Philadelphia Phillies 7, Washington Nationals 4, As Riggleman Gets Tossed Out Of Philly's Home Opener.

There's no doubt in my mind even if he may say different. He's a gentleman. So it would be okay if DC Skipper Jim Riggleman didn't admit that he intended on getting tossed from this afternoon's game against the Phillies, but he did admit it, telling Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) as quoted on Twitter, that he "...just felt like I needed to make a statement that we got to get a little respect, too." That's why he was out there on the field in the fourth inning in Citizens Bank Park instead of Nats' Pitching Coach Steve McCatty, and it was then that an old vaudeville act from baseball's past played out. Riggleman waited with his hands on his hips and his head down for home plate umpire Paul Schrieber to come out to the mound and break up the wordless "meeting" the Nats' Manager and his infield were having with DC right-hander Jason Marquis, who, along with his Skipper, felt he was being squeezed, so Riggleman waited and as the Umpire approached he said the magic words, which need only be a comment on calling balls and strikes, but were probably more colorful. And he got tossed, pretty quickly. Mr. Riggleman made his statement. Jason Marquis continued to get hit. Hard. Giving up two runs in the fourth to bring Philly within two at 4-2 DC, after Josh Willingham's solo HR in the second, and Ivan Rodriguez's and Marquis' own RBI hits in the fourth had given Washington a 4-0 lead after three and a half. 

In the fifth, Marquis gave up a one-out single to the Phillies' catcher Carlos Ruiz, and the Nats' backstop Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez reportedly injured his back throwing to second to try for the lead runner on a sac bunt attempt by Philly starter Cole Hamels, on which the ball sailed, and almost cost Ian Desmond his ankle as the Phils' catcher Ruiz took out Desmond's planted foot by sliding into the base and Desmond spikes first. Backup Phils' infielder Juan Castro made the best of the RBI opportunity, hitting a line drive double that bounced off the center field wall and scored the catcher while moving the slow-footed Hamels to third. Placido Polanco followed with a two-RBI single to put Philadelphia ahead 5-4 and Chase Utley's two-run HR off the right-field foul pole put the game out of reach at 7-4 Philly which is how it would end. 

• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching.

• Final Score: Phillies 7, Nationals 4.

• SB Nation Phillies: Pyrrhic Victory?: Phillies 7, Nationals 4 - The Good Phight

"The Phillies celebrate their 2009 National League Championship by beating the Washington Nationals 7-4, but lose their starting shortstop and right fielder."

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• Nationals Offer Not Enough For Jermaine Dye. 

• Marquis' Struggles Continue. 

Nationals now 3-4.

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• Nationals Offer Not Enough For Jermaine Dye. 

There are unnamed team sources cited in MLB.com's Bill Ladson's report this afternoon on the offer the Nationals appararently made to free agent outfielder Jermaine Dye, but they only speak to the fact that the Nats', "...felt $4 million was a fair price for Dye." Mr. Ladson talks to Mr. Dye himself about why he rejected it, with the 35-year-old outfielder stating quite bluntly, in an article entitled, "Dye declines Nationals' contract offer", that he's, "...not going to take my family all the way to Washington. With the offer that [the Nationals] made, it would maybe have to be a little bit more than other clubs have offered me in the past." Amazing as he is at times, Willie Harris has spent the majority of his career in a utility role, and Willy Taveras has spent most of his career in center, so the Nationals clearly know they need an everday right fielder, the question is where they can find one they can afford that's available.

• Marquis' Struggles Continue. 

Nats' right-hander Jason Marquis threw 80 pitches, 46 of them strikes in 4.1 IP this afternoon, over which he allowed 6 hits and 7 runs (6 ER), gave up a HR, a walk and recorded one K, leaving the 31-year-old starter with 14 H, 12 ER and 5 walks allowed in two 2010 starts in which he's taken two losses and twice failed to escape the fifth. The Nationals' bullpen: Jesse English (0.2 IP), Tyler Walker (1.2 IP), Sean Burnett (0.1 IP) and Miguel Batista (1.0 IP), held Philadelphia off the board after the fifth, but the Phillies' bullpen did them one better, holding the Nats after the fourth. Should Nats fans be worried that in 29.0 IP (including Spring Training) since signing with DC, Marquis has allowed 36 hits, 15 BB and 33 ER? Or that including 7 starts last September/OCtober, Marquis is (1-6) in his last 9 trips to the mound, having allowed 60 hits and 39 ER in 47.0 IP...Nah.