WTOP is reporting that the Potomac River Company will provide water taxis from the Alexandria waterfront to a dock at Nationals Park beginning Tuesday, September 8. It’s a 40 minute boat ride and costs $12 one way or $20 roundtrip. They will be offering the water taxi rides for seven Nationals home games in September (Sept. 8, 9, 10, 25, 28, 29, and 30).

For those wishing to water taxi their way over from National Harbor, a separate taxi can be taken over to Alexandria to catch the baseball water taxi, but this would be an additional $8 one way or $16 roundtrip.

According to the report, the company hopes to expand the water taxi service in time for baseball next season.

For More info, visit WTOP.com

MASN has just reminded me that some people like sports other than baseball! Due to a Ravens/Panthers pre-season football game (what’s football?), there is some shuffling going on at MASN to be able to broadcast the Ravens, the Os, and most importantly, the Nationals all at the same time on Saturday, August 29th.

Looks like the Nationals will be in HD for all of us DC area folks. Below is the announcement from MASN.

Saturday’s Channel Lineup for MASN’s Nationals, Orioles and Ravens Coverage

(Washington D.C.) — MASN will be carrying the Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens simultaneously on Saturday evening, August 29th.

In the Washington, D.C. DMA, the Nationals game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals will appear on WDCW-50, as well as on WDCW-50’s HD channel and MASN HD. Nats Xtra begins at 6:30 p.m.

The Ravens preseason game against the Carolina Panthers will appear on MASN, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Orioles will host the Cleveland Indians on MASN 2 with O’s Xtra beginning at 6:30 p.m.

In the Baltimore DMA , the Orioles game will appear on WJZ. The Nationals game will air on MASN and MASN HD, while the Ravens game will be on MASN 2.

After attending the four game Cubbies sweep over the Nationals at the end of July, the start of this series in Chicago is making me a happy girl!  The Nats displayed some powerful offense at Wrigley Field winning the game with a final score of 15-6.  There was power hitting, fabulous base running, and of course WillingSLAM was at it again!  It was all in all an entertaining way for me to spend my Tuesday night with my TV.

It began with a pretty good performance by Garrett Mock.  He pitched a few solid innings to set up the opportunity for the Nats scoring party.  It all started with some great base hits by Belliard and Willingham and then Wil Nieves hits a sacrifice fly and knocks Willingham in to score one of his 5 runs of the night.  Mock once again pitched a solid second inning and then the Cubs’ pitcher Carlos Zambrano hit a solo homer out to centerfield and believe me…this was the ONLY thing he was hitting tonight because it sure wasn’t strikes.  4th inning rolled around and Josh Willingham hit his first homer of the night (yes there was another) out of the park.  This was followed by what appeared to be an angry Cubs fan throwing the ball over the stands onto the field from the street below.  Ronnie Belliard hits a single followed by an Elijah Dukes double.  Then in a bizarre turn of events on this tragic nights for the Cubs, Fontenot makes an error where it looked like he literally threw the ball straight at the ground.  This of course gives Belliard the opportunity to score.  At this point in the game, the score is only 3-1, so we still have a contest.

THEN…

The 5th inning happened…

This inning had a striking resemblence to the 4th inning of the Sunday game of the last Cubs series at Nationals Park.  I literally remember feeling pain, like physical gnawing pain during this inning where we gave up 7 runs to the Cubbies.  It felt like the inning that would never end.  Well, the Nats gave one of these neverending innings right back to the Cubs tonight.  During this inning, we went through our entire lineup, we got six guys on base and all six of them scored.  The Cubs pitching disaster was just beginning to show itself.  Zambrano hit Willie Harris with a pitch, Christan Guzman singled to center, Ryan Zimmerman singled to left, Zambrano walked Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham, and then finally at the Cubs fans relief, they replaced Zambrano with Heilman.  Well this did not seem to do any good, because Elijah Dukes hit a GRAND SLAM.  All in all, at this point in the game, the Nats were up 9-1 and it felt glorious!

