Yes, cheer for Nick. Loud. Long

Today will be a better day. There's a Bruegger's attached to our hotel. They had some in Richmond a long time ago and all of them closed. Nearest Einstein's isn't near. There's no place to get a great bagel where I live. Bruegger's isn't great but it isn't bad and the coffee is very good. So I'm fortified. Ready to go. No trades are going to mess up this day. Now watch it rain.

During one of the 4,329 delays yesterday, I checked out the comments section on Nationals Journal after one of the updates on the Johnson trade. Can't remember if it was the one that said the trade was in the works, the one that said there WAS no trade or the one that said, oh yeah, he's gone. I think it was the last one.

The poster wanted to know if Nick should get an ovation when he appears with the MARLINS (yeah, OK, that still bothers me) on Tuesday. I had not seen many direct responses to that one. So let me provide one here.

Yes. Hell yes. HELL YES. Why would he not get an ovation? The guy was a pretty good player for a long time. Got hurt a lot, sure. But when he was out there, admit it: You felt good. You liked your chances when he was up. You liked him in the field, except for that pesky pop-up thing. He seemed to be a guy who carried himself well. He's the type of guy you could get behind very easily.

Now he's a MARLIN. Not by his own doing. Attending Tuesday is not in my current plans, don't know if I'll be able to adjust my schedule. I'd like to be there. If not, I'll stand and applaud in my family room when he's introduced and when he bats for the first time. I hope those who show up will do the same. Loud. Long. Louder. Longer. He's earned it.

Thanks, Nick, for all you did for the Nats and good luck with the MARL -- no, sorry, I can't go that far. Good luck with the rest of your career.