going to be there and I might even move up to Section 406 (if the "kindly" wardens will have pity on me) so he can hear all my encouraging words even better.

Section 506 (After moving): Sure hope your positive vibes outweigh my negative ones.

Well said Natsfan reduxit...well said. It's great to have a forum such as this where we can all put our thoughts on paper...so to speak...and share them with those that have similar and disimilar views. I so look forward to "Barrys Blog" everyday and enjoy what people have to say. GO NATS...BEAT JAKE THE SNAKE...STAY HOT

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