Nationals (Group) KTE - 6/28-6/30

[Frayed Knot]

Nats in for three games.

The presumed WS representative for the NL is not only sitting at .500 at the moment but have not been more than 2 games +/- .500 for about a month and a half now. It's easy to say that they're too good to stay here all year but at some point you start to think that they've been there so long that there's a good chance that they are what their record say they are.

Of course they've been missing some parts. Harper has been out for about a month now and, while he's close, will likely NOT be back for this weekend.
Plus we'll miss both their most heralded starter in Strasburg and their best starter in Zimmermannnn

1B - Adam LaRoche
2B - Anthony Rendon - their 2012 1st round pick is filling in for the now Wally Pipp-ed Danny Espinosa and hitting well (.337/.384/.462). Originally a 3rd baseman, his fielding is suspect as he gets the hang of a new position.
SS - Ian Desmond - Low OBP, but now the team's leading HR hitter
3B - Ryan Zimmerman
CF - Denard Span - plays a good CF but hasn't quite been the dynamic leadoff hitter they hoped for (.256/.308/.341)
RF - Jayson Werth
LF - ??? A combination of Steve Lombardozzi, (Mary) Tyler Moore, Roger Bernadina, and something called Jeff Kobernus
C - Wilson Ramos hurt again. Kurt Suzuki and Jhonathan Solano man the tools

[Edgy MD]

My last Natcast. Haven't looked at them since then, except to confirm that Harper is still out, Strasburg is still looking for himself, and they haven't yet made the run at the Braves they hope to make.

And that the fan base is still inflated with false entitlement. Important to confirm that, too.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Gotta give tonight's starting pitcher credit for a clever twit handle, especially for a baseball player.

@NationalDet

Here's his wifey Keri, telling us how they met:

HOW WE MET

Ross and I met in 2007 at Harpos, where I was a waitress. I accidently took his beer and dumped it out while cleaning up late one Monday night. He informed me he was not finished with it, so I reluctantly gave him a new beer, even though I was trying to hurry everyone home for the night. He was very thankful for the replacement, and even started to help me clean the bar. The next Monday he came back with his friends and every time I walked by his table he would put his hands over his beer to let me know he was NOT finished with it.

Harpos is a big dumb college bar at Missouri, looks like. Detwiler is a big Cardinals fan.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Natenfreude: Satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune, particularly those with arrogant general managers, too-big-for-his-britches teenaged outfielders, and formerly-the-best-righthander-in-the-league pitchers. see: Natitude (obsolete)

[Edgy MD]

Dude, you're dating a waitress form Harpo's. Dress like that means something.

[Frayed Knot]

In between Lefties Detwiler (Fri) and Gio Gonzalez (Sun) we'll be seeing AA call-up Taylor Jordan who, modern naming trends being what they are, almost certainly had a classmate named Jordan Taylor at some point in his life. He's a RHP who's been pitching really well in Harrisburg lately.
He replaces FA bomb Dan Haren who conveniently discovered an injury following the latest of his string of poor starts.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

If you're visiting the homestead of the LaRoches, it's probably best to ring the bell, then step back and keep a respectful distance until you're invited in. Even-- no, especially for a playdate.