quorum call: quorum call:

mr. vitter: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. mr. vitter: mr. president, if we're in quorum call, i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: mr. president, i call up the vitter amendment number 1375. the presiding officer: is there objection to setting aside the

pending amendment? withouwithout objection, so ord. the will report the amendment. the clerk: the senator from louisiana, mr. vitter, proposes an amendment numbered 1375 to amendment numbered 1373. mr. vitter: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent to waive reading of the whole. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: and at this point, mr. president, i send a modification of the amendment to the desk. the presiding officer: without objection. the amendment is so modified. mr. vitter: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, originally my amendment dealt with two e-verify issues. the no-match rule under social security, which i'm about to talk about, and also ensuring that the e-verify system is used for employers who operate under federal contracts. just a few minutes ago, we passed the sessions amendment which deals with the second of those issues, federal contracts. so my modification of my

amendment simply takes that part of my amendment out and leaves a correction of the remaining issue, the social security no-match rule. that's the only thing the modification did. mr. president, what is knot-match rule? the no-match rule? well, in august of 2007, the department of homeland security issued this no-match resolution which clarifies the responsibility of employers who receive notice that employees' names and social security numbers don't match the records of the social security administration. under the rule, employers receiving this sort of notice that did not take corrective action would be deemed to have constructive knowledge that they are employing unauthorized illegal aliens. so in other words, this rule provided clear guidance on the appropriate responsibility of

the employer, the appropriate due diligence the employer should undertake if they receive a letter from the social security administration informing them that there is not a match, a proper match under those records. d.h.s., g.a.o., and social security audits found that such discrepancies often arise when workers use false documents to illegally obtain employment in the u.s. so going after these no-matches is absolutely imperative to attack the issue of illegal aliens in this country. employers who receive no-match letters know they have a problem, know they have a responsibility to do something about it. either their record keeping needs to be improved or they've hired undocumented workers. so this no-match rule is reasonable in telling the employers you have a problem, you have a responsibility to do

something about it in a circumstance where there is a no match. now, this no-match rule has been blocked by litigation filed by organized labor and business groups who have consistently opposed enforcement of many of our federal immigration laws, but the administration has twice asked the court to delay ruling on the government's motion to throw out the lawsuit, husband voluntarily leaving the rule in legal limbo for more than five years. my amendment, this vitter amendment, as modified, would simply prevent any more delays on the no-match rule and it would allow the social security administration and d.h.s. to provide employers with notices of the problems in their work force payroll records. again, mr. president, i think this is not only thoroughly reasonable but it's absolutely necessary, one of many necessary steps we have to take to move

forward with regard to the illegal immigration problem and possible -- and productive enforcement. if there are situations where there isn't a match under social security records, we need to do something about it. the employer needs to look into it and do something about it or else our illegal immigration laws are going to continue to be made a farce and continue to be flagrantly violated in many cases. so i think this is a very reasonable approach, puts a reasonable but not undue burden on the employer to do some appropriate due diligence when they get a no-match notice from social security. with that, mr. president, i urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment. i hope we'll have a vote on it probably later today. i look forward to any continuing debate, and i urge a "yes" vote.

and i reserve the balance of my time. mr. vitter: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. mr. vitter: if there is no more discussion on this amendment at this time, i give all my time back and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. without objection. mr. grassley: i ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment so i can offer an amendment. the presiding officer: is there an objection? without objection. mr. grassley: okay. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that we call up numbe number -- amendment number 1415. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the amendment. the clerk: the senator from iowa, mr. grassley, proposes an amendment numbered 1415. mr. grassley: i ask that the reading of the amendment be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: mr. president, the amendment that i'm offering to the homeland security appropriation bill deals with the e-verify program. this morning we voted to make the program a perm inep permanef our immigration law.

this was a vote in favor of the program because it is a very valuable tool for businesses across the country who to want abide by the law -- who want to abide by the law. my amendment makes the program an even better tool for businesses. it says that if an employer chooses to verify the status of all their workers, not just new hires, then they should be allowed to do so. mr. president, employers want to abide by the law and-people hire people that are legally -- and hire people who are legally in the country. right now, e-verify allows only the employer to check prospective employees, but we should be allowing them access to free on-line database system to check all of their workers. i hope that my colleagues would agree with this approach, and i would think that it would fit in very closely with initiatives by our new president to change the emphasis upon enforcing the laws

against employment of people who come here illegally, because t the -- the president is emphasizing going after employers who are not abiding by the law and there's lots of investigations that are going on in that direction. and so we're now giving employers through my amendment the opportunity to check all of their employees, because that's very, very important. if a person who is a business person and there's a prospect that federal people are going to come into the process and look at all of their employment records, i would think that an employee -- an employer would want this tool to be able to use to see that everybody that's been hired, not just people recently hired, legally to be here. so i urge my leagues to agree --

my colleagues to agree to this and allow businesses back home to take steps to be in coy appliance with immigration laws. i yield the floor. i don't see -- i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

officer the senator from north dakota. according to mr. president, i ask consent to speak in morning business for 10 minutes. the presiding officer: the senate is in a quorum call. mr. dorgan: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vacated. officer without objection. mr. dorgan: i ask consent that i be allowed to speak in morning business for 10 minutes.

the presiding officer: without objection. mr. dorgan: madam president, this morning "the new york times" wrote an editorial that i wanted to call my colleagues' attention to and take some issue with. the editorial in "the new york times" this morning is called "elk hunting in the badlands," referring to the badlands of north dakota where theodore roosevelt went out and lived and ranched. the badlands encompass theodore roosevelt national park, a wonderful park. the bad lands are about as beautiful a place in this country that you will find in the united states. the badlands and theodore roosevelt national park has elk. in 1985, a number of elk were released in the badlands in the southern section, and there were, i think, around 50 herd of elk that were released in the badlands and that has now grown to somewhere close to 900 elk, which is about 600 more than really can reasonably be handled

in that area, and so they need to call the elk herd. they need to thin out the elk herd because you can't allow it to grow so large that you don't have the caring capacity on that land. so as is the case with too many federal agencies, once they started thinking about how would we cull the elk herd, how would we take care of this pro, they came up with an idea, actually a number of ideas. among them was an idea that they would go hire federal sharpshooters and then cull the herd with federal sharpshooters and then have helicopters transport out the carcasses once the sharpshooters had done their job. it just seemed to me to just be bonnheaded to be thinking in those -- boneheaded to be thinking in those terms. much better, it seemed to me, was to develop an approach that was used in the grand titons. this is not unusual, by the way, the need to thin a herd, and

it's also the case that we don't allow hunting, quote, unquote, on national parks, in national parks. i understand that. i basically support that. but in cases where you have to thin a herd, rather than have the federal treasury decide, you know, go -- we're going to go out and hire federal sharpshooters and then gas up the helicopters so you can transport the carcasses of the dead animals out, a much better solution that you could find in almost any restaurant in north dakota talking to three people over strong coffee is, well, what about just go finding some qualified hunters, deputizing them, allow each to take an elk and take the meat home? ergo, you haven't cost the federal government any money, under park supervision you've deputized qualified hunters that you could easily qualify and you've solved the problem. mine, this is not rocket science, not a big, significant, complicated issue. it's not some mysterious illness for which we don't know a cure. this is a very simple issue of

culling an elk herd. and so i proposed that and the park service said, well, there's a restriction here and there so we're going to hold a series of meetings. they held a series of meetings in north dakota. they showed up and actually were explaining their preferred alternatives. as is always the case with the bureaucracy, they hold a lot of meetings and then they come up with multiple preferred alternatives and then they study them to death, until they are -- the alternatives are nothing but carcasses. so, at any rate, we are now in north dakota in the theodore roosevelt national park in a circumstance where this issue has gone on for some years and the park service had their five alternatives. we were waiting for awhile to see what they were going to announce but it was pretty clear to me they weren't going to get to the right decision, even though it wasn't dark outside. you'd think in the sunlight, you'd find the right decision eventually, but it was clear to me they weren't going to get to

the right decision. and so i included a provision in the interior appropriations bill last week that is very simple and it does as i have said. just simply cull the elk herd by deputizing qualified hunters under the supervision of the park service, be able to take an animal and take the carcass and the meat out of 9 -- th the -- e badlands. and so that is in the interior appropriations bill. "the new york times" takes great issue with that. it's not the right proposal at all. it's a terrible idea. it would legislate a management issue better left to the secretary of the interior and the national park service. let he me just say to them, the secretary of the interior information north dakota with me about five weeks ago and i had a long discussion with him about this issue. and i think without describing his position on it, because i don't know his specific position, i know our former

colleague, ken salazar, and i know that he would want to come to a conclusion that represents a deep reservoir of common sense as well for the taxpayers of this country. it says, it would authorize an activity -- this is the -- "the new york times" editorial -- it would authorize an activity -- quote -- "public hunting" that is proscribed by the founding legislation for national parks. i understand, we don't want to open up hunting seasons in national parks. i don't propose that. i propose only in a circumstance where in this national park, just as we have done in the grand tito n national park, and that is embedded in law, by the way, just as we have done in the grand teton national park, when you need to thin the hard, don't spend a pile of taxpayers' money, don't gas up helicopters to haul carcasses around. deputize local qualified hunters and allow that to be done, not a hunting season, just in this case you're actually thinning the herd using qualified hunters that can be deputized to operate under the supervision of the

park service and be able to remove the meat from the park. very simple. how to manage and cull this elk herd should be decided by the national park service based on sound science, not by faulty, if well-intentioned legislation. now, i know "the new york times," and particularly the editorial page, is populated by well-known hunters who truck and trek around the country looking for opportunities to hunt in areas that are not national parks. but i do know something a bit about hunting, number one. and, number two, i know a fair amount about theodore roosevelt national park and the badlands. and i know about the people i represent who would take a look at this and who did when the park service said, you know, maybe we should have helicopters and federal sharpshooters, most north dakotans said do you know what, why don't you get real, why don't you use a deep reservoir of common sense, solve this problem the right way, spare the taxpayers the expense

of spending a lot of money and do what we have done in the grand teton national parks. that's the reason why last week i included the provision in the interior appropriations bill. i wanted to describe it to my colleagues. again, i -- i am kidding a bit about the hunting activities of the editors of "the new york times." it's a fine paper. i'm sure the editors feel strongly about their position, but their position is wrong. and on behalf of the american taxpayer, let's -- let's do the right thing and just use some common sense. this is not that the complicat complicated. madam president, i yield the floor. and i make a point of order that a quorum is not present. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. lautenberg: i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum be dispensed. .the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. lautenberg: thank you, madam president. i rise today because there's a reckless amendment on the floor of the united states senate to strip us -- this country -- of important infrastructure element to protect us against terrorism. this amendment that's on the floor is intended to strip the state of new jersey of critical antiterrorism programs. now, in poll after poll people across our country are still deeply concerned about what might happen in the event of a

terrorist attack and everyone knows we have people fighting against terror in other countries but we also have a huge assignment here. just today we saw an attempt to smuggle bomb parts into some government buildings was successful. my god, what do we have to do to say to people here, in this place, we've got our -- our primary function is to protect our citizens and new jersey is one of the other states, one of the 50 states in this country that if it's a dangerous event that occurs, whether a natural disaster or whether it's a terrorist attack, we have an obligation to see these states have the tools to protect themselves. eliminating funding for these programs will make families in new jersey more vulnerable to terrorist attacks and natural disasters. now, i point out something here

that this area that we're particularly focused on where 9/11 was the largest catastrophe to happen on american soil, it's one area that i'll describe in just a minute is one of the most densely populated in the country and risks are very high. eliminating funds for these programs makes families in new jersey more vulnerable. we are concerned about it. without these investments, when a terrorist strikes or a hurricane hits there's a good chance emergency generators might not go on, fire trucks won't arrive on time, medical crews won't know quite where to go. let's be absolutely clear: new

jersey is no striker to terrorism. we lost -- no stranger to terrorism. we lost 700 new jersey residents on 9/11 and dozens more still retain illnesses that developed as a result of their attempt to protect the citizens who survived -- those who survived. new jersey is them to what has been labeled by the f.b.i. as the -- new jersey is home to what has been labeled by the f.b.i. as the most dangerous two-mile stretch between the port of newark and newark airport, the most densely populated state in the nation. the area around this two-mile stretch could injure or kill almost 12 million people, and because of the real possibility of an attack, cities and counties throughout new jersey have created local emergency

operational centers. what else could we ask for? what about people who have draughts or hurricanes or -- have droughts or hurricanes or earthquakes or volcanic eruptions in this country? what states have a right to ask for -- they have a right to ask for help, but why only provide the help after something has happened, if we can prevent things from taking place? because of the real possibilities that we have these local emergency operational centers in new jersey. these centers coordinate information during an attack, manage the immediate response, the cat class mick emergencies. both the 9/11 commission report and the department of homeland security have identified these centers as imperative to people's safety and security when a community crisis occurs. in fact, according to the 9/11

