"Imagine if you go there to see Miss Universe and you end up having Miss Iowa."

[El Supremo]

[Auggie]

1. What a beauty

Miss Iowa, not Miguel Batista

[JonLP24]

2. Background (if interested)

A pitcher makes amends

<snip>

To explain, we must go back to Tuesday. That's when Batista emerged from the Nationals' bullpen, prompting boos from the sellout crowd at Nationals Park. They came to see phenom Stephen Strasburg. But he was scratched with shoulder tightness and later placed on the disabled list.

<snip>

"Imagine if you go to see Miss Universe, then you end up having Miss Iowa, you might get those kind of boos," Batista said. "But it's OK. They have to understand that as an organization we have to make sure that the kid is fine. You don't want to expose him out there and screw up his future."

Naturally, that didn't exactly sit well with Miss Iowa, a.k.a. Katherine Connors. She publicly challenged Batista to walk down a runway in high heels. Batista said his statement was misunderstood and sent Connors flowers.

The Nationals, sensing a brilliant chance to capitalize on the publicity, invited Connors to the ballpark. She donned a red Nationals jersey with "MISS IOWA" and No. 10 on the back. Batista and Connors posed for photos and did TV interviews.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20100731_A_pitcher_makes_amends.html

[Auggie]

3. Thanks... just paying a compliment to Ms. Connors.

[TZ]

4. I'm disappointed I missed this last night

Got to the game too late to see her throw out the pitch. I think the whole affair was very humorous, myself. And Batista actually made some really good clarification of his original remarks.

[elleng]

5. And a pretty good game, eh???

[TZ]

7. A GREAT game

Outside of a certain rookie, that might be one of the best pitching performances I've seen from a National. And Nyger Morgan is F-A-S-T....

[El Supremo]

6. I guess Condem is still watching soccer. n/m

[Condem]

8. We're proud of her, El.

Mr. Batista meant no foul. A good laugh, actually.

[TZ]

10. Did you read his explanation?

Apparantly he played quite a bitin Iowa and has much liking for Iowa .,.

[Condem]

11. I didn't see his explanation, TZ.

I'd like to know where he played...I like "the only important baseball in Iowa.. played at the Field of Dreams". Nice.

[TZ]

12. I found the article but it doesn't say where he played

But hey, he gets to judge the Miss Iowa pagaent...I think its a win for him!;)
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22297882/23492533

[Condem]

13. This fellow is not your typical athlete..

Poetry? Most excellent. And a razor sharp sense of humor. What's not to like?

[elleng]

14. Good guy!

Daughter at today's game, hoping for a sweep!!!

Nationals recall Lannan to start against Phillies.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2010-08-01-1371855898_x.htm

What means this? 'Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who had Tommy John surgery last August, was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list and OPTIONED TO TRIPLE-A SYRACUSE.'

[TZ]

15. It means the second most talented pitcher on the team

Is on his way back to the club very very soon!!! woohoo!

[Condem]

16. Having lived in DC for five years ('85-90), I still have wonderful memories of the place.

Part of it was the exhibition games played at RFK. Still have a soft spot for all things DC. Not a huge baseball fan anymore, but I keep an eye
on Washington. I mean, what else? The fucking Chubs?!?!

[elleng]

17. What means OPTIONED TO TRIPLE-A SYRACUSE.?

[TZ]

18. I think optioned means assigned

And that's the minor league team Strasburg was at before he came up

[elleng]

19. Thought so. My confusion-sequence of events in sentence in article;

sounds like just optioned; shouldn't it be something like, 'had been' optioned?

[JonLP24]

20. Optioned means

that a player is part of the MLB team's roster but is sent down, usually to AAA. They can only be optioned for the first three years of the contract and the whole time they are on the MLB team's roster. If they fail to make the team full time after those three years they become free agents.

The reason Strasburg was "optioned" is because as a #1 pick he signed a major league contract and he was "optioned" to that Syracuse team. Most rookies sign minor league contracts and later sign with a team if they want them.

[Iggo]

9. I knew that comment was gonna come back and bite him in the ass.

Glad to see they got it squared away without its becoming huger than it needed to be.