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US Presswire file photo The Nats look to make it three in a row tonight at Minute Maid Park. |
Jayson Werth returns to the lineup after sitting out last night's game with tired legs. He'll be in right field, which should provide a little less wear and tear. Bryce Harper will be responsible for covering the spacious, treacherous and hilly center field at Minute Maid Park.
Gio Gonzalez gets the start, looking to duplicate Ross Detwiler's seven-inning outing from last night and take some pressure off a Nationals bullpen that has been extended nearly to the limit in recent days.
As you know by now, I'm not in Houston for this series. Enjoy the game and the conversation. And like me, pray the final out is recorded before the stroke of midnight for a change...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Minute Maid Park
Gametime: 8:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 187
Weather: Indoors
NATIONALS (67-43)
2B Steve Lombardozzi
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
LF Michael Morse
RF Jayson Werth
SS Danny Espinosa
C Kurt Suzuki
LHP Gio Gonzalez
ASTROS (36-75)
2B Jose Altuve
3B Matt Downs
1B Steve Pearce
RF Justin Maxwell
LF J.D. Martinez
C Carlos Corporan
CF Brandon Barnes
SS Marwin Gonzalez
RHP Armando Galarraga
UMPIRES
HP Angel Hernandez
1B Ed Hickox
2B Chris Conroy
3B Mark Carlson
334 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 334 Newer› Newest»Oy, Hernandez is behind the dish tonight.
Go, GIO! Go, NATS!! It's a beautiful day for a regulation ballgame. Let's play nine (innings, that is), and may the visitors win. :-)
I wonder how the umpire rotation goes. I guess home plate moves to 3rd where there is probably less work after being behind the plate, and everyone just slides over one. Angel was at 1st last night so that makes sense.
I have never watched so many scoreboards before. Brewers just went ahead of the Reds in the top of the 9th. I really want the Pirates to have a winning season but I also want every team but ours to lose more then they win for the next month or so. I am not looking for that one game playoff, I want them to start with an away games vs. the wildcard which would mean we have finished with the best record in the NL.
Go Nats!!
With Angel Hernandez behind the plate, memo to Gio: Be on your best behavior, come to a complete stop in a stretch, have your shoes shined to a nice buff, wear your cap straight, please tie all those loose hands on your glove, make sure you have shaved within a half-hour of first pitch, stand at full attention for the national anthem, do not step on the chalk lines, brush your teeth vertically in front, horizontally in the rear, floss carefully, make sure you have enough quarters for the parking meters and, most important of all, treat the home plate umpire with the utmost of respect.
You have to. It's just a courtesy for blind people.
After Mark Carlson's performance behind the plate last night, Angel Hernandez might look like the model of consistency. I'm a union guy through and through, but even I have a hard time justifying what is essentially life tenure for umpires irrespective of talent or temperment.
Honestly, I think Angel has been somewhat better since MLB broke up him and Joe West. Probably not the most popular of opinions, but there are way worse when it comes to calling balls and strikes and especially ejections. He hasn't ejected a single person yet this season.
That being said, if Gio so much as gives him a cockeyed glance after a bad call, he will probably get squeezed harder than a lime at a tiki bar.
Remember to vote for ESPN's web gem between Trout and Roger. with 2699 votes in now Roger is leading 53% to47% or 162 votes.
Here is the link
http://espn.go.com/mlb/baseballtonight
Gio and Kurt: Reunited and it feels so good! (Yup, had to break out the cheezy Peaches and Herb Reference)
GO GIO! GO 9 INNINGS! GO BATS!! I think Werth will be the one tonight to do the damage.
Please, let's get the Offense rolling Nats!
OK, I just pounded the strike zone for a while on ESPN for the Shark. All those people in LA are going to be getting home from work, or the beach, or wherever, later on, so we probably need to build a cushion. Keep at it, Insiders.
check Coco's response to Trout's catch.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=23719123&c_id=mlb
Trout's catch was amazing, no doubt but catches like that are made more often than people realize. To be honest, I still think Bernie's catch from a year or two ago is better than any I have seen, except maybe Ichiro's wall climbing one.
Carlson was awful last nigh, no pitcher on either side and most batters had a clue what was going to be called.
Angel Hernandez can be no worse (though he has bee bad in the past).
Shark now up 8% after 2857 votes. If you haven't vote yet do so.
Gio going seven won't be much help if they have to play fourteen.
Oh, and no mention yet of the fact that Gallaraga was a throw-in piece, with Wilkerson and Termell Sledge, from the Nats on the Soriano trade?
