Nationals pitchers John Lannan and Craig Stammen visited with 10 children and their families at The Children's Inn at NIH yesterday, their first visit to the facility which houses children receiving treatment for life-threatening diseases at NIH. The Inn was decorated for Halloween--some children already in their costumes for the evening's Halloween party--and an air of excitement surrounded the day's activities.

"Our mission is to take kids minds off of why they come here," said Meredith Daly, a Media Relations Coordinator at the Inn. "They come here for really difficult journeys, they're going through life-threatening illnesses and if we can raise their spirits and make them feel a little bit better when they come, we've done our job."

Lannan partnered with The Children's Inn through the Lannan's Cannons program, created mid-way through the 2009 season, in which he hosted children and their families from the Inn for a day of fun at the ballpark. Along with tickets and food vouchers for the game, John named The Children's Inn his beneficiary for the $7,500 donation he received when he was nominated for the 2009 Roberto Clemente Award. The visit began with a check presentation to the Inn in front of the fireplace.

Lannan, Stammen and the kids then settled in for a reading of everyone's favorite baseball book: "Casey at the Bat". The kids (and Stammen) listened intently as Lannan told them the story of mighty Casey up to bat with the game on the line. After hearing about baseball the kids were ready to enjoy the fall weather and play ball on the sports court. They lined up for a chance to throw to John and Craig. Everyone had a great time running and playing with the Major Leaguers.

"Anything like this makes the stay that much easier and keeps the days a little bit more optimistic and more upbeat," Colleen Paduani said, the mother of Quinn (Minnie Mouse) and Declan. "The Inn is the greatest place to get away--almost like a vacation when it comes to the kids. There's just so much stuff going on here it makes it not so bad. It's like a second family."

When the children had their fill of the outdoors they returned inside to find "Screech" waiting for them with Build-A-Bear Screech dolls and baseball cards for everyone. The players and Screech signed autographs and talked to the kids a bit longer before it was time to get ready for the evening's Halloween party.

"This whole thing sparked up during the middle of the season. I've been trying to come out here the whole year," Lannan said. "It's just great that I was in the area and I was able to come out here and see the kids. They came to the games and supported us. I want to come here today and show our support for them. Overall, it was a great visit."

"It's good we can come out here when the season's over and connect with the kids, get out there on the playground and have a taste of fun," Stammen added. "It's great to help out the community when we get helped out on the field."

Lannan and Stammen walked with the kids to the Halloween party at NIH's main building and spent time greeting patients, playing games, being wrapped up like mummies and celebrating with the group.

"It keeps you humbled," Lannan said. "It keeps you grounded. I'm grateful to be in a place where I get to give back. They are sick--I'm glad I can be here and have fun with them."

It was a rollercoaster season for Josh Willingham. He found himself on the bench in April and unable to hit in September. Baseball is all about managing the highs and lows. The Florence, Ala. native with a southern drawl and a hankering for hearty handshakes made the middle of the season memorable. And how could we forget the night of July 27, 2009? He never will. His two grand slams in the same game are ingrained in his hippocampus like his name in the history books.

There have been 17 perfect games.  There have been 15 four home run games but just 13 players have hit two slams in the same game. Welcome to the club Willingham. The odds are nearly impossible--there is a better chance you are randomly selected from a hat filled with every American's name. "It was pretty unbelievable," Willingham said. "That's about all I can say really. You don't get a chance to do something like that."

He started the season as a spot starter in the outfield. He didn't get daily at-bats and struggled to find his grove at the plate with occasional pinch-hits and starts in right field. He started only eight games in April and batted .143 (5-for-35) with one home run and two RBI. It was Willingham's first time that he wasn't an everyday starter. It was unfamiliar territory for him and he never got used to it. He never had too.

The once cluttered outfield cleared out and he became a regular starter in the outfield. From the beginning of May to August 25, Willingham batted .320 (91-for-284) with 20 home runs, 54 RBI and an OBP of .419.

"You have to be able to play to get in your rhythm, routine, groove, whatever you want to call it," Willingham said. "I have never been a pinch-hitter and that was something I had to get used to. I had never really done it, so yeah, playing every day was the key to the success."

For as productive as August 25 was--Willingham went 4-for-4 with six  RBI and five runs to raise his average over .300 for the season--the rest of the season was a constant struggle as he watched his average precipitously fall to .260. From August 26 to the end of the season, Willingham batted .139 (15-for-108) with three home runs, five RBI, 16 walks and 35 strikeouts. He ended the season with a .260 batting average, 24 home runs and 61 RBI. Don't worry he is already over it.

Willingham will enter the 2010 season with a starting spot in left field, batting fifth behind Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn. He will be counted on to start everyday and that could mean--if he avoids the injury bug--a career year... make that a 30 home run and 100-plus RBI season.

Mike Morse

If you were to look up "Jack of All Trades" in the fictitious picture dictionary, there is a good chance Mike Morse would be there. Originally a shortstop, Morse has played right field, left field, first base and third base during his career. While his 6-foot-5 frame may seem a little big for a middle infielder, he feels that he still has what it takes to play there. He also has a good head on his shoulders and will play any position to get on the field.

