Wire Taps: Washington Nationals vs New York Yankees In The Nation's Capital.

• Washington, D.C. June 16, 2006: The Washington Nationals welcomed the AL East's powerhouse New York Yankees into the nation's capital for the first series between the teams after the Montreal Expos relocated to Washington and became the Nats. In game one of three, Chad Cordero took the ball in a 5-5 game the Nationals had led 5-3 before Gary Majewski blew the lead in the eighth. NY outfielder Bernie Williams then hit a solo HR in the ninth to make it a 6-5 game. The Nationals would eventually lose 7-5. Before game two of three the next morning, I stopped into the Nats team store to pick up some Nats stuff and had the following encounter as reported back on the site we started before Federal Baseball:

"The Yankees and the Nationals meet again Saturday. I head into the Nationals team store to load up on merchandise. A young man in a Derek Jeter Yankees jersey is trying on a new Nationals hat. For some reason the kid turns around to me, "Does this make me look silly?" he asks. "No, not at all," I tell him, "Not the hat at least, but the Jeter jersey does," I add sarcastically. "I’m a real Nationals fan!" the kid states angrily, putting the hat back on the rack and walking away. "I know, I was just kiddi…" I try to say...

"I love the Nationals," the kid says as he leaves.

I guess kids don’t get sarcasm.

The lesson here? Kids have no sense of humor. And there are dual loyalties in sports. There will be plenty of Yankee/Nationals fans in Nationals Park this weekend. Try to be nice.

Links and lots of them... RIGHT NOW!!!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "More than 750 Nationals players, guests and sponsors attended the intimate function, a 300-attendee increase from the 2011 event, and over $200,000 was raised for Zimmerman's ziMS foundation." - "Ryan Zimmerman's "A Night at the Park" raises over $200,000 for Multiple Sclerosis" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times

• NATS BEAT:

• "Nationals 2nd-rder Tony Renda's bonus was $500k (pick value=$630k). #California 2B is little guy who can really hit. #mlbdraft " - Baseball America's Jim Callis on Twitter (@jimcallisBA)

• "Without incurring #mlbdraft -pick penalty, #Nationals could pay Lucas Giolito $3,029,773 right now." - Baseball America's Jim Callis on Twitter (@jimcallisBA)

• "During the Nationals’ 6-0 road trip against the Red Sox and Blue Jays, their bullpen allowed three runs in 15 2/3 innings, striking out 15 while allowing 11 hits and six walks." - "The Nationals’ bullpen is rolling, too" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• "'How many games do they play in baseball?' she asked. 'One hundred and sixty-two,' I replied. 'The NBA finals are on,' she said. 'That’s more important than a regular baseball game.'" - "Whatever you do, don't blink — Nats' season has been full of surprises" - Deron Snyder, Washington Times

• "The Nationals' road record is 20-13, tops in MLB (Braves 20-14, Rangers 20-15). The Nationals have allowed only 198 runs, No. 1 in MLB (Pirates, 223; Dodgers 224)." - "The view from mile post No. 61 is impressive" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "This dilemma is unique to Washington, a city full of people who grew up in other places and now have the rare opportunity to unite around a team that is growing up right in front of us." - "I love the Yankees. What if my son loves the Nationals?" - Mitch Rubin, The Washington Post

• "The Nats, with the second-best record in the major leagues at 38-23, are the toast of baseball and the hype will only increase this Father's Day weekend..." - "Broadway on the Beltway" - Brian McNally, Washington Examiner

• "The 3-4-5 engine room of the lineup -- Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse and Jayson Werth -- has spent significant time on the disabled list? No problem." - "Red-hot Nationals ready to face next test" - Paul Hagen, nationals.com: News

• "On one coast you have Bryce Harper, 19 years young, almost instantly becoming the top bat for the first-place Washington Nationals. And on the Pacific side of things, you have Mike Trout, all of 20..." - "Harper, Trout — Think Mays, Mantle" - Dan Daly, Washington Times

• "The youngest player to make the Midsummer Classic is right-hander Dwight Gooden in 1984, then a 19-year-old rookie also managed by Davey Johnson." - "Bryce Harper: Could he be an all-star?" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post

• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "Today's children are hugely important, our hopes for the future lie in their hands and rest on their shoulders."

