CHANGE MY LOCATION
Sports
Examiners
Sports Examiner
Most Recent Post
Radio hosts get blast back from Magic Johnson after accusations of faking AIDS
California News
Multimedia News
Nats still learning the fundamentals
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: WASHINGTON
)
Kory Casto was in the starting lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Florida Marlins, playing left field and batting second. With center fielder Nook Logan expected to miss two to three weeks, Casto will be counted on to produce for the Nats.
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Before the game, Washington worked on pitchers covering first base on certain grounders. Naturally, when the situation occurred in the game, the pitcher never budged off the mound.
Another common play — a double over the center fielder’s head, resulted in another broken Little League rule: nobody covered second base.
After two games it’s clear: the Nationals are struggling with their fundamentals. This time, it resulted in a 9-3 loss to visiting Florida. The Nats only committed two errors, but a handful of other mistakes and misplays contributed to the loss and didn’t help starter Shawn Hill.
“We all know we played worse defense than two errors,” manager Manny Acta said. “It takes more than that to frustrate me.”
Reliever Ray King, who failed to cover first on a grounder in the hole, said, “It’s frustrating because we’re 0-2; as a staff we gave up nine runs regardless of the errors or mental errors.”
The lone highlight for Washington, which fell behind 4-0 in the first, involved rookie Kory Casto, who was recalled earlier in the day.
The Nationals placed center fielder Nook Logan (hyperextended foot) and shortstop Cristian Guzman (mild left hamstring strain) on the 15-day disabled list. They also purchased the contract of infielder D’Angelo Jimenez from Columbus.
“I love Kory, he’s a great kid,” Nationals general manager Jim Bowden said. “The fans in D.C. will love Kory because he plays the game the right way; he’s a gamer and he has a big heart. He has as good an attitude as you’ll find in a player.”
Casto recorded his first big-league hit in the fourth inning.
The Nationals called him at 9 a.m. Tuesday with the news. He was on a private jet within a few hours; his wife drove to Washington in time for the game.
“It’s been pretty crazy,” said Casto, who started in left and batted second last night and recorded his first major league hit in the fourth inning. “If you want it to happen, you want it to happen in a way you’ll remember it.
“It’s pretty exciting, knowing that one of your goals in life will be accomplished.”
The 26-year-old Casto understood why he didn’t make the team out of spring training. That doesn’t mean it was easy.
“It was a little tough, but that’s the way baseball is,” he said. “I was gonna go down to AAA and show them that I at least could be one of the guys who could come up and help them out. ... I didn’t expect to be up here this soon.”
Comments from Examiner Readers
9:17 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 5, 2008 re: "Rookie Balester is beginning to gain confidence"
Report as inappropriate
8:46 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 18, 2008
re: "Council considers raising taxes on Nationals tickets"
Report as inappropriate
2:18 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008
re: "No easy access near ballpark for disabled"
Report as inappropriate
11:32 AM MST on Sat., Mar. 15, 2008
re: "Shuttle service, beer sales among issues still to work out before Opening Day"
Report as inappropriate
11:34 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
8:58 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
7:47 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
7:06 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
6:23 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
9:01 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
Report as inappropriate
4:10 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
Report as inappropriate
12:17 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
Report as inappropriate
5:46 AM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007
re: "Deal should clear the way for stadium art"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
Collin Balester is the real deal. His fastball is his #1 pitch however that Changeup of his is#1A. He brings life and energy to the Clubhouse and he will be a positive influence on the Nats for years to come. Quoting Balester..." I want to play baseball til I'm 50 years old!!" Tongue in cheek. Ask J Moyer for the "How do you do that" Book!! Go Nats!
5 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Not paying the rent? Kick them out! They are a losing team anyway.
5 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Now how did "progressive, caring" DC happen to forget about the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires that public facility projects consider access for the disabled?
12 agree | 12 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
"The most extreme example might be June 29, when United faces off against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy as 12:30 p.m., and the Nationals play the Baltimore Orioles an hour later." well that was some brilliant scheduling there....lets stuff 100,000 people into the area over a two hour span
12 agree | 12 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Considering where the new stadium is, you can bet that the cost of security will skyrocket!!!
13 agree | 11 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
If DC knew that they couldn't afford to pay the police department they shouldn't have never opened up the Stadium. You have so many poor people living in the DC area and all the taxes we citizens have to pay could have been going into better use. we have to pay all this money and we are not going to see where the money is going. Who cares, right.
11 agree | 14 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
Re:$2M owed for security at Nats games -- Since the "quasi-governmental" D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission won't pay the $2 million it owes the Metropolitan Police Department for security at Nats games, why not get those "quasi" Commission members and paid staff out directing traffic on game days? At $55 an hour, it should only take them 36,364 person-hours to work off their debt.
13 agree | 11 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
"Whether the [commission] is paying it or MPD is paying it, it comes out of the same pot,” Mayor Adrian Fenty’s spokeswoman Carrie Brooks said in a statement. WHAT? Good grief, no wonder the city is in so much trouble. Everyone is aware the budget process means nothing in D.C., and that is why money is misspent and missing everywhere, but to come out an officially admit it, wow - good work Brooks.
12 agree | 13 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The city charges baseball $55.00 per hour, the officers are paid their regular hourly rate. For most officers that about $32.00 per hour. What is the city doing with the difference?
12 agree | 13 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
miqcie: Art is good. The DC government should make sure that it is part of the environment throughout our city, and encourage the community cultural groups and gifted DC artists who create it. The stadium is private property, owned by the Lerner family, who can well afford to buy their own art.
296 agree | 319 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
miqcie said:
I'm hopeful that this funding will be restored and is appropriate use of financing for public art. As a denizen of this city, I'd don't mind a part of my tax dollars going to projects like this that are truly community goods.
327 agree | 299 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
The Commission claimed the site-specific art for the private baseball stadium was just being "loaned" to the stadium but still owned by the commission. That is like saying your dental work is on loan from someone else. Public art projects like this are normally paid for by the developer, and the public arts agency gives technical assistance in the project's execution. This poor judgment by the Commission has cost the DC arts community $850,000 in much-needed capital funds.
354 agree | 300 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
Update: The deal is now for a $206,000+ site-specific sculpture to be "loaned" to the stadium by the DC Arts Commission. That is like saying that you "borrow" your dental work, an obvious falsehood. Shame.
360 agree | 354 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree