Nationals Inquisition

Nationals shortstop/second baseman Cristian Guzman was traded to the Texas Rangers this afternoon in exchange for pitching prospects Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark whose last names are pretty cool. The trade is not yet official as the paperwork has 24 hours to go through the Commissioner’s Office for approval.

Ryan Tatusko has served as both a starter and reliever, going 9-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 24 games — 13 starts — for Double-A Frisco while Tanner Roark was 10-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 22 games also with Frisco. Both prospects will probably not be ready for The Show for another season or two.

And so ends Cristian Guzman’s tenure with Washington. Some really clever Nats fans who are not from this blog came up with the fact that Guzman has played with the Washington Nationals, he formerly played for the Twins (who were once the Senators) and now he plays for the Texas Rangers (who were also once the Senators). So Guzman is in a unique class to himself, playing with three teams who were once one in a culture of suck. Guzman was also the last Nationals player part of the original 2005 team that came to Washington after a baseball drought of 33-years.

Losing Guzman is going to send the Nats scrambling to Adam Kennedy and Alberto Gonzalez for second base support for the rest of the season (which is a terrifying thought) and it is going to just add one more glaring need for the team in the off season, but somehow losing Guzman is refreshing. I don’t say that to take a crack at him. I am simply saying the Nats shedding Guzman almost feels like a snake shedding it’s skin: out with the old, underneath is younger, stronger skin.

If you are uncomfortable as I am with snakes and snake metaphors then think of it as you taking a shower after naked mud wrestling with Miss Iowa, getting cleaned off and then finding out you are about to mud wrestle Miss Universe.

You are one lucky cookie!

The Washington Nationals have acquired 22-year old catching prospect Wilson Ramos (pictured) and 24-year old left handed pitcher Joe Testa from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for All-Star closer Matt Capps and cold hard cash considerations.

A little on each guy from the official release starting with Ramos:

Regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects, the Venezuela-born Ramos entered 2010 rated as the best power hitter, the best defensive catcher and the Twins’ No. 2 prospect according to industry-insider Baseball America. Entering the 2009 season, BA listed Ramos as Minnesota’s third-ranked prospect.

The 22 year-old Ramos was batting .241 with 14 doubles, five home runs and 30 RBI in 71 games with Rochester of the Triple-A International League at the time of the trade. Last season, Ramos’ first at the Double-A level, he paced all Twins full-season farmhands in batting average (.317), threw out 42 percent of would-be basestealers and was subsequently named the Eastern League’s No. 8 prospect.

Ramos—who stands 6-foot-0, 220 lbs.—made his big league debut with Minnesota in May and batted .296 (8-for-26) with three doubles and one RBI in seven games.

Ramos is a career .281 hitter (429-for-1527) with 88 doubles, 37 home runs and 226 RBI in 414 minor-league games spanning six seasons. He signed with the Twins as a non-drafted free agent on July 7, 2004.

As for Joe Testa:

Testa, 24, was 1-1 with one save and a 3.30 ERA in 15 appearances with Ft. Myers of the Single-A Florida State League upon being acquired by Washington. Including a stint in the Double-A Eastern League earlier this season, Testa fanned 8.3 batters per 9.0 innings pitched in 36 appearances in the Twins’ system.

Testa earned Single-A Midwest League All-Star status last season as he posted a .161 batting average against and 12.4 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 25 appearances with Beloit. He signed with the Twins as a non-drafted free agent, July 1, 2008, after a collegiate career at Wagner (NY) College.

These pick ups aren’t that bad although it is sad to see Matt Capps leave D.C. and the bullpen is going to be feeling his absence for awhile. But what is a last place team still a distance away from even kissing second place in the division going to do with an All-Star closer? Capps was a surprise, extra commodity and a deal had to be made for the benefit of the team. One kind of hopes he’ll want to come back to D.C. later on. Still– it kind of sucks:

“I’m excited about the opportunity to go and play in the playoffs,” Capps said. “Right now, I’m saddened I’m leaving a group of guys and the people in the Washington organization. They have been classy from the get-go. When everything happened in December, when the Pirates non-tendered me, it was an empty feeling. The Washington Nationals and everyone involved have been absolutely phenomenal. It’s something that I will remember for a long time. I certainly enjoyed my time. Now, I have to focus on moving forward and helping the Minnesota Twins.”

