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| Photo by Mark Zuckerman |
The Nationals took the first of this back-to-back series behind Gio Gonzalez and another stellar outing by Anthony Rendon. Now they host the Cards in Viera with another shot at the team they battled in last year's NLDS.
Today the Nats will feature a complete lineup of expected starters with Steve Lombardozzi filling in as the designated hitter. Unfortunately this one is not on television once again as this will be the first glimpse of what the Opening Day lineup should look like.
Ross Detwiler takes the mound against a group of Cardinals backups. Pete Kozma, however, will be out there this time. On the bump for St. Louis is Jaime Garcia who pitched Game 2 of the NLDS.
Here are the full lineups...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Space Coast Stadium, Viera
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EST
TV: None
Radio: St. Louis' KMOX radio via MLB Gameday Audio
Weather: Clear, 60 degrees, Wind 16 mph NW
NATIONALS
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
DH Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
C Kurt Suzuki
3B Steve Lombardozzi
(LHP Ross Detwiler)
CARDINALS
CF Shane Robinson
LF Adron Chambers
2B Matt Carpenter
DH Ty Wigginton
1B Matt Adams
C Tony Cruz
3B Pete Kozma
RF Justin Christian
SS Ronny Cedeno
(LHP Jaime Garcia)
122 comments:
Lombo is at third not at DH and Zimmerman has yet to play third as he continues to rehab that shoulder ...
First base looms closer for Zim as Rendon sparkles both in the field at the hot corner and at the plate.
Regarding relievers: apparently the Red Sox have some to spare. We have first-basemen and some quality infielders to spare... Trade?
boston-red-sox-should-team-consider-trading-some-relievers
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1551684-2013-boston-red-sox-should-team-consider-trading-some-relievers
So according to Kilgore, Garcia has gone from a diagnosed 'tendon strain' to 'partial tendon tear'.
All the pitching hopefuls move up a slot.
As the old saying goes, 'you can never have enough pitchin'!!
sjm...here is what I think Danny should be thinking and thus saying.....
1. I have done a lot of reflecting on last season. I think I got carried away with the success I had my rookie year with HR's. I think I kind of when up looking to swing for the fences in every AB and every pitch. That is something I need to change. That is not the kind of hitter I am or the kind of player my team needs. I think that HR, swing as hard as I can approach really led to too many K's last year.
2. On the last month of the season and the Playoffs. That was a mistake on my part. I thought if I just keep playing things would work out. The combination of over swinging and pain was a perfect storm. I did a lot of thinking over the winter and if I had to do it again I think I would have told Davey I am hurting the team at the worst time. I need to sit.
3. Yea I do have a much different swing now. After all that reflecting above I know am ready to change some things. I worked hard over the winter reviewing video and talking with Eck about what he is seeing. The biggest thing was the my approach was wrong. The big leg kick was just a manification of the wrong mind set. I am now keeping it to just a little toe tape and that helps me look for hits going the other way. It helps me take outside pitches and not be committed to rolling over them and pulling them for easy two hop outs to second. I am very excited about the changes I have made this winter. I think it gets me back to the type of hitter I was in college and they type of hitter this team needs from me in the 7 or 8 hole.
"We have first-basemen and some quality infielders to spare... Trade?"
I don't think Rizzo is done yet. The best thing that could happen to guys like Marrero and Brown would be a trade to another team looking for a leftie power-hitting outfielder with plus speed who can play excellent defense anywhere they put him, and/or for a backup first baseman..
Marrero might be a harder sell, but if he is not traded, he is not likely to play in the bigs for the Nats. The job description for 1b starts with "Must hit for power," and he has less power than the middle infielders, let alone the corner guys, and let's not even mention former pitcher Micah Owings, who Rizzo signed explicitly to be a backup first baseman for the Nats.
And then there is young Mr. Anthony Rendon. The Nats now have 3 extraordinarily gifted position players in Ryan, Harper, and now, Rendon. Most teams would be delighted to have just one guy like that, and the Nats have 4, when you throw in Strasburg. Rendon will play every day in the bigs. He is just too good not to.
