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US Presswire file photo Rogers Centre hosts the Nationals for the next three days. |
Harper will bat second and man right field, with Roger Bernadina back in center field for the second straight day. Davey Johnson said he wants to get Bernadina some more playing time, certainly after he delivered the game-winning double yesterday in Boston. The highly athletic outfielder does have six hits over his last 11 at-bats and has reached base 10 times in his last 16 plate appearances.
Edwin Jackson gets the assignment for the Nationals, facing a Blue Jays lineup that features a whole lotta thunder out of the Nos. 3 and 4 holes; Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion have each clubbed 17 homers already this season.
I'm not in Toronto for this series, but please continue the conversation as always right here...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Where: Rogers Centre
Gametime: 7:07 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 178
Weather: Indoors
NATIONALS (35-23)
LF Steve Lombardozzi
RF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
DH Michael Morse
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
CF Roger Bernadina
C Jesus Flores
(RHP Edwin Jackson)
BLUE JAYS (31-29)
3B Brett Lawrie
CF Colby Rasmus
RF Jose Bautista
DH Edwin Encarnacion
2B Kelly Johnson
SS Yunel Escobar
1B David Cooper
C J.P. Arencibia
LF Rajai Davis
(RHP Brandon Morrow)
UMPIRES
TBA
321 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 321 of 321 Newer› Newest»The BoSox need to BEAT the fish. Didn't they get the memo?
Gonat.. Just saw that..good for the Kings..can't root for anyting from New Jersey except Bruce.
Swami... Yup, occasionally we all have our rose colored glasses off (me and X Nady don't mix), so just a reminder that we are in 1st place.
Lombo with a bunt that worked as good as a line drive!
But what about your Imaginary Friends who may hail from NJ, MichelleS? You root for and with us, right?
Heard some chatter this morning on MLB radio about the Nats potentially going after Alfonso Soriano. I don't think there was any real basis for the report, but it's an interesting idea. Would be more interesting if the Nats were in the AL and had an open DL slot. Not sure where Soriano would fit in once Werth returns.
JaneB.. its only the Sports Teams from New Jersey that I can't root for.
And Boz on the Shark:
Thomas Boswell@ThomasBoswellWP
Bernadina hurt on play w no throw to 3rd or even hint of throw. No need to slide, much less head 1st. Too bad. Total waste 4 team & player.
Bryce hitting .297 and his BABIP is better than your BABIP because he hits the ball so hard.
Busy weekend, bad day at work, feeling under the weather = my natitude is decidedly on the negative side tonight. Good teams pick each other up - thanks.
Corn, that Soriano report sounds unlikely, at least, even if the Cubs pick up most of his salary.
NOOO To Soriano! Where would we stick him? Bleech! NO NO NO NO.. Bad for clubhouse as well.
Ian!
Also on the Bryce being out at 3B.. Charlie Slowes on twitter reported that BO WAVED him into 3B.. (Boz was questioning the move to 3B)
Charlie Slowes@Charlie_Slowes
@ThomasBoswellWP In defense of Bryce, Bo waived him to 3B.
What a great hit for Desmond! That ball was off the plate at his knees, and he still put it into right, deliberately. I am impressed.
Well, at least we got a run out of it.
1 run on 4 hits. At least they got a run, but not capitalizing. This game should be 7-1
Is there a reason Davey is not resting Flores, he is killing us at the plate, why not let him rest and play Solodano?
I hope 5-1 holds, feel like it should be 7-1. Bo Porter, another dumb call, that is 3 in two weeks. Was not Bryce's fault, Nats radio said Porter sent him.
Gonat, yes should be 7-1 at least 6-1
Mick..our Beat Reporters have reported that it will take JFLO being dragged off the field in order to get him out of the lineup.. I have a feeling he gets one of the days off in this series.
BTW.. GOOD On Ejax for buckling down and getting through 7.
MicheleS, the Kings lead seems to be following the Nats. 4-0
Gonat.. I love it!! Nothing better than watching the Stanley Cup being celebrated (and I hope it is tonight). I have friends that are Kings Fans so I am rooting for them!!!
Desmond going the opposite field is a wonderful sign of a maturing hitter --- looking very Jeter-like.
