GameThread: New York Mets At Washington Nationals- Game 53 or 54 of 162. Do You Have A Little Of The "RV" In You?

Today's Starting Pitchers Are Going To Stare At You Now...

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John Lannan

#31 / Pitcher / Washington Nationals

Height: 6-4

Weight: 225

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Sep 27, 1984

'09 Stats - (2-5, 4.21 ERA), 11 GS, 62.0 IP, 69 H, 33 R, 29 ER, 9 HR, 26 BB, 34 K's, 1.53 WHIP, .284 BAA.

vs NYM - (1-3, .5.79 ERA), 6 GS, 32.2 IP, 40 H, 21 ER, 5 HR, 10 BB, 25 K's, 1.53 WHIP, .310 BAA.

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John Maine

#33 / Pitcher / New York Mets

Height: 6-4

Weight: 200

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: May 08, 1981

'09 Stats - (5-3, 3.75 ERA), 10 GS, 57.2 IP, 45 H, 26 R, 24 ER, 4 HR, 32 BB, 41 K's, 1.34 WHIP, .214 BAA.

vs DC - (7-2, 3.79 ERA), 11 GS, 61.2 IP, 43 H, 28 R, 26 ER, 8 HR, 28 BB, 60 K's, 1.15 WHIP, .194 BAA.

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The Washington Nationals haven't beaten John Maine since September 2007. Since then, Maine's (4-0) in 4 starts against DC. The NY Mets' 28-year-old right-hander removed himself from his last start with, uh, "stomach distress"? Maine finished 6.0 shutout innings on the mound against the Marlins before he fell ill. In his previous start, against the Nationals, Maine gave up just one run on four hits in 6.0 IP. After starting his '09 campaign 0-2, Maine's (5-1) in his last seven starts with the Mets 6-1 over the same stretch when Maine's turn in the rotation has come around.

DC lefty John Lannan is winless in his last four, with the Nationals (0-4) in those starts. Against New York on May 25, Lannan threw 92 pitches in 5.0 IP in which he gave up 8 hits, 4 walks and 5 ER in a game the Nationals and Lannan would eventually lose 5-2. After going (0-3) in 5 starts in April, Lannan's (2-2) in May, and he's (1-0) in 5 home starts this season.

DC Starting Lineup...

1. The Guzzzz - SS
2. Nick "Two-Spot" Johnson - 1B
3. THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! - 3B
4. The Big Dunn-K - LF
5. Elijah "Super" Dukes - RF
6. TAWH - CF
7. Anderson "Elvis" Hernandez - 2B
8. Wil "Blocker" Nieves - C
9. "Cool Hand" Lannan - Eating 40 Eggs

DID YOU HEAR WHAT _____ SAID?

"Acting" DC GM Mike Rizzo on Stephen Strasburg and the talk of a "Daisuke Matzuka-like" contract for the projected No.1 pick, in an article entitled, "Playing Hardball" by ESPN's Tim Keown which can be found in the most recent newsstand edition of ESPN the Magazine:

"Daisuke was a nine-year professional in the Japanese league when he came here. Stephen is an amateur player in the draft. He's no different from anyone else who has been drafted No. 1. He's a tremendous talent, but he's an amateur player in the draft."

Ron Villone, (aka Ron VILL0.00NE) as quoted in Washington Post writer Chico Harlan's article entitled, "Solid Bullpen Showing Comes Undone", after last night's loss:

"'I feel we're getting [upset]...I guess it's starting to hurt now. Instead of being, "Aw, [darn], we lost another game, we can come back tomorrow," it's starting to just hurt. Maybe lost a little sleep tonight, too. Because we don't set out to come out and play a close ballgame and lose it. We just haven't freaking won. That's all I can say.'"

Nationals' "closer" Joel Hanrahan on Ron Villone in the same Washington Post article by Chico Harlan:

"'You go out and watch [Villone], and he doesn't care,' Hanrahan said several days ago. 'He says, "Here's my stuff. Here you go." It's something I've kind of picked up on. I've been working on kind of trying to become [a jerk]. I've got a little of the 'RV' in me where you just go out and say [screw] it.'"

Boston.com Columnist Nick Carfado on DC Manager Manny Acta in an article ranking the top managers in MLB entitled, "The managerial ranks":

27. Manny Acta, Nationals: Trying to juggle a young rotation, a poor bullpen, and a good lineup in a poor environment (18). (ed. note - "# in parantheses is last year's ranking")

Do You Have A Little Of The "RV" In You?

Who's Watching The Nationals?