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USA Today Sports Images Dan Haren served up four homers in six innings yesterday. |
"Few days?" Ryan Zimmerman said with a smirk yesterday when I asked him that. "Yeah, this is awful. I mean, I don't want to sound like a broken record, but it's pretty hard to get excited to play a game for the seventh week in Melbourne, Fla. We've been down here a while."
Yes, they have. And it's safe to say they are absolutely champing at the bit to get out of Florida, head north and begin this season already.
We probably saw evidence of that yesterday during the Nationals' 8-5 loss to the Marlins in Jupiter. Aside from Bryce Harper's torrid streak at the plate -- 9 for his last 9 with a walk -- and Dan Haren getting his final six innings of the spring in the books, there wasn't a whole lot else that piqued many people's interest at Roger Dean
Stadium.
"He got his work in," manager Davey Johnson said of Haren. "He finished the spring in good shape. He'll be ready to go. I think he ended up with close to 90 pitches, so that was good. Other than that, it was a dog day."
Haren himself wasn't much in a mood to dissect his outing. He served up four homers, including two to Giancarlo Stanton, but he also retired nine in a row at one point.
More than anything, the right-hander was just glad to put an end to his spring.
"I'm ready for the season," Haren said. "It's monotonous for everybody at this point. I would've liked better results, but it's not going to linger. I'm ready. I'm confident."
It was a bit of a hit-or-miss spring for Haren, his first with the Nationals. He pitched well early in camp, struggled through a rough start two weeks ago in which he was plagued with "dead arm," rebounded in his penultimate start, then was beaten around some by Miami in his final tune-up before the regular season.
As far as the 32-year-old hurler is concerned, the only thing he truly needed to accomplish this spring was building up his arm strength and keeping himself healthy after an injury-plagued 2012 in Anaheim. And he did.
"I feel really good," he said. "Coming into the spring here, I was most worried about how I would make it health-wise in spring, because spring is actually a lot more grueling than the regular season, just because of a lot more day games, drills, you're hitting, running, doing first-and-third stuff every day. So I was most worried about that. And I feel really good right now, and I'll get plenty of time between my first start, too. I'm happy. Of course, I'd like to go in with a better feeling, but once the lights turn on, it's a different story."
It'll be a while before the lights turn on for Haren, who isn't scheduled to pitch again until April 5 in Cincinnati. He's not sure what exactly he'll do to stay sharp between now and then, but he isn't worried.
"It's a long, grueling season, so a couple extra days here and there is not bad," he said. "I don't know how we're going to play it, but I just know we're leaving [Florida] soon, which is good."
After seven long weeks of spring training, there isn't a soul inside the Nationals clubhouse who wouldn't agree with that sentiment.
46 comments:
It will be good to get the long spring in florida over....but get ready for some cooler/colder non spring weather in DC. Fins up.
Haren giving up home runs is like Zimmerman striking out. They both walk away like they are bewildered, like is was some sort of anomaly, which of course it wasn't.
High of 61 is sounding good to me for Monday.
I am still sticking with my plan for minimal attendance on Friday (with other activities included) but Monday is looking stronger.
An old swimmer of mine sent me a red curly W hat with ear flaps as a joke!! Guess who will have that on the for the exhibition? Looking at the new alternative hat as my latest purchase (total of 15 National/Senator hats). I just can't get into the spring training hat as it reminds me of the Orioles. I figure if I buy the new alternative hat, I can retire one of the two non-fitted hats they gave out at various games and use them just for yard work and off season. I have already retired the green non-fitted hat.
How many others here are having a difficult time with our lads now being the favorites? I don't mean that it is laborious but its just not the mind set I have had in the past. I love that we are now good but I liked how we sort of snuck up on people as we improved each year. I have actually run into people that are not crazy about us because we are considered to be so good. We have not won anything yet, we are not the Yankees with multiple pennants. Certainly is different to say the least.
Go Nats!!
Would it be possible to build up arm strength abd not give up 4 bombs?
Flipping a switch does not always work. Haren is a vet so I will believe it for now. His MPH is down in the warm FL setting. Not completely sold that he is health and not washed up.
This team should be the favorites to win it all. If they do not (again)....I do not want to hear excuses about just missing by inches or lack of experience showed. That was last year.....this is a new year and they have no excuses left.
I'm not having a difficult time with it but it's certainly different. On a related note, I was talking with my Chicago baseball buddy the other day and she was remarking on how the Cubs and the Nats were still in rebuilding mode. I had to correct her on, er, half of that statement (she doesn't follow the Nats as closely as I do, which is understandable given that she's not local). That said, I did also opine on how there's no sneaking up on other teams now, given that they'll probably be bringing their "A" game.
