Nationals @ Phillies, Game 2

[EdStroud]

National League
EAST            W   L    PCT    GB 
Philadelphia  78  41  .655     ---
Atlanta         70  50  .583    8.5
NY Mets       58  61  .487   20.0
Washington  57  62  .479   21.0
Florida         56  63  .471   22.0


Nationals 3
(57-62, 25-39 away)
Phillies 11
(78-41, 42-19 home)  Final  W: Oswalt (5-7)   L: Lannan (8-8)   
HR »  PHI: Howard (26)

Cubs 8
(52-68, 23-35 away)
Braves 4
(70-50, 35-23 home)   Final  W: Wells (4-4)   L: Lowe (7-11)   S: Marmol (27)
HR »  ATL: Uggla (27)

Giants 3
(65-55, 30-30 away)
Marlins 0
(56-63, 24-38 home)   Final   
W: Lincecum (11-9)   L: Vazquez (7-10)   S: Wilson (35)
HR »  SF: Keppinger (5)


Mets 4
(58-61, 33-29 away)
Diamondbacks 6
(67-53, 35-26 home)   Final   W: Hudson (12-8)   L: Carrasco (1-3)   S: Putz (29)
HR »  ARI: Roberts (16)

[MarquisDeSade]

People treat the club as being equal and the same with the Lerners' personal fortunes, which it is not.

Yup and with next year looking like a lock for 16th in attendance I don't see them doing something like a Werth-esque signing this offseason.  And really, let's be honest, other than Marquis who would come off the books to free money up?  It's not like last year when we had a couple of guys off the books for Werth to keep payroll the same. 

[MarquisDeSade]

By the way, Kalas SUCKS monkey anii and is worse than Don "Tomahawk Chop" Sutton in his homerism for other teams.  Dude should have brought his kneepads if he was going to suck the Phillies off.

Greek or not, he sucks.

[PatsNats28]

I didn't see this, so it didn't happen.

[PANatsFan]

Rock on Bally!

Rock over London, Rock on Chicago, Western Union, it's the fastest way to send money!

[welch]

Let's get 'em tomorrow.

+1

[spidernat]

Yup and with next year looking like a lock for 16th in attendance I don't see them doing something like a Werth-esque signing this offseason.  And really, let's be honest, other than Marquis who would come off the books to free money up?  It's not like last year when we had a couple of guys off the books for Werth to keep payroll the same. 

Marquis' money coming off pretty much takes care of the raises due to Werth, Zimmerman, Burnett and Strasburg. Pudge and Hairston represent 5 million they can "play" with. Then they have guys like Gaudin, Slaten, Stairs, Cora and Coffey (I don't expect any of these to be brought back) coming off. That's another 4.5. Laroche gets an extra million next season but that still leaves over 8 million to help take care of arbitration eligible players like Morse, Lannan, Zimmermann and Tyler. They also have a few guys like Livan, Gorzelanny, Ankiel and Nix that are not signed. That frees up over 5 more million. That should pretty much cover the arbitration eligible players. What will they do about Wang? Basically they have 44.5 committed for next season (including raises to players whose contracts call for it) so thay means they have 24 million to "toy" around with before they exceed this year's payroll. Payroll almost has to increase by default but somehow I'm sure they'll manage to keep it below 80. This team should have the flexibility to push 90 million to address needs.

[MarquisDeSade]

Payroll almost has to increase by default but somehow I'm sure they'll manage to keep it below 80.

I'm sure the Beefcake Rizzo's budget for next year for everything (MLB and draft) is less than 80 million.  

This team should have the flexibility to push 90 million to address needs.

I don't know, for a team that's 15th in attendance, with no serious TV money, and a brand that's probably in the bottom 10th of MLB, I don't see how that's possible.   We'll sign some "end of the road" "leadership veterans" like we always do (Pudge, Cora, Stares) and throw some DFA/Non-tendered invitee azz (Gaudin, Coffey) out after spring training to see if we can find some cheap "diamonds" but we're not pushing anything.  It'll be interesting to see what 2013 is like if 2012 is the year we finish 16th out of 16 in attendance with less than 22K/game.

[hammondsnats]

very well said spider.  let's hope we can get the payroll to $90-100...just don't see it happening.

[OldChelsea]

By the way, Kalas SUCKS monkey anii and is worse than Don "Tomahawk Chop" Sutton in his homerism for other teams.  Dude should have brought his kneepads if he was going to suck the Phillies off.

Greek or not, he sucks.

I wasn't all that impressed either - his vocal timbre had a treacly element and an overall sound that reminded me of some 1950's/60's game-show host.

Anyway, DC United saved the bacon for the local sides by walloping Vancouver Whitecaps 4-nil (in front of, sadly, just 11,738 at RFK - the fans still haven't come back despite the improved play)...while the Nats were soiling the bed, the Mystics lost 72-65 at Connecticut (5min scoring drought in the fourth quarter proved lethal).

[tomterp]

I apologize for being snippish. Tom T, you're a brother PG County kid, didn't intend to argue so harshly. I think I'll go watch my tape of SB22, second quarter or something. Or remind myself that when I played I left all that adreneline intensity on the field. When the game's over, it's done.

Oh, we're good.   

[The Chief]

I wasn't all that impressed either - his vocal timbre had a treacly element and an overall sound that reminded me of some 1950's/60's game-show host.

Yes!  I thought I had mistakenly tuned into the O's broadcast.  If it's between him and Bob, PLEASE bring Bob back.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

There weren't many of us, but we were LOUD.

Anyway, DC United saved the bacon for the local sides by walloping Vancouver Whitecaps 4-nil (in front of, sadly, just 11,738 at RFK - the fans still haven't come back despite the improved play)...while the Nats were soiling the bed, the Mystics lost 72-65 at Connecticut (5min scoring drought in the fourth quarter proved lethal).

[PatsNats28]

I wasn't all that impressed either - his vocal timbre had a treacly element and an overall sound that reminded me of some 1950's/60's game-show host.

Anyway, DC United saved the bacon for the local sides by walloping Vancouver Whitecaps 4-nil (in front of, sadly, just 11,738 at RFK - the fans still haven't come back despite the improved play)...while the Nats were soiling the bed, the Mystics lost 72-65 at Connecticut (5min scoring drought in the fourth quarter proved lethal).

The Whitecaps are an expansion team, you can't take that much away from it... also, I'm pretty sure they've got like the worst record in the league this year.

[OldChelsea]

The Whitecaps are an expansion team, you can't take that much away from it... also, I'm pretty sure they've got like the worst record in the league this year.

That's true in both cases - but after the rather dire campaign United had last year, one will take anything.