On The Hill...

DC's rookie right-hander, 22-year-old Collin Balester (3-6), 4.83 ERA, makes the fifteenth start with Washington, having already faced tonight's opponent, the Florida Marlins, twice, winning his major league debut on July 1st by pitching 5.0 innings and allowing just 1 run and 1 hit in a 9-6 Nationals' win, but receiving no decision the second time out, on September 14th in Miami, Florida, in a Nationals' loss in which Balester allowed 4 hits and 1 run over 6.2 IP. 

Balester's failed to record a decision so far in September, posting a 5.09 ERA in 3 starts and 17.2 IP...Marlins' right-hander Anibal Sanchez hasn't put up a "W" since he and the Marlins beat the Cubs back on August 16th, and in September, Sanchez is (0-2) in 4 starts and 17.1 IP, having given up 21 hits, 17 ER, 3 HR and 9 walks, with 21 K's and a 7.79 ERA on the month. 

Anibal Sanchez (2-5, 5.57 ERA in '08) is (3-0) in 7 starts and 42.2 IP against DC over the 24-year-olds' first three MLB seasons, and in his only start against Washington this year, he matched up against Balester back on 9/14, with neither starter receiving a decision. 

Nationals' #'s Against Anibal Sanchez...

Ryan Langerhans - 2 for 7, .286 AVG, 1 2B, 1 BB.

Lastings Milledge - 1 for 2, .500 AVG, 1 RBI. 

Luke Montz - 1 for 2, .500 AVG, 1 RBI. 

Ryan Zimmerman - 5 for 18, .278 AVG, 1 RBI. 

The "If They Were Playing" List...

Ronnie Belliard - 2 for 5, .400 AVG, 1 2B. 

Nick Johnson - 2 for 8, .250 AVG, 1 2B, 3 RBI's, 3 BB. 

DY - 1 for 5, .200 AVG. 

Marlins vs Balester...

Alfredo "The Amazing" Amezaga - 1 for 3, .333 AVG, 1 3B, 1 RBI. 

Cody Ross - 2 for 5, .400 AVG, 1 2B.

Jorge Cantu - 1 for 6, .167 AVG. 

Dan Uggla - 1 for 1, 1.000 AVG, 2 BB. 

Nationals' Fans With Weak Stomachs May Want To Avoid This Week's Sports Illustrated...

SI writer Lee Jenkins has an article about the connection between major leaguers B.J. and Justin Upton, Michael Cuddyer, Mark Reynolds, Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright entitled, "Virginia's Boy Wonders", in which Mr. Jenkins examines the history of the baseball programs that produced, "...six current major-league stars, including five first-round draft picks, in the span of eight years," but it wasn't Mr. Jenkins writing that disturbed me, it was an image included in the piece described as a "rare showcase-team photo," in which Wright, BJ Upton and Reynolds are visible, as is Ryan Zimmerman, whose eyes peer out from the back row, behind another player's head, with, as I all of a sudden notice the team's blue and orange jerseys...a Mets cap on Zimmerman's head...

Saturday's Game Time Changed...

The Nationals/Phillies game on Saturday had better be the FOX game in NJ, or I'm gonna end up being FOX'd out of the next-to-last game of the season now that the second of three between Philly and DC has been moved from a Saturday PM start to 3:55 pm EST...So all you out-of-town fans beware of the Regional Broadcast schedules, you don't want to get shut out of game 161...

For A Florida-Based Perspective On The Weekend Series, check out the SBN's Marlins' blog:

FishStripes

Don't Forget To...

Check the NatCast if you're heading to the last game of '08 at Nationals Park...

It's the final home game of the season...One last chance to watch baseball in Nationals Park until next April. Balester vs Sanchez. Win 60? Or Loss 100? The final game of the first season of the Nationals' Collin Balester Era. Who gets the last HR of the season in DC? Milledge seems to have the team's RBI lead taken care of...Who will end up leading the Nationals in HR's in '08? Can Dukes sky one more to left? Or will Zimmerman go deep to center? A line drive HR to left center from Lasto? Or does Willie Harris Want to lead the team in long balls? Who's Watching The Nationals Try To Avoid Loss #100? Let us know what you think?Say goodbye to '08... We'll be watching all game...Who's Watching The Nationals?