Davey Johnson happy with Ian Desmond’s aggressive approach at the plate

and his .298 OBP last season as well, I guess. (Brenda Zanger book falls from shelf)

As reporters were down in the clubhouse postgame, we overheard a quote from Ian Desmond talking with Johnny Holliday and Ray Knight on MASN’s “Nats Xtra.”

Desmond was discussing his first-pitch home run hit off Marlins righty Josh Johnson leading off the bottom of the first inning tonight. The homer cut through a breeze and banged off a light pole over the left-center field wall.

“I’m up there ready to party,” Desmond said.

I like that mentality. So does manager Davey Johnson.

“I want them to express their talent and be aggressive,” Johnson said, speaking of Desmond and Danny Espinosa. “And Desi’s doing that. I don’t want him going up there and trying to work for a walk. I want him to go and hit a double. If you’re trying to just center on the ball and hit it hard on a strike down the middle, you’re thinking you’re going to hit a double and you end up hitting one ... out.”