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Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER Stephen Strasburg is on the mound this afternoon at PNC Park. |
Whatever the case, all eyes will be on Strasburg this afternoon as he faces the Pirates in what kind of amounts to a must-win game for the right-hander. OK, maybe he doesn't need to actually earn the W, but he certainly needs to pitch well and put to rest any questions about the state of his arm.
The Nationals once again are forced to go with a different-looking lineup because of injury. Denard Span is out today after fouling a couple of pitches off his ankle last night. That ankle was taped up after the game, and Span was limping around a bit. We'll get an update on his condition soon. In the meantime, Roger Bernadina takes over in center field and Danny Espinosa gets a rare chance to lead off.
Note the different broadcast circumstances for today's game, both on TV and radio, below. Game updates to come, so please check back...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Where: PNC Park
Gametime: 4:05 p.m. EDT
TV: Fox regional (coverage map here)
Radio: WNEW (99.1 FM), WJFK (106.7 FM, JIP), XM 184
Weather: Partly cloudy, 69 degrees, Wind 14 mph in from CF
NATIONALS (15-15)
2B Danny Espinosa
SS Ian Desmond
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Tyler Moore
C Wilson Ramos
CF Roger Bernadina
RHP Stephen Strasburg
PIRATES (17-12)
LF Starling Marte
RF Travis Snider
CF Andrew McCutchen
1B Garrett Jones
C Russell Martin
3B Pedro Alvarez
2B Jordy Mercer
SS Clint Barmes
LHP Jeff Locke
UMPIRES
HP John Hirschbeck (cc)
1B Bob Davidson
2B Jim Reynolds
3B James Hoye
4:06 p.m. — And we're underway with a fastball from Jeff Locke to Danny Espinosa for strike one. Another beautiful (if a bit windy) day here in Pittsburgh.
4:11 p.m. — And Locke retires the side on 10 pitches, getting Espinosa and Bryce Harper to ground out weakly to first base and Ian Desmond to strike out looking at an inside fastball. Here's Stephen Strasburg.
4:19 p.m. — It wasn't a perfect bottom of the first for Strasburg — he plunked Starling Marte on an 0-2 pitch, then let him steal second and take third on Wilson Ramos' throwing error — but overall it was a good first inning for the right-hander. He got ahead of everybody, threw 11 of 15 pitches for strikes and struck out both Travis Snider and Andrew McCutchen. That's his first scoreless first inning in four tries, so that's progress in itself. 0-0 after one.
4:29 p.m. — A golden opportunity for the Nats in the top of the second after Adam LaRoche and Tyler Moore drew consecutive, one-out walks. But Wilson Ramos killed the rally with a 6-4-3 double play. It's gone a bit unnoticed with Zimmerman, LaRoche and Espinosa slumping, but Ramos is now 0-for-8 since coming off the DL. The Nats need to get him going to provide more of a threat at the bottom of the lineup.
4:35 p.m. — Two scoreless in the books for Strasburg, has been pretty sharp so far. Eighteen of 24 pitches for strikes, hasn't let the Pirates hit the ball out of the infield so far. Zimmerman, meanwhile, made a routine throw to get Jordy Mercer to end the second. Not 100 percent accurate, but still on target enough. Scoreless through two.
4:43 p.m. — They don't have a hit yet, but the Nats do have a run, thanks to Ian Desmond's sac fly to the wall in center, scoring Roger Bernadina from third. Bernadina reached when he was hit by a pitch, then advanced to third when Strasburg pulled back a bunt attempt and chopped a ball to short, surprising Clint Barmes so much he threw the ball away. But Espinosa put forth an awful at-bat after that. With runners on the corners and nobody out, pretty much the only thing Danny could do wrong there was not put the ball in play. So what did he do? Took three strikes. Fortunately, Desmond picked him up, so the Nats lead 1-0 in the middle of the third.
4:53 p.m. — Davey Johnson talked this morning about the need for Strasburg to go right after hitters, not nibble at the corners and get ahead in the count. Well, here's the downside to that: Strasburg grooved a first-pitch fastball right down the middle to Marte, and the Pirates leadoff man crushed it to right-center for a two-run homer. Just like that, the Nats are down 2-1 after three.
