No Joy in Sharkville

Yesterday, July 29, 2011, the Shark was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.  Ridiculous!

This leads to many questions...

• Will the Shark stay in the Nationals organization?
• If the Shark gets traded, will Terry and Tyler quit their jobs and follow him to whichever city he ends up at?
• Will the Nationals trade for BJ Upton or Denard Span?
• Will Terry and Tyler still wear Shark hats to Nationals games?
• Will the Nationals fans revolt, overthrow Mike Rizzo, and create the nations first, fan-run baseball organization, with the Shark manning the entire outfield and everyone on the team taking on an animal nickname, and finally completing the National's Zoo?
• Will my cat stop biting me now?  I mean come on!

As Shark fans, we have one thing to hold on to... And that's hope.  We hope things work out for the Shark no matter what happens and we hope we can stay in contact with him, CAUSE THE GUY IS AWESOME!  We also hope that the Discovery Channel doesn't cancel Shark Week this year, but with Bernadina's demotion, who knows

I wrote recently about his stellar August numbers.  I'm sure that he will eat up AAA pitching and force the Nats to recall him (if he doesn't get traded first).  Here's hoping that happens sooner rather than later.

Guess I missed my chance to get burritos for a year...

More to come.

The Shark is the only Stanton Stopper

Apparently, there is nothing Mike Stanton likes to do more than play against the Washington Nationals.  Especially at Nats Park... Last night he hit his 8th HR in his 12th career game at Nationals Park, as the Florida Marlins beat the Nats 5-2, to complete a series sweep...  It was upsetting and ridiculous.  One because of the loss, and two, because The Shark didn't start in center field.

Because I can, I'm going to just go ahead and say that if Bernadina started, the Nationals would have one.  Mike Stanton has been a huge problem for the Nats this year, and who is the one player who seems to be able to slow him down?  Roger Bernadina!  Remember "the catch?"  At the risk of sounding like I am exaggerating (but not truly exaggerating in the slightest), Bernadina is the one person who can stop Stanton.  The Shark is the Stanton Stopper.  Sure Stanton is a beast, but The Shark is the greatest and most powerful predator on earth.  He can catch anything. He can stop anything. Even you Mike Stanton.

Soured by the bad taste of defeat, the Nationals, led by the Shark will attempt to turn their fortunes around against the Beltran-less Mets.  Here is what you can expect in this series...

1. Jose Reyes crying like a little girl when a call doesn't go his way
2. A two years older version of Chien Ming Wang.
3. Some of this.
4. More Shark playing time (2 RHPs)
5. People in the stadium wearing California Tortilla Shark Fin Hats.
6. A wind-whipped old man offering you a hug in exchange for a fun sized Snickers bar
7. COUNTDOWN TO SHARK WEEK (2 MORE DAYS) 
8. SHARK VS. METS: PART 2

More to come.

FREE SHARK FIN HAT DAY

The Shark had little opportunity to prove himself tonight as the Nationals fell 7-5 to the Florida Marlins.  Perhaps due to his recent slow spell at the plate, the Shark did not start against RHP Javier Vazquez.  Had he, the outcome might have been different.  As was the case, the Shark was left helpless in the dugout as the the Nats fell yet again to these red hot (fried and delicious) Marlins.

Do not fear, however, Shark Fans!  Shark Week starts on Sunday and Bernadina is going to drive the fact that he is the Shark into every Major League pitcher's mind.  In other words, he will systematically track them down, and feast on every pitch they throw.  If you need further proof, allow me to point out Bernadina's split stats, which show his August numbers last year (17 R!!!!, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 6 SB)  August is one of the Shark's favorite month's with with Shark week to kick him off, his season is going to end strongly.  TRUST ME.

FREE SHARK HAT
Today is the day, folks!  Go to California Tortilla, buy a fish taco, and get a free Shark Fin Hat.  Then wear it to a Nationals game to really impress your friends.  A bunch of people who work at Imagination Stage are going to the Bethesda CalTort at 11am or 12:45pm.   WE WANT A FISH FIN HAT! The Shark plays at 12:35 so starting then, everyone needs (should need) to wear your newly acquired fin.  The power of the fin will bounce from Fin to Fin, ultimately striking Bernadina's fin and boosting his already massive talent to exponentially high levels.

SHARK MODE TEE IN ACTION
Holy sh**k, this shirt looks pretty freaking Jawsome on the Shark....  I need one of these t-shirts, but I also need to eat food during the next 2 weeks...  Saving my pennies...

Bernadina is the Shark Man, get your Fin today and support him.

More to come.

SHARK VS MARLINS

Sharks love eating fish.  Bernadina is no different.  Even though the Nationals were obliterated last night, losing 11-2 to the Florida Marlins, the Shark is hungry and fish tacos are on the menu....

The Shark ended the game 0-3 with a walk (one of the total of 7 baserunners) Mako Morse hit a double, and the Loch Nix Monster hit his 13th HR this season.  On the flip side, the Anti-Shark, Logan Morrison (remember him?) clubbed a two run jack, hoping it would intimidate the Shark... It did not.  Hanley Ramirez stole a base, which was a bad idea, because stealing a base in front of the Shark will come around to bite you.

My advice, keep running Hanley Ramirez, before this becomes a reality....

Please click on the picture to fully appreciate the fish taco...

CHOMP- YOU MARLINS ARE DOOMED!

Also, thank you @notjohnstamos for creating Barbra Streisanding Sharkadina.  STAMOS!

More to come.

SHARKADINA BACK IN ACTION

Hello Shark Fans,

I've been working 80 hours a week for the past 3 weeks, so you may have noticed fewer than usual posts, pictures, tweets, everything.  You are noticing that, because that is what happened.  There were fewer.  Well, I'm here to say that we are now back on track!  Now i can work 40 hours a week at Imagination Stage, and 40 hours a week on Sharkadina too (nope)!

