We were excited to sit down with Nationals Radio Broadcaster Dave Jageler a few weeks ago for an interview about his career, baseball and the Washington Nationals.

Can you tell us about how you prepare for a game?
My day usually starts 3 or 4 hours before the game. I check the line up, try to interview players or coaches, listen to Manny’s pre-game press conference, ask players about previous games, update my scorebook, and then grab something to eat before the game. We go on a half hour before game time.

How did you get into broadcasting?
I was 12 or 13 when I really became interested, but it’s something that I have always wanted to do. I was growing up in Windsor, CT and played baseball in high school. I would call the game under my breath in my position in left field. It probably resulted in me missing a few fly balls but it was paid off I guess. In high school I volunteered at a local public access TV station and called basketball games for three years.

You do some play-by-play announcing for other sports, right? What’s different about baseball?

Yes, mostly basketball. I worked for the NBA Celtics when I lived in Boston and I do some college games during the off season. It’s different to call baseball games. The action in the game is more spread out, not as fast paced as basketball. Sometimes there is not a lot of action, so it can be more challenging to try to fill the space, but that’s what makes it interesting and unique everyday. People still listen to baseball on the radio more than other sports to hear the announcer’s perspective and description.

Who were your favorite broadcasters?
I listen to Vin Scully on satellite radio, but I grew up a fan of Ken Coleman, Sean McDonough and Joe Castiglione who were outstanding broadcasters for the Red Sox. I also used to listen to Jon Miller when he was with the Orioles; he is a great broadcaster.

What is your first baseball memory?
As a Red Sox fan, I have sort of been trained to expect the worst in baseball. I remember the Red Sox blowing the ‘78 playoff game against the Yankees. Then the World Series in ’86, I think I still need therapy from that one. In 2003, I was in agony when the Yankees beat the Red Sox in Game Seven, but 2004 was the best feeling in the world when they finally won the World Series.

What do you think of the Nationals and “the plan?”
I think it’s a good plan. It’s like the Tigers, the Rockies and the Diamondbacks trying to develop the farm system rather than spending tens of millions on one player, and it takes time. It’s fun to see players work their way up from the system, like John Lannan.

What are your thoughts on the new ballpark?
It’s going to be a great place to watch the game. The fans in DC deserve it. In order for the plan to be successful the new park is needed. It’s going to be nice that it will have other features besides a great view of the game. The park will allow the fans to enjoy the whole baseball experience. It’s also going to be great to watch baseball with a view of the Capitol.

What’s the hardest part of your job?
Saying goodbye to my kids before long away trips. The trade off is being able to take my family on trips to Philly and New York and spend the long off-season with them.

What’s your favorite park?
My favorite place to watch a game would be Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. They are historic and the atmosphere makes it a special place to watch a game. The great views in Atlanta and Philly make them great places to call a game.Do you prefer the AL or NL?
As a broadcaster, I prefer the NL. There is much more strategy involved and it gives me more to talk about on air. I grew up with the AL however, so I am also used to that style of play.

Can you tell us about a funny on-air blooper?
Last year Charlie was talking about a batter at the plate, he meant to say, “He is checking his swing,” instead he said, “He is checking his thing.” We spent 5 minutes laughing afterwards.

What’s your favorite place in DC?
My son loves the Spy Museum; it’s a fun and interactive place to take the family.

What’s your favorite memory from a Nats game?
It would have to be Zimmerman’s homerun last year against the Yankees. It was a great moment — first because the Yankees were defeated, and second because it was on Father’s Day. I think that moment sent the tone for the future of this club.

If you had a batting song what would it be?
Smooth Operator, because I try to broadcast with a laid back smooth style.

What are your thoughts on Charlie?
We met during the winter caravan last year and hit if off. We seem to bounce off of each other and have a lot of inside humor. We enjoy interaction and laugh with each other. I think it makes it more enjoyable for the listener when they hear the broadcasters having fun.

Any thoughts about trades?
Last year I was surprised that Alfonso didn’t go. The trade deadline might be overrated because teams aren’t trading prospects anymore. I would expect trades would happen at the end of August before the playoff rosters are set.

What is it about baseball that is so special to you?
Everyday is new; you never know what is going to happen. You could see a no hitter, or you could see 3 homers in one game, or you could see a play you’ve never seen before like Zimmerman losing the ball in his shirt. That’s what makes baseball a great game and a fun game to broadcast.

