Days like today make me want to eat a lot of glass. Seriously. Over the past few months, life has been really good. My kids are doing great, my dogs love me, my wife is happy with her new Kindle. I love my job.
But this whole sports fan thing? Gotta go. Eliminate the negatives, someone said at some seminar I attended years ago. A shrink-y kind of thing that had "wellness" in the title, which should have been a tip-off right there.
Dude was right on that, though. Eliminate the negatives.
Getting my heart ripped out twice in one day is two more times than I should ever tolerate. I realize the Skins don't matter to me on the same level as the Nats but still. After the ninth-inning epic implosion, I needed something to cheer me up. The Skins moving to 2-0 (with one of them over the Cowboys) would do the trick.
So how did that work out for me? Can you grind glass in a blender? My coffee grinder? Should I chew it or swallow it whole?
I knew the Nats were in trouble when the booth kept raving about the great job the bullpen had been doing. It's true, sure, but let's not do the SI cover thing on it.
Three outs to get, three runs ahead, I thought this was gold even in the Phillies' junior-sized ballpark. Save for The Chief's magic in Anaheim that night during the magical first half of 2005, Sean Burnett's escape act today ranks as one of the better relief efforts in Nats' history. Clippard is back on his game, so it seems.
One inning, three outs to go. Turn it over to the new, young closer.
Still three outs to go. Maybe I should just take out the hammer and beat down the glass that way?
My wife put down her Kindle long enough to watch the last couple of innings. She had a couple of good questions:
*If Clippard really does have his act together again, why not let him go one more and finish? Well that's why you have closers. The whole Clip and Save thing that was so much fun (was that really THIS season)? Now you have Clip and Store. Have to let your closer finish. Maybe I could just eat one of the wine glasses. They're fine crystal, very thin.
*Is Storen really the closer of the future? As much as Zimmermann and Maya (who was OK today, I'll give him that) are the anchors of the rotation until Jee-SUS gets back. Maybe I should mix the glass into some mashed potatoes.
*Is Jayson Werth one of the GEICO cavemen? I swear, when he was jumping around after hitting that thing out, with that beard and that hair, you could make a damn good case for this one. His uniform didn't say "Rounders" - maybe he got traded. I shouldn't mock the guy. I think he's a hell of a player and I have this fleeting hope he'll be the Nats' right fielder next year. I'll call him Mr. Pretty then.
OK, off to fix "dinner." Maybe a little Glass Under Glass, with a side of Asparaglass.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Someone Check on Bob Watson Please
He may be sick. Or injured. Or off somewhere in the South Pacific.
Nyjer is STILL in the lineup? Seriously? When will his suspension start? The same day Jee-SUS returns?
How long does this take?
Off the top of my head, here are a few things that happen faster than Watson issuing a ruling on this:
*Presidential campaigns
*A caterpillar turning into a cocoon and then into a moth.
*Elephant pregnancies
*Adam Dunn going from first to third
I assume if this thing isn't decided by the end of the 2010 season, Nyjer's team next year will have to do without him for a few games?
How cool would it be if he ended up with the Marlins?
Nyjer is STILL in the lineup? Seriously? When will his suspension start? The same day Jee-SUS returns?
How long does this take?
Off the top of my head, here are a few things that happen faster than Watson issuing a ruling on this:
*Presidential campaigns
*A caterpillar turning into a cocoon and then into a moth.
*Elephant pregnancies
*Adam Dunn going from first to third
I assume if this thing isn't decided by the end of the 2010 season, Nyjer's team next year will have to do without him for a few games?
How cool would it be if he ended up with the Marlins?
Monday, September 13, 2010
Some Monday Night Thoughts
while I sit here and try to figure how long I'm going to continue watching this nonsense:
*How on earth is Nyjer Morgan still in the lineup? Does he have pictures of the somebody? Everybody else has served suspensions from that mess and Florida and he's in his fourth game since the hearing. Seriously, Bob Watson, time to get off the pot.
*Has Danny Espinosa had a hit since I wrote that I was in love?
