Chico,

You're making us fickle netizens forget ...um, what's him name, Panera or something... with some great coverage. (Only kidding Barry -- "we kid because we love," to quote Krusty the Klown)

But I do have to point out that "Exit Notes from New York City" would also have been six words.

Chico,

if you liked WD-50, you'll love Minibar (DC's own homage to Ferran Adria).

Keep up the good work

J

Shame on the Post for not putting the AP photo of Willie Harris' sensational catch on the front of the Sports Section. Check the NY Times on-line for above-the-fold quarter page photo.

Hello, Post?? There's a baseball team in town. **crickets chirping** (still)

Anxious to see today's starting line-up. Agree that Harris shouldn't be there as a starter, but hope Kearns isn't either (as other posters have written, he both needs a break and needs to understand that RF isn't his unless he can produce). Boone at 1st makes sense (with Dmitri as DH) at least through this weekend. I'm happy to give Pena, Milledge, and Dukes a shot in the outfield for a few straight days.

"Perhaps that's only because Malkin/Crosby/et al didn't light the lamp for the Penguins, but hey -- let's give the guy a little credit."

AWOOOGA! AWOOOGA!

Uh oh, the yinzer provincialism alarm is going off!

My understatement: Dmitri Young doesn't make the plays in the eighth and ninth inning that Aaron Boone made.

What's the take on how much Boonie will play now that Dmitri "I've got my ten million, lets eat" Young is reinstated? Boone has a better glove, gets more timely hits and baseball instincts, whilst Young looks for the camera and gets a lot of singles that help his stats but don't impact the game. Manny Acta said in the post game yesterday that Boone was going to be getting a lot more at bats with NJ out, but the day before said that Young was the starting first baseman. Any sense of where the truth lies?

Great job, enjoying your posts Chico!

One more observation: Crosby is a crybaby media darling wanna be. Ovechkin is hands down the best player in the league. Pittsburgh Penguin references here aren't going to win you many friends....!

Nats Win; Mets Lose; Gotham Weeps.

Ray,

Good call. I call it the Sidney Crosby whiney "who just farted" face. Ovie is the man.

"Manny Acta said in the post game yesterday that Boone was going to be getting a lot more at bats with NJ out, but the day before said that Young was the starting first baseman. Any sense of where the truth lies?"

Recall what Robert Fick did last year, coming in late in the ballgame as part of a double switch to serve as a defensive replacement for Dmitri, and also getting spot starts when Dmitri needed a rest? (I've been trying to _forget_ every on-field aspect of Fick myself, but I digress.) That's the role Boone will play now - although he'll do a much much better job of it than Fick ever did. How many (useless) ABs did Fick have last year? Those ABs will now go to Boone.

A real gem:

"Let me practice my understatement: Wily Mo Pena doesn't make that catch."

that was me

Disappointed that the Post didn't put the Harris photo in the paper. Hey, at least we got pictures of horses and jockeys. That will sell copy. ::rolleyes::

The Post needs to do a better job covering this team.

Crap, Chico is a Penguins fan.

If the goal was to get each of the OFs 400 ABs this year, to see what they can do, you can't hit that mark running 3 into LF and CF. Kearns has to sit sometime. The Plan requires it.

Also, WMP loves Camden Yards. And not just for the tastey crab cakes.

"Oh, and I hear Camden Yards has good press box food."

11 words used. Please modify accordingly.

To Scorekeeper: Good question as to why Willie Harris' great catch was not on the front of the WashPost sports page. I doubt we'll get an answer.

What have we seen this past week on the front of the Post sports page? Let's see: how about a disgustingly charming,sucessful, nuclear family from Suburbistan whose kids all play sports. Gee that's great. A Tom Boswell article about the Baltimore Orioles. I guess we can expact a hard hitting piece on the Kansas City Royals next right Boz? How about writing about OUR city's team and leave the stinkin' Orioles to the BaltSun?

Where was yesterday's Nats win which included Boone's stellar play, Harris' all world catch and Bergmann's pitching gem? Below the fold on the bottom right corner while a dying elitist sport like horse racing covers most of the front page. Will someone tell me why I buy this lousy fish wrap of a newspaper?

