The Last, Best Gift I Can Give Her

Later today, my daughter (my first-born) gets married. Months of planning, purchasing and stress have culminated in this moment. Numerous family and friends from across the country have converged on this site to share in the joyous occasion.

I can't help but reminisce. On my dresser, I have a small picture of my daughter. She's about a week old, propped up on a pillow (not too steep an angle, and my first wife and I made sure she was safe). Like a lot of young couples, we were filled with joy at the new life before us. We were also a bit anxious, wondering what type of world would exist as our daughter grew.

Not long after, we found out just how real the world would be. My military career allowed us to travel a bit, so as a family we got to see places and things I never did in my youth. We got the opportunity to welcome another child (a son) into our clan. We also got to experience crushing grief as we buried my wife.

Through all those changes and more, I watched my kids closely. I watched them adapt to new surroundings. I commiserated with them after disappointment. I celebrated with them as they achieved goals and set new ones. I argued with them as they developed their own world views. But through it all, eventually we would reconcile and come to understand the updated status of our relationships.

When my daughter and her fiancé announced their engagement, I was excited for them. I was relieved that she'd agreed to marry her best friend. I also came to understand that no matter what I did for her would pale in comparison to what her husband would provide.

I remember the first time I got married, and how my wife and I had that unspoken expectation that we would be together for a long and happy life. We just knew that come what may, our affection and enthusiasm for each other would carry us through any obstacle. I see similar optimism in my daughter and her fiancé.

Yeah, I supported the wedding preparation effort the best I could. It wasn't just cash. It wasn't just the pizzas when the ladies were making wedding favors by hand a few weeks ago. It wasn't just cleaning up after the rehearsal dinner. The best gift I could give her was my unconditional support during this time.

Later today, it will be time to walk down the aisle. As we proceed the 100 or so feet to the altar, it will be the last time I will hold this place as the man in her life. As I step down, her husband formally and publicly ascends to take on that role. He's a good guy, hard-working and quite pleasant. He's easy to approach, but he's his own man as well.

After today, the gifts he gives her will always matter a bit more than whatever I could give her. I don't acknowledge it out of sadness or envy. This is the way things are supposed to evolve. I embrace the change, and understand my role in her life has changed forever.

The last, best gift I can give my daughter is my continued heartfelt support. And, I know that if my first wife was alive, she too would give this union her complete support freely.

It's gonna be a great day. For the newlyweds, it's the start of a wonderful journey. It's their turn, and I pray God's greatest blessings to them and their union.

Old Dude, Old Movies - "Time Limit"

I stumbled across this movie, and found myself engrossed. As often happens, I found I couldn't sleep early this morning. Since I was awake, I dialed up this film. I was pleasantly surprised and entertained.

Richard Widmark starred, but there was a good cast around him. This is a military courtroom drama with not much time in a courtroom. The questions that remain are germane today. One key question is "what is the duration of heroism?"

Released in 1957, it's set in the aftermath of the Korean War. As you may already know, the Korean War movies seem to be grittier. There's no Clark Gable nor Gregory Peck standing tall and inspiring others, like in the World War II movies. What we see in the Korean War movies are real men faced with difficult circumstances. There are no M*A*S*H-style hi-jinks going on here.

There's an Army "Major Cargill" (played with great depth by Richard Basehart), a recently-released prisoner of war. Evidence points to him collaborating with the enemy during his confinement. What's puzzling is Cargill doesn't deny it, doesn't even make a statement in his own defense. He just wants to get the investigative/court martial process over with, even if it means his demise.

Widmark is "Colonel William Edwards", an Army lawyer charged with investigating this case. Edwards isn't so quick to accept this as a cut-and-dried case. He feels there are more details and circumstances that need to come out before whether or not he recommends court martial. With his trusty assistant "Corporal Evans" (Dolores Michaels), Edwards seeks the truth. Even as Edwards' superior "Lieutenant General Connors" (Carl Benton Reid) leans heavily on Edwards to wrap up this case and spare the Army further embarrassment, Edwards can't shake the nagging suspicion that there is a need to go further.

One weird aspect of this film is the working relationship between Edwards and Evans. I realize Judge Advocate Corps working environments are different than combat units. However, the colonel seemed to take a lot of interest in his much-younger subordinate. Maybe it was just indicative of its' era, but I could imagine if the film was 20 minutes longer, we would have seen the colonel romantically pursuing the corporal. Yikes.

Among the cast is Martin Balsam, June Lockhart and Rip Torn, who all do a great job playing key roles in furthering the story. The acclaimed character actor Karl Malden directed (in what sources say is his only time directing a feature film). This story is crisp, and it makes you think. The twist in the ending should make you look in the mirror and seek the answers in your own character.

