Ian Desmond: Silver Slugger Shortstop Second Season

CONGRATULATIONS to Ian Desmond for winning the 2013 Silver Slugger Award (for Shortstop). This is Ian's second Silver Slugger Award two years running. Yeah Buddy!

The card shown is a 2010 Topps National Chicle Autograph card NCA-ID Ian Desmond Nationals signed on card blue sharpie. The image is from COMC.com I have this card in my collection I just haven't gotten around to scanning it. Oh here is what the back looks like:

Ian Desmond First Career Grand Slam

CONGRATULATIONS to Ian Desmond!

First Grand Slam of Career

19 June 2013 Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In a season loaded with unfulfilled great expectations and riding a sub .500 to sometimes barely over .500 season wave Nationals fans finally had something big to cheer about. The Nationals avoided getting swept by the Phillies in game three of an already lost three game series thanks to shortstop Ian Desmond in extra innings. They also snapped a three game losing streak.

For most of the game the Nats were behind 2-0 after the Phillies took the lead off of a two run homer in the first inning. Then hope began to rise in the top of the seventh when Jayson Werth singled to bring home Ryan Zimmerman, cutting the Phillies lead in half. In the ninth just when all hope looked lost with two outs and two men on, Jayson did it again scoring Denard Span to tie up the game 2-2. As the Phillies got out number three their fans were enthusiastically grinning from ear to ear anticipating a win and a series sweep, but RHP Drew Storen held them and the game went into extra innings.

After a scoreless 10th inning things heated up in the 11th. After one out Ryan Zimmerman got on the bags with a double. The Phillies intentionally walked Adam LaRoche to get to their ex-teammate Jayson Werth (the man who batted in the Nats only runs in the game thus far). Jayson drew a walk to load up the bases. Next to bat Ian Desmond, who was 0-4 with a ground out and three strike-outs and looking about to whiff a fourth strike-out. Ian got to an even count of 2-2 on a ball 2 that all of Philadelphia thought for sure was a strike, then his bat struck gold sending the ball out left-center field putting the Nats ahead 6-2 and giving Ian the first Grand Slam of his Career. The next batter Steve Lombardozzi got a single and stole 2nd base but the next two batters flied out and struck out. The Nats then held off the Phillies to win 6-2.

I was only surprised that it was his first career Grand Slam I tend to forget how many actual runs were produced by each home run a player gets. The Nats leap-frog over the Phillies with this win to get back into 2nd place in the division 7 games behind the Braves.

Related Articles:

Nationals Save, Eat Face on Ian Desmond's Game-Winning Grand Slam - Capital Games (NBC4 Washington Blog)

Ian Desmond hits grand slam in 11th as Nationals avoid sweep- NJ dot Com

Ian Desmond's 11th-inning grand slam lifts Nats over Phils- USA Today

Ian Desmond hits grand slam, gets #eatface trending on Twitter (Video) - Washington Post

Ian Desmond's grand slam in 11th leads Nationals over Phillies - Washington Times

Nationals Mentioned in this post:

Ian Desmond

Adam LaRoche
Steve Lombardozzi

Denard Span

Drew Storen

Jayson Werth

Ryan Zimmerman

Tis The Season: Awards 2012

Wow Congrats to the Nats on the very cool individual awards that have been received for the 2012 season. I'm getting to this about a week late or so because I was lazy with the scanning (plus I didn't have some 2012 cards of some of the players so I had to improvise) So without further ado and little pomp here they are:

First Baseman Adam LaRoche received his first Golden Glove Award:

 2011 Topps Allen and Ginters 167 Adam LaRoche Nationals

Adam also received his first Silver Slugger Award for NL first basemen:

Adam is the second National to double-dip the Golden Glove with the Silver Slugger. Back in 2009 3rd baseman Ryan Zimmerman double-dipped. Z-Man also got a Silver Slugger in 2010. This year for 2012 he was awarded the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award.

2012 Topps Heritage 494 Ryan Zimmerman Nationals

LaRoche wasn't the only Silver Slugger for DC this past season:

Shortstop Ian Desmond won his first Silver Slugger despite the injuries that kept him out for part of the season:

 2012 Topps Heritage 149 Ian Desmond Nationals

So they thought they'd shut him down huh? Well even with having a September Shut Down - September is supposed to be for Call Ups - Right-handed bullet slingger Stephen Strasburg won the Silver Slugger for Pitchers and yep it's his first ever.

2012 Topps Heritage 291 Stephen Strasburg Nationals

Hey even an Ex-Nat won his first Silver Slugger. Josh Willingham who is now on the Twins.

2010 Upper Deck Baseball Series 1 Season Biography

SB-132 Josh Willingham Nationals

The Nats also received two big big awards:

Not only did 19 year old Bryce Harper end up being a Rookie All-Star he won the coveted NL Rookie Of The Year Award:

2012 Topps Update WalMart Blue Variation 

US183 Bryce Harper Nationals

And Skipper Davey Johnson got the NL Manager Of the Year Award. It is his second MOY Award his first was 15 years ago for the AL when he was skipper for the Orioles.

2012 Topps Heritage 402 Davey Johnson Nationals

The 2012 Season saw the Nationals win First Place in the NL East sending them to their First Ever Playoffs in the NLDS (OK so back in 1981 The Expos went to the Playoffs and went as far as the NLCS but lost that one). Unfortunately they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.