*Is anyone else convinced Yunesky Maya maybe ain't all that? OK, I'm not convinced yet but I'm far from convinced he IS any good. I'm going to hold off learning how to say Jee-SUS in Cuban. He has a nice curveball but I'm not real impressed with his command or overall arsenal.
*Wilson Ramos is growing on me some, though I'll hold off saying that for fear of turning him into Danny Espinosa. I plan to write more on catchers later in the week but I'm guessing we'll see Rodriguez transition to Ramos next year while Flores spends the year in AAA (assuming he can still play and I'm not real sure of that). My hope in 2012, when Jee-SUS returns to start the opener, is that Ramos and Flores are the two catchers. I hope someone gives Pudge a chance to get that 3,000th hit but I think his time in D.C. is done after next year.
*My official bookie has raised the odds on Adam Dunn being back next season from even to 100-1 against. I think he's right. They'll move Morse to 1B and sign a right fielder.
*Will anyone else exhale when (if?) this team wins its 63rd game? I'm still not convinced it is going to happen.
*That's five called Ks in six total for Derek Lowe tonight. Does anyone still give a damn? Swing the bat. See? As soon as I type that, Zimmerman swings the bat and gets a hit.
*How on earth is Nyjer Morgan still in the lineup? Does he have pictures of the somebody? Everybody else has served suspensions from that mess and Florida and he's in his fourth game since the hearing. Seriously, Bob Watson, time to get off the pot.
*Has Danny Espinosa had a hit since I wrote that I was in love?
*Is anyone else convinced Yunesky Maya maybe ain't all that? OK, I'm not convinced yet but I'm far from convinced he IS any good. I'm going to hold off learning how to say Jee-SUS in Cuban. He has a nice curveball but I'm not real impressed with his command or overall arsenal.
*Wilson Ramos is growing on me some, though I'll hold off saying that for fear of turning him into Danny Espinosa. I plan to write more on catchers later in the week but I'm guessing we'll see Rodriguez transition to Ramos next year while Flores spends the year in AAA (assuming he can still play and I'm not real sure of that). My hope in 2012, when Jee-SUS returns to start the opener, is that Ramos and Flores are the two catchers. I hope someone gives Pudge a chance to get that 3,000th hit but I think his time in D.C. is done after next year.
*My official bookie has raised the odds on Adam Dunn being back next season from even to 100-1 against. I think he's right. They'll move Morse to 1B and sign a right fielder.
*Will anyone else exhale when (if?) this team wins its 63rd game? I'm still not convinced it is going to happen.
*That's five called Ks in six total for Derek Lowe tonight. Does anyone still give a damn? Swing the bat. See? As soon as I type that, Zimmerman swings the bat and gets a hit.
Monday, September 6, 2010
I'm in Love
At the risk of inflicting the kid with the Curse of Harris - I'll go ahead and say it anyway.
Oh.
My.
God.
I'm
in
Love.
Mark it down right now: Danny Espinosa, the 2011 NL Rookie of the Year. Let's just hope someone keeps track and he doesn't get that 131st at-bat this year.
Of course, at his current pace he'll have about 110 RBI this month so maybe he could win it in 2010.
So 2B for next year is solved. Figure out 1B and figure out RF (Jayson Morse?) and I'll feel good again. Until I think about what the Curse of Harris did to Jee-SUS.
Oh.
My.
God.
I'm
in
Love.
Mark it down right now: Danny Espinosa, the 2011 NL Rookie of the Year. Let's just hope someone keeps track and he doesn't get that 131st at-bat this year.
Of course, at his current pace he'll have about 110 RBI this month so maybe he could win it in 2010.
So 2B for next year is solved. Figure out 1B and figure out RF (Jayson Morse?) and I'll feel good again. Until I think about what the Curse of Harris did to Jee-SUS.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Buh-Bye Scott
Relaxing a bit as a busy opening weekend of college football winds down, and I'm catching up with the professional media crew.
I found this edition of Adam Kilgore's Nationals Journal to be very interesting.
The key part in my mind: Asked if the move surprised him, Olsen said, "No. Not with this team."
Good night, Scott, been nice knowing you. You come back from the DL with a 1-6 record and ERA that roughly matches the current year and you dump on "this team?" Somehow it's the team's fault you can't get anybody out?
