Something's got to give (but nobody might care)

by Basil on May 5, 2006 8:00 AM EDT in News

The Washington Nationals are 1-9 at home; the Pittsburgh Pirates are 2-15 on the road. Tonight, at RFK Stadium, the Nats host the Buccos in the beginning of a three-game weekend series.

The Pirates did their annual mediocre veteran shopping this past winter, and the results have not exactly been stupendous so far. Sean Casey, the new first baseman, is on the 15-day disabled list. Joe Randa, the new third baseman, is hitting a Guzmanic .221/.247/.312. Jeromy Burnitz, the new power threat, is hitting .204/.239/.389.

That's a lot of pointlessness there.

If we did not appreciate the need to avoid underestimating our opponent before the Florida series, however, we might be in for a rude awakening again. The Pirates may be 8-22, but I don't see the Nats walking right over them, for the simple reason that the DC nine just aren't that good---and won't be until the pitching stabilizes and the batting order regains its first week synergy.

So respect the Buccos, my friends. They might just take two-out-of-three in this series. Read up on the Pirates via Bucs Dugout. Charlie does a fine job over there.

Don't respect the Pirates too much, though. As Charlie notes (more like laments), the Pirates continually try to marginalize Craig Wilson, who happens to be one of their best hitters. Makes sense, right?

* * * *

Wiggins from Fish Stripes was at RFK the other night, and it would appear a good time was had by all. The best part? Hilariously convenient amnesia by some old-school Nats fans:

I sat right in front of four older gentlemen (all at least seventy, I would say) who had been baseball fans and amateur players since they were kids. They talked knowledgably and appreciatively about the game, throughout. They cracked my ass up - including one guy yelling at his friends - "When the hell did you start coming to games and NOT drinking beer! What's a baseball game without beer!?!?!" The coolest part was that these guys remembered all the old senators players and also knew all the Nats - although they had to ask me what Christian Guzman's name was. Frankly, if I was a Nats fan, I'd try and forget him, too.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to forget Guzman. Generally speaking, Royce Clayton sees to that.

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if people need a reason to go

to the ballpark, other than for the sheer love of the game, check out this beautiful, free cap courtesy of Crud Light:

Available to those 21 and up on Saturday.

(It really is a sad season when the most exciting thing about the games is the free junk you get for buying a ticket.) :(

"Man, that's some jammage!" - Tom Paciorek

by Daedalus on May 5, 2006 10:42 AM EDT reply actions

I can't decide whether

that hat is nice or hideous. I'm leaning toward the latter.

Like the .sig file!

Washington Nationals 2006: Now Without Vinny Castilla! And Brian Lawrence!

by Basil on May 5, 2006 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Quack

Look at the size of that bill! You could land a couple of cessnas on that thing. If you wear it backwards, it's going to look like you have a snowboard sticking out of the back of your head.

I guess what I'm getting at is, the bill of the hat seems a tad disproportionate in size.

http://www.redbelliedturtle.blogspot.com/ Stealing Chris' idea of stealing hits from Basil since May 2006.

by BamaNat on May 5, 2006 11:24 AM EDT reply actions

Any chance

The Pirates and Nats decide half-way through game 1 that this is pointless and decide to combine teams to barnstorm through the majors?

Fire Bowden! Fire Boswell! Fire anyone with a last name that begins with "Bo"* just to be sure! *excluding "Boteman", of course

by harper on May 5, 2006 12:13 PM EDT reply actions

They'd be even worse

It would be like multiplying negative numbers!

Washington Nationals 2006: Now Without Vinny Castilla! And Brian Lawrence!

by Basil on May 5, 2006 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Ummm Basil

When you multiply two negative numbers you get a positive number.

But other than that I get your point ;)

Nationals Farm Authority ... glass half-full? There's nowhere for the farm system to go but up

by Brian @ Federal Baseball on May 5, 2006 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Ah, yes

I'd like to say that there was some deeper meaning in that, but I'm just an idoit. ;-)

Washington Nationals 2006: Now Without Vinny Castilla! And Brian Lawrence!

by Basil on May 5, 2006 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Basil's GPA

He's confusing it with his freshman year GPA. He was a member of the dreaded "Squares Club" wherein you could square your GPA and have the total come out lower than your actual GPA.

http://dcbb.blogspot.com -- Stealing Hits From Basil's Blog since 2005.

by Chris @ Federal Baseball on May 5, 2006 8:15 PM EDT reply actions