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US Presswire file photo The Nationals look to improve to 5-0 against the Giants tonight at AT&T Park. |
Zimmermann would happily take 50 percent of the run support the Nationals gave Gio Gonzalez last night (that would still be seven runs). Shoot, he might even settle for 33 percent of last night's output. The challenge won't be easy, with left-hander Madison Bumgarner (12-8, 3.08) on the mound for the Giants.
As you know, I'm not in San Francisco for this series. Enjoy another late-night game and the conversation...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Where: AT&T Park
Gametime: 10:15 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Clear, 62 degrees, Wind 9 mph out to RF
NATIONALS (72-44)
SS Danny Espinosa
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
LF Tyler Moore
C Jesus Flores
2B Steve Lombardozzi
RHP Jordan Zimmermann
GIANTS (63-53)
CF Angel Pagan
2B Marco Scutaro
LF Melky Cabrera
C Buster Posey
3B Pablo Sandoval
RF Hunter Pence
1B Brandon Belt
SS Brandon Crawford
LHP Madison Bumgarner
UMPIRES
HP Jerry Layne
1B Mike Estabrook
2B Larry Vanover (cc)
3B Dan Bellino
140 comments:
Found this interesting graphic. It would be interesting to watch our new catcher in pitch framing.
Notice the issue with strike calls on the outside to lefties (e.g., Harper). I think last night's call was more a function of everyone (except maybe Bryce) wanting to go home with a 14-2 game and COLD weather--rather than a "rookie" strike zone.
I wonder if there is anything a hitter can do to counter this optical illusion?
pitch framing
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2012/8/14/3242786/jose-molina-jesus-montero-pitch-framing
T-Mo and Morse with the Shark in center field would be my guess for this game.
peric---please, I hope not!
Last night we had a lot of seeing eye singles. But we also took the extra base to get the extra run. Keep your eyes open tonight, guys, and pick up as many of those jacks as you can. GYFNG!
Mel Antonen @MelAntonen
#Nats GM Mike Rizzo says Lucas Giolito threw "free and easy'' with no ill effects from arm injury in his first pro game.#MLB
Amanda Comak @acomak
Good news for Jayson Werth-MRI negative. Just walked in not wearing boot. No #nats lineup yet. Knowing Davey, be surprising to see him in it
peric---please, I hope not!
Werth is out and Harper needs to be rested ... it'll be better when Perez and Brown arrive.
NatsJack, sounds ok for a first outing. Especially the extra pitches afterward.
Mel Antonen @MelAntonen
Ori'holes guy. Boo.
peric, yeah, I know but that is a scary outfield in that park. Oh, well.
Lineup:
Nationals PR@NationalsPR
Davey's Lineup-Tue @ SFG/G117: Espinosa ss, Harper cf, Zimmerman 3b, Werth rf, LaRoche 1b, Moore lf, Flores c, Lombardozzi 2b, Zimm'nn rhp.
Another 21 hits wouldn't hurt my feelings.
GYFNG! I think ALR has a good night tonight.
Go Jordan!!!!
Cunegonde and me at Wolf Trap tonight for Lyle Lovett, her big heartthrob. Should be getting out about when the game starts, so I'll have something to listen to on the way home.
Almost forgot: GYFNG!!!
Candide.. Look for SJM 308 - I am sure he will be wearing a Nats Hat. He is there too.
Watching inning #3 from last night now. Just a thing of beauty.
MicheleS, I've only seen one guy wearing a Nats hat (and a Werth Jersey) but he was a lot fatter and a lot younger than SJM308. Will keep an eye out, though.
SJM, if you can read this, where are you?
On a three day mini-vacation in Pennsylvania. Don't know if I'll get to tune in the Nats game or not, but I'll try. Otherwise, hold the fort for me. GYFNG!!!!
NatsJack at 7:51, of course. He's Top 3 offensive player in the NL
Leaving hotel for the game on a cool, damp, foggy San Francisco day (a Mark Twain 'coldest winter = SF summer' kinda day). As I told my daughter last night, I would have liked for the Nats to save a few of those extra runs for tonight's game. Hoping that they keep hitting, even if they are 'seeing eye' singles. And expecting a solid Jordan Zimmermann-style start. GYFNG!
Well.. we might be seeing Mr Rendon in September:
Adam Kilgore@AdamKilgoreWP
Double whoa: Desmond activated Friday if all goes well, and Rendon "might be" a call up in September, Davey said.
We broke another pichter.. Brad Penny on the DL.
