GameThread: Washington Nationals At Baltimore Orioles - Game 72 or 73 of 162.

Today's Starting Pitchers Are Going To Stare At You Now...(Martis Has A Serious Stare Working)...

Jeremy Guthrie

#46 / Pitcher / Baltimore Orioles

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Apr 08, 1979

'09 Stats - (5-7, 5.09 ERA), 15 GS, 86.2 IP, 94 H, 55 R, 49 ER, 17 HR's, 25 BB, 55 K's, 1.37 WHIP, .272 BAA.

vs DC - (0-1, 1.29 ERA), 4 GS, 28.0 IP, 17 H, 4 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 19 K's, 0.89 WHIP, .177 BAA.

Origin Story - Drafted by Cleveland Indians, 1st Round pick, No. 22 overall in 2002. 1/29/07 Selected off waivers from Indians by Baltimore Orioles.

Shairon Martis

#39 / Pitcher / Washington Nationals

Height: 6-1

Weight: 175

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Mar 30, 1987

'09 Stats - (5-2, 5.13 ERA), 14 GS, 80.2 IP, 77 H, 48 R, 46 ER, 9 HR, 36 BB, 30 K's, 1.40 WHIP, .252 BAA.

vs Baltimore - (0-0, 7.50 ERA) 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 2 K's, 1.50 WHIP, .269 BAA.

Origin Story - 2/10/04 Signed As An Amateur Free Agent with San Francisco Giants. 7/28/06 - Traded To Washington Nationals for LHP Mike Stanton.

More On The Pitchers...

Shairon Martis is coming off a rough start which saw the Nationals' 22-year old right-hander allow 8 hits and 6 ER in 5.0 IP last Sunday at home against Toronto. Martis is now winless since May 13th when he beat the SF Giants on the road in AT&T Park. Though he's yet to win in 4 June starts, Martis actually put up better numbers than he did when he was winning early this season. In his last 23.0 IP, Martis has allowed 18 hits and 10 ER, 2 HR's and in the one category in which he's struggled, 13 walks as opposed to just 4 K's. Compare Martis 3.91 June ERA, his 1.35 WHIP and .217 BAA to his numbers in April, where the rookie right-hander was (2-0) in 4 starts with a 6.20 ERA, 1.72 WHIP and a .312 BAA and you start to think this may be all Martis' fault...The Baltimore Orioles are 1-5 in Jeremy Guthrie's last six starts, with Guthrie (1-3). In June, Guthrie's posted a 5.85 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP and a .268 BAA in 20.0 IP in which he's allowed 22 hits, 16 R, 13 ER, 4 HR's and 4 BB while collecting 10 K's.

LINKS AND LINKS AND...

• Notes from NatsTown: Minor League Report

The Nationals minor league report is a weekly window into the Nationals farm teams, with updated standings, league leaders, team and individual player stats, and the latest team and player news.

• Washington Post - Nationals Journal - Chico Harlan - "In The Aftermath Of A Loss, Two Questions."

By the time Ross Detwiler and Joel Hanrahan were finished with their respective workdays last evening, the Nats' chances were basically finished, too. Detwiler (5+ IP, 9 H, 5 ER) couldn't keep his pitches down in the zone.

• LOVERRO: Nats opting to handle starters with kid gloves - Thom Loverro - Washington Times

A healthy debate is shaping up in baseball about the number of pitches a hurler should throw in a start.

• "Nationals pursuing Morgan in trade" - Dejan Kovacevic- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

By Dejan Kovacevic | 2:17 a.m. Saturday Washington is pursuing a trade for Pirates outfielder Nyjer Morgan, according to two sources late last night, including one source inside the Nationals' baseball operations. The teams began discussing this eight...

• "Nats will be in tough battle with Boras" - FOX Sports on MSN - Ken Rosenthal

Nats will be in tough battle with Boras

• Joe Torre and Jim Tracy headline this season's spectacular starts - Jon Heyman

Folks always talk about how important it is to get off to a good start. These players, managers and executives can say they're off to spectacular starts...

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