There's a night game tomorrow, and a day game Wednesday. Flores won't catch both of them, so if he didn't catch tonight, Soldano gets 2, and that's not going to happen. And if Flores is killing them, half the teams that play on any given day would love to die like that, up 5-1.
Nice, ALR!
I still haven't found that ALR Shersey at the Team store.. sigh.. I love good defense.
rogieshan said...
Desmond going the opposite field is a wonderful sign of a maturing hitter --- looking very Jeter-like.
June 11, 2012 9:35 PM
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Insert photo of Davey smiling. Also another clutch hit w/ RISP and 2 outs.
WOW.. Ank hits the long ball!
Swing hard in case you hit it, Rick!
I like Francisco Cordero!
Short by an inch. Man, that Flores is killing us!
Thomas Boswell@ThomasBoswellWP
Nats=bad situational hitting. Wasted ~3 runs. Desmond, blooming, saves game 'mo' w 2-out RBI hit. Lead 5-1. Still, waste is often punished.
My answer to Boz:
MicheleS@AshburnNatsFan
@ThomasBoswellWP You do realize we are winning? Right?
Has anyone seen any Expos gear in the crowd? I thought there would at least be a handful of diehards. Of course, I realize it's a Monday night and Montreal is a healthy six hour drive from Toronto.
6-1... dang, we might even win this one...
Soul, you're kidding, yes?
Looks like we get an HRod sighting tonight.
I thought HRod was still on the DL?!?
Yes Jane.. Sould is kidding...JFLO is our backbone and the poor guy couldn't get a home run (he deserves a slow trot arount the bases)
Jane, I was responding to Mick.
Taking the Mickey, you might say.
And Boz and I are having a disagreement:
Thomas Boswell@ThomasBoswellWP
@AshburnNatsFan That's not how u watch baseball, imo. Good managers can win by 5 & be disgusted. For 162 it's 'how did we play,' not score.
MicheleS@AshburnNatsFan
@ThomasBoswellWP And I have NO doubt that Davey will address that. Ank was already talking to Harp about that out at 3rd.
Way to break out of a slump with a homer Rick! We'll need his bat with Bernadina out for an unknown time period.
This is one way to give Clip a night off.
Bernadina has hamstring pull
What time is the Insider thing at Penn Quarter on Thursday? I'm trying to talk my husband into meeting some of my Imaginary Friends.
so does Ejax close?
Go get 'im, Michele!
JaneB.. 6 to 8 pm
For what it's worth, I watch like MichelleS does. I disagree with Boz, too.
Jane, as I recall, a surprising number sent regrets. No reason not to go, you just might not want to get his hopes up.
Not being a downer on a great night but a realist in that Ank gets a hit which is great except it is another low leverage hit.
Desmond and Harper have been the go to guys in high leverage situations.
Gonat, yes, but ... this is a hitter's ball park. That out-of-grand-slam-range run is not trivial.
Marlins win 4-1, Yankees still lead Barves 3-0 in the 9th.
Glad Davey isn't screwing around. W's are more important than complete games and padding stats.
Really great, great outting EJax!
"Bernadina has hamstring pull."
Nady must have nine lives, or a very useful voodoo doll.
REALLY??? we can't do anything the easy way!
PHEW!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
No Let Down from Boston!
And that's where the 3-run lead feels so much easier.
Hurrah!
(And Gio, you really should pick @LinSpenc126 for the gala).
Hope Morrow gets well next week. Very nice win. Didn't get the blow-out win, did get a nice Win. No Kardiac moments tonight. Braves lost. Nats lead over the Braves is now 3.
another curly Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!
ESPN.. BBTN about to do a big thing on Stras...
If Wang's breaking ball is on tomorrow, we are n good shape, if not then we are lookig at a high scoring game 7-6, 8-7
Strange how Nats lead tracked the Kings lead. Nats win by 3 and Kings up by 3.
"WOOOO-HOOOO!!!!"
(Copyright, MicheleS, 2011).
And, Michele, don't let Boz give you any grief. He's so used to covering a loser, he doesn't appreciate this bunch.
GYFNG!!!
mick said...
If Wang's breaking ball is on tomorrow, we are n good shape, if not then we are lookig at a high scoring game 7-6, 8-7
June 11, 2012 10:16 PM
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Need his sinker to be sinking!
Wonder if we will see Eric Komatsu up to replace Bernadina, or is Marrero ahead of schedule?
