Today's Lineups

Maybe Manny's "playing a hunch", but Bard at C & Belliard at 2B makes me worry. Bard still seems to be fighting the groin injury, and the Belliard/Guzman MI combo sacrifices a lot of range.

Braves TV pregame show is saying the Braves in the lineup today have good numbers against Olsen and they expect good things. I hope that was the old Olsen, not the refurbished factory rebuilt with a 1 year warranty Olsen we saw in Florida.

Apparently, so. Ronnie is 2 for 11, with a double, 1 walk and 4 Ks against Lowe in his career.

Bard is 3 for 21, with a solo home run, 3 walks, and 2 Ks vs. Lowe.

Lowe this year, though has a .305 batting average-against vs. right-handers, so maybe Manny wants to play on that. And Anderson Hernandez is only hitting .244 against right-handers (but Belliard is .154). Bard has the vs. right-hander edge on Nieves.

Also, it could be a reward for their at bats yesterday which were key to winning the game.

@506: Nice numbers dig - backs up my "gut" feeling on the Nationals' "killer B's".

Congrats to the FoF for getting named to his 1st (hopefully of many) All-Star games.

Go Nats!

Nice to see the Morgan plan taking effect, steal 2nd and then come home on the nice RBI hit by Zimm — dang that man is fast! And of course congrats to FoF for the All-Star inclusion!

I'm kind of abstractly hoping the experience might help out his mental issues on the field, being around all that talent.

RONNIE!!!

Gotta second BinM's props to S506's numbers pull, looks like it's coming to fruition...

and GREAT SCOTT ("yeah... call me Bobo again")!!