Chico, there's a fancy name for what WD-50 does, turning common food building blocks into unrecognizable but tasty new forms: molecular gastronomy. Aramark practiced it in reverse for three years at RFK Stadium, turning God only knows what into untasty (and often vile) hunks of stuff that looked like food, e.g. hot dogs, fries, pizza, etc. You should thank your lucky stars every day that you missed out on that so-called dining experience!

the O's are throwing lefties on Friday and Saturday. I'm guessing that Boone starts at first both days with DY DH'ing both. Sunday, DY starts at first and one of the 20 outfielders the Nats have will be the DH.

I would like to see tonight's lineup be:

2B Lopez
SS Guzman
3B Zimmerman
1B Boone
DH Young
RF Dukes
CF Milledge
LF Pena
C Flores

P Hill

Kearns needs a day off or two to get his head straightened out. After Zim's day off, he's definitely hit better: .286/.302/.619 with 4 HR's.

when is everyone here going to realize that the only local team that is ALWAYS going to be front -news in the post is the snydermen? the post doesn't fancy itself as a mere, stinkin' LOCAL paper. and most of the columnists write for themselves and their colleagues in other cities. it's emilio garcia-ruiz' world and we're lucky to be along for the ride.

Hilarious, Chico!

Good to see you're finally coming around, Dave.

cracking up here
______________

Chico, there's a fancy name for what WD-50 does, turning common food building blocks into unrecognizable but tasty new forms: molecular gastronomy. Aramark practiced it in reverse for three years at RFK Stadium...

Posted by: An Bruscar Mor (#15) | May 16, 2008 11:38 AM

"Willie Harris's catch was SportsCenter's No. 1 play from Thursday's sporting action"

Except they ran the Mets feed... should have dubbed in Charlie/Daves audio. Bastards.

I'm with scorekeeper. Why not one decent action photo of a great game. We take 3 0f 4 from the Mets behind great pitching and exciting defense. We get pictures of McPhail and Kasten, huh?

RyanDylan: I don't anymore. Called 'em up this morning (202) 334-6100 and cancelled. I turn to the sports page first and I don't see Nats reporting getting any better. All due respect to young Mr. Harlan, but hiring a 25 year-old who previously covered Autstalian football as our beat reporter is the best indication of the direction the Post is going here.

Good catch Matt. I'm strongly considering going up to Bal'mer this weekend for a game or two.

I did not see the AP photo referred to above, but the NYT photograph on their gamer is great! At that angle, it looks like he has no chance to make the catch. He is diving, 3 feet off the ground, and, it appears, 20 feet away from the ball.

Barton Silverman, the photographer, also has a great picture of the behind the back tag by Guzman.

I'm looking forward to DY as the DH this weekend. If Pena doesn't mash the ball, his value to this team tumbles. Perhaps Harris should get rewarded and start tonight, along with Mackowiak and Dukes. I'd be stunned if that trio gets the nod though.

To Scorekeeper: My Post subscription runs out in early June. That'll be the last time they get their $43.20 from me. (3 month run) I have had it with the Post's paltry coverage of our Home starting 9. What's the number of the Washington Times?

@Ray

Guess you are new to area and NATS because you appear not to have seen Meathook play last year. His numbers approached pre-accident Nick numbers (not the defense though) and was a major part of the team's relative success during the Summer. Let's see how the guy does this season. Remember, Nick was off to a very slow start before injury.

Yeah -- why would you want to subscribe to a paper that just won several Pulitzers, including one for work that exposed (and led to changes of) awful conditions for our veterans at Walter Reed? Oh - because they didn't run an action picture of a baseball game. Got it.

Washington Times Subscriber Services: 202 636-3333 Monday - Friday 6:30am-4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 7:00am - 11:30am.

Cap Hill: We all have our priorities, I guess. And you're entitled to your opinion as I am to mine. This forum exists to express them - not to belittle other's. Have a nice day.

I don't know how many of you read the Times with any regularity, but the amount of space and effort devoted to the Nats is enormous in comparison to the Post. Not to mention the O's are *almost* treated as just another team.

You maybe happy with the Post, but that's like being happy with Budweiser when you've never tried Dogfish Head.

Matt: Do they sell Dogfish Head at Baseline Brews on the 300 level?

Thanks for asking! Had me a couple of Raison d'Etres last night.

no dfh beer sold at the park

Nice analogy. I'm sold. Thanks Matt.

To Capitol Hill: I ditto the remarks made to you by Scorekeeper. However,Capitol Hill, let me add that you can blow me.

The WaTimes? You mean the one with the online sports section that current features a giant image of an Oreo (and not the good kind)? And a huge headline "At long last, Birds on the wing"?