commission's senior counsel, if there had been a functional emergency operation center after the terrorist attack on the world center, lives would have been saved that day. and here's what'll happen if the amendment being offered by senators mccain and feingold is passed: the emergency operation centers in union county, in my state, won't have an interoperable communications network that connects fire, police, and medical officers. the emergency operations center in south orange, one of our cities, won't have a working emergency generator. we can't afford to be without this infrastructure of emergency equipment as well as services. and the emergency operations center in hackensack will not be able to properly train police officers and firefighters. make no mistake, emergency

operations centers save lives. that's preventive. that's what its purpose is. madam president, the amendment being offered by senators mccain and feingold defies common sense. by jeopardizing emergency operation centers in my state and other states across the country, this amendment would make us less secure. and i hope that my colleagues will say "no," we can't permit that. we can't permit it in new jersey and we can't permit it in other places in the country. we have to as the boy scouts say, be prepared. it is the simplest lesson that we could learn. prevention is far better than cure. i thank you, madam chairwoman, for the opportunity to speak, and i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

officer the senator from new hampshire. ed ared are i ask that the calling of the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. ed ared are thank you, madam president. madam president, i rise to oppose the amendment that is currently before us which would eliminate fund for emergency

operation projects throughout the country, including one in providence, rhode island. mr. reed: first, this issue combination on several critical factors. one is ultimately public safety. we have experienced over the last several years a terrorist threat that could imperil communities throughout this country. in fact, just on the fourth of july, several aircraft in instan bull were stopped and searched because there was intelligence developed by the german government and the united states indicating that there might be a threat to commercial aircraft, just as we witnessed on 9/11. the bottom line is that these emergency operation centers are critical. there's another aspect, of course, too. that is, we're in a terrible situation economically in rhode island. we're just a tad behind michigan in terms of unemployment, 12.1%

of the rhode islandwork force is out of work. four points higher than other states in the country. this funding will not only meet a critical need for public safety, but it will also help a little bit in terms of getting our economy moving forward. it will allow the city of providence and the providence emergency management agency to move closer to completing needed improvements to its emergency operations center. this project will increase the space at the providence e.o.c. to ensure 24-hour presence and accommodate a second staff that will be required on-site should an emergency incident occur. in undertaking this work, at least 20 construction jobs will be produced. and in rhode island, that's a good project. in 2004, the city of providence designated a site to serve as the headquarters for the prof dense e.m.o. it will serve the city during a

disaster o. atafnlgt the first phase was completed this year but must expand its existing building in order to make shortfalls that were identified in a 2007 federal emergency management agency tactical assistance review. these shortfalls pointe pointedy federal authorities including r. include inadequate space for administration and emergency operations and a lack of adequate force protection, physical security, and survivability plashes. according to the providence e.m.a., up to $3 million will be needed to complete this work. again, this was the result of a study by the federal authorities as to the adequacy of this facility. while famil fema has committed resources, providence e.m.a. does not have enough to fulfill the requirements. it plays a role in our state operations.

the greater providence medical response system which serves eight communities representing 06% of the state's population -- let me say that again, this o.e.c., although it is placed in providence, essentially coshed natcoordinates the emergency response for 60% of the people of rhode island. this is a critical facility not just for one community but for a significant number of rhode islanders. so this will be a facility that is not only necessary but extremely efficient and integral to the protection of a significant number of my constituents. while i understand the administration believes that funding should be allocated for a risk-management framework, i support the committee's decision to fund these projects. the facility is needed in my state. we know the improvement is needed. the federal authorities have pointed it out to us. it will not only protect the small portion of one city, it will effectively protect a large

portion in terms of population of my state. and i ask that letters from the mayor of providence and the emergency management agency regarding the project be made part of the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reed: thank you, madam president. and i would urge a "no" vote on this amendment of at this point, i yield the floor. madam president, i would note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. excuse me, the senator from arkansas. mr. pryor: it's ofnlgt i get that sometimes myself. i rise to speak about the f y 2010 -- i would ask that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. pryor: i rise today to speak about the fy 2010 homeland security appropriations bill, a program within that, which is

very important to my home state and also to many other states here in this great nation. first i want to thank the chairman and the ranking member and the staffs, and the staffs, as we know, do so much great work around here, for their leadership and forenight crafght such an important piece of legislation. i want to thank the chairman for taking my thoughts and considerations into mind when they drafted this legislation as well as the thoughts and considerations of many of my colleagues. this has truly been a bipartisan effort and shows that the senate can get good things done when we work together. the fund not guilty this bill covers a -- funding in this bill covers a wide range of activities from protecting our nation from terrorist events to strengthening our local preparedness and response activities. today i rise in opposition of the feingold-mccain amendment to strike funding for emergency operations centers. the most fundamental responsibility of government is

protecting the lives and safety of the public. arkansas finds itself as number 10 on a list of the 59 states and territories and districts of the most presidentially declared major disasters. it's not a welcome ranking but it is a -- a measurement of the risk that arkansans face. since 9/11, state and local governments have faced increased emergency preparedness responsibilities and costs for public safety. now in the midst of continued all hazard risks, state and local governments are cutting spending on many critical programs, but emergencies and disasters won't wait for our economy to improve. our reports following hurricane katrina's response found multiple flaws in situational awareness, command and control, logistical tracking and communications. fully capable emergency operational centers at the state

and local level are essential to a comprehensive national emergency management system. e.o.c.'s require basic resources to operate smoothly and effectively in a time of crisis. some of the resources funded through e.o.c.'s include a hardened and safe location for emergency management staff, communications for reliable and accurate information gathering, effective, usable technology for tracking all resources, including personnel and emergency supplies. for example, the city of north little rock, arkansas, its office of emergency services will be a recipient of these funds. this office is one of the emergency operation centers tasked with providing disaster assistance and support to a population of over 500,000 people in the central arkansas area. not just in north little rock but in the area. through the office's current personnel -- though the office's current personnel work very hard and are

very diligent about providing meaningful service to the area, the age, the size and its location limit its ability to house the needed technologies and staff to adequately serve central arkansas in the event of an emergency. and, again, we have lots of flrnlings, as we've talked about -- emergencies there, as we've talked about. these funds would be used to address these limitations and provide the needed safety assurances. recently, it's become pop thrower attack so-called earmarks, and i agrgree -- i age that congressionally directed spending needs to be transparent. i think the senate's already taken care of that. and its members should be accountable for the programs that they support. i think the senate has taken care of that as well. i'm proud to support funding for emergency operation centers. i also believe that the representatives of the states and the congressional districts have an in-depth understanding of the needs and priorities in

their states rather than the employees serving in federal executive departments and agencies. there is now great accountability in the congressionally directed spending in appropriations bills. the public can easily review congressionally directed spending requests and funding on web sites fully accessible to the public. in fact, the constitution gives this authority to the congress. very clearly, article 1, section 9, says that no money shall be drawn from the treasury but inspect consequence of appropriation made by law. and that's what we're here doing today, and that's what the appropriations process is about, is this constitutionally required system that we have where congress controls the purse strings. and for all these reasons, i want to voice my strong support for the funding in the underlying bill that supports emergency operation centers. and i ask my colleagues very

respectfully, even though it's well-intended, but very respectfully to oppose the feingold-mccain amendment. and with that, madam president, i yield the floor. mr. feingold: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from wisconsin. mr. feingold: madam president, thank you, and i'm glad we're getting some debate on this amendment which we're going to vote on, as i understand shortly. it's an important discussion and i'm glad we've had a little exchange about it. and i want to first respond to what the senator from negligent had to say about this -- the senator from new jersey had to say about this, senator lautenberg. he expressed a concern there would be, because of my amendment, no funding for emergency operation centers if this amendment passes. now, that's just absolutely incorrect. it's really just the opposite. to the contrary, madam president there, will be $20 million for

emergency operation centers that will be awarded competitively to those most in need. senator lautenberg cited the 9/11 commission's endorsement of these centers. yes, they did. and, of course, i strongly agree. what he failed to note, though, is that the commission recommended that the homeland security grants be awarded on the basis of risk. not earmarks, such as the one requested by senator lautenberg. so to suggest, of course, there may well be a need in new jersey and i respect that -- and i'm not saying that that program wouldn't qualify under a merit-based analysis -- but it is not based on actual risk analysis, and that's the problem. if there are worthy projects that the senator has requested, then i would hope he would feel confident that these communities in new jersey will be able to compete successfully for the grants. , so madam president, i'm sure it was not -- so, madam president, i'm sure it was not intentional but it is just plain misleading to make the senate believe that these

centers are being taken way by this amendment. it is just the opposite. in fact, if you look at the way this currently frats we don't change -- operates if we don't change that, currently the senate bill dleacts half o diref these emergency center operation funds, madam president will, only go to ten states. the house earmarks all of these funds and a fourth of the predisaster mitigation funds. last year, fema only funded a tiny fraction of the emergency operation center applications it received because 64% of the funding went to earmarks. so on this program, the senator from new jersey and the senator from arkansas were talking abo about, ten states get 50% of it and 40 states have to share the other 50%. now, what are the odds that that comports with any kind of rational analysis of real risk? very small, and i guarantee you because they're earmarks, that analysis was not done. it's not possible, because they were not put in the context of the comparative risk that is involved. so to respond to some of the remarks of my good friend from arkansas, i understand that the

senate has not earmarked any of the predisaster mitigation funds. however, if my amendment does not pass, fema will have to deal with the earmarks in the house report. and i don't question that some of these earmark requests may be legitimate. but if they are legitimate, then they should have no trouble in a fair competition for the funds based on exphairt risk. risk -- merit and risk. and, madam president, i think this is really the key, even for those who support earmarks in other context. the problem here is that these are highly technical projects. we're talking about communicationsy quirntle flood communications equipment, flood prevention projects that require queering studies and the like. we don't have the ability to make objective determinations who are the most worthwhile. so who gets the funding? those able to get an earmark, without any real analysis, without any real consideration of merit, who's at the greatest risk, where in the country we really need to think about these disasters more than others. that's no way to handle

potential disasters and get ahead of them. earmarks are being sent to small communities that set up operation centers that don't need them while state centers remain underfunded. and i can say that during recent flooding in wisconsin -- mr. mccain: would the senator yield for a question? mr. feingold: i would be happy to. mr. mccain: my understanding is that the senate bill as you have described directs half of the emergency operations found only ten states and there are 50 states in america. but half of these emergency operation center funds and -- it doesn't make much geographic sense, if you look at illinois, iowa, new jersey, new york, montana, washington, rhode island, east and west, all over the country. but maybe i -- my friend from wisconsin can describe. what do they have in common, nine of these states, nine of these ten states have in common? mr. feingold: madam president, i can tell you that one thing they don't have in common is any of

the analysis of the need or requirement that this be common their communities what they have in common is that somebody stuck an ear narc this bill. now, it would be different, i say to my friend from arizona, if these ten states had shown on the merits that they have the flisk their communities, they need to get ahead of these disaster situations that. would be great. and in that case, i could support that only ten states get half the money. when there's absolutely no analysis and where that actually undercuts the very integrity of the programs that are trying protect the lives of the american people and leave the other states to fend for themselves with regard to 40 states fighting for the other 50%, this really a terrible way to protect the american people from disasters. so i say to the senator, i would say there's only one explanation and you and i both know what it is. somebody got an earmark and that's all. mr. mccain: an additional question i have for the -- my friend from wisconsin. isn't it true that the administration has -- has

requested that this entire program be canceled? mr. feingold: the entire program? they want the program merit based. they want the program to be based on actual need for these emergency operating centers. mr. mccain: isn't it true that the office of management and budget recommended it as one of the programs to be eliminated as the president announced -- mr. feingold: they want it eliminated because of this practice, madam president, that you andry discussing. that because of the use of earmarks which undercuts the integrity of the program, they want to say this isn't working. we're drying to -- by this amendment, we'll have the effect of restoring its legitimacy. mr. mccain: in other words, the administration believes that we need emergency operation center funds but not in the manner that -- because of the requirements of homeland security. but this process is so badly

flawed that they want it to go back to do away with this and go back to a merit and needs-based system. is that correct? mr. feingold: absolutely right, madam president. i would say to the senator from arizona, the president of the united states is pressed to say that these centers operate based on risk. that failing which it what will happen if we don't pass this amendment, the recommendation is to not go forward. and so many members have identified they're this is a worthwhile program as long as it's based on merit and need. and so the senator from arizona is correct on that, the president of the united states is clear on that. we have a chance here to fix this program, get away from the earmarks and make sure that can continue. otherwise, there will be continuing efforts to say this isn't really what was intended. and obviously, it wasn't what was intended. yes, it's one thing to get an earmark for a museum somewhere in your state and that does take away from the general funds and, you know, the senator from arizona and i have strong tbeelings that.

