Nats Enquirer

Welcome to the Big Leagues, Kid.

 

 

(Photos of TV/MASN by Nationals Enquirer Staff. Ian Desmond gets his post-game interview cut short courtesy of a Jesus Flores shaving cream pie.)

"The ball was crystal clear. The lights -- everything was crystal clear." 
(Ian Desmond, via Washington Post, 9/11/2009) 

The Future at Short: Clear and Bright?

One heck of a debut for Nats rookie SS Ian Desmond at Nationals Park last night: 2-4, HR, 2B, 4RBI.

Now, if Riggleman doesn't start him tonight in Florida, he should be fired on the spot.

Meanwhile, move over, Guz, via All Nats All The Time: the Nats broke the news to a "shocked" Cristian Guzman before last night's game that they want him to play second base next year:

It was learned that general manager Mike Rizzo and interim manager Jim Riggleman had a private meeting with shortstop Cristian Guzman on Thursday afternoon and asked him to switch to second base for the 2010 season.

Guzman, who did not give Rizzo and Riggleman an answer, was in shock and told them he never played second base in his life.

What's he gonna say? No? Maybe Desmond's not the answer at short next season (hard to say after one game, after all), but this much is clear: it isn't Guzman.

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By a Thread

 

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta. Ron Villone came to the rescue in the 9th, inducing a Ryan Howard double play grounder to end the game with 2 on and 1 out, and the Nats hanging on by a thread.)

"That's what you play the game for. You know when you're facing that, you'd better be ready to execute a real good game plan."
(Ron Villone, via Nationals Journal, 9/10/2009)

Ian Desmond's debut almost ruined by Zach Segovia's debut.

Nats 8, Phillies 7: 8-2 laugher entering the top of the ninth turns into a heart attack. But it all worked out in the end, thanks to Ron Villone - and a lucky bounce.

Riggles pulls Segovia for MacDougal for Villone during nightmare ninth; but he never should have pulled Livo in the 8th.

It's Ian Desmond Night at Nationals Park!

Meanwhile: Never forget.

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Let the Ian Desmond Era begin?

(AP Photo. Ian Desmond makes his major league debut tonight, just a few years removed from being dubbed the next big thing by Jim Bowden and Co.)

"I'll get him some games, but as long as [Cristian] Guzman is healthy he'll be playing."
(Jim Riggleman, via MASNSports dot com, 9/8/2009)

Desmond debuts tonight.

...starting at short, and batting 7th.

And after tonight, there's really not much left to look forward to this year, short of winning the Bryce Harper Sweepstakes.

So, did Riggles came to his senses all on his own; or did Rizzo have a talk with him? Or did he read Needham this afternoon?

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Clipped!

(AP Photo by Nick Wass. Tyler Clippard coughed up back-to back HRs to Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz in the 8th inning to turn a 4-4 tie into a 6-4 Phillies lead.)

"We had a chance, but we just couldn't get it done. Again."
(Jim Riggleman, via Washington Times, 9/10/2009)

Same old story at Citizens Bank Park South.

Phillies 6, Nats 5: They had a shot in the 8th and 9th, but just couldn't get it done. Again.

For the second night in a row, Adam Dunn didn't come through: game over.

Nats now 2-12 on the season vs. Philly; Citizens Bank Park South was rocking:

"It seems like there's a bunch more Philly fans than our fans."
(Justin Maxwell, via Washington Post, 9/10/2009)

You can thank ace salesman Stan Kasten for that, Justin!

Meanwhile...

No NAAAts for Jim Riggleman the rest of the way: he'll keep running his regulars out there for some reason.

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Ace in a Hole.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais. John Lannan's last win was on August 5th.)

"I've got to learn how to slow the game down a little bit. When it's going good, I get into a nice rhythm. But when things go bad, I've got to learn how to kind of step back, take a little deep breath and tell myself I still have control. When you give up a homer like that, you have no control."
(John Lannan, via Chatter/Washington Times, 9/8/2009)

Phils take Johnny Deep.

Phillies  5, Nats 3: 4 Philly HRs off Lannan too much for Nats. They had their chances in the 9th with bases loaded and 1 out, but Zim and Dunn couldn't get it done.

Silver Lining: Brad Lidge is not closing games for the Nationals.

Make that 0 wins in last 6 starts for Ace Lannan.

And so, the "Pedro Martinez in Washington in 2009" talk begins. Great.

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So long, Sosa.

 

(AP Photo. Bet the house on it: You won't be seeing a Jorge Sosa Defining Moment spot on MASN next season.)