5:02 p.m. — If you were wondering whether Zimmerman's hamstring is OK, here's one way to find out: Have him hit a triple. Seriously. Zim poked a ball down into the left field corner, where it then scooted past Marte, so he had to turn on the afterburners and chug his way to third base for his second triple of the season. Good thing, because that allowed him to score on LaRoche's sacrifice fly to right. LaRoche really has been making better contact during this road trip. He won't have a hit to show for it there, but he does get an RBI. Nats and Bucs now tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
5:09 p.m. — Good stuff from Strasburg to get out of the fourth inning following a leadoff single by Garrett Jones. He induced a double-play grounder out of Russell Martin, then made Pedro Alvarez look silly on three straight offspeed pitches (a curveball and two changeups). Still 2-2 after four.
5:24 p.m. — Though he's been better today, Strasburg still is having trouble with leadoff hitters. He's now allowed the leadoff man to reach in four of five innings. And in each case, that runner wound up scoring on a subsequent home run. Strasburg grooved a 1-0 fastball to Clint Barmes and the light-hitting shortstop crushed it into the bullpen for the second two-run homer off Strasburg already today. Pirates lead 4-2 after five, and Strasburg does not look happy about it.
5:45 p.m. — And the Nats come storming back to tie the game, thanks to a much-needed clutch hit from Ramos. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Moore came to the plate facing as good of a matchup as he'll ever get, with a left-handed reliever (Justin Wilson) on the mound. But Moor struck out on four pitches, so that left it up to Ramos to deliver, which he did. He roped a hard grounder up the middle, bringing home two runs. So it's now 4-4 as we go to the bottom of the sixth.
5:57 p.m. — Strasburg continues to walk a tightrope. He's now allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in 10 of his last 12 innings, a staggering rate that has forced him to pitch out of the stretch way more than he should. To his credit, Strasburg has effectively used his changeup today to record some big strikeouts when he's needed them, including on both Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez in the bottom of the sixth just now. It remains 4-4 as we go to the seventh.
6:13 p.m. — Yet another opportunity for the Nats in the seventh, though this time they can't convert. Wilson walked Zimmerman and LaRoche in succession with two outs — LaRoche, by the way, has zero official at-bats in four plate appearances today, three walks and a sac fly — so Hurdle brought in right-hander Bryan Morris to face Moore. And Moore promptly struck out. So he's now stranded six men on base in the last two innings, all without ever putting the ball in play. That's not good. Still 4-4 at the stretch, Strasburg still on the mound.
6:19 p.m. — A strong finish to Strasburg's up-and-down afternoon. He retired the side quickly in the bottom of the seventh. Due up third now, he's probably done for the day. His line: 7 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 2 HBP, 2 HR, 94 pitches. Still 4-4.
6:28 p.m. — The Nats keep giving themselves opportunities, but they can't make the most of them. Despite getting two on with two out in the eighth, Desmond lined the first pitch he saw from Tony Watson to right to end the inning and strand two more runners on base. One interesting side note: Jayson Werth had his helmet on and bat in hand in the dugout just now, perhaps trying to convince Davey he could pinch-hit for Strasburg. Davey would have none of it, sending Steve Lombardozzi instead to the plate. (Lombardozzi beat out an infield single, by the way.) So it's still 4-4 as we go to the bottom of the eighth, with Tyler Clippard in from the bullpen. No decision for Strasburg today. He remains winless since Opening Day.
6:38 p.m. — Nifty play from Clippard to snag Jones' line drive comebacker and then fire to first to double up McCutchen and end the eighth inning. It's still 4-4 here as we go to the ninth. Harper, Zimmerman and LaRoche due up for the Nats.
6:57 p.m. — OK, who saw this one coming? A gimpy Zimmerman (who was plunked on the left knee by Tony Watson) and noted speedster LaRoche pulled off a double-steal without drawing a throw, in the ninth inning of a tie game. Sweet Fancy Moses! That surprise move paid off, too, because Moore finally delivered a productive at-bat in a big spot, lofting a sac fly to right to score Zimmerman and give the Nats a 5-4 lead. Rafael Soriano in for the bottom of the ninth, seeking to close this one out.
