From the Nationals:

The Washington Nationals today acquired right-handed pitcher Logan Kensing from the Florida Marlins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Kyle Gunderson. To make room on the roster, the Nationals transferred outfielder Roger Bernadina from the 15- to the 60-Day Disabled List. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Kensing, 26, joins the Nationals after going 7-8 with 20 holds and a 5.21 ERA (77 ER/133.0 IP) in 108 career games (three starts) spanning five seasons with Florida. Kensing is expected to be in a Nationals uniform for tonight’s series finale at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

A hard thrower, Kensing has averaged nearly a strikeout per inning—or 8.9 per 9.0 innings—during his career (131 SO in 133.0 big league innings). He was Florida’s second-round selection in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft after a standout career at Texas A&M.

Kensing’s finest season came in 2006, when he posted 14 holds en route to a .221 batting average against in 37 appearances with the Marlins. Last season, in his first full campaign after August 2006 Tommy John surgery, Kensing pitched in a career-high 48 games for Florida, going 3-1 with five holds and a 4.23 ERA. He posted an impressive .234 batting average against, including a .208 mark when facing left-handed batters, in 2008.

Gunderson, 24, was selected by the Nationals in the 48th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Rice University. He pitched in five games for Potomac of the Single-A Carolina League prior to the trade.

From the Nationals:

The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation will host the fourth annual Dream Gala at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at National Harbor. The night will begin at 7:00pm with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by a dinner program and live auction at 8:00pm. Nationals players, manager and coaches will be on-hand to mingle with guests throughout the evening. The theme of the 2009 Dream Gala is “Answer The Call to Service in Our Communities”, with all proceeds benefitting the initiatives of the Foundation.

“The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation is thankful for the generosity of our supporters during these tough economic times,” said Dream Foundation Chair Marla Lerner Tanenbaum. “The Dream Gala is the Foundation’s primary fundraiser each year; its success allows us to serve our community and neighbors through our unique programs.”

Nationals television broadcasters Bob Carpenter and Rob Dibble will serve as emcees for the night’s festivities with radio broadcasters Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler introducing the 2009 Washington Nationals. A performance of the National Anthem by the Washington Youth Choir will begin the dinner program. The live auction features unique items and experiences, including a hand-crafted team-signed bench, a private clinic for four children with Nationals players, and a suite for 16 for a Nationals game vs. the Boston Red Sox in June.

The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation’s programs are focused on children’s education, health and recreation. The cornerstone programs of the Dream Foundation are the creation of the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, in partnership with the District government, that will teach the game of baseball and provide after-school educational programs for children in the District; the creation of the Washington Nationals Pediatric Diabetes Care Complex at Children’s National Medical Center, a world-class facility that will provide a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting families of children with diabetes; and the Neighborhood Initiative, benefitting the Earth Conservation Corps, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and numerous local non-profit organizations with grants, in-kind donations and additional resources.

Also, MASN will be broadcasting a special about the Dream Gala on May 11th at 9 p.m.

If you feel like throwing things this morning, you must check out Loverro’s piece:

Bowden discovers his calling in La-La Land

Yuck - Here’s the audio of the interview! 

Also, here’s a good CBSSports.com piece on the Nats and Strasburg:

Strasburg’s price tag doesn’t turn off future (?) teammates

That right, I said it: I still love Joel Hanrahan.

Yes, he may have blown 3 out of 5 save opportunities but I don’t think it is time to fire him yet. Granted, part of my love for him comes from the fact that he is such a nice person, but I still believe he can be an effective pitcher.

He is not a closer and he won’t be until he gains confidence in himself. To be a closer you have to go out there and think you are the best thing since sliced bread and Joel thinks too much about who he is pitching to, what the score is and the fact that he had to close out the game.

In Spring Training 2008, Joel had a 0.00 ERA; he had nothing to lose and he just went out there and pitched. That’s how he won a spot in the bullpen last year.

