Friday, March 29, 2013

Nats vs. Yankees - 3/29

Photo by USA Today

Chase here filling in for Mark. The Nationals are finally back home in Washington and ready to get the 2013 season started. But while they have returned from Florida, one more exhibition game stands in their way. In town are the Yankees with their injury-riddled roster and Andy Pettite on the mound. We'll see if Bryce Harper can finally get a hit off the New York lefty. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against Pettite last season.

Davey Johnson said before the game that we should expect to learn of the final bullpen spot some time this evening. As for the Opening Day catcher, he will decide on Sunday. Wilson Ramos is starting today and coming off of a good week. If he has another great day at the plate it may help his cause.

Anyways, here are the lineups...


WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. NEW YORK YANKEES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 2:05 p.m. EST
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK
Weather: Cloudy, 52 degrees
NATIONALS
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman



1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
C Wilson Ramos
DH Steve Lombardozzi
(RHP Jordan Zimmermann)

YANKEES
CF Brett Gardner
RF Ichiro Suzuki
2B Robinson Cano
3B Kevin Youkilis
DH Travis Hafner
LF Vernon Wells
1B Lyle Overbay
SS Eduardo Nunez
C Chris Stewart
(LHP Andy Pettite)

2:14 p.m. -- We are underway here at Nationals Park. Jordan Zimmermann took out the first two Yankees batters with no problem, but Cano then launched a double off the wall with two outs and Youkilis walked. Espinosa made a fantastic sliding stop in shallow right and got Hafner out at first to end the frame.

2:21 p.m. -- Nats went scoreless in the bottom of the first, but Harper of course did get on. At this point it's more of a surprise if he gets out. This time, however, it was against Pettite who I noted earlier gave him major troubles last summer.

2:29 p.m. -- Zimmermann got out of the second after allowing a single to Nunez. He has now thrown 34 pitches.

2:35 p.m. -- No one on for the Nats in the bottom of the second as Danny Espinosa lines out. Can Harper hit for everybody?

2:41 p.m. -- Zimmermann gets out of the third without allowing a hit. Cano again didn't make thing easy by fouling off several pitches before flying out. Someone tell him this is an exhibition game.

2:51 p.m. -- The Nats again go scoreless in the bottom of the third. Ramos broke his bat on a groundout and it almost hit Pettite who ducked out of the way. Lombardozzi then struck out before Span got on with a single. He hit a shallow floater that dropped in left field, something the Nats will love to see often this year. Werth struck out to end the inning on a pitch right down the middle.

3:04 p.m. -- Okay, so things got interesting in the top of the fourth. Youkilis hit a homer off Zimmermann to lead off, then Hafner got on because of a poor throw from Zimm at third. (looked off balance, but either way it was short). Vernon Wells then hit a double to left-center to get two men on with no outs. A Nunez double brought both runners home to put the Yankees up 3-0. Nunez then came on on a Chris Stewart hit. Zimmermann now out, Duke comes in. 4-0 New York.

3:11 p.m. -- Duke got the final two outs of the inning on groundouts, he looked sharp. Even took a comebacker from Ichiro in stride with no problem. Zimmermann final line: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 SO, 69 pitches (49 strikes)

3:20 p.m. -- Ryan Zimmerman got on with one out because of a throwing error by Youkilis at third base. Desmond then sent him home with a grounder up the middle. 4-1 Yankees.

3:36 p.m. -- Duke got out of the 5th with no runs allowed after allowing singles to Cano and Wells. He got things done, but it took him a while. He's already thrown 33 pitches.

3:44 p.m. -- Andy Pettite sets the Nats down in order, capping off the inning by striking out Denard Span. Pettite has been solid with only three hits allowed through five. Henry Rodriguez now in to pitch with Kurt Suzuki now behind the plate.

3:55 p.m. -- Henry allowed a walk to Brett Gardner, but was otherwise solid. On to the bottom of the sixth with Pettite still on the mound.

4:01 p.m. -- The Nats got another run on the board in the bottom of the sixth as Zimmerman doubled with one out and LaRoche knocked him home. 4-2 Yankees. Ryan Mattheus now in to start the top of the seventh.

4:12 p.m. -- One, two, three for Mattheus who looks as sharp as he did last season. Now in to pitch for the Yankees is Joba Chamberlain. 4-2 New York still.

4:16 p.m. -- Nats were set down in order by Joba, now Tyler Clippard takes the mound to start the eighth.