I cannot imagine Rizzo trading a talent like that, any more than I can see him trading Harper or Strasburg. That leaves either Lombo or Espinoza. Espinoza would bring a better return, but not as good as what Rizzo could have gotten when he tried to trade him 2 years ago (for Greinke).
If they had gone ahead and done surgery on Espinoza's torn rotator cuff in the off-season, everyone concerned would be better off now. You would have to find a GM ready to take on a guy with a damaged shoulder, who might need surgery before the season is over, and who might not be able to contribute until next year. Tough sell, especially if he suffers additional damage and has to have the surgery even before he can be traded.
Brown and Marrero are blocked by better players, and Danny is currently playing Wally Pipp to Rendon's inevitable Lou Gehrig. Maybe they are using Rendon as insurance against another injury to Ryan. Otherwise, I don't see why they don't get him as many reps as possible at second, instead of at short.
Substituting a high OBP guy with power, like Rendon, for a strikeout machine, low average guy like Espinoza would make the Nats one of the most potent lineups in the bigs, if not the most potent, from leadoff hitter all the way down to the 7-hole. Suzuki and Ramos ain't exactly chopped liver, either. A great team would get even better, and even younger.
Good to see Ryan back in the lineup.
In 208. Say hey.
Sigh. No Charlie&Dave. No TV.
Just that incorrigible drunk Jeff Bridges ...
Who are Ditwiler and Lamberdozi? Are they on our team?
And you can't have too many good fielding decent hitting shortstop, third baggers, and second baggers ...
One wrong slide on a fielding play by Danny and ...
One wrong slide on a fielding play by Zim and ...
Its good to have Rendon, Walters, and Rivero (in spite of what Natsjack says about him.)
Another sigh--not paying attention to base-runners and they execute the double steal. Hey, that's DAVEY's play!!!!
How dry I am, how dry I am ... oh there's the pitch its a breaking ball.
Drink, drink, drunk, drunk ... gonna get drunk like I've never been drunk before because when I'm drunk I'm as happy as can be because I am a member of the Cardinals family!
Long distance relationship with your ... bottle of bourbon ... it should be right next door.
Edward Jones! Making sense of drinking ... oh I was thinking about Jim Beam.
Bryan Harper (hears in ear phones: that's his brother!) oh Bryce Harper ... but I'd rather have another drink and talk about Stan the Man.
You've lost me, peric.
And it worked ... quick give me another drink.
I am forced to listen to that half drunk Anheuser Busch announcer since that's the only coverage 1/2 Street.
Nice, keep Marrero and Rendon out of the lineup and the first thing Zimmerman and LaRoche do is strike out.
peric- gotcha
I mean, here we go again with runner on third and less than 2 out. Strike three...Strike three. Ugh. So furstrated. Peric, I'm going for the Bud man.
Are you guys serious? Its just a spring training game. relax.
I havent heard anyone mention that LaRoche's stellar 2012 campaign was aided by Michael Morse hitting behind him. Without the slugger's protection, LaRoche is going to see less to hit. Should be interesting. If I were a betting man (and I am), my bet would be less, maybe much less production from ALR this year. Management must not have been thinking clearly back in Jan. Of course, Desi should tear it up this year, negating the loss of the The Beast behind ALR. Too bad Werth is locked in for 5 more years. smart money would have moved Werth and kept Morse. 97 wins may be a bit tough to match this year.
Werth has a no-trade clause. He also brings more than hitting to the team.
Not to mention that NOBODY wants Werth's contract, which has 5 years and about $100M left on it. Seriously?!
Yay - thanks to a very helpful fellow at mlb.com customer service, my Game Day Audio is now renewed and I can enjoy listening to and criticizing the STL broadcasters. ;-)
I guess we would call this "hate-listening."
