Tuesday's first pitch

Leading Off
We've already told you how we feel about the Stephen Strasburg deal.
However, here are the opinions - like-minded and not- of some others.
Tom Boswell has a very good piece, mentioning that only one pitcher taken in the top 20 slots has ever won 200 games.
Ted Keith says there is reason to believe in D.C. And he's not talking about the public option.
Mark Zuckerman says the Nats can no longer be ridiculed.

Regional Roundup
The Stephen Strasburg era started with a win.

• Don't try to understand Brett Myers, Phil Sheridan writes.


• The Orioles agreed to a deal with their second round pick. He couldn't help them, however, keep Vladimir Guerrero in the yard.


• Josh Willingham sparked the Nationals.


• Matt Capps is still the closer in Pittsburgh. What's there to close?

Best of Rest
We have a late-inning bomb, a West Coast dud and an East Coast stud.

• The Padres got Blanked. And they couldn't have been more happy.


• If they have to ask you about your confidence your confidence is an issue..


• Is Josh Beckett going to win the Cy Young award?


• The Spanks got tanked in Oakland.


• Ivan Rodriguez reflects on his time with the Marlins.


• The Dodgers got knuckled.


• Justin Morneau is out for a while.

Batter's Eye

• Here's a good story about the better halves of some Big League ballplayers.

Today in history
1956 -- The Cincinnati Reds hit eight home runs and the Milwaukee Braves added two to set a National League record for home runs by two clubs in a nine-inning night game. Bob Thurman's three homers and double led the Reds in the 13-4 rout.

1960 -- Lew Burdette of the Milwaukee Braves pitched a no-hitter, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0. Burdette faced the minimum 27 batters. Tony Gonzalez reached first in the fifth after being hit by a pitch and was wiped out in a double play.

1965 -- Hank Aaron of Milwaukee hit Curt Simmons' ritch on top of the pavilion roof at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis for an apparent home run. However, umpire Chris Pelekoudas called him out for being out of the batter's box when he connected. Nevertheless, the Braves won the game 5-3.

The Closer
It's time to shine some light on a guy who's been playing solid baseball for 16 seasons.
Garrett Anderson is having a very good year as a platoon player for the Braves, batting .280, with 20 doubles and 10 home runs.
This could be his last season.
You'd be surprised with some of Anderson's career numbers. He has four 100 RBI seasons, he's nearing the 2,500 hit plateau and he's close to 300 career home runs.
While Anderson's .327 on-base percentage leaves something to be desired, he also has 500 doubles and 1,337 runs batted in.
That, my friends, is more doubles than Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson and more runs driven in than Mike Piazza, Duke Snider, Larry Walker and Jason Giambi.