-- strong feelings about that. but it's another thing to use this in a situation where a program has been specifically set up to figure out where in the united states is it most important that people have money to be able to do the things they need to do to protect the lives of the people in their communities because of their particular vulnerability to disasterment mr. mccain: sow are not seeing we don't need emergency operations centers in america? you are not -- we would not be eliminating the need for emergency operation centers. let's be perfectly clear. what you are saying is we need to eliminate it in this form which does not give the highest and most needed priority to these emergency operation centers around the country and that, in other words, we still have a threat to our nation's security but this isn't the way to meet it and we can come up with a far better and more efficient way to meet those

requirements. mr. feingold: we need a program for emergency operation centers but we don't need another trough for people to feed at for earmarks. if the program becomes just that, which i fear it's becoming, it doesn't stand on its own merits. this is truly an opportunity to protect it. i thank the senator from arizona for his questions. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from missouri. mrs. mccaskill: i listened with interest to the questions and the conversation concerning senator feingold's amendment and i rise to strongly support this amendment. one of the fantasies around here, and i yield to the long experience of my two colleagues in fighting this battle on earmarks, is this fantasy that the money for earmarks is created out of nothing. that somehow the money for earmarks just lands on everyone's desks and no programs are hurt by the earmarking process. that no money is taken from

worthy projects for earmarking. truth be known, i can give example after example in the budget that over the years, good competitive programs have been cut while earmarking has skyrocketed. the burn grants are a good example. they are a competitive process in every state to compete for law enforcement dollars based on need. decided at the local basis. what has happened to the funding for burn grants? it's dwindled and in the very same budget, earmarks have steadily and continually grown over the last decade. this is a perfect example of robbing peter to pay paul. this amendment will say, you must compete for these dollars based on need. and isn't that how we should be spending the public money? last year, fema received a total of 675 individual emergency operation center applications --

675 applications they received for the funding last year. they were only able to select 22 of them for funding. do you know why? because 64% of the funding went to earmarks. so because of the earmarking, there was less money there for worthy projects that maybe on merit and need were more important to protect people than the earmarking process. this is a textbook example of taking a pot of money and deciding through some waving of a magic wand that it goes individually to ten states without any discussion as to whether or not those are the ten most needy projects or ten most needy states. no discussion whatever. i will tell you in my state there have been years where we have been under a constant emergency declaration --

flooding, ice storms, tornadoes. we have floodplains. in fact, the national association of floodplain managers supports senator feingold's amendment do you know why they support his amendment? because they say it is causing floodplain managers around the country to quit planning to mitigate because they can short circuit the process and go for an earmark. why do the work, plan and compete as one of 22 out of 675 if you know the easiest and best way to do it is to hope and pray that your member is on the right committee? say it like it is. hope and pray your member is on the right committee. so this is a great opportunity for everyone who believes we need to be careful with the way we spend our money, to be counted. this is a great opportunity because this is very clear --

this money is being taken from projects and being earmarked for projects. as a result, 40 states are going to haveless than a 50% chance to participate in this kind of emergency funding. i strongly support senator feingold's amendment and i urge my colleagues to do the same. i yield the floor. thank you. the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: i would like to thank the senator from minnesota not only for his comments about this particular issue but her dedication to reform transparency and to making sure that the american taxpayers' dollars are wisely and appropriately spent. it has been a pleasure working with her on various reform issues and i would argue this may not be the last time that the three of us are on the floor of the senate. weapon you look at the approval ratings of congress, not just

now but for a long time, we're not held in the highest of esteem and sometimes for good reason. we have ongoing scandals concerning the use of public funds for earmarking and pork barrel projects and rewards to members of congress that have caused them to be in federal court and, indeed, even members in congress residing in federal prison. this is an point amendment. this is an important amendment. as the votes line up, we will see on both sides of the aisle, members of the appropriations committee voting on the theory if they lose one they will lose a number of other efforts to eliminate earmarks and pork barrel spending. i hope that would not be the case because this is particularly egregious, particularly egregious, this legislation which senator

feingold's amendment is intended to cure. it is about homeland security. and to direct half of the emergency operations center funds to only ten states obviously is a gross misuse of the taxpayers' dollars and cou could -- and could conceivably cause us not to fund emergency operation centers that are more badly needed and could then put our homeland security perhaps in some jeopardy or certainly not ensuring our homeland security to the best expenditure and wisest expenditure of tax dollars. i just remind my colleagues, last year's appropriators provided $35 million for the emergency operation center grant program but earmarked $12.5 million. department of homeland security received 613 applications asking

for $264 million for the purposes of the grant program to construct emergency operation centers. there is clearly a need for the money in the states and it's unfortunate that man of the applicants are turned down by the department because there was no money left because we had already spend half of it on earmarked projects which had no competition. again, i want to emphasize to my colleagues this is not a matter of whether we need american operation centers. it is simply a matter of whether we are going to wisely and promptly use the taxpayers' dollars where it is most needed. there has been no screening, no authorization, no hearing held on this issue and it was put in, obviously, in an appropriations bill in an inappropriate fashion. so i urge my colleagues to support the amendment by the

senator from wisconsin and i congratulate him on proposing this amendment. madam president, i yield the floor. a senator: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from new york. mrs. gillibrand: madam president, i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum be dispensed. .the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mrs. gillibrand: i rise over the emergency operation bill in mount vernon, new york, the eighth largest city in the state of new york, and is located on the immediate border of the largest city in this country, new york city. mount vernon has three metro north train stations which could provide a vital route for citizens exiting new york city in the event of an emergency. thus, mowp vernon is a first line of defense and a safe haven for millions who live and work in new york city. in order to facilitate a proper and effective response to any emergency incident, mount veteranen needs an emergency -- mount vernon needs an emergency

operation center. if, god forbid, another help help-type -- another 9/11 type situation occurs, it is imperative that we have a local message operations center nearby. new york city is one of the largest terrorist targets in the country and it just does not make sense to be cutting emergency operations where we could be the most vulnerable. the threat of terrorism has in the diminished and our preparations should not be, either. at present, the city of mount vernon does not have an emergency operations center for the managing and mitigation of a major incident. at best, the mount vernon police department field center could coordinate an incidents but this would greatly ham mr. police operations and the ability to manage a multiagency insurance democrat. utilizing an existing facility would reduce costs associated with the project. this is an example of good government. repurposeing an existing

building to fulfill a new need and building important infrastructure to protect our citizens in an emergency. however, if the federal government does not fund this mrm center, the local community will have to raise property taxes in order to make the upgrids necessary. west chester county has some of the highest taxes in the country and should not be forced to pay more in order to provide a resource that benefits the entire region. terrorism is not a local problem, it is a national problem. and so it is only right the national government will make the kinds of investments that can keep our communities safe. i oppose this amendment and encourage my colleagues to do the same. in response to the arguments that were made on the floor, in all due respects i think the judgment of the senator knowing what is best for her state can usually overcome the judgment of any agency that makes that decision in a grant-making process because we know what are the most important investments needed for our communities and our voices should be heard.

that is why in this instance it is very important an earmark of this nature directed to protect us from terrorism and creates a safe haven four citizens is something of the judgment and discretion of the senator from new york is very important. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. the presiding officer:the senaty short. the problem with this is the problem with earmarks. it's not that new york may not need this. you've taken 50% of the money for 10 states. the other 40 states are going to have no diswied the remaining portion of this money -- are going to have to divide the remaining portion of this money for these type of emergency centers and the calculation of rifnlgt it should be that it ought to be true competition based on the real risk which no question new york has greater risk than oklahoma, which i would not deny. but the fact is, we've taken half the money away from 40 other states and said, you have to compete on the remaining portion, which may have

requirements greater than those that were earmarked in the bill. so i support this amendment. i wholeheartedly ask nigh colleagues to do the same. mrs. gillibrand: mr. president? i'd like to respond to my colleague. with regard to this particular earmark, new york has only received one earmark for $1 million. so in relation to the amount of risk and the necessary for an emergency response center, the need is great. and i just would like to add that our judgment, as the senators from new york, as what is the best investment for all of new york in terms of an emergency response investment is helpful to this process understand that it shouldn't necessarily be left only to a grant process. much of the money is still available to a grant-making process, which is a great process because it does have competition and you hopefully get to the greatest good for the greatest neevmentd but there is a balance where a judgment from a senator or a congress member is very important in that

conversation, and the agencies and the administration can make their own judgments, and that's why a combination of targeted earmarks on the one hand and other investments through a grant process on the other hand is probably a better balance and a better approach because you're getting the judgment of all parts of our three-branch government. at least two of them. the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma -- or, he is us could me, the senator from montana. -- or, he is us could me, the senator from montana. mr. tester: i rise in opposition to the feingold-mccain amendment. i do not believe that this amendment serves the country well as far as it applies to the reality of public safety in rural america and the northern border. i think it's important to start by noting that this about people. it's about public safety. it's about homeland security. it's about firefighters and other first responders in our

frontier communities and across rural america. specifically, its bea protecting folks in and around in this case the greater flathead valley region in northwest, montana. the city of behight michigan is 60 miles from the northern border, nearby to areas where smuggling and illegal crossings are known to occur. in places like whitefish, local law enforcement often ends up assisting border patrol with response to suspicious activity at or near the border. local law enforcement also helps out with security around and awareness about wildfires during montana's fire season. many of the fires up in northwestern montana occur on federal lands. when the feds need assistance, whether it is the border patrol or forest service or i.c.e., they depend on resources of local communities like the community of whit whitefish. in whitefish and similar communities, local law

enforcement works closely not only with those federal agencies but interagency cooperation is a fact of life in northwest, montana. and the cost local government -- understand that costs local governments money, which is too often -- which too often it doesn't have with an unfunded mandate. some special interest groups located right here in washington, d.c., on connecticut avenue have called the whitefish emergency operations center a tort project. unfortunately, i question whether they know where montana is, much less northwest none montana, the city of whitefish or the conditions that revolve around this project. i do as the senator from montana. but fortunately, there is a figure that is more than -- the figure sov by more than one-third. i suggest that this is further evidence that the folks in washington, d.c., simply do not understand the state of montana as wellals the congressional delegation. but i want to be clear about what this amendment does and

does not do. this amendment would not save the federal government a single penny. it would simply give the money back to fema and to spend as bureau exrats, unelected officials here in washington, see fit. before 2007 there is no doubt that the senate appropriations process was abused. some lawmakers buried their special pet projects deep in large bills where they had little or no chance to be reviewed by congress or withstand public scrutiny. and that's how the taxpayers end up footing the bill for the infamous bridge to nowhere. the very first bill that i voted for back in 2007 is as a u.s. senator was legislation to klein the system and restore transparence and accountability to the process. no more create requests made in the dark of night and i'm certainly glad that my name is next to the whitefish emergency operations project. all senators are required to post their requests we make on

our web sites. everyone can do it. i invite folks to go to my web site -- tester.senate.gov tester.senate.gov/appropriatio tester.senate.gov/appropriations .cfm. or you may want to see what the distinguished republican leader has requested, mcconnel mcconnell.senate.gov/a ppropria mcconnell.senate.gov/appropria tions.cfm. no senator is above the transparency requirements that have been instituted in the last couple of years. and that's a good thing. and it's also a good thing we can have this debate here today. so why is this particular project needed? the project in whitefish, montana? well, over the last ten years, the population has doubled and the fire department is transitioning from a volunteer dopt a full-time professional department as the call for volume has increased as the population has over the last seven yeemples the police

department has seen call volume increase by over 200% this that same tiesm the current build something not big enough to house the growing needs of the city's first responders. the current build something in a 100-year floodplain and an edge quake zone. so what does that matter? it matters because montana's disaster emergency services office has done a number of scenarios of massive disasters revolving around catastrophic earthquakes and that disabled emergency operations in multiple cities. that is one of the most likely disaster scenarios in our state and in this region of our state. and i'll fight to make people around this body understand that not every disaster in this country happens in a major population center. folks in rural america deserve to have effective and efficient emergency response also. the new emergency operations center in whitefish will solve several deficiencies identified by a 2006 facility needs assessment, interestingly

enough, whitefish used the department of homeland security criteria for this study. the center will provide interoperability and provide assistance for i.c.e., montana highway patrol and several other regional law enforcement agencies. mr. president, the e.o.c. grant program is to support flexible, secure and interoperable emergency operations centers with a focus on addressing identified deficiencies and need and that's exactly what this project does. i would oppose this amendment for many of the same reasons that the junior senator from montana brought up. as elected -- as elected officials from our states, it is our obligation to know what the needs are out there, much better, i believe, than an appointed bureaucrat. thank you, mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: thank you, mr. president. i ask unanimous consent that there be 10 minutes of debate prior to a vote in relation to the feingold amendment, number

1402, that no amendment be in order to the amendment prior to a vote in relation thereto, with the time equally divided and controlled tbeen senators murray or feingold or their designees. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. feingold: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator wisconsin. mr. feingold: thank you, mr. president. we just heard two good examples, the senator from new york #-rbgs the senator from montana, of what's going on here. these are not separate programs that they fought for. they're not even separate eemplets these are earmarks that are carved out of a program for emergency operating centers that were supposed to be based on the merits. comparative analysis that can be highly technical of where it is most needed and where it is less needed. so there's some kind of opportunity for all of us to compete openly for these dollars for our states to make sure that the american people are protected in the maximum extent. you have the senator from new york talking about mt. vernon being near new york city, where of course the 9/11 attacks were.