I think they did cover the Nat's game in there, somewhere. You just have to look for it (it's below the article "Redskins release kick returner Mathis").

At least the WT has Mannys post game presser that you can listen to, I like that.

Can molecular gastronomy explain Dippin' Dots?

not only wouldn't WMP have made that catch, he might have turned it into a triple...

*sigh*

you know, if he would actually out-homer harris, he could make up for that offensively.

Sadly, I haven't seen Dogfish anywhere in the ballpark.

why pay money for dead-tree editions when much more is available online? sometimes, you can even read the post gamer before retiring for the night.

Sorry, Matt and RyanDyan. Didn't mean to touch a nerve. Of course you are entitled to your priorities and your opinions. And I am entitled to my own (very different) ones. Cheers.

Chico,

Are you or Carig writing the gamers this weekend?

Agreed, you can read all the stories everyday for free online. If you must read on the toilet, they all have mobile sites. Even better, use RSS feeds and have all the stories in one place for you. You can read up on the Nats faster than your wife can say 'get off the can'

...and please no shared notebooks this weekend. If I wanted to read about the AngelO's, oh, never mind....

"Can molecular gastronomy explain Dippin' Dots?"

Explain, yes. Excuse? No.

For myself, I am happily keeping my full subscription to the WP while freely voicing my negative opinion of the decisions made by the editors of the sports section.

I have sampled the rival product and would not waste a dime or my time on it.

Oh and RyanDyan, thanks for elevating the discussion. Your comment speaks volumes - about yourself.

To SacredCod: You spend your money and I'll spend mine. In the meantime just relax, take a couple Midol and watch some TV. I think Oprah has Michael Bolton on today.

Man, is Berkman gunning for MVP or something? He's hitting .391 (second in MLB) with a .472 OBP (third in MLB), .808 SLG (first in MLB), and a 1.280 OBP (first in MLB).

On top of which, he has 43 RBI (second in MLB), 15 HR (first in MLB), 16 2B (first in MLB), and 20 SB (tied for 11th in NL).

I know it's only May 16th, but good grief!

for those of you who are dissatisfied with the post coverage of the nats, why would you pay money to subscribe to the dead-tree edition? kind of reminds me of the old joke where one guy asks another why is he beating his head against a wall? the second guy says because it feels so good when he stops.

Make sure you guys coming to the games this weekend enjoy the delicious crab cakes.

MMM-good

From a personal perspective, it's nice to see that I don't need to start the drumbeats any more. From a reader perspective, it's disappointing how sub-standard the Post's coverage of the Nats continues to be. Boz has a chat at 3 today, will be interesting to see what he has to say.

Chico, you do know you can correct your blog posts, right? You still have "curese" from the last post, and you never corrected your statement that Manny used to *manage* in NY. By the way, nice call on WD-50. You will like Minibar as someone else has said.

Thanks Diane

BTW, how absurd is it that it's 6 weeks into the season and Verizn FiOs doesn't have MASNHD yet?

Re: dippin dots - as unexplainable and inexcusable as they are, kids love that crap. Doesn't mean I'm paying $5 for a serving you can get for $1.25 at BJ's but it doesn't stop them from asking.

Dippin Dots - ice cream of the future - that is where is should remain

Anyone know the Nats (not expos) vs Orioles overall record?

Is it me, or has this conversation taken a marked turn for the cruder lately?

__________________
[rude thing said]
Posted by: RyanDyan | May 16, 2008 12:22 PM
******************
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site.

With all the wordsmiths in this crowd I'm surprised that I have to point out that "curese" is a mash-up of cures and curse ... either of which would be a fine thing to do on/to the opponent's no-no.

You guys are awfully upset about stuff today. I'd like to remind everybody that the ad-hominem acrimony (like "blow me", for example) in this blog are frowned upon. Even though it is a rainy Friday, we would all appreciate it if you could keep that stuff to yourself. At least the hockey talk keeps things in the tone of friendly sporting competition.

As for Dippin' Dots, I would encourage everyone to read this article on "the ice cream of the future":
... http://tinyurl.com/3ykje6

Now, let's hear it for the Softball Girls who took it from the Mets out of pure determination and stamina. This may not be a good team overall, but I think those were four games of good baseball. Now let's take that same game and go beat up on the birds! What's our record vs. the O's since the '05 season started?

Who's pitchin' tonight? How many innings should we expect out of 'im?

You can fairly easily look stuff like that up on several websites, including www.baseball-reference.com.

