Wire Taps: Washington Nationals Rubber Match With San Francisco Giants Means More STEPHEN STRASBURG INNINGS LIMIT HEADLINES!!!!

• Get your "Who couldn't coach teh Barves' pitchers!" quotes ready. "I think it's absolutely pathetic to be honest with you," former major league pitching coach Leo Mazzone said this morning on ESPN's Mike and Mike Show when asked about Stephen Strasburg's innings limit. "If I'm Strasburg, here's what I'm saying, 'You take the ball away from me and I'll save my arm for some other team to pitch for.'" Everyone's got an opinion. And Strasburg's starting today which means it's time to share them. A "few" more links on the subject follow. As for last night's loss to the Giants, Nats' skipper Davey Johnson told reporters that in spite of Madison Bumgarner's trememdous outing, he thought the Nationals were going to win the game until Drew Storen got knocked around in the eighth. "That's one of the few blips [on] the radar of bullpen," Johnson said. "I really felt that we were going to win that ballgame if we just [held] them in the eighth," the Nationals manager explained. The Nationals had pulled within a run at 2-1 in the top of the seventh, but the four-run eighth by the Giants gave Bumgarner what he needed to close things out and set up the rubber match in AT&T Park this afternoon. Strasburg vs Tim Lincecum. 3:45 pm EDT. Until then it's links and lots of them, starting RIGHT NOW!!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!:

• "The controversy simmering around Strasburg’s innings limit has taken on a life of its own." - "Stephen Strasburg’s innings limit: A refresher" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• NATS BEAT:

• ICYMI: "'Mr. Strasburg, don’t ask the question if you don’t want to hear the full answer,' Rizzo replied. 'I want to hear it,' Strasburg’s father said." - "Stephen Strasburg shutdown debate masks the Washington Nationals’ true story" - Thomas Boswell, The Washington Post

• AUDIO: Former MLB Pitching Coach Leo Mazzone On Stephen Strasburg On ESPN's The Mike And Mike Show.

• "That's why I think it always makes sense to go the unemotional route (and sit down Strasburg, in this instance)." - "Kuroda, Shoppach, Bobby V and Strasburg" - Ken Davidoff, New York Post

• "'Well I wouldn't shut him down,' says Tim Kurkjian, Major League Baseball analyst for ESPN. 'But I don't have this kind of investment in him.'" - "Nats intent on pulling Strasburg before postseason" - WTOP.com

• "After banging the ball all over — and once out of — AT&T Park on Monday night, the Nationals got more of a taste of the way this unique ballpark usually treats hitters." - "Reality hits the Nationals in 6-1 loss to Giants" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times

• "Nationals manager Davey Johnson wasn't 100 percent confident when he met with reporters that [Jayson] Werth would be at full strength..." - "Werth back in action; Morse sidelined by thumb" - Adam Berry, nationals.com: News

• "After the Nationals promoted top prospect Anthony Rendon to Class AA Harrisburg this morning, Manager Davey Johnson raised an interesting possibility..." - "Could the Nationals call up Anthony Rendon? Don’t bet on it" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• "[Madison] Bumgarner shut down the Nationals in his complete-game gem, the second of his career, giving up only five hits and striking out six with just one walk." - "Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants - August 14, 2012" - Adam Berry, MLB.com WSH Recap

• "No matter what happens the rest of the season, Anthony Rendon's first professional campaign will not live up to its full billing." - "Nationals prospect Rendon promoted to Double-A" - Brian McNally, WashingtonExaminer.com

• "The switch would keep Detwiler on regular rest with him starting Friday night against the New York Mets, and give Jackson two extra days of rest with him starting on Saturday." - "Nationals could flip Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler in rotation" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times

• "The Nationals have promoted Anthony Rendon to Class AA Harrisburg, moving their top prospect up a level only one week after he returned from a major ankle injury." - "Rendon promoted to Class AA" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com

• "The Nats had hit [Madison] Bumgarner hard in D.C. on July 4, touching him for seven runs in five innings. But Bumgarner is a completely different pitcher at home..." - "Nationals Pastime: Another late night, a much different outcome (with Desmond note)" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Other possibilities include pitchers Alex Meyer and Nathan Karns, and hitters Jason Martinson and Matt Skole." - "Under new rules, Rendon eligible to play in Arizona Fall League" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "Could [Anthony] Rendon climb all the way to the Major League roster by September? It would appear unlikely, given his late start and his lack of experience in the Minors." - "Rendon moves up, could earn September callup" - Adam Berry, nationals.com: News

• "The Nationals, as expected, will alter their rotation after their off day Thursday to separate left-handers Ross Detwiler and Gio Gonzalez." - "Davey Johnson makes a tentative change to the Nationals' rotation" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• "With Michael Morse raking again and Jayson Werth back from a broken wrist, Bernadina has lost out on some playing time." - "Nationals Pastime: 'The Shark' attacks" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Never mind that Lincecum has dealt with lapses in confidence and stuff as he has compiled a 6-12 record with a 5.35 ERA, numbers that pale alongside Strasburg's 13-5, 2.90." - "Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants - August 15, 2012" - Chris Haft and Adam Berry, MLB.com Preview