"People don't look at me as a second baseman, same as shortstop," Morse said. "But if I play, I'm going to play as hard as I can... If they tell me to catch, I'll put the gear on."

Originally drafted by the White Sox in 2000, Morse was traded to the Mariners in 2004 and made his Major League debut with them in 2005. During the next few years, he was plagued with injuries and only appeared in 35 games from 2006-2008. On April 1, he was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma. On June 28, he was traded to the Nats for outfielder Ryan Langerhans. In his first season with the Nats, Morse began at Triple-A Syracuse but he made his way to the Majors on August 17. He appeared in 32 games, starting seven.

Morse has proven he can hit. In the Minors he hit .322/.383/.511 with 16 home runs and 86 RBI. While his numbers in the Majors aren't as productive, they are misleading because he is a spot starter and has never been able to get daily at-bats. Morse's best positions are first base and third base, places where the Nats do not need help. He was used primarily as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement, cutting down on his ability to put up good numbers.

"I think Mike has become a professional hitter with the White Sox, Mariners and over here with us, but where ever he is, there is someone in the way," Interim Manager Jim Riggleman said.

While Morse would love to have a shot at playing second again, his biggest asset is his versatility and flexibility. He is willing to do whatever the team needs of him in order to keep playing. Once the Nationals find a spot for him, there is no doubt he will find success there.

Drew Storen, 22, is now playing for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League and is writing for Notes for NatsTown. Be sure to follow the tenth overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft as he writes for Notes from NatsTown and gives you an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the AFL and his climb to the Major Leagues. Here is his third post... (Post ONE... Post TWO)

Thanks for checking back in. Sorry I don't post more; I am usually pretty exhausted once I get back from the field. Things are pretty much the same, our offense keeps going on a tear, and we keep trucking towards getting another ring for the Desert Dogs. Seems like every day we have someone else step up in a key spot and get a big hit for us.

Strasburg threw again today and was dominating again. Glad to see him bounce back and stay confident. He is obviously an extremely talented player, but also very cerebral and has the ability to step back and make the necessary adjustments to be successful.

In my free time this past week, I have been able to have a little bit of fun. I am a country music fan, so I got to go see Lady Antebellum here at the Phoenix State Fair. It was actually my first country concert and I went with a few guys on the team so it was very cool. I also had a chance to go eat at one of my favorite places this weekend, Fogo de Chao, and if you've been before, you know how great it is.

It's crazy to think the end of next week is the halfway point of being down here, it seems like we haven't been down here very long. I guess that is what happens with a 35 game schedule.

A lot of people ask what it is like to play with guys from other organizations. It is a lot of fun, the baseball world is very small and one way or another you have a connection with someone else just because of a common friend or teammate. Along the same lines, there is a chance you will play with or against them at another point so it's cool to gain new friendships and meet new guys that you could be seeing down the road.

Since the last entry, I had a defeat in my life. I lost in the goatee contest. Since I had been down here, I told Strasburg (Since all through college he had the Big League goatee) that I could grow a bigger and better one. After using my mirror and seeing that it was not a good look, and the inability to properly maintain it, I seceded from the challenge. Tough loss but I think I can bounce back.

Thanks for checking in, please shoot me questions via the comments section below or on my twitter, I am here to please the readers, so whatever you want to know... please ask!

Sean Burnett

Burnett was acquired in the same trade that brought Nyjer Morgan over from Pittsburgh and immediately boosted the Nationals' struggling bullpen. The hard-throwing left-hander became one of the most reliable arms out of the 'pen this season before being sidelined by a bruised thumb on August 23rd. He was never put on the disabled list, but the injury decreased his playing time significantly.

Burnett began his career as a starting pitcher in the Pirates system. He enjoyed a fair amount of success as he worked his way up through the Minors. He made his Major League debut in 2004 and went 5-5 with a 5.02 ERA in 13 starts. Unfortunately, an injury late in that season led to Tommy John surgery and Burnett missed the entire 2005 season. He remained a starting pitching in the Minors in 2006 and 07. He became a full time reliever in 2008 and appeared in 58 games for the Pirates after he was called up at the beginning of May.

Burnett's strongest assets include his command of the strike zone and his unusual pitching motion. He is a sidearm pitcher and throws across his body, causing the ball to take a different path to the plate than most players are used to. Even though he is left-handed, he is almost as effective against righties as he is against lefties (See chart). It appears that left-handed hitters do not get on base as often as right-handed hitters but lefties do hit the ball harder when they make contact. 