Is that an odd homonym attack?

*************
Thanks Diane
Posted by: SacredCod | May 16, 2008 1:03 PM
-------
To SacredCod: ...
Posted by: RyanDylan | May 16, 2008 12:43 PM

SacredCod --

Our answer is in today's PressPass:
..http://presspass.mlb.com/pp_viewer.asp?d=39432

Nats vs. Orioles since 2005: 7-5 (that's 2006 & 2007 since we didn't play them in 2005)

Can I add also that attacks using femaleness as a derogatory characterization are right out? So, please no Figueroing here.

"Can molecular gastronomy explain Dippin' Dots?
Explain, yes. Excuse? No."

Mr. ABM...why the hating on the "ice cream of the future"?! Try the Cookies & Cream...it's breathtaking, plus the line is shorter than the one for funnel cakes.

Chico

Dude, You've got to give us your daily music run down. What you've been listening to lately. Etc Etc Etc...and if you can what you've been hearing from the clubhouse.

Chico's clubhouse music matter's...
(we'll work on that title, boys help)

Thanks Walks,

I promise no more Figueroing.

I dunno, I thought the Oprah/Michael Bolton line was kinda funny...

we didn't

Ok, RD (no space) - you've dopplegangered me enough that I need to (again) dissociate myself from your remarks. I picked up this monniker based on Positively 1/2 St, which I thought was a clever play on Dylan and the Nats, but, I'm officially The Poster Formerly Known as Ryan SPACE Dylan from now until I find something better - As I said a few weeks ago, if cursing out anonymous folks on a message board gets you set up for the weekend, then good for you - most likely you'll go your way, I'll go mine.

To the assembled folks - I'm officially in the monniker market - until then, TPFKARSD.

I didn't interpret Chico's mention of Malkin and Crosby to be any sort of Pittsburgh homering.

Rather, it seemed to be a little jab at the national media, who treat everything Crosby does as evidence of his transcendental abilities and proof that the - due to his presence alone - the Penguins are a team of destiny.

And if that's what he meant, spot on.

On Dmitri Young. While his hitting last year was remarkable, his defense cost Ryan Zimmerman the Gold Glove. I don't offer this as criticism. In fact, I was surprised at how well he played, all things considered. But, he's not Johnson at the bag, and Boone seems to be a very good first baseman.

As for offense, Boone's numbers so far match up quite well with Young's All-Star numbers of last year. We were incredibly lucky to get a veteran with is ability. It's rather surprising that one of the contending teams didn't make him an offer. We were lucky to get Young last year, in the same way -- except that his limitation were more obvious. Boone was just coming off an injury-riddled year.

On Willie Harris' catch -- may be it was Sportscenter's #1 play, but it was only the #2 web gem on Baseball tonight. There was a Jim Edmonds-esque over the shoulder dive and catch by a left-fielder in the college ranks -- that got the #1 slot.

To Ryan Dylan: I don't want to go seperate ways. You said we would be together always! I want to be with you. Especially since you use big words like doppleganger and monniker. Don't go. "He said knowingly, wink-wink, nudge-nudge."

O's Exec - Let me let you in on a little secret. The crabcakes/breadcrumbpucks at OPACY are not very good. Enjoy the game but go elsewhere in Baltimore for crabcakes.

I apologize, as I know this was from way earlier in the post (job always getting in the way) but Dmitri "I've got my ten million, lets eat" Young is my new favorite nickname.

Better then Can of Kearns?

-----

I apologize, as I know this was from way earlier in the post (job always getting in the way) but Dmitri "I've got my ten million, lets eat" Young is my new favorite nickname.

I believe it was more Wright's batting than Young's catching that cost Zimm the golden glove. But I'm kinda cynical about golden gloves. Austin Kearns was the best right-fielder in baseball last year (look it up) and didn't come close to winning.

If we're being literal about gold gloves, shouldn't throwing errors not count? Or if they do count, why should someone with so many of them be considered superior?

I'm not that concerned, he's got plenty of 'em coming in the future.

It was just a figuroa of speech. A figuroation, you might say.

So a new award for getting sent down after windging childishly about the opposition might be called The Fickle Figuroa of Fate ...