We've been s bad, that we haven't posted any information about the shark since Shark Vs Dodgers appeared on Friday night!  Some of you follow the Nationals, and our recaps are less than useful anyway, so you know how the Shark is doing.  For you, I ask you to skip down, because this weekend Nationals recap is not going to be pretty.  For those of you who don't follow the Nationals, please enjoy:

Friday night went pretty well for the Nationals as they beat the Dodgers 7-2.  Though Bernadina ended the night 0-3, his presence inspired John Lannan to hit his first career HR and allow only 1 earned run in 6.1 innings.  After the game, Lannan stated, "It was time to repay the Shark for all those game saving plays and clutch hits."

Saturday was not as pretty.  For one thing, the Shark didn't start so we don't care what happened. Just kidding, but if you must know, the Nationals lost 7-6 despite Mako and Werth combining to go 3 for 7 with 2 runs, a SB, and 3 RBIs.

On Sunday, the Nationals offense was held down, and they fell 3-1.  The Shark went 0-3 but his walk led to the only run scored by the Nats when he came around on Mako Morse's RBI single. 2 singles in the first inning were all the hits the Nats could manage as Chad Billingsley was on fire.  Then after the game, he spontaneously combusted.

Shark's weekend stats were 0-7, 1 R which may worry some, but not us.  Things will turn around again for the Shark on the upcoming homestand.

Tyler vs. Terry
Are you may or may not have known, Tyler and I are playing fantasy baseball this year (we played last year too, and Tyler won 6-4 in the championship game). This year, Tyler's team Shark CHOMPians has been dominating the 12-team head-to-head league (although it appears only 5 people are truly paying attention).  At one point, this season, Shark CHOMPians held a 15 game lead over the second place team.  My team on the other hand, The Shark Tank, squandered several chances early on, and mostly lived in the bottom 1/3 of the league (which is really sad since that meant the people who don't look at their fantasy teams, were doing better for me).  But then I picked up Roger Bernadina.  I changed my name from 3rd Degree Bernadina to The Shark Tank and things have been looking up since.  I have shot up in the rankings and Tyler's once insurmountable lead, has dwindled to 6.5 games.

We matched up earlier this season, with Tyler edging me 5-4.  We matched up again last week, and this time, The Shark Tank took over (led by the Great Werth and Mako Morse).  I beat Tyler 6-4, which gives me the season series 10-9 win.  We match up pretty well, but The Shark Tank rules supreme.

SHARK WEEK APPROACHETH
There is less than a week until Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, which means several things...

1. Order a fish taco at California Tortilla this Thursday, June 28th and get a Free Shark Fin Hat.
2. Wear that Shark Fin Hat to CalTort on Wednesday, August 3rd and receive another taco FOR FREE!
3. Look some of our Roger Bernadina with fish taco photo-editing is on CalTort's website!
4. Trying to get a big group together to go to the Nationals game a week from today, August 1st.  It's gonna be another Shark Night to remember, so sport your CalTort Fins and be at that game!

The Nationals have a day off today until they return home to face the Florida Marlins tomorrow.  The Shark will be feasting on Fish indeed... Now to wrap Ricky Nolasco up in a CalTort taco shell and snap a picture so I can win burritos for a year!

More to come.

SHARK VS. DODGERS PART 1

If you can dodge a wrench...you can't dodge a Shark.  This is Tyler's first attempt at a "Shark Vs." photoshop and the first time Vince Vaughn has made an appearance on the blog.  I'm sure Terry will do a better job once the Dodgers visit Nats Park in early September.  The Nats start a three game series tonight (10:00 EST first pitch) with John Lannan on the mound and The Shark batting leadoff.  Not only is he a great center fielder and leadoff hitter, I bet he is a pretty good dodgeball player too.

More to come.

Shark Power

Mako Morse and the Shark make a good combination....

 

 

 So what that the Nationals lost to the Astros last night, 3-2 in 11 innings, Shark Power will carry the Nationals through.

Be prepared.

More to come.

Shark Bats Seventh and Trade Rumors

The Nationals fell below .500 again last night with their 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros.  Mako Morse tried to single-handedly win the game for the Nationals by going 2-3 with a HR, a double, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, a walk, and a probably intentional HBP in the 9th.  JERRRRRRRRY, in his first game back from injury also added a HR.  The Shark went 1-4 on the night batting from the seven spot.  He temporarily gave over the leadoff spot to The Kangaroo and Daddy Desmond finally moved up in the lineup to the two spot.  Davey Johnson explained the reason for the shake-up:

"I'm not going to put [Kangaroo] in a position where he has to bunt him over for 3 and 4, and [I'm] actually giving my shortstop a chance to move down the lineup. He's been kind of hinting, 'Skip, move me down, I'm feeling I'm ready.' Well, I think you're not ready, but I'm going to give you a shot anyway."

Good managing, Davey.  Apparently, this line-up configuration will get another chance to get a win this afternoon as Livan Hernadez takes the mound against RHP(and soon to be shark attack victim) Brett Myers.

Trade Talk
There are a lot of rumors flying around about the Nationals trading for a center fielder/lead off hitter.  With names like Micheal Bourn and B.J. Upton at the top of the list.  Most of you reading this must be saying to yourself "But the Nationals already HAVE a center fielder and lead off hitter!  His name is Roger "The Shark" Bernadina!" Well, we feel the same way as you, confused reader.