  After playing a stunning season at third base, Ryan Zimmerman's defensive prowess and acrobatic grace were rewarded when he was named the first ever ESPN Web Gem Champion. For those who have never watched Baseball Tonight, a Web Gem is an honor bestowed on the five greatest defensive plays of each night. As we've tracked at various times in this blog, Zimmerman has collected the most Web Gems (19) and Web Gem points (61) this season (points are on a scale of 1-5 with five going to the No. 1 Web Gem and one going to the No. 5 Web Gem). He also led the Nationals to victory in team Web Gem points. Zimmerman is in some good company at the top of the leaderboard. Former Virginia teammate Mark Reynolds finished behind him with 53 points.

Some interesting facts about the 2009 Web Gems, from Buster Olney's blog on ESPN.com:

-          309 different players made at least one Web Gem in 2009

-          Every team made at least 15 Web Gems this season

-          A total of 776 Web Gems and 2,357 Web Gem Points were awarded

  Winning this award has confirmed to Nationals fans what we have already known all along: Zimmerman is good at the hot corner. Baseball Info Solutions, a statistic tracking company that charted every defensive play in 2009, ranked him second in the Majors in "Good Fielding Plays" behind Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols. We can also measure his success using the Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR). UZR measures the number of runs above or below average a fielder is in both range runs, outfield arm runs, double play runs and error runs combined. UZR/150 measures his UZR over 150 defensive innings played. This year, Zimmerman had a UZR/150 of 14.1 which is tops in the National League for third basemen (Kevin Kouzmanoff of the Padres is second at 7.5). Just for comparison's sake, Zimmerman's counterpart on the Mets--David Wright--ranks last in qualifying third basemen with a UZR/150 of -10.1.

Congratulations, Ryan! We look forward to hearing your name when they announce the Gold Glove Awards later this year.

Below is the final Web Gem Leaderboard:

Ian Desmond

After being drafted in the third round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, shortstop Ian Desmond made his long-awaited Major League debut on September 11, 2009. His Big League career got off to a picture perfect start when he went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run in his debut.

Offensively, Desmond exploded this year. After being a career .247/.313/.373 hitter during his first five Minor League seasons, he went .330/.401/.477 in the Minors this season. Even though he didn't hit at that same clip in the Majors, he still tore the cover off the ball. In 21 games during the month of September, he hit .280/.318/.561 with seven doubles, three triples and four home runs.

"This is a year where balls fell in," Desmond said. "I changed my approach to the plate. I'm a lot more confident with two strikes. Besides that, I'm just getting hits. I'm hitting the ball on the ground a lot more, which is creating base hits."

In 2009, Baseball America's Best Tools Survey named Desmond "Best infield Arm" in the Nationals system. While he has a strong throwing arm, he has cast some doubts due to his recklessness, collecting 28 errors in the Minors and six in the Majors. However, he is a good athlete and has great range in the field.

"He is very comfortable," Interim Manager Jim Riggleman said. "He knows he can play here. He's fielding the ball nicely, throwing to first nicely, [has good] communication with the other [players]. He was a real boost for us."

As of now, Desmond looks to be the shortstop of the future for the Nationals, potentially moving Cristian Guzman over to second base. In preparation for this, Desmond will spend time in the Dominican Republic this winter playing for the Licey Tigers with teammate Elijah Dukes.

Tyler Clippard

Right-handed pitcher Tyler Clippard experienced a metamorphosis of sorts this season. After being a starter for his entire career, Clippard was moved into the bullpen. He began the season in Syracuse and was promoted to the Majors on June 25 and appeared in 41 games this season, going 4-2 with a 2.69 ERA.

Clippard didn't earn a spot in the Nationals rotation after Spring Training and was sent down to Syracuse to start the season. It was there that then-pitching coach Steve McCatty turned Clippard into a reliever. He went 4-1 with a 1.92 ERA and a .150 BAA in 24 games (one start) while in the Minors and did not allow an earned run in 19.0 consecutive innings (14 games) from May 18-June 23. After being brought up to the Majors on June 21, he ended up going 4-2 with a 2.69 ERA in 41 appearances.

Clippard has always been especially strong against left-handed batters. This year, righties hit .234/.360/.500 against him while lefties hit .122/.217/.226.  As he faced both righties and lefties almost equally, 114 and 132 plate appearances respectively, the huge difference between the two is no anomaly. This has been the trend through his short career, even as a starter righties hit .269/.379/.911 and lefties hit .167/.269/.317. It is still early but the numbers indicate that Clippard is a "reverse-splits" pitcher, as his splits are the opposite of what one would assume for a right-handed pitcher. 

"He's still a work in progress," Interim Manager Jim Riggleman said. "He's got to get a little better at commanding his fastball, but he's really a rare exception to put up good numbers in spite of that. So that just shows you the quality of his other pitches."

Now a little more comfortable in his role as a reliever, Clippard's stock is rising. He proved to be a reliable tool in a shaky Nationals bullpen. Clippard now has his sights set on a new goal, to become a closer and is ready to do what it takes to get there.

"Absolutely. I'd love to be able to close," Clippard said. "But at this point in my career, I'm a young guy in the Big Leagues.

 J.D. Martin

After pitching phenomenally well in Triple-A Syracuse, J.D. Martin made his Major League debut with the Washington Nationals on July 20. While his first few starts were a bit rusty he eventually garnered his first Major League win on August 9 against Arizona.