The reason it hits me hard is this - I wonder if the Edward Snowdens and Bradley Mannings of the world ask similar questions. "Is your choice really saving lives, or costing more lives?" How about, "is your act heroism, or merely a self-serving, misguided attempt to affect profound change?" There's no way to know how many lives would be impacted by what Snowden did or what Manning did. Only with the passage of time will we really know if their choices were appropriate. They felt they were heroes, taking a great risk? I'm not so sure. The relief for them is, the can choose to ignore the possible negative impacts of their acts. Major Cargill could not.

With those real-world events in the back of my mind, I had to look at this movie with a different perspective. Many of us think we have heroic stuff within our character. How long can we hold on in trying circumstances? What happens when you or I hit our limit, where maybe we break and have to live with what happens after we break? To me, this is a very real consideration. And, it's hard to predict or prepare for such a moment.

For me, this movie stirred up some interesting thoughts and some small measure of soul-searching. Maybe it will do the same for you.

My Team - Nationals vs Marlins

Proposed starting pitchers -

Tuesday: Ohlendorf vs Eovaldi
Wednesday: Strasburg vs Alvarez
Thursday: Gonzalez vs Koehler

The Nationals have been hitting a bit better of late. A five-game win streak (at Cubs, at Royals) was broken on Sunday in Kansas City. Even the loss was tied late, until mental and physical errors gave KC life. After Monday off, Washington hosts the Miami Marlins. Yeah, Miami's record is bad, but the young talent is getting experience. It takes time to develop a core.

Tuesday, Eovaldi will start for the Marlins. He's gaining experience, and can be effective against the Nats. He throws hard enough, so staying with that strength will be key. Wednesday's starter Alvarez has had some ups and downs, but pitched well against Washington on 14 July. Thursday's starter Koehler had only 13.1 major league innings before 2013. He's a guy getting his chance in the big leagues, and he's still trying to prove he belongs in Miami's plans in '14.

Their position players are coming along. Everybody knows about Stanton's power. Yeah, he isn't the most fluid fielder, but he can change a game with one swing, especially in the late innings. Hechevarria is coming along at SS. I like his potential on both sides of the ball. Morrison has had success batting against Nats' pitching. Yelich and Marisnick are very young guys, but have enough potential to give Washington fits in a particular at-bat.

As we approach the end of Johnson's tenure as Washington manager, I wonder how he'll approach this last month of the season. Will guys like Moore, Lombardozzi and Solano get more work? Johnson has alluded to it, but I wonder just how far he will go. This may help as the team prepares for next season. The next manager will want to know on which players he can depend.

Frankly, I expect a Washington sweep, as long as the Nats execute. Make the basic play on defense. Don't expand the strike zone too much when at bat. Pitchers need to consistently get ahead in counts against the Miami hitters. Again, it sounds basic, but it's easier said than done.

I know football is coming, but I enjoy baseball this time of year. For the also-rans, it's a chance to glimpse into the future.

Old Dude, Old Movies - "The War Lover"

This is one of the strangest World War II movies I've ever seen, and it was an interesting take.It was surprisingly entertaining.

Steve McQueen stars at "Buzz", a B-17 pilot flying for the fabled 8th Air Force in the European theater. Buzz has "good hands", he's "a good stick". He's the best pilot in his squadron, by far. However, he's the most obnoxious sonofagun you'd ever want to meet. The guys on his crew would go anywhere with him, since they know he'll get them back to home base in one piece.

(Aside: I've been in squadrons like that, and it's amazing how that type of pilot takes on an almost mythic status among his fellow aviators You can be the biggest dirtbag in town, as long as you can "fly the jet".)

Buzz is so good, he can scrape right up against the line of regulations, standards, etc. He may break the spirit of a regulation, but he's just enough inside the letter of the law where he can get away with his reckless behavior. Even his superiors, when they want to discipline him, tend to give him a latitude others never get. The more Buzz gets away with flaunting the rules, the more emboldened he gets. That's what makes this movie strange for its' time. Normally, the lead role would be more stable, more admirable. Hollywood needed to sell heroes in its' World War II movies. Buzz definitely isn't a hero.

Robert Wagner is "Bo", Buzz's co-pilot. Bo is experienced in his position, almost ready to upgrade to aircraft commander in his own right. He respects Buzz's skill in-flight, but Bo is learning how much of a jerk Buzz is to every person he encounters. Bo sees how he wants to be a different type of leader when his turn comes.

As with most war movies in this era, there has to be a love interest. Shirley Anne Field is "Shirley", a war widow who encounters the two pilots. So of course she has to choose. Her new American aviator provides comfort, but that leaves one man out. She's gorgeous and alluring, but she has a fatalistic streak. She's not necessarily waiting for a fairy-tale ending in the U.S. She's just trying to stay alive during wartime.

For the scenes in the squadron briefing rooms and cockpits, there is the necessary tension and crew coordination. Of course there is a wide spectrum of personalities in the squadron (the city slicker, the country boy, the devout family man, the new immigrant eager to prove his love of America). I always enjoy watching flight crews in these pictures divide required duties to get the mission done.

