FOXSports.com reports that the Florida Marlins are making a ‘strong push,’ for the Nationals’ first basemen Nick Johnson.
The Marlins reportedly have offered the Nationals a deal of one pitching prospect in return for Johnson. The two names being discussed are AA left-hander Aaron Thompson and AAA right-hander Ryan Tucker.
The Brewers Yovani Gallardo asserted himself as one of the NL’s top pitchers this afternoon as he dominated the Nationals line up en route to a 7-3 Brewers victory.
The 23-year-old Gallardo sliced through the Nationals line up, only giving up five hits in seven innings. The Brewer twirler fanned 11 Nats while walking only one.
10 of Gallardo’s strikeouts came without controversy, but Anderson Hernandez’s fanning in the third did not sit well with manager Jim Riggleman. With a 1-2 count home plate umpire Joe West called out Hernandez saying he swung through the ball, Hernandez however contested, saying he fouled it off.
Riggleman argued for about a minute, then was ejected.
The Nationals only success at the plate came when Ryan Zimmerman launched a two out, three run bomb to center giving the Nats their only runs. Zimmerman’s homer was his 19th of the season and his fourth homer in the last ten games.
Nyjer Morgan continued his hot streak as well. The centerfielder went three for four with a run, a double, and his 32nd stolen base of the year.
Morgan has been on quite a tear lately. In his last 10 games his batting .447 with nine runs scored. Many have attributed the Nationals recent success to Morgan’s energy and spark at the top of the line up. Whether or not this is quantifiable is unsure, however his hot streak has definitely helped, and his defensive prowess is undeniable.
In other news, here was the Nationals reaction to Adam Dunn’s homer the other night.
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The Nationals released two veterans yesterday.
Julian Tavarez cleared wavers and is now a free agent. The 36-year-old may have reached the end of the line in his career. While he was once the staple of the bullpen for top teams like the Cardinals and the Red Sox, his ERA hovering near five was not convincing enough for the Nationals to keep him around. Tavarez will likely retire…as the 400-pound J Lo just dumped him.
The Nationals signed Corey Patterson on a chance that he may have the type of season that Nyjer Morgan is having this year. Quite simply he just hasn’t been a Major League capable outfielder and was just taking up space in our system. Patterson was hitting only .274/.318/.422 in Syracuse.
Don’t look now ladies and gentlemen, but the Nationals are on a roll.
With three Nats homers and a solid quality start by Collin Balester last night, the club went on to win 8-3 over the Brewers, winning their fourth game in a row.
The game started by Nyjer Morgan setting the tone from the night before. The slight outfielder smacked a leadoff homer, his third, instantly putting the Nats on the board.
The fourth inning however was the Nationals’ big inning.
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Josh Willingham became the thirteenth man in MLB history last night to launch two grand slams in the same game, helping power the Nationals to a 14-6 victory.
The trade deadline is an interesting dance.
It’s amazing because it’s a dance that everyone is involved with. A dance in which the best team in the league is just as important as the worst team in the league. A dance where teams you're not even negotiating with can effect your own trade by setting the value of players in the market. A dance of give and take, wait and see.
