"Last year, Jon Rauch suffered a minor torn labrum. Surprinsingly, he was able to come back the same year, pitching a few decent innings down the stretch for the Nats." Chris Needham, The Silver Shoulder Lining, Capitol Punishment Sunday, February 26, 2006

From Mark Zuckerman in the Times:
The Nationals aren't officially saying how long Cordero will be out. Much will depend on what Dr. Lewis Yocum finds when he operates on him in the next few days in Los Angeles. But it's not uncommon for some pitchers to need 12 to 18 months before returning to the mound. Ryan Wagner just passed the 1-year mark from his labrum surgery and he's just about ready to pitch in rehab games. On the other side of the table, Jon Rauch had a labrum tear in 2005 and came back before the season ended. So there are varying degrees of this, though I think the Nats are thinking this is going to be on the longer end of the spectrum.

I feel SO bad for Cordero. I'll admit, he's the one guy I got the most enjoyment griping about, but I really seriously would never wish this on him.

I'm so, so sorry Chad. Please work hard at your recovery.

NEW POSTED AGAIN! Chico, you're TOO GOOD SOMETIMES!

Values Check

Between the money Cordero will be paid for not pitching because his contract is guaranteed and that he's a vested member of the MLBPA's pension program, if he hasn't blown most of his money he'll be financially secure.

Posted by: leetee1955 | June 30, 2008 7:30 PM

Am I in Miami?

tell peter angelos he can now stop sticking pins in his ted lerner doll>

Damn, I was new posted. Wasted a perfectly good joke about their minor league closer and awful record. Friggin' Chico. Dude posts in spurts. Do I make a similar joke again? Maybe I'll rag on their TV ratings again, or maybe I'll just bust flynnie's chops some more. I can squeeze a few more miles out of that.

Big time cut Guzzie!

you mean someone's actually WATCHING the game?

About the only thing our medical staff seems to have missed is a concussion.

I find it interesting that there's a certain anticipation among the the constituency for Lopez to be traded... essentially for nothing.

Our boys strand a lot of runners don't they? Shame.

Dukes, Da Meat Hook!

So lovely.

I'm here with you Jason, if nobody else is.

Go Dukes! Go Meat!!

Haha, I like the passion NatsNut!

Boy, did Redding catch a break on that strikeout, I really have no idea what Jacobs was doing swinging at that.

Typical Redding outing though.

You mean I can exhale and look now?

Just in time to see Redding help himself out! I love that guy. I mean, now anyway.

I just wish Redding could figure out how to average less than 20 pitches an inning.

I think this is the highest pitch count of any starter this year. I haven't looked it up, but buck sez I'm right.

any NATS starter, that is.

Am I the only one who's not very confident Colome can hold the guy on 3rd for 3 outs?

calamity in a tie game? be afraid. be very afraid.

who knew? but ayala the arsonist could still come in and blow it.

A guy on third with no outs should score.

Could it be possible that Redding won't get another decision this year because this team doesn't score enough runs to give him a comfortable cushion?

...unless he's a Nat

____________________________

A guy on third with no outs should score.

Posted by: Ed | June 30, 2008 9:24 PM

Re: Cordero

I wonder if what happened to the Chief will change the way that Manny works his relievers? In that he won't work them so hard and on consecutive days? Instead of using four guys for an inning apiece three days in a row, would Manny change to pitch two guys for two innings every other game?

wmp should be ashamed that a 30-something year old catcher is more nimble in left field than he. wmp should just be ashamed, period.

LoDuca inched up another notch on my respect meter.

LoDuca on shagging pop flies in practice:
"I'm too old for that crap"

Leetee,

I can't see many wins for any of our starting pitchers the rest of the way. Our hitters are not good enough to to provide any kind of a cushion, and our starters, though decent, can't hold the opposition scoreless or to one run. Looks like the wins will go to relievers like in the O's series.

Cap,

I was thinking about that yesterday when Bergmann got ND'ed against the AngelO's because our starters have NO margin of error because of the anemic bats.

the nats have the lead. god, please, no ayala tonight!

the ball ALWAYS seems to find flop at the wrong time. serenity now, serenity now...

Let's get Rauch some insurance here, guys.

Could it be possible that Redding won't get another decision this year because this team doesn't score enough runs to give him a comfortable cushion?

Posted by: leetee1955 | June 30, 2008 9:25 PM
-----------------------------------------

Redding is like a very good reliever. He doesn't go deep enough into games to get the win. Our bullpen typically has to pitch almost as long as Redding when he starts.

He's pitched as well as he can for the Nats this year, which is commendable. But the pen wears itself out when he pitches.

We need 4 or 5 guys that can throw 90 pitches and get into the 7th inning. Lannan usually does that, Bergman has been known to do the same from time to time.