Wow, this is a LOT more fun than it used to be!
How about that No. 4 starter? Holy cow.
The Nats are 13-8 in the brutal stretch with 11 games to go. How impressive is this?
Do you know what you call a sinker that doesn't sink? A stinker!
It's weird.. In Boz's columns.. Boz is always pouring the Koolaid and on twiter he gets testy. Maybe with the columns he has a chance to ponder what happened in the game and on twitter he just reacts (just like we do).
As we discussed early in the game was EJax struggling in the 1st and then getting in a groove.
Key stat Good news/Bad news Team RISP: 4-for-18
anyone know how Werth and Storen rehab is going?
Wang pitching well tomorrow is critical... we do not need issues at the 5th spot if we plan on playing in October.
MicheleS said...
It's weird.. In Boz's columns.. Boz is always pouring the Koolaid and on twiter he gets testy. Maybe with the columns he has a chance to ponder what happened in the game and on twitter he just reacts (just like we do).
June 11, 2012 10:24 PM
________________________________
We said before how Boz goes hot & cold. I don't have a problem with anything he said as he was right but to some it does make some of this hot/cold look a bit disingenous.
A good win I thought. Did we really leave an unusual number of runners LOB ?
Try that again "disingenuous"
what did Boz say?? I miss something
jeffwx said...
A good win I thought. Did we really leave an unusual number of runners LOB ?
June 11, 2012 10:33 PM
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Again, good news bad news. Nats had lots of runners LOB but also scored 6 runs which is well above average.
we have to rest Flores for Yankees series, play the kid Tues and wed
Mick. read thru the game thread and Boz and i going back and forth on Twitter.
What you call a sinker that doesn't sink? A dinger.
Hey all,
My comment about my 4-weeks-fan daughter generated a lot of positive comments -- thanks all!
Just wanted to report her observations today (she's learning fast, and has a couple of good instincts)
1. Upon turning on the game, she was completely disoriented. What's grass doing in the infield? she asked (she'd never seen an indoor game or a game on artificial turf yet). When I explained that it's a domed stadium, she pronounced her judgement: playing indoors is against the spirit of baseball.
2. She immedately noticed Morse's shave
3. When Morse got the sac fly, she turned to me and said, "that was a productive out" (a phrase she learned from me yesterday when I was ranting about Flores' K and Shark's bunt pop up with guys on 2nd and 3rd -- "if you make an out with guys on base, especially if a guy is on third, it has to be productive" I explained yesterday.)
4. When Ankiel hit the HR, she turned to me and said, "see, when he hits it, he hits it far -- I've never seen him on first base except when he walks."
Dang, she's really getting the hang of this!
Storen threw off a mound again today...first time was Friday. Don't know anything about Werth.
Ho hum, just another win.
=)
I am guessing there will be no instant analysis so I was forced to look at in-game posts. It wasn't too horrible but I continue to be amazed at the negativity during this wonderful season. We have a 5 run lead going into the 9th and people are still complaining it should be more.
Flores gets his day off tomorrow, will catch Stras in the afternoon and then get a 2nd day off on Thursday as we come home to play the Yankees.
I agree with Soul Possesion, if he is killing us then please keep it up. People are always talking about offense but Flores calls a great game and has the pitchers confidence. Its like asking for Davey to rest LaRoche, his defense alone will save us almost every day and he is on track for over 20 home runs this year so why would you rest him?
Ankiel crushed that ball and I am sure no one will give him any credit either.
We are guaranteed to return home in first place and I don't know how you can ask for more.
Michelle, don't let Boz push you around. He has flip flopped more times then I can count and you have been there since day 1.
Wooooo Hoooo!!
Go Nats
Tweets or comments during the game can't count against any ones long term record.
I may not always agree with Boz but he does usually back up his opinions with numbers. Changing your mind in baseball is like Earl Weaver's quote. Everything changes everything.
Nats Win. Great Game funny Davey interview.
Loving the daughter reports, wonk. Good for you both. My daughter also noticed the odd grass, and no dirt between the bases, even before I did.
JaneB said...
But what about your Imaginary Friends who may hail from NJ, MichelleS? You root for and with us, right?
Count me as another imaginary friend from NJ. Will I see any of you Thursday night?
5-1 on an empty netter and the Kings will win Lord Stanley's Cup.
