All during the game last night I was texting my friend in Atlanta, and by the end of the game not only had the Nationals lost but Bobby Cox had cost me a free meal. This of course put me in a bad mood. So when I texted my friend my disapointment at getting nothing out of the lose he texted my back informing me that is the way it works, which in turn forced me to text back the most vile disgusting phrases I have ever texted: Go Phillies. I still can't believe I said it, but if I don't get to enjoy any post-season play then my friends shouldn't either.
As for the great fun game last night. Maya once again was doomed by one bad inning. --Ben Goessling at masnsports.com
On the other hand the Nationals are cursed by the ghost of John Wilkes Boothe. It does seem that way at times, but most curses involve teams at least getting close to the World Series. --Mark Greenbaum and David O'Leary at baltimoresun.com
The struggles of youth aren't fun to watch. For every flash of potential there is an equal and opposite drought of production. --Adam Kilgore from washingtonpost.com
Nyjer Morgan is one of the few players who has a lower OBP than SLG. --Matt Klaassen fangraphs.com
The team looks to not care and even a meeting with the manager couldn't help. Is it too early to start thinking about the successors? Note: Phil Garner is still retired. --nationalsenquire.com
Blue Jays hire away Nats money man. --Adam Kilgore from washingtonpost.com
Drew Storen is not happy with how he has played recently and knows he can do better. --Mark Zuckerman at csnwashington.com
Nyjer Morgan, still not suspended. His former manager takes the time to do some catching up. --Byron Kerr at masnsports.com
Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa have been seen holding hands and skipping through the tulips. Not really, but they do practice every day before the game and like each other off the field. --Adam Kilgore washingtonpost.com
Nats interested in innings eaters and high risk pitchers. Well basically interested in pitching not there own. --Ben Nicholson-Smith from mlbtraderumors.com
More questions about Jim Riggleman's ability to manage a team. It would be nice to go a day without a Willie Harris sighting. It is really all I want out of life right now. --DangerNat from natsnq.com
The last half month or so of the season is about looking to next year and trying to salvage something from this wreckage. --Ben Goessling from masnsports.com
I like this question because it always riles people up, but what makes someone a fan? Is it root, root, rooting for the home team, wearing team colors, living in the area, or is it something deep inside no one can see or know but the individual? --Craig Calcaterra at nbcsports.com
My first year as a season ticket holder I sat in section 514 of RFK stadium way up in the upper deck, and most nights I would wear a hat and that was it, but some nights I wouldn't. At the end of last season the Nationals won more games when I wore no team colors than when I "got my red on." So, I stopped wearing Nats gear for the last month of the season. Does the fact that the most cheering I do is a gentle clap or a raised arm in celibration make me less of a fan than a guy with his face painted, a $200 authentic jersey screaming his lungs out? Hmmmmm it is something to think about. Also I am pretty sure the prizes are given out by luck of the draw. --SBF from nats320.com
$25 to strike out and look like a fool to a pitching machine. Sign me up. --livingsocial.com
70 wins seems more and more out of striking distance as the days go by, but now is the time for the Nats to show their heart. --Mark Zuckerman from natsinsider.com
Around the NL East
Maybe it is because a lot of media is located in New York or maybe the Mets realy are this interesting, but whatever the case may be people like to write about them, and they should keep Jose Reyes. They would be foolish not to. --Ken Davidoff from newsday.com
General Baseball
WAR, WAR never changes. Wait a second yes it does. Fangraphs and baseball-reference have different WARs. My favorite is the Franco-Prussian WAR though. Oh, right different kind of WAR. Probable nothing to go to WAR about though. Everybody loves this WAR though. It is like Madden ratings, but a real stat. --Joe Posnanski from si.com
Very, Very long read, but it is as interesting as it is long, about Nolan Ryan and the pitching philosophy in Texas. --Jonah Keri from jonahkeri.com
Sportswriters might be going to war with each other over something other than WAR when it comes time for AL Cy Young voting. Of course you don't even have to get that advanced to see the Felix Hernandez has been better than C.C. Sabathia. --Jeff Passan at yahoosports.com
More repercussions from the C.C. vs. Felix debate. We are not stupid. Really? I was starting to have doubts about myself. --Rob Neyer from espn.com
This could be an interesting hint from a certain city's newspaper to a certain big spending franchise. Of course if people don't realize Carl Crawford is good by now they might need a little more help than we think. Personally I would like to see him stay in Tampa it would be good for baseball, but I am sure they will let him go and then be even better next year. --Ben Shpigel from nytimes.com
I don't expect tonight to turn out any better than last night. Of course I will tune in and try and have hope, but it gets harder every day. It is amazing at times how much a baseball team's winning and losing can effect my mood. Anyway, Let's go Nats win at least one more time before the month ends.