Washington Nationals

 There have been a number of developments over the past week with regard to the health of both the Washington Nationals and their farmhands. The biggest story in terms of its impact on the team is the status of Ryan Zimmerman.

Despite Craig Stammen's second consecutive strong start, the lights-out performance of the bullpen, and even Nyjer Morgan's clutch hitting, the Nationals lost 4-3 in a 13-inning thriller to the Dodgers.

The loss drops the club back to .500 and saw them squander a chance to beat one of the best pitchers in the National League, Clayton Kershaw.

It all came down to the bottom of the 13th inning.

With a late-inning rally the Nationals were able to pull past the Rockies last night to win 6-4 and improve their season record to 8-7.

Washington Nationals top prospect Stephen Strasburg pitched five strong innings today allowing only one hit. The righty struck out six and walked only one batter. So far on the season for AA-Harrisburg he has pitched 12.1 innings, allowed one earned run on seven hits and three walks. He has also struck out 17 batters.

SYRACUSE CHIEFS - AAA

Regardless on how bad the previous season ended, there is always a glimmer of hope on Opening Day that those doom and gloom days are behind you.

For more than 80 years there was a common phrase in Boston, "This Year is the Year", and for the most part all fans believe that for their favorite teams.

One thing that keeps this hope alive is the roar of the home crowd, or the booing of a bad call.  These things unite strangers who share three to four hours together at the ball park.

Six seasons ago, fans welcoming baseball back to Washington gave standing ovations to the bat boys. What the Washington Nationals did on the field didn’t matter back in 2005.

That a team roamed the vast expanse of RFK Stadium again was all that mattered.

Wins? Eh—they’d be nice but….

Nationals.com beat reporter Bill Ladson is reporting that Garrett Mock has been named the team’s fifth starter.

Heaven help us all.

Since Elijah Dukes’ release a few weeks ago, one of the main questions coming out of Viera Florida was just exactly who was going to be part of the team’s platoon in right field in 2010.

It didn’t take long for manager Jim Riggleman to announce that veteran utility player Willie Harris would be the left-handed component of the platoon.

Listed below, are the points and counterpoints about whether Adam Dunn can be a competent defensive first baseman:

Point: Yes, he is athletic enough to make the transition.

Counterpoint: No, he hasn't shown the ability to play any position well and it isn't going to start now.

P: Well, he is a former major-college quarterback.

CP: The Texas Longhorns were in the process of moving him to tight end. He would have ended up on the defensive line when it was all said and done.