Of course, there are deaths. If you pay any attention, you can predict early on who will live and who dies. There is the necessary peril in the flying scenes. The ending is somewhat hackneyed, but it was fitting.

No, it's not the greatest war movie ever made. It does, however, provide a fascinating glimpse of how "crew dogs" relate to one another, in the skies and on the ground. I liked it, DVR'd it, and will watch it again.

In Dreams - "I'm Gonna Be a Grandpa", or "The Golden H3"

I was at my daughter's house. It was springtime, and I was out in the backyard playing with her dog. Her husband had come home from work, and was changing clothes in a different part of the house.

I found myself getting thirsty, so I went inside to get a drink of something cool. As I get inside, my daughter comes down the stairs, beaming. "Daddy", she says, "guess what?"

"I dunno. What's up?"

"I'm gonna have a baby. The due date is the 27th of May. You're gonna be a Paw-Paw. Aren't you excited? I am sooooo excited."

I stand there for a few beats. I wasn't trying to rush this moment, but now it's here. I thought back to my own maternal grandfather, one of the greatest men I've ever known. He wasn't famous. He didn't have a glamorous job. What he did was take care of his wife and his daughter (who turned out to be my mom). I found myself wondering if I could mean to that baby what my grandfather meant to me.

Soon, I found myself outside standing next to my son-in-law's car. It was a Hummer H3, gold-plated. It was the shiniest car I'd ever seen. It had some kind of lift kit, to where the windows were a few inches above my eyes (and I'm a pretty tall guy). Bolted to the exterior, driver-side near the back seats, was a fancy studio-control-board style boom box. It wasn't powered up, but I shuddered at the thought of the power and sound that could come out of those massive speakers.

As I was transfixed at the sight of the beast of a vehicle, I could hear muffled sounds. There were people inside the H3, taking about how they wanted to own the car. They didn't have cash, so they were muttering about either bartering for it or perhaps stealing it. I stood there, shaking my head at what I heard.

When Some Innocents Die, Where's The Outrage?

You probably heard about this story.

Christopher Lane died needlessly in Oklahoma, one more person in our society murdered. The reports are distressing. The lack of high-profile response in our African-American community is discouraging, again.

This post is intended to transcend mere race. Anytime an innocent person is killed because of malicious, criminal behavior, it's heartbreaking. We see so often if the victim is a minority, certain well-known citizens gladly step forward to seek justice and loudly proclaim their dissatisfaction with the justice system. However, when those committing the crime are minorities, those self-styled leaders are strangely silent. They seemingly can't be found. Maybe I don't watch enough news, or don't follow the right people on Twitter.

If those leaders are speaking up when minorities are committing crimes, and I missed hearing those censures, that's on me to do better in looking out for those occurrences.

Ultimately, when an innocent person is hurt or killed, we are all diminished. We find ourselves fighting against the growing, irrational fear that grips much of the nation. The distrust of those who don't look like we do is growing, eroding the very fabric of the country. I, for one, am sick of having to deal with an America that won't reach its true potential because so many live in fear, and react in irrational ways because of that fear.

For me, I would love to see the Jacksons and Sharptons speak out when a black male is witnessed committing a crime or confirmed guilty beyond doubt in a murder case. I want to see the Jacksons and Sharptons speak out for all Americans when it comes to defending the law-abiding citizens who just want to live peaceably with all persons. I want to see the Jacksons and Sharptons speak up for right, every single time. They have a pulpit in the public discourse. They can use it for an even broader good, reaching further than ever before.

Yes, Christopher Lane wasn't the only person killed in America last week. Of course, none of us will know the names of every individual murdered in a particular period. Nonetheless, we can attempt to insure their deaths weren't in vain. We can continue standing up to protect the innocents.

This is one African-American man who grieves a bit anytime an innocent person is hurt or murdered, regardless of what they look like.

When "Fight or Flight" Isn't Enough

This post is at least fifteen days in the making.

A couple of weeks ago, I was on the street doing the "soup run". As we were out there, one of our semi-regulars came up for a meal and a drink. That night, we had sports drinks to give out, shrink-wrapped for transit. We had a volunteer unwrapping one pack, but our customer didn't want to wait. The customer tried to rip the plastic, struggled, then finally threw the whole pack down on the street in anger.

A different volunteer saw the whole thing unfold (I only saw the end, out of the corner of my eye). That caused me to wonder: how do I handle anger on the streets?

Over most of my life, I went out of my way to avoid conflict (pretty weird, coming from a military veteran, eh?). Even now, I'm uncomfortable around anger, especially irrational anger. From a logic perspective, I stumble over how to deal with it, mitigate it, deal with the aftermath of such release.

During the soup run, we cant normally leave when someone is a little perturbed. (If true violence breaks out, where safety is compromised, we call 911 and depart the premises immediately.) If we leave the premises immediately, other customers in line don't get a meal. Some of our customers haven't eaten for a day or more. Depriving them of a meal would be unfortunate and wasteful.

