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Associated Press photo Edwin Jackson allowed only one run over seven strong innings. |
Hitting lowlight: It's not that the Nationals didn't have chances against Sheets or the Braves bullpen. It's that they couldn't come through with any hits in clutch situations. They were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position over the first six innings. Then when presented with a possible opportunity in the seventh when the score was still only 1-0, Jesus Flores popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt and then watched as Kris Medlen snagged it and whipped a throw to first base to double up Danny Espinosa in a crushing moment. For a lineup that has been raking at the plate for about three weeks now, this was a weak performance.
Pitching highlight: On a day the Nationals desperately needed him to put forth a quality start, Jackson delivered. The right-hander allowed one run in seven innings, matching his season-high with nine strikeouts and most importantly churning out enough innings to give the Nats' bullpen a much-needed breather. Jackson's only mistake: his 0-1 pitch to McCann in the top of the second, which wound up in the right-field bleachers. But you can't fault him for his overall performance. Jackson didn't just pitch well, he pitched well on a day he absolutely needed to do it.
Key stat: Sheets, who hadn't pitched in the big leagues since 2010, has now thrown 12 scoreless innings for the Braves.
Up next: This long day of baseball isn't over yet. John Lannan takes the mound at 7:05 p.m. to make his first big-league start of the season, with right-hander Randall Delgado pitching for the Braves in the nightcap of this doubleheader. And then the Wallflowers will take the field to perform tonight's concert.
51 comments:
When do playoff tickets go on sale???
Sincerely,
Jim Mora
Is it raining there? It is here in NoVa. Will leave for the game at 5:30. Well, this one isn't on Davey or the bullpen. With any offense at all Edwin could have gone CG.
Lannan called upon to stop the bleeding, and probably wants to prove to the club that they made a mistake. Double the pressure. Hoping he stays within himself.
When do playoff tickets go on sale???
They are still a work in progress. The gnashing of teeth and moaning will only get worse then I imagine. But either way you look at it the young players are getting invaluable experience. They are making progress and getting better.
No one expected them to get this far. IN the playoffs no one would expect them to last a single series.
Let's be realistic ... its about developing young players to play meaningful games hopefully this year and a good number of years in the future. They appear to be achieving that.
Albeit, JayB, they do need to do better in terms of their International presence and signings given how they've been handcuffed by the new draft rules.
peric - thanks for the positive comments. really. you're much more even tempered then many gie you credit for. and even when you're in a snit, you're nowhere near as obnoxious as some of the others. it's a glass half full thing maybe; when a lot of glasses here are empty. and bottles, too, lol.
Shame. With any offense at all Edwin could have gone eight with Mattheus for the ninth. Might have even gone CG although I think his pitch count was over 100 after seven. Can't put this one on Davey or the bullpen.
It's raining here, sort of misting. Leaving for the game at about 5:30. Don't have hope for Lannan pitching beyond 6 or 7 but the Barves are in the same position, so we might just have a slop-fest.
Fear and Ignorance said...
When do playoff tickets go on sale???
Sincerely,
Jim Mora
lol best post my friend!!!
Sorry for double posts, am at work and having computer challenges.
peric said...
When do playoff tickets go on sale???
They are still a work in progress. The gnashing of teeth and moaning will only get worse then I imagine. But either way you look at it the young players are getting invaluable experience. They are making progress and getting better.
agreed and that is why I have said since April that 2013 is the year, because by then our stars in Potomac and Syracuse will be ready and the remaining over rated garbage that we count on to show leadership after games like last night will be some other teams garbage
Peric-The cliches are reaching an all-time high today. This team is every bit as talented as any in the NL this year. This is about performance and toughness...not talent level. Would you rather have the Braves roster or the Nationals roster? They don't have 1 pitcher that would be in our top 3, and Hudson isn't much better than Jackson.
EJax really stepped up.
It did not look like Sheets had stuff that was very good, or that his location was any better. He left a number of pitches out over the plate that the Nats just did not hit. Maybe pressing a little after last night.
Ejax deserved better. I don't know where his game went for the past month, but he had it today.
Wonder if Bryce is OK.
Good start by Edwin, keeping the game close and helping to preserve bullpen arms. Too bad it went for naught from a winning perspective, for him and for the team. And speaking of perspective, good post from peric.
Also wondering about Bryce here. If they said anything during the broadcast, I missed it. Was multitasking with multiple laundry loads. Good news is, no more dirty laundry left to air at my house. :-)
Oh, just found this from Mark in the game thread:
2:21 p.m. -- The official update on Harper: He was taken out of the game for "precautionary" reasons with a "sore left ankle." No word about any X-rays or other tests. Here's my full story, which I'll update as I get more info.