The pitching slightly fell apart in the 6th, but besides that, Mock pitched a great game.  The Cubs scored three runs during this inning before Riggleman replaced him with Tyler Clippard.  The 7th inning proved to be another hitting show by the Nats with Zimmerman doubling to left, Willingham singling to center knocking Zimmerman home, Belliard singling to left, Dukes getting intentionally walked, and Nieves singling to right knocking Willingham and Belliard in.  At this point, it is almost like batting practice for the Nats and gives us a score of 12-4.

Milton Bradley (yes like the board games…I can’t help but giggle a bit) hit a solo homer in the 7th (this did not make me giggle), but then Willingham answers that with his second homerun of the night knocking Zimmerman and Dunn home.  It was 15-5 at this point and with the exception of a solo homer by the Cubs’ Northern Virginia (Dale City) native Jeff Baker, the game was toast.  So the game finishes out on the scoreboard at 15-6 with Willingham having a great game going 4-4, hitting two homeruns (he’s up to 21 now for the season), knocking six runners home, and scoring five runs.  Needless to say, I think his slump is over.

This was exactly what I like to see from the Nats: A decently strong start by the starting pitcher (Although, I wish our starters could pitch a bit longer, but I can save that for another post), emptying our bases instead of leaving the guys hanging out there, great defensive plays, and a pretty good performance by the bullpen.  Now I would like to see the Nats play this great tomorrow and Thursday so we can show the Cubs how it feels to get swept at home.  I will personally send pictures (as I cannot be there in person) of brooms to all of my Cubs fans friends in Chicago, but Nats you gotta take care of business!

Exciting news for those who are Nationals fans and dog lovers!! The Washington Nationals will be hosting their first ever Pups in the Park days on Saturday and Sunday, September 5 & 6. You’ve probably been to a few games during which the Nationals had adoption events during which dogs in need of homes were paraded around the outside of the plaza. And perhaps you’ve seen ads for Pups in the Park recently and thought this was the same thing. Oh, but it is so much better…

This pilot program will enable fans to bring their favorite dog to the park with them! You heard me right: Your dog can watch the game with you from the Left Field Mezzanine area. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.nationals.com/pups and cost $20 for a human ticket and $5 for a dog ticket with proceeds from this event benefiting the Washington Humane Society. The entire $5 of the dog ticket, plus $2 from every human ticket purchased will go to WHS – that’s pretty dog gone good! That’s really like spending $18 on a seat in the LF Mezzanine and then donating $7 to WHS (and by the way, those seats cost $30 for regular games). Seats are limited, so please act fast!

This sounds pretty good, right? So how does it work? What’s the catch? First of all, tickets are only available for purchase online – no walk ups! Season Ticket Holders who already have tickets to this game must exchange their season tickets and then purchase a “Pups in the Park” ticket online from the site above in order to participate in the event.

On game day, you must enter through the Left Field Gate. After entering the gate, you must drop off a signed waiver indicating that your dog is up to date on all his/her shots and vaccinations. The waivers will be emailed to you after you purchase your tickets so you can fill them out ahead of time.

You might be asking yourself, “But what it if is a hot day and my dog is thirsty” (or my dog has to, you know, go)? For the comfort of all pooches, a water and relief area will be located on the landing of Section 201.

No dogs will be allowed at the concession areas! So now you are thinking, “But what if I want something from the concession areas?” Of course you can leave your dog with your guest, but what if you are alone? These Nationals event coordinators think of everything; you may leave your dog with Pet Sitters who will be located on the Section 201 landing area as well.

I can personally say that I love this idea, and I am completely disappointed that my dog Emma and I cannot attend this event. I will be out of town, and unless her grandma or her uncle offers to take her, she will have to miss out. But I can also say that I attended a Nationals game at Turner Field in Atlanta a few summers ago and it happened to be Pups in the Park day for The Braves. The event seemed to be very successful down there, and I have been hoping ever since that the Nationals would come through with a similar event.