Prior to the 2009 season, Martin spent eight years in the Cleveland Indians system. He overcame a number of arm problems along the way which culminated with Tommy John surgery in 2005. The surgery was a success and in 2008 he was named to the Eastern League All-Star team. Following a stellar 2008 season, the Nationals signed Martin to a Minor League contract as a way to bolster their pitching staff.

Martin more than proved his worth while pitching with the Syracuse Chiefs this season. He went 8-3 with a 2.66 ERA which earned him an All-Star selection and his eventual call-up to the Majors. He was voted Best Control in the International League in Baseball America's annual Best Tools survey voted upon by league managers and earned the Nationals Triple-A Pitcher of the Month distinctions in May and June.

One place where Martin surprised many people was on the basepaths. In his second Major League start, after not having any plate appearances in his eight years with Cleveland, Martin drew a walk and went from first to third on a single by Nyjer Morgan, sparking a five-run rally (see what he had to say about it here). While he didn't bat enough to make any significant contributions to the Nationals offense, it was great seeing him contribute to the team on the basepaths as well as on the mound.

In the Minors, Martin was a serious strikeout pitcher with great command of the strike zone and a well-crafted curveball. In 88 innings pitched, he had a strikeout/walk ratio of 6.30 (63/10). These numbers dipped in the Majors where he had a K/BB ratio of 1.54 (37/24 in 77 IP) because of the difference in hitting ability between the Major and Minor Leagues. Martin was still a key asset for the club, going 5-4 with a 4.44 ERA. What his won/loss record doesn't say, however, is that the team was 10-5 when Martin started, which is the best out of all Nationals starters this year. If Martin can continue his success into Spring Training, he will compete for the fourth or fifth spot in the rotation in 2010.

Willie Harris

Willie Harris has always been a fan favorite because of his easy going personality and his ability on the field. The versatile utility player saw plenty of action this year, appearing in 137 games and showing that, with regular play, he can be a productive member of the team.

As he has done throughout most of his career, Harris came off the bench to pinch hit, pinch run and as a defensive sub in 2009. He started a combined 82 games at second base, third base and all three outfield positions this season. While his favorite position is second base, his speed and range rank him among the best Nationals outfielders so he spent the majority of his time in center field when Nyjer Morgan went down with an injury.

While Harris couldn't match his career season last year (.251/.344/.417), he came pretty close to it this season, batting .235/.364/.393. Harris, 31, can still move on the basepaths. Last season, he stole 13 bases with 16 attempts, a success rate of 81.25%. This year he stole 11 bases with 15 attempts, a rate of 73.33%.

Harris has a great attitude for the game, which makes him so easy to cheer for. He is a team player that can always be counted on for a few good laughs. The Nationals have Harris signed through next season, so you can look forward to him adding that spark off of the bench again next year.

Alright I am back again, thanks for all those who read and responded with your comments after the first entry! One comment alluded to intro/warm-up music. The warm-up/intro music is a new cultural aspect to professional baseball that is becoming more of a big deal each day. When I was at Stanford, I used "Rock You Like A Hurricane" for the first month or so of my freshman year, then changed to "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" shortly after and used that for the rest of my stay at school. I've only been able to pick my warm-up music for one of my stops in Pro Ball so far, in High-A Potomac. I used WWE's Triple H's intro music (Minus the water spray for those wrestling fans out there) for a game until I switched back to "Long Cool Woman." I guess for now I will stick with that, but I am always open to suggestions. 

I just got back from our game in Peoria in time to see the Angels pull out a victory in extras. We continued our quest for another Desert Dog championship ring today by defeating the Saguaros of Peoria. In my one inning, I faced my former Stanford teammate Jason Castro. It was tough to throw to a guy who spent a whole season calling your outings; I almost changed my approach in an attempt to get him out. He prevailed by drawing a 3-2 walk. One thing I have learned about these day games is not to fall into the trap of snacking on the leftover chips and soda from the pregame meal. We wait to eat until we get back to our home clubhouse, but after the first road day game, I succumbed to my hunger and crushed some chips and soda left over from the pregame sandwiches and chips. At first it was replenishing, but quickly changed about 10 minutes following as my stomach felt Cheetos and Coke was not proper post-game fuel. Since baseball is a game of adjustments, I waited today until we got back and fortunately missed out on the stomachache.

I haven't blogged since Strasburg threw Friday. The results are pretty self-explanatory... he was pretty filthy. It is almost unfair to watch someone throw 96 to 99 mph with control and movement. My left thumb is witness to the movement on his ball--it's been a little tender as of late thanks to our pregame throwing. (Photo: Strasburg throws a pitch in his first AFL start.)

We had our first Sunday off day yesterday, and it was nice to get a little break. Having a weekly off day is a lot nicer than having the sporadic ones intertwined into the regular season. I went to Tucson to visit a good friend from high school and got a little taste of Arizona culture. My buddy and I went to Lil Abner's outside of Tuscon where we got some awesome steak and ribs, with a little side of live Bluegrass music. If you are ever in that area, I definitely suggest checking that out.

