:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/3536926/120179820.jpg)
• Programming Notes: The Washington Nationals began the last difficult road trip by dropping two of three in Atlanta. Tonight the Braves are in the nation's capital to face a Nats team coming off a series win over their NL East rivals from New York. The Nats were tied to new Braves' center fielder Michael Bourn via rumor before yesterday's deadline passed, but hours before the Nationals walked away from a potential deal for an outfielder with Minnesota, Atlanta announced that they had acquired the Astros' speedy outfielder. Bourn's scheduled to make his debut with the Braves tonight. The Nationals won't have any new players in the lineup tonight, but they will have Mr. National on the mound. Livan Hernandez vs Jair Jurrjens at 7:05 pm EDT. MASN HD, MLB.tv, 106.7 The Fan, WFED 1500, Sirius/XM ch. 184. Who's Watching The Nationals?
• LINKS AND LINKS AND...
• NATS BEAT:
• "Down to today, Rizzo still had "ongoing discussions" with four teams. As the deadline neared, the Nationals came very close to one trade, but couldn’t make it work." - "Mike Rizzo on the Nationals’ trade deadline" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "General manager Mike Rizzo publicly has stated his reluctance to part with Storen, but he was prepared to do it at the right price." - "SNYDER: Decisions made to keep Nationals' cornerstones in place" - Deron Snyder, Washington Times
• "'Yeah, I was a little fired up that I had a balk there. It might have been my first-ever balk,' Zimmermann said." - "Nats' bats come around in 9th" -Tom Schad, Washington Times
• "Now that the trade deadline is over, manager Davey Johnson sees the Nationals' chief goal the rest of the year as answering as many questions for next year as he can." - "Nationals' rotation will see some changes" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• "The Nationals’ stubbornness in holding out on Storen makes them losers, even if they did offload Jason Marquis(notes) and Jerry Hairston Jr.(notes) Washington should know better than to hang onto relief pitching." - "Winners, losers and tweeners from trade deadline - Jeff Passan. Yahoo! Sports
• "'That stopped the bleeding,' outfielder Jayson Werth said. 'It's a good day, we won the series and hopefully we can build on it.'" - "A much-needed win" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• "Hernandez hasn't won since June 26 and has allowed 17 runs over 26 2/3 innings in his last five starts..." - "Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals: Braves to unveil Bourn in series opener in DC" - Jason Mastrodonato, MLB.com Preview
• "'Our goal is to make the playoffs,' Werth said. 'We’re going to have to go on a run to do it, no secret there.'" - "Nationals aiming high in the clubhouse, while looking ahead in the front office" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "I feel my heart’s here and that was kind of the toughest part. I really want to stay, but you’ve got to understand the business side." - Drew Storen -"Storen still a National after close call" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "The tying run was coming to the plate in dangerous Mets center fielder Angel Pagan. Johnson made the move to the bullpen and left-hander Ross Detwiler." - "Detwiler settling into long role, solidifying bullpen" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• "'I was working down in the zone, the fastball was good. The misses I did have were off the plate,' Zimmermann said. 'That was big for me. If I miss over the plate with two strikes is when I get in trouble.'" - "Nationals score in bottom of 9th to beat Mets" - Chase Hughes, CSNWashington.com
• ''...according to two baseball sources, but the Twins asked for too much in return. They wanted closer Drew Storen and second baseman Stephen Lombardozzi, and the Nationals declined." - "Nationals decline to part with closer Drew Storen at Trade Deadline" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "So Storen stewed in the bullpen during Sunday's game against the Mets, his wishes to stay with the Nationals well-known, and hoped he'd get a phone call to warm up, not to pack up." - "Drew Storen's exhausting day ends with a win" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• "The Nationals believe Ian Desmond is, as well, and the shortstop drove in the winning run with a chopper just over reliever Bobby Parnell's head." - "New York Mets at Washington Nationals: After Storen stumbles, Nats walk off in ninth" - Steven Miller, MLB.com WSH Recap
• Here's Stephen Strasburg (@stras37) on the mound last week. - via @NationalsPR
• "Heading to Washington is 23-year old outfielder Erik Komatsu, who has put up wOBA marks of .399 and .372 over the last two seasons at High-A and Double-A." - "Hairston, Marquis Bid Farewell to D.C." - Eric Seidman, FanGraphs Baseball
• "But bringing up names like Milone, Peacock and Strasburg is getting ahead of ourselves. For the time being, it'll be Gorzelanny in the bullpen and Detwiler in the rotation." - "Ross Detwiler to start Thursday, Nationals begin to look toward future" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Storen did not get the save. He settled for a win snatched from Jordan Zimmermann, who bounced back from two subpar starts with six scoreless innings." - "Nationals vs. Mets: After Storen can’t hold lead, Desmond and Ankiel pull out 3-2 win" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post
• "I'll point out here that around 2 p.m. I spoke with a pretty solid source - not a Nationals' employee - who said that there would be no deal because the Nationals had no intent of moving Storen for Span..." - "Not today, Drew" - Phil Wood, MASNSports.com
