Fouled-Off Bunts: Let's Play Two!

It's two for tuesday thursday! First pitch at 1. And 7.

First up, it's Tony Armas against Vincente Padilla. Then tonight, it's Ryan Drese and his magically floating arm angle, against Cory Lidle. (hmm... didn't they just face each other the other day?)

The majority of doubleheaders are split, so let's get at least one!

Last night's game was another close one. Esteban Loaiza was thoroughly mediocre again. He's had a number of bad starts in a row, and it makes me wonder if it's fatigue. In his near Cy Young season, he slumped starting in August, which effectively killed his chances of winning the award.

Here's his game log from that season. See how he starts declining in August and fell apart in September? Hopefully that's not what's happening here.

While this was mostly a team loss, the Lame Duck goes to the sometimes-maddening Brad Wilkerson. He gets a lot of criticism for things he doesn't do, and people don't usually focus on what he does do right.

But I'm sick of him, as he tried doing last night, trying to pull fastballs outside off the plate. Up goes the popup. And down went the Nationals.

The big news is that PT Bowden has decided to move Ryan Zimmerman to shortstop -- he had his first start at his new position yesterday.

Without writing my typical 4,500 words...

It's a good move, but for the wrong reasons.

If he's as amazing a 3B as he's made out to be, there's a chance he can handle shortstop. And since the offensive requirements are lesser for a shortstop (especially on this team!) he might have more value there.

He played the position in highschool, and had a game or two there in college. What we don't know is why he was moved off the position in the first place. Could he not handle it defensively? Or is it a case of UVA having an incumbent shortstop who had a claim in the position? Anyone know?

The bad part of the move is the lack of planning. If you had wanted to convert him, you do it at the beginning of the season.

Even worse, Bodes seems hellbent on rushing him to the majors September 1 to take over the position. That's a pretty good way to screw up a kid. Not only would he have to make the offensive adjustment, he'd have to make a defensive adjustment too.

And all for a short-term gain, because Bowden was too busy tugging on Barry Larkin's sleeve, instead of looking for a real answer to the gaping maw that is Guzman's bat.

30 days til the new owners. ZZZZZ. Weren't we supposed to have them by spring training?

The Nationals need another starter for Sunday. The doubleheader screws up the rotation. Ordinarily, you'd expect Sunny Kim to fill the role, but I can't seem to find him on the roster. Anyone know what happened to him?

Up comes John Halama, the 'crafty' lefty. Halama won't be winning any Cy Youngs, but he's, as the charitable announcer would say, serviceable.

But, get this, to make room for him, they're sending Brandon "Sparkplug" Watson down.

What was the point in bringing him up again? We lost Sunny Kim for him? Just like we could've lost Matt Cepicky? Does Bowden have any flippin' plans? Or does he just make up this crap as he goes along!?

Maybe he has ADD? Get him some Ritalin, Stat!

If you're watching or listening to the game, feel free to join the chat at Yuda's. I haven't plugged it lately, but we're there almost every day, whining about the bad ABs the Nats take, and Frank's latest Senior Moment.

C'mon over and kvetch with us! The more the miserier!