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Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER Nyjer Morgan reached base four times the last two days but did not score. |
In the end, Eckstein -- like everyone else -- knows the process is less important than the end result. All that really matters is this: The Nationals put a boatload of men on base over the weekend at Sun Life Stadium and could not bring a single one of them home.
"The game is based on execution when you've got runners in scoring position," the second-year hitting coach said. "That's the bottom line. We just didn't execute the last few days. We had our opportunities, and we couldn't capitalize on those opportunities."
The offensive stats that produced consecutive losses to the Marlins of 2-0 and 1-0 were grisly. Despite 19 hits, the Nats scored zero runs. With runners in scoring position, they went 0-for-18. They didn't produce one extra-base hit.
For more grisly details and more reaction from Eckstein and Jim Riggleman, go to CSNwashington.com.
10 comments:
Please rid us of Adam Kennedy (King of of the Mental Errors) and Willie Harris if he is going to be a consistent pinch hitter. Kennedy had an awful series. Harris cannot keep his at bats productive with all the bench time.
pasl28...
Did you ever stop to consider, that if Rizzo gets rid of Kennedy and Harris, they they have nothing to replace them with in either Syracuse or Harrisburg? Getting rid of them might make fans like you happy, but you'll be bellyaching just as loud a month later, when the two guys they are replaced with, perform even worse...
Just remember, you have to be very careful what you wish for.
Could anything be worse than Kennedy and Harris....all I want is Gonzo playing some instead of Kennedy and anyone could pinch hit better than Harris....ANYONE
I have no issue when an opposing pitcher is "on" and he shuts us down, however, the ineptitude of this team makes them unwatchable.
@Manassas
As promised I have worked on their RISP
I finally got around to doing the stats. So far for the year Nats are 196 for 778 of .252. There batting average for the season is .259. So their RISP is .007 worse than their season average.
Their opponents are 217 for 802 or .271. Overall opponents have batted .270 against the Nats. So in RISP they are actually .001 better/
Interestingly The Nats have had 3 0 for 9 games, 2 0 for 8 games and 1 1 for 10 games. They also had one game where they never had an RISP opportunity. The Middle game of the Indian Series. Zim homered for the only run, and there were two other singles.
MY question is what is Rick Eskstein planning to do about this. he is the hitting coach, he is the one who responsible for the approach to hitting. I am pretty sure they have struck out a number of times in this situation. So far he has done not much that has showed in results. The strikes outs are way to high. Someone needs to step up and take some leadership here.
One scoring inning in 27. Runners fail to advance on bad throws/misplays, hitters failing to advance runners, hitters failing to make contact with runners on third and less than two outs, runners failing to heed signs, hitters swinging above the letters on pitches--all resulting in a colossal failure of execution on offense. Riggleman should make the team sit down and revisit tapes of the National team that played in April and not so subtly point out the differences. Is it the constant juggling of the lineup? Is it the heat? Is it the threat of trades? In the end its up to Riggleman to make these guys play baseball like professionals. This is a team whose potential is far above the performance that they are showing now.
Kenz aFan...
The two players I mentioned are not everyday players ( Harris and Kennedy ). They are veteran ballplayers who are not getting the job done that is asked of them. If they were in-experienced Rookies from Syracuse or Harrisburg we might be able to tolerate the poor quality of their performances. Also would be cheaper for Rizzo to go out and get better players for those roles.
pasl28, right on. We'd be better off without them. Let Gonzo play more. Maybe bring up Chase Lambin, who plays mostly 3rd, and switch hits well, hitting pretty evenly from the left and right this year (with a bit more power from the right).
What I really want though is for Riggleman to show he is in control of his team. The baserunning errors are Little League.
(Speaking of Little League, watched Lastings Milledge go first to third today, looked like the first time he'd ever played baseball. Sprinting then slowing, stopping, looking for the ball, sprinting again, pathetic really)
When you make a habit of signing bargain basement free agents, you invariably end up with more than your fair share of Adam Kennedys.
Kennedy, Morgan, and Harris are all performing at or below replacement level this year (i.e. bringing up minor leaguers couldn't possibly hurt, given that they are already performing like them). Wil Nieves is a career -1.1 WAR player--his entire time in the bigs has been below replacement level. Unfortunately, I don't think we even have any decent catchers in the minors, or he would be the first to go.
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