Back on the Hill
Submitted by Jeff on Wed, 08/15/2007 - 7:13am.
- Shawn Hill last night pitched as if, as the Post put it, he "merely had pressed pause on the DVD player, then went to get some soda and popcorn before returning to the comfort of the couch." Hill, in his first start in three months, threw six innings of one-hit shutout ball. The Nats scored two runs on a Tony Batista pinch-hit double in the seventh, but gave up the lead in the eighth in a rally that started with another Ryan Zimmerman throwing error and ended with a Russell Branyan two-run homer. Nats lose to the Phillies, 3-2. (Box score)
- Zimmerman's error was his 18th of the season, tying him for most among major league third basemen, and Manny Acta thinks it's a problem with Zimmerman's footwork. "I'm not only the manager. I'm also the infield instructor," Acta said. "So I'm going to work with him."
- The Nats signed pitcher Josh Smoker, the 31st overall pick in the June draft, one day before the new signing deadline. Smoker will get a $1 million bonus; he'll report to the Gulf Coast League on Saturday.
- The top unsigned draft pick is now sixth-round selection Jack McGeary, and it now seems unlikely the Nats will be able to sign him by tonight's deadline. McGeary fell to the sixth round because of his commitment to go to Stanford, but was still asking for first-round bonus money.
- Another draft pick signed earlier this summer, Michael Burgess, is playing well for the Gulf Coast Nationals, with a .316 average over 32 games.
- Mike Bacsik will be a "swing man" in the bullpen, primarily for long relief but also in other situations, according to Acta.