As for the new additions, Testa is a pitcher and what team doesn’t need plenty of those? His stats seem more than serviceable. The real catch here of course is Wilson Ramos who will start in Triple-A Syracuse and be groomed for the big role in the Majors. Jesus Flores, still recovering from a May 2009 injury is fading into memory and other Nationals catching prospect Derek Norris is getting over some injuries of his own. The Nats have to feel better having a plan now at the catching position.

I know I do. On some nights I stay up on a coffee-buzz worrying about it and doing tribal healing dances around pictures of Flores and Norris. For some reason it hasn’t worked for those two, but somehow Wil Nieves continues to be in the line-up. The Dark Lord is tricky.

It is what happens when you dabble in black magic.

The Washington Nationals have placed starter Stephen Strasburg on the 15-day DL and activated pitcher Scott “The Wolf” Olsen. From the official release:

The Washington Nationals today returned from rehab and reinstated left-handed pitcher Scott Olsen from the 15-Day Disabled List and placed right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 15-Day DL with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to July 22. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Olsen, who will get the starting nod in today’s series finale against Atlanta, missed the last 59 games after he was placed on the DL on May 22 with left shoulder tightness.

Knowing that Miguel Batista will not surprise us with many more run-and-gun starts this season and considering how the team has been playing as of late, is there really any reason to pay attention to the Nationals at this point now that Strasburg isn’t pitching?

I guess there is the arrival of Chien-Ming Wang. Eventually. Sometime. Uh, huh, huh– Wang. I said Wang.

That’s entertainment!

Trent Reinsmith over on the Bleacher Report published this story on Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) who slammed Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg for not making his last start and questioning his intestinal fortitude.

Keep in mind, Bunning is a former Major League pitcher himself (He pitched for the Tigers and oh wow, the Phillies) and was part of the legendary Phillies collapse in the 1964 pennant race were Bunning got gassed and the Phillies who had a 6 1/2 game lead in the division, dropped 10 games straight to finish second. Bunning also was known to wave off catcher signals he thought were coming from the dugout.

“Five-hundred twenty starts, I never refused the ball. What a joke!”

Bunning grabbed his shoulder and cried out, “my arm” in a mocking manner when discussing Strasburg. Bunning also stated that his opinion of Strasburg had fallen greatly due to the rookie’s non-start.

I don’t think I need to write a smartass retort. He simply opens his mouth and he transforms into a douchebag. Stay classy, Senator.

Okay, this storyline is just getting stupid.

After Miguel Batista’s surprise Tuesday night performance after taking over for a scratched and inflamed Stephen Strasburg, Batista made some relatively humorous, but ultimately awesome metaphors about taking over for Strasburg and the initial negative fan reaction to the news:

“Imagine if you go there to see Miss Universe and you end up having Miss Iowa. You might get those kind of boos,” Batista said. “But it’s OK. They have to understand that as an organization, we have to make sure that the kid is fine. You don’t want to expose him out there.”

This quote will forever be known as one of the best quotes from a Nat ever, right beside Paul “Toast” Lo Duca’s comment on how the team is filled with squirrels. Of course, on any normal plain of existence that would be the end of it, but as with most things Nationals, nothing is normal. It seems the current Miss Iowa was a little “upset” at Batista’s comments and issued this challenge:

“I know I can throw a pitch or two!” Connors said in a statement to DesMoinesRegister.com. “The question is, can Miguel Batista walk the runway in a swimsuit?”

Gentleman Batista said his comments were taken out of context (they were) and to make up for it he sent Miss Iowa some flowers.

Are you serious? I get into HQ this morning and I have to write about this? What a complete non-story. Good for Batista, he proved himself a pitcher, gentleman and scholar. I also think with pictures like this he can easily walk any runway modeling any underwear he wants. But Miss Iowa? She is a beauty, nothing to be ashamed of– but still no one knows who she is and no one really cares. In other words: she isn’t Miss Universe.

So of course when someone of substance mentions these non-Miss Universes by name or title in the media, they immediately stop doing whatever SPCA charity function or used car lot commercial they are doing and do everything they can to keep their name in the limelight. Extend those 15 minutes. Try to get by without wearing the bikini.

There is no story here. It is just some backwoods, Iowa chick in a Cinderella gown getting her ego stroked and having a little fun. Fine. End of story.

She gets a 10 from the NQ for the bikini, but gets the BS button slammed on her because there is no way that chick can throw a change-up.

