 |
US Presswire photo Ivan Rodriguez congratulates Drew Storen at the end of the Nats' 5-2 win. |
Thus, the Zimmerman-less Nats have now taken two of three from the defending World Series champions, with a chance to take the series tomorrow night.
Rich Dubroff has the full story on CSNwashington.com.
34 comments:
Nice recap, good job Rich.
Saw some things in the post-game that were really different; Riggleman challenged the reporters and didn't let them get away with putting words in his mouth and -- get ready for it-- he actually smiled and laughed. They must have taught him how to do that for his commercials!
I thought the Ford kid looked safe on that steal. It was bang bang and glad the Nats got the call. Big turn of momentum in the game as it was 3-2 at that point.
Doesn't matter. Riggleman does not win 70 games. Either he or Rizzo gets the axe and I am betting on interim Jim.
Agreed. Thanks, Rich.
Cwj said...
Nice recap, good job Rich.
May 1, 2011 6:59 PM
How have we taken two from SFO? did you not see the scoreline yesterday?
Friday and today = two wins.
8:16---
W Friday, L Saturday, W Sunday.
Two of three.
Hopefully, LaRoche especially starts hitting. And, Ankiel might be gone by midseason. Play Bernie in center and bring up Harper next year (for CF) and move Bernie to left.
Hey, what's the latest on Wang? Will we ever see him pitch in Nationals Park?
Anonymous said...
How have we taken two from SFO? did you not see the scoreline yesterday?
May 1, 2011 8:16 PM
______________________________
It is difficult sometimes wading through opinions you don't agree with however, that is part of the process debating those points. These self-inaccurate comments just are a waste of space for me.
I sometimes think of this place as Nats Insider as there are many great people that post very insightful information and take time to research stats that hit home and many of those people are themselves Nats Insiders.
I just went to see what Ben Goessling had to say at MASN and see some post that Ben correctly responded to. SHEESH
If the Nats manage to average 12 wins a month ... and that's a real leap of faith because right now they are playing about as good as they ever will especially without Zimmerman and given the starting pitching ...
They end up with between 60 and 70 wins. That is NOT improving. Its regressing.
-------------------------
They won 12 in April, and played 26. If they do that each month, they'd have 72 wins with another six to go.
Also: They won. Enjoy it.
Ben
Uh, I think Mark went to the wrong game again.
Pitching and defense will take you a loooong way boys. Ohhh, so Ford looked sfe on his steal. Tough. The frickin umps have hosed us all year. Bout time we got a break. Riggs is smiling in the post game? Hold on.....my knees buckled!
Maybe they need to send Mark out to take pix at the Caps game once in a while.
This has nothing to do with baseball, but I just heard a breaking news bulletin that Osama bin Laden has been killed by a U.S. bomb. Whoopee!
Sec3... No ZUCKERMAN effect! You are on to something....
From another post...I'm loving FP. I like hearing strategy, and what they should be doing. I learn a lot from him. Like Dibble a lot, like FP even more. I think the Giants were nuts not to keep him.
I just went to see what Ben Goessling had to say at MASN and see some post that Ben correctly responded to. SHEESH
It just might be because some here have been to this repeating rodeo and know how it ends anonymous8. You must be a newbie.
Great Unwashed- I second that whoopee (but it was a bullet not a bomb).
Back to baseball (before you and I get banned! lol)
I like FP. Carpenter can get just a little annoying at times.
I was once a big fan of Dibble, but grew tired of his "pitcher should have thrown this" and "should have thrown that". A broken record basically.
Meanwhile, looks like Detwiler is regressing in Syracuse. 7 runs in 2+ innings while Maya continues to improve. Still think Detwiler will be called up before Maya Mark?
Yeah Cwj, you're right. It was a bullet. The media was reporting that bin Laden was killed by a bomb when the story first broke, but within a few minutes more details came out. But we got him, and that's what matters.
Back to baseball. I liked Dibble; I also like FP. I like his self-deprecating humor too. And I heard him say, like some of the posters on a previous thread, that yesterday's game was lost in the first two innings. So he's on the same page with many of the Nats Insiders.
No doubt about it, the win today was good. But man, this team can be streaky.
Tim said...
One more thing: Pudge will be gone by the trade deadline... That's why he's still playing now... And playing well, I might add. Ramos has been electric and he's learning from one classy future Hall of Famer.
Ankiel will probably be gone by the deadline, too, although he briings a lot of intangibles, defense, arm, etc.