You'll note that Bob Dylan's real name was Robert Zimmerman. (I don't know if it was one N or two)

Anyone know anything about our new Dominicans?

http://tinyurl.com/55kh8h

Out here in Silicon Valley, paper versions of newspapers don't actually exist anymore (the tree-huggers and "dead tree" don't mix). There are some, though, that feel bad for newspaper companies (like me), so they receive blue and yellow bags on their door steps still every morning for nostalgic reasons (the bags go straight into the recycle bin usually - I wonder if the newsprint actually has print?). Soon everyone will have an IV surgically implanted so we can get our news and information (and late-night gamers) intravenously! Check out the sports section that I have here - ick - good thing I only really follow the sharks. http://www.mercurynews.com/sports The Post is light-years ahead.

Ryan_Dylan, how about one of these:

Diamond Joe (or Diamond Ryan)
Going Going Gone
Highway 295 Revisited
Romance in SouthCap
Series of Dreams

And then there is my personal favorite:

Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight

... which kind of sums up where we are right about now. And this could be abbreviated to "DFA Me Tonight" under appropriate circumstances.

Anybody else notice that when RyanDylan showed up, SoCH disappeared?

I'm very happy to have Dmitri back in the fold. While it is true that his fielding leaves something to be desired (mostly mobility and a glove) his energy in the dugout and his approach at the plate (the base, not the dish) are always appreciated. I will miss Nick's fielding and plate discipline (base and dish) as well as his humorous self mockery with his song selection of "The Girl Can't Help It" (I am assuming this is self mockery and not self delusion, but who knows). Still one of my favorite visuals in Washington Sports History is watching Dmitri going from first to third. Not since Carlos Baerga beat out an infield chopper has there been more moving parts on the bases.

Welcome back Meat!

Patty

What about the SF Chronicle sports website? Bruce Jenkins' Saturday column is the best I regularly read.

I love the dead tree version and will continue to subscribe. But that catch was all over the TV news and it is completely pathetic that we had to go to the NY papers to see it. Very disappointing.

this should be the new lineup:

guz ss
boone 2b
zim 3b
young 1b
milledge cf
dukes rf
harrs/pena lf
flores c

youre welcome.

i think emilio has something against summer sports whose players use their hands.

Count me in with the Meat supporters. I was disappointed to learn that he didn't pick up a bat in the offseason. But he deserves the benefit of the doubt after what he did for us last year, at the plate and in the field. And, possibly, in the clubhouse. Remember what Lenny said about everyone being tight and not having veterans around to show them how to work through it? Maybe Dmitri plays this role in the clubhouse a little. As for fielding, I'm on board with playing Meat for 6 innings and then subbing in Boone whenever we're ahead (or need a PH and a double-switch).

Emilio's a funny name.

dk, why would you want boone to play 2B? he's played all of 30 games there in his entire career (over 11 years) and only 1 game in the last 5 yrs.

he'd be an adequate extra-/late- inning double switch candidate to play an inning or two there in an emergency, but to actually have him start games there would probably be a bad idea.

How can anyone say that Nick was off to a slow start? The guy was on base 42% of the times. Who cares what his average was. Honestly, Nick Johnson is so missed in this lineup and yesterday was a perfect example. He may not have broken up the no hitter, but I am sure Pelfrey would have thrown at least 15 more pitches. Maybe it is just me, but it seems like when he is in, the whole lineup is more patient. There were a few sub 10 pitch innings yesterday.

"dk, why would you want boone to play 2B? he's played all of 30 games there in his entire career (over 11 years) and only 1 game in the last 5 yrs."

-----

Because he's not Felipe Lopez and dk hates Lopez because "he doesn't hustle" and is "lazy." Note that "austin 'i stink' kearns" also isn't on there. Though, I think many of us might agree now that he needs a break.

Are manager's allowed to slash two players in their line-up? Or just DK?

NatBiscuit,
Nick's song is actually called "Clumsy"

Tough time to be a F. Lopez hater. He and Guz are the only regulars hitting over .240 (of those with at least 3.1 PA/game).

As a DC United diehard, I might add that Emilio is a name in great disfavor right now...

You know, leetee, I don't read the Chronicle regularly for some reason - I should really be better about that, because you are right, there are some great writers there.

Lopez should be the 2Bman. Although, 2B is, by far, the easiest position to play and if Boone was put there, I think he'd be fine.