However, we can't get into a fight with our customers. If we are ministering to people as we declare, how can we help anyone if we're verbally or physically fighting the very folk we're there to help?

So of course, a couple of nights later, I face my own anger. There was a misunderstanding regarding which guy would get served water or coffee before another. One particularly unsettled customer loudly stated I ignored him due to racial bias. His accusations included a few choice cuss words. Admittedly, I was offended, because a) the accusation wasn't true, and b) I'm loathe to accept verbal abuse (in public or private).

It became a weird argument. The customer was cussing at me, saying I ignored him because "it was a black thing". Meanwhile, I was yelling at him, demanding that he stand still so I could pour a cup of the cool water he desired.

And yes, I felt low once my shift ended. I didn't feel like a hero for carrying on like that. In fact, I felt like a failure for losing my poise.

So, I received an answer to my own question, but that answer only leads to more questions. I saw in real life how quick I could lose my poise and self-control. At my size and demeanor, any time I blow up emotionally, others are quickly horrified. I don't want that.

Now, I have to ask myself "how do I keep others from pushing my buttons?" Another question is "how do I adjust or eliminate my buttons so I'm not so easily offended?"

Seems like the older I get, and the more I learn, the more I realize I do not know. The journey goes on.

My Team - Nationals at Kansas City

Proposed starters -

Friday: Gonzalez vs B. Chen
Saturday: Zimmermann vs W. Davis
Sunday: Haren vs E. Santana

(Starting pitchers subject to change)

After getting blown away in game one of the four-game set at Wrigley Field, the Nationals bounced back to take the next three games. The team is inching towards .500 (one game under as of start of play Friday). The team has a three-game set in Kansas City. This series should be fun.

For Kansas City, Chen is the prototypical crafty left-hander - not overpowering but highly skilled at keeping opposing hitters off-balance. Davis is a big right-handed power pitcher who's not afraid to challenge hitters (but with his home stats of 4.40 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and .297 BAA). Perhaps the Nats can break through against this guy. Santana is another competitive guy who throws hard, keeps his team in games normally, but will have an occasional stinker.

In the bullpen, the Royals have Holland, Crow, Collins, Herrera, etc. These guys throw gas for the most part. They can be a bit wild, so allowing them to miss the strike zone would be advantageous to Washington hitters in the late innings.

For the position guys, we've heard the names for years now - Gordon (LF), Hosmer (1B) and Moustakas (3B) are starting to find some consistency at the big league level.  Recent acquisition Justin Maxwell (former Astro/National/Yankee, et al) gives Kansas City more skill and depth. DH Butler is a dangerous hitter, who has doubles power to all fields. Escobar at SS is a pretty good two-way player who can make the spectacular play afield. Watching him and Desmond on the same diamond will be cool for any fan of the game. Escobar has 12 errors, though (Moustakas leads the team with 13).

Kansas City is 9.5 GB in the AL Central, having lost five straight (including being swept at home by the White Sox). Yeah, the Royals would love to stomp on Washington this weekend, to restore hope in their postseason chase. They're a good team.

The Nats continue to make changes. DeJesus only stayed with the team for four days before being sent to Tampa. Suzuki was traded back to Oakland. P Xavier Cedeno has been called up to the big leagues. Even though it isn't 1 September, there are guys coming up to either help the team win today or get a good look in the majors as prep for 14. We shall see...

I expect a great pitchers duel between two stylish lefties on Friday night. Saturday, hard-throwing righties will match fastballs. Sunday, two guys who are former Los Angeles Angels match up. I think Washington wins a 2-1-style game on Friday, gets to Davis early on Saturday for another win, then loses on Sunday as Santana pitches pretty good for 5.2 innings or so before turning the game over to that fire-balling bullpen.

In Dreams - "There's a Fire in Tent City, and Guess Who Started It?"

Ok, I'm deployed to Southwest Asia (again). It's late September or so. The nights are cool, but bearable. There's a "Tent City" for our accommodations, and you can tell the tents have been in place for years.

The USO folk scheduled another "sports celebrity" tours, where famous/notorious sports figures come out to the deployed location to talk with fans, sigh autographs, etc. Among the guests this time was Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. As his style, he shows up gregarious and ready to press the flesh.

After a day of glad-handing and photo ops, he retires to the Distinguished Visitor - DV- tent (some tents are a bit better appointed than others, go figure). This DV tent is big enough for maybe 10 troops to sleep in. For some reason, I am in the tent with Cuban and some of his hangers-on. In the center of the tent, there is a gas grille, big enough to cook lots of meat. The propane tank isn't hooked up yet, but Cuban goes to set things up. He's talking big all the while, befitting a man used to being the center of attention.

As I watch him turn the collar that fastens the tank to the grille's hose, I hear a hiss. A hiss as if the collar isn't completely seated. For some reason, I walk out of the tent at that moment, don't know why.

