Johnny Holliday Archive
Here's hoping every one of you has had it with this Winter as much as I have. Don't get me wrong, a Florida guy like me likes the white stuff once in a while, but this last month has been riduculous! Just the sight of Nats manager Jim Riggleman and ... Read More
Happy New Year to Nats fans everywhere! Like you, I can't wait for the start of spring training, but until then we all can look to the future of what should be a very exciting season for the Washington Nationals. ... Read More
Happy Holidays to not only Nats fans, but to all sport's fans. I have so much to be thankful for this year, and topping the list is the health of my 11-year-old grandson Jack Rolle. Jack is one of our 10 grandchildren. He's number three of the four sons ... Read More
Just the other day I called Jim Riggleman down in Florida to get an update on his situation as returning to Washington as the permanent, not interim, skipper of the Washington Nationals. As always Jim was upbeat about the possibility and expressed his desire to return with an opportunity ... Read More
Any day now, we will find out who the Nationals' skipper will be for 2010. It's nice to know that Jim Riggleman is still under consideration to have his interim label removed and to be given the job on a permanent basis. ... Read More
The 2009 season is in the books and what a finish! Our ballclub made baseball history becoming the first team ever to start a season losing their first seven games, only to wind up the year winning their final seven. ... Read More
The dog days of Baseball season have the most effect on teams that are no longer contending for postseason play. As the 2009 season winds down for Nationals fans, there still remains the opportunity to see the ballclub at home for the final time against the likes of the ... Read More
The countdown continues to the end of the 2009 baseball season. With 19 games still on the books, the Nationals can certainly do some damage and either spoil or put on the back burner, post-season plans for the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers and Braves. ... Read More
With the final weeks of the season winding down and with numerous call-ups joining the big club, many ballclubs with no shot at postseason play just go through the motions. I don't believe this is the case with the Nats. ... Read More
This past Friday was a very special day for our family. It was the final day of Chemotherapy for one of my grandsons, Jack Rolle. The last thing any 10-year-old kid wants is to have his entire summer wiped out by illness from a malignant tumor on his Pituitary ... Read More
Welcome to DC Livan Hernandez! Livan - who threw the first ever pitch for the Nationals when the club moved to Washington and played their initial game of the 2005 season, April 4th at Philly - is back with the ballclub. ... Read More
The signing of the first overall pick in the 2009 draft has everyone buzzing about the future of this ballclub. Stephen Strasburg, the flame throwing right-hander for the San Diego State Aztecs is the real deal and a complete package. And he's about to be a very rich young ... Read More
I'm sure most of you Nats fans can relate to what I went through last week. The family and I...and I mean the entire family, all 18 of us, spent a delightful week at Deep Creek. If you've been there you know what I'm talking about when I say ... Read More
Friday night Washington lost to the San Diego Padres 6-1. It wasn't the final score that bothered Jim Riggleman as much as it was the number of errors his ballclub committed. How 'bout four miscues! That's unacceptable under any circumstances. So what does the Nats' skipper do but hold ... Read More
Leave it to John Lannan to once again stop the bleeding for the Nats! The native New Yorker handcuffed the NY Mets in tossing a brilliant seven-hit 4-0 shutout, ending Washington's six-game slide, and giving interim skiper Jim Riggleman his first victory since taking over for Manny Acta. Lannan ... Read More
Manny Acta knew, as does every manager in baseball, you're hired to get fired. As the saying goes, that's just the nature of the game. Some way to make a living huh? Giving someone their walking papers at the All-Star break is also, in some corners, the best time ... Read More
I still have trouble figuring out why Pittsburgh would want to trade their center fielder Nyjer Morgan. Morgan was hitting .270 when dealt to Washington along with pitcher Sean Burnett. He is a threat to wind up at second every time he gets on first, either via a base ... Read More
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. ... Read More
Taking two out of three at Yankee Stadium from the bronx bombers followed by those same numbers from the Toronto Blue Jays does not make a season. But it sure had more people talking about our ballclub than at any time this season, and I'll gladly take a four-game ... Read More
Just a quick note to thank everyone who took the time to make a donation or stop by in person at Wednesday night's "Buzz a Thon" held at Kentlands Barber shop. The shop's owner, Bernie Alferez, gets a big THANK YOU for opening his doors to the general public ... Read More
Monday was an off day for the ballclub, so I took my clubs and went over to Norbeck CC to play in the 4th annual St. Ann's infant home/Michelle Heidenberger Memorial Golf Tournament. It's something I always look forward to, visiting with Sr Mary Bader, the home's administrator and ... Read More
Tuesday is a very special day for Washignton baseball fans. The Nationals have the number one pick, as well as the 10th pick overall in the First-Year Player Draft. ... Read More
Thank goodness June is finally here. The win-loss numbers speak for themselves, so no need to beat a dead horse there. But I've gotta believe things will get better for this ballclub. I can hear the echos now of "Yeah? Tell us how!" ... Read More
The Nationals' 10-day homestand ended Sunday with an 8-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles. How 'bout a guy named Adam Dunn, getting it done with a two-run homer and a grand slam driving in a career-high six runs! ... Read More