Until we get more guys like Lannan and possibly Bergman, we are going to continue to put an awful strain on our bullpen.

Alright Rauch, lets make it 4 of our last 5, shall we?

C'MON WOOKIEEE!!!!!

damn. I'll shut up now.

Damn you Rauch...

"sounded like an HR"

hanram is a monster.

The blame for that 9th inning homer falls squarely to one Charlie Slowes. He was listing the homers that Rauch had given up this year (2, before a moment ago), and said "...and none since" a couple of times.

Argh! Arrrrgggh!

Looks like it's been a pretty big game. I just got back from seeing Wall-E with my red-headed, Cubs-fan girlfriend (highly recommend it) and the box score looks pretty sweet. Saw a running catch by Lo Duca on gameday and the FLA announcer said "That's probably the best play Lo Duca has made in left field... ever." He's right.

Rauch, I like the homage to the Chief with your ninth inning home run, blow save. Now go get 'em boys and give Big Jon the vulture win and stop playing around.

What are the chances Lopez comes through?

Come on Nieves, make up for that DP!

Thoughts on giving Willie Harris the starting CF/leadoff spot??

What demon has possessed Lenny Harris's body? What has he done to these Nats? Sure Wilbur didn't make it there, but that was a heck of an at bat against a great closer. Not something we saw a few weeks ago.

Jason,

Works for me. But Manny won't do it because that means Roger would be mostly sitting the bench,

that sure didn't take long. good night. thank you for coming. drive home safely.

Thoughts on giving Willie Harris the starting CF/leadoff spot??

Posted by: Jason | June 30, 2008 10:33 PM
-------------------------------------------

Already giving up on Bernadina?

Make that 1-9 against the Florida Marlins.

By the way Rauch, thanks for nothing you big red headed piece of garbage.

can the nate release wmp to make room for balester?

"Won-Loss records are important to shallow people. The real truth in baseball is in the drama, the human struggle for meaning against inevitable mortality, and our defiance of entropy, of physics, and of the gods themselves. That's why this is the greatest sport there ever could be, the perfect allegory for life itself. If Rome had baseball, the Empire would still be in power today."

Posted by: Cicero | June 30, 2008 6:15 PM

=========================================

So, how was that drama tonight? That human struggle for meaning against inevitable mortality? The Marlins defiance of entropy, of physics, and of the gods themselves?

flyn, how'd that fish taste tonight?

hehehehehehehehe

....of course, that should have been nats.

I think they played a great game tonight.

LOL! The walk-off gods giveth, the walk-off gods taketh away. I'll have some fun with this tonight. What? Sherrill blew another save. Damn it. But this isn't about us. This is about them. Flynnie will have no idea what hit him. And then I can remind them that we have the better record. I rule so hard.

Well, when you're a fan of an overmatched team, sometimes the bright side is that you simply endure a quality loss, instead of a craptastic loss. This was a simple loss. Decent start from Redding (complete with three solid ABs); a nice catch from your catcher-turned-left-fielder (which should never, ever happen, but Lo Duca earned some points in my book with that effort). Absent one bad pitch from Rauch, who has been nothing short of excellent this year, we come away with a curly W. Nice effort from the guys tonight under the circumstances.

Also, I was psyched when Bernadina was called up. But upon seeing him for the first time tonight, I think he's a reserve OF at best. Hope I am wrong but unless he can lead off and play stellar CF, he's a bench guy. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Chico, how's JMax?

Tough loss but we never beat these guys. I know Bernadina has only played two games but he looks so over matched. Let's see how he is after 15 games. It is too bad that Maxwell got hurt. Of all the call-ups he looked the most comfortable at the major league level. I would like to see Dukes , Kearns, Maxwell in the outfield this year.

*Sigh* Another defeat snatched from the jaws of possible victory. Tomorrow is another game...

Man! The Nats might be a decent team if they could ever figure out how to beat the Marlins.

Bernadina has had, what, 8 at-bats? From AA?

Ya'll gotta take some lessons from the Manny Acta School of Patience, my friends.

LOL! The walk-off gods giveth, the walk-off gods taketh away. I'll have some fun with this tonight. What? Sherrill blew another save. Damn it. But this isn't about us. This is about them. Flynnie will have no idea what hit him. And then I can remind them that we have the better record. I rule so hard.

Posted by: O's Exec's Conscience | June 30, 2008 10:50 PM

=========================================

26 out of 31 (on pace for 52 out of 62) is not bad. Of the top 10 leaders in saves (most was 47) last year, pitchers (in order) had 7,8,7,7,6,2,6,4,6 and 9 blown saves. And this is his first full year of closing!

Nice try though boss.