Fear and Ignorance
herein is the difference with Braves and Nats, Braves top players play like stars when it counts... Nats best players play like frighten puppies when its on the line. If the braves blew a9 run lead the night before they would have come out with attitudes, the Nats instead of coming back with an attitude, played scared. Until that changes, nothing changes.
Harper MRI is negative... just heard, he probably will not play today
It was an X-ray per Mark's Tweeter (as opposed to an MRI):
"X rays on Harper's ankle negative. Don't know yet if he can play tonight."
natsfan1 Davey said it was an MRI
Thanks, got it. Puppies = bad. Stars = good. Next up, kittens vs. celebrities. :-)
Thanks for the sourcing, Mick. Evidently there is some confusion as to which test was done.
HROD = Rick Ankel without the talent and feel for the game......Rizzo has to face it....his trade of Willingham failed and was just about saving money....just like Chapman was not worth the money and Maya and Martin are much better International Signings......Rizzo is a JOKE
Mick- you called these men over rated garbage?
You wish you could play half as well as any of them. They all worked hard to get here and you must have not put forth the effort they did, so now you can only criticize. I hope the young kids reading this site have been instructed by their parents that you are just one of those folks that have no class.
Billy Bean had a much better Winter than Rizzo.....cleaned up on trades and spend money on International signings.....Rizzo....Nothing Internationally and taken to the cleaners of trades and spent 3 times what A's did
Most important series of the year. Just needed a split to keep the status quo (still can do that).
Pitchers Strasburg fine for 5 inning sucked the sixth, EJax fine for 7 inning.
Bullpen at best terrible. (some say overused. No way over used. Since all star break only Gio's start Thursday less than 5 (and one other was 5) innings. So that is nonsense.
Hitters great through 5 innings. pathetic since.
They reminded me of the 2008-2010 Nats these last 2 games.
i expect more now.
What has happened to the great pitching? McCatty your paid to fix this, so do it.
agreed on the word garbage.....issue is picking players who do not have the same level of talent and performance as others who were available.....that is what Rizzo must take a good long look in the Mirror on......Chapman not worth the money...Maya is better value......still recall that line.
I , for one, am looking forward to John Lannan's start tonight. The man has paid his dues the last few years and by going down to AAA this season. My best memories -- he broke Chase Utley's hand and got tossed in his first outing. Hilarious. But really, last year , I think June first? he beat the Phillies 1 to 0 and Laynce Nix made a phenomenal catch to save it. Great game. He is a tough dude, don't count him out. I wish I could be there to cheer for him and I hope he gets a nice reception. As to the 3 game losing streak and all the gnashing of teeth.Did you really think the Nats would be in first place almost wire to wire this season? We still could, but really? We have beat up on the Braves and they obviously didn't give up. The Dodgers won't, the Mets won't the giants won't and we won't, either. Over two months left.Every time the team has hit a bad time, they have come back. My money is on these guys - they are young and inexperienced but they seem to learn from ugly series.
Tell me JayB, how would you improve this team?
I believe the question was asked previously. And how come somebody hasn't hired you?
In all the craziness, it's kind of been lost that another veteran bench player is gone. I don't think anyone is sorry, just with the catching carousel, the DL march and the DFA's I think some of the guys might feel like there is a guillotine in the clubhouse and if they stand in the wrong place it might fall on them.Things just feel uneasy right now - I am hoping that there is some mid-course re-adjusting going on and once things settle out they can get back on track. So what's left at this point? Are we keeping this catcher or will Solano return? Just Werth and Tracy now? 2 more moves?
Oh - and Davey sounds depressed. I wonder when we will have line ups. DeRosa for sure?
peric, your 4:21 is right on! This team is a work in progress that happens to be playing excellent thus far. Contrary to what Mick says, there is no garbage on this team. However, we do need some upgrades.
There is garbage on this blog, however... and apparently drunks.
NatsJim - and not even the night game yet.
I hear Phil Wood going on and on about how if John Lannan has a quality start tonight that means the Nats can forgo getting another starting pitchr for the September stretch run. Ok fine. Now how about if he gets shelled tonight? The Braves are on a roll, and I for one am worried.
The most concerning thing about the last two games has been the collapse of our until now spectacular bullpen. Who can go tonight? Are we now needing Lannan not only not to get hammered, but to go deep into the game? Yikes.
I'll be there cheering my loudest though. Now is no time for the fans to give up on our guys.
baseballswami said...
Oh - and Davey sounds depressed. I wonder when we will have line ups. DeRosa for sure?