The best solution to this CF trade rumors is for the Shark to put an end to it.  One option is chomping the legs off of every CF in the league.  The other is to put a string of good games together (ideally, the next 60 or so) and prove to the Nationals that he is there man (fish).  I have a very good feeling that the latter is going to happen.  Today's game just started, and Bernadina led off with a walk.  Nice work Shark.  This is the beginning of something good.

More to come.

SHARK VS ASTROS

Sharkingly, the Nationals played another see-saw game... but managed to pull out a victory, beating the Houston Astros 5-2 last night.  It was the first game of the season that the Shark had faced the stars, but only needed a couple of innings to adjust.  He ended the game 1-3 with a walk, BUT his one hit came at a very important juncture during the game. With the game tied at two in the top of the ninth, the Shark led off the inning with a roped single.  His presence on the basepaths then inspired the rest of the inning to fall into place, with Ryan Zimmerman (who had a big game with a HR + 2 RBIs) bringing Bernadina in on a single to take the lead.

Mako Morse had a nice game as well, unleashing the Beast inside, and going 3-4.  Mako and the Shark combined to go 4 for 7 with a walk, 3 runs, and a HR.  The combined Shark Power contributed to more than half of the offense.  It was clear to see they were on the same page for most of the game whenever they high fived.

The Nationals continue their 3 game series with the Houston Astros tonight.  The Shark has ventured into space before, so he knows what to expect.  Something tells me this is going to be a delicious road trip...

A word of the wise, Astros MGMT, don't fly too close to the ground...

More to come.

Sharka-TEE-na

THE SHARK NICKNAME GROWS

Tyler and I were discussing recently how the Shark nickname has spread completely out of our control.  (Is that the definition of viral?)  You know what, that's okay.  Anyone who has found us in some way (through Facebook, Twitter, or accidentally stumbling on this blog, or through Roger Bernadina himself), know that we began the nickname and nothing brings more joy to my heart than a bowl full of candy in a doctor's office waiting area.  That, and following the snowballing effects of Roger Bernadina's nickname.  Years down the road, when the Shark has 10 Gold Gloves, 3 MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards, 15 MVP (Most Vicious Predator) awards, we'll look back and say, "we were there when..."

But that is years away!

In the meantime, it is fun to look at all the Roger "The Shark" Bernadina t-shirts on the market these days.  Without further ado, here is your Sharkadina T-Shirt Buying Guide, with every shark shirt we can find online and our unbiased opinions of them all.

First, the original:

Section 138 t-shirt

Tyler and I like this one a lot.  For one, it is a cool, fun graphic.  Also, we like Gavin a lot, because he was an early adopter of the Shark nickname.   He hopped on board the Shark Express and hasn't looked back.  Also, this shirt has been featured on MASN and I have personally seen several of them around the stadium. Also, the shirt is only $14.40 which is a great bargain in this day and age.


Second, The Sharkadina Shop:

 Sharkadina Shop t-shirt

Welcome to our shop.  Following the Washington Post article, in which Dan Steinberg called us out on not merchandising, we opened up a Spreadshirt shop to make some Sharkadina gear.  This is our newest design and I think one of our best.  While other places offer great Shark-themed apparel, this is the only place to get Sharkadina apparel (it is a subtle difference).  Tell everyone you are a fan of this blog and help support us so we can buy materials to make more Shark hoods!  Our tees start at $20 and any profit we make will go towards spreading the Shark nickname!

Third, 22 Fresh's "Shark Mode"

Today was an exciting day, as a brand new shirt debuted.  If you haven't heard the phrase "Beast Mode" yet, you obviously haven't been on Twitter when Michael Morse is up to bat.  For the whole story, read our good friend Dan Steinberg's article.  Basically, Morse wore a "Beast Mode" shirt from hip designer 22Fresh at a press conference during the height of his crazy power hitting streak earlier this summer and it has become a sort of catch phrase for him.  Once we at Sharkadina saw that, we thought, "Beast Mode is good...but Shark Mode is better."  We pestered contacted 22Fresh via Twitter asking him to make a Shark Mode shirt, and today it finally debuted:

Shark Mode

This shirt is $35 and also features Bernadina's number 2 on the back.  It is being advertised as "The Official Tee Shirt of the Nats Roger Bernadina," and is already getting some great press on Twitter, from none other than Nats closer Drew Storen:

So there you go, Loyal Shark Fans.  Some great options for supporting the Shark at Nats Park for the rest of the season.  Hopefully it is just a matter of time before the Washington Nationals start producing Shark apparel...

Let us know what you think of the different shirts in the comments below!

More to come.

Inside The Shark Home Run

The Shark was great in today's 9-8 loss to the Atlanta Braves.  It was a strange game right from the start, with Bernadina apparently getting hit by a pitch.  The replay showed that it didn't really hit him, but the home plate umpire game him the base anyway because he knew that you don't even want to throw anywhere near a Shark.  Once on first The Shark used his Shark Speed to steal second.  He would steal twice in the game bringing him up to 15 out of 17 for the year.

In the 3rd inning, Bernadina hit a bomb on a 1-1 pitch to right center.  Tom "Sloth" Gorzelanny tried to score from first but ended up colliding with the catcher and getting hurt.  He scored anyway and Shark uses his smart baseswimming skills to come home.  It was officially scored as a triple with an error, but it was in effect an inside the park home run!  Or as the title suggests, an "inside the shark home run"  The play tied the game at 2-2.

The game continued to sway back an forth, like a ship at sea, surrounded by hungry man-eaters.  The offense was there, as the Nats scored 8 (3 of which were from the Shark himself) but the pitching failed to pull it's weight yet again.  Get that All Star Rust off, fellas!

The Shark finished 2-4, with an RBI, 3 runs, and 2 SB.  I'm going to choose to focus on those great stats and gloss over the heartbreaking walk-off win that Freddie Freeman and the Braves pulled out in the bottom of the 9th.  Sigh...

