hi, everybody, time for nats extra pregame. great to is you with us tonight as the nats begin their road trip out west. they have a couple of games against the colorado rockies, then off to houston for a series against the astros before the all star break and then coming back home after that. great to have you along with us. what a weekend for this ball game, ray, take, out of three, the series from the atlanta braves. >> pitching will spark a lot of good things. nyjer playing so well. clutch hitting, and just had

everything those past two ball games. fan participation. olsen pitched extremely well, almost notching he first all- time complete game. and is those two big bombs that adam dunn hit, but clutch hitting. we hit .394 with runners in scoring position. that's something new. 18 runs scored. just a great weekend. fun weekend, about this ball club changing courses, and i believe they chained course. >> do you get a little different feel for this paul club now? i know that nyjer has certainly instilled a lot of enthusiasm, and we hope that burnette will be good in the bullpen as well, but you get a different feeling heading out for with a winning streak against a team that has lost two a row, the rockies. >> my thought driving home was that it takes time for a ball club to jell. when you have the wrong mix, it's just not going to happen.

this club has been stirred up and changed, and i finally believe that the right mix is here. combination of attitude, the way they go about their business, and ability. we've now got a center fielder that's a true center fielder. better than anybody we've had out there since we've been here. no doubt about it. our defense played well. one guy can spur the team just with energy, can make of course play hard, and then lannan can spur everybody else, and i think everybody is meeting the challenge. >> another guy that can spur this team is ryan zimmerman. our hats are off to ryan. congratulations, making the all star time, well deserved. >> well, second to the world series, and playoffs, that i was fortunate to play in, all star is the next best thing. just special events, the all star gala, it's great to be a part, and look around that

clubhouse wait lot of guys that were your idols, people that you saw play growing up. me, pete rose, johnny bench, those guys, willy sargele, just getting an opportunity to face nolan ryan in the all-star game, and tommy john. i got my first all star hit off of tommy john. so there's nothing like it, recan, and you deserve it, buddy. put together a great year, and will be a big part of this organization for a long, long time. >> look at the numbers that he has through the ball game. now, through 80 games, projected for the full season to hit .293. going to have 26 homers, 95 rbis. 45 doubles. that's a pretty good season right there for ryan. >> it's a good year for him, johnny, but he was sit hitting so well, he was having a career year. those numbers you see projected are similar to the numbers he had his two best years.

he hit 20 home runs his first year with 47 doubles and 110 rbis, and then hit 24 home runs the next year, so he's just in that deal where his bubble gum card is, and he got off to a great start. still going to put up big numbers, but these are superstar is type numbers. >> debbie taylor has a member of the all-star team with her, ryan zimmerman. deb? i haven't thank you very much. and yes, i am joined by all star ryan zimmerman. do you like the sound of that, ryan? >> i guess. it's an honor, obviously, and it's everyone's dream to kind of get to that level varvelledly, and of course team stuff is way more important, but it's nice and keep working hard, and hopefully there will be many more. >> what are you looking forward to the most about going to st. louis? >> get a chance to be around some pretty impressive players. obviously a lot of activities there, going to be a lot of fun, put i'm looking forward to

see something of the old timer guys more. don't get a chance to so them too often, and for that many people to be in one place at one time should be pretty special. >> obviously you're not going to be starting the game. will it be weird to start on the bench and go in later? >> i think it will be a little more relaxing, there will like a spring training kind of feel, but of course you get in there, of course the game means something, and want to do all you can to help the tomorrow win. >> will you be nervous because it's your first all-star game and you are under the national spotlight? >> not really. i think it will be a little more over when ming than nervous, but once you get out there, it's just a baseball game, you out out there, and fun and play. >> what's the key to getting to marquise tonight? >> well, he's been using his sinker to guest hitters. just pitches a little bit more. he's not going to come out and throw 59 and blow it by you, but by to means is he going to give in and give you good pitches to hit, so he's a tough one, but we'll balance and

hopefully scrape across a couple of runs. >> having christian guzman join you on the team, what would that mean to you, and do you tink he tee serves it? ? yeah, i think he tee serves it, adam, john, a lot of guys deserve it. but hopefully guz can get there. would be great to have him on the team. >> team. >> beside me is a guy who was will bed in 1983, because he was leading the lead in hitting. >> yeah, i didn't make it that year. in '86, i had a tremendous first half, hitting .327, didn't make they year, but the years i i did make it, your team, you talk about nervousness, there's a different feeling. you want to be a part of your ball club and be respected by your team.

