we felt like we were really going to be dangerous to play against because we had some things like ecksteindy to play. we thought we had a chance. when you get in the postseason anybody has a chance. >> tim: you took a lot of ances. i mean, you didn't pitch chris carpenter the last day of the season knowing that if you went five games or four games with san diego, you'd have to pitch chris twice. so you took a chance there. and you took a lot of chances during the playoffs. >> well, you know, when you make decisions, they're all chances. i mean, you don't push buttons. they're men, they're not machines, so what's not a chance? you bring in the game's best closer, dennis eckersley and he may give up a home run to lose the game. what you do, you take the best chance you can. that's your responsibility as a manager and just like i was told a few years ago. trust your gut, and cover your butt. you're thinking what's the best chance to win? there's a lot made of that chris carpenter decision, and it was something, you know, dave duncan and i were what iffing the thing at the end of the season. w

. >> rob: i talked to rick eckstein about nyjer morgan's game and he is is kind of caught the betweenther or not to put the balls down on some bunts or try to slap the ball either way. he's got really good bat control. but part of his game, it is a speed game. he just has to put the ball there, down on the turf, and run. there you see cedeno can't come up with it. that's just some bad baseball. >> bob: look out, ump! mark wagner getting out of dodge. >> rob: delwyn young. >> bob: here is guzman. this is always interesting because with guzman, a very impatient hitter. morgan has to steal northwesterly the count if he is going to get to second base. guzman has walked nine times this year in 359 at-bats. base hit first time. the runner holding. off-speed pitch. it probably would have been a good pitch on which to run. ryan doumit, 3-14 throwing out opposing base runners. a right-hander picked off. >> rob: going back to your trading stuff, the pirates in the last 12, 14 months have traded 15 pitchers, five outfielders an two catchers, two shortstops, a first baseman, second baseman and a

and rick eckstein has to like that swing from a hitter who has been struggling. >> rob: well, he hadhitting a lot of fly balls. hits a line drive right here, even though he gets jammed, i like the effort and the idea, trying to hit it back up the box. >> bob: and in wil nieves can keep the inning going, a pinch hitter will be coming up. >> rob: gotten 'zo. last at bat, he lined out. >> bob: and this will not extend the inning. it's 2-2, rockies and the nats. úúxx  . >> bob: our game summary. brad hawpe, his 17th of the year. jimenez has stopped the nats on two runs and just six hits in six quality innings. craig stammen one out into the 6th, but he's been charged with both runs, and he'll get a no decision tonight. so it's jason bergman who got atkins to pop up on one pitch with barmes takes a ball. he's need out twice. that ball hooking, well foul.    come on, guys, that be made. quite a game in philadelphia tonight, and now they're delayed by rain. 1-0 diamondbacks. a home run by the arizona shortstop true in that game. stephen went

what has been the key to his success, rick eckstein? >> i think it is a mentality and a mindset.oing up there and executing his plan, you know. he always has a good solid plan, and, you know, at times you have a sense of you know what to expect and what's coming. and let's say you know a curve ball is coming. but right out of his hand you see a curve ball. maybe it is not out of the zone or not a pitch to drive, but you're still swinging because you nee a curve ball is coming. so he's doing a really nice job of staying with it himself and executing his plan. >> ryan zimmerman, the face of the franchise for the nationals. he is only 24, ray. >> he's still a baby in this game, and at 78 home runs, he is away head of anyone else. the only guy that you can throw in that group is just four years older, prince fielder. he has 139, but he has also played one more full season. this is an accomplishment over three and a half years. he has been able to hit 20, 25 home run as year. so now he is on pace to hit positive 30. that's a part of the maturation process. when you get better balls to

he is among his peers such as david eckstein and albert pujols and i think it is just his drive and thee that got him nominated. >> bob: that is a neat award to be nominated for as your team's representative. i can see those three guys being favorites for that award. wil nieves hitting .256. he is 10 for his last 33, over 10 ballgames started. >> rob: i'm shocked that milton bradley is not on that list. >> bob: you are not! come on! he's got a lot of drive. >> rob: he's got a lot of passion. and emotion. >> bob: 1-2 to will nieves, and that's a breaking ball going away. 2-2. the in the dark. no peanuts or nothin'. ts pitcherg e on deck. a great time for wil nieves to get on deck. nick johnson plays way off the line. he knows his former teammate likes to hit the ball over there. that time, though, johnson jammed him. josh johnson. nick johnson catches the throw. and the nats are gone in order, five in a row for josh. the top of the third in a 1-0 game coming up. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. cool. you know this scale is off by a good 7, 8 pounds. maybe

david eckstein's brother rick has to love what he is seeing right now.mirez to play on the adam dunn shift. they take the third baseman and put him where he would be playing on the shift. >> rob: they move i am into the grass and infield. >> bob: that's a runner aboard. >> rob: you can turn it. i would like to see them try. beat them out. >> bob: bang bang play. and he would be safe. >> rob: get back in the game. they get on base. many many different ways. and takes it 2-1. and he walked on a 3-2 pitch back in the inning. don't load the bases. it is all not on speed. adam dunn to center field. he didn't get it. and back to get it. cody ross for the first out. and he just didn't hear the contact that you need to hear ha on the home run ball. >> rob: the ends of the bat. >> rob: it is hit hard and cody ross good job. >> bob: get enough on there. >> bob: i was about to ask you the same thing. >> rob: now, where is the sun. >> bob: cody ross has war paint on today. well, that sky does have glitter to it. and right as he stepped in, and we might have some sun

until you come out of that valley that sets you apart, your manager i'm sure rick eckstein and mike ricant to see this guy come out this have valley intinging. i mean -- swinging. i mean, fighting. putting together some good at- bats. >> bob: he appears to be taking a much bigger swing than we saw him bring back from syracuse after he had been sent down. >> rob: he had shortened up. he was chopping down. hit line drives all over the place. >> bob: 1-2 to alberto. -- alberta. he's gone. >> rob: overmatched. >> bob: ryan zimmerman's leadoff home run the only nats run in the seventh inning. it was a bomb to deep left center. brine ryan's 20th. it stays now 4-2. we bring fiber optic all the way to the home. um... which gives you more bandwidth than cable. so you can upload faster. so it's like comparing a horse and buggy to a sports car. am i the, uh, horse? (announcer) it's a whole new internet. makes uploading as easy as downloading. because your internet's not fast unless it's two-way fast. what is it to lead? at pnc, it's doing what most benefits our customers. whether that's building m