I am not giving up on Joel yet and I certainly do not think he should be in the minors; he just needs more confidence in himself and in his pitches. That is not something he will get overnight. It’s a good thing that he doesn’t have the title of closer anymore; it takes the pressure off of him and he can just go out and pitch without feeling like the game rests on his shoulders.

I don’t think confidence in him from the fans would hurt either. So you will continue to see me wear my Hanrahan jersey loud and proud because I am still a HanraFAN.

Sometime last season, I got really tired of writing about brutal losses.  How many ways can you say it?  My mother got tired of reading me ranting and complaining, often reminding me that WGH was supposed to be a positive place.  “If you don’t have anything nice to say…” You know the drill.  So, I’m at a loss for what exactly to write lately.

Last night, I kept thinking about this quote from last summer.  When I read it back then, I thought “this doesn’t sound like great make-up for a closer.”  I like Joel’s potential, his powering fastball and he seems like a great person.  I just never really thought he was suited for this role.

Here’s the old quote from St. Claire, July 2008:

“For me, his biggest adjustment is his mental approach… I think the game controlled him. In the big leagues, you’ve got the crowd, TV, ESPN, newspapers, all of it. It focuses into one area, the mound, and there you are thinking, ‘I better do well. Everybody is watching.’ It’s big time here. This isn’t Class AA. This isn’t Class AAA. You know, (you’re thinking) if I [mess] it up, everybody is going to see it. And that adrenaline, it takes over guys. When they cross that white line, some guys can’t do it. You know? That’s this game. Guys that are real good? You go out to talk to them, you can put your hand on their chest and their heartbeat is normal. Other guys, you put your hand on their chest, and their heart is pounding through uniform. Ba-bum, ba-bum! Literally. They’re so hyped up and sped up. Their mind races. They lose their mechanics. They don’t allow themselves to execute their pitches. They stop thinking about that slider low and away. It goes right down the middle. And Joel, he’s trying to make that adjustment. I tell him, your game is between you and the catcher. I try to make it very simplified.”

On another note, I am loving Ray Knight’s anger.  He’s competitive and he carries these losses with him all day and all night, just like we do.  It’s refreshing to hear that someone else is tired of all the excuses too.

Lastly, I spent the weekend in NYC and made my first trip to Citi Field on Saturday.  I can’t believe I went the whole way to NYC and missed the two good games (Santana on Friday; J. Zimmermann on Sunday and a win).  Daniel Cabrera.  Super.  Somebody call Pedro.

At least I had plenty of time to explore without missing anything important.

The park is really beautiful; I’m a sucker for brick.  The Jackie Robinson Rotunda is spectacular and inspiring, a fitting tribute for an important legend.  The seating felt cozy to me, perhaps because our section in LF wasn’t so long.  The food was great with lots of local flavor.   A lot of the stands even had calorie counts posted next to the prices.

My only complaints were that it’s very difficult to move up and down the different concourse levels.  There seemed to be very few elevators, escalators and steps, so navigation was a little difficult.  I never did make it up to the Alyssa Milano’s Touch store because people kept pointing me in the wrong direction.

The other issue is well documented.  It appears that the bullpens were an afterthought.  It’s really kind of strange because a lot of parks build great seating around the bullpens as if they are some kind of attraction.  At Citi, they are underground and the visiting one is set directly behind the Mets one but on the same plane.  That’s a heck of a home field advantage.

Here’s some photos from Saturday.  It was, despite D-Cab, a beautiful day for a baseball game.

From Ken Rosenthal:

One team that could emerge as a player for Martinez — if he is indeed willing to pitch for a lesser club — is Washington.

Martinez would be a draw for the Nats, who are 3-11 and struggling to build a fan base. He is well-acquainted with Nationals manager Manny Acta, who managed the Dominican Republic in the first WBC. He also could help the Nationals restore their image in the Dominican.

The Nationals have said that former general manager Jim Bowden and special assistant Jose Rijo are subjects of a baseball investigation in the Dominican regarding the skimming of bonus money from amateur signees.

The Nats also were involved in an age- and name-changing scandal involving a Dominican prospect, and shut down their academy in the Dominican while restructuring their Latin American operations, according to ESPN.com.