I'm off to a night full of sleep and bottled water, we have another day game tomorrow at home. Thanks again for checking in!

Jordan Zimmermann

No Nationals pitcher's debut was more hyped going into the 2009 season than Jordan Zimmermann's. The 23 year-old pitcher, drafted in the second round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, was rated as the Nationals No. 1 prospect by Baseball America. On April 20, Zimmermann joined the Nationals rotation and won his Major League debut, beating Derek Lowe and the Atlanta Braves 3-2. He allowed two runs and six hits, with three strikeouts and a walk on a cold, rainy day that included two rain delays.

Zimmermann's Major League debut concluded his improbable journey to the Majors. He made his mark at Division III University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he pitched in the Division III World Series. He didn't turn a lot of heads in high school but when his fastball jumped from 88 MPH to 93 mph, he began to get noticed. Zimmermann was eventually drafted in the second round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft by the Nationals and quickly rose through the Minor League ranks.

The hard-throwing right-hander now tops out at about 95 mph and he made 16 starts for the Nationals in 2009. He went 3-5 with a 4.63 ERA, and struck out 92 in 91.1 innings pitched. He has an excellent strikeouts per nine innings ratio (K/9) of 9.1 which is comparable to pitchers such as Dan Haren and Jorge De La Rosa. On the flip side, his hits per nine innings ratio (H/9) is 9.4, a number which he will try to bring down in the future.

Unfortunately his debut season was cut short when, on July 22, Zimmermann went on the 15-day DL. His fate was sealed when he underwent Tommy John surgery in August. It will take him 12-18 months to recover, all but postponing his return to the majors until 2011.

Elijah Dukes

Elijah Dukes came into his second season with the Nationals hoping to make an improvement over last year's injury-riddled season. He faced a different sort of challenge this year when he was sent down to the Minor Leagues for a month following the trade for Nyjer Morgan on July 1. That did not stop this young outfielder from continuing to try to improve his play on the field.

 Before being sent down, Dukes batted .244/.308/.415 with six home runs and 30 RBI. When he returned to the Majors on August 1, he came with a new attitude towards the game which resulted in some offensive improvements. While he wasn't hitting the ball as hard, his slugging percentage dropped to .368, he increased his batting average by 13 points and raised his OBP to .366. This can be attributed mostly to increased patience at the plate. Dukes picked up 28 walks in 50 games (205 PA) in the second half of the season as compared to 18 walks in the first 57 games (211 PA).

Dukes was acquired by the Nationals from the Rays prior to the 2008 season. While he missed 72 games due to injuries, he still managed to set career highs across the board. He was among the team leaders in OBP (.386) and slugging percentage (.478) and ranked fourth overall in the NL in OPS after June 5, 2008. Yet surgery on a meniscus tear and subsequent leg injuries kept him out for 72 games.

 This offseason, you can follow Dukes as he plays for the Licey Tigers of the Dominican Winter League. Looking ahead to next year, Dukes needs to try to stay healthy as he has been plagued by knee injuries in the past. This winter, he will need to work on hitting breaking balls.  Sliders are especially troublesome for him. Dukes is currently jockeying to become the full time right fielder, a role that, if he can stay healthy for the whole season, he can certainly flourish in.

Drew Storen might not be Jason Bourne but he is special. He can't fend off 30 people at once, dodge bullets or drive a car like Jeff Gordon during a high speed chase while weaving in and out of oncoming traffic. Well, he might be able to do all that... he doesn't know. He hasn't tried. He won't need to if he continues to sit batters down the same way Bourne puts bad guys on their back. They are one in the same, two people extremely good at what they do. Storen saves games and Bourne saves humanity.

The 22 year-old is now playing for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League and will be writing for Notes for NatsTown. Be sure to follow the tenth overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft as he writes for Notes from NatsTown and gives you an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the AFL and his climb to the Major Leagues. Here is his first post...

Friday, October 16th

First off, thanks for stopping by and checking out the blog, hopefully you can get a good idea on what is going on down here in the Arizona Fall League and my experiences in it.  If you would like to know anything specific or have any suggestions for the blog please feel free to post a comment in the comment section or "tweet" me. My twitter is at twitter.com/drewstoren.

Just a little background on me, I am down here playing for the Phoenix Desert Dogs, along with other members of the Nationals organization (Stephen Strasburg, Chris Marrero, Sean Rooney, Danny Espinosa, Jeff Mandel and Josh Wilkie). And in case you are wondering, since we do have "dogs" in our team name, they do feel obligated to play "Who Let the Dogs Out" before the first inning. I was hoping that song would be retired/banned by now, but clearly that is not the case. I spent the week and a half prior down in Viera, Fla. at the Nationals Spring Training complex for instructional league. It was a good prep for coming down here. The heat and humidity down in Florida makes the dry heat of Phoenix much more bearable. Nonetheless, the heat down here is still intense, therefore SmartWater has become a big investment for me in my short occupancy.

