• Programming Notes: Three in a row from the Phillies. Four straight overall. Seven straight on the road. 10 of the last 13. With just seven games left in the 2011 season the Washington Nationals are on a roll and in a position to play a spoiler's role in Washington this weekend when they take on the tumbling Atlanta Braves. But first, the Nats try to win four of four in Philadelphia. Brad Peacock vs Roy Oswalt tonight at 7:05 pm EDT in Philly. The 34-year-old Phillies' right-hander shut the Nats out last time he faced them, holding them to 8 hits in 8.0 scoreless back on August 20th. Peacock, 23, makes his second MLB start tonight, his third appearance overall, coming off 5.0 shutout innings against the New York Mets in earning his first curly-W. Can the Nats win the season series with Philadelphia? Can they sw - - p the road series with the Phillies? MASN HD, MLB.tv, 106.7 the FAN in D.C., 1500 WFED, Sirius/XM ch. 185. Who's Watching The Nationals?
• LINKS AND LINKS AND...
• NATS BEAT:
• "The Nationals could field a rotation next season drenched in talent where the left-handed Lannan is the elder statesman." - "Nationals' prospects for rotation in '12 present pleasant problem" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Washington, which has won 10 of it past 13 games, has taken the first three games of the series and has a chance to sweep on Thursday night." - "Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies: In victory, Espinosa stays hot against Phils" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com WSH Recap
• "'If I don’t get anybody fighting me too hard,' Johnson said, 'I’ll bring [Strasburg] back. That would give him five starts this year.'" - "Stephen Strasburg should start twice more this season, Davey Johnson thinks" - Stephen Strasburg, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "With his win, the Nationals have won nine of their last 11 games, and their starting pitchers have claimed six victories in that stretch, including four straight." - "Lannan gets 10th win as Nationals beat Phillies 7-5" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• "'I felt good to finish the game,' Ramos said. 'Now, I put ice on it. I will get the day off tomorrow, but I will be good for the next day.'" - "Ramos will get day off Thursday" - Bill Ladson, All Nats All the Time
• "Nats Insider: Beltway Baseball Live - 1 p.m. today" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• "Manager Davey Johnson is hoping that Werth is able to play in the three-game series against the Braves at Nationals Park, which starts on Friday night." - "Club hopes Werth can return this weekend" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "The progress was in the Nationals' youth continuing to develop while, at times, carrying a team light on veterans." - "Wilson Ramos and Danny Espinosa power up, then limp off" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Because Ryan Zimmerman missed two months on the disabled list and Jayson Werth has struggled in his first season in Washington, Espinosa and Ramos carried a larger burden than the Nationals expected." - "Danny Espinosa, Wilson Ramos have carried the Nationals’ load as rookies" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "'We're still up in the race,' Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. 'I really believe we'll survive this and be better off for it.'" - "Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals: With heat on, Braves start Hudson vs. Strasburg" - Adam Berry, MLB.com Preview
• "They’ve been two teams on somewhat divergent paths — the Phillies‘ road littered with many more victories than Washington’s." - "Nationals striving to finish above .500 after latest victory over Phillies" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "If the Nationals win tonight, they'll have a season series victory against the Phillies for the first time since 2006." - "Against Phillies, Nationals are making progress" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• "Lining up opposite Oswalt will be Nationals righty Brad Peacock, making his second Major League start." - "Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies: "Phillies try to get back on track behind Oswalt" - Adam Berry, MLB.com Preview
• "Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth was not in the starting lineup on Wednesday and Nationals manager Davey Johnson said he doesn't expect Werth to play Thursday." - "Werth expected to miss at least two days and the Nationals rotation plans going forward" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "[Pudge] Rodriguez, 39, will start once this weekend during their final home series and once on the final day of the season in Florida..." - "Ivan Rodriguez expected to start two more games" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "My number one commitment is to promote inner peace based on warm heartedness." -
• Actual Minor League Links:
• Class-A Auburn: "Doubledays third basemen Matt Skole was recently named to the Post-Season Short-Season All-Star team by Baseball America." - "Skole Named Post-Season All Star" - Auburn Doubledays News
• "[Nationals director of player development Doug] Harris said Harrisburg first baseman Tyler Moore is also in instructional camp and they will "kick the tires" on Moore in the outfield." - "Outfield focus: prospect Michael Taylor makes big jump in system" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• NATSTOWN:
• "Amazingly, in just his first full season in the bigs, Storen has 40 saves for a team that's been in next-to-last place virtually all year." - "Late-inning sigh of relief with Storen" - MASNSports.com/Nationals Buzz/Ted Youngling, The Nats Blog
• "Meanwhile: Pigs fly, snowball fights in hell, dogs and cats living in peace, and John Lannan wins a game in Philadelphia." - "Danny Espinosa hits 21st HR, recieves elbow smash to the head from Michael Morse" - Nats Enquirer
• "We’re getting down to the wire; There’s only three more of these posts coming, because the rotation only makes 3 more passes before the season is over." - "Nats Rotation Cycle #31: good/bad/soso" - Nationals Arm Race
• "Although the idea would seem preposterous to most baseball fans, the Washington Nationals have more options than Stephen Strasburg in their future rotation." - "Nats show youthful pitching depth beyond Strasburg" - Zack Myles, DC Double Play
• SHARKNATSTOWN:
• "After Roger "The Shark" Bernadina's JAWESOME home run in yesterday's victory over the Phillies, he came through in the second game of the double header with his defensive prowess." - "SHARK EATS PHILLY: Part 2 (and 3)" - Sharkadina
• NL EAST UPDATES:
• Braves: "Fast-forward three weeks, and the Braves have lost 13 of their past 20 and watched their Wild Card lead fall to 1 1/2 games with six to play." - "Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals: With heat on, Braves start Hudson vs. Strasburg" - Adam Berry, MLB.com Preview
• Mets: "In an effort to make Citi Field, 'a little more balanced, a little more average at least," Alderson said that "if we do something, it won’t be subtle.'" - "Alderson addresses Citi dimensions" - Andy Martino, New York Daily News
• Braves/Marlins: "Over his past 11 games, Vazquez has gone 6-2 with a 1.54 ERA, which ranks third in the Majors over that span." - "Atlanta Braves at Florida Marlins: Lights-out Vazquez deals blow to Braves" - Christina De Nicola, MLB.com FLA Recap