Finally got to last night's game on dvr. I noticed that there were some infield shenanigans again,( Astros, then Giants), and wondered what the heck is going on. The more I think about it - these teams don't necessarily play bad defense. Those infield hits might have been a little lucky in the babip department, but they were also scorched like they had been shot out of a cannon. The guys are also motoring and hustling full out, looking for any opportunity to take a base, score, tag up - anything. The Bryce Harper effect. My feeling after watching recent games is that the nats just press and press and press until something gives. Even in innings where they don't score, they are applying pressure. We often use the word - relentless - to describe the nats. I think it applies throughout the game and causes the other team to make mistakes.They play a very intense, energetic brand of baseball. I love it.
MicheleS - how many pitchers have we broken this season? Seems like quite a few.Sorry?
Swammi, i think we took out at least 3 of the Jays pitchers.
Hmmmmm....
Amanda Comak @acomak
Michael Morse said he's fine and could play tomorrow but Davey said "the big guy is down. The thumb is barking." Said Friday more likely.
With all our catcher troubles, I never even heard of this guy.
The Washington Nationals have released 29-year old righty swinging catcher Devin Ivany. Ivany was the last remaining player that came from the Montreal Expos when they moved to Washington. Ivany played in 49 games in AA-ball for the Nationals this year and he was 33 of 156 (.212 avg, .600 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 3 homers, 13 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He played 9 years in the minors for the Expos/Nationals, appearing in 642 games in which he was 530 of 2,177 (.243 avg, .678 OPS) with 282 runs scored, 51 homers, 264 RBIs and 44 stolen bases. This is no loss for the Nationals.
Amanda Comak @acomak
"Good news for Jayson Werth-MRI negative. Just walked in not wearing boot. No #nats lineup yet. Knowing Davey, be surprising to see him in it."
Well, I guess she doesn't know Davey as well as she thinks she knows Davey.
Don't even get me started...
Well, I didn't think he was putting Moore-Bernie-Morse as his starting outfield in AT&T park... :)
Hiroki Kuroda is no-hitting Texas (6th inning) but he ain't getting a lot of run support.
Harper in CF, Moore in LF and Werth in RF according to MLB.com. Wonder what is wrong with Morse...
BTW, somebody pinch me.
pk24, thumb, I would assume. He jammed it in BP yesterday and it was pretty swollen.
Morse has a jammed thumb.Probably out until Friday.
NatsLady
Thanks - Just saw your earlier post. Sorry about that :-( Nice to see that Davey is continuing to give TyMo opportunities to start...
NatsLady - I remember watching Devin Ivany at Potomac. A career minor leaguer that just kept hanging on. Good guy - not much upside. Seemed like for a while he was a permanent fixture at Pfitzner.
Kuroda lost the no-no, but it's still 0-0 between two pretty good offensive teams...
So just finishing up the replay of last nights game and one thing I really love, is even though Gio is goofy and laughs, my oh my was he not happy about giving up that HR. Lip reading all those curse words was funny.
pRAA, any apology on Rendon?
With all of the injuries and the Freitas trade they've done some shuffling in the catching corps.
A journeyman named Jeff Howell started the year at Harrisburg, then moved up to Syracuse. Now he's down at Potomac.
And More info from Kilgore:
Adam Kilgore@AdamKilgoreWP
The Nats' front office is not likely to pull the trigger on calling up Rendon. He's on the 40-man, so it's possible. Don't bet on it.
MicheleS, yeah. Probably insisted on pitching the 7th and Davey said, "You wanna mess with your ERA? Have at it." Gorzy could have pitched 7,8,9 and got the looooooong save.
With all our catcher troubles, I never even heard of this guy.
Ivany has been with the club since 2005. Never got above AA. They might be making him into a coach. We'll have to see.
They all seem to have pretty high standards for themselves.
The Nats' front office is not likely to pull the trigger on calling up Rendon. He's on the 40-man, so it's possible. Don't bet on it.
Adam he has been wrong often enough ... if Boz says it definitely won't happen that's a different story entirely.
BTW, "Davey" is not the same as the FO to whom Adam refers. Davey has and will continue to call guys up as he sees fit. In Rendon's case given the sudden sense of urgency the FO seems to have with the guy I suspect Davey will in call him up if he looks good in Harrisburg. Not so much to help the team this season but for next season. Davey, like Rizzo, is always looking ahead because that's the part of being in baseball he seems to enjoy more than most other aspects.
I have to wonder if the sudden sense of urgency in Rendon's case doesn't also have it source in Davey.
Peric.. Amanda has the same info as Kilgore. but who knows, we could see him.
pRAA, any apology on Rendon?