We have guys on our team from the Blue Jays, Orioles, Rays, A's and two guys from Japanese professional baseball. I have learned a lot from the Japanese players already in the first week of being around them. The first thing is that the jerseys, gloves, cleats and even the belts they wear have a lot of flare and is definitely something I am a huge fan of. The gloves they have are not ones you can get in the US. The gloves are bright colors (which I am a huge fan of as well) and they have their own personal logo stitched on them (i.e. the "TW" logo for Tiger Woods).  They rock the patent leather belts and socks with individual toe slots (something I have on my list to go out and get).  It's pretty cool to see how they go about their business and to learn new pitches from them, even if they are just ones you throw for fun when playing catch. 

So far we are 2-1 on the year, winning last night against the Scottsdale Scorpions.  We had a great offensive night in a stadium which the only way to hit it out to center field is with a 3 wood (430 feet with about a 30 foot batters eye). Tonight we play the Scorpions at home with Strasburg on the mound. It is going to be fun to see how many people come out to see him.  If you are in the area, you should definitely head out because it is a lot of fun to watch him throw.

Before I head out, I will run you through what a daily schedule is for us down here. On a day like today, we have a 6:35 p.m. contest so pitchers will be on the field around 3 p.m. or so to stretch and throw. We do that and then some running/abs and then shag BP. We get done with all of that at about 5 p.m. and go in to change and get some pregame spread.  After some pregame spread usually mixed with Cash Cab or any ESPN programming, we head out for the game.  

It's time for me to run out to the ballpark, but I just wanted to kick start this blog. Like I said--feel free to give me feedback as to what you would like to hear about.  I will try to get something up pretty frequently. Thanks for reading!

Collin Balester

After making his Major League debut last season, Collin Balester saw just over a month of action for the Nationals this year. He came up to replace the injured Jordan Zimmermann on July 22nd and was sent back down to make room for Livan Hernandez on August 26th. In that time, Bally made seven starts, going 1-4 with a 6.82 ERA. The highlight of the season for Ballester was his win over Milwaukee on July 28th. In that game, he pitched 6.0 innings giving up two runs on five hits and throwing a season high 93 pitches.

The 23 year-old right-hander from Huntington Beach, Calif., also went 7-10 with a 4.44 ERA in 20 starts with Triple-A Syracuse this year. His best month was June where he went 4-1 with a 2.30 ERA over five starts.

 The former Futures Game Selection is perennially one of the Nationals' top prospects and could be a candidate to fill a key role in the Nationals pitching rotation in the future. In 2007 and 2008 Baseball America ranked him the No. 1 then No. 3 prospect, respectively, in the Nationals farm system. On July 1, 2008, Balester became the first Nationals pitcher to win his debut when he gave up one hit and struck out three in 5.0 innings against the Marlins.

Balester is an avid surfer and credits surfing for helping him build arm strength. This offseason should be an exciting one, as he is planning to marry his fiancé, Ashley Sterling, in October.

While Nationals Park may be empty and the players are back home with their families, Notes from NatsTown does not take a break just because the season is over. We're here to give you your Nationals fix to hold you over until next spring. Starting today, we will run 30 Players in 30 Days, a feature which highlights members of the Nationals and their achievements this season. Tune in each weekday to see who we cover next!

First up, center fielder Nyjer Morgan

Nyjer Morgan sprinted his way around the bases and into the hearts of the citizens of NatsTown when he was acquired from the Pittsburg Pirates in a trade on June 30. His dazzling plays in center field and flamboyant alter-ego, Tony Plush, brought life to the team both in the clubhouse and on the field.

The trade for Nyjer Morgan, one of GM Mike Rizzo's biggest and best moves of the season, filled two of the Nationals' biggest holes: a ground-covering center fielder and speed on the basepaths. Morgan's range and speed allowed him to get to balls which routinely had fallen for hits in the past. He is essentially a younger version of Juan Pierre--a contact hitter with blazing speed and who fields his position well. According to his Ultimate Zone Rating, a defensive stat which tries to quantify the number of runs a player saves above a replacement player factoring in arm strength, range and defense, Morgan saved 27.4 runs this season--second most among all Major League outfielders.

  Morgan's time with the Nationals was limited this year as he was sidelined with a broken hand after 49 games. That didn't keep him from ranking second in the National League with 42 stolen bases.  Yet he was caught 17 times, making his success rate 71%. The breakeven rate for stolen bases is 75%, meaning that, while Morgan's mad dashes around the bases were exciting, he hurt the team's ability to score runs a few times. He is not that far off and can improve if he just learns to pick his spots better which will come with more experience. Remember, this season was Morgan's first full year in the Majors.

In his time with the Nationals, Morgan also exploded offensively. In Washington, he hit .351/.396/.435 as opposed to his Pittsburgh output of .277/.351/.356. He hits fastballs at an exceedingly high clip. However, he has trouble with off-speed pitches, something he can work on during the offseason.

