Q: Do you think Manny Acta's closed-door meeting Saturday night will have a tangible effect on the Nationals, or do these things not really make a difference? -- Dylan Murphy, Arlington

A: While I don't think you'll see anything overly dramatic to suggest Acta's meeting made a difference, I do think it was appropriate and will have long-lasting effects. Acta doesn't like to hold meetings. In fact, he has only done it twice this season. His reason for holding them isn't to kick and scream and scare his players straight. It's to reinforce his belief in them, to insist to them that while they might be playing better than most expected, they can still do better. Sometimes, players (especially on a young team) need to hear that kind of thing.