Wire Taps: Washington Nationals In Colorado For Four With Rockies.

• Programming Notes: The Washington Nationals dropped the first two of three with the Rockies when Colorado visited the nation's capital in the second week of July, but Jordan Zimmermann put an end to all that with 6.1 scoreless in a 2-0 series finale win over the NL West's third-best team. The Nats' throw Ross Detwiler Thursday in Coors Field. It will be the left-hander's seventh appearance of the year, but only his second start for the Nationals, though the 25-year-old '07 1st Round pick's made 16 starts for Triple-A Syracuse. Washington just took two of three from Atlanta, making the best of a homestand that started with four straight losses by taking two of three from both the Mets and the Braves to climb back within four games of .500 at 53-57 as they head out on a ten-game road trip that will have them out of town until August 16th...MASN2 HD, MLB.tv, 106.7 the FAN in DC, 1500 WFED, Sirius/XM ch.189. Who's Watching The Nationals?

• LINKS AND LINKS AND...

• NATS BEAT: 

• "And then Mother Nature, along with three Atlanta relievers named Eric O'Flaherty, Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel, combined forces to stop the Nationals dead in their tracks..." - "Nationals can't come back against Braves" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com

• "'We’re inching closer to the whole lineup being productive,' Johnson said before Wednesday’s 6-4 loss to Atlanta." - "Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman heating up at the plate alongside Michael Morse" - James Wagner, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• "14) Steve Lombardozzi, 2B, Grade C+: Hitting a combined .310/.360/.437 with seven homers, 28 walks, 63 strikeouts, 22 steals in 435 at-bats for Harrisburg and Syracuse. Extremely reliable, has made just two errors this year. Deserves a major league trial." - "Washington Nationals 2011 Top 20 PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review" - John Sickels, Minor League Ball

• "Prospects: Chat: Jim Callis Chat: Aug. 3" - BaseballAmerica.com

"Q: Any updates on Nats picks Purke, Turnbull, Buchanon, and Laxer? Thank you.

Jim Callis: I don't think Purke is going to sign for less than he turned down of high school, so I don't think he's going to sign." 

• "Remember how Stephen Strasburg sent shock waves through baseball and became a huge gate attraction last year, making his team a national story in the process?" - "SNYDER: Happy days for Nationals will be here again" - Deron Snyder, Washington Times

• "A few days after the Nationals gave him his unconditional release, first baseman Matt Stairs announced his retirement, according to CBC News." - "Matt Stairs announces retirement from baseball" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• "Wang again displayed flashes of his old ground-ball-inducing self, notching 10 groundouts in his six innings." - "Nationals vs. Braves: Washington’s four-game winning streak ends" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

• "There are no expectations on Wang to become a mainstay in the Nationals' rotation this year..." - "Chien-Ming Wang better, but Nationals lose to Braves" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com

• "'I've really had to use the bullpen, since I've been here, not enough according to their strengths, how I want to use a bullpen,' he said." - "Bullpen rested and ready to go, other pregame notes" - Paulina Berkovich, Washington Times

• "If things go according to plan, Rodriguez could be activated from the disabled list during the next homestand, which starts on Aug. 16 against the Reds." - "Pudge steaming toward rehab assignment" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• "Detwiler has stayed prepared for a possible move to the starting rotation by throwing regular bullpen sessions while working as a long reliever." - "Washington Nationals at Colorado Rockies: Rockies' Rogers has big shoes to fill as he faces Nats" - Jesse Sanchez, MLB.com Preview

• "There are no expectations on Wang to become a mainstay in the Nationals' rotation this year..." - "Chien-Ming Wang better, but Nationals lose to Braves" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com

• "Like his first outing on Friday, Wang got off to a slow start, allowing two runs on three hits in the first inning." - "Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals: Wang unravels in fifth as Nats' streak ends" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com WSH Recap

• "'Overall, I feel better than last time,' Wang said through a translator after the game. 'The sinker was sinking today, just the slider wasn’t [working] overall.'" - "Six-run hole proves too deep to escape for Nationals" - Paulina Berkovich, Washington Times

• "Yesterday marked the 104th anniversary of Walter Johnson's major league debut for Washington - Aug. 2, 1907..." -"Numbers game"- Phil Wood, MASNSports.com

• "'Having Stephen back ... is huge. It's like getting a free-agent pitcher,' third baseman Ryan Zimmerman said." - "Strasburg could make rehab start on Sunday" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "The quality of altruism is fundamental, in my opinion, and will fill our daily lives with serenity and happiness."