that's understandable. but if it's that strofng a case, why can't it be made on the merits? then we completely go to a completely different kind of place, montana -- and i'm not is going to say for a minute that the senator from montana doesn't a case. he talks about the greater flathead valley. yes, he would know more about that place than anybody else here in the united states senate. but does that mean that his case for that particular location is so overwhelming that it should not be reviewed in comparison to those of us who have a similar concern? a majority of my state was covered with flooding waters last june, and we did not have an adequate emergency operating center. we would like to be able to compete for these dollars in an open and fair manner through this program that has been designated for that purpose, on the merits. not because somebody happed happens to sit on a particular committee or is able to get an earmarkment, whether it's a threat to human lives in new york or montana, these senators are confident that they can make

the case. they should make the case on the merits. i would say to the senator from new york, who i am thrilled to have here in this body that senators should be able to exercise their judgment. and the senators of this body exerted their judgment to help create the emergency operating centers program, and that program which senators helped create is supposed to be based on merit. that was the judgment of the senator, not that some individual senator would say, hey, i heard from somebody in my their this was important and that should override the will of the government and the senate that this be done in way. so i want to remind everybody, the president of the united states has even suggested -- president obama suggested that this program shouldn't even continue unless we can get to merit-based consideration because that's the whole idea behind it. the american people's lives are threjtsed by disasters and terrorist threats. our decisions about this should have something to do with a comparative needs and risks to the american people, not whether

somebody is able to get an earmark. i reserve the balance of my time. mrs. murray: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from withdrawing. mrs. murray: constitution, mr. president. i rise in opposition to the amendment to eliminate congressionalled locations of emergency operation construction funding. the bill before the senate today contains emergency operations center funding of about $20 million. this emergency operations center construction program is an authorized activity under the stafford afnlgt the 9/11 act which was approved by this senate on a vote of 85-8 in july of 2007 reaffirmed this program by approving an amendment to the stafford act to adjust the federal cost share for these projects from 50% to 75%. emergency operations centers, as you have heard from many of my colleagues who've been on the floor over the last hour or so, are critical to the effective coordination of emergency response, which we all know is necessary to save lives.

the state of texas, for example, has used these federal funds to improve communication equipment and warning systems for its emergency operations strvment the texas e.o.c. was used effectively in presidentially declared disasters like hurricane katrina, rita, dean, and others. major flooding in el paso and wichita falls, wildfires in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, a tornado in eagle pass and the recent h1n1 influenza outbreak. the e.o.c. was the critical node for communication between the layers of government. the o.m.b. assertion that the e.o.c. program duplicates other programs is really without merit. while e.o.c. construction is an allowable activity under several grant programs, state and local governments have not chosen to use that for this purpose. since 2004, only 16.6 million

out of the $11.5 billion of other d.h.s. grant funds has been used by state and local governments for e.o.c. construction. only one-tenth of one percent. the emergency management performance grants program has provided a mere $755,000 to e.o.c. construction. so it's clear that the demands for the funds in these programs is great, and in order to effectively administer emergency management programs and to equip and train first responders, there is not sufficient funding for e.o.c. construction. over hast total amount made available in this bill for emergency operations center construction is available for competitive award. mr. president, i have listened to the senator make some very persuasive arguments and i remind all of us that what we are providing is accountability and visibility for where those dollars are going. i had great confidence in him because he could relate to

people, he was respected by guys in the nba, and it turned out to be the perfect storm in my opinion, and we have a press conference on july 21st. we will make an official announcement, but everything leads to durham and coach k. >> he deserves a lot of credit here for motivating the team and their performance in beijing. to be fair there seemed to be a lot of motivation in previous teams. how has the dynamic of keeping the dream team motivated to win changed since the win in beijing? >> here's one of the things i'm using, and that is the world looks at the world championships as much as they do the olympic competition, and we haven't fared well in the world championship situation at all. we have a great opportunity next

summer, and this time, we will be rectifying that. we have another thing to do, and i think a lot of our young players who were stars in the nba this year, who had incredible seasons after the olympic experience because they're better people, better players, brought a different culture back to their teams. so much of that goes to coach k that they want to repeat. they would love to do it again, and i have had a lot of commitments from that ground for 2012. >> the old adage goes, if i ain't broke, you don't fix it. >> that's it. >> thank you for joining us here today, jerry. >> you're welcome, take care. >> coming up here, we stink. that is the thoughts of david wright after yet another loss. wright after yet another loss. up next, we ask buste wassup man. keys. keys.

stacy, keys. girl. um. billy. hi, boy. saddle. hermes wassup, little buddy, wing-tipped sandals. let's go. nobody flying tonight. hold it there big guy. yeah the warp drive hand it over your culture is primitive, yet so funky. (announcer) captain morgan. calling all captains drink responsibly.

>> i just think we stink right now. just not very good. like i said, when you don't pitch and you don't hit, you don't play defense, you're not going to win very many games, and we're not playing very good baseball. i think you try to examine it and overthink it. it's simple. you don't pitch, you don't hit, you don't play defense, you don't win. >> stink might be an understatement. the mets have dropped 9 of their last 11. they were so bad last night, they got booed louder than manny in their own park. let's get some insight.

here's buster olney. let's be fair with them. they have had injuries. david write wright isn't making excuses. >> he is exactly right. the one thing that was keeping the mets in the race was the fact that the phillies weren't playing. we over the last week the phillies have started to play better because jimmy rollins has started to take off. the met ares entering a time when their season could be determined over the next 20-21 days, depending on what happens. and they got bad news. jose reyes it not making progress so he had to get a cortisone track. they don't know when they get beltran back. the cavalry is a long way away and the mets' season hangs the balance. they're will bebe fighting for their lives and if they life any kind of juice, you think there's a chance by july 31st the mets' season could effectively

be over. >> jerry manuel asking for help team. story was manny ramirez getting ejected, arguing a fifth inning strikeout by throwing his armor. he believed his night was over anyway, so he didn't care. that's news to joe torre. so how are things in dodgerland going since the return of manny. >> oh, with torre and manny it's fine. john her canbeck, the home plate umpire has a long-standing reputation as being a pitcher's umpire, and every veteran player will tell you if you get called out on strikes, don't show up the umpire. might come back to haunt you later. and we saw manny after striking out in his first at-bat, hold is his hands like, that ball was this far outside, and then takes the third strike in the fifth. the way he reacted. just kind of walked away and as soon as the crowd roared when he was thrown out, got the feeling he was trying to get thrown out, like he wanted his night be

over. as he told joe torre, he was already ready to be finished every five. >> this didn't look like strikes to be fair to him. maybe he is in the right on this one. big acquisitions out there, buster. the blue jays say they will listen to offers for row -- halladay. what will it take. >> we talked about how teams are reluctant to give up prospects. you can throw that out the window when you're taching about pitchers as talented as halladay. it's going to take two or three top prospects and you have to be motivated. i think the red sox and yankees have the pros prospects to get the deal done. the team in the best position to make a deal, the phillies. they are very motivated. they have been looking for a

starting pitcher and they have the prospects. in talking with rival gms they say they could structure a deal, so i think the phillies are in a perfect position to do that. odds are 50-50 that halladay will be traded. >> that's terrible news for the mets if that happens in philadelphia. why would oakland move him. >> they want to get value. street and gonzalez were traded for him. doesn't seem like there's a lot of teams that hyped up to get him because he hasn't played that well this year. hitting .280. on a finish to finish with like 20 homers. that's not going to get you a lot of return in prospects. now, going forward, i think another question is going to be, how much -- how many teams

actually have the money to take on what holliday is owed fore the rest of the year, $7 million. i talked to some again managers who say if oakland tried to trade him, they actually might have to kick $3 million or $4 million to the team they're trading him to make it work. i thick it's more likely they will hang on to him. >> boy, is it different when you don't play in colorado. let's go back to the phillies. pedro martinez continues continm up that 37-year-old arm in the dominican republic. more interest from the champs. is anyone actually taking a look? >> they're kind of interested in him. three things have to happen if pedro is going pitch for any team in 2009. he has to lower his financial demands. he has been talking about $5 million. he is not going to get that. in untwo his performance has to improve. the last time he through for

scouts his fastball was in the mid-80s. and can he can't dictate what he is going do he might think of him as pedro martinez, future hall of famers. when you talk to general general managers, he came off year with a 5.6 e.r.a. so teams are thinking of him as a reliever, and not going to guarantee him spot in the rotation. >> pedro may see him as an aging pitcher without a job. had this happened in three months it would be another chapter in a saga of this could only happen to cubs. they have lost pitcher ryan dempster after the failed to cleanly get over the dugout railing in milwaukee and the result is a brokennen to. how much are they going to miss him.

>> a lot. they were starting to putting thises together. lou piniella had addressed some lineup issues. in the national league central it's wide open. any team can win that division. but now without ryan dempster, it becomes more problematic for the cubs. you have to look at the cardinals as the favorite to win the central. >> sew -- see if the cubs can overcome it. >> coming up, they won't be calling the lakers soft anymore. ron artest comes to l.a. we take you out there live as he gets introduced as the newest laker.

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>> hi, everybody. it is a beautiful day in washington, d.c. even more beautiful out in denver, colorado. johnny holliday and ray knight with you on nats' extra pregame brought to you by verizon wireless. the half point of the season, ray and the nats are 24-57, 9- 31 on the road. they got some work to do. >> they've got some work to do. i think we're acquiring players to do it. an attitude to do it. still playing shabbily. they're not making plays, they're not running the bases correctly. it's time, way past time for this ball club to start playing a consistent brand of baseball

that is a winning-type baseball. >> when you talk about clutch hitting, you got good hits from zimmerman and bard and willingham and willingham had home runs. when you talk about clutch hitting, the clutch hitting just isn't there. >> and willing ham had been there all year. we've had situations, last night, double plays with runners on first and second and no out. he hit the ball hard. he executed well. he hit the ball well on the bases loaded and then niger strikes him out. bases loaded in the sixth and again, first and second dunn strikes out and willingham hits it to a fielder's choice and maybe it shouldn't have. maybe he should have gotten to third on the play. tulowitzki makes a nice play.

the point is we left six runners on base. lit kill you. we just haven't been able to get the easy rbi's. the rbi's when you have runners on third and nobody out or less than two outs and somehow chip away and get good solid play. >> and in this series, the numbers don't -- >> it has been one-run ballgames. you lose and then 5-4. >> and the batting average. look at the runners in scoring position. 3-16. four runs in the series so far. only three extra-base hits. >> well, i don't think our guys identify the pitch that they want to hit in crucial situations. something changes. you can't be a 300 -- .300 hitter, and that's when the pressure is on the pitcher. you have to identify the pitch and the area that you're strongest, too, johnny, and we tend to go out of that and swing at balls that are not really drivable pitches. >> and disirm threw a lot of

pitches. was not one of his better outings. although they gave him a 4-1 lead which they couldn't hold object to. >> two of the runs were unearned. he would have had a better fate if the defense had played better. but he was up in the strike zone all night as dibs and bob talked about. the emotion is fine. you to get rid of some of that stuff. but certainly not the guy who has been relent tomas the strike zone with his fastball. he seemed to get away from his fastball in the fourth inning especially. he is throwing him 20 o'fastballs or changeups throughout the ballgame and 13 in that one inning. it looked like he decided he was going to try to establish the breaking ball all in that one inning and that is just not the way you do it. >> two earned runs, seven hits, four walks, three strikeouts, but the bottom line, he admitted, the problems he had, if you look at the top lineup there, innings pitched.

he couldn't get past that fourth inning. >> and i don't know if i was trying to be too fine or what, but i was trying to work the corners and maybe i should have tried to put them on there, but -- i mean, i just didn't have my stuff tonight. >> i like the way -- i'm going back to him throwing the glove when he got in the dug-out that shows the guy is truly a little concerned about his performance. >> you know, we didn't see that the first two years here. >> i noticed. >> we're talking about how placid these guys seem to take defeat or failure. the guys have a little more fiery attitude. >> i like it too. >> let's go out to coarse field and lovely denver, colorado and debbi taylor, there she is there and a beautiful day. a getaway day out in denver evident you a special guest you visited where. >> that's right. josh bard has a lot of ties to denver.