SHARK ON THE BRAIN:
Every time I type a word beginning with "sha," I end it with an "rk" before correcting it.  Examples are share, Shakespeare, shape. My e-mails to parents at Imagination Stage are that much harder to get out, as I double, and triple check everything to ensure that I don't tell them there child is in SharkSpear Stories.... Though it does honestly sounds like a sh**king awesome camp...

CalTort Shark:
Apparently the CalTort Fish Taco Competition is heating up in the clubhouse, and Jordan Zimmermann and Mako Morse want free burritos.  Apparently, the two of them got a picture of the Shark eating a fish taco (as seen on the Shark's facebook page).  No fair!  Co-workers shouldn't count...but they do, so enjoy those delicious free tacos, you two!  Know that I am writhing with jealousy on the inside and outside.

The Nationals fly to Houston where the apparently transport to space to face the struggling Astros.  I don't know where else you can go to fight some stars....?

Don't worry Nats fans, with the help of our good friends at NASA (I literally know nobody at NASA), the Shark is ready...

Picture by Gary Storkamp

More to come.

ALL STAR RUST

The Washington Nationals had a tough time shaking the All-Star Break rust last night with the crushing 11-1 defeat handed to them by the Atlanta Braves.  The Nationals made 5 errors, including 3 in the first.  Remember when they went 12+ games without an error earlier this year?  Yeah... that was nice.  Despite managing to get 8 hits off of a dominant Braves pitching staff, one run was about 10 runs short of making this game interesting.  The Shark had a pretty good game, ending 1 for 5 with the only run of the game for the Nationals.  He now has a Shark Streak going of 7 games.

Also, when I say they had a hard time shaking off the rust, I mean that literally.  During the All-Star Break, Livan Hernandez retreated into his steel sarcophagus to wait out the game.  There is no explanation for why he did this.  What he wasn't expecting was the torrential downpours that soaked the casing and caused it to rust through.  When he emerged several days later (which required a lot of strength...so they called the Shark, the Jaws of Life himself), his skin was terrible discolored and he was literally rusty.  This was apparent, as he gave up 6 runs in only 4 innings of work (only 3 were earned though, thanks to the errors).

Google search for "Rust Man" came up with this...

OLD SHARK NEWS
In 1916, people were blaming The Great War for a slew of shark attacks off the New Jersey coast.  It was recently discovered that these people had actually just attempted to force a terrible nickname onto Bernadina... Watch out Bill Ladson!

INTERNATIONAL SHARK NEWS
The Shark is now being written about all over the world as you can see in this interview that we gave to the blog Deporte Awe!  This article is written in Papiamentu, the native language of Curacao, Roger Bernadina's homeland.

Papiamentu (or Papiamento) is a mixture of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English, French, and it also has some Arawak Indian and African influences. Papiamentu is one of the few Creole Languages of the Caribbean that has survived to the present day.

I ran it through a translator, but it still wasn't 100% understandable: "the two fanátiko they here is terry and tyler and all game of nationals with they visit they're go dress at shark."

Actually that is pretty accurate.

More to come.

SHARK VS BRAVES: ROUND 2

The Shark faced the Braves earlier this year.  That happened just after his recall from the Syracuse Chiefs... Now, fresh off some R&R over the All Star Break, he's ready to attack them again. This time, leaving no victims...

PLEASE NOTE:  This is arguably my worst "Shark Vs" ever.  MS Paint does not have the same precision as Apple Preview.  If you are so offended by this that you want to upchuck, please refer to the original SHARK VS BRAVES and lets forget this ever happened.

Shark Alarm!  Raise the black flag!

 No matter how bad this is, the SHARK WILL DRINK BRAVES BLOOD TONIGHT!

More to come.

A BREAK FROM THE ALL-STAR BREAK BLUES

For the second straight year, a Washington Nationals pitcher was the pitcher of record for the All-Star Game.  Tyler's second favorite player Tyler Clippard got the win this time, pitching to one batter. Considering he's a setup man, it is an impressive feat.

The day after the All-Star Game is probably the worst day of the year... No sports whatsoever, the Shark being far away, and this growing hunger from eating an insufficient breakfast combine to make a downright dreary day.  Here's hoping things will turn around and the rest of the day will recover!

Besides the countdown to Shark Week that is constantly ticking in my head, there isn't much news to report about, except....

THIS ROGER BERNADINA + FISH TACO THING IS BLOWING UP!

After commenting on California Tortilla's Facebook page, we got a lovely CalTort message response:

You know something, CalTort, we like you too!  In fact, with all this taco talk, I think I will have to get lunch at the Bethesda location today! I'm wearing my Bernadina shirt, too, in an effort to turn around the All-Star blues.  Gotta represent the Shark!

Anyway, since that time, a lot of things have happened.

First, our close friend (as close as you can be after a phone interview) Dan Steinberg, then picked up the story and posted it on his blog: Roger Bernadina taco picture could be worth a year of burritos.

After that, some rules were established, in order to prevent the Shark from being harassed and stalked.

Then BOOM , NBC Washington picked up the story, with a link to our blog.  We got 120 hits in an hour... Crazy!

More of these are on the way, but here is my first attempt with MS Paint to promote Roger Bernadina's Shark Week.  (More of these to come)

The only thing in question is how willing the Shark will be about this whole fish taco business.  Based off our meetings, Bernadina is so nice,  I'm sure he won't mind.  I think the Shark's Agent comes into play here.  I'm not sure what the necessary hoops he will have to go through for this unofficial contest.  All I hope is that Sharkadina doesn't get a Cease and Desist Letter...

