GrandpaT

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

What a second half of the 2026 season it was for the Nats' emerging star Cade Cavalli. The hard-throwing righty went 8-1 with a 1.90 ERA following the All-Star break. No MLB pitcher won more games than the Nats' ace.

Cavalli's post-break performance stacks up with some of the best in Nationals' history as well. Only Max Scherzer (with 10 in 2016) and Gio Gonzalez (with 9 in 2012) had more second half wins than Cavalli.

Among pitchers with at least eight second half starts, Only Stephen Strasburg's amazing 0.86 second half ERA in 2017 was better than Cavalli's mark.

Cavalli's .889 winning percentage was bested only by Jordan Zimmerman's 1.000 mark (he went 8-0 in the back half of the year for the 2014 Nats) and Scherzer's .909 percentage in his 2016 Cy Young Award winning campaign.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

James Wood hit 20 homers at Nationals Park in 2026, which tied him with Adam Dunn (2010) and Anthony Rendon (2019) for the second most in a season at the ballpark. Next year, hopefully with a season that will be interrupted by injury, Wood can take aim at Bryce Harper's record of 23 homers at Nats Park during Harper's 2015 NL MVP season.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@HawkEmDownChris DD Lewis
Benny Barnes
Larry Cole
Jethro Pugh

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

In 2026, Luis Garcia Jr and Daylen Lile became the 11th and 12th players in Nats history with four multi-home run games in a season (each had four). The team's all-time leader in that category is Mr. National, Ryan Zimmerman, who had seven two-homer games in his all-star campaign in 2017.

Others with four or more such games include Adam Dunn (6 games in 2010), Josh Willingham (5 in 2009), Zimmerman (5 in 2010), Bryce Harper (5 in both the 2015 and 2017 seasons), Kyle Schwarber (5 in 2021), Jose Guillen (4 in 2005), Alfonso Soriano (4 in 2006) and Juan Soto (4 in 2021).

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

What a great job by former National Craig Stammen guiding the San Diego Padres to a playoff berth and a wildcard round win over the Cubs. During his time in DC, Stammen was a reliable, professional and focused presence out of the Washington bullpen. He's taken those traits to San Diego and under his guidance, the Padres are looking like a legitimate championship contender.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

The DB Bullet Bob outran was fellow 1964 US Olympic team sprinter Henry Carr. Hayes won the 100 meter gold and Carr did the same in the 200 meters.

Meredith to Hayes
Staubach to Pearson
White to Hill
Aikman to Irvin
Romo to Bryant
Prescott to Lamb

We who are Cowboys’ fans have had the pleasure of watching some great QB/WR combos.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@Irish_Cowboy88

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

Even baseball fans who vehemently despised the New York Yankees back in their championship run of the mid to late 1990s had to admit that the Yanks' centerfielder Bernie Williams was first class all the way.

Williams, who turns 58 years old today, was a mainstay on those Yankee teams. A graceful outfielder who won multiple gold glove awards and a talented switch hitter with power, Williams hit .297 with 297 home runs and 1,257 RBI over his 16-year career.

A four-time World Series champion, Williams won the American League batting title in 1998 with a .339 average and was an All-Star selection each season from 1997 through 2001.

The Puerto Rico native came up big in the post-season as well, posting a .850 OPS with 22 home runs and 80 RBI in 475 at bats in the playoffs.

Happy birthday to a classy, exceptional ballplayer who by all accounts is a classy and exceptional individual as well.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@TDISportsClips @TroyAikman @DeionSanders What a throw. Troy Aikman was the most accurate passer I’ve ever watched.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@BloggingTheBoys Emmitt game for sure but also the 42-14 win at NY on 12/12/71 when Bob Hayes, Duane Thomas and Calvin Hill each scored two TDs.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@nut_history Max Scherzer.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@DakDynasty04 Otto Stowe

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@TheSports_Shift The vastly underrated Larry Cole.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@Ol_TimeFootball What a sensational Cowboys rally against a championship caliber team. Landry v Gibbs was an epic coaching matchup. Danny White wasn’t Roger (no shame in that) but he led the Cowboys to some great come from behind victories.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

@BritishOrioles I had the same experience as Mike when meeting Jim Palmer. At an event in DC right before baseball returned to Washington, Mr. Palmer was very kind to my then young son and to all the fans who approached him.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

While the current young Nats' team tries to find its way back into upper echelon of Major League teams, it was not all that long ago that Washington emerged as a serious championship contender.