As I get maybe 15 yards away, I hear a faint "BOOMF". I look over my left shoulder and see flames arc to the sky, maybe 10 or 15 feet high. Immediately, I run back to the tent, yelling "fire!" until I'm out of breath. As I get to the tent, I can feel the rasp in my throat from all the yelling. There's tons of smoke, but I can't find any bodies. Oh-by-the-way, the fire has spread to a couple of other tents...

My Team - Nationals at Chicago Cubs

Proposed starters -

Monday: Zimmermann vs Samardzija
Tuesday: Haren vs. Rusin
Wednesday: Ohlendorf vs. Arrieta/TBD
Thursday: Strasburg vs. T. Wood

After a couple of heartbreaking losses in Atlanta, the Nationals go to the "Friendly Confines" of the fabled Wrigley Field. Like a lot of other years, the Cubs are losing (last place in the NL Central). They have some talent, but they just can't get over the hump (again).

There are guys on the roster I really like. Starlin Castro at SS is talented (I know about his losing focus on the pop-up on Sunday, allowing a run to score). He can hit, field and throw. Darwin Barney at 2B is a smooth fielder, but isn't hitting much this year (.591 OPS). Junior Lake in the outfield has physical tools to rival anyone - he just needs experience. Anthony Rizzo at 1B is a good hitter, and supplies some power.

With Wrigley and the winds that sometimes blow out, stats don't always serve as a predictor of what might happen. If the winds are blowing out, it doesn't matter who's pitching or hitting. You can expect a slugfest if that's the case.

Samardzija is still an ace. The rest of the guys mean well and try hard. Hopefully, the wind are blowing in.

For Washington, Ryan Zimmerman is aching (shin). How soon before the team moves him to 1B? If/when that happens, what to say/do about LaRoche and his new contract? Werth is also aching, despite his hot bat. Bernadina is coming up on the end of his time on this team - does he get more at-bats as a replacement? Johnson's time as manager is also coming to a close - who does the team want to fill that slot? There are still things to deal with during this season.

As a Nats' fan, I want a sweep. Fifteen-and-a-half games behind Atlanta? Yep, we're looking at next year. Trying to find some glimmer of hope in a season of disappointment.

In Dreams - "The Church Building That's Never Been Used"

I was in Oklahoma, driving a church van. It was around 0800 local time, and everyone was well-rested. There was a group of people in the van, including the pastor of a church I used to attend. We'd just started driving eastbound on Interstate 40 when one of the passengers needed to stop for a "relief break".

As we got off the interstate, we came across a fairly large church. It was recent construction, so new one could smell the paint on the exterior walls. It had a pretty steeple at the front, and three wings that radiated away from the main building. We parked in front of the main door, and I got out to see if anyone was willing to let us use the facilities.

I turned the door knob and the door opened with no resistance. It was quiet, too quiet. It was as if no one was present. Actually, it was as if no one had ever been in this particular building. As we walked in, we started looking around for signs of life. We passed admin offices, a book store, a choir rehearsal room, a video room and the pastor's office. Still didn't see anyone.

Soon, we could tell it was starting to get darker outside. Even though it was still morning, we could see gloom on the other side of the windows. As we started to look outside, everyone got an inkling in their individual spirits that we needed to stay put.

Once we decided we weren't going to leave, each of our group started to stake out a particular corner that looked cozy. Soon, we were all in the copier room, which looked comfortable. There were pillows on the shelves, so I took it upon myself to reach up and hand out pillows to everyone.

We prayed as a group, turned out the lights and everyone went to sleep. Soon, though, the kids with us got restless and wanted to go outside. Go outside in the midst of a terrible storm,. So, I got drafted to accompany them. We found ourselves at the bottom of a nearby hill, watching water cascade down towards us. Somehow, we didn't get hurt. In fact, we frolicked like toddlers as we got drenched in the rain.

My Team - Nationals at Atlanta

Proposed starters -

Friday: Jordan vs Wood
Saturday: Strasburg vs. Minor
Sunday: Gonzalez vs. Terehan

Thursday's home loss to the Giants was heartbreaking & continuation of a theme. The Nationals played just well enough to lose, and the closer's struggles continue. For those who feel the closer's role is overrated or overpaid, just watch Soriano work. The combination of a) lack of command and b) lack of a pitch he can count on to get a key out or strikeout means late innings become more stressful than necessary. Maybe the team needs a different closer in '14?

The Braves just swept Washington last week in D.C. Why won't it happen again? The Braves' pitchers gave up 6 runs in 3 games. Who's to say similar performance won't happen this time?

For Atlanta, Uggla is on the 15-day D.L. after Lasik surgery. If his replacement Pastornicky makes any kind of contact at the plate, it may make up for Uggla's all-or-nothing approach. Otherwise, the Braves are hitting better, fielding better and pitching better than Washington. The Braves' magic number for clinching the NL East is 28. I wouldn't be surprised if the Braves sweep Washington again.