NatsJack,
'It's not WHO you're playing, it's HOW you're playing.'
That's what I'm worried about.
I wasn't that impressed with Trout's catch at the time, and I was the first to say so. Desmond had a better play that same day.
We have to score some runs. Would have loved to see Werth at the top of the lineup.
As the poet Roger Miller once sang,
"it’s the code of the west:
heed the word of your sisters--
the code of the west,
make a left turn from sin.
the code of the west,
keep an eye on temptation, recite the quotation
that says when Satan calls your name
it doesn’t matter how you played the game ‘cause all he cares about is
'did you win?'"
after 2885 votes Shark up 10% About 288 botes Keep it going
Great to see the Shark pulling away in the vote. Go Insiders!
Grandstander -- good point about Angel and Joe. That combination was nothing but trouble. Two guys trying to impress each other with how macho they are. How were you able to find out that Angel hasn't tossed anyone this year? Is there a website that keeps track of that?
Speaking of useless but fun baseball trivia, Harper's homerun trot on Saturday was the second fastest in MLB that day at 19.25 seconds. (Espi's fifth slowest at 23.54.) I just love that. Harper still has the fastest trot of the year in MLB (16.35 seconds on May 26). The kid sets records everywhere he goes.
sorry voyrd hit the wrong key
I believe that Baseball Tonight airs at 7 PM ET. Does the poll close then or continue during the broadcast?
2959 votes still up 10%, Keep the cushion
Were there also plenty of naysayers at the time who did not properly appreciate Bernie's catch? Like, were you the only one saying it at the time? :-)
Zection 3, My Zofa said...
I wasn't that impressed with Trout's catch at the time, and I was the first to say so. Desmond had a better play that same day.
August 08, 2012 5:46 PM
Dang, Trout gained a point. Back to voting.
in case people forgot, http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14762271&c_id=mlb
still love it.
didn't know armando was expos's trade bit for soriano. I think we made good use of him then. thanks for that, sofa.
Okay, back to up by 10. Gotta go ice my hand and make dinner.
I thought Bernie's catch last night was better than the one last year. He took a bad route to that one. Plus, the game saving situation just can't be beat - -except maybe by that perfect game saving catch by the White Sox centerfielder a few years back.
And let's get serious, Trout's catch was a great catch. Just not as good as the Shark's.
The Wise catch was very cool.
The comments on the ESPN voting page are hilarious. CA is waking up folks, but there are now more votes from DC than from AZ. Well done!
I hope in future, fans will appreciate these catches as much as we appreciate these now and the catches of previous generations.
3075 votes still 10% lead
Interesting info from Amanda:
Amanda Comak@acomak
Chien-Ming Wang's rehab assignment has been effectively ended as he's still complaining of hip soreness. He's still on the DL.
Amanda Comak@acomak
Davey said he has to stay off of Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard tonight so Edwin Jackson is in the bullpen. It's his throw day.
The sharks catch got a brief shout out on PTI ...
GYFNG! May Gio have a happy reunion, and be lights out, with Kurt. May the game be a laugher on OUR side, and another defeat for the Astro's (they can win FRIDAY!). And may Jayson's legs hold up under him, brilliantly.
GYFNG!
Wow! Ejax in the bullpen!
Did Comak say which member of the Nats FO kicked Wang in the hip?
Yes, there is a website that tracks ejections. Here it is, you can waste a lot of time on it.
ejections
http://www.closecallsports.com/
Also on MLB Network's Intentional Talk.
The sharks catch got a brief shout out on PTI ...
Is Wang going on the 60-day?
Natslady, I think he just stays on the 15 day.
How about the guy that broke his shoulder saving Cain's perfect game? (I think it was Cain).
NatsLady.. Mets guy for Johan's game broke his shoulder
Speaking of perfect games Armando Galarraga is the kid who pitched the 28 out perfect game.
My favorite of the comments:
Nick Piecoro@nickpiecoro"Everybody has bad at-bats -- except McCutchen." -- Kirk Gibson
Voting still going went from 3132 to 3165 the last 5 minutes. Same 10 point lead.
Sorry, MicheleS--knew it was someone. That was a pretty fantastic catch also.
They're also arguing about votes, i.e., why all the AZ votes for Trout? Duh, I don't know - maybe because the Angels have a rookie-league affiliate there? :-)
Er, make that e.g.
1a, those arguments are fun to read. People are so into it, it is hilarious.
Now BBTN givingTrout more coverage, but the gap is now 12% keep it up Shark. 3197 votes
Jackson, being the team player that he is, probably volunteered for BP duty. Would that he was as good a pitcher as he is a team-mate.
