"This was fun today.  Really fun."  Davey Johnson, on his team's 9-3 win over Atlanta.

The Washington Nationals finally had a "Davey Johnson game", pounding out six extra-base hits, including three home runs and two triples, and got another solid pitching performance from John Lannan, to take a second straight game from the Wild Card leading Atlanta Braves, 9-3, before 24,326 at Nationals Park.

The Nats manager has always preferred to play the Earl Weaver style of baseball, getting runners on and driving them home, as opposed to the Whitey Herzog philosophy of bunting runners over and playing "small ball".  He finally got one of those games.

"This was my kind of game," Johnson said happily from his office after the game. "I haven't had any yet. I've been here five weeks, and I've been waiting for one like this."

By the end of the game, Nats fans were so happy about winning the series from the Braves -- and the Nats fourth consecutive win overall -- some were taunting the opponent with their own version of the "Tomahawk Chop", the annoying and droning cheer made popular at Turner Field and occasionally broken out on the road in blowouts.

But the blowout last night was in favor of the home team, with Rick Ankiel blasting a grand slam for his third homer in two games, Ian Desmond's first home run since April, and Michael Morse's titanic blast, reaching the upper deck in center field, a spot previously reached in Nats Park by only the brawniest of left-handed hitters. 

Of the offensive outburst, Johnson said, "It's nice to see it. We haven't seen it all year long."

Lannan, on the other hand, got better as the game went on.  He was a bit shaky in the third and fourth innings, giving up three runs and looking like he might tax Johnson's bullpen.  Tom Gorzelanny even got up to get warm at one point. 

But after the Nats exploded for five runs in the fourth against Braves starter Derek Lowe (L, 6-10, 4.86), Lannan got into a real nice groove, retiring nine of the next ten batters before consecutive two out hits in the seventh had Johnson calling on Henry Rodriguez, who struck out Dan Uggla on a pitch on the outside corner that Uggla thought was a little too outside.

Hot Rod went on to finish the game, allowing just one hit and -- more importantly -- no walks, striking out four in his 2 1/3 innings of work, allowing Johnson to rest an overworked bullpen.  "The big thing today, not only my starter, but Henry Rodriguez," Johnson said without prompting in his post-game press conference. 

"He did a heck of a job, saved my pen.  He came in and was almost unhittable.  That was big.  He's got a great curve ball, and a lot of times he tries to do too much.  He really just stayed within himself.  He really didn't get behind on hitters.  And he's nasty.  His stuff is filthy."

For the night, Lannan (8-7, 3.65) went 6 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and one walk.  He struck out eight, a season-high for him.  And for the second outing in his last three, Johnson stuck with him into the seventh inning, allowing Lannan to throw 110 pitches.

The Nationals have now taken consecutive series against division opponents, something that Johnson has said is critical for the Nats to compete.  They've also crept back to within three games of .500.  It's a confidence boost for them to shake off the six game losing streak last week by winning four in a row now. 

"This is what this club is capable of doing," Johnson said.  "When everyone starts getting that fever, that hitting fever, it's fun.  But the talent's been here."

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THE GOOD:  Five Nats had two hits apiece, and Ankiel's grand slam was the big blow.  Ian Desmond added three RBIs.

THE BAD:  There really wasn't anything bad in this one.  Even defensive replacement Brian Bixler got a hit in his only at bat, raising his season's average to .192.

THE UGLY:  Ugly for Atlanta.  Jonny Gomes scored on a Lannan grounder with the bases loaded when first baseman Freddie Freeman threw high to catcher David Ross, pulling him off the bag.  To make sure of his safeness, and to avoid the possibility of a double play, Gomes went out of his way to put a hard tag on Ross, and while Ross was in the air, Gomes swept his legs and Ross crashed to the ground on his back.  Upon the safe call, Ross argued with the ump to no avail.  Ross later told reporters, "I was for sure that I was on the base and I was for sure wrong."

THE STATS:  14 hits, two walks, six strikeouts.  3-for-8 with RISP, eight LOB, zero GIDP.  No errors or DPs.

NEXT GAME:  Wednesday at 1:05 against the Braves.  Chien-Ming Wang (0-1, 9.00) hosts Brandon Beachy (4-2, 3.27).