For the Nationals, I would at least like to see the following this weekend:

1) Storen get a chance to pitch in the late innings, and regain his confidence at this level.
2) Bench guys like Bernadina get some at bats. This may be the last 6 weeks we see the "Goon Squad" in its present configuration.
3) Jordan get another win, as he approaches his innings pitched limit for this season.

When your team is out of it, you look for positive signs. I still believe the team is a contender in '14, dependent on who manages the team next season.

My Team - Nationals versus Giants

Proposed starters - 

Tuesday: Gonzalez vs Bumgarner

Wednesday: Zimmermann vs Lincecum

Thursday: Haren vs Vogelsong

Two teams, with high hopes dashed against the rocks of despair. The defending champion Giants appear to be going nowhere (sound familiar?). But, they still have talent. The three starters scheduled have all had recent success. Bumgarner has a 45/150 BB/K ratio to go along with a 0.98 WHIP. Lincecum's last start on 8 August against Milwaukee was impressive (8IP, H, BB, 8K). Vogelsong was an All-Star last year. He did pretty well 9 August versus Baltimore (6IP, 6H, 2ER, 3BB, 4K) after missing 2 1/2 months.

The Giants' offense is struggling as well (sound familiar?), but there are dangerous hitters throughout. C Posey, 3B Sandoval, RF Pence and 1B Belt supply power. SS Crawford occasionally hits one out. On paper, this could be a good offense.

On defense, there's not a lot of strong arms in the outfield. Posey is a solid catch-and-throw guy. Crawford has nice range and a strong arm. Sandoval is surprisingly quick for a guy of his build. As a team, they're competent but not necessarily spectacular.

For this series, I wouldn't be surprised to see Bumgarner and Lincecum go deep into their respective starts. Gonzalez and Zimmermann will have to match them pitch for pitch. Thursday's game is a wild card - either pitcher could throw a shutout or get bombed early.

I think Washington can win the first two, and have a great chance to win all three. One key for the Nats is scoring more than one run early in the games. An early rally fosters confidence throughout the lineup, and that confidence goes out to the field as well. 

Washington may start playing more youngsters the next couple of weeks before the September call-ups arrive. Maybe Bernadina can get more at-bats...?

My Team - Nationals versus Phillies

Proposed starters - 

Friday: Haren vs. Lannan

Saturday: Jordan vs. Lee

Sunday: Strasburg vs. Kendrick

I have no idea what to say. The first two games of the Atlanta series were close affairs. The last one, not so much. The Nats, Mets and Phils are between 15.5 and 17.5 games behind Atlanta. These teams are now battling for a) "second place", and b) 2014. 

Philly DFA'd Delmon Young, clearing room on the roster for new blood. It's starting to look like Philadelphia is also playing for next year. Ruf is in at 1B. Ethan Martin is a new guy in the starting rotation. Lotsa new names on the Phillies' roster. Hard to handicap a team when the players are unfamiliar. 

Washington is starting to go to guys like Roark and Krol out of the bullpen, and Jordan is doing pretty well as he heads towards an innings limit of his own. 

I have no idea how these three games are gonna go. I guess the pressure's off for both teams, so we may see some all-out baseball this weekend. Three of Haren's last four starts, he's given up either one or no earned runs. Jordan competes, but he has to get by the middle innings. Strasburg has pitched well, but isn't getting much run support. 

I hope Washington can win Friday and Sunday. I would expect Lee to pitch superb on Saturday. With football coming up, I'll probably switch back and forth between these games and NFL exhibitions. It's that time of year...

The Strategic Air & Space Museum

On my last road trip, I stopped in to check out this facility. It was enjoyable, and brought back some cool memories.

I was a Strategic Air Command ("SAC") troop from '86-'92. Those were some of the best years of my career in the U.S. Air Force. I'd been to Offutt Air Force Base as a lieutenant, and was later stationed there. Offutt, as SAC headquarters, was looked on with respect and a little awe. These were the men and women charged with organizing, training and equipping SAC troops worldwide to deal with a potential nuclear world war. It took a special type of person to work that mission.

At Offutt years ago, a section of Bellevue, Nebraska (adjacent to the base) was annexed to store and display artifacts of SAC's history. In 1998, the museum was moved to Ashland, NE (about a half hour west of Omaha). In 2001, the name was changed to its present designation to open up more opportunities to display artifacts & host programs that would reflect the nature of the mission.

As I pulled up in the parking lot and looked at the building, it reminded me so much of major command (MAJCOM) headquarters. I actually got a bit of an anxious rush walking up the ramp towards the front door. I also chuckled, thinking "this is the type of day where young lieutenants & enlisted troops would be out policing the grounds".

Once inside, it's a first-rate aviation museum. Between the static display aircraft, mock-ups, uniform displays and video rooms, there's plenty to see. Being up close to aircraft like the FB-111 Aardvark and the B-17 Flying Fortress was another rush. It's been a long time since I've been on a flight line, so being able to touch aircraft was neat.