I know, Faraz. I think they all need to get a grip. It's a fan vote on a sports network site. :-)
All those people in LA are going to be getting home from work, or the beach, or wherever, later on, so we probably need to build a cushion. Keep at it, Insiders.
Typical LA fans, showing up late. ;-)
Come on Kyle, giving up a hit to Tim Hudson of all people. Braves lead 3-1 early in the game. I have no shame in rooting for Phillies this series.
On the other hand, just keep winning our games.
Good for EJax. Team Guy.
OK, I just went and threw another inning at ESPN on Shark's behalf. Stay on top of it, and we should be fine.
is anyone having trouble watching free game of the day over at mlb site?
And EJax is a fine pitcher, best 4th starter in MLB.
I sense a shark attack coming on.
That thud you just heard was CMW's career. I hate to be negative, but this guy was a total waste of the Lerners' money. Error, Rizzo. A rare E-1.
CMW.. No harm no foul, didn't cost us prospects, and it was the Lerner's $$$, so no one should be calling them cheap.
CMW was a perfectly reasonable gamble. If all such gambles paid off, they wouldn't be gambles.
Shark is officially the reigning Web Gem.
This year was a loss, but the end of last season got back quite a bit of that expense, in terms of production. Boz did a piece detailing that argument, anyway, last fall I think it was. It was worth a shot--didn't pan out. Oh well. Everything that doesn't work out isn't a fail.
NCN--excactly. Look at Ben Sheets. Who is to say in advance it will work? The injury in Spring Training was the end, I think.
Its official just saw Shark is the reigning Web gem now. Ramirez of Milwaukee was the early show number 1. A solid play that Zim dows reggularly. Remember to vote tomorrow when the new poll is up.
Michele, is the voting closed, then? I don't think so.
Zofa.. They named it as the reigning gem, and not Trout.
They're still taking votes. They just took a bunch of mine, anyhow. Over 3,000 total.
Maybe I'll just keep voting, to tick off the Trout fans and ESPN guy.
Happy to see Edwin Jackson in the bullpen and I'm sure he's a 'team guy,' but I think his bullpen assignment is more a function of this being his regular throwing day between starts.
Separate issue: Anyone else having problems with MLB.tv?
LOL good idea Sofa. I love Trout's play as much as anyone but Bernie's catch was better, given the situation and all.
Eugene, MLB is tweeting that they are having problems with Radio & TV streams, they are working on it.
Zofa, keep going, Kruk and Ravi think Trout was better.. Whatever.
haha, I'm also going to vote to make the ESPN guys mad.
LORD Lombo.. for once Bo holds up a stop sign and he runs threw it.
Thx MischeleS. At least GameDay seems to be working.
They have 3rd base coach for a reason. Lombo Porter says stop, you stop in the first inning. Never looked up. That is bad baserunning.
Minute Maid Park sucks I think this place is cursed. All this wacky crappy things keep happening here.
Why is it ALWAYS Angel Hernandez in the middle of these snafus?
Lombo? Good grief.
Well, nice SF by ALR.1-0
Uh-oh, what's up?
Balk!
Wow, curiouser and curiouser!
Carp just said they are getting rid of that dumb hill in center field. good.
As Zection3 called it last night, MicheleS, "the kitchen sink of weird."
Now we hear the hill is going away next year.
What's going up in its place? Condos? A swimming pool? Tanning salon?
Did anybody see the balk?
This park is cursed! Just a crazy call, even if it was to our advantage.
Net effect -Zimm on second.
What's going up in its place? Condos? A swimming pool?
--------------------
Maybe a small moat, like in the steeplechase?
They are going to put statues out there where the hill is.
Galarraga almost put none in the strike zone, and we managed only 1 run. We swung at least 4 balls guys. What is that all about. Make him throw strikes. A walk is a good as a single. He will walk you if you let him.
Lombo thought he was Bryce, or even Bernie. He's not. Watch your coach and obey him, especially in the 1st inning.
Two statues: Biggio, and Jack in the Box.
Well, Bernie scored on running through the stop sign Monday night, right? ;-)
Ryan declined the honor, citing "the damn weirdness of the whole thing"
By the wa he bakled the pitch before, and I was complaining they didn't call it. You ahve to come to a stop and he didn't 2 times in a row and was called on it the second time.
Did Gio not get the message? Three pitches hung in the middle three hits already. If we had just hits balls in the middle and not swung at balls not close we would ahve score a lot more.
Just curious, are you typing on a phone?
Mazda sponsors the Defensive Outfield screen, and Suzuki gets a free plug.