I know, I know — youth, youth, youth, but could Martinez help teach these young guys how to pitch?  Could he draw any fans?  Could he eat innings? Could he, would he close if needed?  What do you guys think?

It’s amazing what some wins will do for your mood, huh?  I echo Steph’s sentiment about that late night game on Monday.  I just could not miss Jordan Zimmermann’s debut.  We watched him and interviewed him at Potomac last summer.   I watched him once at Harrisburg.  It was just too exciting to miss.

And to be honest, those rainy games are the best.  They force you to say to yourself:  I don’t need sleep.  My team has won one game and it’s midnight and it’s raining and I must be insane.  But in those moments of insanity, you’ll meet some pretty cool people.  Or bond with old friends that are equally crazy.  Or remember that even though you absolutely hate strongly dislike this franchise, sometimes, it’s almost part of your family.  You really, really can’t quite walk away, even when you’re mad.  After every test, every twist and turn, every bad game, every horrible roster move, every “I’m done!” scream at the TV, every over-hyped-he’s-so-good promise to every we-thought-he-was-so-great, so-it’s-all-his-fault-that-he’s-mediocre let-down, somehow we keep coming back for more.

I guess it’s unconditional love.

Though I wouldn’t have been there on Monday with Daniel Cabrera on the mound.  Promise.

NatsTown has some seriously dedicated fans.  Like em, love em, hate em — we all do our different thing but if you looked around on Monday night, you saw the same old loyal people.  They don’t miss a beat.  They live and breathe this;  if nothing else, their commitment is worthy of my respect.

Random Thoughts:

I’m excited about the Zimmerman contract.  I believe it was important to lock up the franchise player; I’m not sure about the details of the deal or what Zimmerman’s true potential is, but I look forward to finding out.

Wily Mo Pena signed a minor league deal with the Mets, continuing the parade of ex-Nats to the north.

Danielle notes that Robert Fick has a new job.

I’m heading to Citi Field for the first time this weekend, though not in time for Johan Santana’s Friday start.

My fantasy teams are a total disaster.  The one in the Natmosphere League is the absolute worst and it’s the only one documented publicly every week by FJB.  How embarrassing!! I’m a good sport though.  I was the idiot that took too many Nationals to begin with in the auto-draft.  I’m trying to get it turned around but… ugh!   At least one of my Nat-less teams is doing alright.

The Natinals jerseys were funny; the apology from Majestic was sincere.  Sometimes you just have to laugh though.  Everything that can go wrong, does.

On the bullpen makeover:  I hope Rivera can figure it out. We’ve always been big fans.  It’s too bad about Beimel’s injury because that was a great defensive play.  I was really excited to see a fellow Steelers fan and a AAABA alum on the mound all season; I hope he bounces back quickly.  What is with all these injuries?

It’s nice to see Bergmann back up after what seemed like an unjustified demotion to start the season.  I’m all for seeing the young kids, but when you are this bad, it’s hard to understand throwing relievers like Shell or starters like Hill or closers like Cordero away?  I guess we’ll see what made sense and what didn’t soon enough.

The Red Porch rocks this year.  Get the cookies & milk.  They are served warm.

Have a good week! Go Nats!

Take Metro to tonight’s game and receive $3 off a ticket priced at $10 or more!

From the Nationals:

…Nationals Park is the only LEED-certified outdoor sports arena in the country. The park has a 6,300 square-foot green roof over the left-field concession stand, high efficiency field lights, recycling bins throughout all concourse, over 250 bike racks and a bike valet program which operates out of Parking Lot C…

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDSEY!!

Former National Robert Fick was signed by the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League on April 9th.

The Golden Baseball League is presented by Safeway and its goal is to promote the growth of independent leagues in western North America.

Former Nationals Jerome Williams and Wiki Gonzalez also have played in the GBL.

