Nats exposed, O's hosed, Caps draft new colors...

The Nationals were enjoying a productive June until Detroit dropped by RFK Stadium this past week. After getting outscored 32-13 in getting swept by the Tigers, the team's obvious shortcomings came to light: the pitching, while better than many thought, is VERY banged up and the team doesn't possess a lot of offensive weapons. What will be interesting over the next month is which veterans will be dealt; the way Dmitri Young's hitting it appears the first baseman will have his bags packed by mid-July. What's the biggest concern for the Orioles? A nine game losing streak? The fact their first choice for manager gave them the thumbs-down (I'm sure if the Yankees or Cubs job opened up, Joe Girardi would have no problem being "away from his family")? Or losing their biggest bat and most valuable bargaining chip when Miguel Tejada broke his wrist? Chief Operating Officer Andy MacPhail has a proven track record with Minnesota and the Cubs; it'll be interesting to see not just player movement, but what structural changes he'll make in the O's organization. Big weekend on tap for the Capitals. The club owns the 5th overall pick in the NHL Draft and has four of the top 46 selections. Since the Jaromir Jagr experiment the franchise has been in "bunker mentality", accumulating draft picks for proven players-- this year saw another fire-sale right before the trading deadline. While most of the players chosen this weekend won't make instant impact this represents a solid opportunity for George McPhee to build around Alex Ovechkin. Needs include a center to eventually play with Ovechkin and defense. What do you think about the new Caps uniforms? I like them much better than the "Teal Eagles" and "Busy on a Black Background" that we've had to suffer through over the last decade. While I wish they more closely resembled the classic unis from the 70's and 80's, I'm psyched to see the "hockey stick through the T" return. The new jersey in and of itself makes this year's draft weekend a smashing success.