Finally, we are totally loving the Shark nickname usage and we hope that it becomes even more widespread.  Also, we cannot wait until the Shark returns to the baseball field in Atlanta on Friday.. Should be a feast...

More to come.

California Tortilla Shark

ALL-SHARK GAME!

The longest three days of  the year have begun and Tyler and I are sitting at the TV wishing the Shark was participating in the Home Run Derby.  Obviously, that is a dangerous situation, because the Shark would put the other players to shame and probably bite off an arm or two.  The Shark does have the opportunity to accompany his friend Jair Jurrjens to the All Star Game, but we all know sharks like to stay closer to the water and the dry desert sun may dry out Bernadina's dentacles...

Now on to more important news...

We noted earlier that California Tortilla was offering to give out a free Shark Fin hat to anyone who buys a fish taco on July 28th.  The cost of the taco alone is worth a Shark Fin hat!  Be sure you go there for lunch that day, to eat fishy tacos and deck yourself out for future Nats games. Anyone who has a flexible work schedule should try to attend the Nats game that day to see the Shark in person while enjoying a delicious (I hope so.  I've never actually had one?) fish taco.  Since that point, fascinating things have happened....  Thanks to a lengthy response to the California Tortilla Facebook post about the shark hats, CalTort has created a new offer....

Game on Shark fans.  May the best Shark fan win!

Finally changes will be happening on the Sharkadina blog in the next few days...so pay close attention...

More to come.

Shark Breaks Up Pitcher's Duel

The Nats finally won, bringing their record back up to .500 just in time for the All-Star Break (Terry's favorite time of the year).  The game was mostly a pitchers duel with Jordan Zimmermann and the Rockies' Chacin dealing through 6.1 and 7 innings respectively.  It was 0-0 until the bottom of the sixth when Roger "The Shark" Bernadina hit his 19th RBI of the season to break up the scoreless game.  Rick Ankiel added on a homer in the 8th to make it 2-0 and Mattheus, Clippard, and Storen closed out the game.

Shark must have been inspired by all the Shark fans in attendance including myself and some fierce Mini-Sharks:

In addition to our Shark-posse, it was great running into people who recognized us from the Washington Post story as well as seeing Shark friends @LetTeddyWin, @sweetpearacer and @jorgath.

We will continue to bring you all Shark related news through the All-Star Break!

More to come.

Mack the Knife

The Nats lost a heartbreaker last night 2-1 to the Rockies.  The Shark went 1-4 with a single in the 8th, trying to spark a late rally, but the Nats could not get it going.  One of the bright spots of the game was the Loch Nix Monster doing his best Shark impression with a diving catch in LF and followed it up wtih a throw to 2nd for a sweet double play.  I will be at the game tonight with about 10 Shark Fans, including children, so keep an eye out for the hoods!  Pictures and recap of the game to follow.

This morning, I wanted to open up our reader mailbag and answer some questions.  (We don't actually have a reader mailbag and don't get that many questions...but leave one in the comments or tweet us if you want us to answer it in a post!)

Today's question comes from Cathy (@misschatter), who writes:

No, Cathy, it is not a coincidence! Thanks to our friend Ace, who is friends with the organ player at Nats Park, Roger Bernadina has a new theme song for every time he makes a sweet diving catch in the outfield: "Mack the Knife."  This is appropriate because of the opening lyrics:

Oh, the shark has pretty teeth, dear
And it shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has MacHeath, babe
And it keeps it way out of sight
When that shark bites with his teeth, dear
Scarlet billows begin to spread

Here is a video of the great Bobby Darin singing it.  Feel free to sing along when you are at Nats Park!




More to come.

John Lannan's failed attempt to impress The Shark

The Nationals lost another tight one last night, and it is starting to seem like every game will be a one run game. Unfortunately, due to my work schedule, I was unable to watch/listen/follow the game, so I appreciate the occasional Shark related tweets! Tyler was at a wedding (the guy in the yellow eyed shark hood is now wed to the gal in the homemade Shark shirt...True Shark Love).

Newly Shark-Weds

 I was working until 11:30 so we didn't post yesterday... So sorry! I will have to do Shark vs. Rockies tonight, unless Tyler can make one today (I'm working now until 11:45pm). Especially after last night's loss, the Nats need some inspiration to pull out a victory over the largest mountain range in North America...

John Lannan was looking sharp last night, that is, until he tried to catch a ball with his face... Apparently, Lannan told Bernadina that, "I'm a shark too!" before the inning and tried to impress the Shark by catching a ball in his mouth. Since he doesn't have the powerful Shark jaw that Bernadina possesses, the ball ended up busting Lannan's nose, giving him a "nasal contusion." Fortunately for Lannan, he panicked just enough to block the ball with his glove, which then slammed into his face. This is fortunate because it, ever so slightly, padded the blow. Long story short, John Lannan is gonna look at lot more like Tom Gorzellany after this...

The Shark, meanwhile, led off the game with a double, and came around to score on Mako Morse's sacrifice fly. He ended the game 1 for 4 but made a great catch and threw out a http://polldaddy.com/poll/5199582/ at second base to keep the game close. The Shark nickname stemmed from his defensive prowess. Every game, he continues to show the world why he is the Shark! He's a fan favorite and should win a gold glove.

Flying Shark:
Yesterday, the MLB twitter account with it's 1.3 Millon followers, mentioned the Shark in a tweet yesterday. Tyler or I will include a screen shot of it when I am no longer blogging from my phone... 

It ended with a link to the diving catch Bernadina made on Thursday night. Flying Shark's are even more deadly!!


