Interleague play concludes with what will likely be the Jays' last "rivalry" series with the ex-Expos in the District of Columbia.
* General: Who'd-a thunk it? Washington kicks off their homestand with a season-high 3 1/2 game lead in the NL East ... D.C. is on a ten-game home winning streak. They haven't lost a series at home since Philadelphia came to town April 25-27 ... The Nats are an impressive 10-5 in interleague play, and 9-3 against AL clubs other than the Jays ... Coming off a 5-4 road trip ... Washington is 11-1 in their last 12 one-run games ... The Nats have gotten 18 wins out of their bullpen ... First-round pick Ryan Zimmerman is 5-for-8 in his last two games for the A-ball Savannah Sand Gnats, including a double, a triple and a homer ... Jose Vidro has declared his left ankle to be pain-free and he may start a rehab assignment next week ... The Nationals have already broken the all-time Washington baseball attendance record. The Senators' best season attendance was a mere 1,027,716, set by the '46 club (which was actually then called the Nationals) ...
* Esteban Loaiza: No longer pitching at the absurd level that forced me to refuse to speak his name ... Missed his last start with a sore neck and back ... Continues to rely on his newfound high-80s cutter as his out pitch, but it's hittable if he leaves it either up or away from lefthanded hitters ... The cutter has late action that causes the ball to both cut and sink ... Easy delivery ... His four-seam fastball isn't overpowering ... Very good slide step with runners on ... Has not received good run support this season ...
* Tony Armas, Jr.: Slider has no better than mediocre movement. It looks like a so-so changeup ... His location has been erratic -- in fact, poor -- with his slider all season ... Unfortunately, his four-seam fastball isn't dominant enough to compensate. It won't blow hitters away up in the zone ... Has lost some of his pre-surgery velocity ... A better pitch is his high-80s two-seamer, with good late movement. It backdoors righthanded hitters ...
* Ryan Church: Goes the other way very effectively ... Stays back nicely on pitches, generating good power ... Good range in left, and made a sensational catch while slamming into the left field fence at PNC Park to preserve the Nationals' victory on Wednesday ... Although he never plays against lefthanders, his small-sample-size stats against lefties are really rather good ...
* Cristian Guzman: Likes the ball out over the plate ... Was actually enjoying a reasonably productive road trip before going 0 for his last 8 ... Dead last among qualifiying hitters in pitches per plate appearance ... Very vulnerable on pitches low in the zone, where he pulls his head off -- especially from the right side ... Smooth pivot on the DP ... Terrible base stealer ... Moreover, he takes risks on the basepaths, sometimes unjustified ...
* Brad Wilkerson: Continues to pound lefthanded pitching from the left side ... Seems to see lefthanded fastballs up and in very well, and he turns on them. Chacin and Lilly should stick with the breaking stuff ... Likes ball on the inner half of the plate in general ... Struggles to catch up with outside heat ... Athletic defender that has become quite capable in centre, with a very strong throwing arm ...
* Jamey Carroll: Punch-and-Judy spray hitter, but a pesky one ... Streaky ... Prefers the ball up in the zone ... Waits on breaking stuff well ... Will lay off pitches away, where he's vulnerable ... Chases up the ladder ... Speedy and very alert baserunner ... Despite his OPS mediocrity, his versatility and attitude have made him popular in the clubhouse and earned him tremendous respect from Frank Robinson. Jose Vidro may return next weekend, and a reporter asked Robinson if Carroll would be demoted to make room. Robinson's response: "If Jamey goes, I'm gone" ...
* Nick Johnson: Great hitter who, like Wilkerson, hits lefties very well ... Very dangerous on pitches out over the plate ... Outstanding glove, too, at first base. He's got surprising range, especially to his right ... Can be pitched to up and in, or with sinkers away ... Occasionally catches opposing defences napping by taking the extra base ...
* Marlon Byrd: Awkward-looking hitter; bats with his elbows tucked in, and has a hitch where he swivels back before swinging ... Good plate coverage but like the ball further in ... Has really impressed with his defence in left, where he's been both rangy and intelligent ... Runs well but not a significant threat on the basepaths ...
* Livan Hernandez: The burly Cuban is the consummate workhorse and will likely be an All-Star this year ... Whips pitches out of a fluid delivery ... Hangs his low-80s curve on occasion, but generally gets enough bite on it that it's hard to hit hard ... 12-to-6 movement on his breaking pitches ... Runs a high-80s two-seamer in on righthanded hitters, and to backdoor lefthanded hitters ...
* Chad Cordero: "Chief" has converted 20 consecutive save opportunities, and is leading the Rolaids Relief standings ... A lock for the NL All-Star team ...
* Junior Spivey: Hangs in very well on the DP pivot -- sometimes for too long, as he absorbs punishing takeout slides ... Boasts a strong throwing arm ... Good speed on the bases ...
* Vinny Castilla: In a deep slump, going just 2 for his last 24 ... When asked if Castilla was bothered by an injury, Frank Robinson sardonically quipped, "A tired bat" ... Will occasionally hurry his throws at third ...
Can the Jays keep up their solid play from the Baltimore series against another first-place club? Washington has an excellent bullpen, and scoring runs early in the game will be critical for the Blue Jay bats.