Kearns is the one that has to go. He has done nothing in Washington for about 2 whole seasons now, and is no longer a premier defensive outfielder (can of kearns anyone?). I say bench him permanently and move LMillz to either right or left and play Dukes regularly in center. It's not like Kearns is a guy people don't run on like Ichiro or even Big Jose (Little Jose is the bobblehead on my mantle). I just don't see what he brings to the table anymore. I have followed his career since high school (I'm from KY) and he has always been a disappointment. .265, 10-15 hr, and 75 rbis is all he can do. Last year was not an anomoly. Kearns is who I think he is, and that's not very good.

If I have to watch AK hit one more squibber back to the pitcher in a key situation, blood will come out of my ears.

Boz offered an interesting take on why the ponies got the picture and Harris didn't. He said the problem with print is that the Harris picture was 14 hours old by this morning, and everyone had seen it and knew the outcome of the Nats game. Thus, the feature on Desormeaux (spell check please) was given more prominence.

I have the feeling that the sports page is in flux and does not know what it should look like in the web and ESPN era. The Post has made the call that the Sports section adds value through features and beyond the box score coverage (recall Barry Blogfather I's defense of his end of homestand "gamer" after Pittsburgh). So the Nats gamer and photo were treated as stale news.

But it does not explain the lack of posts from Chico today.

I think Chico is probably in flux too (travelling on the train back down here from NY).

Boz is clearly sensitive about the Post's lack of coverage of the Nats, seeing as how he took 3 questions about the issue in his chat (none of which were from me). It's too bad that his answers reflect the delusion that the coverage is fine as is. At least Barry acknowledged that the coverage should improve and held out hope that it would improve over time.

Also, it is hilarious to see Boz claim that he has written 16 columns on the Nats this season. I guess that includes his RFK/new ballpark column that he has recycled at least 10 times so far.

austin ks stinx offensively as we all know. however, every1 kept sayin what a great professional defensive player he was. well the stiff literally cost us 2 games singlehandedly defensively in the past two weeks--vs stros and metropolitans.
so enough of this b s.

as for booney on 2nd, i dont agree that 2nd base is so easy--i used to play it as well as my kid. so watch it.
but lopez is also a stiff and i just dont have anywhere else to put boone and he needs to be in there right now. 2 many outfielders. no other openings.

btw the harris catch is one of the greatest catches i have eva seen---EVA!!!!!
and those 3 plays together at the end of the game---weird double play to guz, harris catch and game ender dp has to be the best 8th-9th inning defensive trifecta--EVA!!!

PTBNL,

They are all on a train, not really much is happening in the way of news. We have no pending DL moves and nothing else really going on, so I don't know what you would want in the ways of a post by Chico.

self-importance and sense of entitlement, methinks

Why would we want that from The Kid? Certainly not for contrast.

************
... so I don't know what you would want in the ways of a post by Chico.
Posted by: natsinthevalley | May 16, 2008 4:28 PM
---------
self-importance and sense of entitlement, methinks
Posted by: | May 16, 2008 4:32 PM

I knew all those posts on his first day would spoil some of us. He's probably in in the press box testing the tasty treats.

dk, I played all 8 positions in my past, so I speak from experience when I say 2B is the easiest... okay, of the infield positions at least.

But I'm with you on Kearns. I feel that his defensive stats are so good historically because he doesn't get to as many balls as the other top guys. He seems to want to change that this year, but you can't dive and miss like he's been doing. You have to dive and catch them, as Fast Willie showed us yesterday.

He's cost us games with his glove and bat this year and is not consistant enough to warrant the special treatment he's receiving.

This is not 'the Bachelorette'. We're not looking for 25 guys to go out with. We need someone that produces; someone that makes us better; someone we can count on when the chips are down and the game is on the line. That person is not named Austin Kearns so we need to find out if his name is Elijah Dukes or Lastings Milledge or Wily Mo Pena.

"Kearns is the one that has to go. He has done nothing in Washington for about 2 whole seasons now"

.285/.390/.461 in 315PA's in the 2nd half of last year hardly qualifies as "nothing."

Are either of his replacements even hitting their weight?

307,

2b is not the easiest position to play by any stretch of the imagination. It is the most 'mental' other than catcher and requires more strategy in positioning than the others.

If you are basing your assumption of ease on the fact that it looks like they do not have to physically do much to man the position - that shows how one can overlook the relative difficulty based solely on what happens after contact with the bat.

i don't know about can o' kearns replacements hitting their weight, i just hope dmh can hit HIS weight, whatever it is currently.

2nd...easy...try turning that 6-4-3 with sharp spikes coming in hard and fast...not so easy.