Let's hope Balester is a Lannan type pitcher.

Chico -- a story about the Nationals medical staff would be *very* interesting about now. I don't have a point of reference, but I'm beginning to wonder if the Nats record for handling injuries would be enough to scare a free agent away.

Dr. Andrews said Cordero had a "weak shoulder" in April, and prescribed strengthening exercises. Now it's June, and we find out some (St. Clare, for instance) suspected a torn labrum all along. So months have gone by, and there're the question of whether the "strengthening" exercises aggrevated any shoulder damage.

Then there's Nick Johnson, with his injury that doesn't improve, so months go by, and he finally goes to the Mayo Clinic and has season ending wrist surgery.

I wish I could be more optimistic, but I begin to wonder about Milledge's chance of recovering from his groin strain...

Why am I talking to myself? And why is my conscience posting on this blog? I should have ignored him, I should have ignored him, I should have ignored him. But at least I put myself in my place! I missed the point of my point, but whatever. Who's smelling like a rose now!

"Absent one bad pitch from Rauch"

I counted two myself.

Wow, an new personal best at missing the point.
I wouldn't have thought it possible.

But Cicero should have known better.
"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Matthew 7:6
*********
"Won-Loss records are important to shallow people. The real truth in baseball is in the drama, the human struggle for meaning against inevitable mortality, and our defiance of entropy, of physics, and of the gods themselves. That's why this is the greatest sport there ever could be, the perfect allegory for life itself. If Rome had baseball, the Empire would still be in power today."

Posted by: Cicero | June 30, 2008 6:15 PM

=========================================

So, how was that drama tonight? That human struggle for meaning against inevitable mortality? The Marlins defiance of entropy, of physics, and of the gods themselves?

flyn, how'd that fish taste tonight?

hehehehehehehehe

Posted by: O's Exec | June 30, 2008 10:44 PM

Honestly, I've half a mind to tell these folks where you live.

But to answer your question, not that you're ever asking a question, you're just singing a song, it was sublime.

**********
So, how was that drama tonight? That human struggle for meaning against inevitable mortality? The Marlins defiance of entropy, of physics, and of the gods themselves?

You all are something. Bernadina hit the ball fine yesterday. He's had one bad night, and he's rated highly by people other than Jim Bo. And you're ready to give up on him? For Willie Harris?

Looks like the Nats stinkness may have rubbed off on the O's.

No worries, can't win em all. O's wil rebound and the feathery fists of fury will come out swining tomorrow and knock the hot Royals (8-2 in their last 10 games) right out of the ballpark.

They'll start a new winning streak that'll last so long it'll set records.

Tough Loss. Oh well. Need to keep pace with Seattle for that magical #1 pick.

Keep hope alive moment of the day:
The Rookie League Nats (playing in Viera, where everything's better) and Potomac each scored 2TD's (with XP) and a FG--for those football challenged--thats 17 runs--or the equivalent of 6 Nats games or O's Exec's IQ--whichever is higher.

Hmmm. No score from the Hoser? The B'mores must be losing to the Royals tonight. How's that one going?

I stand corrected. The denial and excuses were too quick for me.

Crap, we lost another game we should have won. Don't say ANYTHING about it. Don't give them an opening. Even if the loser Nats play their best and we play our worst, I should still be able to milk the 2008 records for another month or so! I sure hope we're not about to embark on our patented month long stretch of .250 ball, though.

Positive thoughts. Positive thoughts. Let's see, we still have a better record. They lost their closer for the season. They lost AGAIN. I'll get them on that. That never gets old!

It's not just that, Conscience. The Nationals, what's left of them, got beat by a good team. Baltimore lost to KC. That's gotta sting. Drama indeed. Good luck finding meaning in that.

Oh no, it's the end of the world. The O's have lost TWO games in a row. Lock all windows of office buildings, close all bridges.

No, not two whole games in a row.

And why not keep milking the 2008 records, if the tables were turned Nats fans would be doing just that.

It's not just that, Conscience. The Nationals, what's left of them, got beat by a good team. Baltimore lost to KC. That's gotta sting. Drama indeed. Good luck finding meaning in that.

Posted by: You lost AGAIN?? | June 30, 2008 11:31 PM

======================================

You mean the same Royals that have won their last 8 out of 10 and who just took 2 out of 3 from the Cards? Those Royals, who by the way, also have a better record than the Nats? Wow, just stop and think about that, the ROYALS are better than the Nats. Even the Pirates, the PIRATES, who have actually been worse than the O's the past decade have a better record than the Nats.

You guys must be proud of the team your owners and GM has assembled.

Sloppy Joes.

The o's lost cintron their shortstop in the 7th to a groin injury someone need a shortstop aka Lopez.

