Ten Things I Think I Think

A nod to Peter King at Sports Illustrated, who uses that as a subhead in his always-entertaining Monday Morning Quarterback. Nothing original about the headline. But I'm just sitting here doing odds and ends and thinking and killing time until today's broadcast and things keep popping into my head.

In no particular order (and it may not even be 10):

1. What is it with WTOP? I was in the D.C. area yesterday, doing some learnin' for FanHouse. Left for home about 7 p.m. The XM in the car is broken, thanks to a repairman who ripped a wire. I couldn't pick up WTOP as I drove from 28 to the Prince William Parkway to 234 to 95. Since when? I used to be able to pick it up HERE. Very disappointing. Must get XM fixed.

2. Over/under on the number of times Ray Knight says "Matty" Chico on the pregame today? I'm on record as liking Ray a lot in his role. He's folksy, he generally knows his stuff, he says "we" a lot but doesn't clap or cheer while his partner is trying to speak. His man love for "Matty" is a little offputting but maybe that's because I never saw a lot of upside in "Matty." I hope he prove me way wrong today but I'm not a big fan of a Josh Johnson-"Matty" Chico matchup.

3. To which I wonder, what match up would I be a fan of with a Marlins-Nats matchup? The Nats could have Halladay and the Marlins could have, well, me and the Marlins would still win. Marlins>Nats, despite all the improvements.

4. Reset your calendars. I'm not sure of the economics of it all but I'm revising my guess for Jee-SUS' real debut from the Reds series in June to the O's series in two weeks. I'm also hoping he brings his buddy Storen along with him. This three-person bullpen isn't going to cut it much longer and three is assuming Sean Burnett is dependable.

5. Speaking of bullpens, Chris at Capitol Punishment has an interesting post about Tyler Clippard and Brian Bruney. I don't understand the stat side of it so I'll assume it is all on the up and up because Chris knows that stuff very well (and may be the one person who could drag me into that world, though I'll kick and scream the whole way). I also wonder if we need quantitative proof that Clippard is good and Bruney isn't? Visual proof makes it quite clear, but the numbers do make it clear how vivid.

6. US Air called. It has renamed its DCA to Syracuse route "the Maxwell" in honor of a guy who's been on it so smuch he could fly the plane blindfolded. I feel for the guy, he seems like a decent kid. But I'm becoming more and more convinced he is not a long-term answer. Nor is Roger Bernadina. Morse is 8-29 in Syracuse? How about bringing him back, sending Willy T. up the road and installing someone, anyone in right for more than a game or two? So Dukes couldn't hit the curveball. At least he could hit something.

7. I'm starting to feel for My Son The Braves Fan. But only a little. McCann can't see at night, Heyward may be DL bound, Jurjjens is already there, a guy my age two-hit them one night after Scott Olsen's work. Wow. I did tell him we Nats fans kept the basement clean despite living there so long and he was welcome to all the beer and snacks we left behind. Don't worry about staining the rug. We won't be back.

7a. Jamie Moyer is Digger Phelps' son-in-law. Here's a guy closing in on his 100th victory since turning FORTY and all I can think of with him is Digger Phelps.

8. Is there any way the Nats don't take Bryce Harper?

9. Leftover thoughts from this week's ballpark visit: The new pizza is much better than the old pizza. I just hope the stands upstairs stay open past the third inning. I'm not a fan of the new intro, at least not compared to last year's. I may stick with pizza and wings and pass on the big ribs on future visits. Last big rib I had was pretty much still mooing. How about you cook the things? I'm glad Uncle Stan listened to me and put up those counters behind the sections where you can eat and still see the game. MSTBF and his buds used them the other night. It's hard to take a lot of food to your seat and balance it and watch and then some clown tries to get by you during an at-bat *** those counters may be the best of all the upgrades.

10. Shouldn't Detwiler be about ready to do something? I believe we're at the 10-week mark. Not that I don't have a ton of faith in a rotation of Livo-Atilano-Olsen-Stammen-Chico. Just saying.