• "[Drew] Storen hadn't been charged with a run in nearly a month, not since he contributed to the Nationals' July 20 implosion against the Braves..." - "Storen not all the way back yet" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com

• "Don't bother throwing fastballs. The kid will just smash them. [Bryce] Harper has a good batting eye, but he will eventually chase soft stuff off the plate." - "Pitchers adjust to Nationals' Harper" - Brian McNally, WashingtonExaminer.com

• "Going into Tuesday night, the Nationals’ staff had a triple-headed triple-crown winner..." - "Davey Johnson's pitchers meet his high expectations" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times

• "[Ian] Desmond went through his first regular pregame workout Monday and took early batting practice Tuesday." - "Nationals eyeing Friday return for Desmond" - Adam Berry, nationals.com: News

• "'That’s just the way this game works sometimes,' Nationals rookie outfielder Tyler Moore said. 'It’s crazy. We scored 14 last night, and tonight they shut us down.'" - "Nationals vs. Giants: Madison Bumgarner cools Washington’s hot streak" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post

• "The Nationals have managed very little off Bumgarner; they've notched just two hits off the Giants lefty, both of which have come from the bat of Danny Espinosa." - "Nationals Pastime: They're dueling in the Bay area (Nats lose 6-1)" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Nationals manager Davey Johnson was sitting in his office Tuesday afternoon while shortstop Ian Desmond took to the field at AT&T Park for early batting practice." - "Ian Desmond could return to Nationals' lineup Friday" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times

• NATS MINORS:

• GCL Nationals: GCL Nats 4, GCL Marlins 3 - Lucas Giolito - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K - MiLB.com Scoreboard

• Mel Antonen via Twitter (@MelAntonen): "#Nats GM Mike Rizzo says Lucas Giolito threw 'free and easy' with no ill effects from arm injury in his first pro game.#MLB"

• Class-A Hagerstown: Suns 4, Crawdads 3 - J.R. Highley - 2 for 4, 1 2B; Brian Rauh - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's, 1 HR - Hagerstown Suns Scoreboard

• Class-A Potomac: P-Nats 7, Blue Rocks 5 - Rick Hague 2 for 3, 1 2B; Robert Gilliam - 6 H, 5 R, 1 Er, 2 BB, 7 Ks, 1 HR - Potomac Nationals Scoreboard

• Double-A Harrisburg: Aeros 2, Senators 1 - Anthony Rendon - 1 for 4; Kevin Pucetas - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 2 K's - Harrisburg Senators Scoreboard

• Triple-A Syracuse: "[Eury] Perez has played 25 games and is hitting .330 with a .374 on-base percentage for the Chiefs." - "Beasley: Perez 'fun player to watch' in Syracuse outfield" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "Wednesday’s News & Notes" - Luke Erickson, NationalsProspects.com

• NATSTOWN:

• "Blood in the water, man. Everyone is jumping in." - "Shark Week has Natitude" - Dan Steinberg, DC Sports Bog - The Washington Post

• "Radio Shark: You've Got Questions. We've Got Jaws." - Sharkadina

• "Oh Boswell. I know some out there really liked this column and I can understand why. It presents the Nats front office as any fan would love to see them." - "The New Mythology" - Harper, Nationals Baseball

• "The die-hards we've known for so many years are going to start noticing these changes if they haven't already - the casual fan is coming to the ballpark. This is a good thing!" - "With cultural shift comes opportunity" - Nationals Buzz: Rachel Levitin, MASNSports.com

• "The Washington Nationals failed to sign first-round draft pick Aaron Crow by the midnight deadline on August 15, 2008." - "This Day in D.C. Baseball History – The failure of signing Crow has a Silver Lining" - Mark Hornbaker, D.C. Baseball History

• "Anthony Rendon makes AA debut, has 'more hardware in me than Home Depot.'" - Nats Enquirer

• "Not surprisingly, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has passed on making a decision. His committee which includes representatives from the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets has not reached a conclusion that Selig is comfortable with yet." - "Peter Angelos and the Baltimore Orioles are still trying to lowball the Nats on TV rights" - William F. Yurasko, William World News

• "After Roger Bernadina’s latest remarkable catch, he gets serenaded with chomping motions." - "Nats dugout makes Shark gestures" - Dan Steinberg, DC Sports Bog - The Washington Post

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Mets: "In separate interviews with The Post Tuesday, [Terry] Collins and general manager Sandy Alderson said they have not spoken about the manager’s status." - "No guarantees for Mets' Collins — yet" - Mark Hale, NYPOST.com

• Braves: Chipper Jones On Twitter (@RealCJ10): "Now thats what I'm talkin bout! Huddy was filthy and DU and Teen threw a couple pitches #inthedrink! The new guy, I mean Ma-homie goes tmrw!"

• Phillies: "After rupturing his Achilles tendon to end the NLDS last year against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ryan Howard began his slow climb back to the Phillies’ lineup." - "Ryan Howard's Struggles Concerning" - Bill Baer, Crashburn Alley

• Marlins: "Playing through arguably its most sleep-inducing offensive stretch ever, the Marlins set a team record Tuesday night when they were shut out for the third consecutive game..." - "Miami Marlins shut out for third game in row, fall to Phillies" - Manny Navarro, MiamiHerald.com