Game Thread: San Diego Padres at Washington Nationals - 2008 Game 155 of 162.

On The Hill...

John Lannan has one career start against the Padres under his belt, a 5-2 Nationals' loss in which he received no decision in the third of three in San Diego during Washington's visit to PETCO Park from 5/27-5/29, which saw DC drop two of three to SD and then two of three to Arizona to finish the quick six game western swing 2-4, leaving the Nationals 24-34 overall on the first day of June. 

Lannan, 23 and left-handed, lasted 6.0 innings in San Diego, giving up 5 hits, 2 ER and 3 walks with 5 K's against the Padres, exiting the game down 2-1 only to see Elijah Dukes walk, steal second, move to third on a groundout and score from there on a pinch hit single to right by Ryan Langerhans, which tied a game that the Padres would eventually win with DC reliever Saul Rivera taking the loss for letting the runner on who scores the go-ahead run when Jody Gerut's three-run blast in the eighth puts the Padres up for good. 

Overall in '08, Lannan's (9-13)  with a 3.97 ERA and 107 K's in 170.0 IP, having won three of his last five starts, with one loss and one no-decision, with his most recent outing a 7.0 inning, 1-hit, 1-run gem last Monday night against the Mets in DC, in which he walked 3, K'd 7 and held a 2-1 lead through six before Anderson Hernandez's RBI single in the home half of the sixth and Elijah Dukes three-run blast in the seventh put the Nationals ahead 7-1 in a game which ended up 7-2 in DC's favor. 

Chris Young was not in the Padres' lineup during DC's trip out west in late May, having taken a direct hit to the face on a line drive off Albert Pujols' bat a week earlier and suffered a, "nasal fracture and a laceration to the nose," according to MLB.com writer Corey Block in his article at the time entitled, "Young in good spirits after being struck". Young would not return to the Padres' rotation until July 29th, making three starts before landing back on the DL with a right forearm strain, which kept him out until September 1st. 

Young's first September start against the Dodgers didn't go so well with the 6'10, 29-year-old right-hander surrendering 6 hits and 4 runs in 5.0 innings of a 5-2 loss to LA, but the next time out against Milwaukee, Young had the best outing of his '08 campaign, pitching a complete game against the Brewers, allowing only 2 hits and 1 run in 9.0 innings with 5 K's in his fifth win. 

Young's faced the DC franchise 3 times in his 5-year career with the Texas Rangers and Padres, posting a (2-1) record and 3.32 ERA in 19.0 innings pitched over which he's been hit 17 times, had 7 ER's scored and 3 HR's hit with 5 walks given and 19 K's collected from DC's batters. 

Nationals' #'s Against Chris Young...

Kory Casto - 0 for 3, .000 AVG.

Cristian Guzman - 0 for 2, .000 AVG.

Willie Harris - 1 for 8, .125 AVG. 

Ryan Langerhans - 0 for 3, .000 AVG. 

Ryan Zimmerman - 3 for 8, .375 AVG, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI's, 1 SB. 

John "Cool Hand" Lannan's '08 Breakdown...

--Home vs Away--

In DC - 13 starts, (4-8), 70.2 IP, 67 H, 47 R, 41 ER, 11 HR, 33 BB, 38 K's, 5.22 ERA.

Away - 16 starts, (5-5), 99.1 IP, 94 H, 35 R, 34 ER, 9 HR, 33 BB, 69 K's, 3.08 ERA.

--Lefty vs Righty--

Lannan vs Lefties...40.2 IP, 42 H, 7 HR, 12 BB, 30 K's, 1.33 WHIP, .268 BAA.

Lannan vs Righties...129.1 IP, 119 H, 13 HR, 54 BB, 77 K's, 1.34 WHIP, .247 BAA.

Before/After All-Star Break...

Before - 18 starts, (5-9), 106.0 IP, 101 H, 44 R, 40 ER, 12 HR, 35 BB, 59 K's, 3.40 ERA. 

After - 11 starts, (4-4) , 64.0 IP, 60 H, 38 R, 35 ER, 8 HR, 31 BB, 48 K's, 4.92 ERA.

What If Nationals Don't Get The #1 Pick?

MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo wrote an article back in June listing the projected top 10 picks in the '09 draft, including the player everyone seems to want, Stephen Strasburg as well as a few other alternatives if DC doesn't end up last in the league overall with the #1 pick. 

What Would You Ask Jim Bowden If You Had The Chance?

Washington Post sports writer Chico Harlan attended an event at the DC-version of the ESPN Zone yesterday afternoon, where DC GM Jim Bowden and Asst. GM Mike Rizzo fielded question from the Nationals' fanbase. Mr. Harlan's got the full story at the Post's "Nationals Journal" in a post entitled, "The State of The Nationals (from the Zone)". I know Dave from Bottomfeeder Baseball was in attendance, as well as Steven from the Fire Jim Bowden blog, both of whom got their questions in and then had a chance to speak to the Asst GM Mr. Rizzo and Mr. Bowden privately...

Don't Forget To...

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

Game two of three with the Padres takes place at 7:10 pm EST in Nationals Park, Lannan vs Young, DC vs SD, Nationals v Padres...Can Dukes Hit Another Homer? Can Zimmerman knock in some RISP? Will Lannan have the "Cool Hand" tonight? We'll have to wait and see...Who's Watching The Nationals?