"I'm very proud of this team. For a team to have that kind of record and still play with that kind of intensity at the end is really great." --Interim manager Jim Riggleman, on Sunday's 15-inning win, Oct. 4, 2009.

THE RESULTS:  The Washington Nationals ended the 2009 campaign with a seven-game winning streak, sweeping the Atlanta Braves in a four-game series.  Sunday's game was a 15 inning marathon that Alberto Gonzalez won 2-1 with a two-out, run-scoring single.

J.D. Martin had a very strong start for the Nats.  He went six innings, allowing six hits and no walks.  He gave up one run, a solo shot by Nate McLouth, and struck out two.

Tyler Clippard, Ron Villone, Jason Bergmann, Saul Rivera and Logan Kenising (W, 1-2, 8.92) threw scoreless relief for nine innings.

Boone Logan (L, 1-1) took the loss for Atlanta.  Elijah Dukes took a one-out walk and advanced to second on Wil Nieves' single to right field.  Then, with two outs, Gonzalez singled safely up the middle to push across the tiebreaker.

Kensing got into some trouble in the bottom of the 15th, but struck out Brooks Conrad with runners at second and third to cement the win.

The only bad news from the seven-game winning streak to end the season was Adam Dunn's failure to hit two more home runs, breaking his streak of 40-homer seasons at five, tying him with several others for the third longest streak of 40-home run seasons.

The Nats final record stands one game worse than last season, at 59-103.

THE TAKEAWAY:  Over the next couple of days I'll do a more in-depth season recap, but the 2009 season is mercifully in the books. 

It's been a long season, starting with Jim Bowden's ouster in spring training amidst reports of abuse and scandal, continuing with a 5-16 April, Manny Acta's firing at the all-star break, Jordan Zimmermann's elbow reconstruction surgery... I could go one, but I won't.

THE GOOD:  Way to finish strong, Nats.  A seven-game streak to close out the season is a nice thing.

THE BAD:  No more Nats games until March.

THE UGLY:  103 losses.  Hopefully it's the last time we have to talk about 100-loss seasons in D.C.

According to MLB.com, the Washington Nationals have decided to promote pitcher Ross Detwiler, Marco Estrada, Logan Kensing and Zack Segovia, and shortstop Ian Desmond.

All five players will report to Washington with the completion of Triple-A Syracuse's schedule.

The Nationals also will bring up Syracuse manager Tim Foli to assist with all-purpose duties.

The promotion will give interim manager Jim Riggleman some flexibility in managing the pitching staff down the stretch, with several young pitchers approaching their maximum innings allotment for the season.

Detwiler started 10 games earlier in the season, going 0-5 with a 6.40 ERA. Kensing has had two stints in D.C. this season, surrendering 31 runs in 26 and two-thirds innings pitched. He was the closer for Syracuse, with a 2.97 ERA.

Estrada made his major league debut last season, appearing in 11 games as a reliever. He started the entire season for Syracuse.

Segovia, who has previous major league experience with Philadelphia, went 2-5 with a 3.28 ERA in stints at Double-A and Triple-A this year.

Desmond hit .328 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs for Harrisburg and Syracuse.

Just got back to the home offices from being on the road this weekend in Cincinnati, covering one of the hottest teams in Major League baseball.

Anyway, I have no news to contribute to the Strasburg speculation, other than to say as we drove past the park, the lights on the third floor was on and folks could be seen scurrying around.

There was some roster news today: The Nats DFA'd Logan Kensing and recalled Mike Morse from Triple-A, returning the roster to a more normal alignment of 13 position player and 12 pitchers.

I'll be back after midnight with my opinions of tonight's big news, regardless of what it is.

"Today was a step backward. It was a breakdown all the way around." -- Jim Riggleman, July 19, 2009.

THE RESULTS: The Washington Nationals were handed two more defeats by the Chicago Cubs, who completed a four-game sweep of the worst team in baseball.

Saturday, Washington's defensive indifference led to a three-run inning against rookie pitcher Jordan Zimmermann and the Nats eventually fell 6-5, despite having two on and one out in each of the final two innings.

Zimmermann (L, 3-5, 4.63) was cruising until the sixth. Derrek Lee led off with a ball to left that would have been caught by a man faster than Adam Dunn; instead it went for a ground rule double. The next batter, Aramis Ramirez, bounced one off of second baseman Willie Harris for an error.

So instead of two outs, it's first and third with no outs. After striking out Milton Bradley on three pitches, Zimmermann hung a slider to Alfonso Soriano, who deposited the mistake into the right field bleachers, turning a 4-2 lead into a 5-4 deficit that the Nats would never erase.

Zimmermann finished with five and one-third innings, five runs (four earned) on six hits and one walk. Eight of his 16 outs for the night were via strikeout.

The Nats left 12 men on base.

Sunday afternoon, the Nats were pasted every which way by the Cubs, losing 11-3. Cubs rookie starter Kevin Hart gave up five hits AND five walks in five innings, but the Nats could only push two across the plate.