4:23 p.m. -- Clippard gets out of the top of the eighth without allowing anyone on base. Another good inning for the Nats bullpen. Duke, Rodriguez, Mattheus, and Clippard all looked good today. Also, 38,161 announced attendance for those who are interested.

4:42 p.m. -- Drew Storen came in to pitch the top of the ninth, the first time he graced the mound at Nats Park since last October in Game 5. He allowed a single to Melky Mesa and needed 21 pitches, but got through the inning otherwise unscathed. On to the top bottom of the ninth.

4:44 p.m. -- Oh, and some dude named Mariano Rivera is coming in to pitch. Someone told me he is pretty good.

4:48 p.m. -- And that's the ball game, Rivera closed it out for a final score of 4 to 2.

72 comments:

natsfan1a said...

Thanks, Chase. I'm sooo ready for real baseball to begin next week.

sjm308 said...

On metro headed for the Navy Yard!

Doc said...

OK sportsfans, these are the Yanks that are supposed to finish the season 4-5 wins ahead of the Nats in '13, according to PECOTA ratings.

They need to clean house and fire a few sabernerds over there at Baseball Prospectus, or as Dan Plesac stated on MLB Network, "...they must be drinking too much sugar in their Kool Aide..."!

EmDash said...

Well, every projection system out there is built to look at past performance, and if you've got a young team coming in to its own - the Nats, for example - they're going to underrate you. Just an inevitable limitation; it looks for similar players, but if you're a player like Harper, there aren't many players. I'm sure everyone involved in PECOTA would admit that there's going to be missed projections every year, and BA/wins turn on fortunate bounces as much as anything.

And, to be fair to the Yankees, they've been hit unusually hard with injuries this offseason - that's something projection systems of course really can't predict.

natsfan1a said...

And we need to do this why? ;-)

And, to be fair to the Yankees

Faraz Shaikh said...

Harper vs Pettite take 2. Go Bryce!!!

Candide said...

Apologies if I'm not caught up, but Section222 put up a post the other day about an NI get-together before Monday's game. What's the status on that? What time? What's the location (was somewhere in the 300s, IIRC)? Will someone be there holding up a sign that says "NIDO Drink Settlement Area" for those of us who don't know the faces very well?

EmDash said...

Ha, I know, I've always been too much of a bleeding heart. *g*

Also, interesting article from the Post on Harper and Strasburg. The Washington Times has a lot of season preview stuff, too, but I don't have a link handy...

Faraz Shaikh said...

JV signs an extension with Tigers.

Doc said...

To be fair EmDash the Yanks don't need any bleeding hearts--just a bank routing number! LOL

Also, a good orthopedic surgeon or two!

Even with their lineup without injuries, it would be hard for any competent professional predicting organization to predict the declining Yanks with a better record than the Nats.

GIGO for Baseball Prospectus, my friend!

Maybe PECOTA might try better garbage next time!!

Jim Webster said...

Chilly in Sec 224.

peric said...

Ho hum all they do is talk about Harper and Stras ... and have to admit those two will bring the rest up in their game.

My money is on Tyler Moore breaking out and having a huge season as the Nat's premier power hitter. And JZimmnn finally proving that he is better than a #2 to Stras. As we have seen he can throw 97 as well ... when he wants to ... be interesting to see if he takes that experience as a reliever and mixes it in with the pitch-to-contact mantra he embraced from McCatty.

Scooter said...

I'm not sure what this means, but today's game is the MLB TV free game of the day. I guess that means if you have a computer, but no MLB TV subscription, you can still watch the game.

peric said...

If Harper is in CF that double is an out.

baseballswami said...

That's what it means. Second one this week. # popular

Anonymous said...

Watching online from my office (shhhh!); no dugout reporter today (at least, not that I can tell)--they haven't replaced Kristina Akra who went to MLB Network. Wonder if they will?

natsfan1a said...

It's fine with me if they don't. Not a fan of sideline reporting generally.

natsfan1a said...

Nice gesture by Soriano to have the jersey signed by teammates for Mariano.

natsfan1a said...

It's okay, FP. We could read the sign on tv, too.

Faraz Shaikh said...

Posey signs a long term deal. next up: kershaw?

Tcostant said...

First the Wainwright deal and now this:

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130329/SPORTS0104/303290431

The cost of pitching is going way up.

baseballswami said...

Lots of money being thrown around.

Tcostant said...

The Nationals need that MASN situation resolved!

Faraz Shaikh said...