Express Shark:
As I waited for the Metro today, I saw in the Express an article by Derek Turner about Roger Bernadina. While it didn't mention the Shark nickname, they did talk about how much Nationals manager Davey Johnson likes the Shark. A direct quote from the article "Said Johnson: 'He deserves an opportunity to play everyday, and I am going to give it to him.". That is a damn good sign Shark Fans!

More to come.

The Shark is really good...

Ok, tonight's 10-9 loss to the Cubs was down right crazy.  At one point (bottom of the 5th inning) the Nationals held an 8-0 lead over the Chicago Cubs... Then for whatever reason, (I blame everyone who dislikes the Shark nickname), the Nationals let it all slip away, giving up 6 runs in the 6th, 2 in the 7th, and 1 in each of the last two innings.  Livan Hernandez gave up 6 runs in his last 2/3 innings pitched, then Coffey, Burnett, and H-Rod let the game get out of hand.

The Shark did his best to help the Nats win.  He ended the game 3 for 6 with 2 runs, 1 RBI and a SB.  The Nationals scored 7 runs in the 3rd, thanks especially to Bernadina's TWO HITS IN ONE INNING.  The Shark's incredible catches are going to earn him a Gold Glove this year, because he made ANOTHER incredible diving catch in left field today.  His average is now up to .267 and he has 13 SB on the year.  Only Ian Desmond has more stolen bases than the Shark (and Daddy Desmond hasn't stolen one since June 18th).  The Shark didn't want to lose this game.  Tonight was an anomaly.  I don't expect this kind of Pre-Shark Nationals collapse to become a trend.

Be sure to watch the replay of the Shark's jawsome diving catch and keep an eye on the crowd's reactions.  In the below picture, I have circled who you should look out for!

Fan's react to Bernadina's diving catch.

Speaking of Replays:
I mentioned a couple of days ago that they dropped the Shark nickname on ESPN's Baseball Tonight.  Well, thanks to Super Shark fan Sherry, we now have videographic (is that a word?) proof of this!  Sadly, the nickname wasn't used when he made an awesome sliding catch in the same game, but we'll take it, nonetheless...

Fun Facts:

1. The Shark has scored at least one run in 7 out of the last 8 games.
2. The Shark has made a MLB Top Play catch in 4 out of the last 5 games.
3. On my late night Metro ride home from work, two people (one was a Washington Nationals usher) instantly recognized Bernadina when I simply asked them, "How did the Shark do tonight?"  They agreed that the Shark had a good night.

I know this post is relatively short, compared to the impressiveness of the Shark's game tonight, but I am tired from working for 13 hours today.  I will try to add some more interesting things tomorrow...

Speaking of Tomorrow:
The Nationals kick off a series with the Colorado Rockies for the final series before the All-Star Break. The day before and the day after the All-Star Break are my least favorite days of the year (ask Tyler if you don't believe me).  The Shark is streaking, so at least this weekend should be good (Tyler and a HUGE group of Shark fans will be at Sunday's game).  Wondering how the Shark can take out an entire mountain range.  You will find out tomorrow.

More to come.

Report from NYC Shark Fan: SHARKS FEAST ON CUBS

New York City's less-cool, but still Shark-themed thing, The Shark Speedboat.
Greetings, Shark fans, from New York City! Yes, there ARE Nationals fans here (though I am definitely the biggest), and the Shark's fearsome skills are known even out in my hostile NL East land of Queens. As a native of Fairfax, I long dreamed of a DC team to call my own, and, despite living in the land of Reyes and Jeter, gladly follow the Nats/Sharks all season long.

To tonight's game...

The Nationals continued their string of one-run wins tonight with an exciting 5-4 defeat over the visiting Chicago Cubs. The Nats offense started, not surprisingly, with an infield single by the Shark in the 1st inning, after which he promptly stole second base (inspiring literalist Bill Ladson, @washingnats, to continue to rev up the Speed Racer nickname... sigh). Knowing, however, that Roger would soon be constantly swimming to the warning track to devour flyballs in center for the first three innings, Danny "The Kangaroo" Espinosa decided to give the Shark's legs fins a break and knock one out to the right field bullpen. Good looking out, Espi! The Cubs answered right back, though, with a homer from Carlos Peña in the 2nd.

The Shark's following two at-bats were quiet (though after his second straight K, @Nationals tweeted this - awwwww!), but Fearless Leader Ryan Zimmerman blasted a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 5th following a walk to Espi to regain the lead 4-2. (BTW, Sharkadina, why no Shark-tastic nickname for Zimm??). Zimm had a day, going 3-for-4 with a homer and 2 doubles on three swings that MASN commentator FP Santangelo nearly cried over - they were that beautiful. The pesky Cubs answered back again with another 2-run jack, this time from Aramis Ramierz.

This would be all for Gorzelanny (and for homers) as Mattheus came on in the 7th. All-Star candidate Mako Morse came back strong after sitting out due to a bruised thumb, going 2-for-4, including a double to lead off the bottom of the 7th. Jayson Werth continued his struggles at the plate, but ended his 0-for-3 night with a hard-hit deep flyball to right to advance Morse to third. With Wilson Ramos up at the plate, Morse breaks for home not once, but TWICE. Seemingly a missed sign, Ramos was swinging away early in the count and luckily hit one foul as Mako barreled down towards home. Two pitches later, both players executed the squeeze perfectly, and the Nats went up 5-4 in the bottom of the 7th. Now that is #BEASTMODE.

Tom Gorzelanny played admirably, despite earning a no-decision, picking up his first hit of the year and giving up 4 earned runs on 7 hits in 6 innings pitched. Gorzy also got the crowd up and cheering as he fouled off five straight speedballs with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th before striking out. The Nats bullpen was lights out, with Mattheus picking up the win, Rodriguez with the hold, and @DrewStoren with his 22nd save on the year.