Morse isn't close to Werth in batting numbers. He's injury prone and basically had one decent year. Morse also is a big defensive liability and base running nightmare, err double play in motion. Keeping Werth was the right move. IMHO
I'm listening to the game now, too, and it is funny listening to the guy talk about Craig "Stayman". Oops, he just corrected himself.
It also sounded to me like he said "Ditwiler" just now.
Omg Peric, I thought u lost your marbles until I just logged into At Bat. I feel like I'm watching "Major League" with Bob Euker (sp?) doing play by play
Washington isn't a major league market until the local radio outlet starts broadcasting a reasonable no. of spring games. WBAL doing 16 O's games; CBS-DC doing, what, six?
Juuust a bit outside...
Ueker
Gesundheit.
Assume, for the sake of argument, Shannon (I'm not listening to it) is habitually drunk on the air. Has this somehow escaped Selig's attention? Caray survived because he had done Cards, White Sox and Cubs for 40 years. This can't make MLB happy . . ..
Why does MASN not broadcast more spring training games? what do they get from instead broadcasting ESPN news on two separate channels instead of this?
Anyone know how Zech Zinicola wound up in Baltimore? He pitched for them today-- 1/3 inning.
Tayo-
Peter Angelos hates the Nationals, and will try to hurt them at his own expense with crappy MASN coverage. He acquired a taste for bile long ago.
Jeez, all this guy does is ask his partner what happened. He didn't get the W-L records of the teams right even though he had it on paper in front of him.
It also sounded to me like he said "Ditwiler" just now.
And let's not forget that utility infielder "Lambardozzi".
Tracy BOMB! Loving that the Cards announcers are bemoning the missed DP
tayo, so true on Werth bringing more than game play to the table. In reviewing the Hanrahan trade I was struck by how much of a box Rizzo was in because of guys on the team under-performing.
It's 5-2 Nats in case you don't have audio
ooooooo, the Cards announcer summoned that Tracy HR. giggle.
Goon squad!
I have audio, but through Sirius XM internet. It is several batters behind. Good to know something good is on the way.
Also for those without audio, we're through 6 now.
Brandon Mann trying to give it back. 5-3 now w/ runners on 2nd and 3rd.
5-4, I think.
Eh, 5-5 now.
And hel-lo, Kozma.
AND, he succeeds... game tied.
@Get some...
We We may have just released Zinicola because I don't think he was taken by anyone in the rule 5 draft. Don't think he was even eligible. He was one of our better relief pitchers in AA AND AAA the past 2 years based on stats. Wasn't he also suspended for substance abuse sometime?
Time for, oh dear, was that the TGIF Frozen Sacks 7th inning stretch?
Ohhh, frozen *snacks.* Never mind. :-)
Nationals' minor league right-hander Zech Zinicola was suspended 50 games for his second violation of the minor-league drug prevention and treatment program.
The suspension is for a drug of abuse, not a performance-enhancing drug. Zinicola, who turns 27 in March, posted a 2.01 ERA and 44/13 K/BB ratio over 40 1/3 innings last season between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. This won't help his stock in the organization. Thu, Jan 5, 2012 03:39:00 PM
Common Mann. there is only one open spot. this is not how you stake a claim to it.
Nice hand for Ramos. Well done, Nats fans.
tayo, yeah, Manns's getting an 'F' today...
tayo, Yes he was suspended for synthetic marijuana in 2012 according to Wiki.
That was the most recent news I could find on Zinicola. If he was released it hasn't hit his Wikipedia page...
keithlaw @keithlaw
Edwin Jackson just went for a force and threw to second base in Maryvale. Too bad the game's in Mesa.
NatsLady
He is indeed listed in his Milb page as now belonging to Baltimore.
Re. Zinicola, I found this. Looks like he became a FA last November.
All these lefties failing. looks like Fernando Abad has the upper hand right now.
Oops, now losing 6-5. O's just hammered the Phillies 12-3.
