That was Olsen dropping the F-Bomb. I was 5 rows back behind the plate, and it was loud and clear. He is a firey guy, and tough to control. I was disappointed, but not surprised to see Olivo catching. After all, Fredi Gonzalez is a moron. Olivo can't catch lefties, can't control Olsen's emotions, and it was a day after night game.
He called his typical crap for a LHP. The Nats missed way too many enormous opportunities to put Olsen away. The Nats ooked like the never saw a scouting report on the Marlins pitchers. Zimmerman's first K, which I think was Olsen's first of the game, he looked like he forgot he was in a ballgame. He is probably the NL East batter the Marlins fear most, but was off his game today. Along with Young and Kearns, my card has them leaving 13 men on base (totals of individual LOB). Belliard did his part, but that was about it for the Nats.
The skies clouded up for the last couple innings. Normally the lights come on in that situation. Unfortunately, Wayne Huizenga's stadium corp makes the call on when the lights come on unless specifically ordered by the umps. In that lousy stadium, even sitting only 5 rows behind the plate, I was probably 120' or more from the plate. But, I was having a difficult time seeing the ball. The lights should have been ordered on by the umps about the 7th or 8th inning at the latest. Granted, it affected both teams, but it also effectively ended the game a few innings early. I guess God was the closer for the Marlins.
The pitch for Cabrera's 2nd HR was so horrible, I started saying "That's gone" before he even started his swing. A pitch into the dugout would have been more respectable.
I agreed with the sending of Belliard in the 5th. There were two outs, a weak part of the order coming up, Amezaga's arm usually isn't accurate from the OF (he's actually a SS - most famous for breaking Posada's nose when attempting to turn a DP a couple years ago - and for that I'll always like him), and Olivo generally doesn't catch the ball. When he does catch it, though, he doesn't let go. He's supposedly the strongest man in MLB, and doesn't get run over. He's the one that put Moreneau in the hospital with a lung hemorage a couple weeks ago. Still, the odds of Amezaga making a halfway decent throw, and Olivo actually catching the ball, are so extreme that Belliard had a better chance of being struck down by lightning than being tagged out.
Another stat I would like to see is the Nats pen vs the Marlins. The pen has been remarkable against the Marlins.
As for comments about Cabrera and free agency:
Neither Cabrera nor Willis is eligible for free agency until after the 2009 season. During the CBA negotiations last year, DuPuy and the MLBPA let it be known that Loria had to the revenue sharing on payroll rather than pocketing it, referencing Kuhn's vetoing all of Finely's breakup of the A's (why it took Selig three firesales, nobody knows - there was one in 2001 as well, but that wasn't a championship team so most fans in outside FL don't even remember it). The Marlins were informed that trades that have a notable reduction in payroll will not be permitted. The Marlins have consistently informed all GMs that Cabrera is untouchable, but are open on Willis. Nonetheless, ESPN has always whipped Marlins trade rumors out of it's arse. Let's see, Mike Lowell went back to the Yankees in a done deal in 2003. Other done deals included Willis to the A's in 2004, and Lowell once again was sent somewhere. In fact, ESPN has confirmed Willis trades every year 2004-2006, and Lowell every year 2003-2005. In the 2003 offseason, ESPN confirmed Ivan Rodriguez signed with the O's even after they signed Javey Lopez. Two or three days later they confirmed his signing with the Mariners. A month or so later, he really did sign - with Detroit. In a reversal, in 2004, ESPN announced the Marlins had acquired talent - Vlad Guerrero. ESPN missed on every last trade of the 2005 firesale. ESPN is way below the Mendoza line.
Part of the stadium negotiations have included that Loria be forced to sell the majority of the team to local ownership by members of the local Cuban Mafia. Also, they want the Cuban Mafia to have ownership similar to Angelos with MLB of a Caribbean sports network, which would dwarf even the NY markets. The Marlins and the stadium are loss leaders in a multi-billion dollar deal. The Cuban Mafia, which runs all Miami-Dade politics, has refused to ever again sit at a table with Samson, and MLB has excluded the Marlins FO from all negotiations. Samson (Loria's ex-stepson who is team president and the most hated man in Florida - much moreso than Loria) was just reprimanded by MLB, and DuPuy told Loria to severely discipline him - stopping just short of demanding his dismissal, about his remarks about Ichiro's contract. All of South Florida is hoping that these are indications that MLB is ready to execute a Marge Schott type of forced sale. Loria has previously threatened to sue MLB over such things, but now Selig, or at least DuPuy, has called Loria's bluff. Looking into all of what happened in Montreal/Boston/Florida, one thing for certain is that there is no love lost between Selig and Loria, and Loria is hated by all other owners and the MLBPA. I don't think any other owner has managed to piss off the owners, MLB, and MLBPA simultaneously. It's a pretty major accomplishment, if you are in the business of pissing people off.
Of course, believing both Selig and Loria is even longer odds than Amezaga making an accurate throw and Olivo catching it.