8 years, $167 million deal for Posey.

baseballswami said...

T. I agree !!!! Way past time.

natsfan1a said...

Good for Buster.

natsfan1a said...

Is it me, or is Youkalis' head smaller?

natsfan1a said...

er, Youkilis.

baseballswami said...

It's just the missing hair.

baseballswami said...

Even in exhibition, Pettite gets the reputation pitches.

natsfan1a said...

He didn't have all that much hair before, other than the beard.

I was thinking the same thing on Pettite.

baseballswami said...

Pleasantly surprised at Duke's pitching. No matter who the Yankees run out there, they always make the pitcher work for outs. I wish more of our hitters did that. I am so much more ok with Zachary Duke now.

baseballswami said...

HROD warming!!!!

baseballswami said...

No worries. He won't melt down until the games count.

baseballswami said...

That curve is insane.

baseballswami said...

I could have stolen that base.

Anna Peregrina said...

Good Henry!

natsfan1a said...

Gosh, I love that video.

baseballswami said...

Sigh.... I could watch that every day.

Faraz Shaikh said...

Which video??

baseballswami said...

Werthquake.

natsfan1a said...

Werth's Game 4 walkoff.

baseballswami said...

Ryan Zimmerman has facial hair!

natsfan1a said...

NIDO, here I come.

Faraz Shaikh said...

oh yeah, true that.

baseballswami said...

Haha. I think I owe you one from earlier this week. Haven't been on the site to catch up.

natsfan1a said...

I don't remember, truth be told.

baseballswami said...

What's up with Mattheus??? He going to be this dominant ???? Under the radar. Looks awesome.

natsfan1a said...

Okay, that was just weird with the Doughboy.

natsfan1a said...

He does look good.

natsfan1a said...

Ha, look at the 'stache on Joba.

baseballswami said...

Espi crushed that ball. Couple of the guys really squaring up today. Didn't get results, but don't have to run the bases and pull hammies, either.

baseballswami said...

Carpenter- that's a Picasso pitch- painted it. Nice!

baseballswami said...

Relief pitching pretty frickin' bueno today.

natsfan1a said...

So, evidently WJLA 7 has a special at 8 tonight: here come the Nationals.

natsfan1a said...

They are looking rather studly out of the 'pen today, I would agree.

baseballswami said...

Ok- sounds a bit cheesy, but I will DVR it.

baseballswami said...

Drew in the ninth- at Nats Park, in front of a crowd. Flashback.

natsfan1a said...

Agreed on the title. I just like seeing that kind of coverage. Remember back in the day when we'd watch the local news waiting for coverage of a Nats win, only to see in-depth coverage of an offseason pointy-ball transaction or some such. I'd be yelling at the tv: "Excuse me, wasn't there a baseball game today?" Good times. :-)

natsfan1a said...

Well done on the attendance.

baseballswami said...

We are in mid- season form here today, folks.

natsfan1a said...

Speaking of the DVR, I set it for the replay of Game 4 on Monday morning. Haven't seen the broadcast as I was at the game.

natsfan1a said...

Best shape of our lives.

natsfan1a said...

Druuuu

baseballswami said...

Nice to see Drew pitching effectively. Maybe put some demons to rest?

Dryw Loves the Nats said...

Ok, was Drew's stuff really sick today or something? I was watching on gameday, and the pitch tracker had at least 2 pitches showing up nowhere near borderline (clearly strikes on the screen) that were called as balls and at least 1 swinging strike on a pitch that the tracker showed as several miles outside. I know Drew can throw some stuff that MOVES, but that was just crazy looking!

baseballswami said...

Will Rhymes is tiny.

natsfan1a said...

Good-bye, Yankees. Hello, real baseball!

baseballswami said...

Dryw - entire pen was great today. Weird strike zone for exhibition. Pettite clearly got the veteran zone. I know JZ will be fine. Happy to see Duke look ok, pen look silly. Lots of balls squared up or scalded. Now, if no one got dinged up we are ready to go.

MJR said...

I do hope Nats fans were classy enough to give Rivera some kind of ovation. So glad he was able to come back...and that he's in the other league!

baseballswami said...

New post! Instant analysis. Just like old times.

Joe Seamhead said...

Rivera was given a standing ovation, MJR, before the game. Peric, I was sitting in the bleachers today, and I don't know what angle you saw that double to center from, but Willie Mays couldn't have caught that ball.Span does need to learn that Harper has a much stronger arm then he has.

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