For All the Hype...

Tim Hudson was the better pitcher last night. Both teams' defenses were doing the pitcher no favors, and while Strasburg's best produced those dramatic strikeouts, he also let a couple batters off the hook. Hudson's pitch count elevated early, but still cruised through seven and left for a pinch hitter with a comfortable lead.

More miserable decisions likely cost the Nats a run or two in the earlier innings, such as getting Pudge thrown out stealing, or sacrificing Desmond with a runner on second and Nyjer and Strasburg on deck. Heinous decisions, yes. Would they have changed the complexion of the game? Possibly, though I still think Hudson had the gear to get out of those jams regardless.

And Dibble does have the right to go nuclear on the state of the defense. These are more talented players executing at the same level as the fodder taking the field for 100 loss teams. How does Morgan go to third with one out. Jimmy Dugan would have him bawling in the dugout for that.