Score update, the Cardinals picked up a run in the top of the 8th, and the Nats are down by one.
Good heavens, Brian Roberts is batting .538. Can he really come back?
Whole lotta hitting going on today. Perhaps a bit more to come?
Goon squad, part 2 (Tracy double).
Juuust a little bit outside.
Knotted up at 6-6 after 8 (the old GO, 2B, BB, FO, and 7-5-4 PO routine).
That philosophy of just using righties to pitch to everyone is sounding better and better. Not like any of these lefties can get anyone out. You know - starters are expected to get hitters on both sides of the plate out 3 or 4 times per game. Relievers only have to face a guy once -- so why this whole idea of the loogy? It' a fairly new thing anyway. I would much rather see Mattheus face hitters on both sides than carry a mediocre lefty.
I havent heard anyone mention that LaRoche's stellar 2012 campaign was aided by Michael Morse hitting behind him. Without the slugger's protection, LaRoche is going to see less to hit. Should be interesting.
Steven Hayes my theory says that Mr. Tyler Moore, the Magnolia Muscle is the answer. An analysis of last year's season for T-Mo shows that more of his line drives / fly balls went for home runs than anyone else on the Nats roster last season, plus, he was tied with the LaRoche for the highest ISO.
And there's Corey Brown's left-handed power bat ... plus Marerro looks interesting but honestly he just isn't as good as T-Mo and is still younger so they can stash him for at least another season. Finally my favorite player from when he first arrived in Syracuse, Mikey Mo, hit that magic 30 year old mark with a history of injuries. And Rizzo managed to obtain 2 excellent pitching prospects including former draft pick AJ Cole. So as painful as it is .. the Nat's FO have thought it through.
OMG. There's a Mike Shannon bobblehead. And it has a voice chip.
"Where's that long, wind-blown home run when you need it?"
My vote would be the bottom of the 9th. Thanks for asking. :-)
Yeah, who news lefties when we have Matheus and others pitchers who are very effective against lefty hitters. I am ok with Kimball winning the last spot if he pitches better than the other potential lefties vying for a spot.
1a, you're really on you game today. You are so clever.
"Where's that long, wind-blown home run when you need it?
And I'm getting dry again I'm thinking boiler makers after the game ... Indiana style and I will regale you with more tales of Stan the Man, Willie Mays, McCovey and don't forget Davey Johnson, Hank Aaron etc. hitting 40 goners for the Braves.
Hic cup Hic cup.
Thanks, Sonny. I try, when I can get the cat off my keyboard.
Wilson!
Yay WILSON!!!! A Double!!!
(2B, with Leon running for him.)
Now I owe Michele. :-)
Nats win! Nats win! I don't care if it is ST, I like beating the redbirds. :-)
Zach Walters saved me! Now, after the Cardinal highlights I can drink myself senseless here as SpaceGhost stadium ... I mean Space Coast stadium.
And Ramos and Zack Walters win it! 7-6
Sorry, Zach, not Zack.
Hard for me to picture Leon as a pinch runner - not exactly fleet of foot as I recall. The joys of a spring training roster. Mattheus looks like he may be a stud this season. If Cole Kimball is truly back, he could be a nice addition also. I predict that we stash HRod on the dl again as much as possible.
Atta way, Buffalo!
We We may have just released Zinicola because I don't think he was taken by anyone in the rule 5 draft.
He actually was drafted in rule 5, 2 years ago but he was offered back and the Nats took him.
Actually Solano would make a pretty decent pinch runner for a catcher. I guess they want to see what Leon can do on the base paths.
I think the Onion was in the game earlier.
Ryan and Ramos come through in their first game back, and the Nats come back to beat the Cards in the 9th.
When will they split off into minor/major camps? I have to say that I enjoy watching - or virtually watching -- the prospects. Might see more of them this year because of the long spring training and the wbc.
He actually was drafted in rule 5, 2 years ago but he was offered back and the Nats took him.
