Thinking out loud

before running some errands and heading back to Nationals Park (which is lovely but no Safeco):

*I kind of bookmarked this Texas series all along to see if Patterson came back and pitched against the Nats. Of course, he's been an ex-Ranger for a while now, released in May after experiencing soreness in the forearm. Shocker. Far as I can tell with minimal research, no one has picked him up. Is Shawn Hill just a Patterson who at least sacks up and pitches? I sense the two are very different mentally.

*Mock in, Langerhans out. Too bad. I wish Langerhans could hit just a smidge. I think I've posted before the story that made the rounds in Atlanta - Schuerholz finally traded Langerhans because that was the only way to get Cox to stop playing him. Great guy, great teammate, great defensive player - can't hit.

*Is this lineup realistic after the All-Star break: Guzman (6), Dukes (7), Zimmerman (5), Johnson (3), Milledge (8), Flores (2), Kearns (9), Lopez/Belliard (4), pitcher? Probably not. A guy can still hope, right? I don't see Zimmerman and Johnson back that soon if at all. Until all is well health wise, I'm still very much in favor of Daniel in left and Montz at first.

*Who is your all-star? Guzman is my guess but Rauch has to get some love. I said early in June he'd be tough to ignore with 20 saves but this team doesn't win enough to get him to 20. I wouldn't rule out Flores, either, if that average stays above the .300 mark but that is clearly just the Fanboy Looser in me talking.

*Dukes is really growing on me as a player and I'm really trying - honest - to get past all that other stuff. We're not there yet. We are trying.

*Heard a rumor in my town yesterday that I find interesting though totally unsubstantiated thus far. The Nats' Class A team could be here instead of Woodbridge next season. I'd like that. I'm not a AAA snob. I'd be perfectly happy with any Nats affiliate including rookie ball. I'd not heard that there's any dissatisfaction with Potomac, so this rumor could well be just a bunch of hooey. Lots of rumors round here as the Braves prepare to take their asses out of town.