This week's (somewhat abbreviated) Scout features a red-hot home squad, a slap-hitting utilityman with whom a highly respected manager is seriously enamoured and the return of the words "Esteban Loaiza." There, I said it. I even spelled it out.
On to the Advance Scout!* General: Who'd-a thunk it? Washington kicks off their homestand with a season-high 3 1/2 game lead in the NL East ... D.C. is on a ten-game home winning streak. They haven't lost a series at home since Philadelphia came to town April 25-27 ... The Nats are an impressive 10-5 in interleague play, and 9-3 against AL clubs other than the Jays ... Coming off a 5-4 road trip ... Washington is 11-1 in their last 12 one-run games ... The Nats have gotten 18 wins out of their bullpen ... First-round pick Ryan Zimmerman is 5-for-8 in his last two games for the A-ball Savannah Sand Gnats, including a double, a triple and a homer ... Jose Vidro has declared his left ankle to be pain-free and he may start a rehab assignment next week ... The Nationals have already broken the all-time Washington baseball attendance record. The Senators' best season attendance was a mere 1,027,716, set by the '46 club (which was actually then called the Nationals) ...
* Esteban Loaiza: No longer pitching at the absurd level that forced me to refuse to speak his name ... Missed his last start with a sore neck and back ... Continues to rely on his newfound high-80s cutter as his out pitch, but it's hittable if he leaves it either up or away from lefthanded hitters ... The cutter has late action that causes the ball to both cut and sink ... Easy delivery ... His four-seam fastball isn't overpowering ... Very good slide step with runners on ... Has not received good run support this season ...
* Tony Armas, Jr.: Slider has no better than mediocre movement. It looks like a so-so changeup ... His location has been erratic -- in fact, poor -- with his slider all season ... Unfortunately, his four-seam fastball isn't dominant enough to compensate. It won't blow hitters away up in the zone ... Has lost some of his pre-surgery velocity ... A better pitch is his high-80s two-seamer, with good late movement. It backdoors righthanded hitters ...
* Ryan Church: Goes the other way very effectively ... Stays back nicely on pitches, generating good power ... Good range in left, and made a sensational catch while slamming into the left field fence at PNC Park to preserve the Nationals' victory on Wednesday ... Although he never plays against lefthanders, his small-sample-size stats against lefties are really rather good ...
* Cristian Guzman: Likes the ball out over the plate ... Was actually enjoying a reasonably productive road trip before going 0 for his last 8 ... Dead last among qualifiying hitters in pitches per plate appearance ... Very vulnerable on pitches low in the zone, where he pulls his head off -- especially from the right side ... Smooth pivot on the DP ... Terrible base stealer ... Moreover, he takes risks on the basepaths, sometimes unjustified ...
* Brad Wilkerson: Continues to pound lefthanded pitching from the left side ... Seems to see lefthanded fastballs up and in very well, and he turns on them. Chacin and Lilly should stick with the breaking stuff ... Likes ball on the inner half of the plate in general ... Struggles to catch up with outside heat ... Athletic defender that has become quite capable in centre, with a very strong throwing arm ...
* Jamey Carroll: Punch-and-Judy spray hitter, but a pesky one ... Streaky ... Prefers the ball up in the zone ... Waits on breaking stuff well ... Will lay off pitches away, where he's vulnerable ... Chases up the ladder ... Speedy and very alert baserunner ... Despite his OPS mediocrity, his versatility and attitude have made him popular in the clubhouse and earned him tremendous respect from Frank Robinson. Jose Vidro may return next weekend, and a reporter asked Robinson if Carroll would be demoted to make room. Robinson's response: "If Jamey goes, I'm gone" ...
* Nick Johnson: Great hitter who, like Wilkerson, hits lefties very well ... Very dangerous on pitches out over the plate ... Outstanding glove, too, at first base. He's got surprising range, especially to his right ... Can be pitched to up and in, or with sinkers away ... Occasionally catches opposing defences napping by taking the extra base ...
* Marlon Byrd: Awkward-looking hitter; bats with his elbows tucked in, and has a hitch where he swivels back before swinging ... Good plate coverage but like the ball further in ... Has really impressed with his defence in left, where he's been both rangy and intelligent ... Runs well but not a significant threat on the basepaths ...
* Livan Hernandez: The burly Cuban is the consummate workhorse and will likely be an All-Star this year ... Whips pitches out of a fluid delivery ... Hangs his low-80s curve on occasion, but generally gets enough bite on it that it's hard to hit hard ... 12-to-6 movement on his breaking pitches ... Runs a high-80s two-seamer in on righthanded hitters, and to backdoor lefthanded hitters ...
* Chad Cordero: "Chief" has converted 20 consecutive save opportunities, and is leading the Rolaids Relief standings ... A lock for the NL All-Star team ...
* Junior Spivey: Hangs in very well on the DP pivot -- sometimes for too long, as he absorbs punishing takeout slides ... Boasts a strong throwing arm ... Good speed on the bases ...
* Vinny Castilla: In a deep slump, going just 2 for his last 24 ... When asked if Castilla was bothered by an injury, Frank Robinson sardonically quipped, "A tired bat" ... Will occasionally hurry his throws at third ...