The Shark ended the day a solid 2-for-5 with two infield hits, a run scored, and a stolen base. Following his bunt single in the 8th, his blazing speed so frightened Cubs pitcher John Grabow (who was trying to do to the Shark what Gorzelanny did to former Nat Alfonso Soriano in the 4th) that he balked on a pickoff move to first, conceding second base to the superior Bernadina. The Shark also recorded the last out of the game in left field, having moved in a double switch that brought in RicK AnKiel.
The Nats are now 2 games over .500 and only 7 games back on the Wild Card. They take to Nats Park tomorrow evening to go for a sweep of the Cubs to once-and-for-all settle every middle schooler's main zoological argument which animal is more kicka**: sharks or bears.
Answer: SHARKS (sorry, Dwight Schrute)


DON'T FORGET TO VOTE MORSE! You can vote as many times as you can until 4pm tomorrow! Not only does he deserve it (was slighted not to have been on the original roster, IMHO), but getting Morse to the All-Star game would show everyone how awesome Nats fans are!

And while we're at it, let's all (mentally) give Jayson Werth a hug...

Thanks, @Sharkadina and @tyinDC for the chance to come write up a game on your awesome blog! I am hoping to be in town for when the Shark takes on his aquatic nemesis, @LoMoMarlins on July 26th and will definitely be at most of, if not all, four games of the Nats September series at CitiField (for why, see here) when they will be in a playoff race. Until then, Shark fans, keep the energy alive at Nats Park as I will continue to fight for the cause up north!

More to come.

ESPN SHARK

The Nationals again won a 1 run game last night, beating the Chicago Cubs 3-2.  Very recent call-up, Ross Detwiler, pitched well and the bullpen shut down the Cubbies to seal the win.  While the Nats pounded out 10 hits, it was an error in the first inning that opened the door to the Nationals victory.   Scared sh**kless of playing against the Shark, Cubs 2B Jeff Baker threw wildly with the bases loaded, allowing the Shark and the Kangaroo to score.  He was then pulled from the game, after wetting his pants from looking into the Shark's eyes.  Jeff Baker was later asked by a psychiatrist to draw what was bothering him.  Somehow, I got a hold on the drawing...

The Shark hit the ball hard 4 times, but had only one hit to show for it.  He squared up and laced line drive after line drive, but the Cubs were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time (trust me, it was luck, and not good planning).  The Shark also made a sweet sliding catch in the top of the first. 

Shark on Baseball Tonight

Apparently, it was an awesome enough catch to make it on ESPN's Baseball Tonight and APPARENTLY, the host, Steve Berthiaume called him the Shark on it.  I need to see/hear/verify this so if you happened to record Baseball Tonight last night (July 5th), please send me a video clip if possible (phones can do so much these days!).

Speaking of ESPN:

"The Catch" is up for an ESPY, which is better than an Oscar.  The ESPY's are set up in a bracket, so VOTE SHARK, so he can make it through the first round and devour the competition all the way through the top.  Don't forget to also VOTE MAKO.  That way we can get Sharks to rule the baseball world once again (Cue Jurassic Park clip of "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" banner falling after T-Rex wrecking welcome center. Then edit it to say "Shark" in place of "Dinosaurs")

Free Shark Fin Hat:

If you eat at California Tortilla on Thursday, July 28th and order a fish taco, the company will give you a FREE Discovery Channel Shark Fin Hat!  Looking for something to wear to Nats games in August?  Thank you to everyone who pointed this out to us!  I know Tyler and I will be making the investment.  Support the Shark!  We will remind people as it gets closer!

Guest Sharkadina:

The Shark led Nats continue their series against the Cubbies tonight, and we are very pleased to welcome Annie Dell'Aria to the Sharkadina family!  Annie will be posting tonight after the game, which will likely be a great change of pace from the sh**k Tyler and I post!  Thanks Annie!  I am definitely looking forward to reading the post tonight!

More to come.

Shark hunts finners, Vote Mako

Back and forth games have seem to become the Nationals favorite types of games.  The Nationals had the lead, lost the lead, tied the game, then won the game in the 10th.  The Great Werth came up big in extra innings, stealing a base, then coming around to score on a wild pitch to seal the victory.  The Mako-less Nationals used timely hitting, and stay-in-the-ballgame pitching to stay within striking distance.

The Shark went 0-5 but scored the first run of the game, after he reached base on an error.  I'm not sure how many errors Bernadina has forced on the field, but first basemen (in this case Carlos Pena) need to start realizing there is a Shark on the other team, and give up.  There was some defensive confusion between Jayson Werth and the Shark which led to the Cubs taking the lead in the 4th.  A texas-leaguer dropped between the two outfielders and no one seemed to have a bead on the ball.  Communication between two different types of sharks is always difficult.

The Shark's quiet game is the result of a new mission he has set for himself.  Tired of the slow process in worldwide governments to enforce the banned act of shark finning, Bernadina has taken it upon himself to stop the process.  Immediately after games, the Shark circumnavigates the globe and hunts down there finners.  Despite the Shark's speed, the process is slow going and physically exhausting.  It is, however, a noble cause to protect his brethren.  When the finning problem is eliminated, the Shark will again have peace of mind, and can return focus to baseball.  Bear with him until then.

All Star Shark:
Mako Morse is a Final Vote candidate for the All Star Game.  Vote early and often so we can get at least one Shark in the All-Star Game!!  It only takes a minute!

The Shark returns to action tonight, leading off against the Cubs.  Revenge and the Shark go hand in hand so be prepared for a Sharkfest tonight!

More to come.

