Nothing new

Nothing new to Nats fans, as they get off to a 0-7 start.

When I first looked at the Opening day lineup for the Marlins, I smiled seeing a easy out in Emilio Bonifacio, Florida's leadoff hitter. I was wrong when he went 4-5 with a inside the park Homer and 3 stolen bases. John Lannan struggled to get ahead of hitters, throwing only 5 first pitch strikes to the 17 batters he faced. By the third inning, it was 6-0 Marlins. In the top of the 4th, Guzman was on second, and Adam Dunn up. He took a outside out of the zone slider and crushed it to right field. I thought it had a chance of leaving, but it was off of that huge Florda left field wall for a RBI double. He later crushed a three run Homer to make it a 8-5 game. The nats lost, 12-6.

Scott Olsen looked even more pathetic the next day, giving up 5 runs in 5 innings as he got clobbered by his former team. The nats lost, 8-3.

The next day was the hugest killer ever. Daniel Cabrera had a bad start as expected( 6 IP, 5 ER), and the nats had bases loaded, 1 out and they couldn't score. In the top of the ninth with the nats down by two, the bases were loaded with one out for Josh Willingham (.345 last year with RISP), who got a start against his former team, and he struck out. Next was Austin Kearns,
who looked for a game tieing or game winning hit. He hit a sinking line drive to left field that looked like the game tieing hit off the bat, but the Left Fielder Jeremy Hermida got a great jump, and an even better catch to win the game for the fish.

The next day was also a killer for the nats, as the Braves made their home opener. Shairon Martis as the starter for the nats who only made it through 3 innings (Because of the rain delay) The nats had bases loaded, nobody out one time and failed to score. The Braves won the game in the tenth inning on a walk-off single by Kelly Johnson off of Joe Beimel to end the game.

The nats lost the next game 5-3. John Lannan had another bad outing going 6IP,4ER. They lost the next one, 8-5, while Scott Olsen has yet to learn how to pitch in a Nats uniform.

Then came the nats opener, against the Philadelphia Phillies. The game was played shortly after the death of Harry Kalas, the Phillies play-by-play announcer since 1971. They even thought about not playing the game, even when they had a Nationals Park record 40,676 people at the game. It was an offensive game, even though Daniel Cabrera lasted through 5 innings while only giving up one earned run. Although an error by Adam Dunn and two by Anderson Hernandez (he got off the DL because of a injury to Willie Harris) Left the Phils with a 4-3 lead. But then a homer by Dukes and Dunn got the game tied 4-4. But then in the seventh Saul Rivera let the first two baserunners, with powerful Ryan Howard up, and Joe Beimel, a lefty, was warming up. Rivera, a righty, clearly didn't have it at all and Howard crushed a 3 run Homer to right field. Then in the ninth Brad Lidge came on to the mound. Down 9-6, Zimm hit a 2 run HR down the right field line, and the nats were down 9-8 with nobody out, but then Dunn and 'Lijah tried to be heros, taking huge uppercut swings, resulting in a strikeout and the Nats lost, 9-8. Obviously I couldn't watch the game being in 'Zona, but I had my eyes glued to the scoreboard on ESPN.

The Wednesday night game against the Phillies was rained out, but Shairon Martis will pitch against Joe Blanton, as the nats look to achieve their first W in the columns. The projected lineup for the nats:
1. Anderson Hernandez 2B
2. Elijah Dukes CF
3. Ryan Zimmerman 3B
4. Adam Dunn LF
5. Nick Johnson 1B
6. Austin Kearns/Josh Willingham RF
7. Jesus Flores C
8. Alberto Gonzalez SS
9. Shairon Martis P
Notice how Lastings Milledge isn't playing? Belive it or not, new acting GM Mike Rizzo sent him down to the minors. Lastings is really struggling at everything so far this year, Hitting .167 with no walks, missing a team meeting, and making routine fly balls look like a comedy show. Roger Bernadina will be called up from AAA.