Ladson was predicting a Pudge trade before the season began ... well that's Ladson. I agree that would be the right move for this ballclub but Pudge has indicated that he wants to stay! And I don't often agree with Nats sycophant and MASN announcer Phil Wood but in this case ... I agree there does appear to be a symmetry of synergy!
Yes, Ramos is learning from Pudge. But Ramos looks pretty awesome. I mean who knew that he could be another Posey? Maybe even better! The way he catches and hits! Definitely a ROY candidate (along with Danny Espinosa). I think Phil Wood is onto something ... competition with a really outstanding prospect and talented player like Ramos has brought the best out in Pudge as well! He may never be the offensive threat he once was ... but today his bat looked like its about to come to alive. He was getting around on Matt Cain pitches.
So, I am wondering if the two do not feed off each other?
As for Ankiel. I believe both Rizzo AND most especially Riggleman selected this guy and wanted to sign him to start in CF. Remember, Riggleman spent a lot of time in the St. Louis organization under LaRussa. He knows Ankiel. He looks like the kind of veteran Riggleman would like. I believe many of the beat writers covering the Nats heard rumors to the effect that he was the designated starter the day Ankiel signed. Kind of attested to by Werth as well. So, as much as I wish and hope you are right. I rather doubt he will be traded. And typically Riggleman said he wants him batting second.
Why Riggleman likes these sub .300 OBP guys batting first and second makes me wonder about his baseball intellect? Its likely why the guy has the terrible record as a major league manager. Hairston leading off? Followed by Ankiel? Might as well bat Boomer Whiting first followed by Jason Botts that is the kind of lineup Riggleman would put together. Makes you wish for Nick Johnson ... even FLop!?
Its why Riggleman has to go if the record takes a dive by the trading deadline. It sure seems like a good iart of the reason these guys are playing, on the 40-man, the 25-man and almost starting (Hairston, Cora, Ankiel etc) are because Riggleman wants them.
And that's why I suspect it may be Riggleman who is gone before any major trade occurs in June or July.
Sec 3, My Sofa said...
Maybe they need to send Mark out to take pix at the Caps game once in a while.
May 1, 2011 10:32 PM
Yeah, serioulsy, as soon as they go to OT, Mark better be pulling out his camera and heading down towards the ice.
"Why Riggleman likes these sub .300 OBP guys batting first and second makes me wonder about his baseball intellect?"
posted by (of course, Anonymous)
In terms of OBP options, Riggleman has few to pick from. Then again, someone of Anonymous' intellect would likely have Ramos or Marquis batting first.
OK, here's what they need to do:
1) cut Stairs and Cora. Thanks guys, it's been fun, enjoy the pensions.
2) Call up Bixler and Bernie. I am under no illusions of them being major-league regulars, but they sure look to be a step up.
3) Seriously consider starting Bernie in CF for a while. That .205 avg of Ankiel's just won't get it done.
4) Try Morse at 3b for a while. He's not hitting either, and if he doesn't come around, put Hairston back.
5) Put Nix in LF. I know he's not that good, but he's better than what we have.
6) Put LaRoche on the 15-day DL now. Might as well start the dance that ends up with him on the operating table now.
7) Marrero, I guess, should get his spot at 1b.
That's ignoring the bullpen, which is doing so-so, but I'm not happy with the guys who aren't Clippard/Storen. But it's time to make moves on the guys who we kept only because they're out of options and have better performers in AAA.
Kevin Rusch, section 406 said...
It is fun to play GM & Manager, isn't it? If I had the power to implement you plan, I'd do it just to see how it plays out, LOL...
UNTERP
Rizzo has been clear what he wants to do: pitching, defense, wait for our farm to start producing.
April Marks:
Pitching: A-. 25 games with 5+ innings, and the 2nd lowest use of the bullpen! Rizzo picked up Gorzelanny, Marquis and Livan Part 2.
Fielding: B. Some really good plays, and smarter playing in general. Still getting too many errors. Our catching is superb. Outfield arms are much better. Nats are holding base runners.
Waiting on the farm: B+. Guys like Cora, Nix, Ankiel and Hairston are not part of the long term plan. They are here so that we don't do what Bowden did too much: bring up guys before they are ready. In the old days we had too many AAAA guys who looked lost in the bigs, and a few Bad News Bears types (Dukes, LoDuka, Dmitri).
There are few stars, but, like last years Giants, the Nats are able to over-achieve because Riggleman has much better choices on the bench and in the bullpen.