he brought cherry creek high school to two state championships back in 1995 and 1996. he was draft bid rookies and his family was is all out here. it was definitely a family reunion. >> yes, it is definitely nice to come home. obviously when you lose two close games it is frustrating, but off the field it has been great to see family and being on the west coast, playing to san diego, we came here three time as year. there is only our time to get here and it makes it more special and just take advantage of the time. >> you eve had so many fond memories of growing up in denver and what was it like for you coming up as a young baseball fan? >> it was great. i remember going to the games and watching at mile high and there would be 80, 000 people there pretty much every game and my dad and used to come and it is in the upper deck kind of behind home plate and that is still my favorite place to watch a game. you can kind of see everything

up high. and i have fond memories of threw and i had always been a rockies fan growing up, but i definitely hope that we can salvage a win today. >> what was it like for you to actually be drafted by the rockies and also it was a draft day that you probably anticipated maybe going in the first or second round and when you got drafted in the third. >> and it was lot of different emotions, but obviously to play for your hometown team is great and i was so good that it only took them a year for them to trade me. things work out and you have kind of a crazy journey in this game and i'm grateful for the opportunity that i've had and i've played for some good teams and i have played in some great cities and my family and i have been blessed to be able to play all over the country. it has been fun. >> and something here, is that something you pride yourself

in,-he. [ inaudible ] >> when you don't know -- [ inaudible ] >> i'm not that smart, but i just try to give them some experience and try to calm them down a little bit and hopefully as we move forward in this thing and they're not making the same mistakes over and over again and i see that they're not and they ask the right questions. and there are going to be bumps and they go backwards. that's part of the game. i think that rise has done a really good job of getting the right guys up here and i think we have a bright future as far as starting pitch -- starting pitching. i think that is a convenientth we can build on as we move forward. >> john lannan has told me that josh bard has really had a strong impact on him this season. he says he feels he can go to josh and ask him questions. the other thing about bard is he is one of the first guys, she probably the first guy in the clubhouse and he's just been one of those guys that always, always works hard.

he has done so well at the plate, too. four hits in this series. he is hitting .344 with runners in scoring position and 11-31 hits are extra-base hits. he is doing well both catching. of course he is getting the day off today with the day game after the night game. wil nieves is in there. it is beautiful in denver. 90 degrees or so. back to you in the studio. >> here in washington it is a beautiful day as you look at some of the numbers of josh bard the last 10 ballgames. his wife lindsey, luke, hanna and his three children back here watching this game today coming up. he's been swinging one of the hottest bats of this ball club. >> he has always been able to hit. in san diego he was platooning out there. and you combine the two years where actually he got a little over 600 at-bats and he drove in 91 home runs with 17 home runs and 45 doubles. he is a guy that can put numbers up, especially offensively. he is a better left-handed hitter than a right-handed

hitter. he has just come on real strong. >> and a great addition to this ball club. >> ray and i are going to take a break. we're going to talk about how we're going to eliminate the mistakes that cost them the ballgame as they lose out in denver 5-4. back in just a minute. ♪ ♪ who's watching?

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>> how would you like to be in this particular situation looking out at the rocky mountains there in denver, colorado. a beautiful day for baseball at coors field in denver. it is getaway day for the nationals, and they're going to talk about a lineup that is pretty well packed today. josh willingham has been swinging a hot bat just like josh bard. 2-4 in last night's ballgame. he has played left, first, caught. he's been in right field right field. the last 13 games, josh with a .4 oh 4 batting average, and eight runs driven in. morgan leads off for the thats today. he'll be in center field with a .275 batting average. alberto gonzalez will be playing short and ryan zimmerman at third. adam dunn will be at first and

willingham at left field. and anderson hernandez at second, wil nieves will catch and ross detwiler on the mound today for the nationals. willingham is 3-8 and a homer in this series against the rockies. clint barmes is the second baseman for the rockies. he has the game-tying rbi, the game-winning sacrafice fly last night, and in his 49th straight start today, he has driven in 19 runs, the month of june, three straight multi-hit games. and the rockies' lineup looks this way. dexter leads off. todd helton at first. garrett atkins will be at third. tulowitzki, the shortstop. torrealba will be catching. carlos gonzales will be in left field, and jorge closa will be on the mound going for his fourth straight win. four rbi's the last three

ballgames. johnny holliday and ray knight with you on nats' extra pre- game. a matinee affair out in denver. there is nothing we can do to change anything that took place in the past, but we're going the talk about maybe how to improve in the second half of the season, how to overcome some of the mistakes the ball club made. let's first of all touch on base running. we saw a couple of instances last night, one involving nick johnson, one involving austin kearns. how do you clean this up? >> base running is concentration. knowing what the situation calls for. you have a ball hit in the hole. nick thinking about -- he made a circular route and as a result, if he goes in, he takes a look. that slows him down a little bit, see if the ball goes through. all he has to do is pick up the third base coach. you look at the big circle he has taken out here, all the way around there where he has a straight line that's going do cost him six, seven feet and he would be safe. that changes the whole complex of the ballgame. i don't know what austin is

thinking here unless it was a hit and run situation. i don't believe that was the case. i don't think that he was necessarily stealing. if he was, they're just trying to get that run down there. but you just can't get picked off in those situations. another thing with austin, you a tendency when you haven't played a lot, you're playing poorly, you're trying to do too much. but my point being we haven't hit with runners in scoring position. we have not done well running the bases, and you've got other questions i tho r think you're going to ask me. >> i want to ask you about the fielding situation. you have harris. the ball popped up and got him in the groin. he was counsel r down for some time. guzman had one go right through his glove almost almost and the play with beimel, are those things correctable? >> they are correctable. it is a mindset and concentration thing. the play there with willy hair sis a ball he just should of come up on. that is the second night in a row.

he has not gotten down on the ball. those are just routine plays. this play here is a play where the second baseman should be deeper. he shouldn't be right there behind the base and guzman should be there. if guzman has cover responsibility, then he has to be at the bag. there is no need to wait. we talked last night, you have to throw the ball to the bag, lead the guy coming to shortstop. willie has to take a deeper route to back up the play and beimel has to gun the ball to the being. his responsibility special to get there. you see that actually willy gets there first. that indicates to me that willy should be the cover guy. he is there waiting. guzman gets there late. he should go more deep to back to play up. and you don't even see guzman and the pitcher until late and the throw was actually right over the inside corner of the bag. so guze mon got -- guzman got there late. for some reason they had guzman responsibility and it looked like to me it should have been our second baseman covering because he got there quicker.

when you near the second base situation, you play in the hole. if you're not covering or just close enough to get to the being on a double play, and the shortstop cheat as little bit, shorten up that distance, it seemed like they had it vice versa, guzman was covering late. >> and joe beimel said he took responsibility for that play last night. i'm not quite sure because he did throw the ball right exactly where he should have thrown the ball. >> and if guzman is there, the ball is caught. i think that is one of those professionals, the true professional covering for someone not being there. i do believe that maybe a little bit of the confusion was harris going right in behind the plate as opposed to circling out backwards. he shouldn't be able to catch that ball if guzman camps the ball. he should only be able to catch the ball, but what i saw there was guzman getting there late. >> on the plus side sthrrks are some pluses for the ball club. a lot of pluses really when you look at the addition of morgan coming over from pittsburgh that is a threat anytime he gets on the bases and he covers center field like probably nobody nextel cup series the

national league and also the fact that they're bunting pretty good now when they get in those situations. >> that is a great point. i'm going to start a plus-minus chart for the rest of the year and up with of the pluses are bunting for base hits, sacrafice bunting, getting runners over, getting runners in from third base when the infield is back, hitting ground balls up the middle to score that easy run. being able to strike a guy out when you have a runner on third base offensively, being able to turn a double play in crucial times when it is double play situations, instead of getting one out. and making throws to second base on a bunt that you've got a shot at second base, being able to play defense and use your senses as your positives. being able to get a jump at first base, and know where your outfielders are to get to third base. we never go first and third. and in the reds' organization, as slow as i was, and i was a

just-behalf low-average runner i always on astro turf was expected to get to third base with one own and nobody out by seeing how deep they played, getting the big lead and forcing the actionment we never get from first to third on a base hit a lot of that is where the outfielder is playing, knowing where they're playing, knowing the speed of the ball and making the commitment aggressively to the next bag. >> i'm going to keep you a plus right there. i think you did a wonderful job. we're going to take a break. there's lots more to come on nats' extra pre-game as we go back to denver and see if we can knock off the rockies and take the third game of the series. ray andly be back in just a minute here on masn! take control. you're not gonna run and hide. because backing down's not your style.

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>> as a monger when you had losses, any projected you gave them that would take them to get the first win?

>> no. i expected them to go out there and win the first time, but as each pitcher matures, they all have a different maturation level or process. it sometimes takes them long tore do that. it is not always about the win. it is about keeping your ball club in the game, johnny. no decisions sometimes are good if your club ends up winning that ballgame. >> let's go out to coors. the washington "times," good to see you, my friend and maybe we can touch base and you can give us your thoughts about ross detwiler. >> yeah, the common theme about ross is he talked about losing his release point on his fastball. we have heard him say he had it at first and had it in the bullpen and just kind of slipped away from him that will be tough to watch today to see if he can keep this consistent throughout the start. if he can't, that might be the kind of thing you will see him have to work on. the initial plan was not to keep him up here as long as he

has been here. and if the mechanics are going to be an issue, that is something we can see him going back to syracuse to get that worked out. >> so you would think that would be an exchange with martis? would that be an exchange with martis? >> i think today is going to be a critical start for him. i think it is going to be one of those where you need to see him kind of take a step forward or else you have to go back down and get some of the mechanical things straightened out. you saw a couple of starts ago where if his mechanics are good, you can go seven innings. the last couple ones haven't been there. you start to see the consistency or he is going to have to go back down and get a few 1-2-3 innings straightened out. >> he tries to get the first win over the colorado rockies. time for the stay in the game hold of the day. it is brought to you for just for men hair crore.

august 7, 2008, and saul rivera got in and threw one inning and it was the 13th hold of the season and the nats won that game. and rivera kept the nats in the game. you, too, can stay in the game with just for men hair color. "nats xtra" pre-game leading up to the first pitch in a couple of minutes with bob and rob out in denver. we'll be back in just a couple of moments. - ♪ whew... let. we've lowered over a thousand prices, giving you all the tools you need. and the bragging rights you deserve. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now, the exclusive american standard 4" symphony faucet is only $78.

>> we remember this scene very well, the nationals against the houston astros back object may 15th. the game was suspended at 10-10 in the bottom of the 11th. the ground crew doing a good job of getting the tarp on. the nationals batting and one on. elijah dukes. it will be picked up tomorrow night at 7:00. then they'll have the regular schedule game after that. the eye 'stros' right-hander, he will be allowed to pitch if houston sees fit to use him. we'll pick it up and then the

ballgame will take place and the nats in the first of a series, a weekend series against the astros down in houston. >> houston is short on pitching. they only have one guy left in the bullpen unless they have made some additions since then. >> interesting since dukes down in syracuse, that means that now morgan will be on first base. >> yeah. anyone that is on the roster. >> i would take him, wouldn't you? >> absolutely. not josh bard. >> josh is also fighting a little injury there, too. >> and that is a great spot for us having a guy steal a base with one out. >> the one thing manny acta made clear after last night's game, the errors will stop and the mental errors will stop. the second half of the season starts today. >> that sounds good to me, johnny. we have been talking all year. i would like to see that execution begin. >> so we hope you'll join us. stick around. bob carpenter and rob dibble coming up as the nationals try to salvage this third game. and we'll see you after the

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 >> the nats have suffered two tough losses in denver. monday's pitching was good enough to win but coming up empty. and last night, a three-run lead before self destructing and dropping another close one. >> and ross detwiler needs to turn things around on a perfect afternoon for matinee baseball.

>> they used to call them the blake street bombers. that is the street that run ace longside the first gate here. maybe not as much power as they used to. the rockies are in the wildcard race. bob carpenter and rob did i believe and here we -- dibble and here beare at the halfway point of this crazy baseball season and kind of hard to assess what we have seen so far this year. >> rob: it has kind of been a tale of two first halfs for this team, the team that started this season is not the same team that is out there on the field today. he's take a look at the winning percentage. it is below .300. that's got to be improved upon. the runs per game, that is not bad. if the pitching get as little better, you're going to do a bit better. the starter's ear r r.-- e.r.a., 4.88. >> bob: manny acta on what needs to improve in the second

half. >> our defense obviously in the second half of this season which has improved a little bit and our pitching. and the stats are there. we need to get better. >> more consistency out of our bullpen. i think that is the biggest change we would like to see during the second half. >> bob: let's have a look at the pitchers. ross detwiler, left-hander, jorge de la rosa, and he is trying to find a home here. >> rob: de la rosa has been banged around and then he fund a home here with the rockies, but our own ross detwiler making his only 10th major league start. ened two young kids that are going to go lard at each other. >> coming up in a moment before the first pitch areal interesting visit with josh willingham. he'll talk about some personal things. he'll talk about hitting, playing the outfield. we think you'll enjoy getting to know josh a little better

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 >> bob: nationals baseball on masn brought to you by southwest airlines. and by pnc bank. leading the way. welcome back to coarse field. the nats are trying to salvage one for this three-game series. last night josh willingham hit a home run. josh just told me this was the final national league park where you hit a home run. you had never done it before. with everything you and your family have been through the last month or so, how have you been able to focus so well on your job on the field? >> when i first came back, i wasn't really enthused about being here just because of all of the events take have transpired. it was actually really good for me to get back and start playing and get your mind back off of things and just basically to realize that life does g on. >> bob: you're back in left field today just when you're getting used to right field because nick johnson has the day off and adam dunn is going to be at first base.