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Nationals fans. After the dismal 2008 season we were all hopeful for a better 2009, but the first two weeks of the new season didn’t fulfill that promise. The season started with a seven game losing streak. The first win against the Phillies a week later, was a bright spot but it was quickly overshadowed by a disgraceful weekend series against the Marlins. A series in which the Nationals led all three games until the late innings, when the bullpen just imploded. Two blown saves in a row from the closer Hanrahan hurt. Saul Rivera’s 9th inning performance a day later, was difficult to watch. After Sunday’s game Manny and Rizzo reshuffled the bullpen, calling up Kip Wells, Garret Mock and Jason Bergmann in hopes that they might fare a little better in relief. So after the disappointing start, it was hard for us to stay positive, most of the guys we were pulling for are no longer on the team, and losing those close games in such a way is enough to test anyone’s fandom. So in short, it has been a difficult start for both the team and for us. We were beginning to question whether the team we give so much to still had any heart, and even more so, did we have any left ourselves?

We got our answer Monday night. Yes we still have heart. Ours might be bruised and beaten and it might take a bit for us to dig it out, but deep down we still have heart. Something bigger than the win/loss record, keeps pulling us back for more. After a wet, cold dreary Monday I admit the last thing in the world I wanted to do was drag myself out to Nationals Park to sit in the rain and wait for a game that might not even happen. However, as I was watching the pre-game show from the comfort of my sofa, I realized I was crazy. What had happened to me? Was I really at the point where I didn’t care anymore? Last night was the debut of one of the only bright spots left in the Nationals organization. Was I really ok with watching it on TV when I could just as easily get to the park and see it in person? I debated for while, but in the end realized that there was no place I would rather be than at Nationals Park in the rain to watch Jordan Zimmermann’s start. After all, one of my best baseball memories ever happened two years ago under very similar circumstances. So at 7:00 pm I texted Kristen, told her I was on my way and headed to the stadium.

The game officially started at 9:15 pm and Jordan Zimmermann made his debut in front of a very small crowd. The announced paid attendance was 12,473, but I would be surprised if even half of those people were present at the start of the game. Jordan looked like a veteran on the mound. He threw seven pitches in the first inning, all of them strikes. He worked quickly and efficiently, attacking the strike zone. He pitched six innings and gave up two runs on six hits. He threw 72 pitches, 51 of them for strikes. His only mistake came in the fourth inning when he gave up a two run homer to Matt Diaz. Zimmermann shook it off though and worked like a pro through two more innings.

The Nationals battled Lowe and cut the Braves lead in half when Elijah Dukes singled Johnson home. Two batters later, Jesus Flores, hit a long sac fly to left center field to plate Ryan Zimmerman and tie the game. The Nationals took the lead in the 6th when Flores, who has struggled so far this season hitting with runners in scoring position, hit a grounder up the middle to send Dukes home. The Nationals lead 3-2 for the remainder of the game.

When Zimmermann was removed after the 6th having only thrown 72 pitches, it seems Manny was eager to test his new bullpen. Kip Wells worked a scoreless 7th, while wearing #32 (that stung a little bit, as I still miss Cordero). Joe Biemel came in for the 8th and recorded two quick outs, but heavy rain started to fall and the umpires delayed the game again at 11:16 pm. By this time, the crowd had thinned even more and the team announced that the last metro for the night departed the Navy Yard at 11:45. The announcement caused even more people to flee. We stayed though and are sure glad we did, because the tarp was rolled off about a half and hour later and the game resumed.

Joel Hanrahan’s music signaled the top of the ninth and Kristen and I looked at each other with worry. Was Joel ready for this again? We only had a one run lead after all! Hanrahan retired Jones on a grounder to short. He made all 70 of us left in the stands cringe with a four pitch walk to the next batter, but redeemed himself with a strikeout to Matt Diaz to get the save and preserve the win for Zimmermann. It was an incredible night of baseball, the best kind actually. Who would have thought that the a cold, rainy, gross day would help me gain some of my enthusiasm back? In the end, I think it was a love of the game and a promise of a few bright spots, one coming from a rookie making his debut, that caused my change of heart.

For more photos from the game go here.