My self-appointed meme would have to start with his handle Ghost and we know he won't admit he's a schmuck of a pencil head.
I agree with Peric as Davey has his own power. Rendon is already on the 40 man so it isn't a big deal to do it after September 1st.
Peric.. Amanda has the same info as Kilgore. but who knows, we could see him.
Keep in mind, Davey decided when Harper was ready, not the front office. It it had been up to them he would have stayed in the minors almost certainly. I'm not saying whether that move was right or wrong ... the jury is still out given his 2nd half slump and mental exhaustion.
Rendon, however, is a completely different animal: a polished and complete ballplayer at age 22. But he also has yet to endure an entire season. Espinosa would be the closest comparison and Espy is still adjusting.
Does calling Rendon up in September start the clock on Super 2/Arb status? That could be a consideration - albeit a SMALL one.
I still think that Rendon should earn it to be a September callup. I hope he crushes it in Harrisburg!
By the way, the only reason Rendon is in the discussion is because he is on the 40 man as part of his draft signing negotiation.
This is a weird lineup tonight. One night Davey loves the idea of Werth leading off; the next night he's batting cleanup.
Not many managers tinker with a lineup that produced 14 runs (on 21 hits!) the night before. Put Davey in the category of those who do.
After ALR, this lineup kinda tails off badly although Lombo gives us a little spark at No. 8.
Well looks like a 1 for 4 night for Anthony Rendon in AA but its better than Destin hood who is 0 for 4 with 4 strike outs.
Too much to ask that lightning strikes twice in two nights. Padres fall meekly to Atlanta, 6-0.
Werth has no power to speak of at this point ... and that may be a permanent condition. But, he's a right handed bat and he gets on base. I'd be more worried about the thing Natslady seems most concerned by: fielding. Werth is not looking all that great in the outfield.
Probably nit picking...but Flores again....in Davey I trust.....in Davey I trust
Does calling Rendon up in September start the clock on Super 2/Arb status? That could be a consideration - albeit a SMALL one.
No, I don't think it affects it.
Destin Hood is on his way to the Florida Instructionals after the season along with Brian Goodwin, that's for sure.
Ray Knight: Bernie robbing, uh, one of the hitters in the uh, 6th or 7th inning...
Maybe when DeRosa retires he can replace ex-Bowden ball Cincinnati Red Ray Knight in the booth ... be nice if he and FP could be the two analysts.
Wow==unsubstantiated==have the Red Sox fired Bobby V?
If true, maybe they will stop talking about Stras.
Ryan Zimmerman Piano Moving & Storage Co.
17 GIDPs.
Keep in mind, Davey decided when Harper was ready, not the front office.
Wasn't it Rizzo that went to Syracuse to scout him the week before, and decided that Harper was in the beginning of a hot streak?
Looks like BJ Upton is on a real tear just in time to break the hearts of the poor Oriole fans .. boohoohoohoo and again on the tail of the Spankees.
Huh, that unknown was me (A DC Wonk)
Wasn't it Rizzo that went to Syracuse to scout him the week before, and decided that Harper was in the beginning of a hot streak?
According to Rizzo Davey told him its time. Let's bring him up. What does that tell you?
Everybody who wanted Valentine in place of Riggleman last year, raise your hands.
NatsLady, I don't think the Bobby V thing is true (yet) ESPN would have blown up already and not a mention on BBTN
From Kilgore:
Today, Desmond took early batting practice and came through feeling healthy, and maybe a little playful.
“They scared me earlier,” Johnson said. “Ian came in my office with [Rick] Eckstein. He had early hitting. He said, ‘I’m hurt.’ I said, ‘Oh no. How bad is it?’ He said, ‘My ears are hurting from the loud sound coming off my bat.’ He got me.”
@patriotnews_gmo: When told Davey Johnson told D.C. media Anthony Rendon might be Sept. call-up, #HbgSens mgr Matt LeCroy responds with ... LeCroy: "Really? He had a good showing in ST, and if the manager sees something he likes, it's always on the back of his mind."
Everybody who wanted Valentine in place of Riggleman last year, raise your hands.
I wasn't sure about anything except I wanted Riggleman retired and in Florida. Working for the AA BlueWahoos is in Florida so its close enough.
Maybe wishful thinking after the BoSox just lost to the O's, Michele. ;)
And a 1B in the OF is a small problem, but nice move to get that out at third.
Yeeeeesh, Tyler Moore.
Oh Lord it's going to be Adventures in the OF tonight.
Tyler Moore will kill us out there. I really don't think he has it.