that happens over the course of the season, they respect you. over the course of time, you become a big part of that team. then you would like to be respected by your league. that only happens when you're chosenpy the all-star team. you feel that. and then you're out there with your peers, and wow want to lay well, and when you do play well, you garner the respect of the other league. >> let me ask you this, how about going around getting autographs, pictures, and thinks like that? is that blown out of proportion? >> no, wow get an all star year book, or book that has all of the all stars in it. you get a bat, balls, all kinds of stuff, and then they have balls on the tables for you to sign, that are -- i don't know where day go, but there's, like, maybe 40, 50 dozen that you sign, so get used to that, rain. you're going to have to sign a

bunch of balls. they give you a satchel, a briefcase, you get a ring. there's just a lot of things you get, and last things that come to you. you get an autographed bat. just pick out somebody's bat you like. i picked out willy sargeles, have that kind bat, and it's still home in my trophy case. >> for chris man guzman to be in st. louis along with this teammate, ryan zimmerman, you have until what, july the 9th to cast some votes for christian? he's among matt kemp of the dodgers, mark riddleles of, and talk low sandoval of the giants. a final vote, you have almost thursday at 4:00 p.m. so we helped ryan get there, hope you'll help christian. that would be a nice addition. >> it would. over the past three years, 0 every a thousand at bats, christian is hits over .320 ask doing the same thing this year.

second in the national league with multi-game hits, so he deserves to be there. we're going to take a break and when we comein' to continue, the first of a three- game series out in colorado at coors field against the rockies. ray and i will take a break, we'll come back and check the starting line-ups in a minute. fios guy! where ya headed?

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70 for the nationals, nick john sob, five homers, 35 rbis. last month on base 10 straight plate appearances, went 3 for 12 the to atlanta series with a homer, three rbis. in the national line-up tonight for mannerny acta will look this way.

>> happy to have you along here tonight. this is interesting. it's the first time since jewel we've seen this ball club.

>> yeah, clint got fired, hurdle, the 29th of may, and then they just went lights out. they were 13 and a half games out, and they won their next 19 out of -- or 21 out of 28. and only picked up four games, because the dodgers are were so hot, but they've made a big turn around, last year, you know, hey, they played in the word series, and were a fantastic ball club the last two months of the season. >> obviously judge tracy has made a big difference, because the team was 19-28 when he replaced hurdle. they picked up about five games in the standings. >> yeah, they have, and tracy is a good buddy. came up up there the reds organization, a big sparky anderson protege. a guy who has been real quiet, but knows so much. everybody is drawn to him. delegates a lot of authority, sits back and watches, a lot like boshy cox, like sparky did. jim is that kind of guy.

really good handle pitching, also, very patient, and you have to be in that ballpark, because so many times you have a game you think is out of reach, and 8-2, and before you know it, it's 12-1 in the 7th. >> i think it's the first time they've lost two games at home under jim tracy, so a formidable opponent to say the least. >> they are. pitchingwise, they have a tough time. guys that throw sinkers are pretty effective out there, usually curveball pitchers have a tough time, because the atmosphere has a tendency to make those curveballs kind of hang. there's been a lot of people go out there and tried and died with curveballs, but if you're a sinker baller, changeup guy like marquise is, you can be effect everybody. >> one win on the road this year for craig samen. what a great win that was just a couple of weeks ago. he will start tonight for the nationals. >> well, he's been great on the

road. 3.2 on the road, the thing i look about the kid, he throws strikes. a lot of stuff is being said about he's going around the batting order for the third time. i think once he sees the hitters enough, he is going to make that adjust .,, he is a criminal type pepper. >> and then for the rockies tonight, the veteran. he's on the all-star team. jason marquise. >> his best year so far. been basically a .500 pitcher. 10-5 this year, however, has been amazing with the 10 game his started, last 10 games, he's gotten into the 7th inning. he's had 7 out of 10 quality starts in this last 10 starts,ing and he has always been a guy who gets to the 7th ingo ahead. going back to when he was the braves and then chicago. he lost more games than anybody in the league two years above gee with 1616, but won 51, 81

appearances. doesn't walk maybe people. a lot of sinkers, and just relentle to the strike zone. >> salmon has given manny acta at least 5 innings in each of his starts, but he is getting there in his rookie campaign. >> i don't know what else you can look for in a young man. he's been very effective. he's had innings where he has struggled, and guys have him health home runs? put who are hitting hope runs? big papi the other night, and gave up a home run on a fastball to hanley ramirez, one of the best hitters in the league. he can pitch. he keeps the ball down, 90, 19, 92, a lot of sinkers. he's got a good curveball.

