The Nationals Enquirer

Enquirer Exclusive! Manny Acta to throw out first pitch at Pups in the Park game Sunday

(Photo from chateau-animaux.com. It's not too late to order your dog a game-worn Nationals jersey for Sunday's Pups in the Park event!)

Manny knows dogs when he sees 'em.

According to Anonymous Sources with little to no knowledge of the situation, the Nationals will welcome Manny Acta back to Nationals Park on Sunday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Pups in the Park Day-- where dog owners can pay $18 for their own ticket plus  $5 bucks per dog to watch the game in a special section with their dog(s). Austin Kearns will reportedly catch Manny's pitch.

Acta reportedly told unnamed sources: "it will be fitting given that the quitting dogs on the field cost me my job this year. Riggleman takes over and they show a little effort? What gives?" Sources tell the Nationals Enquirer that Felipe Lopez and Daniel Cabrera turned down invitations to throw out the first pitch before an invitation was extended to Acta.

Stan Kasten, unavailable for comment.

Unfortunately for dog lovers, it appears that the the event is sold out. The event page now says:

Thank you for your interest in Pups in the Park! Due to the high demand and our limited seating capacity, tickets are now SOLD OUT for both dates.

We hope to expand and grow the event next season, so please check back in the 2010 season for more information.

The good news is, there are still plenty of good seats available to Sunday's game. You just won't be able to bring your dog.

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Enquirer Exclusive! Stephen Strasburg's arm falls off after first workout!

(Photo by Getty Images. Stephen Strasburg is not the savoir, and not the president, of the Nationals.)

"Hi, my name is Stephen Strasburg, and I'm a right-handed pitcher from San Diego."
(Stephen Strasburg, via Nationals dot com, 8/30/2009)

Oh No! His right arm fell off!

...otherwise, Stephen Strasburg's first pro workout in Viera, FLA is mostly uneventful, goes smoothly. First BP session slated for Sept. 19th.

Meanwhile...it sounds like Mr. Strasburg isn't liking all the attention, complaining about the media attention:

"Once I get into playing games and stuff, it should be able to die down. Hopefully it will die down sometime soon. I'm just a baseball player. It's not like I'm the president or anything."
(Stephen Strasburg, via Washington Post, 8/31/2009)

Uh oh! Is the New Washington Monument crumbling under the pressure!?

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Any trade involving Ronnie Belliard is a good trade, provided warm bodies received in return.

(AP Photo. Hey, wait: but who's going to be Adam Dunn's late inning defensive replacement at first base?)

"I'm happy because I'm going to L.A. and that team is in first place. But I'm sad because I am going to leave a lot of friends. I've been here for the last three years and I made a lot of friends."
(Ronnie Belliard, via Nationals dot com, 8/30/2009)

Bye Bye Belli!

...Hello Luis Garciaand PTBNL.

Nats deal happy, yet sad, Ronnie Belliard to Dodgers for young, hopefully living and breathing, arms.

Way to go, Mike Rizzo! Here's the Rizzonator talking about the haul (via Nationals Journal):

"Well, we went with the highest-profile prospect we could get that would have the most impactful tools on the table. He was a guy, the two guys we got, Garcia won't impact for a while. The player-to-be-named later is somebody who could impact us in the near future."

Interestingly, Belliard flew to the West Coast on the same flight as his former team. Wonder who picked up the tab for his plane ticket (via Nationals dot com)?

Belliard flew with his former team to San Diego Sunday evening where the Nationals will open a three-game series with the Padres on Monday. He will join his new team a few hours north in Los Angeles on Monday.

Nats recall Justin Maxwell to take Belli's roster spot.

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House of Cards

(Photo by Getty Images. Guz stares down his latest and greatest error Sunday in St. Louis.)

"I mean, and we've played good baseball. We've been catching the ball good and playing solid."
(Jim Riggleman, via Washington Post, 8/30/2009)

Beat Me In St. Louis.

Cards 3, Nats 2 (Friday): This one hurt. The good news is, despite another classic Lannan/Smoltz duel, we won't be subjected to an updated version of that "Rookie vs. All Star!" defining moments ad on MASN over and over and over again next year.

Cards 9, Nats 4 (Saturday): The good news is, Pete Orr.

Cards 2: Nats 1 (Sunday): Sweep completed, Mock good but no match for Wainwright. The good news is, Bryce Harper?

Meanwhile...

• Nats bullpen chasing history.