7:04 p.m. — That's it. The Nats eek out a 5-4 victory, a much-needed one at that. Clippard gets the win. Soriano gets the save. Moore gets the game-winning RBI.
210 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 210 Newer› Newest»Espinosa...leading off? Woah.
Oh boy, Espi and Desi one and two today. That ought to put a lot of runners on base for Harp. :(
That should put some pressure on Strasburg to clear the leadoff man with two outs in the inning, maybe get his bat going...
Can't say Davey is not changing things up now, but he sure doesn't have much to work with. Maybe Stras will shut down the Pirates today.
I guess the key to moving up in he lineup is having a poor approach at then plate. What does Davey see that I don't?
Davey's infatuation for Espinosa has hit a new high.
Unless Espinosa works the count and see a lot of pitches and gets on base at least 2 times, it's a big step backwards.
The only good news is Espi gets to bat right-handed.
Yes, I preferred JUp/Harp/Werth but as a 2nd choice,
Well, Ghost they probably could get Gian Carlo Stanton? For Moore, and starting pitchers (hopefully not Det and prospects). Then you'd be risking Moore becoming like Morse in your division?
Not sure I'd want to take that risk given how he was tearing things up in Syracuse before them promoted him and then given his high ISO from off the bench last season.
An outfield of Stanton, Harper, and Span would be just about perfect with Werth as the bench bat 4th outfielder.
Espinosa doesn't stink. He's way better than your favorite player JMax Natsjack. And way better than Guzman at second remember that experiment?
Davey giving Span a blow and putting in the Shark. The line up now has more power from top to bottom. The problem is the hole in the #5 spot named Adam LaRoche. That's who really stinks.
Davey's infatuation for Espinosa has hit a new high.
He's still young. He's not a AAAA player yet. And as we've seen (remember Garret Mock?) Rizzo doesn't give up on his prospects until he is sure. He claims to have learned that after he gave up everyone's favorite "stink" AKA the infamous "Gascanrahan" and what ever happened to him?
Davey's holding a team meeting.
"He was awfully rusty, but he will be fine," manager Davey Johnson said about Ryan Zimmerman about his 1st game back.
Another Prospect pitcher ... the Nats haven't had much luck with them this season.
Put the guy that can't hit his weight and will swing at anything in the leadoff spot, that will jump start the offense for sure. As suggested, you can't kill a rally when you leadoff the game.
And a left-handed prospect pitcher, at that! That's like two kryptonites in one.
"Last year, before Game 31, Davey called a team meeting at PNC Park before a Strasburg start. Also, he did that same exact thing today."
That's weird.
Lead off hitter Danny Espinosa has a .213 on base percentage.
Great idea!
Coming soon: Pauly Shore leads the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Two of today's four early games featured a lead-off homerun, and a third nearly had one and was robbed by a leaping catch by Ichiro. The fourth game didn't have a homerun until the *second* batter. Maybe Danny or Ian can keep the pattern going.
My money is on Ian, EmDash!
GYFNG!
SteveM
Can someone like Boras call Rizzo and say I want my client on the field not on the bench
Looking what Feelwood wrote about Zimmerman covering the outside of the plate got me thinking about what it would take given the distance to the outside of the plate is 17" + 6" for the space between the batter's box and the inside of the plate. You are covering 23" just to get the end of your bat to touch a pitch on the extreme edge of the plate.
The other factors are that when Zim swings with full extension he is about 27 inches away from his body less 4 inches for his left hand grip is 23 inches. He swings a 34 inch bat and wants the ball on his sweet spot around the 30 inch mark. Zim's front ankle when he swings needs to be no less than 30 inches from the right side of the batter's box.
The batter's box is 4 feet wide. He looks to be about 3/4 of the way into the box with the back of his foot.
I just can't see how he is getting outside covrage unless he is diving towards the plate or hitting the ball off the end of his bat.
Peric Werth is not sitting on the bench. Please stop posting such nonsense.
Exposremains said...
SteveM
Can someone like Boras call Rizzo and say I want my client on the field not on the bench
Here's the deal, Stras is his client, Bryce is his client, Werth, and Espinosa and Rendon.
Who should sit in his opinion?
Cingrani already has given up 2 earned.
And like that with a 2 run jack by Alfonso Soriano, its now 4 earned runs by Cingrani.