NATS NOTES:  RHP Collin Balester was recalled from AAA-Syracuse before the game to take the open roster spot when LHP Athualpa Severino was returned to the Chiefs yesterday.  Balester will be used primary as a "long man" in Davey Johnson's bullpen.

With the lightning from passing storms flashing in the skies all around in the distance, the threat of dangerous weather at Nationals Park remained just that.  But the bat of Rick Ankiel provided all the thunder inside the stadium, as he crushed two solo home runs to pace the surging Washington Nationals past Jair Jurrjens and the Atlanta Braves, 5-3.

It was the Nats third straight win, raising their record to 52-56, putting them on a 78-win pace for the season, though they remain in last place in the division.

Ankiel, forced into the leadoff spot due to the Nationals shipping Roger Bernadina to the minors to create roster space for Chien-Ming Wang last Friday, went 2-for-4 to raise his average for the season to .242.  Since returning from the disabled list July 1, Ankiel is hitting .338 with four home runs and ten RBIs in 63 plate appearances.  He's gotten on base at a .396 clip.

Manager Davey Johnson credited Ankiel's recent success to getting a chance to play more often, and his offensive production is a boon to a team that is still ranked at or near the bottom in most offensive categories.

"Ever since he's come back from the disabled list he's swung the bat really good," Johnson said from the winning clubhouse.  "He's giving me a little bit more than what you would expect from a leadoff hitter.  It's nice."

Johnson joked that he doesn't expect Ankiel to "hit forty homers and steal forty bases" like Bobby Bonds famously did hitting leadoff for several teams in the 1970's, but he doesn't mind the power Ankiel's generating right now from the top of the order.

"I don't have a problem with a guy that can drive in runs hitting leadoff," said Johnson, who employed Brady Anderson in that role for the 1996 Baltimore Orioles, the year Anderson hit 50 home runs, 35 of which came in the leadoff spot.  "Typical guys have a high on base percentage but I don't have a problem bunting a guy over [with the pitcher's spot] for somebody that can go deep."

The other story last night was the performance of Livan Hernandez.  He rebounded from a couple of tough outings to turn in a very strong performance, going six innings and allowing just one run, the first of two Dan Uggla home runs on the evening.  Hernandez was economical with his pitches, needing just 81 to get through six innings, and he was in command, throwing 55 of his pitches for strikes.  He did not walk a batter, gave up just six hits and struck out three.

Johnson lauded his veteran hurler.  "He was outstanding.  I love to watch him pitch and he seemed to get stronger as the game went on."  Asked what the change was last night in comparison to recent outings when he couldn't get past the fourth inning, Johnson replied, "He was going after hitters more -- he wasn't pitching around hitters and he had good command.  It was vintage Livo."  He even drove in a run in the second inning, pushing a single to right field that plated Jayson Werth with two outs.

So the Nats have kind of turned things around a little bit.  After losing six in a row, they've reeled off three straight wins, all against division opponents.  The playoffs might be out of reach, but once again they're within shouting distance of .500, just four games back of that elusive mark. 

They have two more games at home with the Braves, a team on pace to win 93 games, before going out on a 10-game, 11-day road trip through Colorado, Chicago and Philadelphia.  That trip would be daunting any time of year, much less during the dog days of August.  It will be yet another interesting test for a team trying to find it's personality.

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THE GOOD:  Subbing for Tyler Clippard, who was unavailable last night, Ryan Mattheus pitched a scoreless eighth inning with a strikeout.  He turned the lead over to Drew Storen, who picked up his 27th save of the season, despite allowing Uggla's second home run of the game.

THE BAD:  Storen.  Working his third game in as many days, he gave up a home run for a second consecutive game.  Todd Coffey also allowed a solo home run in one inning pitched.

THE UGLY:  Danny Espinosa.  He went 0-for-4, lowering his batting average to .226.  In fact, Espinosa has now gone 4-of-51 (.078) in his last 13 games and 9-for-73 (.123) in his last 19 games -- all with just two extra base hits and three runs driven in.  He struck out an astounding 34 times in 26 games in July.

THE STATS:  Eight hits, two walks, five strikeouts.  2-for-9 with RISP, five LOB, zero GIDP, three DPs.  E: Espinosa (9).

NEXT GAME:  Tuesday against the Braves at 7:05 pm.  John Lannan (7-7, 3.63) faces Derek Lowe (6-9, 4.52).