• More good news, via Nationals dot com: "Kearns return to Nationals uncertain."

• Farewell, Ronnie Belliard.

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Nyjer Morgan's season ends four months after Nationals season ended.

(Photo by Getty Images. Ouch! Nyjer Morgan, done for the season with a broken hand following a head-first slide into third base on a SB yesterday.)

"It hurts."
(Mike Rizzo, via Nationals Journal, 8/27/2009)

"It's broke, guys, and I'm done for the year."
(Nyjer Morgan, via Washington Times, 8/27/2009)

Tony Plush, also done for the year.

Nyjer Morgan's season cut short August 27;that's more than four months after the Nats season effectively ended April 6th.

Some idiots wrote him off as Nook Logan without the HGH immediately upon his arrival. Nyjer Morgan made 'em look like really dumb idiots. See you in CF in 2010, Mr. Plush.

Without Morgan, Nats' playoff chances take a serious hit: This morning, they're just 26 back in the Wild Card; 28.5 back in NL East race. Will Pete Orr arrive in time to save the season?

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Cubbie Killers

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh. Is it worse to be a Cubs fan or a Nats fan these days?)

"We had that nice lead. I was just trying not to do too much and keep us in the game."
(J.D. Martin explains what he was trying not to do, via Washington Times, 8/27/2009)

Thank you, Mike MacDougal.

Nats 5, Cubs 4: Nationals begin warming up spoiler act a few weeks early. Cubs can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye.

Zim, Dunn go deep. J.D. Martin + Bullpen hold on for the win.

The box score might show MacDougal earned his 14th save, but Bard saved Burnett's ass (andthe game) in the 7th after WP.

See  you in 2010, Tony Plush. Nyjer Morgan, done for the year with broken hand.

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Seems Like Old Times

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast. There's something oddly comforting about the sight of big Livo back in a Curly W.)

"Livan did a real good job. Kind of vintage Livan. Mixing his pitches up. We use that phrase a lot, changing speeds, but he really does; he changes speeds on his fastball, changes speeds on his breaking ball, locates the ball well, kept people off balance and gave our club the chance to win."
(Livan Hernandez, via Washington Post, 8/27/2009)

A Fat Chance Not Taken.

Cubs 9, Nats 4: Livo comes up big in return, but bullpen blows up.

Meanwhile...

• You gotta love Milton Bradley. Even if Cubs fans hate him (despite his 3RBI night last night), he still loves himself (via Chicago Tribune): "I feel love [from] me. I love me. I look in the mirror and go out and play."

• Nyjer Morgan, back this afternoon from his bout with the flu.

• Nats on the hunt for broken down and/or washed up veteran arms for 2010 campaign. Smoltz, Padilla  say thanks, but no thanks; at least for the rest of 2009. Brad Penny, released by the Red Sox, is looking for work today. Bring back Livo in 2010!

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Slim Pickings

(AP Photo. There he is! Livan Hernandez is back to eat innings, drive up concession sales at Nationals Park for the final month of the season.)

"We looked at where we were at with our young starting pitching and we got to the facts that we're running out of innings with some of these young guys and I refuse to push them past their limits. And Livan was available. We discussed him with our player personnel people and he's a good guy in the clubhouse, he's got some friends here on the ballclub, and he's nothing else but a workhorse and a reliable arm to get us some innings and get us through the rest of the season."
(Mike Rizzo, via Nationals Journal, 8/25/2009)

Save the Children!

Welcome Back Livo!

Livo comes home, a year later than we would've liked.

Welcome back, you big lug. We'll shield our eyes from reality. Just eat innings baby, that's all we're asking.

Good luck tonight. And good luck with that lawsuit.

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Cubbie Clubbing

(AP Photo by Nam Y. Huh. Look on the bright side, Big Z; at least you can still hit.)

"I was getting some good pitches to hit and wasn't missing."
(Josh Willingham, via Washington Post, 8/26/2009)

Big Beatdown in Wrigleyville!

Nats 15, Cubs 6: Willingham and Dukes put the "Friendly" in Friendly Confines.

Happy Homecoming, Jim Riggleman.

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Beer Battered

(AP Photo. Collin Balester waited until the 6th this time around.)

"I just kind of lost the rhythm of the game a little bit but should have just stepped back and kind of recouped. By that point I was out of the game."
(Collin Balester, via Washington Post, 8/25/2009)

Sixth Inning Meltdown!

Brewers 7, Nationals 1: It all went to hell in the sixth.

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