The gift shop has numerous models, books, postcards and the like. I bought a "walk-around" book regarding the KC-135. It was cool to see pics of different components of that old warhorse.

For me, with a military retiree ID, admission was $11. It was well worth it. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. I miss SAC, but I understand the evolving nature of politics and war. There's a time and place for everything, and SAC's time has come and gone. But, by its' alums, it will never be forgotten.

My Team - Chargers versus Seattle

Thursday night, the NFL exhibition/pre-season schedule kicks off in full. My favorite team hosts the Seahawks. What am I looking for in this first glorified scrimmage?

1) More cohesive offensive line play. Of course Rivers will only get a handful of snaps. Whether it's Whitehurst or some other quarterback, will plays have a chance to develop? Not if the O-line struggles with protecting the QB. Furthermore, will a nascent run game show glimmers of hope?

2) The defensive line has to show more "get after 'em". Better pressure on Seattle's QBs. Closing running lanes. In addition, will D-line depth become a team strength this year? In the present day NFL, it's not enough to have 3 or 4 good-to-great linemen. Backups have to provide enough quality to minimize performance drop-off.

3) Placekicker needs to be a team strength this year. Nick Novak needs to show he can be an asset in a close game. His predecessor (Kaeding) was good, but injury-prone. Novak needs to be better than good and durable.

I am fairly excited about the start of this season. Things admittedly don't look great for San Diego's team. Unlike previous years, many are skeptical of the team's potential as a serious championship contender. That's alright, as long as the team executes consistently on both sides of the ball. Isn't this why we watch?

Old Dude, Old Movies - "Red Skies of Montana"

This 1952 release was actually a pretty cool movie. Richard Widmark stars as "Cliff Mason", a foreman in the "smoke jumper" unit of the U.S. Forest Service. This group has the easy banter and confidence of a group used to being in harm's way. The team works an area of "Big Sky country", parachuting into blazes to stop the destruction. The characteristic winds and dry terrain contribute to frequent fires in the warm weather months, as we see in the film. 

Early in the picture, Mason takes his team into a fire zone near "Bugle Peak". Yeah, it's dangerous, but these guys have seen this type of action before. This time, however, leadership at home base suspects something has gone wrong. Cliff hasn't checked in with "Dick Dryer" (Richard Boone) in a couple of days. Dryer goes out to the site and doesn't see any signs of life. After surveying the scene on foot for a while, Dick sees an ash-covered figure staggering towards him, babbling hysterically. It's Cliff, who turns out to be his team's only survivor. 

Dick and his pilot get Cliff to the hospital, where Dick has to break the news to Cliff.  Cliff is immediately filled with grief, but he can't remember the details surrounding the deaths of his team. As the field boss, he's obviously responsible for leading his team out of harms' way. But, what happened?

Jeffrey Hunter ("Ed Miller) is a smoke jumper team member whose dad ("Pop Miller", by Joe Sawyer) died in the Bugle Peak fire. Ed is grieving (he's following in his dad's footsteps), and wants to understand what happened. Cliff's lack of remembrance frustrates Ed, but Ed understands the risks the team takes on. 

After Cliff gets well, he becomes head trainer for the team, driving the men with increasing agitation. At the same time, the men start to wonder among themselves: why is Cliff the only one who survived Bugle Peak? After Cliff is cleared of all wrongdoing by an investigative board, Ed finds himself angry. Somebody has to be responsible for his dad's death. Cliff was in charge. Maybe Cliff panicked in the midst of the fire, leaving Pop & the rest of the team to perish...?

The beautiful but ultimately doomed Constance Smith works as Cliff's wife "Peg". Typical of movie wives of the era, she was beautiful/loyal/patient/mostly seen as a staunch supporter of her husband. Most of her lines were "I believe you"-type stuff. It wasn't a huge role, but she did her part.

The more I watch Widmark in various roles, the more I'm impressed with his range. He can do tough, he can do haunted, he can do weak, he can do redeemed. He really was one of the best film actors of all time.

The movie is a love letter to the U.S. Forest Service, and the committed bravery of its fire-fighting teams. The open spaces are quite photogenic, and you get the impression it took a rugged man to do this type of work. The team's camaraderie and coordination remind me of military operations - each man has a role, and does it well. For those who like action/adventure movies, this one was enjoyable. 

My Team - Nationals versus Atlanta

Proposed starters -

Monday: Strasburg vs Minor
Tuesday: Gonzalez vs. Terehan
Wednesday: Zimmermann vs Medlen

(starters subject to change)

Yeah, the Nats took two of three at Milwaukee. A Milwaukee team with up to twelve rookies on its' current roster. The sweep was within reach, but that 5-run Brewers' 6th inning on Sunday put an end to that hope. A few walks, a couple of batted balls that eluded Washington fielders, and voila. What's done is done.