The Nationals have provided me with some helpful hints for making Pups in the Park a success:

You are responsible for your dog’s behavior at the event

Keep your dog under control at all times

Watch for and immediately correct any warning signs of potential aggression (Carolyn’s added note here: These symptoms may also occur if the Marlins start to score runs)

o Tail straight up and stiff
o Hair raised on their backs
o Lips raised to snarl
o Growling

Dogs pick up on your energy – stay calm, assertive, and be the leader of your Pack!

When Humans Greet Dogs

o Greet the owner first and ask the owner if it is OK to greet their dog
o Avoid eye contact with the dog initially – they can interpret this as a challenge
o Do not offer food to a dog other than your own without the owner’s permission

When Dogs Greet Dogs

o Dogs sniff each other- this is a universal and appropriate way for them to greet
o Allow your dog to sniff and be sniffed by others – if they growl or snap, they are being rude – and you will need to keep them restrained

So I hope all you Nats fan/dog lovers reading this will go out there and have a great time with your best friend, while also raising money for the Washington Humane Society. After all, rescue dogs are awesome! Just ask my little Emma.

For any other information I may have missed or to purchase your tickets, please visit the Nationals online (www.nationals.com/pups).

Pups in the Park Release and Waiver

And the link on Facebook.

Another successful Ladies Night was had on the rooftop party deck at Nats Park last night. It was a hot and humid night, but that didn’t stop the party. The rooftop tent was packed right up until game time, with in fact, what seemed like a bigger turn out then the last couple of times. Everyone (including a lot of men as it turns out) looked to be having a good time eating some Hard Times nachos, relaxing with chair massages, doing some shopping, drinking from the sample table or the cash bar, hitting some balls at putt-putt, and of course getting their photos taken with Jim Riggleman, John Lannan, and J.D. Martin.

The Nationals usually try to provide giveaways for the first 1000 people to enter Ladies Night, and last night they did not fail to deliver, providing us with a really great Nationals picture frame. Thanks to Bree Parker and Katherine Mitchell of the Nationals for putting together a great event once again.

When the party was over, some of the participants gathered to watch the game from their Left Field seats. Seated next to me was a trio of women. One of them informed me that she wasn’t a big fan and didn’t follow baseball too much, but she couldn’t turn down a Ladies Night! The trio then told me that they had never been to a baseball game before. I assumed they meant that they had just never been to Nats Park before. Nope…Diana, Sydney, and Elaine each had never been to a professional baseball game anywhere before last night. Sometimes I forget how fortunate I was as a kid to be taken to games at Shea and now as an adult being able to go see The Nats whenever I want. I sometimes assume that everyone starts going to baseball from the time they are 2! As first timers, those three sure looked like they were having fun, and they definitely knew what was going on during the game. They asked me a couple of questions throughout, but really didn’t need to ask too much. They were pretty funny about two of the things they asked …

1. If one of them catches an important ball (someone’s milestone HR, let’s say) and the player wants it back, can they negotiate for free tickets to a future game?
2. If a hitter’s bat breaks on a hit, does he get some sort of ‘pass’ that allows him to get to first?

I loved it! I think they would need to work it out with The Nationals on that first one, but on that second question, given how often we see daggers of wood flying around, could you imagine how many bases would be earned if such a pass existed?! It was a pleasure sitting next to those three, and I hope they had a good time and come back to NatsTown for some more – even when it isn’t Ladies Night. It’s a shame the team couldn’t win for them.

But it was a ‘Win’ for those of us who attended the Ladies Night event. A good time was had by all (as seen here), and we look forward to next season’s events.

Well, as most of you probably know, The Nationals have done it. They’ve signed their number one draft pick and supposed phenom Stephen Strasburg for a record 15+ million dollars. There were celebrations heard all across NatsTown last night and this morning as many fans believe that having Strasburg on this team can only lead to good things.