Earlier today, the Nationals designated Jorge Sosa for assignment. We're a bit surprised he hung around this long.

Nationals dot com's Bill Ladson nailed the epitaph:

Sosa was used in the late innings but was often hit hard...

Indeed. Godspeed, Jorge Sosa.

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Reinforcements are coming...

(AP Photo: One image from the 2009 season that will forever be etched in the collective memory of Nationals Enquirer staff is this shot of Logan Kensing getting heckled by Diamondbacks mascot, Baxter, moments after melting down and turning a 6-5 Nats lead into a 9-6  deficit in the sixth back on May 10th. The Nats went on to lose the game 10-8.)

...and also Logan Kensing.

The Nationals are calling up five more players from AAA Syracuse for the season's final 25 games in an all-out push towards the ultimate goal in the Bryce Harper Sweepstakes: Worst Place. Look no further than yet another go-round for Logan Kensing if you're wondering if the Nats don't recognize the opportunity here.

Callups are reportedly as follows:

Pitchers Ross Detwiler, Marco Estrada, Logan Kensing, and Zack Segovia; and SS Ian Desmond.

I guess you could say we're interested in seeing Desmond up for a few weeks. Although "interested" might be exaggerating it a bit.

But hey, hold on a minute - there's a name missing from that list. What about Shairon Martis? Seems like only yesterday he went 5-0, the same day Zim's hit streak died at 30. Remember that!? Seems things didn't go so well in 'Cuse for Martis...or maybe Mike Rizzo just didn't like his aura? See you in Viera in 2010, Shairon.

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Mr. Walk-Off Strikes Again!

(Photo of TV by Nationals Enquirer Staff. Ryan Zimmerman prevented a 9-game losing streak with a 9th inning walk-off HR Sunday.)

"It just shows the world that team doesn't quit,"
(Jim Riggleman, via Washington Times, 9/6/2009)

Trust us, Jim: the world doesn't care.

Zim The Stopper.

Nats 5, Marlins 4 (Sunday): That's Mr. Walk-Off, to you. Finally, something goes right! Kiss the losing streak goodbye!

Marlins 9, Nats 5(Saturday): A big ol' steaming pile of Livo. Losing streak reaches season high low, eight.

Marlins 9, Nats 6 (Friday): Mock awful, Saul Rivera, too. Losing streak reaches seven.

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Interim Jim Rips Effort

(Photo by Getty Images. Could it be that Interim Jim has lost this team, just like Manny before him?)

Quittin' Time?

Based on some of Jim Riggleman's postgame comments following yesterday's loss, at the end of another bad roadtrip, Interim Jim doesn't sound impressed with the effort he's getting from his Rigglemen. Worst of all, there's still another month of torture remaining on the 2009 schedule:

"At some point you've just got to say, 'You know, we're not going to get beaten. You've just got to will yourself to a win and not accept it. Sometimes we think of down the road and we've got a lot of parts for the future, but when you're playing tonight and people paid to get into that ballgame, your competitive juices have got to be flowing and you've got to win tonight. Never mind next year, you've got to win now."
(Jim Riggleman, via Nationals dot com, 9/2/2009)

Maybe Riggles realizes his team looks poised to roll over and play dead for the rest of the month, and any hope he has of returning next season is hanging on their effort? Does this mean he's not interested in winning the Bryce Harper Sweepstakes?

The part about willing yourself to a win is great: 

"You've just got to will yourself to a win and not accept it."

...but if it was really that easy, wouldn't Manny still be around?

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Bad Trip

 

(AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi. Jorge Padilla retrieves a Chase Headley double in the fifth during Lannan's meltdown. And, no, NatsTown, you're not hallucinating: Interim Jim really did bat Pete Orr 5th this afternoon.)

"This road trip was pretty brutal. We're just going to go home and start again. It's been a long one and, we'll take [Thursday] off and then get right back at it. We've got some good teams coming in, so we're really going to have to focus and bear down."
(John Lannan, via Nationals dot com, 9/2/2009)

What's Wrong With Lannan?

Padres 7, NAAAts 0: You'd expect a much better result with Pete Orr batting in the 5-hole. Six losses in a row, but who's counting?

Nats bats take the day off, again.

Lannan cruised through 4 2/3, but it all went to hell in the 5th. First Zimmermann, now Stammen; is Lannan next in line for an MRI? Anonymous sources with no knowledge of the situation say: maybe.

Meanwhile...

24 year old minor league lefty Victor Garate is PTBNL in Belliard deal.

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