NATS NOTES:  After the game, the Nats returned LHP Athualpa Severino to AAA-Syracuse and are expected to recall RHP Collin Balester to serve as a long-man in the Nats pen.  Severino has now been on the active MLB roster twice in his career -- and is still yet to throw his first big league pitch.

What a difference a day makes.

After being shut out opening day on just five hits, the Washington Nationals bats woke up, pounding out 10 hits, including their first home run of the season, and defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-3, before 21,941 at Nationals Park.

Rick Ankiel homered and drove in a run on a suicide squeeze play for an insurance run in the seventh to lead the Nats hitters.

John Lannan went five innings for the win.  He sat through a 55 minute rain -- and hail -- delay and came back to get the three outs in the fifth inning he needed to qualify for the win.

"Lannan certainly lobbied to stay in," manager Jim Riggleman said.  "And we wanted him to continue on.  We're not going ot get overboard about who gets the win, but we would have liked him for to get through it and get three more outs."

Lannan was pretty sharp, allowing one earned run on five hits and one walk, striking out three.  He threw 68 pitches, 38 for strikes, in his first win of the season.

A parade of relievers followed the lanky lefty.  Chad Gaudin made his Nationals debut and allowed a home run to Dan Uggla in his first pitch, but Tyler Clippard -- for the second consecutive day -- came in to record multiple outs with runners on base.

Sean Burnett recorded a four out save, his first of the season.  Riggleman indicated after the game that Burnett would probably see most of the save opportunities early on in the season.

As was the case in the opener, the Nats defense played a big part of the game.  Danny Espinosa made a pair of plays early diving for balls that have some touting him for a potential Gold Glove as early as this season.  Ian Desmond had a gem, coming across the diamond to pick a ball destined for center field and made a strong off-balance throw to get the runner.

And even Burnett fielded his position well, stabbing a liner with flare for the final out that would have had any of the Capitals goalies jealous.

This Nats team isn't going to outslug anyone this year, and today showed that Riggleman feels he's going to have to massage his batting order to wring out every single run he can. 

For better or worse.

THE GOOD:  Jayson Werth went 3-for-4 with a walk and two doubles.  Wilson Ramos went 3-for-4 as well.  Ankiel drove in three with his homer and suicide squeeze.

THE BAD:  Ian Desmond continued to struggle in the leadoff spot.  He went 0-for-5, but scored when he reached on a fielder's choice.

THE UGLY:  Adam LaRoche is a notoriously slow starter, and today was further evidence of that.  He went 0-for-5, and in each at bat he left a runner in scoring position.  He stranded nine total today.

NEXT GAME:  Sunday at 1:35 pm.  Jordan Zimmermann faces Tim Hudson in both pitchers 2010 debuts.

So much for a quiet off-day in spring training.

By now, you've all read the reports.  Rick Ankiel has won the centerfielder job.  Matt Stairs has a place on the bench.  Jayson Nix could very well be a backup outfielder. 

And now, for the coup de grace, the Washington Nationals have signed LHP Oliver Perez to a minor league deal.

It's enough to make one wonder about the decision-making process in NatsTown.

To be polite, Ankiel's best days (not that they were all that great to begin with) are in the past.  In 2008, the then 28 year old Ankiel completed a remarkable transition from left-handed fireball pitcher to Major League outfielder, hitting .262/.337/.506 with 25 home runs and 71 RBIs for the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The tragic story of a pitcher that lost the ability to throw strikes had its happy ending.

Since then though, Ankiel, 32 in July, hasn't come close to replicating those numbers.  He hasn't hit 25 homers combined in the last two seasons and his career .248/.312/.441 over eight seasons describes a journeyman struggling to hang on.

Nix, 30, is the very definition of journeyman, working on his fourth organization.  His slash line (.243/.286/.425) is even worse than Ankiel's in his eight big league seasons.

At least both Ankiel and Nix play a decent outfield and are capable of manning center, though both are more suited for left field.

Matt Stairs, however, is a pinch-hitter.  Only.  He's 43 years old and can no longer play the field with any acumen.  He is the Major League record holder for career pinch-hit home runs, and is seems like extending that record is the only thing that keeps him hanging on. 

In the last two seasons, his 240 plate appearances have netted 11 home runs, but with a slash line of .213/.333/.426, suggesting his approach is homer or bust in every appearance.  21 of his 43 hits the last two years resulted in doubles or home runs.