Out of love for the team, I’ll say that I am that happy the Nationals were able to get him, assuming this amateur pitcher is as good as he is touted to be. However, I must qualify that by saying it sickens me to my core that they had to agree to those terms in order to get him and right now, I cannot consider myself a big fan. Even without Strasburg, I have a hard time understanding the ‘worth’ of proven players, but then to see this much money thrown at (and demanded by) a kid who has never played professionally or proven himself at that level, it is very hard for me. I am hearing that this amount seems ‘fair’, but I personally cannot make any sense of that, and while it is a great day for Nationals baseball, I hope it does not turn out to be a not-so-great day for baseball in general. But I’ll get over it. In the end, it doesn’t affect me, so what should I care? I’ve got my own life to worry about.

From what I can tell (at least from what I read and hear from my friends and fellow bloggers), fans are happy for his arrival. They have great hope that this guy can single handedly bring good things to this team. And while I may not be thrilled with the money part of this deal, I can still hold out some hope for that as well and truly want all the hype to be fulfilled.

And since we are busy hoping, here are a few of my other hopes…I hope that he is every bit as good as his bonus implies he is. I hope that he works his way up to the majors soon, but that he is not rushed and brought up before he is ready. I hope that he wins every game he starts and scares the pants off of every batter he faces. I hope early fame does not go to his head. I hope that he takes care of that arm of his. I hope that the stress of being the savior of the team does not wear him out, and that fans of this team have patience with him. I hope that his greed is not an indication of his arrogance. I hope that he appreciates what he’s been given and that he is accommodating and friendly to his new-found fans. I hope that he realizes that $15 million is not a shortcut to respect, and that some people think that he still must earn that on the field.

So with that I say Welcome to the Team Stephen Strasburg!! Good luck to you and your (hopefully) long career in DC (whenever you actually make it up here). Try not to spend all that money in one place, OK?

John Lannnan has launched his own Lannan’s Cannons program!

From the Nationals:

Pitcher Partners with The Children’s Inn at NIH to Provide a Baseball Experience For Their Patients

The Washington Nationals and Pitcher John Lannan today announced the launch of Lannan’s Cannons, a ticket program designed to bring joy into the lives of sick children and their families. Lannan will host residents of The Children’s Inn at NIH, located in Bethesda, MD, for a day of baseball and fun at the ballpark, away from their treatments and the hospital. Lannan will also lend his name and image to The Children’s Inn Sports Ambassadors program, which aims to raise funds and awareness for their $93-a-night-campaign, which refers to the cost of housing families at The Inn.

Beginning on Sunday, August 9, Lannan will host 25 guests from The Children’s Inn at Nationals Park for all remaining Sunday home games (August 23 vs. Milwaukee, September 6 vs. Florida and September 27 vs. Atlanta). In addition to the ticket to the game, each guest will receive a food voucher for a hot dog, chips and a drink, and a Lannan’s Cannons t-shirt. Lannan will meet with the children and their families when they arrive at the ballpark, schedule permitting.

“My hope is that bringing these children to the ballpark will provide them with an escape from the rigors of treatment, and that they can enjoy a baseball game and a day with their families,” said Nationals Pitcher John Lannan. “I’m proud to partner with The Children’s Inn at NIH to raise awareness for their mission, while creating new Nationals fans throughout the region.”

Also, this weekend is the annual Blood Drive at Nationals Park with the American Red Cross.

From the Nationals:

Ballclub Aims To Collect 250 Pints of Blood on Saturday, August 8

The Washington Nationals will host the fifth annual Nationals Blood Drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on Saturday, August 8 from 8:00am – 2:00pm. The Nationals have partnered with the Red Cross each season since returning to Washington for a blood drive in August; the 2008 drive collected 176 pints of blood.

The Nationals will host Blood Drive in the Nationals Park Conference Center, rooms three and four. Donors will receive a unique Nationals collectible t-shirt, two tickets to an upcoming Nationals home game, and the opportunity to win autographed memorabilia and a visit to batting practice along with four tickets in the PNC Diamond Club, along with the knowledge they’ve helped save a life. Nationals player Jordan Zimmermann (schedule permitting), will sign autographs and meet with donors during a portion of the drive. Appointments may be made by calling 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visiting www.my-redcross.org. Parking is available for all donors in Nationals Park Garage C, located on the corners of 1st and N Street, SE. The Conference Center may be accessed through the Third Base Gate, located on South Capitol Street, SE.