• NATS MINORS:

• Auburn: Some BP cuts with Auburn's Brandon Miller" - Ben Meyer, The Auburn Citizen On Twitter (@CitizenMeyers)

• Auburn: The first batting practice cuts of Tony Renda (Nats No. 2 pick) in Auburn" - Ben Meyers, The Auburn Citizen On Twitter (@CitizenMeyers):

• Class-A Hagerstown: "Caleb Ramsey went 4-for-5 with a double and the game winning three-run triple in his second four-hit game of the season. Billy Burns had a pair of hits and knocked in one run for the winners." - "Suns Outlast Power 8-6 is Series Opener" - Hagerstown Suns News

• "Left-hander Matt Purke was placed on the seven-day disabled list prior to Wednesday's game due to shoulder stiffness, according to a club source." - "Hagerstown's Purke placed on 7-day DL with shoulder stiffness" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• Class-A Potomac: "Ricky Hague had 3 RBI including the go-ahead sac fly in the seventh inning as the Potomac Nationals took game one of a four-game set in Myrtle Beach against the Pelicans." - "Hague's 3 RBI Lead Potomac in Myrtle Beach" - Potomac Nationals News

• Double-A Harrisburg: SeaWolves 5, Senators 4 - Jose Lozada - 3 for 4, 1 2B; Kevin Pucetas - 6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's - Harrisburg Senators Scoreboard

• Triple-A Syracuse: "That run support was more than enough for Chiefs starter Zach Duke. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (37-30) could only produce six hits against the left-hander in five and two-thirds scoreless innings." - "Chiefs pound Yankees in series opener" - Syracuse Chiefs News

• NATSTOWN:

• "Regardless of the reason, it appears that Gio is no longer looking for a date. Sorry, ladies." - "Gio Gonzalez deletes Twitter date request" - Sarah Kogod, DC Sports Bog - The Washington Post

• "Is Bryce Harper an All-Star? I know what you’re thinking: "That’s a clown question, bro–of course Harper should be an All-Star!" - "Is Bryce Harper an All-Star?" - Ouij, Natstradamus

• "The New York Yankees are visiting the Washington Nationals this weekend. I am a fan of both, traditionally permissible because of the distinctly separate leagues in baseball that never played each other." - "Nats vs. Yankees: My beige heart bleeds with neutrality" - WIlliam F. Yurasko, William World News

• "Following a perfect 6-0 road trip, the Nats were greeted with a welcomed off-day Thursday. Nationals Park, however, still opened its doors for the third annual A Night At The Park." - "Zimmerman holds special Night at the Park" - Mike Fiammetta, nationals.com: News

• "It’s time again for one of those tests the Washington Nationals keep facing this season as they continue to stay above the fray in the National League East..." - "Sox Swept, Jays Jolted, Now Yanks Await For Key Test" - Marty Niland, D.C. Baseball History

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Phillies: "Joe Blanton pitched his second complete game of the season and Jim Thome homered for the second day in a row to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins..." - "Blanton, Thome lead Phillies over Twins" - Jon Krawczynski, The Globe and Mail

• Mets: "Today Is the 25th Anniversary of TV Roger McDowell Spitting on Kramer and Newman" - Joe DeLessio, New York Magazine

• Marlins: "Marlins closer Heath Bell wasn't happy to see manager Ozzie Guillen come out to remove him with two runners on and two outs in the ninth inning of Wednesday's loss to the Red Sox." - "Miami Marlins: Guillen, Bell clash a 'misunderstanding'" - Craig Davis, South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

• Braves: "'I think the fastest I’ve thrown was the St. Louis game and I got shelled, so I don’t really care what my velocity is,' said Hanson who touched 93 mph while giving up a season-high six runs in 3 1/3 innings May 28." - "Tommy Hanson steps into leadership role" - Carroll Rogers, ajc.com