Does that Gorzelanny come with a glass of Zambrano?

Thanks for the links, Barry. A technical note, the podcast sounded great except for the part with Zimmerman. You may already be aware of this, but the audio went way south on that one (not so intelligible). Otherwise, the sound was clear throughout.

"Your N.L. leader in outfield assists? That would be Alfonso Soriano with 10."

... whether he's with us or against us, I have a real big soft spot for Alfie. He made it very clear last year he didn't like the idea of playing outfield ... but, consummate pro that he is, he went out there and did it. This year, ... well read the quote.

... more power to you, man, and may the force be with you.

That's just swell, Barry, I hadn't realized that the web gamer and the newspaper gamer weren't one and the same. Now I will have to squeeze reading the online gamer into my daily schedule along with reading the 35-center and blog and listening to/watching the podcasts, oh, and there are always the games to be dealt with, too...(grin)

Seriously, I liked the bit about Chico's demeanor in the online gamer.

No, no. The $.35 edition gamer is the same as the online gamer unless you live way out in the hinterlands. If the game ends at normal time and you live in the District or a pretty huge surrounding area (Fairfax, Montgomery, P.G. counties, etc.) then you're getting one and the same. The early gamer just gets slammed into the paper for the earliest editions, the ones that have to travel the farthest from our printing plants in College Park and Springfield.

Looks to me like Robinson is back managing the team. Jerking guys around for no reason other than "a gut reaction". Why pinch hit for Langerhans last night? Why jerk Chico? Why lose to the Pirates-pathetic- and Manny caused it. Rivera stinks, Logan stinks and I'm fed up with Robinson's knee-jerk managing. Pulling Langerhans last night just so Loser Logan gets playing time just stinks big time.

Hmm, I'm near the Springfield printing plant, but the gamer in my 35-center differs from the one online. That's okay, it's just more Nats coverage for me to enjoy!

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No, no. The $.35 edition gamer is the same as the online gamer unless you live way out in the hinterlands. If the game ends at normal time and you live in the District or a pretty huge surrounding area (Fairfax, Montgomery, P.G. counties, etc.) then you're getting one and the same. The early gamer just gets slammed into the paper for the earliest editions, the ones that have to travel the farthest from our printing plants in College Park and Springfield.

Gosh, Dancer13, why don't you tell us how you *really* feel? But, seriously, I feel your pain.

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Looks to me like Robinson is back managing the team. Jerking guys around for no reason other than "a gut reaction". Why pinch hit for Langerhans last night? Why jerk Chico? Why lose to the Pirates-pathetic- and Manny caused it. Rivera stinks, Logan stinks and I'm fed up with Robinson's knee-jerk managing. Pulling Langerhans last night just so Loser Logan gets playing time just stinks big time.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. The online version today is screwed up. It's the early, early version. You got the story that centers on Zimmerman in the paper. That's the one that I filed later (and the one that should be online).

Barry,

I still find no questioning of the moves Acta made last night in any of the product from last night.

Why did Acta pull Langerhans....did anyone ask. Are Nationals starters ever going to go more than 100 pitches? Did anyone ask?

Okay, thanks.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. The online version today is screwed up. It's the early, early version. You got the story that centers on Zimmerman in the paper. That's the one that I filed later (and the one that should be online).

Logan's playing five times in the next six days? We can only hope he either sucks big time or plays up to his normal level (indeed they are one and the same, aren't they?) so that whoever it is in the Nats brass that is insisting Logan belongs on this team will finally come to his senses and realize the error of his ways. Maybe then Manny can put an end to the platoon and let Langerhans play center every day. Langerhans may not be the final solution in center, but it seems he can hit both lefties and righties, he has some occasional pop in his bat, and his fielding is very good. What does Logan offer that beats all that? Let Langerhans play center the rest of this year, and then he can become a very good fourth outfielder next year after we get a real centerfielder.

Don't know about anyone else but I'm fed up with Robinson's knee-jerk managing. Pinchhitting for the man that drove in half your runs just so Lousy Logan can get some game time and pulling Chico and putting in Rivera just because is downright stupid.

Seeing Lousy Logan in the lineup infuriates me.

Losing to the Pirates infuriates me.

Having Robinson as a manager infuriates me.

What?? You say Robinson isn't managing? Sure looks like he is.

Sign the Nats are historically bad:

Losing to the Pirates, who just happen to have the ugliest uniforms in the majors.

I'm depressed.

Hey, nobody noticed, but Barry got one player in each position this time. Attaboy! :)

JayB: Langerhans got pulled for a right-handed hitter, Batista, when there was a lefty reliever in. Pirates played matchup, bringing in right-hander Chacon, and Batista ended up walking. I don't think that's weird.