Washington left nine men on base. Adam Dunn hit his 24th home run of the season in the seventh inning, after the competitive portion of the game had long since finished.

Nats starter Garrett Mock seemed rattled after Alberto Gonzalez let a ball go through him in the top of the fourth inning, and the Northsiders put up seven in the frame, in front of 34,574 mostly Cubs fans.

Mock (L, 0-3, 7.71) went three and one-third innings, surrendering seven runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks, striking out three. He gave up a massive two-run shot to Alfonso Soriano.

D.C. or Wrigley??? Photo 2009 © Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.


THE TAKEAWAY: Another lost weekend for the Nationals. Washington actually held the lead in each of the four games. It's time people realized that this offense actually gets WORSE when runners are on base.

The Nats left a stunning 21 runners on base in the two weekend games. Stunning.

THE GOOD: Nyjer Morgan. The leadoff hitter went 5-for-9 with three runs, an RBI and two stolen bases over the weekend.

THE BAD: Alberto Gonzalez. 0-for-8 for the weekend, with a big error Sunday. All those folks that wanted to see more of the Attorney General the rest of the season are going to get their wish. Be careful what you wish for.

THE UGLY: The record now stands at 26-65, on pace for a 46-116 season record.

NEXT GAME: Tonight. The Mets come to town, oh boy. J.D. Martin makes his major league debut against venerable right hander Livan Hernandez (5-5, 5.10), who has dominated the Nats in two starts this season.

NOTES: After the game, the Nats designated RHP Julian Tavarez for assignment and selected the contract of RHP Logan Kensing from Triple-A Syracuse.

Tavarez went 3-7 with one save and a 4.89 ERA this season for the Nats. Recently, however, he had trouble getting anyone out, and his walk rate the last 15 appearances was almost one walk per inning.

Kensing posted 12 saves in 13 opportunities and a 3.91 ERA in 23 appearances during a nearly two-month stint with Syracuse. While with the Chiefs, Kensing walked just five and struck out 24 in 25.1 innings.

LHP Scott Olsen went on the 15-day Disabled List to make room for Martin. Olsen is scheduled to meet with Dr. James Andrews this week about his ailing left shoulder.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The Washington Nationals today selected right-handed pitcher Jesus Colome and recalled catcher Josh Bard from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League, placed catcher Jesus Flores on the 15-Day Disabled List (retroactive May 10) with a right shoulder contusion and designated right-handed pitcher Logan Kensing for assignment. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

I don't think any of this was all that unexpected. Flores hasn't even sniffed the field since taking the fastball off his shoulder. That has to hurt. I would expect a fairly straight platoon with Bard and Nieves for the next 10 days.

Hard to imagine Colome being a welcome addition, but here he is. He had three saves in nine games with Syracuse, with nine Ks against two walks. Good tidings, Logan Kensing, we hardly knew ye. If you get cut from the Nats bullpen, where do you go from there?

In other news, the Nats returned Rule 5 draftee Terrell Young to Cincinnati after he was activated from the DL. Guess there wasn't a certain former-GM around to insist he be activated to the major league roster to uphold some handshake agreement he had with the player.

All Photos 2009 © Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

THE RESULT: The Los Angeles Dodgers scored seven runs in the home half of the sixth inning against three pitchers, as they defeated the Washington Nationals 10-3 to set a modern-day major league record for a home winning streak to start the season at 13 games.

The Dodgers pounded out 11 hits, and the Nats pitchers, led by starter Daniel Cabrera, issued eight walks.

Cabrera (0-3, 4.85) finished the night throwing five and one-third innings, giving up five runs--four earned--on six hits and five walks. He's now walked 22 in 29.2 innings against just 10 strikeouts for the season. In his last four starts, he's allowed 18 walks in 18.2 innings.

Michael Hinckley and Logan Kensing were no better. Hinckley came first, giving up a hit and a walk--with ball four sailing 20 feet over the head of catcher Jesus Flores into the screen behind home plate. Both runners scored.

Kensing allowed three earned on three hits and two walks.

Washington had a couple of glimmers of hope. First, Ryan Zimmerman extended his major league leading hitting streak to 24 games with a first inning single. Cristian Guzman had three more hits. And Flores hit his third home run of the season.

THE TAKEAWAY: Cabrera is bad. I said it when they signed him in December, I was more eloquent about it when it became official, and reiterated it in spring training.

How much longer do the Nats need to see it for themselves?

THE GOOD: Cristian Guzman. He went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.

THE BAD: 5-6-7 hitters. Dukes, Kearns and Belliard combined to go 0-for-9 with two walks and four Ks, leaving a collective seven runners on.

THE UGLY: Logan Kensing. Avert your eyes! 28 pitches, only 16 for strikes. And the strikes were pounded. He isn't fooling anyone.

HONORABLE MENTION: Hinckley's ball to the screen will go down in infamy, just like Matt Chico's curveball to the dugout two years ago. At least it happened in the middle of the night and there were only a few of us watching.

NEXT GAME: Nats try again tonight in La-La Land. Rookie Jordan Zimmermann (2-1, 4.24) takes on grizzled veteran Randy Wolf (1-1, 3.93) for the Dodgers at 10:10 pm ET.