Oh wait. I stand corrected. Olsen faced 15 batters in his start the other night and only 10 of them reached base. So he did get five batters out.
I was fairly excited when the Nats got Olsen and he's sure shown some flashes. He had that near no-hitter earlier this year and I watched from section 317 last year as he dominated the Braves. There's clearly some ability there.
But even before the injury, the consistency was never there. I don't know that he's healthy yet. I'm just starting to really wonder if he'll ever be anything other than what we've seen in his Nationals tenure, even at full strength. Check that, I'm no longer wondering. I don't think he will be.
Throw in his sullenness and, well, let him become someone else's problem.
Here's how his situation should be handled when quizzed by those pesky media folks:
"What should I expect? I've been bloody awful lately and I should be grateful to still have a job with a major league team. I wouldn't send me out there anymore so I can't expect them to send me out there until I figure it out. I'll go down to the bullpen and work hard and do everything I can to regain my form and regain their trust."
And I still say, even with only Willingham left standing, that trade worked out OK for the Nats.
I found this edition of Adam Kilgore's Nationals Journal to be very interesting.
The key part in my mind: Asked if the move surprised him, Olsen said, "No. Not with this team."
Good night, Scott, been nice knowing you. You come back from the DL with a 1-6 record and ERA that roughly matches the current year and you dump on "this team?" Somehow it's the team's fault you can't get anybody out?
Oh wait. I stand corrected. Olsen faced 15 batters in his start the other night and only 10 of them reached base. So he did get five batters out.
I was fairly excited when the Nats got Olsen and he's sure shown some flashes. He had that near no-hitter earlier this year and I watched from section 317 last year as he dominated the Braves. There's clearly some ability there.
But even before the injury, the consistency was never there. I don't know that he's healthy yet. I'm just starting to really wonder if he'll ever be anything other than what we've seen in his Nationals tenure, even at full strength. Check that, I'm no longer wondering. I don't think he will be.
Throw in his sullenness and, well, let him become someone else's problem.
Here's how his situation should be handled when quizzed by those pesky media folks:
"What should I expect? I've been bloody awful lately and I should be grateful to still have a job with a major league team. I wouldn't send me out there anymore so I can't expect them to send me out there until I figure it out. I'll go down to the bullpen and work hard and do everything I can to regain my form and regain their trust."
And I still say, even with only Willingham left standing, that trade worked out OK for the Nats.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Rookie Limits
I'd go look this up myself but work is a smidge busy on the first Saturday of college football. But a baseball thought popped into my head so I slipped over here to ask a question.
How much can a position player play before he loses rookie status?
I'm hoping the Nats just go with Danny Espinosa the rest of the way at second, but I'd also like to see him be a rookie of the year candidate next year. Not sure if he'd exceed the number if plays the rest of the games.
Anyhoo, back to work. With football season starting, I won't be watching quite as much baseball this month but he does seem like one to keep an eye on.
How much can a position player play before he loses rookie status?
I'm hoping the Nats just go with Danny Espinosa the rest of the way at second, but I'd also like to see him be a rookie of the year candidate next year. Not sure if he'd exceed the number if plays the rest of the games.
Anyhoo, back to work. With football season starting, I won't be watching quite as much baseball this month but he does seem like one to keep an eye on.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Two Good-Bys: One Good, One Not Good
Well, that game got out of control in a hurry. With the game securely in hand by the third inning, the Marlins can pick their spot to drill Nyjer Morgan. Only reason I still have it on here.
But the butt-whippin' in progress and eventual retatiation against Morgan aren't the news of the day for us weary citizens of Nats Town.
Nope. We're saying good-by to two people. One is more good riddance. The other almost brings a tear to my eye.
We'll do the sad good-by first. Brian Oliver, the outstanding owner/editor of Nationals Farm Authority, is giving it up. Brian is about to embark on a new career as a high school math teacher, a very admirable calling and one he will do exceptionally well. Something had to give and the labor of love over his paying job was a clear call - though not an easy one.