  While Morgan may make some appearances at hockey rinks this offseason, NatsTown is eagerly awaiting his  return next spring. Though he only played for just under two months, it was clear that he is just what the Nationals need to succeed. In games where Morgan played, the Nationals went 23-26 (.469) versus 36-77 (.319) in games where he didn't play. The prognosis on his wrist injury is good and Tony Plush, or Nyjer Morgan, should be as ready as ever come Spring Training. 

The 2009 regular season is in the books for the Nationals. They ended the final week with a bang. They won the last seven games, sweeping the Mets at Nationals Park with a Justin Maxwell walk-off grand slam and the Braves at Turner Field. Of course, baseball has a stat for everything and the Nationals became the first team in Major League history to lose the first seven games of the season and win the last seven games.

Game 162 lasted four hours and 18 minutes, went 15 innings, with a combined 41 players used, 425 pitches thrown, 26 hits and only three runs. That's baseball. The Nats took a 2-1 lead when Alberto Gonzalez singled to center to score Elijah Dukes in the top of the 15th.

It was a meaningless game that meant everything. With Pete Orr playing third base, Mike Morse playing first base and Jorge Padilla playing left, the Nats made game 162 a memorable moment.

"This is going to be my strongest memory," reliever Ron Villone said. "I haven't been involved in a World Series, but I've never been in a game on the last day of the season like this -- the way we turned things around. We didn't accomplished what we wanted, but we went out there, battled and left it all out there."

The Nationals are hoping the 2010 season brings many more winning streaks like this one that closed out the 2009 campaign, more dramatic victories and October baseball to NatsTown.

It may happen sooner than you think.

The storm clouds--literally (22 games totaling 2,460 minutes of delayed, suspended and postponed baseball) and figuratively--will eventually roll away from Nationals Park. The 2010 season is next and the forecast is favorable.

True, the Nationals didn't look like a contender in 2009. Still, there is a growing sense of progress within the Nationals organization that has spawned optimism about 2010. So how does a team with consecutive 100-plus loss seasons turn it around? Well, it helps to first see them as a 71 win team, the pace the team has kept since the All-Star Break. That turns the math from calculus to simple subtraction. The magic number to win a wild card or a division varies each year but 90-91 wins almost certainly secures a spot. Plenty of teams have improved 20.0 games in one season. It is less of a feat than the 31.0 game improvement completed by the Rays in 2008, they too had the worst record in the Majors the year before.

The Rays aren't the only team to complete a 180 degree turnaround in one season. In 1999, the Diamondbacks improved 35.0 games. The Giants improved 31.0 games in 1993. Since 1991, seven NL teams and two AL teams completed the climb from cellar to Division Champion. The Nats would gladly settle for the Wild Card. Nationals President Stan Kasten keeps 1991 close to his heart. It provides an immediate rebuttal to anyone who says it can't happen. He references the 1991 Braves when looking at the Nationals future. He joined both franchises, the Braves in '87 and the Nationals in '06, at a similar stage in the building process--the bottom. He is using the same building principles and philosophies with the Nats that helped orchestrate an unprecedented 12 straight division titles from 1991-2003 under his watch with the Braves.

In 1990, the Minnesota Twins finished last in the AL West Division with a 74-88 record and the

Atlanta Braves finished with the worst record in the Majors at 65-97. In 1991, two teams went from worst to first, the Twins won 95 games and the Braves won 94. It took seven games to determine the World Series Champion.

There is a stark difference between opportunity and achievement--it separates a team from a 70-

92 record from a team with a 92-70 record. The Nats know that. They know what has to happen if they want to be celebrating with champagne at the end of September.

The bullpen is bolstered.

This will be the Nationals main priority. They had 20 blown saves and posted a 5.71 ERA at the All-Star break. They have revamped the relief corp and there is only one bullpen pitcher left from Opening Day. They only blew five in the second half of the season.

"I think it's a major point of emphasis for the offseason," General Manager Mike Rizzo said. "We have gotten better. We have many more capable hearts than we did at the beginning of the season. But I'm certainly not satisfied with it."

Sean Burnett and Tyler Clippard have been nice additions. Mike MacDougal has provided stability out of the closer's role that was missing earlier in the season. Who stays, who leaves is still a question mark but a bullpen makes or breaks a potential playoff ballclub in September.

The young guns lose... young.

Kasten points to future Hall of Fame pitchers John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine's collective sub-.500 record their first two years in the Majors when talking about young pitchers struggling early in their careers--almost all pitchers experience growing pains.

"I think our young pitchers have kind of grown up right in front of our eyes and offensively we have hit our stride," Adam Dunn said. "It's going to be fun next year... It's going to be a lot of fun."

The Nationals have watched their young guns John Lannan, Jordan Zimmermann (out for the

2010 season), Ross Detwiler, Shairon Martis, Craig Stammen, J.D. Martin, Collin Balester and Garrett Mock experience it firsthand. But all of them have shown signs of promise this year. The starters posted a 3.86 ERA in the month of June. At least three of them need to lose the "young"

moniker in 2010.