New Lineup

Lopez 2b
Guz SS
Boone 1B
Young DH
Zim 3B
Dukes CF
Flores C
Milledge LF
Kearns RF

2b is not the easiest position to play by any stretch of the imagination. It is the most 'mental' other than catcher and requires more strategy in positioning than the others.
Posted by: theraph | May 16, 2008 4:48 PM

yea so take that. and believe me my son is mental. (did i just say that??)

Pena in RF every other day

Milledge gets 50 ABs in LF at the end of the order if he does not respond well then off to AAA to learn the game.

jayb, where are you gonna put boonsie when the dh aint available?

i swear carpenter and sutton hold up an austin ks poster with one hand every night.

Boonie....RF

JayB,

Is that actually the lineup? If it is, I am completely ok with that.

Re: Today's Nats Coverage...

sure, Boswell had all sorts of good excuses for not featuring Harris' catch in the paper and instead focusing on Horse Racing...

but I'm pretty sure that the next time the Nats pull a season-low attendance number, the story about it will be front-and-center, with a huge picture of a half-empty Nats Park.

I'm just sayin'.

to be honest, I stopped reading the Post's print coverage a long time ago. I just come straight to Nats Journal when I want to read the Post. other than that, I read the Times. I dunno what that one guy in here is fussing about, but the Times has some very nice-quality Nats Coverage. that said, the Nats coverage is the *only* thing I read in that particular paper.

Guys, it has been 3 years of this. I've given up hope for the Post's print edition. It's just not going to change, and the Nats will continue to get the shaft in favor of the Redskins, Wizards, Orioles, Horse-Racing, and competitive tiddlywinks.

Boonie....RF
Posted by: SC Nats Fan | May 16, 2008 5:03 PM

except you got pena, dukes, milledge, harris, who also deserves to play if for no other reason than the catch of the decade. not to mention d-max who really should be playin now for the nats as well. hes probably betta than the whole lot. so id still stick boonsie at 2nd.

and with all that said *points at last post*, I have to admit that Chico is doing really well.

sure, Boswell had all sorts of good excuses for not featuring Harris' catch in the paper and instead focusing on Horse Racing...
Posted by: MrMadison | May 16, 2008 5:07 PM

where did boz say this?

C'mon. Is this kind of comment really necessary?
____________
i swear carpenter and sutton hold up an austin ks poster with one hand every night.

Posted by: dk | May 16, 2008 5:03 PM

DK - in his Chat transcript.

"But it does not explain the lack of posts from Chico today."

Yes it does. Chico is getting his injection today, the one they forgot to give him during his orientation week at the Post. It's a powerful drug that targets a specific purpose, namely to have you spew out "we have plenty of great baseball coverage in the Post" whenever someone raises the issue. Boz is so overdosed on this drug after all his years at the Post that he took three count 'em three questions on coverage today (or maybe it was just because he had no other questions to choose from, y'think?) and spewed out the answer in a slightly different variation each time. My favorite was the totally preposterous piece of bullsh*t as to why they couldn't run the picture of Harris's catch. An action photo like that loses all of its compelling, look-at-me nature because it's 14 hours old by the time the paper hits the newsstands? Come on, Boz. None of your readers are dumb enough not to see through that one...

Boone..RF - that was just to illicit a reaction. You're correct dk, just a numbers game in the outfield at this moment. You could probably draw straws and not have a lot of difference in the talent, save for lack of fielding WMP. Kearns had a bad 3 years, but wtf...give a guy a chance : < ), Manny has.

I see WPL is from Pimlico, not OPACY...what a shock.

pena in RF? blech. it worked in boston because the LF there is actually weird enough that you need a better defender there. but if you put WMP in RF here, that means instead of turning singles into doubles, he'll be turning doubles into triples. he's not a RF anywhere but boston. keep him in left.

Is there a game today?

better yet, trade the wasteland of minimal production to an al team needing a dh, move lostings from cf to lf, put dukes in cf and pray that kearns can visit lourdes and find his missing talent.

concerning the willie say hey harris catch. i dont care if it happened at noon, 3 pm, 9 am, 8 pm or midnight. that catch shoulda been laid out across the entire top half of the paper. and any1 who knows sports knows that. that was one of the greatest catches. and on top of that, it changed the game as well.
it was an amazing catch that actually meant something. no way around that. post really blew it big time. who is minding the store??!!

dk,

*** crickets chirping ***

Actually, I was hoping to get new posted. Kind of like Barry's column on Zimmerman when right before he started hitting.