Those who follow the Natmosphere as it has come to be known are aware there's all kinds of blogs out there. You can find things to read on the Nats pretty much all day long. We come in all shapes, styles and sizes. I'm more of the stereotypical "Mom's Basement" blogger. Just someone who throws his thoughts out there and welcomes all to read, agree or disagree. If someone enjoys what I write, so much the better. But let's be honest. There's no real value here beyond the pleasure anyone may get from reading.
Brian? He found a niche and became damn good at it. Exceptionally good. Authority-level good! He knew the system and its people inside and out. His site provided tons of value, probably more than any other Nats blog out there including those done by the media pros (and that's not a knock on them at all). Brian did what no one else was doing.
To do it as well as he did is incredibly time-consuming, so Brian's decision is understandable.
On top of all that, I had the pleasure of getting to know Brian over the past couple of years. I've been to Bloggers Days with him (even though he's now credentialed, he'll always be one of us). I've watched games like a regular Joe with him. I've tipped one or two with him. Just a supremely nice man and I trust he'll still be around the park so we can continue to enjoy his company.
His future students are lucky people. Best wishes to you, Mr. Oliver.
As for that other good by, uh, good riddance. Everyone has heard by now. Rob Dibble is done. He finally spewed some venom - suck it up, kid - that poisoned his standing with the team. His "requested vacation" has turned into a permanent absence.
Did anyone really believe that requested vacation stuff? That's some knee-deep bullshit right there, folks.
Here's the thing: I'm glad he's gone from the booth. He'd become a caricature up there. Listening to him grunt, groan and cheer over Bob Carpenter's calls made listening to the broadcasts painful rather than pleasurable. It's disappointing because he was quite capable of quality analysis. In between the horsecrap, he would come up with some good insight. And, for all his cheering, he'd bring the heat when necessary.
I don't think Rob's a bad guy. Truly. One of the nights I spent with the aforementioned Brian was at a restaurant in Crystal City with Rob and some other bloggers (I love you all but you're not leaving so only Brian gets a by-name shoutout). MASN set it up and it was like two games into Rob's tenure. So of course he's going to schmooze and make nice with us. But it didn't seem forced. He seemed to be enjoying himself. If not, he's one hell of an actor.
What he couldn't hide forever, though, was a case of insufferable arrogance. Lord. You saw it in so many places. How dare anybody challenge the great Rob Dibble - did you know he used to play the game?
He got into it with a blogging colleague at one of the blogger days. He got into it with Ray Knight - ON THE AIR - one night. Differences of opinion are fine and they can spice up a broadcast. Dismissive gesutres, eye rolls and being genuinely disrespectful are not fine and Rob was all three in that debate (besides being wrong).
After his Strasburg cracks, he later made some snide comments about Knight on his radio show. That may have been just as egregious as the Strasburg stuff. Hey, Rob, you PLAYED THE GAME. You don't rip teammates in public.
(And I still say Ray could kick his ass 10 ways to Sunday and not have to roll up his sleeves. Don't let Ray's southern charm fool you - I get in a row, he's who I want on my side)
Rob also didn't like to be criticized. Who does? So I get that. But it is part of the turf for broadcasters (and writers and, heck, even us bloggers). For such a tough guy, he had really, really thin skin. You could hear the blood boiling under that thin skin every time he said the word "bloggers." I kept thinking of Yosemite Sam and his "ooooh, I hates rabbits" every time Dibble said "bloggers."
Again, I don't think he's a bad guy at heart. I wish him no ill will at all. I'm just glad he's off "my" broadcasts. For all my kvetching and whining, I still love this team. I still love few things more than sitting down to watch and I'm glad I will be able to do that in relative quiet.
So good luck to you both, Brian and Rob. One of you, I'd welcome back in a heartbeat.
(and let me add right here that if things happen in threes, is a good-bye for Scott Olsen coming soon? Have we seen his last start? Will the Marlins score 50 tonight?)
But the butt-whippin' in progress and eventual retatiation against Morgan aren't the news of the day for us weary citizens of Nats Town.
Nope. We're saying good-by to two people. One is more good riddance. The other almost brings a tear to my eye.