The defense turns hits into outs.

The Nats will be searching for a free agent field general up the middle. Their defense has drastically improved since the All-Star break but their shortstop-second baseman combo committed the most errors in the Majors this season. That isn't a formula for success. "It's hard to win," Ryan Zimmerman said, "when you give the other team more than 27 outs." Dunn has smoothly transitioned to first base and Zimmerman is a Gold Glove caliber player at the hot corner. Nyjer Morgan solidified a place in center field for the coming years and covers more ground than Rock Creek Park.

What is good gets better.

The Nationals defining moment of the 2009 season happened off the field, tucked behind home plate, adjacent to the Lexus Presidents Club, in the press conference room at 4 p.m. on April 20. The soft-spoken, clean-cut Zimmerman--with the stroke of a pen--became a National for the next five years. Add Dunn and Josh Willingham to the mix and you have a ferocious heart of the order that will carry the offense. "We've got a lot of guys that are in their prime offensively and if we can continue to make progress in pitching and defense," Dunn said, "that's the formula to go from last to first."

Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen become the wild card.

Someday the 2009 First-Year Player Draft might be viewed as the turning point for the Nationals. Time will tell but it has left a strong first impression. The Nationals used their 2009 compensation pick (No. 10 overall) to draft Storen, a closer, who had a sensational first season in the Minor Leagues. Strasburg and Storen will pitch in the Arizona Fall League this October and will get a chance to make the team out of Spring Training. During the 1991 season in Atlanta, left-handed pitcher Steve Avery was the X-factor. The third overall pick in the 1988 First-Year Player Draft went 3-11 in 1990. He had a sensational sophomore season as a 21-year-old and went 18-8.

A veteran pitcher arrives.

The team picked up the rubber armed Livan Hernandez to eat innings in September. Will he pitch for the Nats in 2010? The Nats believe the additions of Dunn, Willingham and Morgan will attract a veteran pitcher and persuade them that it is the beginning of a good, exciting ballclub.

"We have to have a special type of veteran pitcher, who is willing to give of himself as a

teacher and mentor type of guy," Rizzo said. "We have to get a team-oriented person, a person that is going to give his time and his knowledge. It's not an easy task."

The Nats task isn't easy. Baseball teams can't be built overnight and turnarounds aren't instant, seamless and easy. It takes time, a lot of it. The Rays endured 10 consecutive seasons of losing. The Braves had seven straight losing seasons before 1991. But then it clicks and it will click eventually. So consider yourself warned because the future is bright and the Nationals are primed to put Washington back on the baseball map in 2010.

The Nationals opened the 2009 season at Nationals Park with a little 9th inning drama, trailing 9-6 against the Phillies Ryan Zimmerman hit a two run shot to cut the lead to one but closer Brad Lidge retired the next three batters in order. Flash forward to the 81st and last home game of the season and there were more final inning fireworks--this time the final score was in favor of the Nats, 7-4.

It is only fitting that the Nationals provide something for the fans to cheer about on Fan Appreciation day. The scene was set for an instant classic. It felt like a playoff atmosphere in the bottom of the ninth. Every fan was on their feet, yelling and clapping with their giveaway--the Washington fleece blanket--wrapped around them or high in the air.

"There is no way I could explain how good a feeling that is," Nationals Interim Manager Jim Riggleman said. "The fans' excitement, and the players' excitement speaks for themselves. It's just indicative of what we have been doing. We have been playing hard. Guys have been battling. That excitement there is what is in store for the future here."

Rookie Justin Maxwell and the Nationals were down to their final strike with two outs in the bottom of the ninth trailing by one with the bases loaded and closer Francisco Rodriguez on the mound. It was K-Rod, one of the league's premier closers vs. the 25-year-old Maryland native who entered the game in the bottom of the 8th as a pinch runner.

It was one of the best at-bats of Maxwell's young career, definitely the most memorable. He watched the first four pitches pass by the plate without moving a muscle. He fouled off the fifth pitch and watched the sixth pitch for ball three to run the count full. He fouled of the next two pitches. It was the ninth and final pitch that Maxwell connected on a 92 mph fastball and drove it into the flowers in left.

"I think the walk-off homer is the best thing in sports -- by far," Maxwell said.

For a split second, it looked like Angel Pagan caught it. But once it was clear it was a home run, the Nationals stormed the field. Maxwell emphatically pumped his right fist as he rounded first base and when he turned for home he took off his helmet and tossed it into the infield. He was bombarded at home plate. A few moments later, the shaving cream pie master John Lannan gave him the celebratory cream pie.

"We all had good at-bats," Maxwell said. "I was trying to put the ball in play and give us a chance. I know Frankie has good stuff. I just had to put it in play. It worked out for a grand slam. That was the first time I ever faced him. I now know what his slider and changeup look like. He has good stuff. I was in there battling to help the team win."