Also, frankly, I was hoping chico or someone would tee up another topic.

No insult intended.

topics? we make our own stinkin' topics!

Not the real line up tonight but I did hear Boz on TV say that Kearns in on the bench tonight....good move.

I would leave Boone at 1B when Young is not DH. Defense counts and I bet Young is very rough (yes much like Spring Training last year) right now.

I would put Bellard in every other day or so at 2B and us Lopez at SS (ouch) to keep Guz fresh into the summer months.....unless we can trade for a real SS for the next few years.

"self-importance and sense of entitlement, methinks

Posted by: | May 16, 2008 4:32 PM"

Wimpy snark

DK, Emilio Garcia-Ruiz is minding the store. You know, the guy who whines about how "expensive" it is for the Post to cover the Nats, yet meanwhile the Redskins need 3 beat writers (plus 2 columnists) to cover them.

this from si.com today:

"Continuing with the theme of jaw-dropping plays, Nationals outfielder Willie Harris made an unbelievable, game-saving catch in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday. That truly is full extension."

exactly. hello washington rags...any1 listening????

here's another topic,

Has anyone had the crabcake sandwich at Nationals Park? Howe is it? I've been tempted to order it a couple of times but ... I'm not ready to shell out the $$ (something like $12, I think) on something I'm so uncertain of.

Has anyone had the crabcake sandwich at Nationals Park?

i havent but some1 here a couple weeks ago said it was really good with a good sauce. was thinkin of tryin it myself next time.

The NP crabcaske sandwich isn't exactly McCormick and Schmick's, but it's not bad. Like most upscale ballpark food, it's overpriced. I hit Five Guys across from the park before games and get one of their burgers and a cup o' fries. Reasonably priced.

just an interesting note:

I find it slightly funny that today's Post Coverage has been almost unanimously trashed in the NJ, by some of the same people who always jump on Coverage is Lacking when he constantly complains about the coverage.

CiL: I haven't done the math, but I would imagine that sending a baseball beat writer on several dozen road trips (with airfare, hotel, car and meals) over six months plus a month or so of spring training in Florida might, indeed, cost significantly more than sending 3 beat writers to cover 10 away games.

CiL: I haven't done the math,

nuthin to do with math or number of games etc. simply, the redskins are king. if no one cared about the skins, they would get 1 story.
case closed.

papers, tv and radio here are afraid NOT to cover every trivial aspect of the snydermen

ihw, I had a crab cake sandwich and I wasn't impressed. I'd say not worth the $12-$14 bucks.

nice subject change, btw. ;)

1 Hour to game time and NO LINEUPS?

Is will not do Chico.......

natsscribe: lostings. ha ha. good one.

BTW-

A commentator on Washington Post Live compared Shawn Hill's slider to that of Brandon Webb. That is pretty high praise, and perhaps an indication of how good Hill can be.

Oh, wait. That was Barry. He has an obsessive, high-school like love going there. Never mind.

Washington AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Lopez, 2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269
Guzman, SS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295
Zimmerman, 3B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234
Young, DH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500
Boone, 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .327
Milledge, CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
Flores, C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .360
Pena, LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .211
Dukes, RF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .056
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Baltimore AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Roberts, 2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .265
Mora, 3B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252
Markakis, RF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261
Huff, DH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262
Millar, 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .230
Scott, LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271
Hernandez, R, C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .215
Jones, CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
Bynum, SS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .318
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

positively half street: It's his sinker, not his slider.

+ 1/2 St. Man crush <> adolescent crush...

line-ups, sir chico?

In another couple of minutes MLB gameday should have the lineups.

Lineups are on Gameday. Kearns is riding the pine tonight.

JayB, thanks for the lineups (courtesy Gameday)

I think Chico ate too many breadcrumb pucks at OPACY.

lineups? bueller? bueller?

Hmph. Did Chico do the old bait and switch?

Sure, you're all new-posty and funny in the beginning but you'll have us whimpering in the corner, begging for one-post-per-day scraps, huh?

Wow, this AL lineup we have goin on looks amazing. Pena and Dukes hitting 8 and 9, I like the looks of that.

Chico must still be at the press box buffet.

Pena and Dukes are hitting 8 and 9 because our outfield stinks, not because our lineup is so strong. Having LF and RF hitting at the bottom of the lineup is a bad thing, no way to spin it.

Or he decided to work with Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore SUu.

lineups up, FINALLY!