Chico: Just because guys are hanging up zeroes doesn't mean they're pitching well. If the new gamer was up (and I'm telling you, it's driving me crazy that it's not), you'd see that Chico said he got away with a ton. He was at 94 pitches, and he hadn't posted a 1-2-3 inning, which means he was going to be out there for at least 15 more pitches, etc. Seems like a fresh arm wasn't a ridiculous call.

Also: Don't think the stuff you see on MASN is all the questioning that goes on. We frequently ask him stuff after the camera goes off.

Those sleeveless thingies *are* pretty wretched.

But don't be depressed, Dancer13, it'll get better at some point. Like the song says, "we gotta get better cause we can't get worse." And it's just a game. Uh, I'm outta bromides here. I got nothing. Maybe go and do something that gives you joy, feeds your soul?

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Sign the Nats are historically bad:

Losing to the Pirates, who just happen to have the ugliest uniforms in the majors.

I'm depressed.

Nook Logan, switch-hitter, the sequel? Today's Nats Notes on the team site mention that he was seen taking BP from the left side on Wednesday in Atlanta and on Friday in Pittsburgh.

They finally put the correct gamer up there. Man, I hate that y'all had to see that first version. Yuck.

Plus, I think there's interesting stuff on Zimmerman in the write-thru.

Are the Nats sitting Langerhans tonight to reward him for his solo HR yesterday?

Whenever he gets back up to bat again (I hope to God no later than the late innings tonight), if he hits a grand slam, will he get four nights off?

Am I alone in sensing a disconnect between performance and reward here?

(Yeah yeah yeah. We're platooning. And Manny's not married to the platoon. So I guess he's living in sin with it?)

Barry #1: "Chico: Just because guys are hanging up zeroes doesn't mean they're pitching well."

... I made an on-blog mention comment last night that I thought he must be doing well based on the zeroes, but I had only GameDay to go by. You were at the game. Did it look like he was struggling, and that the zeroes were just a lucky coincidence?

Barry #2:

... the only WashPost coverage I have access to is the website which contains the day after game stories. There I read: 1/ a gamer (today headed "Nats Fall Apart"), 2/ something more of a feature (today headed "Acta Shakes LineUp"). Are there other stories which Post (print) subscribers have access to? If so, would the Post ever consider adding them on-line on an archive basis?

Barry #3:

... re Zimmerman in your gamer, it appeared you were quite tough on him, but I maybe didn't read closely enough to get the balance. For me, the standard "I'm fine" response from either Ryan or Manny, is an acceptable response. That's because this a team which promised to compete, which it does, but mostly promised to be a 'bad' team. Now that the promise is being played out daily, none of us - the fans nor the media - can then jump on them demanding more.

In one of the Post video features this preseason, Nook was followed around during picture day. I found it very interesting that he had his pictures taken with the bat on the left shoulder. In the introduction videos at RFK, is Nook standing in a lefty stance?

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Nook Logan, switch-hitter, the sequel? Today's Nats Notes on the team site mention that he was seen taking BP from the left side on Wednesday in Atlanta and on Friday in Pittsburgh.

I read the first version this morning and thought to myself, "Jeez, why is Barry so worked up about this? This article is fine."

Then I read the new one a few minutes ago and realized what you meant. Great job on the (actual) gamer.

It frustrates me, though, to see Kearns talking about Zimmerman's struggles at the plate...

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They finally put the correct gamer up there. Man, I hate that y'all had to see that first version. Yuck.

natscan asks "Are there other stories which Post (print) subscribers have access to?"

Yes. Unfortunately, though, those stories are Orioles coverage, an exact equivalent amount to the stories on the Nats. There's an Orioles gamer, an Orioles sidebar, Orioles series preview, the whole lot. Boswell writes as much about the Orioles as he does about the Nats, but more about golf than baseball these days, it seems. And he'll probably be back all over the Redskins when they hit training camp soon. For some reason, the Post seems to think it's the paper of record of a two-team town, and therefore it needs to cover the two teams equally. I've never understood that. The Post's Orioles coverage doesn't need to be non-existent, and it doesn't need to be the same level as all the other MLB teams. It can be more than other teams, in recognition of Baltimore's proximity, but it ought to be considerably less than the amount of coverage devoted to the Nats. The Post has the balance right with the Redskins vis a vis the Ravens, so why can't it do the same with the Nationals vis a vis the Orioles?

419 reasons, "The Post has the balance right with the Redskins vis a vis the Ravens, so why can't it do the same with the Nationals vis a vis the Orioles?"

I think it can, and hope it will. It's been dialing down the Orioles gradually, at least online -- check the "SPORTS" pulldown on the Post homepage, for instance: Skins, Nats, Wizards, United, Caps. No Orioles any more.