Another question and answer blog — this time with MetsGrrl. You can read our answers here.

1. What do you think of Shea Stadium?
I have a love-hate affair with Shea. I love it because it is so improbably antiquated and because I fell in love with baseball there. I hate it because the seats require extreme force to push down, because the ushers are nasty, because the bathrooms on the upper deck flood during a weekend day game. But I love that the Mets have always played there, and that the Beatles played there. I saw the Who and the Clash play there, and I saw Bruce Springsteen there. Now I am just mad that I didn’t take advantage of having sat on the field level for Springsteen. I walked in through the visitor’s bullpen and then out through the Mets bullpen! I should have paid more attention!!

2. Will you miss it once the new park is there?
Of course I will, because I am a bundle of contradictions. I will hate that it has been torn down and is gone, and I will hate that my seats at the new ballpark will not be nearly as good as they are at Shea, at least for the first few years. However, I am reasonably sure that after a season of not having to jam myself into seats from the 70s and not having to spend half the game yelling at morons to not block my view of home plate, I will get over it.

3. Do you have a favorite section that you always sit in? Season tickets?
I have the Tuesday-Friday plan, which is 25 games this year. I am in the same seats we were in last year, which was my first year as a planholder. I went out to Shea in December when snow was on the field and picked the seats out. I sit in Mezzanine section 12, which is to me the perfect section, because we are straight up from third base, which is a great angle on David Wright and Jose Reyes, and we can see into the Mets dugout, which is always a source of great interest and amusement.

4. How do you get to the games?
“Take the train to the game” - the #7 train, which runs from Times Square to Main Street - Flushing. There is no parking any more (or less than none), because they are building Citi Field in our parking lot, so all the off-street parking is now taken. It takes about an hour for me to get to Shea from my office, which is downtown, near the Holland Tunnel.

5. Are there any fun fan traditions?
We sing “Meet the Mets” every single game, no exceptions. And everybody knows the words, and everybody sings along. Even teenagers there with their parents who would never be caught dead doing something so uncool. Also, I’ll put our fan participation level for the 7th inning stretch against anybody’s. Everybody, repeat, everybody, sings.

6. How do you feel about your in-game entertainment?
We have Jose Reyes giving Spanish lessons, which is the highest of high comedy. The best thing is to watch him and the other Spanish-speaking players while it’s on the Diamondvision. I worry someone is going to break a rib from laughing. Like your park, they’ve decided to try to institute an 8th inning sing-a-long to “Sweet Caroline” which is far more popular than I would like it to be. We boycott it. I hate and despise it. I want something New York-centric. The rest of the in-game entertainment is pretty crappy. I have a soft spot for the Kiss Cam, but that’s only because I want to be on it (and it never, ever goes to the Mezzanine). After going to Wrigley Field, where there is no Diamondvision, I can safely say that if they got rid of everything except “Meet the Mets” and The Jose Reyes Spanish Academy, I wouldn’t miss it at all.

7. Do you have a usual group of people to go to games with?
Strangely enough, most other people I know don’t follow baseball. I have TBF, and now, through writing the blog, I have met other Mets fans. And then of course there are the Section 12 regulars, who are awesome people. Pretty much it’s just me and TBF (aka my other half, for those who do not read MetsGrrl.com though.

8. Any fun/interesting player nicknames?
We call Ramon Castro “Melonhead,” because he has the largest head you have ever seen. Also “Darth” or “Lord Vader” since his at-bat music is the imperial march from Star Wars.

9. What player do you love to hate?
That should be obvious from the answers to #8.

10. Favorite baseball memory:
Right now, it is my trip to Wrigley Field this year. It helps that the Mets actually showed up and played that day. But the entire trip was magic for so many reasons. My second favorite memory is going through the 2006 playoffs with TBF. We were at every single home playoff game. No matter how it ended, we were there for the whole thing and went through it together.

11. Favorite Moment for the Mets:
After they clinched the NL East in 2006, we got in line at the merchandise stand to buy shirts. Of course, the Mets didn’t stop to consider that 50,000 people might be wanting to buy shirts, and they didn’t staff the merchandise booths with extra help, so it took us forever. But this was a good thing, because by the time we were done, we heard someone yell, “The Mets are on the field and they are letting fans down on the field level,” so we ran downstairs and watched the team celebrate on the field. Paul Lo Duca turned on the infield hose and proceeded to spray all of us until one of the groundskeepers turned it off. David Wright walking around with a bottle of champagne and a cigar, shaking hands with every cop, security person, groundskeeper, you name it. Lo Duca and Reyes clearly having one of those “I love you, man!” conversations. Shawn Green and his kids running around the infield. It was all on TV, and you probably saw some of what happened better on tv than we did from where we were standing, but I would never trade that moment for the world.