Uh, make that 6-1
Mick - we have Thursday off, why would you rest Flores more then just Tuesday? He thrives on being in the game and it will probably kill him to take off tomorrow. He knows what happened the last time he was injured and does not want to be in that position again. Just enjoy what he brings and stop worrying.
Funny to hear Ejax say to Kristina that he had to keep up with the youngsters. Easy to forget that Gio and Stras and Zimnn are all so young. Nice to remember that they are also all under team control. That alone might make Ejax want to re-sign with the Nats next year.
Wonk Your daughter has seen Ankiel walk?
Another child being raised correctly. Thanks for sharing.
ehay2k said...
Funny to hear Ejax say to Kristina that he had to keep up with the youngsters. Easy to forget that Gio and Stras and Zimnn are all so young. Nice to remember that they are also all under team control. That alone might make Ejax want to re-sign with the Nats next year.
June 11, 2012 10:46 PM
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If EJax can get out to a quick 3 outs in the 1st, he would look like an Ace to make it
4-of-a-kind. A-A-A-A
sjm, nice thoughts. It seemed like the frustration at leaving men on base was unfortunately overshadowing the awesome pitching of EJax. Pitching 8 tonight allowing just four hits -- great job, helps rest the bullpen, etc. (And I think he improved upon his already league leading fewest-pitches-per-inning).
And, slightly bigger picture: while we had 9 LOB, we also had 14 hits! You can afford to leave men on base if so many are getting on that you're still scoring six of them!
And, even bigger picture: fourth straight win, winners of 7 of last 10, 3 games in first, 5 games ahead of others, best record of any team in baseball except the Dodgers
The Fox said...
Wonk Your daughter has seen Ankiel walk?
Last Thrs night he walked twice. (In the last three-1/2 weeks, he walked only one other time!)
Another child being raised correctly. Thanks for sharing.
Awww -- thanks.
Cubs sign Jorge Soler, the 20-year-old Cuban outfielder to a nine year contract somewhere between 25 and 35 million. The Brave were also in the running. I wonder if the Nats tried to sign him? He will probably be in the minors for 2 years.
Wonk, I move we collectively adopt your daughter as the Phenom of the Nats Insider.
See your daughter was paying attention more than I was.
Not for nothing, but the Nats' magic number is 100 right now. Just sayin'.
Ejax said he didn't have his best stuff tonight. I hope the youngsters hear that and ask him how he battled through it.
Funny to hear about other daughters of NI denizens. Mine is almost 14, and goes to Nats games more for the experience , including junk food, than the game itself. (Oh, how we both miss Five Guys!)
But tonight she surprised me by stopping her texting to catch some of the game, and promptly noting there was no dirt on the base paths. Brought a big smile to my face.
@Charlie_Slowes:
@ThomasBoswellWP In defense of Bryce, Bo waived him to 3B.
@ThomasBoswellWP: @Charlie_Slowes Charlie, you could see clearly from one replay angle that Porter did not wave him at any point his last 150 feet.
_____________________________
NatsLady said...
Bo didn't put up the stop sign. Looks like he waved him on, but only once Bryce had already rounded second. FP does NOT approve.
June 11, 2012 8:42 PM
Gonat said...
Bo didn't wave him on, Bo didn't give him the stop sign. Bo didn't do nothing except give him the slide sign. Huh? Does Bo not give signs when Bryce is on the base path?
June 11, 2012 8:42 PM
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NatsLady and I wrote differing views at the same time. I didn't see any motion from Bo the last 90 feet.
I find it interesting that Charlie saw something. I replayed it and didn't see any arm movements.
ehay2k there is a five guys on 2nd and M near the other entrance to the Metro. You can bring it into the ball park too.
I replayed that as well and saw nothing from Bo that indicated he was waving him on. I also did not see a stop sign, just the "hit the dirt" signal when it was obvious there was going to be a play.
I think FP has it right, Bryce is going to run until someone tags him out or he scores. This is obviously something that will be curbed as he continues to mature and grow into one of the finest players to ever play the game.
ESPN now has us at 70% chance of playoffs with that silly thing on the far right of the standings. I can remember when we were in first place early in the season and they still had us at something like 25%. Guess we have impressed someone although I think the % is probably not too reliable a tool. I do know that we have the 2nd best winning percentage in baseball and that is a fact!!