While I was in Arizona, I decided I needed Some baseball so I went to a D'Backs game against the LA Dodgers. Even though the D'Backs lost, Chase Field is a pretty good Stadium, uglier than Nats Park but some things were better like No Clint (That annoying contest guy that fans hate).

Nats 55, Nats 2-1

As you have noticed, I have changed the blog name to Nats 55. When I originally started the blog in November, Zimmerman was the best player on the team so I named the blog after his number, 11. Since they got Dunn, whose # is 44, I didn't know who would be more valuable in '09 so I added 44+11 and got 55. As you probably know, Lastings Milledge was our #44 last year. After Dunn signed with the D-Backs, he wore #32, with pitcher Micah Owings wearing 44. When Dunn was introduced to the media, he put on his 32 jersey. Lastings then gave Dunn a 44 number, and then Lastings decides to wear #85, a number only worn by AA backup bullpen catchers. He wears 85 when the numbers 1, 13, 18 and 35 are available. So that is the new name of the blog. Other number changes is Willie Harris from 1 last year to this year 22, Kory Casto from 5-27, Wil Nieves 53-23, Luke Montz 23-79 (79= he will not be on the roster), New pitcher Terrrel Young is 51, Scotty Olsen is 19, Martis 51-39, Marco Estrada 55-74, Ross Detwiler 29-48, Tyler Clippard 19-36, Daniel Cabrera is 40, and Collin Balester 40-49.

The nats have already started their spring training games and are 2-1 so far. They look pretty good, especially Jordan Zimmermannnnnnnnn. he threw 2 innings on Thursday, allowing no baserunners and striking out three. The first game was against the Astros, and they lost 6-3. Nothing much happened that game, and they won the second game against the Tigers 2-1. Zimmermannnnnn, Bally-Star, and Terrel Young combined for 6 scoreless innings, and the El Tigres was held to only two hits. The Nats won the third game, against the Astros again, 2-0. The pitching was outstanding yet again, and Shawn Hill was great in his only inning. Once again, the pitching held their opponent to only two hits. The Nats scored two runs in the second inning, thanks to RBI doubles by Jesus Flores and Cristian Guzman. The nats play the Cardinals today, and Daniel Cabrera is starting. A report on the newest nats, Josh Willingham is 1-2 with a run, Scott Olsen will pitch tomorrow against the Orioles, and Adam Dunn is 0-3 with a walk.

Jose Rijo was fired recently, he was a special assistiant; I don't know why the heck they have to make it into such a big deal...

The Nats also released left hander Odalis Perez, who signed (signed means you like the contract and have agreed with it) a one-year minor league deal with the Nats, and then didn't show up to spring training because he said he didn't like such a "horrific deal"... even though he agreed with it about two weeks ago...

Johnson won't accept backup role

Nick Johnson said recently that he will rather have a trade than accept a backup role. There are still five men (Dukes, Willingham, Milledge, Johnson, and Dunn) competing for four spots, which is the outfield and first base. I've decided that they have to get rid of either Lastings Milledge or Nick Johnson. Milledge would be hard to get rid of, considering Bowdon said he is in our long-term plans and Acta recently said Lastings would be our center fielder. Dunn and Dukes are already guaranteed a starting spot. Each of the five are too good to be a backup, yet Milledge is the worst. I hate how the Nats, to them, Milledge is a young, great slugger all-star, and Dukes is what? A nobody who's got arrested twice? Dukes is a stud, and they don't realize it. If nobody leaves, I can't imagine Lastings Milledge (below, on his check-swing) mis-playing another ball while a healthy Nick Johnson or Josh Willingham sitting on the bench. Also they're treating Austin Kearns as if he deverves to even compete to start? Kearns over Dukes?Kearns over Dunn??? Nick Johnson has a higher chance of getting traded, as for the second year in a row he said he will start or he will accept a trade. The Nats are starting to get really mad at him, as he has made eight major trips to the DL in his career. Reportedly, three teams looked at his medical record, including the Oakland Athletics, who have extreme interest in him. They also might actually mean it, because Jim Bowdon isn't their GM...