Related Links:
Two from MASN Sports Nationals Pastime Blog
Five Nationals Receive MVP Votes
Gonzalez finishes third in NL Cy Young voting


Nationals mentioned in this post:
Ian Desmond
Bryce Harper
Davey Johnson
Adam LaRoche
Stephen Strasburg
Josh Willingham
Ryan Zimmerman

Opening Day 2012 (The Home Edition)

On Saturday 08 April 2012 from a sportlots auction order I got the 2012 Topps Opening Day Base set of 220 cards (Now to find the Mascot set.) I got the set for 25¢ + 17.00 shipping. It only cost the seller $5.10 to send in a thin white bubble mailer envelope. The envelope got torn in my apt mailbox (which is the one the delivery person opens up the whole bank of boxes from) the set itself was safe in a small 400ct card box.

So to help celebrate the Home Opener (I missed the road Opening Day that was in Chicago 05 April) for the Nats Here are the Nationals cards that are represented in the set. From the top pic you can see the simple design they used with the player's name in the "surfboard" (as one blogger has dubbed this set) which actually looks similar to the graphic that MASN uses when showing the batter's name on the screen.

 Screen Capture from Video highight on MASN Sports Network 09 April 2012

Ryan Zimmerman on 2nd after first double of the 2012 season vs Mets in 4-3 loss

The colors used in the design use the teams dominant color matched with black and the players name in light gray. I don't have any of the regular issue cards yet, but from the blogs I've seen they swap out the gray with silver leaf which makes reading the players name more difficult on the regular issue.

The backs use the same color combination without the players name in white matching the card stock color.

OK so now onto the cards there are 8 Nationals represented in the set 4 of them pitchers including the official Opening Day Starter Stephen Strasburg who went 7 innings on Opening Day in the 2-1 Curly W Win vs The Cubs. He allowed 5 hits, 1 run and 1 walk plus 5 strike outs 82 pitches and a 1.29 ERA, however it was Tyler Clippard relieving in the 8th and throwing 14 pitches who was credited with the win and Brad Lidge with the save. Clippard and Lidge are not represented here, but Home Opening Starter Gio Gonzalez (I'm not impressed with him so far) is along with Drew Storen and Jordan Zimmermann.

First up shortstop Ian Desmond. One of the position players that makes some mighty spectacular plays. One of which seems to be shown in his card here, WOW what a picture.

 2012 Topps Opening Day 146 Ian Desmond Nationals

(Front and Back)

Next we have the starting pitcher for the Home Opener Gio Gonzalez.  So far from what I've seen of him I am not that impressed. I would have rather seen John Lannan in the rotation than Gonzalez. I don't know maybe he will work out I hope so.

2012 Topps Opening Day 76 Gio Gonzalez Nationals

(Front and Back)

Here is a big asset to the Nationals Micheal Morse at First Base. He is currently in rehab recovering from a right lat strain and is expected to return 10 April. I like action photos for cards in this one you can see his bat falling behind him it looks like a little wooden missile about to hit his rear, or a large wooden WWII German hand grenade.

 2012 Topps Opening Day 11 Michael Morse Nationals

(Front and Back)

OK now is the first round draft pick who is expected to be the wonder kid for the team for several years to come Opening Day Starter Stephen Strasburg. He did well Opening Day in Chicago vs. The Cubs as I mentioned above. If he stays healthy this will be his first full season following his Tommy John Surgery. The way he makes his delivery I always worry that he will blow out his elbow again which would most likely end his career.

 2012 Topps Opening Day 190 Stephen Strasburg Nationals

(Front and Back)

Now we have closer Drew Storen who will is out with an elbow injury and will miss the Opening Home Day.

 2012 Topps Opening Day 141 Drew Storen Nationals

(Front and Back)

Here we go with the only landscaped card of the Nats Team Set Right Fielder and Slugger Jayson Werth (I keep wanting to put an "A" in his last name). When Jayson was with the Phillies he was a big pain in the rear to the Nats, however since being with the Nats he really hasn't been that big a pain to other teams. It seems his best career years so far have been the ones with the Phillies. When we first got him I was really excited about his running/scoring ability and his decent fielding. He has been more of a let down, but he can still come through every once in a while. I just wish it happened more often. In the pic on his card it looks like he is trying to avoid a tag, but I don't see where the ball is. Maybe this was a scoring play? Or was it a "Hotbox" out?

 2012 Topps Opening Day 91 Jayson Werth Nationals

(Front and Back)

Now the face of the franchise for many years to come 3rd Baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Ryan makes many super spectacular plays that are difficult but he makes them look so easy. He also sometimes make really weird facial expressions, one of which is shown on this card. I don't think Ryan chews tobacco so maybe he's securing his bubble gum safely between his lower lip and gums.

 2012 Topps Opening day 217 Ryan Zimmerman Nationals

(Front and Back)

Ah and now the last card of this Team set starting Pitcher Jordan Zimmermann. Jordan was on the mound for the 2012 season's first loss to the Cubs. The team made a valiant effort and tried to come back in the 9th, but they were always behind this game. Oh well at least the Nats took the series before losing 4-3 on Sunday. Jordan went 7 innings (I'm glad our starters are going deep into the game now) allowed 2 runs on 6 hits and struck out 4 gives him a 1.29 ERA.

 2012 Topps Opening Day 8 Jordan Zimmermann Nationals

(Front and Back)

Now to get the regular edition team set, and possibly the entire 2012 regular flagship set.

Nationals Shown or Mentioned:

Tyler Clippard

Ian Desmond

Gio Gonzalez

Nick Johnson

John Lannan

Brad Lidge

Michael Morse

Stephen Strasburg

Drew Storen

Jayson Werth

Ryan Zimmerman

Jordan Zimmermann