That was some sweet comback.  David Murphy blows it twice with the bases loaded the night before, but Washington (and the team) have got the right attitude for the younger players.  You'll always have bad nights.  Believe in yourself, learn from your mistakes, and you'll do well.  So what happens?  Murphy is the hero tonight.  I still can't believe that after the first intentional walk to get to Murphy blew up in ther faces, they tried it a second time with the game on the line.  Oh well, live and learn!

Boggs played like he was playing for his life.  What a great kid, this guy is here to stay.  And for the first time - be it Nolan, or JD getting experience, or maybe just my wishful thinking - I believe that this team recognizes talent on the field.  Remember Craig Monroe?  We tossed him away and he STILL is a decent player all these years later.  He was the vicitm of the zig-zag management method.  But now we're here to stick with the plan.

Hamilton getting lightheaded is a bit of a concern, because we all know how hot it gets in Texas.  But I have to believe he just needs to learn the best way to prepare and deal with it.  Takes some time and direction.

I think the best play of the night, though, was the firings of the pitching and bullpen coach.  Look, we've had terrible injury problems all year, but the point is: if we are going to build this team with young pitching, we need a PC up here that specializes in those young pitchers.  So now we have one.  Let's give it a shot until the end of the year.  Then we can always send him back to OKC where he has done so well for us.

Do you know what is most exciting about this team right now?  That Nolan Ryan says he is serious about wanting this team to be in the Wild Card slot.  Not this team PLUS a rent-a-player we lose valuable prospects for...not this team IF ONLY we had less guys hurt.  No, THIS team.  NOW.  As is stands.  Go for it!  Why the heck not?  We can't lose anything in the process, because we didn't waste anything believing we have a good chance.  We stick to the plan AND say "hey, we can win this thing!"  If nothing else, some playoff games would be great experience for the youngsters, and might help people believe in this team too.  This isn't the Cowboys "Super Bowl or Bust" attitude; the Rangers int he playoffs, even losing the first series, would be a GOOD thing.  Because this team is only getting better next year.

Finally, I think the problem with Vasquez in the field is his morale.  He played his ass off for this team, hit over .300, and felt totally let down when he was pushed aside for Hank.  I don't know what else the team could have done, but it sounds to me like he went in and talked to management about it, and was given the impression that they are not interested in inclouding him in their plans.  So he knows he's gone after this year...and I think he feels the electricity and knows he has been a part of it, and convinced himself that he had played his way into this team's future.  But he hasn't, I guess, and his comment early in the week that he'll need to find a new team for 2009 shows he's lost his drive...or had it taken from him.  Instead, he sounds like a guy knowing the plant is going to be shut down, and now he's just waiting for the morning when the doors are closed and the lights are off.