This inner conflict and outward defensiveness does not play well AT ALL. WTF is wrong with me? "You'd be doing it too." I'm better than that.

OK, OK, time to regroup. The Royals aren't that bad, right? And they have a better record than the Nats! Hell, so do the Pirates! This is a freaking goldmine of material! I can run with this for days. Whew, thank Brooks I thought of this. In the meantime, I gotta toughen up. No more of this pansy, vulnerable O's Exec. Steinberg wants to meet me, Paulie Shore knows me, and I own this freaking room.

oh and by the way, the Red Sox have currently lost 3 games in a row and the Cubs have currently lost 4 in a row. Must be the end of the world for them too.

crabbers
cal
camden yards
inner harburrr
the EWWWWWWWS!

Posted by: O's Exec | June 30, 2008 9:33 PM

Anyone else think the Lerners are incompetent?

Check this out:
http://dcsportsplus.blogspot.com/2008/07/youre-losing-us.html

If you want to join in, leave a comment with your name/link.

Cubs, Red Sox, Orioles.

Which of these three does not belong?

Okay, honestly, the fight with O's Exec about the Orioles is idiotic. Why is it continuing? Does anyone really expect him to say "oh, you're right, the Nats are better, I'll go away now?"

He mocks the Nationals because he's a troll and that's what he does -- troll for reactions. He used to be a tame troll who could provide a laugh every now and then with a good-spirited and often absurd mocking of the Nats. All this attempting to take the childish "my team is better" banter seriously is making him feral again. Let it go.

Hoagie, you spelled "efficiency" wrong.

;)

Given the contract status of Chad (Arb again in 2009 and FA in 2010), and the Lerner trends we have know all too well......have we seen the last of Chad as a Nat? Maybe not if no other team is willing to touch him over the next two years. Would it make any sense to sign him to a low ball long term deal and hope and pray he can come back.....say 5 years $10 million.....that is after we refuse arbitration and nobody else is willing to pay and wait. What makes sense here? Not really sure what will happen with the numbers. I do not think offering him arbitration makes sense....he would earn over $7 million next year and not pitch at all and then be a free agent right?

"The Nationals on Monday optioned Pete Orr to Triple-A Columbus to make room for Balester..."
_______________
I was wrong about Orr not having options but I was right about the club choosing Casto over him.

JayB, I just pray we haven't seen the last of Chad in MLB. I was root, root, rooting for our home team last night, but was ousted from the computer by the daughter some of you met when she came to the Park after being all night at a birth. When Belli crossed the plate, I thought we were going to get to shout, a la John Sterling, "Back to Back and Belli to Belli!" This team really does have miles and miles and miles of heart!

An interesting and possibly quite shrewd strategy, JayB. Does anyone know of a comparable example in recent transactions?

I like Hoagies's web page. Maybe I should change my moniker to Lerners ARE Incompetent?....Nah.

It's also interesting to see, as Hoagie points out on his page, that Nats320 has been ripping the Nats a bit recently as it comes to their attitude on the field and now their handling of injuries. I wonder IF--Stan will CUT OFF--SBF's inside access to--THE NATS now that he's not being such--a RAH RAH homer? It wouldn't surprise me if he did since Stan is that type of guy, but good for SBF for saying what he believes.

Would Chad seriously get $7M in arbitration when he's not even playing?

"422", in an earlier post, makes a valid point. What is up with our medical staff and consultants?

(1) Some pitchers incur a forearm strain and we cannot get it fixed ( Patterson, Hill, perhaps Chico)
(2) Zimmerman (4 weeks to find out he had a shoulder tear).
(3) Johnson - (wrist out for the year - a month to find out the wrist was torn)
(4) Cordero - (three months to find the shoulder was torn)

If I am Lerner and Kasten I would be looking into this. This medical history is just unacceptable.

Another example of Bowden's incompetence. He has mismanaged this aspect of his job.

new post up

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also "incompetence"

I share the concerns expressed by others re. the handling of injuries. I hope that Cordero was not irreparably damaged due to the delays. Best wishes to him for a full recovery.

Really tired of guys having injuries and playing with them, or trying to play through. Are they getting advice from Dr. Kildare or Dr. Spock? Lets ket these guys diagnosed quickly and CORRECTLY! We waste weeks and months trying to REHAB, when surgery is the answer. My "manny-patience" is wearing really thin! I used to watch every inning of every game. Now I turn the tv on once or twice just to see how bad we're losing. Lerners and Jimbo have really overestimated our patience and the goodwill of the new stadium. I've gone from wanting to purchase a partial plan to not even being interested in going downtown until the product is improved. How many times can you watch FLop make a bonehead play, or not run out a ground ball? At least hustle, you prima donna!

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