Even with that, it wouldn't be too bad to keep Milledge as a backup and if they keep all five, remembering that this is still a young team that is the most injury-prone in baseball. Not only if someone gets injured/traded in the outfield or first base, Milledge could step in but also at catcher. If Flores goes down, I don't see Montz or Nieves being able to be a starting catcher. Then, you could put Willingham at catcher and have a outfield of Dukes, Milledge, and Dunn. Although, Flores has never been injured in his career, excluding a cruel play by Chase Utley ( He dove into home, spikes up, on-purpose, after the game: "I didn't do anything").

That looks like it in the offseason for the Nats. Jim Bowdon said yesterday that they no longer had interest in Orlando Hudson. They still should have got a couple of stud relief pitchers. In the bullpen the nats are putting way too much pressure on Hanrahan, Shell, Mock, and probably Terrel Young. They need one more old (28-34 years old) relief pitcher, and maybe even Juan Cruz could help. You can tell that Chad Cordero is not coming back, because Dunn took his old number, 32. Dunn didn't say much while at his press conference, but some bad news is that you can tell Dunn is really disapointed that he came to Washington (59-102) instead of a contender. So pretty much the only other move this offseason for the nats would be a trade invlolving getting rid of Nick Johnson.

Outfield situation unclear

The Nats still are not sure who will be their starting outfielders in 2009, with spring training coming up shortly. Who I think will be their starters is Dukes in right, Milledge in center, and Willingham in left. They have a ton of righty outfielders, including Milledge, Willingham, Dukes, Kearns, Wily Mo Pena, Justin Maxwell, and if they sign him, Corey Patterson. Austin Kearns will compete for a outfield spot, although he is just a joke. He couldn't or wouldn't hit anything last year. It's ridiculous how the ownership, when being asked about Kearn's pathetic play, said he listens to his coaches and never complains. That absolute crap right there. So that means he is making four million dollars every year to be nice to the coaches, and make the Nats lose 10 more games? I've had enough with him. Every year they say he is going to post 20 home runs and 80 RBIs, and he's never close.Oh and yay, see that plan!(above) just stop right in front of the catcher! great idea! Just look at his numbers last year...... .217 average, .316 slugging percentage, only 7 home runs to go with 63 strikeouts... Wily Mo Pena is even less likely to win a starting spot, yet being a much better hitter than Kearns. Pena is a really underrated player. Going back to the last time he was healthy, he hit .293 with 7 home runs in 120 at-bats with the Nats at the end of the '07 season. Unlike Kearns, Pena actually does have an excuse for his poor play in 2008, playing with a shoulder injury the whole season. Even though the management hates him, I think they should at least him him a shot at starting, to see if he could do what he did in late '07, but I don't see that happening. Let's just hope the Nats don't sign Corey Patterson, as he has sucked in his career and is no more than a pinch-runner.
What looks like the three starting outfielders for the nats are all righties, so that means Willie Harris and Roger Bernadina will see lots of action. Thats just what I think the outfield will be going into spring training, but lots could happen, including still a possibility of signing a major free agent, such as Adam Dunn or Orlando Hudson. As I mentioned last post, they could've just said they had no intreast in him just to bring their price down, consitering Stan Kasten said recently Dunn and Hudson price was too much. Having a righty outfield means Nick Johnson has to stay healthy, or another righty in Willingham will take his place. The nats need another left-handed first basemen in case Johnson gets injured, consitering Da Meat hook gets released and Kory Casto is terrible. Overall, even if the nats don't get anybody, they still have a solid outfield for 2009. In other news.....................................

• I will be going to the first natsfest on sunday with my son!