Pence and Belt had the right idea there.... Zimm has the best ERA in the majors, if he throws me a fastball down the middle to get ahead, I'm going to swing at it.
our guys need to do the same against Madison.
Then he almost collides with Espy. Sure looked like Espy's ball, though FP said the outfielder has priority.
I know there's no place else to play the guy right now, but is there anybody out there who thinks this Tyler Moore experiment in left field is working?
Tyler Moore probably should be learning his new position in AAA but the Nats lack decent right-handed bats off of the bench. It retards his development as an everyday player but he does wield a dangerous bat and with Desmond out ... he doesn't get to return to AAA to work on his fielding.
I wonder if Tyler goes back to SYR when Ian comes back? Maybe to work on those OF reads.
Winds have shifted, 19 mph blowing in. Temperature has dropped from 63 at game time to 56, according to C&D.
This keeps up, Kristina is going to be in a ski parka by the fifth inning.
I know there's no place else to play the guy right now, but is there anybody out there who thinks this Tyler Moore experiment in left field is working?
Said the same thing about LaRoche at first base in Pittsburgh the first three years. How's that working now? Moore doesn't have a lot of speed and he barely spent any time in AAA getting acclimated to left field.
I wonder if Tyler goes back to SYR when Ian comes back? Maybe to work on those OF reads.
For 10 or 12 days? Maybe ... but his bat is definitely a plus ...
Amanda Comack:
Asked about Rendon this afternoon in San Francisco and whether or not he could possibly be a September call-up, Nationals manager Davey Johnson said "he might be."
"Let's see how he finishes up," Johnson said. "This is the year of the young guys all around baseball. He's another one who's right in that mold... (But) his main thing is just getting into playing shape."
Johnson also added: "As long as he's healthy that stroke of his will hunt on most levels."
Znn is getting rocked so far. FP finally noting that the ball is up. Carp always starts off talking up our pitcher as a Cy Young/HoF candidate. It's tiresome. Wait and see how he does before you do that.
You can't teach "radar." Tyler Moore could practice from now until the cows come home, and like Josh Willingham, he'll never be a good outfielder. All you can do is hope to hide him out there so as to get his bat in the lineup.
JoeS, I think that's a little unfair. TyMo played his first inning in the outfield THIS YEAR. I'm inclined to give him the off season to work on stuff before concluding he's hopeless.
I'm inclined to give him the off season to work on stuff before concluding he's hopeless.
T-Mo lacks both speed and confidence at this point in the outfield. It is recipe for disaster at this juncture. He has worked very hard to improve his game at first base and if he works hard in the offseason perhaps T-Mo will end up able to hold his own in left field.
Its the bat they want to get into the lineup someway, somehow.
3-0 count...and that is what Werth does??? The Hammer now on pace for 42 HR and 123 RBI...he is almost as good as Jayson Werth. Do you think the Twinkies would make that trade...they would only have to spend another $100 million to make it happen! I mean the Twins must know that Werth is responsible for turning the Nats into a winner...he would have them in the Series in 2 years. Why wouldn't they want him? Oh yeah...he stinks!!!
Espinosa now with a higher batting average than Harper ... it keeps creeping up ... looks like he could be a real monster next season. The Nats might have the best overall infield in baseball next year taking into account all aspects of the game. Given what things were like just last season and especially before that's pretty amazing!
So Danny says, thankyouverymuch, Tyler. I'll just play short and left... :)
Anything this side of the warning track is Espi's.
The Hammer now on pace for 42 HR and 123 RBI...he is almost as good as Jayson Werth.
And Willingham is in the AL where they can hide his pretty poor fielding ability in the outfield by making him a DH. Which is likely what he will be almost full-time starting next year. It was a good call at the time. Besides what is the Twins record again? And what is the Nats record now and what was the Nats record when they had both Willingham's and Dunn's big power bats but terrible fielding?
Werth didn't replace Willingham, Harper does. I'll take Harper you can keep the change. Werth replaces Elijah Dukes and Austin Kearns since he is in right field.
F&I, you're being a bit harsh on Werth. He's batting over .300, has been a great clubhouse influence on Bam-Bam and others, and has come through at the plate this year. He makes one out and you want to trade him for Josh "15-day disabled list" Willingham?
I don't think so.
Besides his contract makes Werth im-freaking-possible to trade.
222, I disagree. He gets no jump, has no speed, no grace, and a fair, at best, arm. He's actually a klutz out there. I don't wish the kid anything but good luck, but OF will never be his strong point, in my opinion.
