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File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER The Nationals open a three-game series tonight at Sun Life Stadium. |
As if their longstanding struggles against the Marlins aren't enough to overcome, they must again try to do it without a full deck. For the fourth straight day, Rick Ankiel is out of the lineup with a wrist injury. For the third straight day, Michael Morse is out of the lineup with a knee injury. Not the easiest way to try to take down a tough right-hander like Ricky Nolasco.
Jordan Zimmermann is on the hill for the Nats, making his fourth career start against the Marlins. Though he doesn't own a victory yet, he's pitched quite well against them, especially last August 31 when he allowed one hit while striking out nine over six superb innings (in a 1-0 loss).
I'm not in Florida for this weekend's series, so please enjoy the conversation with each another...
NATIONALS at MARLINS
Where: Sun Life Stadium
Gametime: 7:10 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 188
Weather: Scattered storms, 79 degrees, Wind 7 mph out to LF
STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (14-17)
2B Danny Espinosa
3B Alex Cora
RF Jayson Werth
LF Laynce Nix
1B Adam LaRoche
C Ivan Rodriguez
CF Jerry Hairston
SS Ian Desmond
P Jordan Zimmermann
MARLINS (19-11)
CF Chris Coghlan
LF Emilio Bonifacio
SS Hanley Ramirez
1B Gaby Sanchez
RF Mike Stanton
3B Greg Dobbs
C John Buck
2B Omar Infante
P Ricky Nolasco
72 comments:
I remember beating the Giants on Monday night which would make this a 3 game losing streak.
Er, yes. Three-game losing streak. Sorry, it only felt like four losses up in Philly this week!
What's up with Michael Morse and Rick Ankiel? Are they injured?
Plus covering the Caps could have made it seem longer.
Not to mention the third inning last night!
Donald,
You have to be kidding me.Did you even read the article? it's right there:
'Rick Ankiel is out of the lineup with a wrist injury. For the third straight day, Michael Morse is out of the lineup with a knee injury'.
JaneB,
I read your suggestion that Cora hit leadoff; I guess it's not a horrible idea even if he has a lifetime OBP of .311.
The other thing that intrigued me yesterday was Hairston 14 pitch at bat against Haliday; it was utterly brilliant; he fouled off pitch after nasty pitch and then finally singled to extend the rally. How can he look so great in that situation and completely effective less in every other instance?
Also; after that at bat it would have been nice to get a more professional effort from Desmond than a lazy fly ball on the 1st pitch. I really thought we could do some damage against Haliday there and I knew that we were pretty much toast when he got out of it.
Actually Mark, getting beat by the Phillies in those 3 games, felt like a 10 game losing streak!
Goooooooooooooooooooo Nats!
Meanwhile, KC a team everyone relegated to last place this year, which had a worst record than the Nats last year ... is now considered a possible contender since their plethora of prospects seem to have finally put it together. Capped off by bringing top prospect 1B Eric Hosmer up from AAA to be in the heart of their order. They do have the top ranked farm system in major league baseball ... in June it will likely drop to 2nd after Tampa Bay gets to pick 11 (I think?) in the first 90 picks.
Uh Mr. Rizzo? Buehler? Buehler?
Just saw on mlb - Nyger is up to his old antics,having a hissy fit in the dugout. Is the honeymoon over in Milwaukee? I thought someone posted that he is on the dl? Anyway - here's to all of the new nats - tonight it begins, game on, bring it--tonight we get some breaks that go our way, some balls that fall in or go out --GO NATS!!!
He kicked a hole in the drywall of the dugout after he broke his finger on the bunt.
Now's a good time to come out of our hitting slump and give Jordan some run support.
Wonder if Nyjer broke his toe kicking the dugout?
Go Nats!!!
Morgan broke his middle finger sliding I think. The big news in that part of the world is Grienke starting ...
... and seeing what that trade did for the resurgent KC Royals.
They must have planned Mark's non-travel when they thought there'd be something to report in terms of That Other Sport.
Ugh, at least the Philly series is behind us now.
What misery that was!
Come on Nats, time to turn it around.
BTW, I didn't watch yesterday's "game", how did H.Rod look? Did he bring the 100mph heat?
N.
Y.
J.
E.
R.
Read it. Remember it.
What about Nyjer? He's gone. Time to move on
What is it about Nyjer Morgan's name that makes it so hard for some people to spell?
Is the comedian called Gerry Seinfeld?
Is the star of "Friends" called Gennifer Anniston?
Is the former general manager of the Nats called Gim Bowden?
Dave- Some people just type too fast for any type of spelling accuracy :)
Myself, I sit here using two fingers. Takes forever but I'm usually pretty accurate :)
Hanley Ramirez is hitting .198??? Wow I had no idea!
The Nats aren't the only ones not hitting.
Another year of the Pitcher I suppose.
Just checked, the MLB avg is .250!
We've had a lot of "years of the pitcher" since they started testing for PEDs.
True. I think we can officially call an end to the "steroid era".
Is the former general manager of the Nats called Gim Bowden?
Why yes he is and you do'nt have to call me Johnson
So -- Matt Stairs with the big choke - can't even make contact for the sac fly. Very sad and frustrating to have a guy on third with one out and you can't get him in.
Same old, same old against the Marlins. Can't find a way to put them down - They always just manage to hang around long enough to get a 'kill-shot' opportunity to cash in on. I've got an uneasy feeling it's going to happen again.
Matt Stairs, costs this team again. Yet another strikeout.
Please.........oh PLEASE.....!!!
Give it up, Stairs! Show some self respect! Save Rizz'n Riggs from themselves!!! C'mon, now......
