Reds (59-62) at Nats (57-62)

[Jollay]

Wang versus Mike Leake tonight in the first game of a ten-game homestand, and the Nats with still a chance to push .500 for the year.

Reds have been surprisingly mediocre this year. Leake hasn't been very good but he dominated the Nats last year and put on a hitting clinic at Nats Park...he's fun to watch when he's on.

Wang was awful in his first two starts but dominant in his third. Let's see if he can have sustained success.

Keep an eye out at the Park tonight for the draftees on hand...they usually are the day after they sign. Might be able to get an easy Rendon autograph...

[Rafael122]

Any word on whether the draftees were there? Seemed like a good crowd tonight, but then again, I'm pretty sure it was $2 Tuesdays.

Good game for Wang, longest outing for him in 3 years.

[Jollay]

I came late, so didn't get a chance to see. They were long ushered to the Lexus club or to a suite if they were.

It's usually the norm, since they're not playing till Fall Ball at the earliest anyway, but I haven't heard anything that they were there....

I have been pleasantly surprised with the crowds, even with the cheap Tuesday tickets. Perhaps the Nats hovering around .500 has helped, and it was a beautiful night last night, but still I've been impressed.

Good news also--the Nats do not seem to be going to raise ticket prices for next year--at least our season ticket renewal info suggests as such. I'll tell you, season tickets are a great investment for next year if that's the case. You can make significant cash and still reap the rewards of being a ticket holder.

Johnny Cueto against Ross Detwiller tonight--Cueto has been dominant. Meanwhile, these are the most important starts of Detwiller's career.

Reds offense is prolific but the Nats with Zim and Morse hot can likely match their firepower...

[Jollay]

Nats lose Game 2, 2-1, Zim a solo shot in the 9th. Detwiller looked fairly good, only giving up a run through six innings. He gave up a bunch of hits, but it was mostly liners up the middle on breaking stuff for singles.

Ian Desmond was the leadoff hitter and Espinosa was moved down to sixth. Desmond of course rewarded Johnson's confidence in him with an 0-4 performance.

Cueto is tough, though.

[Rafael122]

Cueto is an awesome pitcher, if he didn't miss like a month and a half, he'd be in the running for NL Cy Young. Good game though, but this team absolutely needs a lead off hitter. That's pretty much a top priority heading into the offseason.

[Jollay]

Cueto is an awesome pitcher, if he didn't miss like a month and a half, he'd be in the running for NL Cy Young. Good game though, but this team absolutely needs a lead off hitter. That's pretty much a top priority heading into the offseason.

It's gonna be tough. CF would be the natural spot to get a free agent, but the tops there is Coco Crisp (he is having a good year and might be a nice two-year bridge to Eury Perez). Reyes is the only leadoff hitter worth spending a significant amount on, and obviously the Nats will have primo competition for him.

Could go just with a guy who generally has a high OBP (Infante? K.Johnson?), but even those are in short supply in free agency.

Trade might be the way to go...

Jordan Zimmermann goes today for the Nats against Bronson Arroyo in the rubber match...

[pineappleheadindc]

Nice win tonight.

JZim looked good. I guess he has two more starts left before they shut him down for the season.

[Rafael122]

They're now saying he may make a 3rd start, so we'll see. Good win tonight for the Nats, they've got the Phillies in town this weekend.

[Jollay]

Did anyone see Brian Bixler's catch in left in the ninth? Might have saved that game. If that guy can just hit a LITTLE, he can have a Jerry Hairston type role somewhere.

Good series win against an underachieving, but still solid team.