SHARK VS CUBS

The Shark was the lone bright spot during last nights 10-2 shellacking by the Pirates.  That and the sun.  The Pirates jumped all over Nats starter Jason Marquis, as he allowed 7 runs (6 earned) in 1.1 innings and the Nats couldn't recover.  The Shark went 2 for 5 with a double to creep his batting average back up to .264 (his OBP is still a healthy .326) and had a JAWSOME CATCH to rob Andrew McCutchen.  Bernadina also had a nice pregame interview with Johnny Holliday about the Shark cementing himself in the leadoff spot.  No mention of the Shark nickname, unfortunately (you gotta use it in an interview sometime, Roger!), but the interview definitely worth watching it, nonetheless.

The Chicago Cubs are next for the Nationals and the Shark.  A 1PM Fourth of July matinee kicks off the four game series.  Sharks have been known to attack Cubs when they infringe on their territory (which is exactly what will happen).  If the Shark were playing the Chicago Bears, there might be something to worry about...  Since it is the Cubs, the Shark is going to ride the wave to a delicious meal...

Bernadina respectfully feeds his family first...

More to come.

Double the Shark, Double the Fun

The Pirates and the Nationals played two yesterday and they figured that it would be nice if they both had a chance to win.  Personally, I would have rather seen the Nationals win both of them, but hey, that's just me.

In the first game, the Nationals were down for the first 6 innings until RicK AnKiel homered (nope, he didn't strike out...) to tie the game 2-2 in the 7th.  Sean Burnett and the bullpen unraveled again in the last two innings to lose the game 5-3.  The Shark ended the game 0 for 3, but still managed to get on base twice, with 2 walks and scored a run.  The best chance for the Nationals came in the 5th, when the Shark's hustle (he beat out an easy force out situation on a Werth grounder) led to a bases loaded, one out situation.  Unfortunately, both Zim and Nix spoiled any rally opportunities.  The game did have to be put on hold after the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen homered in the 8th inning....

The Shark warns McCutchen about hitting home runs at Nats Park

The second game went more in the Nationals favor.  Again the game was tied at 2 until the Pirates took the lead in the 7th.  The Nats rallied back in the 8th and beat the Pirates 4-3. One of Tyler's recent favorites, Ryan Mattheus got the win and Drew Storen saved his 20th game of the season.  The Shark again went 0 for 3, with two walks, and a run, the exact same line as Game 1. @AlyssaLowry1 took a great picture of a Shark fan (name?) and the Shark.  I know the Shark cheers/chants/fins/shirts help Bernadina thrive...

While the Shark ended the day 0-6, he still had a .400 OBP with 2 runs scored.  That is an impressive feat.  The Shark is the best leadoff hitter on the team and I hope he stays in the spot.  The Nationals wrap up the Pirates series today and the Shark is still hungry for more.

More to come.

VOTE SHARK

I know that we've already had a Vote for Shark post about getting the Shark the All Star Game, but this one is just as important, if not more.

Bill Ladson, that one guy who won't give up on the whole Speed Racer nickname, is back at it again....  This time, however, Bernadina fans have the opportunity to show their support (even though the Washington Post article pretty much made official).

If you have 30 seconds, please click the link below and Vote Shark.
Which is the better nickname for Nationals outfielder Roger Bernadina?

As of noon, "The Shark" has 92% of the votes (173 out of 188 total).  Let's make Bill Ladson embarrassed he ever brought up "Speed Racer" (which has 4% of the vote: all from Ladson and his family).

I don't usually reuse pictures in the blog, but I think this one is appropriate...

More to come.

SHARK SNACKS

You may think this post is about delicious shark shaped fruit snacks (which was half of the way to cope with a Nats loss).  For those who were thinking, and perhaps hoping that, I'm sorry but I have to disappoint you because instead of fruits snacking....

It was the Shark who snacked!  On the Pittsburgh Pirates!  As predicted!

In the first game of a 4-game, 3-day series against the Pirates, the Nationals walked off winners 2-1.  Tom Gorzolanny pitched brilliantly, giving up just 1 unearned run to keep the Nats in it until Matt Stairs (yes, really Matt Stairs) could win it in the 9th.  While Stairs got a lot of credit for the win, it was the Shark who held the team together.

Bernadina has settled into the leadoff spot regularly since Riggleman's exit and Johnson's debut and today's game proved why he's earned it. He led off the game with a single, but was stranded at third after a Ryan Zimmerman double play.  Bernadina decided to take control of the game at that point, hitting a home run in the sixth inning (and Charlie Slowes aptly called him the Shark again) to tie the game at 1.  Then, in the 8th, with Ankiel on first and the game still tied, the Shark laid down a beautiful bunt, and beat the throw to first.  While it was ruled a sac bunt and and error, replays showed him beating the throw (Fastest Shark Alive). Shark wanted to start a rally, but then The Great Werth, Zim, and the Loch Nix Monster each struck out.  Bernadina ended the game 2-3 which leads me to believe that the Shark thrives in his home waters

Unfortunately, neither Tyler or I (Terry) could make it to the game. Even without us, it was really good to hear about all the Shark support (perhaps the Washington Post article won over some fans...)! @3NatsFans were at the the park, and translated their Shark cheers into dutch "haai = shark."  Also, our favorite photographer Cheryl Nichols (who I will say again, takes the best pictures), reported hearing "so many "Shark" chants" and snapped this great picture of fans doing the fin gesture:

Spreading the Shark Love

There was a more Shark love after Matt Stairs' walk off single.  @JWerthsBeard pointed this out: Drew Storen (far right) is clearly doing the Shark Chomp as he leaps into the celebrations.  Way to go, Storen!

It was a good win for the Nationals and a great game for the Shark.  The Sharkdown continues this weekend, starting with today's double header...  Expect the Shark to continue snacking....

More to come.