Friday, March 18, 2011

Nats vs. Cardinals - 3/18/11

File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER
The Nationals host the Cardinals today at Space Coast Stadium.
Jordan Zimmermann has pitched 11 innings this spring and surrendered zero runs. For a guy everyone's counting on to step up and become a front-line starter, he couldn't be enjoying a more encouraging spring so far. Today, the young right-hander will look to continue the scoreless streak against a Cardinals lineup that is without Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman and Colby Rasmus.

Danny Espinosa and Ivan Rodriguez were originally listed in the Nationals' lineup, but each was scratched late this morning. Espinosa (foot) and Rodriguez (calf), of course, have been dealing with some minor injuries. Sounds like the team is simply being extra-cautious with both guys; they didn't experience any setbacks.

Charlie and Dave have the call on 1580 AM...

CARDINALS at NATIONALS
Where: Space Coast Stadium, Viera
Gametime: 1:05 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: WHFS (1580 AM)
Weather: Sunny, 78 degrees, Wind 8 mph LF to RF
STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS
CF Nyjer Morgan
SS Ian Desmond
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
LF Michael Morse
C Jesus Flores
2B Brian Bixler
3B Alberto Gonzalez
P Jordan Zimmermann

CARDINALS
CF Jon Jay
SS Ryan Theriot
3B Matt Carpenter
LF Matt Holliday
1B Mark Hamilton
RF Allen Craig
2B Skip Schumaker
C Yadier Molina
P Jaime Garcia

22 comments:

natsfan1a said...

Hehe, I was just about to ask whether it was 1500 or 1580 when the post changed. :-)

hondo69 said...

To all fellow XM subscribers: today's game is on XM183. Here's the link to see which games are broadcast daily:

http://www.siriusxm.com/servlet/Satellite?c=SXM_Sports_P&childpagename=SXM%2FSXM_Sports_P%2FLiveSportsSchedule&cid=1282009986086&p=1282010553123&pagename=SXM%2FWrapper

PAY TO PLAY said...

So LaRoche couldn't get that ball that became a RBI double for JZim's 1st earned run against.

Good to see Werth drive a ball!!!!

Anonymous said...

what is 1580 AM, is that correct?

JaneB said...

I like this Broderick kid.

Anonymous said...

So Storen makes the Opening Day roster, despite the fact that he has options, and we let Broderick walk?

Is that the plan???

Knoxville Nat said...

Off subject, Mark when do you return to Viera?

Mark Zuckerman said...

I fly back down to Viera Sunday evening, will be back at the park with full coverage Monday morning.

Anonymous said...

These are the Nationals that I know. Havent won a game since Sunday and have lost 7 of their last 9. Simply no pitching with this group. another 85+ loss season awaits us. Note! with a smaller payroll. Lets Go Nats!

Les in NC said...

Time to bring the kid back up!!! At least his presence in the locker room lit fires under everyone it seemed. Without him 0-5, coincidence?
I hope so.

Nattydread said...

Mark

Is this reality checking in? 5 in a row?!? What happened?

JD said...

Panic is setting in Nats Nation.

Doc said...

Anybody know what's happening to Storen?

I'm having bad thoughts of him going to Syracuse!

natsfan1a said...

Reality, or a whammy induced by the "does a winning ST record matter?" post after they reached 10 wins? hmmm...If the latter, maybe when Mark gets to Viera he needs to find a live chicken and beat his keyboard with it, or something to that effect... :-)

In other news, 1580 is almost as bad as 1500 AM in my neck of the woods. Glad we'll have the FM station as well.

josh f said...

Mark's return to Viera will end the slump! I'll be at my first-ever Nats spring training game on Tuesday, so I'll look around for you.

Anonymous said...

Well I got slammed last when when I criticized Storen, but I'm afraid I might be right. Not a power pitcher I don't care what anybody says. I'd like to argue that any reliever can have a good inning here and there.. Last year's team showed our hitters could make almost any pitcher look good for a short stretch. Every time Storen has a good inning he is hailed as a star, but he has had ALOT of bad ones both last year and of course this Spring. He's just not a dominant stuff guy in the majors. Not even close to closer material. If he was, a young gun like him would be throwing the ball past these guys and dominating in these short stretches of just a few batters seeing him only once during a game. People please stop making excuses for this kid and slamming every other pitcher that has a bad outing. Storen is a crafty right hander, which is not really the definition of a relief pitcher.

JayB said...

I tried to tell you all.....Alex Cintron......LOSER and Bad Karma from Acta days.....When he showed up in MLB camp and started playing in MLB games....the whole team went into a funk.......For what....We do not have a reserve infielder in the system that could mop up these AB's...we HAD TO BRING IN A PROVEN LOSER?

JaneB said...

It was hard watching Storen blow up today... Like watch g Marquis tha horrible day, but shorter. Stamen wasn't the Good Craig today, either.

On a personal note, thanks to NatsJack for the sunscreen. We needed it. And today I shouted for Werth about two months before I though I could. I gotta say, it's something to see him at bat FOR US. I had to remember not to try to hex him, like before. Niot that it ever helped.and though I still miss Dunn, today I wasn't resentful that LaRoche was the Other Adam. I was just gkad to have him.
PITCHING, We still need PITCHING.

cwj said...

Meh, it's only Spring Training.
All stats, including Storen's ERA, will be reset to zero on opening day of what is known as the Regular Season :)

Drew8 said...

I think Les in NC has a point. Although Harper didn't start, he raised the rebar for the entire team.

Did you ever see a hawk show up in a park? The squirrels and chipmunks RUN.

Anonymous8 said...

JD - I read your comments at 5:22 yesterday and went back to search on my comments to you about your comments when Steve M. called out Storen 2 days in a row and when I took his side you came back with this one for me...


JD said...
Anon8,

I am not calling anyone out. I am just suggesting that people should chill about irrelevant small sample performances....Storen may be working on a new pitch or trying some new grip; so who cares if he gives up a bunch of runs in games which are designed for just such experimentation?

BTW; if you guys choose to stress over every spring training at bat then go for it; whatever makes you happy....

March 5, 2011 11:29 AM


JD - What say you now? I have seen the same thing with young relievers and if they don't believe in themselves they are no good to the team. Case in point was Joel Hanrahan when he was in Washington. Great guy who threw mid '90's and who cares if the opposing batters are hitting them over the fence.

Mark'd said...

I think JD is just trying to keep it positive but reality is Storen has been smashed by bench guys and CAREER minor leaguers. It isn't like it was Pujols and Holliday in yesterday fail.

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