What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here

That headline has no real relationship to today's blog post.  Besides being a great line from 'Blazing Saddles' it's all I could come up with - but does describe lots of sports happenings this week and weekend.

Tough week for the Nats, punctuated by last night's terrible loss.  We were at that game, so had a great view to Danys Baez' swinging bunt with two outs in the top of the 12th.  The only thing worse than watching an American League pitcher start a two-out rally is acknowledging the fact that by sending Baez to the plate the Orioles had conceded the inning.  Even when the other team gives in the Nats lose.

The loss obscured the fact that the worst may be behind us in terms of the Nats bullpen.  Bergman, Beimel, Villone and eventual loser Kip Wells all pitched well last night, and Hanrahan picked up a nice save on Thursday night against the Pirates. 

I have to offer a  moment of appreciation for of all people Joel Hanrahan.  On Wednesday he lost another game with a ninth-inning wild pitch.  But 24-hours later he had the stones, and the ability to forget about that wild pitch, to come in the ninth and protect a lead and get a save.  You have to admire that ability, and it's another small reminder about how great sport is.  Past is not prologue, and shouldn't keep you from performing.  Good stuff.

The bullpen is not the only good pitching news.  The Nats finally pulled the plug on Daniel Cabrera and recalled someone named 'Stamman' from Triple A.  He looked great for 6 innings on Thursday.  Like Zimmermann did last night, he works fast. That keeps fielders sharp, hitters uncomfortable, and fans happy.  It worked for Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax, and I wonder why all pitchers don't follow that lead and work fast.

The good news for the Nats is all of a sudden a young and talented starting rotation may be taking shape.  Lannan, Zimmermann, Martis and Stamman may ended up as a serviceable starting staff. The bad news is you are walking a tight rope if you expect four starters 25-and-under to carry your team to respectability.  But if these starters progress and get the Nats to 70 wins this year - you know your team stinks if your goal is to 'only' lose 92 wins, which will require the Nats to go 58-63 the rest of way - the Nats could a decent, 500 team NEXT year.  So there may be hope on the horizon.

The bad news for this team right now is that Dunn is not hitting; his average is down 30 points since the 4-4 west coast swing, and Dukes is hurt/slumping.  

The return of Jesus Flores should help the offense and the pitching staff.  With the new, young rotation, the suddenly calm bullpen, and w/Zimmerman, Guzman and Nick Johnson leading the offense all the pieces may in place for a respectable run. The new alignment - great offense, young starters, steadier bullpen - may be the best scenario for the Nats since their move to Washington.  Bottom line: it will interesting to track the team's play with all these pieces in place.

• I was excited to see fellow Greek-American Nick Markakis play last night.  He went 0-6 so we didn't get to see much. But the O who really impressed me was Adam Jones.  That guy looks like a ball player, and hit everything hard last night in getting three hits and driving in the winning runs in the 12th.  The Orioles are set at those two positions for a decade. 
• I still root for the Orioles in the AL.  Unlike many Washingtonians I bear no ill will towards that franchise for years opposing a team in DC.  Perhaps that's because owner Peter Angelos is Greek and an active Democrat, or because Camden Yards is still a great place to watch a game, or because for years going to Balmer to watch Cal Ripken, etc. play was great fun.  But I think the main reason is we have our own team now so who cares? And like a relief pitcher you have to move on to today's game.

A Few More Random Notes

I tried to TIVO three other sporting events last night while we were at the game: game two of the Cavs-Magic series, Carolina playing in the ACC baseball tournament, and the women's lacrosse team in the final four.

• Phenomenal ending to the basketball game.  How you could let Lebron James catch an inbounds pass in that situation is beyond me, but he still had to hit a tough shot. I would have not guarded Mo Williams and doubled James.  You just can't let him get the ball. 
• Excellent game in general though, and the Magic should feel great about stealing game one and having the fortitude to come back from a 20-point deficit. Some teams, say the Lakers against the Rockets last week for instance, would have tanked it at that point, simply happy to have won one game on the road.  But behind Dwight Howard and the world's most famous Turk, Hedo Turkoglu,  the Magic fought back.
• The Heels got waxed 11-1 by Virginia, so I did not watch that game at all.  The Heels should still host a super-regional when the NCAA tournament starts next week.
• The women defeated previously undefeated Maryland last night to make the lacrosse national championship game on Sunday.  The game is in Towson, Maryland, so we may go up for that one.  Another chance to yell the greatest two words in the English language: GO HEELS!