Nationals Notebook
In Loss, Lannan Continues Good Work Against Mets
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Sunday, September 20, 2009
NEW YORK, Sept. 19 -- Part of it seems to be circumstantial. When John Lannan faces the New York Mets, his sinker always works, his location is always pinpoint. "That's just how things have worked out," he said.
But Lannan also takes a certain pride in his recent success against the Mets -- particularly because a lineup's familiarity tends to work against a pitcher. Lannan has proven to himself, based on his three previous starts against New York, that he can adjust to a lineup before a lineup can adjust to him.
Though Lannan took the loss in Saturday's 3-2 defeat, the left-hander deserved little fault. He went seven innings, throwing just 74 pitches and allowing five hits. All three of his runs were earned, but the two decisive Mets runs in the seventh could have been prevented with adequate defense.
After struggling against the Mets in his first start against them this year on May 25 (five innings, five earned runs), Lannan has faced the division rivals three more times. In that stretch, he has allowed three earned runs in 25 innings and has thrown two complete games.
"That's how I want to be against every NL East team," Lannan said. "Because I'm going to see those teams four or five times per year."
Kearns Stuck on DL
The Nationals are all but certain that outfielder Austin Kearns, on the disabled list since Aug. 5 because of a bruised right thumb, will remain on the disabled list until the season ends. If Kearns is unable to return, his career with the Nationals will end in dispiriting fashion. Earning $8 million this year, Kearns has a $10 million club option for 2010, but his .209 average over the last two seasons makes it inconceivable that the Nationals will exercise it.
Kearns, who also dealt with thumb problems while with Cincinnati, is just regaining the strength to grip a bat, General Manager Mike Rizzo said.
"It's unlikely, I think, for us to see him again unless something unexpected happens," Rizzo said. "We probably don't see him here again, because he's just starting the gripping exercises and then you go to taking balls off the T, dry swings and that type of thing, and it's a long process from where he's at."
Burke's First Appearance
Catcher Jamie Burke, acquired Thursday as an emergency replacement for the hobbling Wil Nieves, appeared in his first game with the Nationals on Saturday. He replaced Josh Bard for the bottom of the eighth inning, entering defensively after Bard left in place of a pinch-hitter. . . . Adam Dunn drove in his 100th run of the season in the seventh inning. He is well within reach of his career-high RBI total of 106, which he achieved in 2007 while with Cincinnati.