The Washington Nationals blanked the Atlanta Braves 3-0 last night and that is good and all, but that was really just icing on the cake as other dramas unfolded before the eyes of 40,043 fans at Nationals Park.

Those 40,043 had come to see Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg strike the hell out of some Braves prospect, but only minutes before the first pitch, Strasburg disappeared back into the catacombs of Nats Park and was scratched due to a small bit of arm inflammation.

So what does Manager Jim Riggleman do? He got on the big, red Nats phone and calls only one place to find his answer– the team chapel to tell reliever Miguel Batista he is going in.

What? Batista? Was Jim serious? It almost seemed a joke. Reliever, poet, novelist, Batista wasn’t the first choice on anyone’s list to come out and take the Stephen Strasburg’s place. It almost seemed an insult to the Natstown faithful and they certainly showed it: as soon as his named was announced as starting pitcher Nats Park rained boos down on him.

“Imagine if you go there to see Miss Universe and you end up having Miss Iowa. You might get those kind of boos,” Batista said. “But it’s OK. They have to understand that as an organization, we have to make sure that the kid is fine. You don’t want to expose him out there.

Great quote. Only a writer could come up with that on the fly and only a pitcher could put together the performance he did. With rumors of irate fans going to the Nats Ticket Offices looking for refunds and a trickle of fans leaving Nats Park for the Metro in early innings, Batista wrote poetry on the mound in support of the wounded Strasburg. The Poet pitched five scoreless-innings giving up only three hits, one walk and striking out six. Relievers Sean Burnett, Drew Storen and Matt Capps helped shut the door as support came from the bat of Ian Desmond and the speed of Nyjer Morgan. The Nats won in a surprising convincing fashion that even baffled the Braves– but of course, what doesn’t baffle the Choking Tribe?

They had two defensive errors and their prized prospect, Jason Heyward (who?) went 0-3 with two strikeouts. Maybe it is best Strasburg sat this one out because he didn’t miss much. The media was tagging this game Strasburg vs. Heyward but it turns out neither showed up for the event. With that Heyward line, Strasburg would have eaten him alive anyways. It would have been a boring night.

Miguel Batista impressed everyone, even the NQ who is more than happy to eat some crow with a bit of Texas Pete. Awesome job, Batista. They’ll be talking about this one for a long time. They’ll write stories and poems about this victory. Here, let me give it a try:

To the chapel they did call
The Mighty Strasburg he did fall,
And who did they send to match Hanson’s might?
The poet with a lot of fight.
Through boos, scorn and confusion he did pitch,
Five scoreless innings without a hitch.
The Nats won the day, giving the Braves a kick in the keesta
The hero of the day? The one and only Miguel Batista!

Nats reliever Tyler “Wild Turkey” Walker is out for the season with a torn labrum. He is expected to go see Dr. Frankenstein (Dr. James Andrews) in Alabama and not long after that go into season-ending surgery. Walker pitched in 24 games with the Nats and held a somewhat respectable 3.57 ERA.

Tonight, Natstown takes shots of the frisky whiskey in his honor and to his health.

Sláinte.

At 9:35pm on July 27,2010– Nats reliever Miguel Batista was the #1 Trending Twitter Topic in Washington D.C.

This in thanks to an impressive performance in place of Stephen Strasburg and pitching five scoreless innings against the Braves and some guy named James Heywood or Heyword or Jameson.

Whatever.

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg was scratched from tonight’s game against the Atlanta Braves tonight moments before he was to take the mound at 7:05pm. Strasburg was in the bullpen throwing pitches, suddenly stopped, exchanged words with trainer Lee Kuntz and then walked back and disappeared down the runway behind the stands.

A barrage of boos was thrown down upon the field as Miguel Batista was announced as the Nationals starter for tonight’s game. Great. This game is almost a wash before it starts. Batista is probably a bit upset about it all.

Maybe he’ll write a poem for us about the experience.

More as it comes in…

UPDATE 7:27pm: GM Mike Rizzo said Strasburg was having trouble “getting loose” and his pulling was a precautionary measure. They will be doing an MRI and x-ray on his arm. No further details after that.

Great. There goes the last reason to pay attention this season. I might have to close the blog for the off season.

UPDATE 9:44pm: Rizzo reports that Strasburg’s MRI and X-Ray show only a little inflammation and he will be day-to-day.

Blog back on!