• Programming Note: Today's game between the New York Yankees and visiting Washington Nationals is available via WCBS Radio 880 AM in New York, it's listed as being available on MLB.com's Gameday Audio and Sirius/XM listeners can find it on Ch. 176.
• Tomorrow's game vs Atlanta is available on MASN in D.C., the MLB Network nationally and it can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in D.C. in what will be Federal Baseball.com's favorite announcers Charlie Slowes (@Charlie_Slowes) and Dave Jageler's first broadcast of 2011. Can't wait. Turn on your tv, sync the radio broadcast if you're so inclined and enjoy Sunday Washington Nationals baseball.
• Washington Nationals - Saturday Lineup vs New York:
- Jerry Hairston - CF
- Ian "Franking" Desmond - SS
- THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! - 3B (Word.)
- The People's Champion Michael Morse - RF
- Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez - C
- Derek "BOOOOM" Norris - DH
- Chris Marrero - 1B
- Jeff Frazier - LF
- Brian Bixler - 2B
- Chaud Gaudin - SP
• Jeff Frazier? Brian Bixler?:
• Jeff Frazier is a 28-year-old IF/OF and '04 3rd Round pick by Detroit who put up a .276/.327/.424 slash line over seven seasons in the Tigers' system, and last year hit .256 with a .307 OBP, .493 SLG, 34 doubles, 25 HR's and 73 RBI's in 123 games and 516 PA's for Triple-A Toledo before earning a call up to Detroit on July 30, 2010. Frazier was one of six players the Nats signed on December 20, 2010 along with IF Brian Bixler, 28, (an '04 2nd Round pick by Pittsburgh, who the Nats acquired on August 7, 2010 in a cash deal with the Pirates then re-signed), RHP's Joe Bisenius and Tim Wood, first baseman Michael Aubrey and outfielder Jonathan Van Every. MLB.com's Bill Ladson wrote the deal up in a 12/20/10 article entitled, "Six players get Minor League deals with Nats."
• Bryce Harper's First Spring Training AB's:
Though he's not starting against his childhood heroes, Bryce Harper is expected to see some action in this afternoon's game with the Yankees according to reports earlier this week including MASN's Ben Goessling's article entitled, "Bryce Harper will face Yankees on Saturday." In MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article on Harper entitled, "Harper likely to play against Yanks on Saturday", he quoted Nats' Skipper Jim Riggleman explaining that though Harper will get his AB's, the Nationals, "have to get a little work for Jeff Frazier and Jonathan Van Every, everybody. They signed with us. We just can't blow them off. We made a commitment to bring them in." So Harper will see time, but his stay in big league camp will probably end in the not-too-distant future when he's reassigned to Minor League camp. So follow Harper while you can, and if you missed it, WittCap79 was kind enough to edit together all the footage he collected of Bryce Harper's first Spring AB's in a FanPost he published yesterday which you can see HERE.
• LINKS AND LINKS AND...
• "Marrero Making An Impression." - Sue Dinem, NationalsProspects.com
• "(Bryce Harper and Albert Pujols hugging in Jupiter. This image via @BHarp34.) Bryce Harper Tweeted the above photo of Albert Pujols crushing him with a bear hug (Me and Pujols!) before the Nationals took on the Cardinals on Thursday." - The Nationals Enquirer: Bryce Harper and Albert Pujols enjoy a hug
• "Dream of Singing the Anthem or Shagging Fouls?" - MissChatter : The Chatter Files
• "Sloppy Play Dooms Nats Against Cardinals." - Dave Nichols, NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK
• "Roger Bernadina's Unofficial Blog: A Street Shark Named Desire." - Sharkadina, Street Shark
• "Nationals prospects to scrimmage Sunday." - MASN's Byron Kerr
• "'It's early, but obviously something has to change, because I'm just not very good right now,'" - Drew Storen via Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin, "A quick look back, a quicker look ahead."