Go Nats!!
ehay2k said...
Funny to hear about other daughters of NI denizens. Mine is almost 14, and goes to Nats games more for the experience , including junk food, than the game itself.
My daughter was the same way, from 2005 (age 10) until just four weeks ago.
Soul Possession, My Hitterish Sofa said...
Wonk, I move we collectively adopt your daughter as the Phenom of the Nats Insider.
Wow! I have no idea if she'd be flattered, but I am!
Wait -- let me tell you one other astounding thing that came out of her mouth. We were thinking of going to the game next Tuesday (a week from tomorrow) . . . she was quiet for a minute, and then said, "Strasburg would be pitching then, right?" This, from a girl who's just heard of "American League" a few days ago, and still doesn't understand the DH.
ESPN now has us at 70% chance of playoffs with that silly thing on the far right of the standings. I can remember when we were in first place early in the season and they still had us at something like 25%.
So, if you're not actually betting on the outcome, what difference does it make that ESPN or whomever predicts XYZ?
Wow! I have no idea if she'd be flattered, but I am!
I'll take that to be a second.
Moved and seconded. All in favor?
Mike Trout just hit a HR out there in LA. He steps into the pitches JUST like Ryan Z, it's eerie.
aye
Opposed?
sjm308 said...
I replayed that as well and saw nothing from Bo that indicated he was waving him on. I also did not see a stop sign, just the "hit the dirt" signal when it was obvious there was going to be a play.
I think FP has it right, Bryce is going to run until someone tags him out or he scores. This is obviously something that will be curbed as he continues to mature and grow into one of the finest players to ever play the game.
June 11, 2012 11:27 PM
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On the Toronto broadcast, their guy said, Bryce should learn from that. 3 things on that play, Bryce had to freeze on the line drive, Bautista has an above average arm, discretion is the better part of valor.
This is 3 aggressive outs in the last week. 2 of them took the Nats out of scoring position. This one wasn't even close.
Motion carries.
The Nats won, eh!
The Nats won, eh!
According to Davey in his post-game interview, he said Bo appologized to him for sending Bryce to third, but Davey said he had no problem with it. He said it would take a perfect throw to get him and that's what happened. Can't blame this one on Bryce!
Sounds like a great game. I watched Nats Extra, and some of the highlights. I'm surprised that Boz and folks here are relying on the replay of the Bautista gunning out Harper at third to decide whose fault it was, especially when Charlie, who was in the park, said that Bo waved Bryce to third. No replay showed Bo during the time that Bryce was running from first to second. That's when the sign would have been made. Once Bryce was tearing to third, of course there was no arm waving. Davey confirmed that it was Bo's decision to send him.
In that situation, I simply don't agree with FP that once you freeze, "the gig is up." Bryce had no way to see what happened after the ball got past him and headed into right. Maybe the ball was bobbled, maybe it skipped past Bautista and went to the wall. How is he supposed to see that unless he turns around and looks, which he should never do? He had to rely on Bo, and Bo made the wrong decision. End of story.
I think we need to spend lots and lots of time discussing who sent Harper. Unfortunately, I can't make it, so I hope y'all can do this without me. Let me know what we decide.
Hey Wonk, I'll see you Thursday. (You too, Jane, if y'all come.) And hey, bring your kid! I'd like to see what my daughter might be like in 11 years.
Fun fact for everybody: the team that leaves more dudes on base wins the majority of the time. Okay, just a bit over .500, and it's not something you TRY to do, but still.
Hey! They WON again! BH may have sparked the Nats offense, but there are other talented players on this team also.
GYFNG!!!!!!!!
The Harper out of 3ed play was destine to be an out with a good throw, as he took a step back toward first, when it appeared the 1B man had a chance at a shoe top catch, at that point not enough momentum to make it to third. Another learning experience. Didn't cost us the game, just learn from it, when not enough momentum you can't go.
It's a learned reflex to freeze on line drives in the infield, but in this case, if Cooper does catch that ball in the air, Harper had no way to get back to first anyway. Even if he hadn't hesitated, and hadn't run so wide coming around second, the play at third would have been closer, but he might still have been out. On that fast surface, with Bautista in right, it was over-reaching to try for third, but that's what they do--force the other team to make a play, and that's good, but sometimes the other guy is good, too.
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