The 2012 Nationals won 98 games in cruising to Washington's first playoff berth, but perhaps no series was more memorable than the one that took place 14 years ago this week.

The Cubs came to town for a four-game set beginning on Labor Day and by the time they left town four days later, their manager Dale Sveum told reporters "I don't remember getting manhandled that bad in any kind of series I've been a part of."

Washington won the four games by a combined 38-14 score, hitting an amazing 15 home runs in the process. Nats' first baseman Adam LaRoche, who was in the midst of a career best 33 home run season, led the way with home runs in each game including two in the Nats' 11-5 win in the second game of the series.

Other Washington home run highlights included Ian Desmond clubbing a two-run homer in game two of the series followed by a solo blast on the following day, rookie Bryce Harper having a two-home run game on Wednesday September 5th in a 9-1 Nats' win and Kurt Suzuki's three run homer in Washington's 9-2 series finale.

Game four of the series featured a bench clearing incident that Nats' manager Davey Johnson attributed to the visitors' frustration with Washington's aggressive play. The always confident Johnson was not affected by any perceived slights on the part of the Cubs. "If they want to quit competing and forfeit, then fine. But we're going to keep competing," Johnson said after the game.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

Which was the best Nats at LA pre-playoff era performance?
1) 2005 Nats win their first series in LA 2-1 with Livo winning game three as he pitched a complete game.
2) 2009 comeback 11-9 win after being down 6-0 after the first inning. The win broke LA MLB record 13 game winning streak at home to start the year.
3) Adam Dunn hits two three run homers off Clayton Kershaw to lead the Nats to a 6-3 win in 2010.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

We'll take it, even if it is the team's first of the year and we're almost to Labor Day!

Dylan Crews and Orlando Ribalta were the heroes, as the Nats defeated Miami 5-4 in their first walk-off win of 2026. Crews hung in there against talented Miami reliever Michael Peterson to drive a single to right-center (immediately after Nats TV analyst Ryan Zimmerman opined that Crews should be focusing on doing that) to win the game.

Props to Ribalta for keeping Miami scoreless in the top of the 10th, and to Jose Tena and Daylen Lile for drawing clutch walks against Peterson to set up Crews' game winner.

Here's hoping that yesterday's homer by Miami's Heriberto Hernandez, who swings the bat like Henry Aaron reincarnated against Washington, is held at bay over the series' next two games.

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

What a great game that was. Dennis Thurman made a lot of big plays in his career with Dallas. This game and his three-interception game in Dallas' 1981 division clinching win over the Eagles stand out.

In the playoff win over GB, remember the pass Drew Pearson threw to Tony Hill to set up the TD that put Dallas up by 11 late in the game? Coach Landry was great at using "exotics", as he called them, at the right time. Those were the days to be a Cowboys' fan!

[GrandpaT @Thwvu81]

Playing in the Major Leagues is tough under any circumstances. When a player's MLB career begins by having to replace a legend, it can be almost impossible.

15-year Major Leaguer Doug DeCinces, who turns 76 years old today, had the unenviable task of taking over third base for the Orioles for Brooks Robinson, perhaps the most popular player in O's history. DeCinces fought through the boos and unfair criticisms to produce a strong career that resulted in 237 home runs, 879 RBI and a 115 OPS+.

The California-native's best season in Charm City came in 1978 when he posted a 6.8 WAR and hit 28 home runs for a 90-win Orioles team.

The third baseman's career kicked into an even higher gear when he was traded to the Angels in January 1982. In his first season in Anaheim, DeCinces had career highs in home runs (30) and RBI (97), capturing a Silver Slugger award and finishing third in AL MVP voting as the Angels won the American League West title. In the 1983 season, DeCinces was selected to the AL all-star team.

DeCinces' most dramatic moment in Anaheim may have come in Game Four of the ALCS against Boston when his solo home run off of Boston's fire balling Roger Clemens sparked a three-run rally that tied the score in a game California would win in the 11th frame.

Happy birthday to a player who battled through very difficult times to establish himself as force to be reckoned with at the hot corner for two successful AL teams.