Sure is nice to see people in Nats gear at these away games.
NO WAY GIO!!!! HOW AWESOME!!
GIO
Did what GameDay said just happen actually happen?
GIO!!!!!!!!
Who needs middle of the order thunder? Our pitchers can take care of themselves...
We do have some good hitting pitchers.
Hmmmph.... No Audio feed, on MLB At Bat...? Hmmmmph....
Now I want to know the Gallaraga/Suzuki history...Gio sticking up for his boy...
Gio makes up for his 3 bad pitches in the first with a 2 run tater. He is plus 1.
We still need him to go deep into this game.
Well, maybe Gio can't pitch too good tonight, but Gio sure can hit good tonight!
Curiouser & curiouser!
Eugene, MLB says they have the problem fixed on the streaming.
Swift, now he doesn't get a warning, or risk getting himself and Davey tossed. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Det is now on the clock for a dinger.. hmmm. when will he get his.
Thx, MicheleS. For Nats game the audio is now working, but not the TV. Will keep checking.
I think Det needs to eat a couple sandwiches before that's possible.
I like the way our pitchers protect our guys - with a BAT! Capone style!
Eugene/UnkyD.. others with streaming issues:
MLB@MLB
UPDATE: Problem has been isolated and resolved. Every live feed across every device, if not already available, will be accessible shortly
And Ryan Howard just tied it up 6-6 in the 5th inning with the Braves
Off-topic but relevant: Ryan Howard's three-run shot ties Phils with Braves 6-6.
Just when I think I can't love Gio more, I find out I'm wrong. And what a fun way to find out.
A few more and we will have our laugher and know we can all go to bed early and happy.
Whoops. Late. Again. You have to be pretty quick off the blocks to beat Michele "Usain Bolt" S.
Sunshine, it's the business level high speed internet access that I have at the house. Boss pays for it.
I have never seen MicheleS and Usain Bolt in the same room. Coincidence? I think NOT!
My family would fall down laughing at the Usain Bolt comparisons, since I run like Stras.
I've been googling, but I can't find any reference to bad blood or a beef between Gallaraga and Suzuki yet. I think he's only pitched to him once before.
If anyone cares, the crack WJFK radio team just explained that on the sacrifice vs. balk, if Adam LaRoche had gotten a hit, the hit would have superseded the balk and Mr. LaRoche would have gotten the RBI. Since it was 'just' a sacrifice, the balk took precedence (because it also advanced the runner who was on first).
Galarraga. One L, two Rs.
@Usain Bolt: Michele, you interested in Mets-Nats game a week from Sunday, Aug. 19? I got an extra ticket, in the shade, down first base line?
Eugene, that and the balk doesn't cost them an out.
Zat iz zo; ezactly.
And while things are slow--
The Nats have a half-off promo that includes the Braves games coming up. I got good seats, last night.
TravelZoo, Nats Tix
Sunshine.. I am already there! Take your mother in law.. she will love it.
Such a slow tempo, the catcher is doodling in the dirt behind home plate. He has written half of Moby Dick.
Wait, did Kristina just say it was "Waterless Wednesday" for the starters? WTH does that mean???
@MicheleS: No offense, but she was first call. But she's at the beach that week.
OK, I went back and listened again. She said "Waterless Wednesday."
If Altuve jumps to reach a high liner, but is just an inch short, is it scored an error, given that the average player would have had it?
@MicheleS: Would you at least stop by Section 134 an hour or so before the game? I'm in Row double-P. In the shade.
ehay, no, but Ghost would probably say if you asked Altuve he'd say he should have caught it.
I kid.
let this be Armando's last inning. Come on Nats.
ESPN guys are talking Nats and SS during SF vs STL game.
Sorry, should have used a ;-) after my Altuve question. :-)
That called third strike on Bam-Bam almost hit the dirt.
Where does Angel Hernandez park his guide dogs at the park when he works a game?
Bryce should not argue with Angel, that will come back to haunt him somewhere down the line.
Actually, thinking about it, it's not fair to not give an error to Altuve there, but then give one to Dunn when he can't reach down to get a ground ball.
;-)
Lol Sunshine!
Hernandez is liable to call a balk on Bryce next time around.
Except for Laz and Country Buffet Boy Joe West, Worst Umpire Ever.
Sunshine, very funny @ 9:15.
the dirt in the RH batters box.
Well, it's a pretty bad strike zone both ways. So there's that.
The role of Bob Davidson tonight is being played by Angel Hernandez.
Balks all around! Put them on Angel's tab.