"You're pitching for a last-place team in a half-empty stadium. What can be intimidating right now?" Manny Acta, April 30, 2009.

THE RESULT: Julian Tavarez, yesterday's hero for earning the save in Philadelphia, allowed five runs--just two earned--on two hits and two walks in the top of the ninth to turn a tie ballgame into a 9-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals before a sparse, mostly pro-Cardinal crowd at Nationals Park.

That the Nats were tied going into the ninth was miraculous enough. Daniel Cabrera started and was terrible again, but managed to limit the damage despite giving up four hits and walking five in six innings, and setting a team record with four wild pitches.

Tavarez entered the tie game in the top of the ninth and immediately erased Albert Pujols on one pitch. Unfortunately, that's the only out he would record.

He walked Chris Duncan, then gave up a double to the left field corner to Rick Ankiel that Adam Dunn was unable to cut off, and Duncan scored from first. Third baseman Joe Thurston walked, then Tavarez hit catcher Jason LaRue smack in the middle of his chest.

Tyler Greene, who made his major league debut, then hit a dribbler up the third base line that Ryan Zimmerman could not field cleanly. Ankiel scored easily, and Thurston, noticing Cristian Guzman was late backing up Zimmerman, never stopped as he rounded third.

Guzman finally got to the ball and threw home early enough to get Thurston, but Jesus Flores dropped the ball and appeared to be backing away from the contact as he misplayed the ball.

Manager Manny Acta then summoned deposed closer Joel Hanrahan, who, on his very first pitched, balked home a run. Greene then stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly for the fifth run of the inning.

THE TAKEAWAY: Good job by the offense coming back each time the Cardinals scored. Other than that, I got nothing. Wonder how long it takes before one of the hitters gets up into the grill of one of the relievers?

THE GOOD: Ryan Zimmerman. 1-for-4 with his fifth home run of the season. He hit another ball later to right center right up against the wall.

THE BAD: Logan Kensing. Making his Nats debut, he relieved Michael Hinckley with one out and a man on first. He promptly gave up a single to Pujols and then walked Chris Duncan on four pitches before Ankiel drove a ball to right center that Austin Kearns made a nice play on, resulting only in a sacrifice fly instead of a double to the gap.

THE UGLY: Gee, where to start? Even though Cabrera 'only' gave up three runs, it wasn't due to lack of effort. Five walks and a four wild pitches? How long does he keep getting sent out there to stink it up?

Michael Hinckley got one out and gave up a hit and a walk and a run. That ain't doing your job.

And we went through the Tavarez/Hanrahan inning ad nausem in the recap. If you thought a 36-year old (36? Yeah, right) journeyman who has pitched for 12 teams in his 16 year major league career was the answer, then I don't want to know the question.

NEXT GAME: We do it all again tomorrow night, as Jordan Zimmermann (2-0, 2.38) takes on Todd Wellemeyer (1-2, 6.14) at 7:05 p.m.

NOTES: Zimmerman's first inning homer extended his hitting streak to 19 games.

The Washington Nationals just announced that they have traded for reliever Logan Kensing, formerly of the Florida Marlins.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The Washington Nationals today acquired right-handed pitcher Logan Kensing from the Florida Marlins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Kyle Gunderson. To make room on the roster, the Nationals transferred outfielder Roger Bernadina from the 15- to the 60-Day Disabled List. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Kensing, 26, joins the Nationals after going 7-8 with 20 holds and a 5.21 ERA (77 ER/133.0 IP) in 108 career games (three starts) spanning five seasons with Florida. Kensing is expected to be in a Nationals uniform for tonight’s series finale at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

A hard thrower, Kensing has averaged nearly a strikeout per inning—or 8.9 per 9.0 innings—during his career (131 SO in 133.0 big league innings). He was Florida’s second-round selection in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft after a standout career at Texas A&M.

There was no corresponding move announced regarding who would be dropped from the active roster, but we should know shortly.

As for the player given up, Kyle Gunderson is a 24-year old right handed pitcher. He was a 48th round pick in the 2007 draft. He has been used exclusively as a reliever in the minors, appearing in 54 games with the Gulf Cost Nationals, Hagerstown and Potomac. He's 5-3 with 12 saves and a 1.98 ERA. He's struck out 61 and walked 18 in 86.1 innings pitched.

THE TAKEAWAY: This was a "we need help NOW" move. Gunderson's already 24 and still pitching in Class A ball, so even though it's trading younger for older, the Nats need to get some help to mitigate the disaster that this bullpen is.

Kensing is a hard thrower and a strikeout guy--two things the Nats bullpen doesn't have much of. He's been fairly terrible this season though, giving up 17.2 hits per nine innings and a 9.82 ERA in six games. But his strikeout rate is still near his lifetime average, so he's got that going for him, which is good.

It will be really interesting to find out who gets dropped from the roster before game time.

UPDATE: Nats send Bergmann back to Syracuse. Can't believe Bergy is less useful than Rivera right now, but what do I know?