July 21, 2012 5:14 PM
Yeah, Davey looks and sounds depressed. I think he is beating himself up a little bit. We need to cheer him up with a couple of wins now.
Wife sick for tonight's game, I have an extra ticket in 3rd row behind Nats dugout, half price to any regular poster on this board, email to gmail, can meet on Half Street up until game time.
email OutsideTheLaw at gmail
signing Chapman and A's Cuban CF from this off season would have been smart.
Stop wasting roster spots of Nady types would have been smart.
Stop sinking good roster time on HROD in hopes of saving face on a horrible trade of Willingham would be smart.
Sign bats that are in their prime in the winter.....Lots of options were there....They just did not want to spend on them. Mike C, Rick A, Nady, Tracey....you get what you pay for.....all under a million.
Stop wasting good money and roster space on Wang....that is a joke.
I am not the GM and an not qualified under any pipe dream.....just Rizzo has the job and has to step up and make the tough decisions....and he has failed in the international market place. He has failed in the Bench area and he he has failed to make the decisions this year that move the team forward......treading water does not win championships or even wildcards.
I've been applying UnkD's advise and just concentrate on enjoying watching my Nats play. They are in development mode and it pays to not get too serious about them. Just enjoy the ride. They are going to be good for a long time.
To live, outside the law, you must be honest, darlin
SonnyG - I also have been adjusting my mindset and just enjoying the baseball. I love this team and everything they have brought this season. They are just so young and bound to have struggles. Every team has bad times. I agree that this team is going to be a force for a long time. They still have some stuff to work out, but have over-achieved this season in the face of a lot of challenges. Go Nats! - Go Johnny Boy!
Phillies fans. You wait two generations, and then it turns out you're Phillies fans. Didn't see that coming.
JayB U sound ridiculous, just saying.....
Nor did I. Booooooooooo! Oh, wait. :-)
Section 3, My PFB Hitterish Sofa said...
Phillies fans. You wait two generations, and then it turns out you're Phillies fans. Didn't see that coming.
July 21, 2012 5:58 PM
This is about performance and toughness...not talent level. Would you rather have the Braves roster or the Nationals roster?
The Nationals roster is young and high ceiling. They lack experience which they are now getting. Rome wasn't built in a day. Just ask Jim Palmer F&I.
"Braves top players play like stars when it counts ...." Really? I always thought the last month of a season was the definition of "when it counts."
You seem to have forgotten, in your zeal to pull everyone's chains, that most people here still remember September 2011. I was at the final weekend against the Braves at Nats Park last year, when the Braves needed to win desperately and completely choked.
To refresh your memory -- entering the final month of the regular season with a record of 80–55 and an 8 1⁄2-game lead in the Wild Card standings, the Braves went 9–18 in September to finish the season with a record of 89–73.
That didn't "count"?
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mick said...
Fear and Ignorance
herein is the difference with Braves and Nats, Braves top players play like stars when it counts... Nats best players play like frighten puppies when its on the line. If the braves blew a9 run lead the night before they would have come out with attitudes, the Nats instead of coming back with an attitude, played scared. Until that changes, nothing changes.
Ok fine. Now how about if he gets shelled tonight? The Braves are on a roll, and I for one am worried.
The Nats have plenty of BETTER starters in AAA and perhaps AA if Karns makes it there ... than Lannan. Starting with Zach Duke and Jeff Mandel.
Really, this is a case of placating Lannan and his agent. Lannan gets shelled and its we paid you 5 million for all you did when this team was the dregs. But you contributed to that ... face it, look at it John Lannan.
If not for Riggleman with quick hooks and a bullpen that was very loyal to Lannan watching his back he would have looked a lot worse ... well kind of like he does today in AAA. Really horrendous. His friends had to bail him out one time to often and in Clippard's and Storen's case leading to their arm issues.
He has been paid 5 million guaranteed by a grateful organization but that does not make him an effective major league pitcher. Look at how many quality starts this team has gotten from pitchers paid a lot less?
So natsjim. If someone has a different opinion than you then there DRUNK. Nice attitude.
Not all drunks. Just certain ones.
And you say that as if it were a bad thing!
mick said...
djinFl. said...
Mick- you called these men over rated garbage?
You wish you could play half as well as any of them. They all worked hard to get here and you must have not put forth the effort they did, so now you can only criticize. I hope the young kids reading this site have been instructed by their parents that you are just one of those folks that have no class.
you need to lighten up pal, you obviously cherry pick the post from by me that you don't like. For starters, ge it right, i said there was some garbage and that 2013 the Nats will be very good, so at least get what I posted right.
stop being a nasty troll, I won't cross the bridge your under, lol
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