• NATS MINOR LEAGUE UPDATES: 

• Class-A Auburn: "Due to excessive rain, tonight's game with the Connecticut Tigers has been postponed." - "Wednesday Night's Game Postponed" - Auburn Doubledays News

• Class-A Hagerstown: "Suns LHP Ryan Demmin (2-1), the winning pitcher, was terrific through 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, no walks, and striking out five over the duration." - "Suns Take Game Three with Barrage of Offense" - Hagerstown Suns News

• Class-A Potomac: "The Potomac Nationals began a six-game road trip Tuesday night. After two games, it appears that the offense missed the bus to Salem." - "OFFENSE INVISIBLE AGAIN IN 10-1 LOSS" - Potomac Nationals News

• Double-A Harrisburg: Chris Rahl - 3 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, Erik Arnesen - 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's, 2.53 ERA - Harrisburg Senators Scoreboard

• "'(Komatsu) is a great kid and has a great attitude, (and) sometimes displays that California cool demeanor,' the manager said." - "Huntsville skipper: Komatsu 'has the hitting genes'"- Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• Triple-A Syracuse: "The fifth annual Minors Moniker Madness is underway for 2011 with 64 unique and funny names from across the Minors. You, the fans, choose this year's best." - VOTE ZECH!! Minors Moniker Madness | MiLB.com

• "Thursday’s News & Notes" - NationalsProspects.com

• NATSTOWN: 

• "'There's absolutely no reason, other than to sell tickets and to put butts in the seats to bring Stephen Strasburg back...'" - Rob Dibble - "Rob Dibble says the only reason Nats are bringing back Stephen Strasburg this year is to put butts in the seats" - Nats Enquirer

• "Before (and after) 4 p.m. Sunday, fans took to Twitter to express their concern about whether or not Drew Storen would stay on the Nationals' roster." - "Do you root for the name on the front or the back of the jersey?" - MASNSports.com: Nationals Buzz: Rachel Levitin

• "Right Track/Wrong Track Results... And a New Poll!" - Steven, FJB

• "Don't look now, but Jayson Werth hit another HR (#13), is hitting .226." - "Wang Disappoints" - Nats Enquirer

• "After the race, Teddy tweeted 'Ok you wana be like that? I see how it is. Luc the Lobster 1 – Me 0.'" - "Video: Lobster runs onto the field, takes down Teddy" - Presidents Race Fan, Let Teddy Win!

• "After that, the argument for the deal is simple: every day players--especially up-the-middle players--are harder to find and worth more than relievers." - "The Trade Never Considered" - Steven, FJB

• NL EAST UPDATES: 

• Braves: "When the Braves don’t take care of teams like the Nats, fans can grumble, but it’s the way that the Braves lost these games that is somewhat disconcerting." - "Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals Series Recap" - moorebraves, Talking Chop

• Mets: "'There's no question, R.A. has deserved to win more games than he has,' Mets manager Terry Collins said." - "Atlanta Braves at New York Mets: R.A. leads Mets' welcoming party against Braves" - MLB.com Preview

• Phillies: "Halladay fought through his own struggles on the mound for his NL-leading 14th victory, Howard drove in four runs with a homer and a double..." - "Howard smacks around Rockies" - phillyBurbs.com

• Marlins: "Now, after winning the National League’s Player of the Month award in July, Emilio Bonifacio has become McKeon’s 'new man.'" - "Florida Marlins’ Emilio Bonifacio named NL player of month - Manny Navarro, MiamiHerald.com