>> let's look at stan, you'll see some of his numbers on the road. >> he's been able to stay away from the big inning on the road. it sames tomy like when he gets rattled, it takes him a little bit to get back to that control deal. bit he is strong and tough mentally. once they get those four runs off of you early and your whole world falls apart, it takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to get back and go through that line-up again. >> i don't think we can talk enough about john lannan's. a.m. performance this past weekend or scott olsen. we're going to touch on these

guys when we come back and continue. this is nats xtra pregame. it's followed one tradition: use the best high-country barley... and only rocky mountain water. and it's been brewed under one motto: never compromise. now maybe this means we're a little set in our ways. but we know a few guys who will drink to that. coors. the banquet beer.

welcome back. we saw some great pitching performances from lannan and olsen this past weekend. they were on fire against the braves. >> well, it's almost like they are charging each other. olsen, i wasn't sure what to expect. he was only throwing 88, 89, i'm not sure he wasn't hurt coming out of spring training. but his last two to outings have been lights out. he's thrown the ball 91, 29 miles an hour, has become effect everybody with his change-up. went to the slider the other night, as he was able to figure that out, and just wore people

out on that ball down and in, and john lannan, gosh, best pitcher on our staff and one of the best in the game. i i've thought with a 6-5 record, he had a shot make thick all-star team. >> keep in mind, olsen has never had a complete fame in the major leagues, the 8 and 2/3 tied his high against milwaukee a couple of years ago pitching for florida. kind of an interesting when manny acta made that trip to the mound. you could hear the fans, they weren't happy. they wanted to have v scott stay in there, and what scott's reaction. what did he think manny was going to stay when the he came out. >> he just came out and said you're not going anywhere, so i felt good, conti five depth because of his confidence in me. interest there's the numbers of the two pitchers. three earned runs for beat those guys. if they can continue to. i like that, ray, it's going to

be a very interesting second half of the season. >> i think it's going to be a lot of fun in this second half, johnny, just guys singing the bat, defensively, you so that, coming around. more better situational hitting, and this paul club is going to be made on pitching and defense, and i see the ingredients coming together. and i don't see any reason why we can't pitch well every night, at least four out of five starts. 8 out of 10 starts, and be in ball games and give many a chance to manage. so you get into that 7th, 8th, 9th inning, you can pinch hit, use pinch runners, again joy the game. i don't think manny has ever been able to enjoy a ball game, because he's always had his hands tied. >> let's go out to core coors field. it's time for the hot corner segment of our show. eight peers in watching the past couple of games that maybe manny is giving these pitchers, ben, a little longer leash with

which to work. >> yeah, i think the two guys you saw get the longer here are the two guys that are primarily going to get that. we were talking to many about this before the game, and in those two guys have more experience as they get a little bit of a different treatment than say jordan zimmerman or craig sal mop on or something somebody like that. they've proven they can come back from a bad outing, come back from getting hit and have an outing like that. they know how to pitch to contact, they know how to keep their pitch count down a little better than some of these rookies do. manny is very big on the rookies, getting them out when they have chance to win, or at least a new decision, doesn't want them coming 0 nut a situation where they're going to end up wait loss if they've pitched well, so you're going to see lannan and is olsen get treated a little differently than these other three guy. and okay, ben, thank you very much, my friend. ben out there in denver, colorado. good advice, good work. >> great advice. i think many will allow these guys to stretch out more as the

year goes on. all a matter of pitch count, where they are, what he feels about them. every pitcher wants to have the paul in the 9th end inning. spachy anderson always said the great pitchers want the ball in the 9th inning. you want the ball in the 9th inning, these guys will gladly accept it, if many will allow them to pitch through pit. >> time for the stay in the fame hold of the day, brought to you by just for men air color. tavares has five saves. his era is 4.2. you to can stay in the fame with just for men hair color. we're going to take a break. we'll come back and continue as craig gets has to take to the field tonight at coors field against the rockies. don't go away. more to come on nats extra pregame on masn. hey mom i need some minutes.

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? >> center field will be named morgan down, because nyjer morgan is out there patrolling it like nobody haston since this ball club came to washington. >> i remember a quote that when willie mays went into the out field, he said i don't care if he hits, he covers the whole pasture, that's what nyjer does, he covers everything out there. just been such a joy to this ball club with all of that energy. >> bob carp entheir is going to have a nice sit down interview with scott olsen and john lannan coming in the course of their broadcast. you don't want to miss that. thanks for joining us tonight

here on nats extra pregame. a nice salute to all star ryan zimmerman. woman over phone: no problem. you know, mae other people are content to sit around and wait. wait for something to happen. for business to pick up. but for you, it's time to kick it in gear. time to get going. time to get tough. take control. you're not gonna run and hide. because backing down's not your style. grab your bag. it's on. ( ding )