Yeah, i actually meant this years rule 5 draft. he was apparently a free agent and I guess the Nationals weren't keen on signing him back(probably because of substance abuse issues) or he didn't want to sign back here because he saw little chance of making it to our major league squad.
Nice win. Ramos's double was crushed to center.
But Great Maker, it is windy and cold!
Yeah, kinda windy and cold here. :-)
Was looking up Eduardo Sanchez -- Who knew there was a Venezuelan Summer League?
Mike S and Milo T of the Astros...they are real throw backs to an era long gone. I don't mind them too much as long as we beat them!
Works for me. :-)
I don't mind them too much as long as we beat them!
If it keeps getting windy and cold there the tourist season will suffer. Australia and places much further south could pick up the business. Hmmm ... spring training in Australia in the summer but not many fans would travel that far ...
Had to cancel reservations which would have had me in Viera this week. The reports of mid-50s and winds in 30s make me less jealous.
But -- Peric and NatsLady have pointed out -- listening to proud old KMOX made me wince. Brian Harper? Gimme a break. There were great announcers (and funny ones like Dizzy Dean) there once.
No game tomorrow. Davey gets a day off. :)
Bummer, the Shannon bobblehead only does his home run call. Some Shannonisms that evidently didn't make the cut are here.
Per Comak's tweeter, on first round of cuts today:
Amanda Comak @acomak
The #nats reassigned Bill Bray, Tanner Roark, Brandon Mann & Will Ohman to minor league camp today.
Sort of tells you Davey and Rizzo are not messing around with the bullpen battle. Makes sense for those guys to get more work in with the youngsters and for the others to show their stuff with the big boys.
Long time lurker, first time commenter here.
Given that Christian Garcia is hurt and that we still only have Duke in the bullpen, I wouldn't at all be surprised if Abad makes the 25 man roster.
Thinking maybe Cole Kimbal?
Here are my grades and comments for today on the lefty "competition." Not sure why McCoy wasn't sent to minor-league camp. I can only guess that he had one good outing, that he has gotten LHBs out, and that he's maybe staying until Detwiler and Gio get back from the WBC as just a body to put in the games.
Lefties as of 3/3
http://ladyandthenats.blogspot.com/2013/02/lefties-for-hire-as-of-332013.html
Per Kilgore, Rizzo didn't waste any time, Ohman pitched the 6th inning and was cut before the game was over....
Amanda told me on Twitter that only the four pitchers were sent to minor-league camp, no position players...
My guess is also Kimball. I think the lefty thing is way overrated.
You are thinking Henry and Christian Garcia will start the season on the DL?
From Kilgore's story about Garcia's first major league appearance.
He underwent Tommy John surgery for the first time in 2006, one year after the Yankees chose him in the third round out of high school in Miami. The pain in his elbow returned, and in 2009 he had surgery to shave down a bone spur. In 2010, his ulnar collateral ligament snapped again and he underwent a second Tommy John surgery.
Now this. There are some guys the baseball gods seem to hate. I don't see how this ends up having a happy ending.
NL.. if Henry throws one to the back stop, I expect that Rizzo will punch him in the kidneys to send him to the DL.
I suspect guys in the clubhouse will be leaving things for him to trip over.
Purke was said to be recovered from surgery. Any of you snowbirds seen anything of him?
Yeah, and any Brian Goodwin sightings down there? Can't recall hearing a thing about him all spring... is he hurt?
Brian Goodwin is working out with the minor-leaguers, as part of the "accelerated" camp. I got to see him hitting, running, fielding. He's just not playing in the major-league games.
This allows me to reiterate -- I just can't say it enough -- if you go down to Viera, don't just watch the games! Head over to the practice fields, and watch the young kids working out. It's your chance to see professional ball players doing drills, and you just won't see it anywhere else. It's a real treat.
And yeah, MicheleS, that cracked me up too.
Thanks for the Goodwin update Scooter, just seemed odd that we've gotten to see Michael Taylor and Eury Perez but not him.
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