Natsjack - thanks and I actually do remember you saying stuff about how good we were going to be!
I will trust you on the Vets% but like JayB, it is tough thinking they can just hit a different level in a few days. That is what I loved about my sport, you got out of it what you put in. You could not have continued poor practices and all of a sudden get results. Maybe baseball is just a different animal.
SJM, remember the year (2008?) that the Nats got three managers of opposing teams fired? Good old days, eh? ;-)
on my way to work, all I could think was how the first game would unfold and Nats win. can't wait for OD.
"I always tell everyone that, I agree.... the Nats haven't won anything"
Wrong. They have won the NL East. Not exactly an easy task. The Marlins despite two WS wins have never done it.
NatsNut - well put. I find it all bit disorienting, but in a good - I cant wipe this smile from my face - way. Looking forward to good baseball and good crowds at the ballpark.
I want to see baseball played at the highest level. Win or lose, I want to see the Nats all go for it like the Cyborg does. If they lose, then I want someone else to beat them. They are too good to beat themselves, again. So don't do that, Nats.
Give Davey your best and the chips will fall where they may, and you will get no complaints from me. It's a team game, so play like it, and I will cheer you on. Play to win and, more often than not, you will. Play not to lose, and too often you will lose.
This should be the best year for baseball in DC in any of our living memories, if you guys just do your part. You can do it.
Leaving Florida this morning. True. This has seemed like the longest spring training ever and the boys look like they are having trouble gearing up their enthusiasm these last few games. I honestly cringe when I hear how we will easily take the WS. It reminds me of when we would play the worst team in baseball (the years when we weren't actually the worst team in baseball) and were predicted to win it easily and they would thump us with a sweep. One game at a time....
As folks noted, it is probably unrealistic to think Haren will flip a switch and be great from day 1. It's a lot more realistic to think that he will gradually settle in and get more solid over the first month. Will be interesting to watch, however, all of the screams for his (and Rizzo's) head from the Legion of Doom if that happens.
Haren.....4 more bombs.....hmmmm.....I don't have a good feeling on this.
How many starts do we give him before we pull the plug on him? 5? 7? And who takes his place? Maya?
And then there were the times when the other teams were supposed to win easily against us, with results as referenced by Traveler.
"I honestly cringe when I hear how we will easily take the WS."
I would too, but seriously, who says that?
Haren will probably come out and spin a 2 hit shutout his first game and I will be eating big time crow. Hopefully
"How many starts do we give him before we pull the plug on him? 5? 7?"
Depends on who "we" is. Fans, or Rizzo and Davey?
How many seasons is it going to take for people to stop making asanign judgements based off of spring training stats? Every year people want to cut someone or send someone down based off of meaningless stats where people are working on certain things or just not playing as hard as a regular season game. Haren did give up a bunch of homers yesterday but at least 1, maybe 2 of them would not have been regular season homeruns. Yes Storen has struggled in spring training but he struggles EVERY spring training.
Case and point. Strasburg has a 2-7 record and an ERA over 4 in his spring training career. Is anybody worried about him being ready because of some meaningless stats?
"Ok...they've won a play off berth......and 2 playoff games......Beyond that....nothing yet. Show me a League Championship......that's something."
They have won a division championship, not just a "playoff berth." In other words, they have competed across a full 162 game season and emerged in first place. Four other teams tried and failed to do that. Not only that, in doing so they had the best record in the entire 30-team MLB!
You often hear it said that "it's a marathon, not a sprint." Actually, the regular season is the marathon and the playoffs are a sprint. The Nationals won the marathon, even though they have yet to win the sprint. That is definitely something.
BigCat I'll get a spoon and happily eat half the bowl of crow with you
Even in a worsT case, if Haren is done, this year's Brad Lidge, he still probably mixes in a couple of good-enough starts. If he isn't injured, Davey'll go a long while.
Fans, OTOH, not so much.
Of course, another case in point would be the Caps, who finished in first a couple of times.
Even if we won the world series last year, it wouldn't make any difference now. It would just be bragging rights. We would still be where we are now. The same team, the same record, the same expectations. The past means nothing. The future means nothing. Baseball is just in the "now".
Too Easy and a cop out in my view....NOW....just Now...no past no future....No accountability no growth that way.....yes less pain....but nobody has to own their performance that way. Drew, Jackson, Davey all just walk away from Game 5?