Unless Detroit has a rainout, the Nats will miss Justin Verlander in the Tues/Wed series.
Maybe I'm just too used to Davey's way of handling pitchers, and it did work out for Cincinnati against the Nationals, but from looking at Cigrani in that game it seemed really strange that they sent him out for that last inning he did. He was pretty gassed and ended up throwing 110 pitches in his third career start. If he's ineffective today it seems like that could have a hand in it.
I usually hate Fox coverage but we get FP today!! Hope the boys play well today. I can handle losses. Most teams I have ever rooted for have lost a lot. It's bad baseball that is hard to watch. Lack of hustle I cannot forgive - at least it's not that. Believe me, I understand trying as hard as you can and yet struggling. I am a musician so I really get practice/ performance/ mental type issues. One of the things I tell my students is that you should prepare correctly and then get out of your own way. When you can accomplish that and let your preparation show, then you get in a nice zone and it's all good.
Yep, Cingrani kept looking at the dugout, pleading, wondering--when am I coming out???
Make sense but there's certainly a financial gain for Boras if Espinosa gets better But if he keeps playing everyday without making adjustments that would be a financial loss. Would an agent ever see a trip to AAA as a good thing long-term for the player
An amusing thought. When I was researching Locke, I cam across a quote (which I didn't use) that the Cards also have trouble with unknown pitchers, especially lefties. I hope Rizzo did good scouting, and the hitters pay attention. Sometimes I know they time the pitcher, and figure they'll get him on the second or third try. But if we are 3-4 runs in the hole, it's too late by then. Need to get runs early!!!
Dusty possibly did screw up Cingrani but he was also primed to show some regression. I expect Harvey to have a tough outing at some point as the league sees him 2nd time around.
Speaking of the Mets, they've already postponed the Mets/Braves game for today.
If an agent's client is ever sent to AAA, a good agent will figure out a way to spin that as a positive in any subsequent arbitration hearing. Kind of like the way that Ghost of Steve M. keeps trying to spin it that I'm Feelwood. The true BSers are always spinning it their way.
Very possible that Mets/ATL will get rained out tonight. 100% chance of rain... Remember when Rizzo canceled a game (I thin it was in 2011) and it never rained?
Apparently Rich P. doesn't think it's a compliment to be mistaken for Feelwood...
Exposremains, unless its an injury rehab assignment to AAA, I don't see many agents would be pleased with a demotion.
I'm sure Danny called Boras when he rode the pine for 2 games to whine to him. I'm just very over the situation and like I've pondered, who's calling the shots?
BTW, how would Detroit get rained out? They are in Houston. Well, unless the roof leaks.
NatsLady, see, I was wrong. They can't be rained out unless the roof won't close.
"NatsLady said...
Apparently Rich P. doesn't think it's a compliment to be mistaken for Feelwood..."
Would you?
Hamstring injury for Hanley-serious. Jayson, get healed, take your time!
Ramirez Dodgers
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/04/hanley-ramirez-leaves-game-with-hamstring-injury-probably-out-a-long-time/
I hope your strategy helps, NatsJack. You don't have an Espi bobblehad in a box anywhere, do you?
"Remember when Rizzo canceled a game (I thin it was in 2011) and it never rained?"
May 2011 vs the Pirates. It was $2 Tuesday and I had a ticket. They made it up in July as part of a traditional doubleheader, so I got two games for two bucks. I'm not complaining.
JaneB, is a Bobblehad kind of like a "had been"?
Lol natsjack
I kind of want to watch the Mariners-Blue Jays game, it sounds kind of nuts. Raul Ibanez got a *triple* somehow.
Hisashi Iwakuma in many metrics is looking like the best pitcher in MLB.
Uh and Danny did get on base 2 out of 5 times last night? And as I recall he was involved in scoring the ONLY run?
My Natsjack pin the Voodoo Doll really stinks.
Come on Peric, just look it up. Danny went 1 for 4 and had an RBI. He only got on base once and had 2 K's. His hit found the hole. It's called BABIP and he got that grounder between the 2nd baseman and 1st baseman.
They can always move Vidro back to second base.
