The Day After

Nats320
In the first game by all the major league players traded in yesterdays big Nats/Reds 8 player trade, no one escaped the night without making crucial mistakes in their first games with their new clubs. In tonight's 7-4 loss to the Pirates in Pittsburgh, Felipe Lopez botches a line drive off the bat of Pirates Catcher Ronny Paulino that eventually leads to a run, and strikes out with the base loaded. Austin Kearns swings at the very first pitch he sees in the first inning, with Soriano on 3rd and grounds out to end the inning. Then, swings again at the first pitch he sees in the 8th, with the bases loaded in a 5-4 game when the Pirates bring in reliever Matt Capps to pitch to Austin. Kearns does throw out Jack Wilson trying to score to end the 8th with a nice giving it all, off the feet throw to the plate that Schneider nicely blocks and makes the tag.
Over in Cincinnati, Aaron Harang pitches a shutout through 7 innings against Colorado when Jerry Narron called on Gary Majewski for the 8th. Majewski first faces former teammate, Jamey Carroll, who grounds a double down the left field line. Clint Barmes singles Carroll to 3rd and Todd Helton flys to Griffey Jr in center to score Carroll. After Matt Holliday flys out to right, Garret Atkins reaches on a bad fielding error by Royce Clayton on a routine ground ball. Narron then takes out Majewski and brings in Kent Mercker who retires the side. Bray did not get into the 3-1 Reds win.
Nerves were the factor in tonight's play for the traded players. Its difficult to adjust, in 24 hours, and play for a team that you don't know much about. Give them all time and things will even out.
On another note, our pitching really looks bad. Just awful. And, it pissed me off to read that, according to Bill Ladson at Nationals.com, that Jose Guillen had a talk with Frank complaining about hitting 7th in the lineup. Jose, I love singing your song, but, you have to start getting on base and knocking in runs. You need to just play and shut up!! You are suppose to be a leader, act like one!!