As I type (before Atlanta's Sunday night game at Philadelphia), Washington is twelve (yes 12) games behind Atlanta in the NL East. The pitching matchups for this series look good. Washington is gonna need the very best they can get from their starters. Atlanta's pitchers are still pretty good, even with Tim Hudson (fractured ankle) and Paul Maholm (bruised wrist on his left - pitching - arm) on the DL.

Minor leads the starters with 11 wins, a 2.75 ERA, 134 K and has their only complete game this season. He's gonna be tough to deal with. Terehan isn't far behind (8 wins, 3.02 ERA, 117 K and a 1.18 WHIP). Medlin's numbers aren't quite as good (8-10, 3.85 ERA, 1.37 WHIP), but the way the Nats have hit lately, who's to day Medlin won't have his best start of the year?

Yeah, the Braves' bullpen misses Venters and O'Flaherty, but Kimbrel is still the closer. He still blows batters away. If Atlanta's starters go deep into games where the bridge to Kimbrel is short, it's gonna be a frustrating series for Washington.

Offensively, 1B Freeman, 3B Chris Johnson, LF Justin Upton, C Brian McCann, C-OF Gattis and 2B Uggla all have power. SS Simmons has surprising power as well. This lineup has very few guys a team can pitch around.

Something plaguing Washington's starters is that one "flat tire" inning. A starter (like Taylor Jordan versus Milwaukee Sunday) is cruising along the first four or five innings. Then, a walk or error extends an inning. A hit drops in between fielders. Maybe a pitch gets hit to a gap with runners on base. Suddenly, a close game becomes another Washington loss. If Nats' starters lose concentration against Atlanta, we might see this play out each night.

On defense, 3B Johnson (11) and 2B Uggla (10) have double-figure error totals. Simmons is cat-quick and has a strong arm at SS. In the outfield, Justin Upton is average throwing the ball. His brother B.J. has physical tools, but can lose focus on defense. Washington may be able to run on both of them. Heyward in RF has a pretty good arm, but must charge balls to have a chance to throw out runners.

I hate to say it, but Atlanta may very well sweep this series. If that is the case, it will just confirm how bad this year has been for Washington. Maybe the Nats can win on Wednesday night. That would be little consolation with Philadelphia coming into Nationals' Park the next weekend. It never ends, does it?

My Team - Nationals at Milwaukee

Proposed starters -

Friday: Zimmermann vs Gorzelanny
Saturday: Haren vs Hand
Sunday: Jordan vs Lohse

(Starting pitchers subject to change)

Two games in Detroit, in less than 24 hours. Combined runs scored - 2. Combined runs given up - 16. Quoting Daniel Kaffee from "A Few Good Men", "it's...over." The high hopes from February are pretty much dead.

Washington has played exactly two-thirds of the schedule as of Friday morning. The Nats are 11.5 GB of Atlanta. Washington looks dispirited. Guys are starting to verbalize their dissatisfaction more in the clubhouse. I've been watching the game pretty closely since '71, and I've seen this story before.

Anyway. the team has to keep playing. They're taking on a Brewers' team that little resembles what they expected in the spring. Braun's suspension takes away their biggest threat. Also, no Ramirez at 3B. No Hart at 1B or in the outfield. No Gallardo (left hamstring, on the DL as of 31 July) at the top of the rotation. Who's left?

Aoki in RF is a productive slap-hitter with not a lot of power (think Ichiro-lite). Lucroy at C/1B is a pretty heady defender with power at the plate. Gomez in CF leads the team with 17 HR and plays spectacular defense. You may see him make a highlight-reel catch or two this weekend.  I like Weeks at 2B, but his offense has fallen off a cliff (OPS .671). Segura, the young SS, has a nice combination of speed and power - he may be the best player on the field in this series.

On the mound, Gorzelanny is an ex-National who is a productive lefty. He's not gonna go deep into the game (5 or 6 innings, I would guess). He can throw up to about 90 MPH, but he works quickly & changes location well. Hand is a rangy righthander who has been slightly better than average since showing up in mid-June. Lohse is a pro's pro - he pitched well for St. Louis last year. He's got a 4/1 K/BB ratio (88K/22W). Against the Nats on 3 July, he scattered 4H in 8IP (1ER, 1BB, 7K). Washington's best bet for a breakthrough may be Saturday against Hand and the Milwaukee bullpen.

For Washington, guys are starting to press. Rendon has cooled off at the plate, and he's starting to make mental errors. Desmond is starting to overswing early in the count again. LaRoche hasn't really heated up all year. Zimmerman at 3B has changed his throwing motion (lessening his throwing errors), but his offense has been sporadic. Werth and Span are heating up, but it's not enough.

Yeah, preseason football starts Sunday. But, I'll still hang in with my team. If they don't show spark, they could be swept this weekend. And, oh-by-the-way, starting next Monday the Nats have 3-game home series with Atlanta (Mon-Wed) and Philadelphia (Fri-Sun). If they lose this series against the Brewers AND show the same lethargy at home against NL East rivals, the MLB world will finally bury Washington for 2013. Yikes.