And Boz does give the Nats a lotta love. But the Orioles are worth covering just because of how spectacularly they've crashed and burned under Lord Peter, to the point where the front office has been placed in what looks (to me, anyway) like de facto MLB guardianship under MacPhail.

Eventually the Orioles will escape Angelos' death grip and will get a chance to breathe in some life again. That will take a while, and I would guess their destruction and renascence will remain a compelling story for as long as the process takes, probably the better part of another decade at the least.

That said, I think the Nats really should start elbowing the Orioles a bit more off the page as soon as the Nats get strong enough to play into October. However, I don't see that happening before 2010.

Till then, patience. We have Barry. We have Boz (OK, we have a piece of Boz). We have a team. We are blessed.

Let's get 'em tonight, guys. (Look over a few pitches for me, huh?)

Bergmann may be toast after 2. Fiddlesticks.

Hey y'all- gonna choose to ignore the scoreboard and ask for some help- I'm at Camden currently (grew up an Angels fan, but here in Nats gear!) and my friends and I decided to drive up to Pittsburgh tonight for the game tomorrow afternoon (too many Clipper City Golds? Perhaps :)) Anyway, looking for an affordable hotel suggestion and somewhere to get brunch before the game. Thanks!

Note to MASN: I know what Kearns' and Manny's handsome faces look like. What I want to see is Gorzelanny's -- or any pitcher's -- full delivery, from the windup (or stretch) onward.

Is he tipping his pitches? (I just gotta hunch. If he is, that doesn't say much about the Nats' hitting tonight.)

Nice BB for Kearns, by the way.

JennX: Give the Renaissance Pittsburgh -- right across the bridge from PNC Park -- a shout on 412-562-1200. You might be able to swing a deal for a Saturday night. And they have a killer brunch.

Marriott has other properties in Pittsburgh, including a Courtyard (I think) on the North Shore across the street from the ballpark. If the Renaissance is out of your price range, they may be able to suggest something.

Have fun at PNC. Wish I were joining you.

Thanks Herndo! No rooms avail there with two beds unfortunately, but thanks for the suggestion. By the way, some O's fans just started giving me grief ("NATIONALS?!?") until a guy in a Yankees hat joined in and then we all turned together on him with "YANKEES!?!?" Hah.

No prob, JennX. How're you blogging from OP@CY, BTW?

Kevin Kennedy chimed in on the Channel 5 game this afternoon re the possibility of the Pinstripes having a fire sale. Abreu was one of the names he mentioned... ironic, no?

Blackberry, of course! Used 10 percent for legitimate work purposes, 90 percent for Nats purposes. :)

Pronunciation oddity: Sutton still says "Sneider" but he also said "Schnell" at one point tonite (insert incredulous Yogi Berra commercial Aflac duck jaw-dropping double take here) -- huh?

JennX, you go girl.

And before I forget: Natscan, joyeuse fête du Canada à toi, mon vieux, et à tous nos amis canadiens.

(Gotta get some Habitant flavor in there. We now return to our regularly scheduled and less fractured English-language posting.)

Happy Canada Day to all our friends north of the border. May your comradeship be ever celebrated and never forgotten.

My French is a bit rusty, Hendo, but yours didn't seem fractured to me.

Barry,

Thanks for the response and the updated Chico information in the new story.

Batista over Langerhans....I think Manny has fallen in love with Managing by the book. Just looking at them at the plate on TV tells me Langerhans had a better chance to help the team even against a lefty.

Once apon a time good pitches got better and stronger as the game when on....I differ to Sutton over Acta on this one....I think we want to develop Sutton types not 5 inning or 90 pitch types.....Maybe just me.

I wish I could hear more about what you talk about when the MASN is off because when it is on seems everyone is walking on egg shells around Acta. Thanks again for a great seasons worth of work.

Merci milles fois, natsfan1a; tu es trop aimable.

and there aint no cure for the summertime blues....

Manny must have put the fear of God into the guys in the clubhouse meeting last night, his low-key attitude notwithstanding.

How can I tell? Well, in his report, Barry only had to delete one Rob Fick expletive.

Good one, Hendo! The Fick-o-meter is a new metric.

Et de rien.

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How can I tell? Well, in his report, Barry only had to delete one Rob Fick expletive.

Thank you Hendo,

... Ms. Reduxit and the young-un are joining me today in an overnighter to Halifax, Nova Scotia to bring back the father-in-law. I simply love Halifax beyond all reason, and if successful, will be able to talk the females into staying on for a day or two longer.

... if so and I am away from the fray for a while, let me wish all of you a very happy and peaceful 'Fourth'. May God bring a quick end to all your troubles and your sons and daughters get back home soon, where they belong.

... Go Nats!

What was that sound?

Oh yeah, that was the bottom dropping out.

Good call on that one, Barry.