Shairon Martis: April 10, 2008 (via mashmore98)

On the Hill...In NY.

Columbus Clippers' righty Shairon Martis pitched 7.0 innings in his last start opposite the Indianapolis Indians, allowing 5 hits and 1 run, with 3 walks and 5 K's, ending the night with a 3.80 ERA after 4 starts and 23.2 innings pitched with the Nationals' Triple-AAA affiliate. Martis started the season with Double-AA Harrisburg before earning the call-up to Columbus after going (4-4) in 14 starts with a 3.98 ERA over 74.2 IP. 

Acquired from the San Francisco Giants in July '06 in return for lefty reliever Mike Stanton, Martis, now 21, was 19 at the time, and DC GM Jim Bowden talked about Martis, in MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Nats acquire hurler Martis from Giants", proclaiming:

"'We like Martis a lot...We like his arm,' Bowden said. 'He throws 91-95 miles per hour. We like his delivery. He is only 19 years old. He has a high ceiling. Certainly, it's down the road. It's a building for the future.'"

Martis was selected as the Nationals' and his home country of Curacao's lone representative at tomorrow's XM MLB All-Star Futures Game, which takes place at 12:35 pm EST live from Yankee Stadium. Keep an eye on the future before (or possibly) while the Nationals are finishing their three game series with the visiting Houston Astros...

On The Hill...In DC.

Odalis "Balk-Move" Perez (2-6, 3.66 ERA) takes the mound for the Nationals in the finale, and rubber match, of their three game series with the visiting Houston Astros, who turn the ball over to 30-year old right-hander Brandon Backe (5-9, 5.07 ERA) as both teams head into the extended All-Star week break. 

Odalis Perez pitched against the Astros during the Nationals' trip to Texas in early May, giving up 5 hits, 1 HR and 3 runs in 5.0 IP but receiving no decision in the Nationals' 4-3 loss to the Astros. In his career against Houston, Perez is (0-4) in 7 games and 6 starts with an 11.57 ERA, a 2.39 WHIP. with a .355 BAA in 28 innings pitched against the Astros, during which he's allowed 44 hits, 36 ER's, 5 HR's and 23 walks with 24 K's. 

Old "Balk-Move" is (0-3) in 8 starts in Nationals Park this season with a 2.11 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, holding opposing hitters to a .225 BAA, and in 2 day games this year, the 31-year old lefty has two no-decisions, a 1.42 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and a .204 BAA, and he's just plain cruel to lefties this season, holding his backward brethren to a pitiful .182 BAA and 0.75 WHIP in the random stat pile...

Brandon Backe's pitched 104.2 innings in '08, 6.0 of them against Washington, and of the 119 hits, 59 runs, 22 HR's, 46 walks and 78 K's Backe's on the books for in 19 starts this season, the Nationals are responsible for 6 of the hits, 4 ER's, 1 HR, 3 walks and 9 of Backe's K's all in their one game back on May 8th in Houston which the Astros lost 8-3, dropping Backe' record to (2-4) at the time. 

In his career against DC, Backe's (1-2) in 3 starts with a 4.50 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, .227 BAA, 18 IP, 15 hits surrendedered, 9 ER's allowed and 2 HR's launched by the Nationals. In 11 road starts, Backe's just (2-6) with a 5.15 ERA in 57.2 innings pitched during which opposing hitters have hit at a .295 clip.

Backe's lost 4 of his last 8 starts, with 1 win and 3 no-decisions, and Houston's (2-6). Backe's last outing was cut short after 3.0 shutout innings by inclement weather. Odalis Perez is (0-2) in his last four starts, with the Nationals (1-3). Perez's last outing was cut short after 2.2 IP by Umpire Angel Hernandez.

Nationals' #'s Against Brandon Backe...

Willie Harris - 1 for 4, .250 AVG, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB.

Austin Kearns - 1 for 9, .111 AVG, 2 RBI's.

Paul Lo Duca - 2 for 5, .400 AVG, 1 HR, 2 RBI's.

Aaron Boone - 1 for 2, .500 AVG, 1 HR, 3 RBI's.

Felipe Lopez - 3 for 8, .375 AVG, 4 BB's.

The "If They Were Playing" List...

Nick Johnson - 4 for 8, .500 AVG, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB.

Johnny Estrada - (ed. note - "For the last time, yes, he's a National.") - 0 for 12.

Odalis "Balk-Move" Perez Might Want To Just Go Ahead And Walk...

Lance Berkman - 8 for 12, .667 AVG, 1 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI's, 2 BB.

Ty Wiggington - 4 for 11, .364 AVG.

Darin Erstad - 5 for 17, .294 AVG, 3 RBI's. 

CLASSIC ASTRO MATCHUP vs Odalis Perez...

Jeff Bagwell - 4 for 7, .571 AVG, 1 HR, 2 RBI's.

File this under something to look forward to...

"Zimmerman Watch" - Federal Baseball's 24-Hour, 22 Hou...12 Hour... Intermittent Dodgy Coverage of the BREAKING NEWS! And ACTION!!......

MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Zimmerman's rehab plan announced."

Finally some good news heading into the "second-half"...

Check the NatCast if you're heading to Nationals Park... 

Shairon Martis' Game Thread Starts at around 12:35 pm for anyone watching the Futures Game...The Nationals and Astros get underway at 1:35 pm EST in Nationals Park. The final game before the BREAK! After today, the Nationals don't play again until Friday night in Atlanta, except for DC All-Star Cristian Guzman, who'll be representing DC in the ASG in NY...Who's watching the Nationals?