12. What’s your favorite baseball food, and do you ever get sick of it:
The sandwiches from Mama’s are worth the surcharge you pay for buying them at Shea as opposed to getting off the 7 train in Corona and walking to Mama’s to get them yourself. That said, nothing beats a Nathan’s hot dog. I do get sick of them, however. I love love love the Carvel ice cream with rainbow sprinkles in the mini-batting helmet, but if you saw my house and how many things we use the mini batting helmets for, you would understand why I have only had one this year.

13. My batting song would be “Even Better Than The Real Thing” by U2.

14. My favorite overlooked Mets player: Damion Easley! He’s just such a cool, composed, articulate guy.

We recently had the opportunity to talk to Brian over at Phillies Nation about our division rivals in Philadelphia. We also answered a few questions about the Nationals for Phillies fans. Check it out!

What grade would you give the Phillies in terms of their actions around the trade deadline?

D. Although Kyle Lohse was an ok pickup, the Phils are in desperate need of relievers. I would have liked to see them pursue Eric Gagne.

Do you think there are any holes in the roster that you would like to see filled?

Relief pitching definitely. Add a few more arms to the bullpen, including a legitimate closer will allow Brett Myers to return to the rotation and bolster that area. Hamels, Myers, and Moyer will return, but the fate of Kyle Kendrick, Adam Eaton, Kyle Lohse are still up in the air. Offensively the Phils are set, though it would be nice to have an everyday third-baseman that can hit 10-20 homeruns.

Looking ahead to the offseason, what deals do you anticipate the Phillies making?

I think there might be a trade or two involving one of their youngsters, perhaps Michael Bourn. It depends on if they can resign Aaron Rowand who has been playing every bit like he’s in a contract year. Also not many people realize, that manager Charlie Manuel’s contract is up at the end of the season. A lot of fans dislike him, but players have always responded to him.

What impact has Utley’s absence had on the team heading into the most important stretch of the season?

Surprisingly it has not been as bad as everyone thought. Tad Iguchi has been contributing offensively while adequately manning second base. The Phils have so many offensive weapons - Rollins, Howard, Rowand, and even Burrell - that subtracting Utley and his .336 average from the lineup hasn’t been a total disaster. However, Utley is one of those intangible players that brings something extra to the ballclub. As we approach September his leadership could be missed significantly.

What has been your favorite Phillies moment of the 2007 season?

I think it has to be when Shane Victorino provided the game-winning home run in extra-inning on Shane Victorino day. The Phils were giving away bobble-hip figurines of the Hawaiian-born Victorino and there were all sorts of festivities. As Harry Kalas said, “You couldn’t have scripted it any better.”

Who is your favorite player and why?

Cole Hamles. When kids go to bed they wear Superman pajamas; when Superman goes to bed he wears a Cole Hamels jersey.

What is your favorite Phillies moment of all-time?

The 1993 season was one I will never forget. The Phils don’t make the playoffs very often but when they do, it’s an amazing experience to be in Philly. The team had so many fun players that people could relate to like Kruk, Dykstra, Daulton, and Mitch Williams. Even though it ended in the most horrible of outcomes courtesy of Joe Carter, following them over that fun season was well worth it.

Which game do you prefer…AL or NL?

NL. I’m not a fan of the DH.

What are your thoughts on interleague play? Do you think the Phillies had a fair schedule?

They definitely had a fair schedule…well at least in that they finally produced a winning record in interleague play. I was kind of bummed we didn’t play the Red Sox this year though, that had started to become a fun tradition.

Would you like to see more interleague play in the second half of the season?

Nah, I like that the teams play a lot of divisional games toward the end of the season. Those are high-stakes and make for some quality baseball watching in August and September.

The Phillies are just 3 games behind the Mets and a half a game ahead of the Braves - what are your predictions for the rest of the season? How do you think the Phillies will finish?

2 games behind the Mets, but they will win the Wild Card

In preparation for this series with the Mets, we had the opportunity to talk to a Mets blogger about his team and its future. Amazin Avenue also asked us a few questions about our Nationals.