“The Washington Nationals are thankful to our fans and to the community for contributing to the success of our blood drives over the past four years and we are hopeful that they will continue to support us as we aim to collect 250 pints of blood,” said Chartese Burnett, VP of Communications & Community Relations. “In our fifth year, we look forward to rolling up our sleeves with the community on August 8 to help save lives.”

Well now that i have a life again and am not running from one task to the next from 6 AM until 11:30 PM I can get back to writing about baseball instead of just watching it and preparing for games. I have a new found respect for the people that clean Nationals Park after games; it really is terrible especially after an entire game on a humid day. I have been volunteering for the Bethesda Big Train, part of the Cal Ripken Sr, Collegiate Baseball League, and that in addition to Nats games, P-nats games, and a class I took has left me away from the computer but now that the 2009 CRSCBL champs have finished their season, I have more time to fill my baseball life with writing instead of cleaning. Now to move on to the Nationals…

Having just returned from Pittsburgh, I have discovered that I only root for Nationals, but with a few caveats. If a player I happen to be a of fan is playing for the other team, they must succeed in their play but the rest of the team has to crumble. With the Pirates, for example, Joel Hanrahan need to dominate, (that didn’t really work out on Friday night, but I did let out a sigh of relief when he was pulled before they could put on enough runners to get the loss), and Ryan Doumit also needed to go at least 2-4 (again, didn’t happen, but my fantasy team needs help so I had to root for him). Other than those two exceptions I really did want that Nationals to be perfect… for the two games I did see (Fri and Sat) they were not perfect.

By the way, if you have never been to Pittsburgh, I highly suggest visiting. PNC Park may be my new favorite away ballpark. It is so intimate and pleasant, and easy to get around and not too expensive.

My friend Dave from Nats News Network also informed me that as of the Aug. 2nd win we only need 8 more wins to not have the most losses in the modern era, which begs the question, were the ‘62 Mets really THAT bad?

Also a moment of silence for all of the good Nats that have left us over the years. The recent trade deadline has led me to remember past Nats, and after seeing the sea of McLouth, Sanchez, and Wilson jerseys and t-shirts in Pittsburgh I really do feel for Pirates fans. Not all of the former Nats were perfect, or even good, but I can find something good to say about all of them and I truly do miss them. Some have moved on to bigger and better things and some never made it, but baseball is a business and stuff happens. I have tried to update what they are doing for you all. This list is not complete but they are the guys that I miss the most.

Robert Fick- now kicking independent league butt for the Orange County Flyers.

Tim Redding- Not doing too hot for the New York Mets

Joel Hanrahan- the veteran on the Pirates

Brian Schneider- NYM catcher

Ryan Church- A member of the Braves

Jonathan Albaladejo- not doing great for the Yankees, but has the most big league IP of his career

Ray King- as far as i know, out of baseball

Jon Rauch- we will see the big man in a few days on the D-backs

Chris Snelling- After leaving the Nats on May 2nd, 2007 he had major league moments on the A’s, Devil Rays, Phillies and minor league moments with the Padres and Pirates and is now a free agent, he did do well in the WBC for Australia.

Bill Bray- out for the season with a tear in left elbow, on the Reds

Brad Wilkerson- retired after getting minor league deal with the Red Sox this year

Brendan Harris- fair enough for the twins

Rick Short- as far as i know, after 2 seasons with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, he is out of baseball

Vinny Castilla- coached for Mexico in WBC

Luis Ayala- doing the same thing for the Marlins

Johnny Estrada- not in baseball

Josh Wilson- spent time in Arizona and Seattle’s AAA this year along with big league action with the Dbacks, padres, and Mariners

Felipe Lopez- traded to the brewers, we saw him a little while ago

Charlie Manning- not really that great in St. Louis AAA

Ryan Wagner- retired because of injury

Jesus Colome- signed a minor league deal with Brewers

And a few coaches…

Manny Acta- in FLA, with the family

Tim Tolman- signed as an instructor with the Mariners in Jan 2009