Jamie Mottram's Sports Blog - www.misterirrelevant.com

I predicted the Nats would go 65-97 this year. Fast forward to the All-Star break, and they're on pace for 66-96 (which is better!) and tied with Cincinnati for worst in the National League. However, I also predicted that Washington's top hitter, Nick Johnson, would return June 1st and ace pitcher, John Patterson, would start 32 games. Update: Johnson still has no return date and there's no end in sight to whatever ails Patterson, who has started just seven games. So maybe there's hope for The Plan yet.

Ricky Gervais-as-Nats GM Jim Bowden image taken with love from Ball Wonk.

Things would be a lot worse in DC if not for the revelation that is Dmitri Dell Young. I've already noted his unreal hot streak and named a freaking All-Star team after him, but yesterday's Washington Post has a must-read for any Nats fan or baseball fan, really. Hell, if you have a heartbeat, you should probably read this story. It's Barry Svrluga's take on Da Meat Hook's hard-knocking life, and try not clicking through to it after reading this lead:

"During the past year, Dmitri Young was arrested, finalized a divorce, was treated for alcoholism, lost his job, trimmed shrubbery, endured a four-day hospital stay, thought he was going to die, believed he would never play baseball again, won a starter's spot at first base for the Washington Nationals, hit .341 and was named an all-star."

Related note: Mr. Irrelevant's Da Meat Hook All-Stars served as a jumping-off point for AOL Sports columnist/blogger Andrew Johnson's worst All-Stars in MLB history piece, even if he doesn't credit me.

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• #1 Comment from andrewjohnson034 
  7/9/07 3:51 PM | Permalink

  You know, I read Matt Ufford's blogger-festo last night after that baby was published and immediately thought of this. The last thing I want is to end up on the bad side of the sports blogosphere, of which I have a small and humble foothold in. Allow me to fix this this afternoon, both you and the FanHouse guys deserve a big slice of the credit for inspiring that piece, which as I told you, is about the most fun I've had doing a column here at AOL.