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• Programming Notes: The Jordan Zimmermann Appreciation Society has a mid-afternoon meeting this afternoon for the 2:20 pm EDT rubber match between the Nats and Cubs in Wrigley Field. The Nats' 25-year-old right-hander's on a 160.0-inning limit this season, and he enters today's game at 138.1 IP. The Nationals' '07 2nd Round pick received no decision, but threw 6.0 innings, giving up 8 hits and 4 runs all earned in his last start against the Cubs on July 4th in a game Washington won 5-4. The Cubs counter with Rick Dempster. Washington's looking to win their first road series since June 25-27 when they took two of three from the Cubs' cross-town rival...2:20 pm EDT today. MASN HD, MLB.tv, WHFS 1580, 1500 WFED...uh, no Sirius/XM coverage is listed...Who's Watching The Nationals?
• LINKS AND LINKS AND...
• NATS BEAT:
• One More Harper Ejection Video?:
• video via NDN and CSNWashington.com
• "'He’s not doing too well,' Johnson said. 'He’s pushing it too hard. He’s had another setback.'" - "Ivan Rodriguez ‘not doing too good,’ but in Harrisburg" -Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "The Nationals couldn't do enough against Rodrigo Lopez and his pedestrian stuff." - "Nationals fall to Cubs 4-2" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• "Manager Davey Johnson today referred to a recent 'setback' for Rodriguez and suggested he's not going to be ready to return for quite some time." - "Pudge still not close to returning" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• "Jayson Werth was playing Alfonso Soriano to pull in the fourth inning Wednesday night when the former Nationals' outfielder dropped an RBI-double just inside the right field line." - "Werth's outfield slide, Harper's ejection and Nix's Achilles" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Continuing to feel the effects of the strain, Rodriguez is still having problems swinging the bat. He is expected to return to Washington on Thursday." - "Pudge suffers setback with oblique strain" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "'It’s just the conditions here,' Nix said. 'It is a little tight. It’s hard to get loose in this stadium...'" - "Laynce Nix okay, will start Thursday" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "To date, there hasn't been a lot of evidence that Detwiler will make that leap once he gains more experience." - Detwiler takes another loss for Nationals" - Mark Zuckerman, CSNWashington.com
• "As one who endured multiple losing seasons in Tampa Bay, Gomes knows the difference between playing out the string and building toward the future." - "Quick rise would not be surprise to Nats' Jonny Gomes" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Manager Davey Johnson said that Werth is feeling more comfortable, and it helps that the hitters around him are showing signs of life offensively as well." - "Werth providing glimpse of return to form" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "Zimmermann was unhittable in June -- posting a 0.85 ERA in six starts -- and then regressed to a 4.80 mark in July. Now, he's hoping to finish the season strong." - "Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs: Series win at stake as Cubs, Nats make up rainout" - Spencer Fordin, MLB.com Preview
• "'We lost,' Detwiler said when asked to evaluate his performance. 'It would’ve been a tie game if I could get a bunt down. The other things you can’t control.'" - "Davey Johnson unimpressed with Ross Detwiler's outing as Nats fall 4-2 to Cubs" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Storen’s season, at his age, has already landed him in rare company." - "Drew Storen reaches one milestone, and he plans to keep going" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "Detwiler lasted five innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. With the wind blowing out, [Davey] Johnson felt Detwiler needed to be perfect on the mound. And he wasn't in the fourth inning." - "Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs: Nationals hurt by homers in loss at Wrigley" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com WSH Recap
• NATS MINOR LEAGUE UPDATES:
• Class-A Auburn: "Back-to-back singles by Caleb Ramsey and Bryce Ortega got things started for Auburn, with Ramsey coming home to score the Doubledays first run off a double to right-center field by Matt Skole." - "Early Offense Leads Auburn to Sweep" - Auburn Doubledays News
• Class-A Hagerstown: "Suns' RHP Matt Swynenberg, who also did not receive a decision, tossed 6.0 stanzas and surrendered two earned runs on six hits and one walk, while fanning a trio." - "Delmarva Downs Hagerstown 6-4 with Late Comeback" - Hagerstown Suns News
• Class-A Potomac: Destin Hood - 2 for 4, 2 RBI's; Adam Olbrychowski - 5.1 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's - Potomac Nationals Scoreboard
• Double-A Harrisburg: "The two starting pitchers were outstanding as Shairon Martis for the Sens and Eric Surkamp for the Flying Squirrels both pitched deep into the game." - "Richmond Slips Past the Senators 3-1" - Harrisburg Senators News
• Triple-A Syracuse: "The right-hander picked up his ninth win of the season, allowing just six hits and one run in seven innings. Stammen walked three and struck out six in the game." - "Chiefs beat Bisons with 5-run 6th" - Syracuse Chiefs News
• "Solis wanted to be careful when he first felt the pain in his elbow and was relieved it wasn't a major problem." - "Potomac's Solis says elbow feels better; closer to bullpen session" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• "Thursday’s News & Notes" - NationalsProspects.com
• "He looks like a very sharp, toolsy player. The 6-foot-2, 195-lb. switch-hitter had throws from short and second during the game that were very strong, showed great velocity, and were delivered quickly." - "First look: Walters shows off arm, bat at Potomac" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• NATSTOWN:
• "Today we celebrate the birth of one of the most key and worshiped members of the Nationals: the one, the only, the Stanford…Drew Storen!" - "Happy Birthday Drew Storen!" - Keara Dowd, Win for Teddy
• "This incident will likely cause a stir, as Harper already has a stigma for having a negative attitude." - "Bryce Harper Ejected After Arguing Balls And Strikes" - Will Yoder, The Nats Blog
• "Quite the outburst from Young Mr. Harper; and it's surprising it took so long for someone on the coaching staff to get between Harper and umpire Max Guyll." - "Video: Bryce Harper's Harrisburg Ejection" - Nats Enquirer
• "Zimmermann has come back from injury and basically given the Nats the type of season they hoped for from him when healthy." - "T-minus 4 (3?) and counting" - Harper, Nationals Baseball
• NL EAST UPDATES:
• Mets: "New York knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (5-11) retired his final 11 batters but lost his third straight start." - "Angel Pagan Injured, Mets Fall to Padres" - WFAN/AP - CBS New York
• Phillies: "You can take nothing for granted in the game of baseball, not even a team as great as the Phillies. However, they are a lock for the playoffs..." - "Phillies Dominating, Time to Take It Easy?" - Bill Baer, Crashburn Alley
• Braves: "Exam results on the pitching shoulder of Braves starter Tommy Hanson were negative. "Hanson received a cortisone shot and will rest in hopes of starting Tuesday's game against San Francisco." - "Braves P Hanson could avoid trip to DL" - Baseball Wires - MiamiHerald.com
• Marlins: "Asked whether Ramirez could be that anchor, [Logan] Morrison said: 'I guess, but he’s not there every game. It’s 162 games. It’s not a 100-game season.'" - "Florida Marlins place Hanley Ramirez on disabled list" – Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun-Sentinel
• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "You must not consider tolerance and patience to be signs of weakness. I consider them signs of strength."