Nationals @ Red Sox, Game 2

[RobDibblesGhost]

vs

Venue: Fenway Park - Boston, MA
First Pitch:  4:05 p.m. ET
TV:  MASN/MASN-HD, MLB Network (outside MASN viewing area)
Radio:  106.7 The Fan, 1580AM, 1500/820AM, XM 177

Nationals (33-23) LF Steve Lombardozzi RF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche DH Michael Morse SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa CF Rick Ankiel C Jesus Flores Gio Gonzalez (7-2, 2.31)

Red Sox (29-29) LF Daniel Nava 2B Dustin Pedroia RF Adrian Gonzalez DH David Ortiz 1B Kevin Youkilis 3B Will Middlebrooks SS Mike Aviles CF Darnell McDonald C Kelly Shoppach Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-0, 0.00)

[Lintyfresh85]

Lets make his first start back a nightmare and take the series!

[aspenbubba]

I am also proposing that we forego batting practice troday as we were rained out yesterday and we still amassed 12 hits  ( over half for XB). Maybe the hitters are leaving it in the batting cage. Well maybe not all as LaRoche is in a severe slump .

[CALSGR8]

Yeah, no batting practice tour because it started lightning and raining about that time. 

BTW, On the Fenway Tour, I saw Gio in the dugout in an interview.  As I passed, I yelled Gio! Gio!.  He smiled this huge grin and waved at me! 

[mitlen]

Hope I can remember the 4:05 start.    I'd write it down but I can't find a pencil.

[Tyler Durden]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/batter_vs_pitcher.cgi?pitcher=gonzagi01#gotresults&pitcher=gonzagi01&min_year_game=2008&max_year_game=2012&post=1&opp_id=BOS&bats=any&opponent_status=&c1criteria=&c1gtlt=eq&c1val=0&c2criteria=&c2gtlt=eq&c2val=0&orderby=PA&orderby_dir=desc&orderby_second=Name&orderby_dir_second=asc&ajax=1&submitter=1

Gio's numbers against the Red Sox don't look that good.  Small sample size, but Youkilis especially looks like he does well against him (or at least he did when he was still a good player - ha!).

[CALSGR8]

That was then, this is now!

[Minty Fresh]

I'll tune into Charlie and Dave on my way home from my game.  Probably be about the fourth or fifth inning (my game should be over by 5:30).

[mitlen]

Will Boston get swept today  ...   Nats & Heat?

[CALSGR8]

Will Boston get swept today  ...   Nats & Heat?

NO, tomorrow

[mitlen]

NO, tomorrow

That's why I included "today" in my question.      I didn't want Thom jumping in my crap.   My GED is official.

[thepointe01]

That's why I included "today" in my question.      I didn't want Thom jumping in my crap.   My GED is official.

but they let anyone have those these days don't they?

[mitlen]

but they let anyone have those these days don't they?

Apparently so, I got one.   (Actually, I think I may be so old that the GED program hadn't even been implemented when I got out of high school . )

[thepointe01]

Apparently so, I got one.

Bryce Harper has one so you're in good company.

[mitlen]

Bryce Harper has one so you're in good company.

...   but he can play.

[lastobjective]

Celebrating a friend's birthday today so might be watching this one on record. But I'm hoping for a nasty win and that everyone is still pumped from last night's win. It seems like everyone (at least Zimmy and LaRoche) is coming out of their slumps so let's hope it stays that way

[mitlen]

Just read Kilgore's opening paragraph about yesterday's game in today's POST.   I think it's a classic  ...

"BOSTON — A century’s worth of players have passed through Fenway Park, where history seeps through the emerald walls. Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper graced the cathedral for the first time on Friday night, and they did not dissolve into its annals. They made them richer, more complete: The old yard can say it bore witness to Strasburg and Harper at their unbridled beginning, the moment in time when the Washington Nationals became something fresh and different."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals-vs-red-sox-bryce-harper-stephen-strasburg-stand-out-in-their-fenway-park-debuts/2012/06/08/gJQAyhL4OV_story.html

[Tyler Durden]

Kilgore may realize that some of his game stories will be read 50 years from now if everything plays out right for Strasburg, Harper, and the Nats.  It's a big change from when some of the beat writers going through the motions during the really bad seasons.

[MarquisDeSade]

e're inning this one and celebrating with some hores!!!

[PANatsFan]

Yeah, no batting practice tour because it started lightning and raining about that time. 

BTW, On the Fenway Tour, I saw Gio in the dugout in an interview.  As I passed, I yelled Gio! Gio!.  He smiled this huge grin and waved at me! 

Gio may be the nicest guy in baseball. I could see him crashing kids' birthday parties and such. He's around till what, 2018?

[PowerBoater69]

Gio's numbers against the Red Sox don't look that good.  Small sample size, but Youkilis especially looks like he does well against him (or at least he did when he was still a good player - ha!).

That was when he was with Oakland, pitchers typically fare better in the NL.

[PANatsFan]

That was when he was with Oakland, pitchers typically fare better in the NL.

[spidernat]

Gio may be the nicest guy in baseball. I could see him crashing kids' birthday parties and such. He's around till what, 2018?

What about Marquis and Braun?   

[UMDNats]

Just read Kilgore's opening paragraph about yesterday's game in today's POST.   I think it's a classic  ...

"BOSTON — A century’s worth of players have passed through Fenway Park, where history seeps through the emerald walls. Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper graced the cathedral for the first time on Friday night, and they did not dissolve into its annals. They made them richer, more complete: The old yard can say it bore witness to Strasburg and Harper at their unbridled beginning, the moment in time when the Washington Nationals became something fresh and different."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals-vs-red-sox-bryce-harper-stephen-strasburg-stand-out-in-their-fenway-park-debuts/2012/06/08/gJQAyhL4OV_story.html

Wow, that is awesome.

[tomterp]

Kilgore may realize that some of his game stories will be read 50 years from now if everything plays out right for Strasburg, Harper, and the Nats.  It's a big change from when some of the beat writers going through the motions during the really bad seasons.

Thank goodness he didn't spot any whirling dervishes on the basepaths last night.