Beltway Bowker Display

See the added spring in the Giants step? Haven't they looked like a different team? Like the ones we grew accustomed to for a short time in the early 2000s?

That's all me.

OBnB runs up its record to 3-0 yesterday and today with two more browbeatings of the Nationals in steamy DC.

(And special thanks to the OBnB fairy godmother for the awesome photos this weekend. The Fred Lewis action shot is classic. Check out all her great photos here.)

Evidently, there's a team in the NL that not only has an inferior offense to the Giants, but actually makes the G-Men look competent. Without Ryan Zimmerman, the Nats don't have a single hitter that scares you. A friend who is a Nats die-hard (yes, they do exist) told me he would kill for Randy Winn. Seriously.

Of course, after scoring 1 run in 18 innings, Zito spotted the Nats 3 runs (and 11 baserunners) in 5 innings of sloppy work. But, like him, I'll take his second win of the season.

Big props to Jon Sanchez for his stellar performance last night and the suddenly reliable Giants offense. Gotta say, we have a few hitters that make this lineup respectable.

If only they could play on the road all the time...

Notes from the stands:

- Nats fans (and soon everyone else) are legitimately scared of John Bowker. Awesome.

- Neglected to mention this in my Friday recap, but Manny Burriss has received a warm reception by Washingtonians - he is the first D.C. ballplayer to reach the majors in 38 years.

Got a chance to give (an obviously ecstatic) Burriss family my congrats. Pretty cool.

I can't wait to see them next season when he's starting at short. Just work with me.

- Freddy was warming up with a visibly warm Bill Hayes (the Giants bullpen catcher) before the 6th when Fred decided to throw him a curve (literally and figuratively), which he consequently missed. Fred was dying.

- The difference in velocity between Zito and every other reliever is a strategic silver lining to every one of his starts. The Nats were behind every fastball when Nolan Taschner came in in the 6th.

- In spite of his continued run of nice hitting, Ray Durham's complete lack of effort in the field (particularly when he failed to cover first in the second) stokes the passion of my playa-hatred.

Best quote: "Hey Ray, the inning's started!"

- Schedule permitting, I'll be there for Cainer's start tomorrow and will try to add a few more photos to the album.

Go to the Giants @ Nats Album!