Archive: September 23, 2007 - September 29, 2007
Belated Happy B-day, Zim
So I forgot to mention that yesterday was Ryan Zimmerman's 23rd birthday. Old man. He went 0 for 4 last night with three strikeouts against Cole Hamels. Tough draw. Unlikely he'll reach .270 this year after hitting .287 a year...
By Barry Svrluga | September 29, 2007; 11:14 AM ET | Comments (52)
Nationals pick up 2009 option on Manny Acta
So this is fitting given our story this morning and our discussion today. The Nationals announced that they have picked up the 2009 option on Manager Manny Acta's contract. He has, as we discussed, a two-year deal with two one-year,...
By Barry Svrluga | September 28, 2007; 5:00 PM ET | Comments (41)
Playoff Phever -- and Acta Outtakes
My goodness, this is going to be fun. Currently on the Acela up to Philly, where I'm sure a packed house awaits tonight. The Phillies and Mets are tied with three games to play, and the Nationals could have a...
By Barry Svrluga | September 28, 2007; 11:52 AM ET | Comments (56)
Maxwell, Lannan earn minor league honors
The Nationals announced their minor league player and pitcher of the year this morning, and I think the choices were rather obvious: Justin Maxwell and John Lannan, two kids who began the year in Class A and ended up in...
By Barry Svrluga | September 27, 2007; 11:33 AM ET | Comments (138)
Church and State
So there's a chance that some people want a post completely devoted to the Post's coverage of the Nationals. I am completely willing to do this, but I have the feeling that it would be responding to just a...
By Barry Svrluga | September 27, 2007; 6:11 AM ET | Comments (112)
Lineups for Mets finale
Washington: Lopez -- 6 Belliard -- 4 Zimmerman -- 5 Kearns -- 9 Church -- 8 Pena -- 7 Fick -- 3 Schneider -- 2 Bacsik -- 1 New York: Reyes -- 6 Castillo -- 4 Wright -- 5 Beltran...
By Barry Svrluga | September 26, 2007; 6:13 PM ET | Comments (89)
Some pre-chat numbers
Here are the Nationals' offensive numbers for the whole season: .256 average/.325 OBP/.392 slugging, an average of 0.77 HR/G, an average of 4.2 runs/G. Here are the Nationals' offensive numbers in their last five games against the Mets, four of...
By Barry Svrluga | September 26, 2007; 1:33 PM ET | Comments (59)
71 wins. Who had it? (Be honest)
As I've said before in this space, I had the Nationals at 62-100 back in spring training. I thought that was fair. I was fairly impressed with some of the stuff I saw in spring training, adn I believed Manny...
By Barry Svrluga | September 26, 2007; 6:47 AM ET | Comments (99)
Hill speaks, with lineups added
Just got off the phone with Shawn Hill. His feelings about his surgery - which is now scheduled for 5 p.m. tomorrow at Sibley Hospital in the District, to be performed by team orthopedist Ben Shaffer and hand/upper extremity specialist...
By Barry Svrluga | September 25, 2007; 3:30 PM ET | Comments (89)
Shawn Hill: The Past, and the Future
We all know I have a certain crush on a certain pitch thrown by a certain member of the Nationals' staff. We also know that we won't be seeing that certain member of the Nationals' staff throw that certain pitch...
By Barry Svrluga | September 25, 2007; 7:33 AM ET | Comments (88)
Shawn Hill shut down, to have surgery on right elbow
The news today: Right-hander Shawn Hill will have surgery on his right elbow to release the radial nerve -- the same nerve that has bothered John Patterson -- at some point soon. He will not make his start this Wednesday....
By Barry Svrluga | September 24, 2007; 5:56 PM ET | Comments (73)
Position by Position: The Bullpen
So with all the celebrations and controversies, we got a bit off track in our analysis of the team, and with only a week left, I'd like to finish it up. We have, in my mind, four areas left: the...
By Barry Svrluga | September 24, 2007; 10:52 AM ET | Comments (82)
Farewell, RFK
It's in the books. RFK Stadium is done as a baseball facility. (And those of you who were here on that night in 1971 - maybe even some of you who tore up the field and helped cause the forfeit...
By Barry Svrluga | September 23, 2007; 3:41 PM ET | Comments (69)
Bottom of the sixth
Things we've seen today: * Eight Washington Senators taking the field with their Nationals counterparts before the game. Really, really nice hand from a really, really nice crowd for Frank Howard, who went with Ryan Zimmerman to third base. Dick...
By Barry Svrluga | September 23, 2007; 2:02 PM ET | Comments (12)
RFK's Last Day
Just passed a bunch of players passing out T-shirts at one gate - Zimmerman, Schneider, Flores, etc. - and there'll be another shift as most of you get out here. I have to point out that one player that I...
By Barry Svrluga | September 23, 2007; 10:48 AM ET | Comments (8)