1. Draft picks - What do you think of your #1 pick RHP Eddie Kunz? (We are very excited about our #1 pick, LHP Ross Detwiler.)

Anytime you can get your top draft pick under contract and back playing ball is exciting. With the Mets’ record last year and their signing of free agents this winter, their first pick didn’t come until #42 overall (Detwiler was #6 overall). Kunz wasn’t dominant in his last year at Oregon State, but he’s a big kid and the Mets are hoping to reproduce the success they have seen with Joe Smith in the bullpen this year. Plus, my wife thinks Kunz is hot, so that’s probably more important than anything he does on the field.

2. Both teams, Mets/Nats, have new stadiums in the works - how do you think playing in a new space will affect the ball club in the future?

It certainly shouldn’t affect their play any, but it will affect the fans and the area around the stadium immensely. I love Shea Stadium, but it’s basically a dump. Citi Field will have all of the amenities and clean bathrooms you come to expect in a new ballpark, but it will be classy and impressive, while understating the fact that it is state-of-the-art. The area around Shea is comprised largely of auto body and chop shops, so cleaning up that area and replacing them with shopping and other commercial properties will be a huge improvement to the community.

3. Its no secret that the Nationals are trying to rebuild and focus on a long term goal. In fact, at the beginning of the 2007 season they were predicted to be as bad at the ‘62 Mets. The Mets have sure come a long way since their ‘62 season. Do Mets fans have any advice for Nats fans on how to stay positive?

The 1962 Mets set futility standards sixteen years before I was born, but you don’t have to go back that far to find lousy Mets teams. As recently as 2004 the Mets lost 91 games, and they lost 95 in 2003. The most important thing is to have a general manager who understands the big picture and who can optimize the resources he is given. The Mets have more resources than most teams, and Omar Minaya understood that. The most important thing he did was to change the perception of the Mets among current and future ballplayers. In 2004, nobody wanted to come to play in Queens. So, Minaya brought in guys like Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran, two big money free agents who have brought credibility to the team that really transcends what they do on the field. If you believe in your GM and you believe that he won’t do anything catastrophically stupid that might jeopardize the long-term success of your team, then there is plenty to be optimistic about.

4. We’re a rebuilding team, but you are strong contenders. What do you think the Mets should be looking for as the trade deadline looms? Could you speculate on the rumors about a trade for Chad Cordero and if that deal were to happen, can you give us some insight about which prospects might be offered up?

Jim Bowden is famous for asking for the moon, and whether or not Cordero gets traded will depend on what Bowden will ultimately settle for. The Mets would love to acquire a pitcher like Cordero, and Omar Minaya especially since he drafted him when he was running the Expos. The names I have heard are Mets AA first-baseman Mike Carp (currently hitting .263/.326/.402) and RHP Kevin Mulvey (8-9, 3.30 ERA). I don’t know if that’s enough to get Cordero, but I also don’t know if the Mets would part with one of their elite prospects, either. I guess we’ll know better in a few days.

5. When and where do you think Tom Glavine will get his 300th win?

Well, considering that he won #299 last night, his next two starts will probably be on Tuesday in Milwaukee and next Sunday in Chicago. The Brewers and Cubs are two of the better teams in the National League right now, and with the way Glavine has been pitching there are no guarantees he’ll get it either of those nights. I feel like it has been something of a distraction to him, so as a Mets’ fan I’m hoping he picks it up sooner rather than later.

6. How does your second half schedule look? What should we expect from the Mets in this year’s post-season?

Lots of games against the Nationals, and a lot of games against the Marlins and Braves, too. Let’s wait until the Mets make the postseason before talking about it; they’re just a few games up on Atlanta and Philadelphia, and you never know what’s going to happen with all of those head-to-head matchups. The Mets’ pitching has been very good, and their hitting is finally starting to come around. I think they’re the best team in the division, and the favorites to win it, but it hasn’t been the cakewalk it was last season. Maybe that’ll be better for them should they make the postseason.

Make sure to check out Amazin Avenue for more on the Mets v. Nats series this weekend!

We’re back for the second half tonight after the short (too short) All-Star break and a short series in Florida. Zimmerman’s ready to go. We’re ready to go. Here’s looking forward to a better second half….one where Austin, Felipe, Church and Zimmerman get more consistent and where potential trade deals meet our approval (i.e…Chief stays in Washington).

It seems natural at this time to reflect on the first half of the season. Where we’ve been – what we’ve seen…in our first season as Nats bloggers and fans.