how is that outfield adjustment going for you with everything coming at you from opposite angles from what you're used to? >> and it is an adjustment period. i think i'm getting more comfortable. it is just going to take game experience out there. the more balls that you can read off of that, and the more comfortable you get. so hopefully it won't be a big adjustment going back to left today. >> how do you feel hitting number five. you haven't done that a lot this year until recently. now you're right behind all- star zimmerman and the big bopper adam dunn. >> with his on-base percentage, you're going to get opportunities. so i'm going to hit whatever they put me and be happy about it. and hitting number five, you ire going to get more opportunities to drive in runs, so that's good. >> and then, of course, your base running label, you have been stealing a few bases here and there. i know that manny gives certain guys the green light and you told me you usually check in with marquee there to see how

quick he is. >> i'm not a speedster, so he has to be relatively slow to the plate. there are certain pitchers that don't pay attention to me and maybe i can sneak one here and there. that's what i try to do. maybe i can score with two outs. >> josh, as we wrap it up on a personal net, i know that your both h. brother was an organ donor, his organs have done a lot of good. what would you tell people thinking about being on the fence about organ donorship with this experience with your broth 76er. >> it is one of those things, why wouldn't you be an organ donor? he couldn't use them anymore. he was able to help a lot of people there were several people probably praying for 

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he is at a clip of .404. alberto gonzalez is in there and adam dunn is at first base. os tin kearns and anderson hernandez get starts with wil nieves and there is jorge de la rosa. 30-38 career. he has faced the nationals three times previously. in his career, one win, one loss and a 4.34 e.r.a. >> rob: and to give you the pnc bank scouting report on mr. de la rosa. he talked about the open. he has come from the orioles over the brewers and now the rockies, a night owl. during the day he is only 1-3 with a 7.34 e.r.a. 167 runs allowed and 5-1 in his

last six starts. so that quick six, he has done very well. and there is july. >> many at this ball club are looking to start off this second half on a winning note. the nats are 24-57 and the rockies are still behind the dodgers. the first pitch of the game is bunted. off to the races and that looks like a hit and it is a hit for nyjer -- nyjer morgan. >> rob: anyway you can and here he uses his speed, so he gets on first base setting the table for the rest of the lineup. >> gary: the first pitch was one minute late and we're back on time thanks to his speed. 91 degrees here today and it is sizzler in colorado. nigh overmorgan has a base hit.

and alberto gonzalez is a really interesting guy to have batting second. alberto doesn't get to bat this high up in the lineup this often. and he is selective. he can go the other way. by the way, the humidity, 13% today. >> rob: in the future of this franchise is alberto gonzalez and anderson hernandez. that should be your middle infield fer a while after guzman and billy is gone. so why not get him up here and see what he can do. you have 81 games to go in the season. he is a good contact guy a guy that can hit behind the runner. and you get over to the right side trying to get nyjer morgan in scoring position. >> bob: 21 steals in 31 attempts. and third most in the league. michael bourn, we'll see him

tomorrow in houston. and juan pierre has 23. nyjer morgan could have the league lead in el steals in the next couple of weeks. he is not that far behind those guys. she going to play pretty much every day and get many, many opportunities to use that speed. 1-22 count. the runner goes. base hit. morgan is going to go right over to third and spilborghs' throw. it is ryan spilborghs and morgan challenged him with nobody out. >> rob: nyjer is off to the races, gonzalez december a great job and trying to make a

big turn. >> bob: he had it. a great throw by spilborghs and morgan retired at third base. ryan zimmerman is next. he was going on the pitch, the reason he challenged there. a rome it is all behind the runner and that is something that manny acta needs. that's why he is in the two hole. >> bob: and it took a perfect gun. >> rob: no, absolutely not. one of the best arms, and so he tested spill abortion and he maybes the out. >> bob: zimmerman gets under one. high in the air off to left center. it is a day for shades for the outfielders. and in the a cloud in this colorado sky as he takes it for the second out. the rockies middle-of-the- relief. and fowler in the outfield.

spilborghs in right. and garrett atkins, he gets the start, and yorvit torrealba is behind the plate. here is adam dunn and today he is the first baseman. johnson has been struggling lately, but he was on base four times last night and he had made the decision to do this with dunn, willingham and kearns before yesterday's game. vveteran, and he is behind '0ozd>ú hi, my meeting got moved up.

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this year a big, strong hitte had 21 hitters and 99 batted in last season. nyjer morgan. and a runner in first and no score.

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 >> nyjer morgan just got finished telling detwiler, put a hitter out there. i'll get it. he bunted his way on. >> rob: you bunt to get on first and then you try to steal second and it is a hit and run. and he forces the throw and makes the play. the defense, and nine times out of 10 you'll win that battle. a lot of good hustle. i love watching this guy play. he brings it every day and that's something that we needed, that spark plug.

>> bob: josh willingham homered last night his first time up with one out in the second. his 10th of the year, all solos. a fastball up and away. and the rockies have hit 96. and they are tied with milwaukee behind the obscene total of 116 the phillies have hit. the phillies hit like four in that crazy game the other night. and i imagine the green light is here if he get as blazing fastball. look at what he is doing when he leads off an inning. that is not something you're going to bite orlando he'll take the base on balls. the nats have had three go down

to first base. >> rob: if you had your choice as a pitcher knowing what you know about austin kearns, willingham is on fire and kearns just got his average over .200. >> bob: and that was with a base hit pinch hitting last night. unfortunately austin fell down between first and second after being picked off. todd helton had dropped the ball. it is one of those crazy things that happen when you don't play a whole lot. austin is hitting only .160 in his last 34 games. and that was, of course, with the pitcher last night without throwing one ball to this catcher. kearns will be aggressive here. he doesn't want to get to 0-2. and the nats have now hit into five double plays in this

series, 6-4-3. four. it only seems like five. the bases empty, two outs. anderson hernandez, the hitter, and he has been struggling a bit. his playing time curtailed turnover last week or so.   disclosa has fallen behind several hitters early.

and a bouncer. the nats are gone in the top of the second. the lead-off man aboard and nothing to show for it in colorado. ♪ who's watching... (announcer) it's right here. it's easy. ♪ i always feel like somebody's watching me. ♪ it's the money you could be saving with geico.

(tucci) count on the nation's fastest 3g network. at&t  >> we a back at coors field o a scorching wednesday afternoon as we move to the bottom of the inning. and he is working on his release point, ross, and i asked manny acta is that difficult to change while you're pitching in a game.

>> it is tough to correct on the fly. with that being said, you have a lot of innings out there alot of pitches to make and the guy cans do it. and it is just a little tougher when you're as young as he is and the life experience that he has. >> the pitching coach also told me they are working on lengthening his stride which could help on the release point. >> bob: would that serve to slow you down? >> rob: yeah, because it make use reach out towards the plate more. you're trying to get ross to stay a little close, longer, even though he is throwing across his body, he still tends to fly over before delivering the ball to home plate. he's got to have momentum moving forward. >> bob: and he has two on troy tulowitzki that one is closer, but it is ball three. >> rob: here is his delivery. watch him on the mound. he is going to come towards

first base, and that is a good finish. can you see from that shot the difference in the landing areas between these two pitcher ? de la rosa is right in front of the rubber and detwiler's is well off to the side. three balls and a strike. and tulowitzki, right at adam dunn. he always has something to say after every play. oh, that was easy. >> rob: and the shot and adam dunn. still abortion, and he is oh- fer one in the series.

--spilborghs and he's oh-fer one in the series. >> rob: so here is del la rosa and detwiler. he is still going to throw it that way and that's what he is trying to get him to do, towards home plate. >> bob: that's good. a ball and two strikes on spilborghs. >> rob: it is lengthening the stride and it will make him reach towards the catcher's mitt. you can see he tried to reach out. that is how he is taught, through it -- throw it through the catcher. finish coming forward. he is dog everything he is doing. make sure your first movement, go home and then fall off.

>> bob: only into the fourth inning against the braves, lots of hits in that 9-8 loss on friday night. a frustrating game for the nationals. they certainly scored it up to win the game. they could not stop atlanta. austin is there for the second out. on sunday, the cubs will be in our ballpark, a week from sunday. $14 gets you an upper right field terrace ticket and $25 gets you in the lower stands. minimum two per purchase. write the family out early. the autographs before the game and the kids get to run the

bases. 888-632-nats or nationals.com. >> rob: so far he has thrown 27 fastballs and one changeup. >> bob: he is not tipping much of his hand the first time through the lineup. >> rob: no, and i like it. a good fastball. it is not velocity, it is movement. torrealba is getting around extremely late. and torrealba playing in his 21st game of the year. and a 2-1 pitch. the inside corner from marvin hudson. that is a good pitch for ross because the hitters don't expect him to be able to get it

in there. keep it across the plate. >> rob: it is not where it is caught, it is where it crosses the plate. >> bob: two strikes. he misses probably by two or three feet. >> rob: as you forget, he is 22 years old. i wasn't even in the big leagues until i'm 24 years old. it is unchartered territory. 22 years old, big league hitters. >> bob: the fastball up and a take by torrealba. he is at first base with two outs. detwiler, 30 strikeouts and now 20 walks in just under 50 innings. and the speedster carlos gonzales coming in. >> rob: you have two outs. get the final out of the

inning. he worked very hard here. he is hitting under .200. you have the pitcher on deck and you want the pitcher to lead off the next inning. >> bob: there is no reason to nibble here. for some reason the nationals have walked this .197 hitter three times in this series. >> carlos gonzales in this series 1-4. the speed in the outfield. and this one will drop to right center. he is going to hit his way on and detwiler will now face the pitcher. the first rockies' hit. >> rob: the first rob rockies

hit, he may have wanted to break in his curve ball in that at-bat. the light hitting or slow hitting young player. i was told that he was having trouble with the left-handed breaking balls at this level. debt west niler throws one at 1:00, and 7:00 curve ball, unlike de la rosa's which is like 6, '9". >> bob: de la rosa, he is 70-80 career, so there's no reason not to just throw strikes and get this inning over. seven career rbi's, though. anderson hernandez scoops it that will work. three stranded. here is a collector's item.

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 >> bob: on to the top of the third, it is no score here in colorado. for the nats fans, it has never been easier to take in a game. go to stubhub.com, the official fan-to-fan ticket place for the washington nationals. we will play and complete the suspended game tomorrow night at 7:00. hopefully no pitchers needed for that one.

john lannan and russ ortiz in the regularly scheduled game. olson and roy oswalt friday. man, ortiz, oswalt and hampton. six, seven years ago, that would have been the best threesome in baseball. it is hot here today. >> rob: and thinking there is probably ammonia either in that bucket or that bucket. they love that. they throw ice cold ammonia on the towel. squeeze it out and put it over your head that will wake you up. >> bob: here is wil nieves. he is in a bit of a funk offensively. he is seven for his last 49. the batting average down do .229. >> rob: it has been hard, though, josh bard has been on full and he still can't crack the lineup. >> bob: and a bouncer stabbed

by pitcher. he was hitting almost .270 just over a month ago, wil nieves. and it is wired wednesday. we don't have a player wired up today, but we will speak with the skipper from the dug out. we appreciate the fact that manny takes time to do that during the ballgame and i think we might even see him flash a sign or two while we're having our conversation. ross detwiler is 1-12 as a big league hitter with one rbi. rbi my biggest concern is protect that arm. you have a pad on the elbow that's your money maker. >> bob: how many major league at-bats did you get? >> rob: 25 and i hated every

one of them! some of these guys like nolan ryan -- >> bob: it is late in the ballgame. >> rob: and late in the ballgame and the closers and stuff. >> bob: did you get any hit ? >> rob: three hits and a couple of ribbies. i went oh-fer 20 for a couple of years. it was a hell of a drought. i hit .100 one year and .500. way to end your career, on a high note. >> bob: yes. your went out on your terms! [ laughter ] >> rob: no, my batting average was as high as my e.r.a. so i had to get out. >> bob: two balls and two strikes. detwiler is taking a boarder

line pitch to the count. de la rosa, 21 pitches and 12 strikes his first two innings. and he puts it in play and charging is clint barmes and two outs. top of the order now, nyjer morgan. he's going to hang around in the on-deck circle for a while and give his pitcher time to get off the field in -- on this warm day. >> rob: and go sit din and get a little bit of a drink. >> bob: some will tell you they'll take a pitch or two, and you have to have a lead-off guy who is comfortable hitting with two strike ins the count to be able to give his pitcher a little bit of a breather here. some guys are so aggressive, it is one of the little things that they just don't do, but morgan is that kind of a hitter. hitter. he'll get all of this feet for

a few moments. -- off of his feet for a few moments. the other thing is because of television, the between inning breaks are a little longer than they used to be. guys kind of know how long they can sit in there before they actually have to get out and take their warm-up tosses. morgan with a hit, and he pulls off of that. manny acta joins us in a movement. we're at the halfway point of the season, plus, two and a half innings, scoreless today. fios guy! where ya headed?

ah, just installed fios in the whole building. now everyone has the fastest upload speeds. and we're giving them a mini netbook. well, i'm sticking with cable. so's ted. (voice) no i'm not! he's just goofing. (voice) no i'm not! (sighing) ted has betrayed me. okay. (announcer) unlike cable, fios brings 100% fiber optics straight to your home and when you switch now, you can get a free compaq mini netbook. just pay shipping, handling and taxes. with fios, you'll get razor-sharp tv, blazing fast internet and crystal-clear phone service all for just... sign up today. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v, and for a limited time, get an incredible compaq mini, to get the most out of your fios internet. get it all together with a great deal on fios tv, internet and phone plus get a free compaq mini netbook. just pay shipping, handling and taxes. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v before time runs out on this astonishing offer.