We'll do the sad good-by first. Brian Oliver, the outstanding owner/editor of Nationals Farm Authority, is giving it up. Brian is about to embark on a new career as a high school math teacher, a very admirable calling and one he will do exceptionally well. Something had to give and the labor of love over his paying job was a clear call - though not an easy one.
Those who follow the Natmosphere as it has come to be known are aware there's all kinds of blogs out there. You can find things to read on the Nats pretty much all day long. We come in all shapes, styles and sizes. I'm more of the stereotypical "Mom's Basement" blogger. Just someone who throws his thoughts out there and welcomes all to read, agree or disagree. If someone enjoys what I write, so much the better. But let's be honest. There's no real value here beyond the pleasure anyone may get from reading.
Brian? He found a niche and became damn good at it. Exceptionally good. Authority-level good! He knew the system and its people inside and out. His site provided tons of value, probably more than any other Nats blog out there including those done by the media pros (and that's not a knock on them at all). Brian did what no one else was doing.
To do it as well as he did is incredibly time-consuming, so Brian's decision is understandable.
On top of all that, I had the pleasure of getting to know Brian over the past couple of years. I've been to Bloggers Days with him (even though he's now credentialed, he'll always be one of us). I've watched games like a regular Joe with him. I've tipped one or two with him. Just a supremely nice man and I trust he'll still be around the park so we can continue to enjoy his company.
His future students are lucky people. Best wishes to you, Mr. Oliver.
As for that other good by, uh, good riddance. Everyone has heard by now. Rob Dibble is done. He finally spewed some venom - suck it up, kid - that poisoned his standing with the team. His "requested vacation" has turned into a permanent absence.
Did anyone really believe that requested vacation stuff? That's some knee-deep bullshit right there, folks.
Here's the thing: I'm glad he's gone from the booth. He'd become a caricature up there. Listening to him grunt, groan and cheer over Bob Carpenter's calls made listening to the broadcasts painful rather than pleasurable. It's disappointing because he was quite capable of quality analysis. In between the horsecrap, he would come up with some good insight. And, for all his cheering, he'd bring the heat when necessary.
I don't think Rob's a bad guy. Truly. One of the nights I spent with the aforementioned Brian was at a restaurant in Crystal City with Rob and some other bloggers (I love you all but you're not leaving so only Brian gets a by-name shoutout). MASN set it up and it was like two games into Rob's tenure. So of course he's going to schmooze and make nice with us. But it didn't seem forced. He seemed to be enjoying himself. If not, he's one hell of an actor.
What he couldn't hide forever, though, was a case of insufferable arrogance. Lord. You saw it in so many places. How dare anybody challenge the great Rob Dibble - did you know he used to play the game?
He got into it with a blogging colleague at one of the blogger days. He got into it with Ray Knight - ON THE AIR - one night. Differences of opinion are fine and they can spice up a broadcast. Dismissive gesutres, eye rolls and being genuinely disrespectful are not fine and Rob was all three in that debate (besides being wrong).
After his Strasburg cracks, he later made some snide comments about Knight on his radio show. That may have been just as egregious as the Strasburg stuff. Hey, Rob, you PLAYED THE GAME. You don't rip teammates in public.
(And I still say Ray could kick his ass 10 ways to Sunday and not have to roll up his sleeves. Don't let Ray's southern charm fool you - I get in a row, he's who I want on my side)
Rob also didn't like to be criticized. Who does? So I get that. But it is part of the turf for broadcasters (and writers and, heck, even us bloggers). For such a tough guy, he had really, really thin skin. You could hear the blood boiling under that thin skin every time he said the word "bloggers." I kept thinking of Yosemite Sam and his "ooooh, I hates rabbits" every time Dibble said "bloggers."
Again, I don't think he's a bad guy at heart. I wish him no ill will at all. I'm just glad he's off "my" broadcasts. For all my kvetching and whining, I still love this team. I still love few things more than sitting down to watch and I'm glad I will be able to do that in relative quiet.
So good luck to you both, Brian and Rob. One of you, I'd welcome back in a heartbeat.
(and let me add right here that if things happen in threes, is a good-bye for Scott Olsen coming soon? Have we seen his last start? Will the Marlins score 50 tonight?)
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