DCDiehard

On this topic. I wonder if anyone knows. Why was Steve Stone a mediocre with the Cubs, then have some good years with the White Sox and then -- won 25 games and a Cy Young award with the Orioles. Did he ever say on the air? :?:

Sammy and Corey have fan reaction in common: "Sosa watched the game from the dugout because of a slump that's lasted almost a month. "Based on productivity, one could argue that the Orioles have gone without Sosa for a long time. But for the first time during his slump, he was held out of the lineup. "Sosa, who has one hit in his last 34 at-bats, met for 35 minutes behind closed doors with Mazzilli and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Flanagan two hours before Saturday's game. When the meeting ended, the Orioles posted a batting order excluding the team's most famous slugger. "I get a day off, two days off, three days off -- whatever it takes," Sosa said. Mazzilli "wants me to relax. I'm not the only one who has been there. All the good players get into a tough situation, but I'll be all right." "Sosa is batting .213 since June 4, but his hitting struggles became especially worrisome during the past week. A legendary power hitter, Sosa hasn't hit a ball out of the infield since Monday night. He's hitless in his last 15 at-bats and, on Friday, Orioles' fans booed him heartily each time he came to the plate. "A day after he was booed, Sosa seemed battered by the abuse. He bristled when asked if it bothered him to be benched ("It's one day. What's the big deal?") or to be booed ("I don't worry about the crowd."). His only focus, he said, is to shake out of a slump" -- Washington Post (excerpt)

Some have said that the Nationals have a poor road record. Don't look now, but it is the second best in the league -- to go along with the best home record. My firends on the Nats boards were kinda agreed that they would just win 1 of 3 in Chicago. But the Nats formula seems to be holding up okay: good pitching, somehow manufacture 4 runs -- and great defense. Who could have predicted 18 games over .500? None of us did. Now as for Cubs games with Atlanta and Florida -- you'll find a lot of Nats fans rooting with the Cubs!

As DC Diehard, I have been die hard for the Cubs -- all these years. Now I have a new sweetheart -- Diehard for the Nats. I don't watch the Cubs as much now -- but when I do (and in person in DC) they seem flat. Even when they won the Friday night game -- it just seemed ho hum. Now the fans booing Corey -- gotta be taking a toll. Nats TV showed Prior banging his helmet against the bench (good thing those helmets are strong!) Doesn't look like any chemistry at all. Nats -- what you you say? They just win. Lots of injuries another guy comes in and plays great. Jamey Carroll hits 8-hoppers and bloops to beat the Cubs. Pitching has been great. Relief pitching has been even better. The stats are deceptive because the Nats get blown out in a game, then quietly go along and win 5 one-run (or close) games in a row. The numbers say they should be .500. And -- their fielding has been great. Today Byrd took away a double that would have put runners on 2nd, 3rd. No one out. And that Schneider pick off yesterday -- wow. Ok, they've been lucky too. The Cubs should be so lucky (and I wish they would be after Sunday. )