 >> bob: nationals baseball on masn brought to you by southwest airlines. book your next trip at southwest.com. and by firestone, a tradition of innovation. rob and i took in a little white water rafting before the ballgame. oh, there goes rob! i tried to save you, buddy. >> rob: did you see me roll back out of it, though? >> bob: i did. that was outstanding. >> rob: i came up with a fish in my mouth. >> bob: that is funny. and we even have a little family here at the ballpark. isn't that nice? nothing like colorado in the summertime. bottom of the third, dexter fowler leading off. we're still hoping to hook up with manny acta soon. we'll get things straightened out shortly and the fly ball is out of play down the right-

field side. so fowl ser oh-fer eight in this es. and he is out of georgia where he was an all-american. >> woulda @goia li weked the other y about the bat behindthe trike zone behind the plate wherthe ball can go fair, and that bat beat you to the plate. >> hecan fly. % >> rob: there is his first breaking ball. >> bob: fo tip. another home

grown rocky. the 1-2 delivery. looking at the standings, the rockies have t tng about the wildcard now. colorado is inthicke of that now th milwaukee and with the marlins. the cubs and cincinnati. so there is the picture of the west where the dodgers have just been so good nobody can catch them. the other problem, as we mentioned the other night, the rockies against the dodgers this year, are 2-10. they only have a winning record

5-3 against san diego in their division. they've got losing reports -- records against the diamondbacks, the dodgers and the giants. detwiler had him 0-2 and lost it. second walk of the day. he has thrown well over 40 pitches. we see it with ross and he will be away, away, and then if anything happens at the plate. here is barmes. he is good in situations like

this. you have to cheat up the middle a little bit if you want to turn double play. he is very good at hitting the ball between first and second. there is the space right now. >> rob: it is the rapid fire and the pitching out there. it will help. right now the pitch, you're in the third inning. you have the guy 0-2. you just want to make one big pitch. >> bob: there is another error by the nats. the throw down right there. they had a breaking ball grip,

a changeup grip. they're going to give it to adam dunn for not getting that ball. >> rob: wow. getting back to ross, it is a question of five, six, seven more pitches he threw to fopper. throw it instead of just nibbling. and that brings up the zimmerman. they are throwing so many more pitches. stand there, visualize i don't need to go any further here. hernandez has six. zimmerman, 12, guzman, 12. he's had a bad series. the nats are just giving away

too many bags and too many outs. one ball and two strikes to barmes. i thought they might do it to keep him from hitting the ball the other way. well astart last night, there is helton. totally out of character. he was falling behind all night and now detwiler getting himself in the similar situation. >> rob: and i can tell you by watching their mannerisms, they're overthinking. they need to get back to simple thighing, believing in their stuff. stop overthinking and analyzing where you're thinking. they have to get this lineup out, not the ballpark. out of play, right side.

the houston ball club where the nats are playing tomorrow, and rodriguez, and it is 5-0 in the sixth inning. the broadways have a 1-0 lead at chicago. the rest of the division is later. two balls and two strikes to barmes. he has good speed. 16 stolen bases. if you forget about it, he'll get himself to third base with no outs. barmes on a fastball up. he can't reach it. and probably out of his strike zone. he will take it for his first strikeout of the day. >> rob: he throws it right by barmes. up high. he lays off as a hitter. a perfect pitch as a pitcher. >> bob: here is helton. adam dunn. and if you're the pitcher, you have to step off.

you cannot throw home. the shortstop, second base. >> rob: and he is moving towards third. you have to make him stop do you see how he is getting the extra step? you can't allow him to do that. todd helton. >> rob: watch this pitch. right at his shoulder. and it goes across. the strike. again. >> bob: the fastball hit into left center. nyjer morgan can't get there. and fowler. and that is the second time he has given them an early lead with the double. that ball just kept on going. >> rob: well, first pitch, breaking ball for a bam.

he comes right back for the fastball. and todd helton with the lifetime batting average. >> bob: todd helton. >> rob: and he pitched nothing but breaking ball down and away from him. still fastball. >> bob: troy tulowitzki is coming up. if you purchase four games, you

can get the fifth free. it is that easy. 202-657-nats or visit nationals.com/grand slam. don't forget the cubs are coming next thursday. four-game series. they will meet tomorrow for the all-star break. troy tulowitzki lined out hard to adam dunn his first time up. >> rob: look at the guy next to him. he is getting that right on his neck right there. >> bob: that ball is hanging up. and gonzalez he did knock it down and that keeps todd helton from scoring. tulowitzki has hit the ball

sharply twice. he got enough of it to keep it close. this. >> rob: this is going to save a run here. alberto gonzalez knocking it down and keeping it towards the infield. he throws it right to third that is is a head's up play. and if he takes too much of a or he has that there, he is out right there. good job. >> bob: first and third, two outs, ryan spilborghs. >> rob: he is thinking i'd like to get out of here with just the one run situation. he is getting that final out of the inning.

>> bob: to center. and morgan is there and he catches it 410 feet away after three innings. ross detwiler has thrown one pitch fewer than zimmerman did last night. almost as fast as you. nothing's gonna hold you down. starting august 16th, fly southwest airlines from bwi airport to boston logan for just $49 one-way. bags fly free on southwest so our low fares stay low. grab your bag. it's on. - ( ding ) - book now at southwest.com.

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 bishop downtown denver. home of coors field. ross detwiler. the aflac trivia. >> aflac! >> bob: the nationals franchise record for walks in a season? it could be either montreal or washington. adam dunn is on base for 130 walk this is year. and that would be a new record. and that will take you down through the history of this

organization and usually it is a big power hitter. little guys don't walk that much, but somebody who would have the patience to set a club record. >> rob: guerrero. >> bob: unless they totally pitched around him one year in montreal. >> rob: dawson. >> bob: maybe galarraga. >> bob: we have been told it is rather obscure. evidently somebody you would not associate with walks. >> rob: green. >> bob: that is a good one. two brails and two strikes to

yorvit torrealba. he walk his first time up. that probably eliminates day. the fastball outside. and detwiler's got that swing and that pitch. he did t last inning and now torrealba chases. >> rob: now he is going to go right by torrealba. >> bob: i thought you were talking about you're no good. >> rob: no! >> bob: here is carlos gonzales who looped one to center the last time. the pitcher is next. line drive.

>> rob: i don't know if he got the scouting report on this guy, but i was told by their people that he can't hit a curve ball from the left-handed pitchers, and he has two hits off the fastballs. >> gary: gonzales is going to get his batting average off the interstate today and up over .200. >> rob: you're helping him. so big sweeping breaking balls, thins that he didn't probably see a lot of in the minor leagues aguy with a really good breaking ball. >> bob: the runner going, and that was a hit and run evidently with a guy on second base and the pitcher in there, and so the bottom line is de la rosa did a good job protecting his runner. gonzalez is fast. he's 5-5 this year stealing.

>> rob: he has great arm, great speed. >> bob: he would have lad that base stolen had the ball not been fouled off. >> rob: it is just a question of they are getting the extra step while you turn your back to home plate. >> bob: they were trying to get him to third base with one out. so you would think they would have given de la rosa the take sign. >> rob: now they should throw the fastball away from him so if he does steal you can throw him out. if i'm there, it is going to be a late swing from this pitcher. >> bob: two outs. dexter fowler now.

>> rob: they have to stop give diagnose opponent players too much credit. they ever not that good. they're good. they're at the major league level, but after helton, not a lot of great hitters after helton. >> bob: i think that is one of the things there year, the hitters that the nats have been beaten by, and today it is the carlos gonzales factor. and guys hitting home runs, number eight hitters with other ball clubs, they're blowing these guys away. that ball is hit to right center. and he is after it and he can't get there. it bounces into the bullpen. the rockies lead 2-0. they have gone to the gap twice today.

dexter fowler, his 21st rbi. that is his first hit this series after going oh-fer eight with two walks. >> rob: he came into this inning with 52 fastball, two changeups, and staying with the fastball, fowler hits it away from him. >> bob: now, i always thought that staying with the fastball the first time through the lineup would set up a little variety the second time around. >> rob: you would be right. for wil nieves and ross tieded they were going to stay with more fastballs today than off- speed changeups. >> bob: this guy is a running threat out there. and there is another one and willingham is going to get there. josh was playing way off the line. the rockies get another run on a pair of doubles. willingham turns it and hernandez.

they're ahead in the fifth. 'm ! he's just goofing. (voice) no i'm not! (sighing) ted has betrayed me. (announcer) switch to verizon fios tv, phone and internet today and get an ultra-sleek compaq mini netbook. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities

 >> bob: on a beautiful day in colorado. the rockies lead the nationals 2-0. the cubs are coming to town next weekend. the post-game fireworks on friday. hang around the red porch that area. sunday, family fun day. player autographs and the kids run the gas bases after the game and we're giving away kid lunch bags for the first 10,000 fans presented by our friends

at smithfield. 888-632-nats or nationals.com. you can always stop by the ballpark and pick up your tickets at the box office. josh willingham. he walked his first time up. josh is having a pretty good series. 3-8, a homer, an rbi and the walk. he has reached seven games today. that was breaking ball that started outside and it came back to the outer half. it has some carry to it but dexter fowler has it for the first out. >> rob: i talked to orlando hudson of the dodgers yesterday. and roy holliday, and their general manager up in toronto and talking about trades. and i said, well, what type of player was roy holliday, what type of guy?

these are his words, not one. he loved to see roy halladay, every sometime he took the mound, his approach was it was game seven of the world series. every pitch, every batter, every out. that's how you have to play this game. >> bob: great concentration needed to the that, not letting things go for one moment. not for a second. you to be prepared at every level. it is not let's go through the motion. >> rob: that's not how you play it. you're either all in or you're not. >> bob: and i think some guys who are no long were this ball club have learned that lesson. kearns. and that is foul! that bat is foul! randy marsh. >> rob: that is throwing the bat out. >> bob: austin kearns has one of the most unusual swings

you'll ever see. watch his hand. auto lot of times his hop hand comes off the bat and then he can't hold on to it with his bottom hand. >> rob: it is half there and half foul. >> bob: the big part of the bat. hooker is the 1-2. that will be low and inside two balls, two strikes. but austin, when he is struggling, you'll see his hands fly off the bat a lot because he has the bottom hand not at the nob, but down past the knob. and he is going to be struck up there. that is a 30-38 career pitcher, the nats are making him look real good today. washington hasn't had a hit since morgan and gonzalez went back-to-back to start the game. if you weren't with us, nyjer morgan bunted his way on board and ryder cupping on the pitch,

gonzalez singled but it was right at spilborghs who threw morgan out. the nats haven't had a sniff of de la rosa since. anderson is going to have to cut down that swing. >> rob: it makes the pitchers look like sandy foe fax. -- sandy koufax. >> bob: 5-6 for de la rosa lately. he went eight in his last outing for arizona. that ball will be coming back.

it is off the bat of the right- hander. it had just enough english to come back and that is a very good play! 

 >> bob: nationals baseball brat to you on masn brought to you by southwest airlines and by land rover, designed for the extraordinary. a beautiful look at the red rock amphitheatre tonight. today. it will be tonight soon. the way this game is going. right now the nats, de la rosa. just to the south of here, aflac! >> the flat iron of boulder, and this will be an interesting, the all-time franchise record. >> rob: singleton. oriole and texas. >> bob: and go beyond that.

jorge de la rosa, 51 pitches in five innings. ross detwiler has thrown 74 in four innings. >> rob: de la rosa atthis stadium, 6.50 e.r.a. >> bob: somebody kidnapped him and put sandy koufax in his uniform.  @@>> bob: shot ou just a bit of a breeze blowtowa

normally t idity is 13 --  the humidity is 13%. the ound ball goes right through. todd helton is 2-3 today and he is 3-9 in the series withtw s. >> rob: i think the rockies are going to be sad to see us go. >> bob: well, they're not the only ones. the nats a at 9-31 on the road this year. it has been a real struggle away from home. 15-26 at nationals park, and the nats are 5-8 against the %st ]aig to te centra z$á0+ 

. [ loss connection ] >> debt west nile ser going to have to show the nats more of what they are seeing now. >> rob: he has thrown about 17 fastballs, about 10 breaking balls and a few changeups. i don't mind the approach, but it is almost the exact extreme of what jordan zimmermann did yesterday. he changed the speed a little more than detwiler. not a bad day of strikeouts.

