On the Hill...

With "Opening Night" Odalis Perez set to miss his second straight turn in the rotation with what MLB.com's Bill Ladson describes, in his article entitled, "Nationals place Perez on 15-day DL", as, "left shoulder tendinitis", the Washington Nationals have recalled Tyler Clippard, 23, (0-1, 6.23 ERA) from Triple-AAA Columbus to make his second start of the season for the big club. Clippard's first start as a National came just last week in San Francisco, where he took a loss after allowing 5 hits, 3 ER and 4 walks, with 6 K's in 4.1 innings pitched. In his Major League career, which also includes 6 starts as a New York Yankee, Clippard's now (3-2, 6.32 ERA), having surrendered 34 hits, 22 ER, 6 HR's, and 21 walks while collecting 24 K's in 31.1 innings on Major League hills.

Tonight in Seattle, Clippard faces the Mariners' marquee free agent signing Erik Bedard, who has faced Washington just once in his career, last year in Interleague play between Bedard's old team the Orioles and the Nationals, where the 29-year old left-hander threw  7.0 innings of 3-hit, 1-run baseball, striking out 12 DC batters while walking just 3 in a game Bedard left with a lead that the bullpen blew.

Nationals' #'s Against Erik Bedard...

Ronnie Belliard - 5 for 15, .333 AVG, 1 2B.

Aaron Boone - 2 for 3, .250 AVG, 1 HR, 1 RBI.

DY - 2 for 4, .500 AVG, 1 2B, 1 RBI.

Elijah Dukes - 2 for 4, .500 AVG, 1 2B, 2 BB.

Wily Mo Pena - 6 for 12, .500 AVG, 3 RBI's. 

LINE OF THE DAY...

This one goes to Washington Post writer, Chico Harlan, who notes in his post at the "Nationals Journal" entitled, "A closer look at a closer", that:

"At this point, (Jon) Rauch, Cristian Guzman and Dr. Tim Kremchek* are this team's only conceivable All-Star representatives."

 

* - Dr. Kremchek examined Zimmerman, performed surgery on Kearns etc...

For the Seattle Perspective...

Check out the SB Nation's Mariners' blog...

Lookout Landing.

For All The Dukes' Haters...(ed. note - "And that does not include me, even after that misplayed liner last night.")...

According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article, "Dukes apologizes to Acta, teammates", the player everyone's waiting to see fail, Elijah Dukes, took it upon himself to ask for and conduct a team meeting for the purpose of apologizing to Manager Manny Acta in front of the rest of the Nationals for the dugout blowout that occured between the player and manager last week in Pittsburgh. 

But aside from Dukes taking this important step towards reconcilation, the most impressive thing Mr. Ladson mentions has nothing to do with what's gone on in the dugout, but instead has to do with what Dukes has done on the field in the last three weeks:

"Dukes has been one of the hottest hitters on the Nationals. Entering Friday's action, Dukes is 18-for-59 (.305) in his past 18 games."

Over the same span, Dukes has collected 4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, and 10 RBI's with 9 walks, to lift his batting average from .119 to .219, which is still not good, but better...

The second of three in Seattle gets underway at 10:10 pm EST. Clippard vs Bedard. Clippard's second attempt to secure a role in the Nationals' rotation? How many runs can the Nationals generate without the help of Seattle's starter, or will Bedard serve up some eminently hittable pitches the way knucklet R.A. Dickey did last evening? Who's watching the Late Night Nationals?