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July 22, 2009 [LINK / comment]
Nats take two from the Mets
We're on a winning streak! If you're the Washington Nationals, or one of their forlorn fans like me, you've got to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment from whatever small triumph they achieve. And the last two games against the Mets were indeed praiseworthy, not flukes. It's the first back-to-back wins since July 4-5, against Atlanta. John Lannan (Tuesday) and Craig Stammen (tonight) proved once again that they are reliable starting pitchers who can "go the distance" and win games, as long as the batters score a few runs and the fielders don't make too many errors. Lannan pitched a complete-game shutout, the first of his career, as the Nats scored four runs on four hits, while the Mets got seven hits, for nought. Weird! In tonight's game, Josh Willingham came very close to batting "the circuit," with a single, two doubles, and a home run. Tomorrow the Nats host the Cardinals in a rained-out makeup game, and another win would put the "D.C. 9" back over the .300 mark. (Lowered expectations...) Then the last-place Padres come to town, another team that has been underachieving lately.
The Mets are now in fourth place in the NL East at 44-50, while the Braves have surged into second place. That's a pleasant change of pace. The collapse of the Mets is one of the biggest surprises of this season. Usually, they excel until about mid-September, and then collapse. 
On the trading block
Jim Riggleman [the Nationals' new manager] wants to give more playing time to Ronnie Belliard, thinking the extra at-bats will raise his batting average. I hope so. The surplus of second basemen means that either he or Alberto Gonzalez or the versatile hustler Willie Harris may be traded in the next few days. The Trade Deadline is fast approaching, and first baseman Nick Johnson is another Nationals player who may be changing residence soon, according to MLB.com The Cardinals and Tigers have expressed interest in Adam Dunn, but he will probably stay put unless some other team offers the Nationals a very lucrative deal.
Posted (or last updated or commented upon): 23 Jul 2009, 12: 40 AM
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January 5, 2009 Illegal immigration: no problem
January 10, 2009 Bush's fiscal profligacy: a recap
January 20, 2009 Inauguration Day 2009
March 13, 2009 Tax revolt in Augusta County!
March 14, 2009 Mexican Army counterattacks
March 27, 2009 Facebook: resistance is futile
April 5, 2009 RPV chair Frederick is removed
April 8, 2009 Fujimori is convicted, again
May 3, 2009 (Very) Big Spring Day, 2009
June 12, 2009 Tiger Stadium memorial update
June 16, 2009 Home runs in New Yankee Stadium
June 28, 2009 Obama's health care proposals
June 29, 2009 House votes to regulate climate
July 7, 2009 R.I.P. Michael Jackson, Superstar
July 9, 2009 Conservative defeat in Mexico
August 16, 2009 Great Baseball Road Trip 2009
August 23, 2009 Road Trip 2009: The Birds of August
August 27, 2009 R.I.P. Edward M. Kennedy
September 7, 2009 Two clutch homers end Nats' skid
October 10, 2009 Republicans reunite in Verona
October 16, 2009 Health care polemics heat up
November 4, 2009 Republicans sweep Virginia races
November 5, 2009 Yankees are the 2009 champions
November 21, 2009 Senate votes on health care
December 23, 2009 Musings on health care "reform"
December 30, 2009 Decade of creation, and destruction
December 30, 2009 Whither the Republican soul?
December 31, 2009 A (half) decade of baseball in D.C.
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