Oh, and all three are left-handed hitters.  It would make sense for the Nats to carry one older, more experienced part-time outfielder bench player on their roster.  But three?

If all three make the roster, it spells doom for others in the system, namely Nyjer Morgan and especially Roger Bernadina -- two younger, more athletic left-handed hitters.

Nyjer Morgan, 30, has his fans -- and detractors -- in the organization.  There are those that feel he really is the player that was showcased for ten weeks in 2009 after the trade that brought him over from the Pirates, when he hit .312/.373/.401 with 34 steals.  There are an equal number that have grown tired of him misplay balls in the outfield, get thrown out on the bases and generally sulk his way to a .253/.319/.314 slash line last season.

His maturity issues add a whole another level of complexity to his rosterability.

But the real victim in all of this rush to add big league experience to a roster that should be in a full-blown youth movement is Roger Bernadina.

The Shark may never be anything more than a fourth outfielder.  But he has an intriguing combination of pop and speed -- 11 HR, 16 SB/2 CS in 461 plate appearances in 2010, his first full season in the majors.  And he is entering the prime of his career, turning 27 in July. 

He's a guy that virtually screams "breakout player", yet it seems like the Nats are going to allow him to languish in Triple-A instead of finding out if they actually have a big leaguer on their hands.

Ankiel, Nix and Stairs almost certainly will not be on this team next season, and definitely not in 2013, when the bulk of the Nats talent should be mature enough to actually compete in the National League East.  Bernadina, on the other hand, could be a contributing member of that squad in the prime of his career.

But the Nats, in their desperation to win as many games as they can in 2011 to justify Jayson Werth's horrible contract, won't know what they have with Bernadina, if they retain his services at all. 

This Nationals team is EXACTLY the type of team that should be playing its youngsters.  They threw Ian Desmond to the wolves last year and he responded, and Danny Espinosa will be given the same treatment this year.

Bernadina showed some promise last season before running out of gas in the longest season of his professional career.  He apparently lost a share of the left field position due to Michael Morse's hot spring, and since he has an option remaining on his contract, will in all likelihood be sent down to make room for a couple of re-treads trying to hang on in the name on "professionalism" and "Major League experience".

As for the signing of Perez?  Heaven help the Nationals if he actually steps foot in Nats Park.  Too many things have to go abysmally wrong for Perez to be an option.  The organization is already touting his relationship with Spin Williams, their minor league pitching coordinator, with whom Perez worked in Pittsburgh. 

But there's no covering up the fact that Perez has walked six batters per nine innings the last two season, nor the fact that his very public complaining about being relegated to the bullpen with the Mets led to his release.

But Perez is a Scott Boras client, and Mike Rizzo has yet to meet a Boras client he wasn't willing to sign, as the Nats now have 11 on the roster.

Seems like the more things change around NatsTown, the more they stay the same.

According to a tweet from Bill Ladson of MLB.com, the center field battle has lost a competitor, as he reports that the job has come down to the incumbent, Nyjer Morgan, and off-season free agent acquisition Rick Ankiel.

Either Roger Bernadina is slated to be the fourth outfielder, or he will find his way to Triple-A Syracuse, a victim of the fact he has an option remaining.

Morgan, 30, and Ankiel, 31, couldn't be more dissimilar, save for their handedness and lack of production against left-handed pitching.

Ankiel is a lifetime .232/.282/.386 hitter in 360 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.  Morgan hits .200/.292/.269 in 334 lifetime appearances versus southpaws. 

Either way, Jerry Hairston, Jr. will get his at bats and playing time in centerfield, though he's not ideal since he's an infielder by trade and only .262/.321/.383 lifetime vs. LHP.

So let's take a look at the tale of the tape.

HITTING

Morgan is a speedster, though erratic.  He makes his living beating ground balls in the dirt and hope they go through or he can beat it out to first. 

Ankiel is theoretically a slugger, hitting 25 home runs in the 2008 season, but hasn't combined for 25 since.  He slugged .387  and .389 in 2009-2010. 

Both players walk rates are significantly below league average.

BASERUNNING

Morgan has produced some impressive stolen base numbers -- but has equally destructive caught stealing numbers.  He's led the N.L. in CS in both of the last two seasons.

Ankiel has 10 stolen bases in eight seasons.