Our first baseball road trip this year was to the spring training game held in the Orioles AAA Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA. We headed out full of excitement after a long winter without baseball. We left early Friday morning and made it to the beach around 10am. We had plenty of time to explore the area and get settled in for the 2pm game. It was a beautiful day for a sold out baseball game. We sat in the very last row of seats but had a great view of the game and also of the boats in the harbor. The fans were mostly there for the Orioles but we noticed Ryan Zimmerman had quite a few fans in the audience, makes sense since he is from the area.

Although we didn’t win the game, we fell in love with the Nationals all over again that day. The positive influence of Manny Acta was evident right from the beginning. We had hope even when the critics were saying the Nationals would have the worst season ever in baseball. It was our trip to Norfolk, with critics saying our team would be horrible, that gave us the push to start a blog dedicated to the guys that play with heart every single game. They have come such a long way from that last spring training game, and so have we. It’s incredible to think about all these guys have accomplished and we are thankful we have been there to witness some of their great baseball moments. Our mid-season stats are as follows:
We’ve attended over 40 games including 1 in Chicago, 2 in Pittsburgh, 2 in Baltimore and 1 pre-season game in Norfolk, VA.We’ve met some of the other great Nats bloggers including Miss Chatter, Screech’s Best Friend, Nats Power and Bottom Feeder Baseball.

In the first half of the season, we’ve written 130 posts about the Washington Nationals.

We’ve met countless Nationals fans – in other cities or at RFK – that have taught us a lot about the game. We’re still friends with Doug, a Nats fan who we met in Chicago. We’ve met a wonderful couple in Pittsburgh, a group of brothers in Chicago that we ran into again in Baltimore, a mother and her son at RFK getting autographs, some guys on the Metro who thought Kory Casto should “get in there, get hit by pitch or something” and another Nats fan at a bar in Cleveland Park who told that he once told us Tim Russert that it was a “national disgrace that the national pastime wasn’t in the nation’s capitol.” I remember countless children who have entertained us during games – from the group of boys who taught us their “extra, extra” cheers to the little girl who actually ventured her away from her parents to cheer with us, to a little boy who approached me in the Metro – ecstatic that I was wearing a Zimmerman t-shirt. He glowed after getting Jesus Colome’s autograph (his parents asked us on the metro how to get autographs). The Yankees may have more fans, but the Nationals have the best fans. Thank you all for sharing your summer with us.

We also met Bob Carpenter and had a great conversation about baseball. Additionally, we met Dave Jageler; an interview is on the horizon.

Memorable games? You better believe it. Sitting in early April with blankets, that was fun. Fourth of July was also an amazing game. But we will forever be proud to say that we stayed on the eve of Mother’s Day into the early morning hours after two rain delays to see Austin Kearns hit an in-the-park home run and Zimmerman hit a walk-off grand slam to win the game at 2am.

Amazing road-trips? Watching the Nats in Pittsburgh with Kristen’s Dad was a huge moment. Our trips to Chicago and Pittsburgh were both amazing, wonderful experiences. Even Baltimore was kind of a fun mini-road trip. We’re looking forward to New York and Philadelphia.What else? We got yelled at by Manny for “not being ready” to get our picture. Our autographed balls are nearly full. We finally got to watch batting practice in Pittsburgh. We’ve taken pictures with Micah Bowie, Manny Acta, the Coach, Stan Kasten, Ryan Wagner, James Carville and the presidents. Haven’t caught a foul ball yet, but Ayala did throw us one from the bullpen.

Yeah – it’s been a fun season so far….with plenty more wonderful memories to come.

Oh when I look back now

The summer seemed to last forever

And if I had the choice

Ya - I’d always wanna be there

Those were the best days of my life…

Bryan Adams

During our road trip to Pittsburgh, the three of us had a unique but wonderful opportunity to sit down with Nationals play by play announcer, Bob Carpenter for a conversation about baseball, his career, and the Washington Nationals.

Bob started off by telling us a story about a young fan who asked why all ballparks aren’t the same size with the same dimensions. He said that the beauty of the game is the differences between all of ballparks.

Q: So can you tell us about your day to day routine?

A. My morning routine? Today’s not the best day to ask because I slept in! We usually have great gyms in our hotels so I try to work out as much as I can. We’ll often try to find a great golf course nearby. We golf a couple times a week. Everyday, I spend about 45 minutes on the internet working on my scorebook and updating lineups.

