I was in the car last night when Nick Johnson strode to the plate in the last of the tenth inning. The game was tied, nobody was on, and there were two outs. Wouldn't it be great if Nick ended it? I thought to myself. Then I added, As unlikely as that may be.

The last time I had entertained such thoughts was two Sundays ago, when Ryan Zimmerman did, in fact, end the game in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run bomb, vanquishing the Yankees. A lot of bad stuff had happened since then---nine losses in ten games, Patterson injured again, Bodes being retained permanently.

Okay, just joking on that last one---sort of. I suppose.

Anyway, sure enough, Nick launched one deep into the night, and Dave2.0's voice blessedly cracked at the ball's apex.

Gone, baby.

* * * *

Here are a couple of interesting and perspective-laden (I hope!) takes on the Bowden news. Yes, they're worthwhile, despite being from bloggers. Go figure:

Beltway Boys:

Nats Triple Play:

In fairness, I've chopped off the less optimistic---or, at least, understanding---sections of both posts. I did so not because they aren't worthwhile and relevant; they are, and I encourage you to read them. Instead, they capture a germ of truth---something none of us can deny: Ultimately, we don't have one hell of a clue. We either trust those guys in charge to know what they're doing, or not. If not, it's certainly within our rights to complain, or mock, or expose what we believe are less enlightened aspects of management---or, I suppose, decide not to root for the team, as one poster at Baseball Primer has apparently done.

But the truth is so stunningly obvious it sometimes escapes us---or, I suppose I should rephrase, it sometimes escapes me: it's out of our hands.

* * * *

Speaking of out of our hands . . . One time, somebody asked me to define faith. I had no good answer.

But now, I think I've got it: relying on Pedro Astacio. Go Pedro!