What do I like about Willie Harris?
Everything!
Willie is the complete pro who comes to the ballpark every day ready to give it his best shot. If Manny Acta wants leadership, Willie will give it to him.
Playing every day in center field has been a big plus in helping Harris' numbers go up. The same holds true for Josh Willingham. Ray has said to me many times - the more you play, the better you'll be.
I like the enthusiasm of Willie Harris, the way he handles himself with that Georgia swagger that says to everyone "It's time to go to work. I have a job to do playing the great game of baseball, and no one is going to prevent me from doing my job."
He might not get a hit every time he comes to the plate, but you always know he will give that pitcher a run for his money.
I hope some of the younger guys on the ballclub can learn from Willie. His ability to track down fly balls that are hit his way is a result of hard work and experience playing the outfield. Then again, wherever Manny slots Willie on his lineup card, he never has to worry about effort or production.
That being said, off the field he is a terrific guy I always enjoy visiting with.
Cairo, Georgia where Willie is from isn't far from Seminole country, but I'm in the process of trying to get Willie to change his allegiance from Florida State to Maryland. I've even offered to get him tickets to a Terps-Noles game when the two schools meet in Tallahassee during football or basketball season, but all he's done so far is smile when I bring it up. You know, I think there's a lot of work still to be done on this project.
But Willie Harris is a good guy, and he's great for this ballclub.
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Johnny- Don't forget to mention...that Willie's hometown of Cairo, Ga. was the birth place of another fine baseball player, Mr. Jackie Robinson. (1947).
Go Nats!!! RR Winchester, VA.
Willie's been a welcome bright spot on this team. I love watching him!
Should we be surprised to see the move made on E.Dikes??? I hope this isn't a sign that the National's have lost faith in him. I know he had alot of luggage but seemed to be one of the faces of this teams future. I'm looking forward to the upcoming weekend with the Braves. This season has the Brave 4-2 againest Washington. I'm sure we can turn that number around by Sunday afternoon. The Braves have suffered through some painful outing this season also. Should be extra exciting with the addition of Morgan and Burnett. Both gentlemen are coming off a good month of June. (Nyjer batting over .300 for the month and Sean making 38 plus appearences this season out of the Buc's pen.)
I will say..I'm really impressed with Rizzo giving the image that the Nat's are not going to throw in the towel on 2009. The National are continually tuning the roster to fine another angle at improving. There is no sign of any torpidness in the orginization.
Go Nats!!! RR-Winchester, VA
I wrote last month about how lucky we were to have both Josh Bard and Wil Nieves stepping up for the missing Flores. In running through all of my piles of baseball publications, (That irritate my wife...Quote= "When you read them-throw them away) I have seen a couple catchers coming up through the farm. Hagerstown's Dereck Norris (4th round of the 07 draft) and Jhonatan Solano (the latest addition to the Cheif's cathing staff) are getting their names in print. This is just another example of the Nation's improved farm system. I hope during the second half of this season that Rizzo and his staff bring up the farm hand rather than go out for patch- work/ band-aid players.
Go Nats!!! RR-Winchester, VA.
Happy 4th of July - Johnny, Ray, Carpy and Dibble!
I'm still glad we have a team. I don't care what anybody says.
The Kinks -spin one for us Johnny!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ6kEohetwo&feature=related
Futures Games July 12th.
At-A-Boy's for Danny Espinosa of the Pocomotic Nat's.
He was selected to this years Future game as a shortstop. (Only Nat's farm hand selected on the US roster.)
And he couldn't ask for a better manager in Ozzie Smith.
This is a great opporitunity for this little aggressive player.
Go Nats!!! RR-Winchester, VA
7-7-09
JH:
Having trouble reaching you. Call me 703-743-5438 or 703 980 8443.
TR