A. I also get to interact with players a lot, but you have to read them right. You must gauge the situation; know who is hitting well and who isn’t, who is ok with talking to the press and who shies away from it. You definitely can’t talk to the same person everyday, you won’t get a positive response and as you learn more about the guys, you can figure this out.

Q. Did you always want to be a sports broadcaster?

A. In high school I realized I wasn’t good enough to play baseball and decided that calling games would be a great fit. I love the game. In 1984 I got my first job in the industry with the Cardinals, in my hometown; it was on a cable network. By 1995 I was back with the Cardinals and stayed for 12 years. Eventually more and more games were being moved to cable channels and I wanted something more full time. I heard about an opening in Washington, and sent in my resume. I interviewed on a cold, dreary day in February 06 first in Baltimore at the MASN offices and then at RFK. I spent the night in Baltimore and flew home the next day. Two weeks later I received the call that I had gotten the job.

Q. So how do you like Washington?

A. I love the city, just not the traffic! I am appreciative that the people and friends here made me feel welcome.

Q. How do you like working with Don Sutton?

A. I like working with Don. He’s a student of the game, a great source of information and knowledge on pitching. I’ve learned a lot from him already and I think we have great on-air rapport. You know, it’s a funny story how we met. While working for the Texas Rangers in 1986 I announced a game in Anaheim against the Angels. At the time only the visiting teams broadcast was aired. During the game Don Sutton beat the Rangers and won his 300th game. I called the game and congratulated him on air. When we met again years later, Don thanked me for my professionalism in handling the situation.

Q. Favorite DC monument?

A. It would have to be the Capitol Dome lit up at night. It conveys so much power. When I drive past it on 395, it’s just phenomenal at night. I’m excited to see it form the new ballpark.

Q. What do you like about the new stadium?

A. I like how it is going to be built and put together, its going to be a jewel, not concrete and steel like other stadiums. It will be different looking, striking.

Q. Are you an NL or AL guy?

A. I grew up with no DH. I just like the game better when their isn’t one. I don’t think the AL will ever get rid of the DH but I wish they would because it makes the games so much longer.

Q. If you could play catch or announce with anyone who would it be?

A. Babe Ruth, I have no interest in seeing him hit or throw, but it would be nice to ask him what the game was like back then. I would also ask him what Yankee Stadium was like. For a living player it would be Stan Musial (Stan the Man) when he played for the Cardinals he was “the” guy for 22 years. I would ask him how the game has changed.

Q. What is your ultimate baseball fantasy?

A. Watching a game at Ebbets Field, the Brooklyn Dodgers vs. the NY Giants, or watching the Yankees and the Cardinals in the World Series in the 1920’s or 1940’s. My present day fantasy would be to watch the Nationals in the World Series.

Q. Would you want to call those games or watch?

A. Ah, that’s tough. I think I would just want to watch. I would want to take it all in. Although, calling the game would be great too.

Q. What is your first baseball memory?

A. I was 7 and went to my first game with my Dad; it was the Cardinals vs. the Pirates. We sat in the upper deck on the first base side. Under the lights the players in white looked like angels to me. I was hooked.

Q. If you could pick a batting song what would yours be?

A. Probably the theme from The Natural, although it has nothing to do with my playing ability, it just sounds like baseball.

Q. Do you have a funny on air blooper you’d like to share?

A. Shawn Hillegas was pitching against the Rangers in Comiskey Park in Chicago. He was two outs away from throwing a complete game. The camera showed his wife in the stands, and she was excited about the situation. I said, “She is about to watch her husband go all the way for the first time this year!” Going all the way was the term for throwing a complete game, but it can be taken in other contexts also!

Kristen later remembered that she went to the same high school as Shawn Hillegas. His Dad still lives in her small rural town in PA.

Sitting down to talk to Bob Carpenter was a wonderful experience for all of us. We already had a lot of respect for him, both for his career and his love of the game. His warm personality quickly made us all feel like old friends and made our experience that much more enjoyable. You can catch Bob Carpenter with Don Sutton nightly on MASN, or pick up his scorebook in the Team Store or online. Also, check out Screech’s Best Friend’s interview with Bob’s sidekick.

Photos Featured:
Bob Carpenter, MASNSports.com
Don Sutton, SportsEncylopedia.com
New Nationals Park, Ballparks.com
Stan Musial, Allposters.com