Well, at least they didn't manufacture the run by stealing that time...
I can't believe it is back to a 1 run game. The Nats have 1 clutch hit and its by the pitcher.
This has to turn around. Galaragga stinks.
FP is not having a good game. First the phantam Suzuki/Gallarando history based on a phantom "look" that Suzuki gave him. Then the ridiculous "taking one for the team" as if ALR cares about 1 RBI vs the chance for a big inning, and then forgetting about Zim's 30 game hitting streak (if he ever knew about it), speculating that the longest hitting streaks in the teams history were by Vlad or Vidro "at least in the 20s." Carp is trying not to show him up as he corrects him, but having a tough time.
What's the story with Galarraga? He's got an all-but-perfect game, has taken no-hitters into the late innings a few times, as I recall, and yet he knocks around like the PTBNL.
FP is tired, it's a long season, and he hasn't been able to start partying until well after midnight this series.
The pitchers has nothing he falls behinds most the hitters nd with good hitting counts we are flubbing away. Come on guys get hits.
Hmmm, maybe FP isn't the only one partying... I'm not judging, I'm just saying.
Oh, you just KNOW that Angel goes out clubbing. With those eyes, all the girls are keepers!
umpiring is awful. But so is our hitting in this series. When do we face cole hamels again?
Sure glad we got suzuk. Can't hit cant throw. HEY WAIT, EITHER CAN JESUS
Secret, please leave religion out of it. Thanks.
Go nat I agree. if we split this series we will look back and say we were lucky. Time to give Bryce a day off. Play Roger
I wonder if those kids asked for the Harper autographed balls or that's what the Nats offered? They should have held out for a trip to DC in October and playoff tickets!!
11-6 ATL up now on the Fils.
UGHH the Phils stink. Thanks for nothing.
Here comes Jesus Suzuki. hope he hits him.
Secret, we are still winning, so why is it that you are so negative?
Just nervous I guess.
I chope Gio fers bases loaded.
what you do here?
No reason to be nervous, look at our winning percentage!
:-)
He's not negative, he's the sock puppet alter ego of another poster here, who's not too popular, so he splits his neg ratings. Not a bad strategy, really, if you're committed to it.
Ghost Of Steve M. said...
I chope Gio fers bases loaded.
August 08, 2012 9:50 PM
____________________________
Grand Salami time!
hahhaha I wouldnt pitch to Gio either. His a homerun monster. LETS GO NATS.
If I'm Gio, I'm sitting dead red with a new pitcher in.
ehay, don't look now, but I think everybody here is drunk except us ... and I'm not so sure about us.
ok now we need a big hit. LOMBO do
I think you go with Tyler Moore here, but hey, that's just me. Go get 'em Lombo!
Tyler more for bryce
awful. that was ball 2
Not to be negative, but this is sad. Lombo lays an egg.
Like I said before the at-bat, I would have pinch-hit. You have Izturis to play 2nd now.
I'm visualizing ... deep.
Payback.
Angel Hernandez...
Wow. That's just.
Wow.
Angel is powerful, Angel demands respect. Or he is just an ass.
You called it Michele. Angel has it in for Bam-Bam. I'm surprised he hasn't run him yet.
Angel hernandez has made this personal. Absolutely ridiculous. Shame on him. Those balls are unhittable and not strikes
I officially take back what I said about Hernandez.
Again harper called out on a ball outside the stike zone. The major leagues only need about 72 guys toumpire and we cannot find 72 good umpires in America? I find it shocking because about 50% are so inconsistent and have no clue how to call a strike, and MLB has no understanding that there is a problem in this area. It is fairly easy to fix if they wanted to.
They are doing it on purpose. How can you miss so many chances? They have no energy.
That is sad. Angel Hernandez has to respect the game. That was ball 4. Ball 5 was a little closer.
In all seriousness is there anything the Nats can do? Like reporting that to the league... I mean this is just sick. How freeeeken unprofessional can he be ALLOWED to be????? I am fuming now.
When one goes to someone's house and the host keeps offering gifts, it's only polite to accept them with thanks and grace. Nats not being very polite in Minute Maid Park.
Angel Hernandez is a freaking joke. The MLB needs to get rid of some of these "veteran" umpires. They suck.
Time for Davey to go postal
I'm speechless, out of respect for Mark.That just wasn't fair.
Why does Davey just sit there, while AHNGEL appears to cheat for the other team? MLB needs to get Hernandez out of there. The guy is not good.
Let's hope Danny Espinosa is telling Gio to clear his mind, repeat his mantra, and focus.
Nice catch, Gio!
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