Okay let me say it and get it out of the way. This is getting to be ridiculous! Is there no justice in the game of baseball? And just what does this Washington Nationals ballclub have to do to get a win? ... Read More
We've all heard the expression, "If I had a son, I'd want him to be just like..." - fill in the missing blank. From my perspective, I'd want him to be just like Ryan Zimmerman. All good things must come to an end and the Nationals' third baseman, saw ... Read More
Manny Ramirez joins a select group of major league players to have been implicated in the use of performance enhancing drugs. Rogers Clemens, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, and Alex Rodriguez are marquee names in Baseball. But Manny might be the most prominent of them all. ... Read More
Washington Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner, Team President Stan Kasten, acting General Manager Mike Rizzo, and Manager Manny Acta should be extremely proud of the players, coaches and staff that represent their organization. First class guys from top to bottom is how I would rank them. ... Read More
Youth certainly showed through in the Nationals win over the NY Mets Sunday. The Nationals' 24-year-old Catcher Jesus Flores hit another home run and 25-year-old outfielder Justin Maxwell, who started in center, got on base three times and stole two bases. ... Read More
So there I was standing by the batting cage before the Nats-Marlins game. One of our newest coaches, bench coach Jim Riggleman walked by. I nodded in his direction, and he replied how are you Mr Holliday. ... Read More
To lose to the team in baseball with the most wins is nothing to be ashamed about. But it was the way the Nationals got swept by the Florida Marlins that really got under Manager Manny Acta's skin. ... Read More
There's no denying something had to be done. The Nationals' outfield consisted of five players, all of whom wanted to be in the lineup every day. ... Read More
All of us at some time in our lives will lose a loved one. A parent, a friend, a relative. It might be someone who has lived a long life or someone who is just beginning theirs. Any loss of life is tragic. The Los Angeles Angels have begun ... Read More
Everybody relax....It's THREE games out of a 162-game season! One of the great things about the internet is that anyone at anytime can make their feelings known on a variety of subjects. ... Read More
The Washington Nationals' 2009 baseball season kicks off today in South Florida. The Nats open up against the Florida Marlins at Dolphin stadium. Ray and I will get things rolling on MASN with our pregame show at 3:30; then Bob and Rob take it at 4 p.m. with all ... Read More
It's time to say 'so long' to Viera. This is the final week that the Nationals will be in Florida before heading home for Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. ... Read More
I wish I was getting ready to travel with the Maryland Terrapins to Glendale Arizona for the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. But I'm not and nor is the team. The Memphis Tigers took care of that Saturday in Kansas City. After watching the Tigers, it would not ... Read More
What the Washington Nationals were in dire need of a couple of weeks ago was stability. I think they found it when Nats President Stan Kasten named Mike Rizzo to fill Jim Bowden's VP and GM chair as the acting general manager. ... Read More
So my cell phone rings the other day and look who's on the line calling from some hunting field in Albany, Georgia...my pre and post game partner, the silver fox, Raymond Charles Knight. The former World Series MVP and I spoke at great length about spring training finally being ... Read More
The countdown has begun.... Spring Training for the Washington Nationals is just around the corner. Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to the Nats' complex in Vierra in less than a month! ... Read More
In my days of broadcasting, which covers more than 40 years, I've had the privilege of meeting some incredible people from the sports and entertainment worlds. Recently, I spent more than six hours with some of America's greatest baseball players who served our country in World War II. ... Read More
As the days get shorter and colder, we're right smack in the middle of football season--both college and the Pro's, the NHL is underway and the NBA is about to kick off. Three months remain before thoughts begin to turn toward Spring Training camps around the country and for ... Read More
Another Baseball season has flown by! This was not just another season though for the Washington Nationals. It was a season unlike any other, full of injuries and tough losses. But it was also a season of optimism for the future. I would wager almost every dollar that Ray ... Read More
Joel Hanrahan has only been with the Washington Nationals for two seasons. But in those two years, Joel has firmly entrenched himself into the community with his constant work with those less fortunate. ... Read More
Judging by the performance of the Nationals' bullpen in game one of their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the ballclub's future looks bright for next season. With Joe Torre's club trying to overtake the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West, Washington slowed down the LA express with ... Read More
I say good riddance to the Colorado Rockies! After taking 3 out of 4 from the Rocks in the mile high city, what, less than two weeks ago, MIlwaukee, the NY Mets and our friends from Colorado have played their best against Washington, while the Nationals have really fallen ... Read More
Don't ever tell Manny Acta his ball club can play the role of spoilers for the remainder of the season! Don't even think of going there. Forgetting June and July is the best avenue to take and focusing on the great start the Nationals have had to begin August. ... Read More
No More Streak Talk...Thank goodness Bob, Don, Ray and I no longer have to ramble on about a Nationals losing streak! How interesting to see things turn around just for one night. Question now is, can the ballclub keep it going? ... Read More