DEFENSE

Morgan's fleetness allows him to get to a lot of balls, sometimes in spectacular fashion.  Though for every highlight reel catch, Morgan misjudges a fly, misses a cut-off man, or throws to the wrong base with his wet noodle for an arm.

Ankiel is renown for his cannon of a left arm, once a flame-throwing pitcher that lost the ability to throw strikes.  He's not fast in center, but he plays within himself and makes the plays he should.  He has below average range for the position.

PERSONALITY

Morgan's less-than-sunny disposition is widely documented, including in this space.  Last year, he famously threw his glove in anger during a ball in play against Baltimore, went out of his way to run over opposing catchers twice, threw a ball at a fan in Philadelphia, incited a brawl in Florida, then flexed like a WWA heel after being ejected, and was suspended for eight games at the end of the season.  He "cleanly" drew contact with Albert Pujols in yesterday's game, triggering three beanballs and a heated exchange from Tony LaRussa and Jim Riggleman, old friends.

Ankiel is widely assumed to ascend to a coaching gig when his playing career is over.  Noted for "playing the game the right way."  Regarded as a mentor to younger players during his time in St. Louis.  Has a quiet, unassuming manner.

INTANGIBLES

Morgan was acquired by Mike Rizzo in a trade in 2008 and Rizzo has been insistent upon making good on the trade.  Was a hockey player growing up and took to baseball when his hockey career stalled in major juniors.

Ankiel was on St. Louis teams when Jim Riggleman and Rick Eckstein coached for LaRussa [ed. and Jim Riggleman was the Cardinals minor league coordinator].  Was a pitcher growing up and didn't start playing outfield until his pitching career famously imploded.

BOTTOM LINE

If Morgan wins the job, Ankiel will make the team regardless.  If Riggleman decides he's had enough and goes with Ankiel, Morgan could very well be shipped to the minors or released.  I can't imagine the Nats living with Morgan on their bench.

Either way, it's bad news for Bernadina.  He's apparently lost the left field job to Michael Morse and now center field to two very flawed players.  It doesn't speak very well for his future in the organization, nor for the organization's committment to younger players in what is spposed to be a building process.

--Updated 4:07 pm.  Thanks to reader Todd Boss for the reminder, the Nats apparently need to clear three spots on the 40-man due to the Chien-Ming Wang signing.
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The Washington Nationals signed 31-year old outfielder Rick Ankiel to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.  According to Nats Insider, the deal also includes $1.25 million in performance bonuses.

Ankiel, very famously, came up as a pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, lost the ability to control his pitches, and reinvented himself as an outfielder.  He spent three years in the minors before re-debuting in 2007, at the age of 27.  His best year was in 2008, hitting .264/.337/.506 with 25 homers and 71 RBIs in 463 plate appearances for Tony LaRussa's Cardinals.

He's been terrible the last two seasons at the plate, putting up OPS+ of 77 in 2009 and 93 in 2010, between Kansas City and Atlanta.

He is considered a good fielder with a great arm.  He has primarily played center field in his career, and he could challenge for playing time in left field as well.

Ankiel is not an answer to any of the Nationals most pressing questions, but could come in and show either in left or center field.  But it's an indictment of the talent at the big league level at those positions that GM Mike Rizzo deems Ankiel an alternative to what's already here.  Ankiel has never shown the ability to reach base consistently and his power has disappeared since that 25 homer season.

If this move is to try to catch lightning in a bottle, great.  If it's seen as a viable alternative, or Ankiel gets more playing time than the occasional pinch-hit off the bench and defensive replacement, it spells trouble. 

The Nats also announced the signing of seven players other players, six to minor league contracts and one to a big league contract.

The Major League contract goes to Ryan Mattheus, a 27-year old swing man acquired in the Joe Beimel trade last season.  He went 1-1 with a 0.79 ERA in 10 games/four starts last season with the Nationals' Gulf Coast League team and New York-Penn League affiliates in his first action since undergoing Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in July 2009.

Mattheus has not appeared in a Major League game, and it's baffling that the Nationals see enough in him to give him a Major League contract at this point in his career.

The six that signed minor league deals with invites to spring training are: RPs Joe Bisenius and Tim Wood, 1B Michael Aubrey, INF Brian Bixler and OFs Jeff Frazier and Jonathan Van Every.  All have big league experience and are 28-years old or older.

With Ankiel and Mattheus getting big league deals, two players will have to be removed from the 40-man roster to make room for the new acquisitions.