Capital
Game 68: June 19, 2006
Nationals (32-40), 3
Red Sox (40-28), 6
L: Tony Armas, Jr. (6-4)
W: Kyle Snyder (1-0)
H: Jermaine Van Buren (2)
H: Javier Lopez (2)
H Rudy Seanez (3)
S: Mike Timlin (1)
Of course, the Washington Nationals aren’t the successors to the Washington Senators but rather the Montreal Expos. Major League Baseball has fled the District of Columbia twice before; in 1960 the team became the Minnesota Twins and in 1971 yet another incarnation of the Senators departed to become the Texas Rangers. The Nationals received their name from two teams of the 1880s. It’s a shame the franchise didn’t chose to honor the Homestead Grays of the Negro League instead. Despite the oversight, perhaps the third time is the charm for a franchise in the District.
The third team seemed to be the charm for Kyle Snyder. The strapping righty (6'8", 215 pounds) was originally drafted by the Devil Rays (also known as best party farm system) in 1996 and then again by the Royals in 1999. Snyder garnered his fourth career win with a line of five innings pitched, four hits, three earned runs, no walks, six strikeouts, and two home runs. The longballs he gave up to the Joses, Vidro and Guillen, were both solo shots. Could Snyder be this year’s version of the last year’s Aaron Small?
It’s remarkable how run support can raise a mediocre pitcher’s game. Coco Crisp, Gabe Kapler, and Alex Cora of the bottom third of the order combined for four RBIs, out-producing the other two-thirds of the lineup.
Representing the top third, Mark Loretta just missed a homer in the fourth inning, his clout richocheting just a few feet below the top of the wall, but scurried to second for a stand-up double. Loretta could have scored on Ortiz’s ground ball to center but was out at home on an outfield assist by Marlon Byrd. Jerry Remy was of the mind that Manny Ramirez should have been in position to direct his second baseman on whether or not to slide, but Brian Schneider seemed to have the plate blocked regardless.
Ramirez remedied this lapse with a soaring spaceshot over the wall in the eighth. With his 18th home run of the season the left fielder surpassed the career tater total of Carl Yastrzemski.
Comments
Saw your interview on the front page of redsoxnation.net. Nice job!
I agreed with Remy on that Loretta/Manny play. If you look at the way he hit the plate, it shows that Loretta was kind of shocked that all of a sudden he was involved in a close play. Loretta doesn't seem like the type who'd just decide not to slide on a close play at home. If that were the case, and he was just going to run through, knowing it was that close, he would've kept sprinting through the plate, with one big step to hit it on his way by. Instead, it looked like he was ready to do the little casual stutter step to hit it, thinking there was no play. At the last second, his step was a foot in front of the plate, so he kind of dragged it to touch it when he realized he was getting tagged. Usually dudes get down on their knees and make wild motions to tell the person to slide, and Manny did nothing. I usually defend Manny, but he just forgot to tell Loretta to slide in that case. I think.
jere ∙ 20 June 2006 ∙ 10:47 AM
I'm glad you liked the interview, Jere.
Manny was probably thinking about snow cones with Pena (Matt's theory) or if he has enough doo rags for the homestand (my hypothesis).
Joanna
∙ 20 June 2006 ∙
3:29 PM
Joanna is a crazy person. Manny clearly prefers the skull caps now over the do rags.
Matt ∙ 21 June 2006 ∙ 12:12 PM