Clippard Up

Wells down.

Can't say that I am surprised. Wells is a failed starter who was failing in every capacity as a reliever. Unable to throw strikes is no way to go through life, son.

Clippard was closing at Cuse, so in the off chance MacDougal needs a day off (that would be a good thing) or implodes (bad thing), he will probably be given the first shot. Everyone else in the pen has already failed to some degreee.

Some notes from Saturday

First, we don't talk about it here. Ever. Until it is over.

Second, the Kip Wells experiment nearly blew up tonight. Fortunately Joel Hanrahan was able to find three pitches relatively close to the strike zone to retire Chad Tracy's corpse. Bullpen-by-committee is good decision. Win as a team and lose as a team. There isn't one guy qualified to slam the door in the ninth, but they have several different styles, and each can be used to get an out at the right time. Given the lack of innings by their starters, what the Nats need to do is find that Brad Ziegler-type middle reliever to bridge the 6th to the 8th.

And congratulations to Elijah Dukes, who today was nominated for the Major League Baseball Hall of Shame by getting picked off first base three times in a single week. Way to go kid! Somebody email the Elias Sports Bureau and see if this is a record.

And I apologize for suggesting that Adam Dunn would be able to immediately improve his value to the team by moving to first base. It looks like that will be a work in progress.

Live Long and Prosper

Missed the game(s)* for Star Trek... the choice was out of my hands. Kip Wells with a save? Yeah, I doubt that will be a permanent fixture.

* Nothing against Star Trek... just not something I'd prefer to be waiting in line to see. Hockey, basketball also would have been adequate substitutes.