So Danny says, thankyouverymuch, Tyler. I'll just play short and left... :)
I suspect Danny was taking care of his teammate. He ducked under and let T-Mo have that ball, intentionally. They all most know T-Mo has confidence issues in the outfield and it behooves them to help out with that when they can. And as the leader on the field at shortstop that is likely what Espy was trying to do.
He ducked under and let T-Mo have that ball, intentionally.
Not so sure about that. He gave TyMo a "look."
T-Mo might surprise making a crowded outfield even more crowded. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how the drama unfolds as the Nats youth movement progresses.
Not so sure about that. He gave TyMo a "look."
Very intense player like Strasburg ... he gives everyone "a look".
Looks like we're almost as weak in right field with the "barking" ankle eh Natslady?
Not quite. Barking ankle still smarter than novice. Can't do anything about it now. Reconcile yourself, peric.
Nice hit, man. JZ!!!!
Werth didn't replace Willingham, Harper does. I'll take Harper you can keep the change.
Well, perhaps I should say Morse and Harper if and when they ever get the ballyhooed and heralded CF. I think they should just stick with Corey Brown for now and avoid the Bourn, poor fielding singles hitting identity.
Not quite. Barking ankle still smarter than novice. Can't do anything about it now. Reconcile yourself, peric.
True enough. Still Morse might have been a better choice.
this is a good old fashion pitching duel
I am not fond of this HP umpire, his strike zone changes with each batter
Gotta love shift work 3-11 AST. So far so civil!
As mick says, a pitching duel. Last night was a bonus for Nats fans.
Not Jordan's best night, although minimal damage except for, well, Bumgarner. Werth grabs another HR, the wind taketh away.
If we somehow win this game, the MVP should be right field.
I have no problem with Jordan at all.... we need to hit
Out at second on a nice play off the wall and a good throw, Gee. Oh never mind. Nice catch by Werth on the shot to end the inning.
Another outfielder I think is over- rated in Hunter Pence. The Nats on the board by the hustle of Werth.
Joe Seam==> yes. Judging from the boos, the Giants fans have seen Pence's fielding before tonight...
this is a good game, preview of NLCS
not a an NLCS umpire behind the plate or for that fact a post season umpire, very inconsistent strike zone
Beast mode available tonight? Curious about Itzuris on deck bottom 8.
NatsLady, that was after he got booed out of Philly.Ultimately the Astros will be the big winners of the Hunter Pence Sweepstakes.
Joe... I think Pence can still be a very good player
Sorry 7.
Davey indicated Morse would not be used tonight. His thumb/hand is quite swollen.
mick, I have a fondness in my heart for Pence because he threw out the runner so Clip won the All-Star Game (2011). But, after that...
mick, Hunter has looked terrible in RF all year.
They need Mkey Mo now that he has started to go on his XBH tear. Can't replace him with Werth Davey that ain't going to work.
No wonder Bonds took steroids!! It's impossible to hit it out of that joint!!!
Joe and Nats lady... i agree, I'm just saying I still he think he can be very good.
I really wamtd to see Nats only down 2-1 in 9th, Drew is very disappointing, not a good night for him at all
Swift in SF its all weather, look at last night, if its last nights weather tonight both Zim and Bryce have either HR or extra bases
very frustrating... well played game and all it takes is one player having an off night. I love Drew, but this was his worst game as a pro in a meaningful situation. I would have no problem losing 2-1, but at least wanted the chance to be down 2-1.
An inning from hell.
Nats having a game like the Giants had last night. Time to pack it in.
oh well, let's get them tomorrow!
Hey they didn't score 14. Mind you if they knew how to run the bases it would have been really ugly.
Wow, Storen's ERA just jumped from 2.00 to 5.79. Didn't help that he was squeezed on calls by HP umpire Layne. Look like it's only a strike if the Giants hitters took a swing.
Our hitters seem to have trouble and get overly anxious against control-type pitchers, something I hope they can break in the post-season.
Still waiting for JFlores to make a statement with the bat in response to the Suzuki trade.
Bottom line Natlady. They need the beast and his fielding and his bat more than they need Jayson and his fielding and his bat. And Davey needs to start thinking about resting Harper more ... the fact he doesn't tells me that the other top hitting prospect, Anthony Rendon, will get added to the roster for the playoff run after September 1st.
NatsJack. Well said.
Just glad most of the fans appreciate what we have right now and how special this season is.
Yes, NatsJack, but one only has so much time and energy. I want to put mine into being positive. I agree MicheleS that we have a pretty fine team right here, right now. It is bringing this Grumpy Old Man of Baseball a lot of joy.
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