• "[Michael] Bourn (hitting .303 with a .363 on-base percentage and a league-leading 39 stolen bases) should help solve Atlanta's woeful problems in both center field and at the top of their order." - "Series preview: Braves at Nats" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• "'He had a great Spring Training. By all tokens, he should have made the club out of the spring. He was probably the best pitcher in the spring.'" - Davey Johnson on Ross Detwiler - "Nationals to slot Ross Detwiler in rotation as Tom Gorzelanny moves to bullpen" - Steven Miller, nationals.com
• "Nationals manager Davey Johnson has often said that he wanted young outfield depth in Washington's farm system. In Komatsu, the Nationals get that and more." - "Nationals deal Jerry Hairston Jr. to Brewers for outfield prospect Erik Komatsu" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com
• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "If we develop a good heart, real appreciation, love and compassion for others, our life will improve." -
• NATS MINOR LEAGUE UPDATES:
• Class-A Auburn: "On Saturday night, the Doubledays needed to come from behind to beat Tri-City. Sunday night was different." - "Bullpen Dominates in Five-Run Win" - Auburn Doubledays News
• Class-A Hagerstown: "RHP Matt Swynenberg (4-1), the winning pitcher of record, was stellar through 6.0 innings, allowing just one unearned run on six hits, walking one and striking out two." - "Hagerstown Leaves Delmarva with Series Split after 3-1 Win" - Hagerstown Suns News
• Class-A Potomac: "After yielding two runs on three hits in the first inning on Sunday, Danny Rosenbaum delivered one of the dominant performances of the 2011 season." - "COMING UP ROSENBAUM: NATS WIN 5-2" - Potomac Nationals News
• Double-AA Harrisburg: "Jimmy Barthmaier, Cory VanAllen, and Pat Lehman combined to pitch the final four innings without allowing a run." - "B-Mets earn split with 5-2 win over the Senators" - Harrisburg Senators News
• "Bryce Harper went 1-3 with a walk in the Harrisburg Senators 5-2 loss to Binghamton." - "Bryce Harper Has A Nice Sunday" - HarperMania.com
• Double-A Harrisburg Sunday Game Hightlights:
• Triple-A Syracuse: "The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, were stunned by the Toledo Mud Hens 8-5 on Sunday night." - "Thorman's walkoff slam beats Chiefs" - Syracuse Chiefs News
• "[Danny] Rosenbaum went eight innings and struck out a career-high 11 hitters. He allowed three hits and two runs in the first inning, but then hurled seven shutout innings of hitless baseball." - "Potomac lefty Rosenbaum "sharp" with 11 K's in win over Frederick" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• "Monday’s News & Notes" - NationalsProspects.com
• NATSTOWN:
• Must Read: "A few days later, Blankenship sends a telegram to his skipper saying, 'you can't hit what you can't see. I've signed him and he is on his way."" - "Marking Walter Johnson's D.C. Debut - The Big Train Story" - Mark Hornbaker, Washington Nationals Daily News
• "All of the names that had been rumored as being discussed in potential deals (Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard and Ian Desmond among others) all stayed in Washington." - "MLB Trade Deadline: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo Discusses Not Trading Drew Storen" - Jordan Ruby, SB Nation DC
• "So Jason Marquis and Jerry Hairston Jr. are out. Jonny Gomes is in. Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard stay. Roger Bernadina was banished to the minors." - "Strange weekend answers some questions, leaves others open" - MASN, Nationals Buzz: Dave Nichols
• "In exchange for the 35 year old utility man, the Nationals picked up Erik Komatsu, a 23 year old outfielder, from the Milwaukee Brewers." - "Getting Something for Nothing" - The Nationals Review
• "After a week of ramp up, rumors, and tensions, the Nationals stayed put on deadline day..." - "Nats Trade Deadline Wrap" - Keara Dowd, Win for Teddy
• "Yesterday's 4PM trade deadline came and went without much fanfare as the Nationals were able to scratch out a victory (in game and series) vs the hated New York Mets." - "Assorted Trade Deadline Thoughts" - Mac, Capitol Baseball
• "But the fanbase's general reaction to the non-trade of Storen made me feel like I got an ulcer. There is a certain faction of Natstown that raged at the idea this could actually happen." - "Washington Nationals Might Have Lost More Than They Realize At MLB Trade Deadline" - Andrew Kinback, SB Nation DC
• "The only failing was not getting a CF but that isn't something that has to be done now." - "Not quite all the right moves, but good enough" - Harper, Nationals Baseball
• "Shark Week starts today, and ever the student of popular culture, Teddy Roosevelt got into the act..." - "Teddy the shark attacks George, Tom to kick off Shark Week" - Presidents Race Fan, Let Teddy Win!
• "Minutes after Drew Storen realized he wasn't traded at the Major League non-waiver deadline, he entered a 2-1 game in the top of the ninth, entrusted to close it like he has 26 times before this season." - "GAME 107 REVIEW: Nats Stand Pat at Deadline then Beat Mets" - Dave Nichols, NatsNewsNetwork
• NL EAST UPDATES:
• Braves: "Atlanta fell short of accomplishing a sweep of the Marlins, but won two of the three games in the series. Some notes from the three game set." - "Marlins at Braves Series Recap" - SCrebel10, Talking Chop
• Marlins: "With the help of Ricky Nolasco, the Marlins managed to salvage the final game of their series with the Braves on Sunday afternoon at Turner Field." - "Fish Wrap: Marlins 3, Braves 1" - GameFish, Fish Stripes
• Phillies: "Among players with 240 or more plate appearances, Utley is one of nine second basemen with three or more Wins Above Replacement via FanGraphs (fWAR)." - "Chase Utley Is Good' - Bill Baer, Crashburn Alley
• Mets: "In short, you can't lose two out of three to the Nationals, not where the Mets are in the standings, and pretend you're truly in a race to catch the Braves for the wild-card berth." - "Mike Pelfrey says he has sinker back, Mets hurler has chance to prove it against Florida Marlins" - John Harper, New York Daily News