Nattydread said...
This is too good. Who are u?
UNTERP
Hi UNTERP
I grew up in DC with the Senators and am the Nats biggest fan in Nairobi Kenya...
Loved the grades and I don't think we can put a grade on this but did anyone ever think that another reason we kept the "old folks" over the youngsters is that it was a total remake of the clubhouse. We are never privy to what goes on before or after a game but I have to think that there is very little panic with these guys. I hear Kevin Rusch wanting to put several of our oldsters out to pasture and bring in the young guys but we are hanging around .500 and I am betting that Cora, Stairs etc are doing more then just playing the game. I am hoping they are talking hitting, positional play and other stuff to our young guys and that it is helping Ramos, Desmond and Espinosa as well as our pitchers. We are not great but I don't see our FO making lots of moves now. yeah, it would be fun to play GM but if I am playing GM I let things ride until the slide is so great I don't think they can turn around. Still hope for 75+ wins and right now, that is looking good.
Go Nats
Nattydread said...
Hi UNTERP
I am one of those fans who want instant gratification, forgetting how decimated the farm system was for the Expos, and blind to the fact of how to build an organization literally from the bottom up. It is and can be a painful process. For all the Nationals fans, the future is bright and close to fruition...
UNTERP
Anonymous said... Meanwhile, looks like Detwiler is regressing in Syracuse. 7 runs in 2+ innings while Maya continues to improve. Still think Detwiler will be called up before Maya Mark? May 2, 2011 12:11 AM
http://syracuse.chiefs.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t552&t=g_box&gid=2011_05_01_rocaaa_syraaa_1
Isn't that called regression analysis where your numbers tend back to the mean?
This is why I have been advocating getting Detwiler to DC as this experiment of seeing if he is a top line starter is wasting time and depending on what Rizzo does in the off-season there may or may not be a spot for him in the starting ro' anyway.
Strasburg, JZim, Lannan, and Gorzelanny and one open spot for a Free Agent or a contract extension.
If you listen to Phil Wood (Mr. Flavor of the Day), he says extend Marquis NOW for 2 to 3 years. Funny.
Seriously though, can Detwiler be better than the "sure" things you have? I say no, which is why I keep saying, get him into the bullpen and release Slaten.
Who watched the Mets/Phillies game last night? If you did, you saw Byrdak come in for the Mets in his LOOGY appearance against Ryan Howard and he got "Slaten'd". Soft blooper served to left field on that lefty slow breaker for the tying run.
These LH hitters (except for Adam Dunn) know its coming and you need a hard throwing lefty specialist in your bullpen these days for those critical situations. I still think Slaten has lost 3 games for this team and I also think that on Saturday if Riggleman went by the book and brought in relief and last week against the Mets had more help he could count on in the bullpen, you win both of those games.
Detwiler and Burnett can come in against lefties and stay.
We are getting closer and that makes me happy but as I continue to see us improve, its still rough when we throw a game away or Riggs makes a move that drives us crazy. I am not in that group that wants Riggs gone right now, nor do I see that happening as long as we hover around .500 but I do often wonder if he is the person that can take us to the next level? Again, I am not that aggressive GM that I read on here often but I am also not sticking my head in the sand about the fact that we have work to do.
Steve M.
absolutely agree that I would love to see Detwiller in the pen instead of in SYR. Look how the Rays used Price early in his career and that has worked out very well. Its just a totally different life in the majors and Ross could be out in the pen, learning and filling several roles. He could obviously used against lefthanders, but could also pitch long relief and spot start. Not sure he can gain much more in AAA.
Ha ha, after reading so man posts about Detwiller I am in the pool who thinks that he's better off refining his skills at Syracuse. To me he is a starter until proven otherwise with plus pitches. One of the problems with Detwiller as was the case with several of their past young hurdlers was that too many were forced into the big leagues before they were ready. Of course the organization didn't have much choice. In many ways to summarize the Expos/Nationals, but more specifically to the last three or four years is that they have been living in a state of perpetual limbo. The GM has been restricted to making big FA moves for obvious reasons that no one wants to come to a flailing organization and the farm system is in a developmental stage not just ready to promote to majors. Also, luck plays a major role into all of this, and really, no team has been as unlucky (Bowden, injuries, limp players, poor umpiring, etc.) or lucky (Strasburg and Harper) as the Nationals. Limbo...
UNTERP
Post a Comment