June 9, 2005 [LINK]
Tonight's 4-3 win over the A's was the seventh straight victory for the Nationals. Unlike most of their other recent games, however, this time they did not come from behind. The steamy hot summer air at RFK Stadium seems to be adding lift to long fly balls, as the Nats hit three of them over the fence last night. What was most gratifying about that game was that Esteban Loiaza finally got solid run support behind yet another superb starting performance, giving up only two runs in seven innings. It was only his second win of the season... After a series hosting the Mariners this weekend, the Nats head west to Los Angeles, where they had good success last month. This time they'll be playing the Angels in Anaheim. As soon as the injured Jose Vidro returns to the lineup, the Nationals should be in a very strong position as the All Star break approaches. The Phillies remain only 1 1/2 games behind the Nationals, however, and anything could happen in the NL East. [UPDATED]
As the Oakland A's conclude their three-game series in D.C., Peter Handrinos makes an eminently sensible suggestion on how that proud, high-performing but sadly neglected franchise in Oakland can get going again -- by moving 40 miles south to San Jose. It would be a uniquely short-distance "relocation," remaining within the general Bay Region, but attracting a new set of fans in ultra-rich Silicon Valley. See United States of Baseball. Maybe the marketing geniuses at Apple Computer will fork over the cash for the stadium naming rights!