I, for one, am not expecting the Nats to win the World Series, but I have a realistic feeling that the could. JayB if it doesn't happen, it won't be Rizzo, or Davey's fault. I still see this team as being way ahead of the schedule I thought we on two years ago, and for that I thank Rizzo and Johnson.
GYFNG!!!
The only tension at the moment is awaiting Ghost of Steve M's "Rizzo Surprise."
"that they could"
Pul-eeze. Don't get me wrong, I love Ryan Zimmerman, but a multimillionaire complaining about playing baseball in 80 degree weather in March is hard to stomach. Particularly considering that he didn't even put on a glove in a spring game until about two weeks ago.
Not exactly Njack.....Jackson sent packing, Drew still can not get anyone out and is not longer closer.....and the one that really counts and time will tell.....Davey....this year I think he will manage to win in the Playoffs.....if he had done that it would have been Ryan M pitching and Danny sitting. It would have Drew not pitcher 3 days in a row. It would have been Drew or his replacement intentionally walking to get closer out of game......Davey must have learned something from losing that game.
The chilly temps and metro DMV traffic will wake these guys right up. Oh- and the large, noisy crowds : )
Honestly, JayB, do you really follow the team for fun or just to channel negativity? the team isn't a total failure that completely sucks if they don't win the World Series. A lot can happen in a season, and its entirely possible that the Nats don't win the division without being complete idiots that aren't worthy of your time. we've got a good, well constructed team that has a chance. The world didn't come to an end because we lost game 5 last year. We had a great, memorable season. Chill out and try to have some fun being a fan.
Interesting Harper-Trout note: in addition to publicly taking the Angels to task for the amount of money Trout was paid, his agent has said that Trout's unhappy and disappointed about being moved to left field this season. Harper, and Boras, haven't said anything like that. Should be a bit of an eye-opener for people who think Harper is so immature and arrogant and Trout is down-to-earth, but probably won't be.
Also, something interesting in Haren v. Jackson - last year, he went 12-13, so the Angels won at least 12 games he started last year.
Of the games Jackson started, he got the win in 10 and the Nationals went 12-19 in his starts. So if Haren just repeats last year, he'll be roughly the same as Jackson - not a step forward, but not a step back either. And last year went pretty well.
My concerns would be Haren, Stammen on the pitching side and Span and ALR on the hitting side.
I am fairly confident that everyone is where they need to be though, since they are all vets and have been through it before.
It will also help we get the Marlins to start.
I would feel a lot better if Haren was giving up a lot of grounders thru the hole, not barreled up bomb after bomb. I said when we got him that his lost velocity was a major concern. Nothing has changed as far as I am concerned.
PDowdy83: "asanign ..."
Spellcheck: "........ Go for it. I got nothing."
{=^D
Stamen had exactly one bad outing- all the pitchers had at least one. He was awesome last season.
Asinine - there you go UnkyD and PDowdy (by the way, your short lived blog was well appreciated by this old fan)
JayB - sure am glad you got to spout off again about Davey being stubborn, Mattheus throwing in game 5 and benching Danny. Bet we won't hear that again this season huh? please please please leave it alone, let it rest. Any I am convinced you never ever competed on a high level in any type of sports if you honestly believe that world class athletes look backward. One of the great aspects of a winner is that he has a short memory. Another aspect of winners is that they all have failed and moved on. Looks like you can't do that.
There is no rear-view mirror in baseball. Never. Period.
Haha yeah that's how you spell it sjm. Thanks! Sadly real life got in the way of much writing these days.
Big Cat, Haren's average velocity in 2011 was 89mph and just barely 90 in 2010. It sounds to me like he is sitting in that range now. I haven't heard reports (other than the dead arm start) that he is lower. He was touching 92 early in spring and has consistently been 88-90. He was a very useful pitcher in both of those years I stated above and Haren has NEVER been a flame thrower.
Also BigCat, is your name an Andres Galaragga reference?
Even if Haren only repeats last year he was still worth 1.8 WAR which is very good for a 5th starter. Yes he is making $13mil this year but the higher salary this season was Rizzo's way of not having to deal with long term deals for the likes of Jeremy Guthrie, Kyle Lohse et al.
JayB, when are you going to give it a rest on Storen? Drew is awful EVERY spring training and flips the switch when the season starts. This is nothing new. For relief pitchers you cannot simulate the adrenaline coming into the middle or end of a spring training game that comes with a regular season game.
PDdowdy, sjm, hexa-bits: you're talking to a wall. Just think of him as one of those motion-activated fish on a plaque that sings the same song whenever somebody walks past it.
Right on the nose, Sec 3!!!
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