>> rob: the process can be ugly at times >> bob: the bases are loaded with nobody out and the rockies are on the verge, and that is detwiler with his third walk today. and defensively he has robbed the nationals twice already. one with a throw and one with a catch. and the single leading off the inning and garrett atkins did the same and then tulowitzki. >> bob: the nats were feeling pretty good about this series

coming off great outings saturday and sunday by john lannan and scott olson. we didn't know what to expect monday night. the offense couldn't do it with marquee and street. and then jordan zimmermann's start last night. so here you are on the verge of being swept and the base -- bases are loaded. nobody out in the fifth inning. and he continues to just throw take fastball nowhere near the strike zone. >> rob: the two seamers, if they're running like they are tonight or today, and it is not like the big strike. that was a good pitch right there. if you want to get ahead there, the four-seam fastball or a slow breaking ball or even a

changeup. a guy like atkins, he has been struggled all year, throw him down, the breaking balls. >> bob: clippard is throwing. that is down the line. that might larry the bases. helton and atkins scored. and tulowitzki and it is extra slow, and it is now 5-0. [

cheers and applause ] >> rob: 2-1. the rotation down the center of the plate. that's going to be it for detwiler. >> bob: ross detwiler's last start, three and a third, five runs on 10 hits. today four-plus, five runs on eight hits. he's gone, and it could be a long afternoon in denver. almost as fast as you. nothing's gonna hold you down. starting august 16th, fly southwest airlines from bwi airport to boston logan for just $49 one-way. bags fly free on southwest so our low fares stay low. grab your bag. it's on. - ( ding ) - book now at southwest.com.

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 >> bob: ross detwiler ashort stay in this game. tyler clippard will inherit a runner and third and nobody out. clippard is originally drafted by the yankees. 89 pitches and 52 strikes by detwiler. >> rob: and 77 fastballs, nine curve balls and three changeups. they are great young men and they are tough lessons to learn at this level. he has great baseball. >> bob: huh he didn't use it. >> rob: and he didn't use it.

>> bob: torrealba is the hitter. he launches one in and it is ball one. torrealba, a walk and a strikeout today. it is a 5-0 colorado led as they look for a sweep. the changeup misses. the rockies have atlanta coming in here for four starting tomorrow. they should get some pitching now. they lead now 1-0 at chicago. and clippard drops it in there. two balls and a strike.

>> bob: as we mentioned earlier, not too early to start talking about the wildcard now that we're into the second half of the season. the rockies right there, 3-2 in the central. milwaukee, chicago and cincinnati there. >> rob: the west. >> bob: and right behind there, the braves and the mets. the mets still have some issues. reyes and beltran, and they're starting oliver perez. the next ball up and in, 3-2. carlos gonzales, the number

eight hitter. he is 3-2, next. left field, and willingham. and it is 6-0. and i think josh got school bid that ball. he thought he had it and then it just took off on him. and as i mentioned last night, rob, it is these kind of balls that define coors field, not the big fewerring fries. >> rob: a breaking ball off the end of the bat and it just carried right over josh's head. bishop i plage he would have needed to be full speed to get that. >> rob: and i still don't think he would have gotten it. it is the low line drives and the three quarter line drives. they just take off here. >> bob: i saw a game here one

year when the infield was so hard, the ground balls were carrying. >> rob: he told me that, and he said the ball that get in the gaps here, they turn into doubles, triples. it is not like any other ballpark. >> bob: and can you imagine coming in here and facing the lineup that they used to have before they put the baseballs? the humidor? it was squarey,ist r first galarraga, walker, cast i can't. i mean, you were always under pressure here. i think you can say that in this series the ballpark has not beaten the nats, the rockies have. the nationals have not done the things against the other guys they need to do. nothing to do that much really with the park. high gas, and a strikeout of

gonzalez for the first out here in the fifth. >> rob: clippard just rears back, 0-2, and he races the eye levels, the high fastball, and there is no chance. >> bob: and the pitcher de la rosa now. a smart guy on a day like this, get yourself back into the shade of the dug-out. he has only thrown 51 pitches in five shut-out innings. he does not need to be running the bases. tyler clippard does not have to do anything here except throw

the next pitch. the rockies have driven in all of their runs today with extra- base hits. five of the hits are doubles or better. i think we all know what is going on there. and the pitcher. >> rob: you're standing out there on the mound. the pitcher is up there. this guy is not a major league hitter. you a major league fastball. you're not going to throw him an 80 miles per hour churl or changeup. you'll blow him away. if he does chink the ball away, i tip my hat to him. but nine times it of 10 you should strike that guy out. it is that simple. you don't have to overthink it. this guy is not the greatest hitter of the world. you can't have that kind of respect if you want to pitch up here. and consider everybody as a three, four hitter in the lineup and pitch that way to

them. >> bob: one ball and one strike to dexter fowler who doubled a run home the last time. >> bob: he gave him a little bit of a different look that time. one ball and two strikes. >> rob: and he is pounding that ball dunn and tyler got away with that changeup up in the zone. okay. now you're way away, 1-2, what are you going to do? be sure to keep it down or elevate the fastball like you have been doing.

>> bob: 3-2. >> rob: throw a breaking ball here. or a fastball. >> bob: this is what he ordered. first and second and tw outs. and clint barmes. >> rob: here is the pitch track, bob and they're going to shade the catcher where he is going to locate the pitch. look at where he is zooming it. he wants it low. and watch where this pitch ends up by clippard. up and in the middle of the zone. that's so not where you want to three take pitch. but you want to try to get it where the catcher is.

that's a nice pitch right there. he is working it, trying to keep it down low. he is trying to pitch it to todd helton. >> bob: that is your e.r.a. out there. >> rob: 18 years ago. i'll never get over it. >> bob: clippard now can't find the strike zone.

>> rob: he is going to get another day to come back. if you're in the bullpen, you're going to get some action today. >> bob: and, of course, clip bard is due to bat second in the sixth, and i'm sure manny play be thinking thinking get this inning over with and you can't burn everything up. the nats need to remember, and i'm sure nobody is ignoring the fact that we have four coming up in another very difficult ballpark for pitchers. they finish up the suspended game tomorrow night at 7:00. you talk about a road trip where you put two bad ballparks to visit back-to-back, not a -- a pop-up right side. and wil nieves.

and he drops it. that may with an error for that. the nationals have now made six errors in the last two games of the series. i know he has been playing baseball for a long time and i know there had to be a coach 20- some years ago who said catch it with two hands. >> oh, boy. it stays in the park. the rockies get four runs on two hits and two walks. 6-0. fios guy! where ya headed?

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plus get a free compaq mini netbook. just pay shipping, handling and taxes. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v before time runs out on this astonishing offer.  >> bob: coors field and a coors light freeze cam, the world's most refreshing beer. >> rob: he is not just killing us offense, but defensively, bob. check this catch out on the freeze cam. no concern for his own physical being and he makes the grab. here is your coors light freeze cam. >> bob: he is getting a chance to play right field today. she 29 years of age out of santa barbara. he is another home grown rocky. he is a seventh rounder back in

2002. >> bob: they grow in asheville and tulsa and colorado springs. >> rob: they have grown some good ones. he is a great young kid. >> bob: the top of the sixth inning. not a whole lot in the nat es' box score today. the only clean hit of the day, gonzalez with an opposite field single in the first. >> rob: well, someone is going to have to wake that clubhouse up. i'm not talking about the staff. one of the players, the veterans going to have to go in there and tear the guy as new one. because this is just the guys going through the motion now. you have 80 more games to go after today. there is a lack of effort going on right now by this team.

it is a long three months. they are putting their careers in jeopardy. >> bob: and they played some spiriting baseball at the end of the previous home stand beating the braves the last two days. nyjer morgan igniting some thins. adam dunn hasn't made much contact at all in this series. the defense has been horrible. there's the pitch. low and inside. and it is to wil nieves who is oh-fer one today. >> rob: and for some of the free agents, teams are scouting you now, and for other guys that are young player that is can be sent down to the minor leagues, you're being scouted by your own organization. so every day is just like an a audition for next year. >> bob: that's a fair ball right over the bag. wil nieves will make the turn and head to second base. and that is nieves -- nieves's fourth extra-base hit of the the year. he needed that.

>> rob: he get as piece on the inner half here, up and in. we all know he loes to go the right. he takes it right down the line. the lead-off double. ronnie belliard is the hitter with nieves at second base. belliard is oh-fer four. and he has the double play ball here in the seventh inning on monday night. >> rob: come on. >> bob: belliard does have a pitch this year. he is 4-21 with a homer and four rbi's. a big pinch hit on saturday at home got the nats going against the braves.

>> they just close oud out the sweat the pirates. they're only four games behind st. louis in the central. think ear in the wildcard game race themselves. he popped it up to the right side. and coming back, and he lost it in the sun. it came back further than he thought. >> rob: that doesn't happen too often, so you have to take vac advantage of that. and the gold glove first baseman here looking for the wall, and then he loses the ball. >> bob: they will not give him an error on that one. he's looking pretty much right into the sun. it is coming from right over the third base side of home plate. and that was his line of sight for that ball. >> rob: he took his eyes all of the ball and looked for the wall. >> bob: and the rockies didn't want todd helton cracking a couple of ribs on a wall in a 6-

0 game. i told you, multiple gold glove winner over there three times. and belliard takes one. the first time de la rosa has had to come up the stretch since the second inning. >> rob: come on. give one a ride! >> gary: the flats need something to happen in big

fashion here. de la rosa already 11 pitches this inning without recording an out. he has been averaging 10 per frame in the first five. and he has never had a complete game in the major leagues. he went eight, as we mentioned, against the diamondbacks the last time out. belliard is not up there to take a walk right now. he's hacking and staying alive.

>> bob: the battle leer with belliard and de la rosa. nyjer morgan here on deck in the sixth inning. the nats are down by six. that. . >> bob: the pitch in the dirt and belliard strikes out. he got nyjer morgan on a pitch just like that the last time up. >> rob: he throw as fastball down in the dirt and ronny

loses that battle. >> bob: even in a six-run game, atkins plays off the grass in the third. the nats, they don't want morgan bunting for a hit here. he did it the first inning. 1-2 so in his first six games as nat he is 6-22. all right. check this location out here with the cam. >> rob: down and in the dirt. and his pitcher gives it to him, and he has the strikeout. that is the location. 

 bishop one out here in the sixth. >> bob: no friends around, so he has a baseball that will make him feel better.

it is a little more crowded over there. the rockies are averaging about 30,000 a game this year. at home they're 20-17. at home they're 24-22. they're 26-11 since jim tracy took over. unlike arizona, this is a management change. it had a dramatic effect on the ball club. >> rob: the one thing i love about him is he is a background kind of guy. he puts those guys out there, he puts them in a position to win and then he is kind of laid back, very meticulous about everything. >> bob: 22-32-ton diamondbacks since they made the move on may 8 when the nationals were in phoenix. and a fastball up. now morgan is trying to wage a battle and get aboard here for alberto gonzalez who is next.

that's pretty good since may 20th. 15 games over. so they were 10 under at the time he was hired. >> rob: this is only the third three-ball count for de la rosa on the day. >> bob: boy, he really works slowly when somebody is on base, though. this game has come come the a screeching halt and he has a six-run lead. mooring r morgan with a little tapper. atkins has to hurry. no play. on either side and wil nieves makes it safely into third base. bishop the shortstop tulowitzki followed him to the bag. >> rob: he has no shot to morgue i don't know and he turns right around and thoughs it to tulowitzki a little flip here, and auto little craftiness there on atkins. >> bob: and a base hit all the

way. morgan is 2-3. he could be running here, although you better be sure you make it when you're down by a bunch of runs and a big spot for the contact man, alberto gonzalez. manny may want to send the runner here pretty soon for one run as much as anything. he is sick of seeing the double play balls. now, gonzalez has not been involved in that, but at key times lately the nats have hit into mr., many double plays with runners aboard. morgan ashort lead by his standards. and gonzalez with the swing that was tailored for right field. the count is 1-1. he has been pretty good in just about any offensive situation. how about him as a pinch hitter? he is 5-8 with four rbi's. he is just -- just wind him up and let him go. >> rob: a good young player.

sending him down for a month was the best thing for him. and he is morph a contact guy and not a free swinger and defensively he is just night and day out at short. >> bob: all of his errors came early. >> bob: time was asked by the catcher there. 6-0 game. runners at the cornersment one out here in the sixth.

>> bob: the pitcher ahead by six runs obsessed with a runner at first. the numbers gradually go up as men get on base and gonzalez thought it was close enough to be swinging on 1-2. ryan zimmerman just tossed the baseball to a nice little lady down there with her family so she has a new hero. 50 pitches in five innings. 51, and this will be the 28th pitch of this inning. gonzalez fouls another. this one into the nats' dug out. >> rob: they're definitely seeing de la rosa a little better this time through the lineup. he is having to work a lot harder this inning. his next pitch will be the 30th ---30th of the inning.

>> bob: and it is only the fourth hitter, one out. >> rob: he averages about 10 pitches an inning. deep in the ballgame, and there is the opportunity. >> bob: double play a little line drive and it couldn't be any easier for todd helton to end this inning. catch it, two steps and seia!