Wow Clippard lives by the high fastball. What a strikeout artist.
So, offtopic, but is anyone finding that WM ad behind home plate somewhat comical?
Part Bag.
Part Dumpster.
Marlins.com
Maybe I'm just drunk.
The difference between JMax and Stares is that JMax didn't come in as a pinch hitter with ducks on the pond and less than 2 out and JMax could contribute on defense.
Grandstander - Must have missed it. I see the "Lucas Oil" add...
One more run and they got this game in the bag. Please Nats...just ONE more run
What? How is swinging a bat interference???
I don't get it.
@Grandstander - I noticed it too, and I'm not drunk.
It's not intentional, but it's still interference. We'd be screaming for it if the roles were reversed. These Ks... My oh my, do they kill a rally or what.
Yeah these Ks are hard to take
The Marlins really use that bullpen. All these re-treads.
Clippard: Strikes out the side in both innings.
2IP 6(!) Ks
Talk about strikeouts!
Get em Clip, 6 in a row! Yikes!!!!!
26 between the two teams.
Fl. announcers just said thank goodness Clip is due up in the 9th.
Wow, Clipps sees 6... and strikes every single one of them out!
Is he great to watch or what?
KKKKKK. Magnificent!!!!
I miss Mark's posts!
Matt- Yeah, Clippard may not throw 98mph, but wow what a fun K artist to watch indeed. His control has improved this season as well.
Jordan and Tyler - your teammates owe you big time. Such a shame to see those pitching performances go to waste.
Nats have had so many opportunities to score runs. How much longer will we have to endure Stairs?
Pretty funny about the yahoo sport page having the game over at 3-2 on Stanton's hr.
Excellent!!!!!!
We finally beat these blokes. Way to go, Riggs and the boys!
What a heartburner win. Anyone have Rolaids!?!?
Nats win! Awesome.
I had a bad feeling when Riggs replaced Storen with Burnett.
Yet, it worked.
Go Nats!
Well about damn time we get on the good foot :)
Nats Win!
Golly me, that sure was a fun baseball match to watch. While all those strikeouts frustrated me to great degree, it sure is swell to pull off the win.
That was one ugly win.Don't get me wrong - I'll take it! Now Yahoo sports page has us winning 4-2 - hilarious. Does JZimmnn get the curly w?
Clip-Store-and Burn for tonight.
Pitching wins another game :)
I would give the game ball to Clippard. He was absolutely dominant.
Ugly win? How is 3-2 in 10 innings ugly?
Ugly because of the extreme number of K's and stranded base-runners. Pitching was beautiful, though!
Ugly win? How is 3-2 in 10 innings ugly?
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I'm guessing that has something to do with the 17 runners left on base. Also putting men on the corners with no one out in the bottom of the 10th wasn't too spectacular. I honestly couldn't believe we won the game after that.
Most total strikeouts in nine innings this year.
Excellent job Riggs, get them running for the win. No reason to wait for someone to move them over, or hit into a double play.
No such thing as an ugly win if WE are the ones winning. A Curlie W is a Curlie W.
I love Clippard. Almost as much as Livo, though not AS much.
Happy birthday Willie Mays!
Clippard is my hero. My heart rate is finally starting to slow down!
Had 'em all the way, baybee. (Ha!)
Harper cracks two more doubles and raises his average to .368. Of his 32 hits 17(!) are for extra bases -- 10 doubles and 7 jacks.
In the words of that famed scout, Mary Poppins:
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Good points, but this type of win will be common this season.
With Clip and Stor both pitching 2 innings, and each throwing over 20 pitches, who's gonna pitch late inning relief tomorrow??
Maybe it's time to put HRod to work. He's thrown 4 zero run innings so far.
Looks like Prince Oppo Boppo is living up to his own predictions on his arrival in Natsland by June.
Looks like Ibanez is hitting against the Braves too. You knew he had to come out of the slump against us, but it's not ONLY us. A win makes it all look less bad. I bet we sweep the Marlins for the first time ever this weekend.
Ankiel goes on the DL.
Back comes Bernie?
Yeah Nats!
Anon 1145 what on earth are you talking about Ibonez went 0 for 3 just like he was doing before the Nats series.
When are they going to try a different hitting approach, one I like and it is is exactly what Ray Knight is calling for. In fact lets make it real easy can Eckstein Hire Knight as hitting coach. What Eckstein is preaching is not effective for a team that has no power. You can't wait deep into counts and take a strike or two all the time. Power hitters can other cannot, and the Nats all do it way too much.
You can wait deep into counts if you can protect the plate. Look at Hairston's AB against Halladay. The problem isn't taking pitches, the problem is taking strike 3. You gotta find a way to make contact on nasty stuff and wait for your pitch.
This is little league.
According to Ben Goessling (5/7/11) there are players on the current Nats' team that think that the Oppp Boppo guy could help them.
The only things that are keeping Harper in the minors this year are: 1)Bureaucratic/Financial, i.e. Super2 status; and 2)quasi-developmental issues that can be seen as somewhat plausible, given his age and experience. Learning CF makes sense; hitting progression makes less sense.
According to Goessling, Rizzo avoids a straight answer (not unusual for Rizzo) on Harper's advancemnt.
Underlings in the FO who suggest that they don't want to put pressure on Harper, make even less sense. This kid thrives under pressure. He was born to play baseball, and he knows it.
There are MLB scouts, and players on the team, that think that Oppo Boppo can perform on the 25 man roster, and that's good enough for me--even if he doesn't appear in the Bigs until 2012
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