Looking at the score, 9-8, it really seems like it was close game, a tough loss, and at times it was but the 3 errors may be a bad omen of what may come. Anderson Hernandez’s two errors were not good and Adam Dunn didn’t gir-r-dunn when we needed it in the 9th but he still had two RBI today and Ryan Zimmerman had a two run homer in the 9th inning.  It was an odd game to say the least. But it was also an official sell-out crowd.  Cristian Guzman looked great until he got hurt in the 9th inning, he was 5-5 today and is batting .515 this season.  It looks like Guzman will be joining Willie Harris, Terrell Young, Dmitri Young, and Matt Chico on the disabled list but I’m not sure. After Guzman’s injury and Hernandez’s defense, I would really like to second my plea for Justin Turner.

This was a bittersweet win for the Phillies though. At around 12:30 today, their Hall of Fame broadcaster was found slumped over in his booth. He was taken to George Washington University’s Medical Center and pronounced dead at 1:20 PM, he was 73 years old. Today, Tigers fan favorite Mark “The Bird” Fidrych was also found dead on his farm in Massachusetts.  The 1976 AL rookie of the year played in the majors until 1980, but was well known for talking to himself, the baseball, and his glove while on the mound and his amazing performance in 1976. Both f these men will greatly be missed in the baseball community.

Hi! My name is Danielle. I am really excited to write for We’ve Got Heart. I started watching baseball in 2005 and have been hooked ever since. I do know a lot about baseball history even though I didn’t see it happen. Kirk Gibson’s home run is one of my favorite clips to watch. Robert Fick is my favorite player of all time, but I really liked Pete Orr, Austin Kearns, Tim Redding, and Joel Hanrahan. I also really love minor league baseball; the stadiums are so cozy, and the games are fun. In the offseason, I watch Professional Bull Riding, football, and hockey, in that order.

I have a little brother, Jimmy, who dances on the scoreboard. And in a perfect world, after High School, I would major in Sports Management at the University of Dayton and eventually become a GM for a baseball team.

And a shout out to Stan Kasten and Mike Rizzo, Justin Turner of the Norfolk Tides would be a very nice addition to the Nationals. This spring training, he played 96 innings in 23 games at second base, third base, and shortstop with a .295 average, 10 RBI, 3 home runs, and only 3 errors.

April 7th was the Meet the Players Banquet for the Potomac Nationals, 2008 Carolina League Champions. This was a booster club member only event but well worth the membership dues ($10 for individuals or $15 for families).

The dinner itself was very nice, with a chicken pasta salad, green beans, wings, and a large slab of beef along with assorted desserts. After dinner, the president, Lamar Boone, gave introductions of all of the players and coaching staff, including new manager Trent Jewett, who said a few words of welcome to both the players and booster club members.

There was a 50-50 raffle and half of the money went to a member and the other half went to a player; in this case 5 year Potomac Nationals veteran, Clint Everts, was the big winner. Then $25 givaways were raffled to the players, where the children at the event pulled the tickets (my brother won Brian Peacock $25). The Mills Cup that the team won was also displayed at the event.

It may seem odd that people are giving money to baseball players but these A ball players only make around $1,000 a month and it can be hard to make it by. This is why the booster club has host familes and hosts Saturday Night dinners and breakfasts before road trips. The minors are certainly not as luxurious as the majors, with pre- and post-game spreads and chartered plane rides. It is fast food and long bus rides. Someone once told me that only about 3% of players in A-ball ever make it to the majors, so with such slim chances it is really a tough way to live.

For anyone who lives in the Woodbridge area, the Booster Club needs more host families. It is really a great oppotunity to form a bond with one of the Nationals future players.

Here is the link to the Booster Club Website.