Lineup = Reverse Locke
The Espi Bobble is clean shaven when it comes out of the box ... and it doesn't have a bat.
Ghost....looks like you and I were watching the same game. Maybe 2 strikeouts
Adam LaRoche clean up hitter extraordinaire: .154 32 K's
Danny Espinosa .174 20 K's.
Looks like it's all fun and games until they actually throw the first pitch. Then we shall see.
NatsJack in Florida said...
Ghost....looks like you and I were watching the same game. Maybe 2 strikeouts equate to an on base in some new sabremetrics calculation.
Peric has been in Danny's corner for so long he wants to start inventing extra ABs and times on base to make him look better.
I just say to Danny to play each day like it's your birthday. That was one of the best games of his career.
And , believe it or not, I don 't care if Danny strikes out in his first AB as long as he sees some pitches , fills the count and fouls a few off first.
If memory serves Lombo was 1-8 in Atlanta. I like both the guys, but the nats need better production from a lot of spots, not just 2b.
OK what sabremetrics guys say is that given a set lineup, the particular order in which they bat doesn't make much of a difference in overall run production.
And come on IAN freakin Desmond? Are you kidding me? He's batting .296.
Oh well, not going to let it bother me. Enjoy the afternoon and the baseball.
We need an Espi ChiaPet bobblehead. Then it could grow its own beard.
Peric, both those players you mention have both stunk. Only difference is ALR has a history to show he's an above average player and he should approve to his mean while Espi is just this player where you talk about potential that has never materialized.
You cannot compare two players side by side when one of them only plays one or two games here and there. A part time player would need at least two series back to back to settle in. Danny has been a full time player since he was handed a starting job on a silver platter.
baseballswami said...
And , believe it or not, I don 't care if Danny strikes out in his first AB as long as he sees some pitches , fills the count and fouls a few off first.
May 04, 2013 3:09 PM
I want to see a professional at-bat. Did you see how well Rendon worked the count and struck out fighting. It wasn't swinging at a ball abouve his shoulders. If you are going to strike out, make it a battle and then tip your cap to the pitcher and get him the next time. Learn from each at-bat and don't be a free swinger.
Amen, ghost. Or later on in the game make sure that if you make an out, you move the runner, or lift it to the outfield to score a run. Situational hitting!!!!!! That is something Lombo does better than Danny, who is usually awful at it as he thinks it means swinging for the fences every swing.
Cingrani won't get the loss as his team just tied it up in the 8th against Marmol.
So, NatsJack-- what do you think of Danny Espinosa? Don 't hold back, tell us what you really think.
Reds now up 6-4 with a 4 run 8th inning.
Dickey might be an underperformer... Don't see a Cy Young for him this year.
Mark Z. writes...Even rarer than a Johnson-led meeting is a Johnson round of batting practice. But he took 40 swings in the cage this morning, more than he claims he's done in 30 years. The 70-year-old said his legs gave out after a while. He also wound up with a blister on his left hand (he wasn't wearing batting gloves).
"I wanted to see if it was still that hard to hit a baseball," he said.
Maybe Natsjack is thinking that Espy will hit ... reminds of me of how it seemed that everytime everyone would curse Belliard he would come through with a huge game. Kind of the anti-whammy.
Come on Davey, just give us half your 1973 production and we'll sign you for a player manager contract.
And Belliard used to play 2nd base.
I'm glad Nats Jack freed Thomas Jefferson from captivity.
If only Mr. Jefferson had the same impulse.
Caps, Caps, Caps!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope the Caos brought us luck, but scoreless after regulation? No thanks. We need to score long before that.
Strasburg to pitch a gem! Nats batters to get him some runs. Let's Go!
Looks like it's official that ATL-Mets postponed. Three hours before game time. Wimps... LOL.
NatsLady, I read they postponed it an hour ago.
FP playing all neutral on the FOX broadcast. "Oh I'm looking to watching him [McCutcheon] play".
So their pitcher hasn't given up a run in his last two starts? Oh, that is unfortunate........
Weak hit in the infield, K, looking , first pitch out. Same sh$& , different day. Avert your eyes.
baseballswami, now that is funny. Only that was a weak groundout in the infield no a weak hit.
Did somebody step in something? It really stinks in here.
Jesus SS still throwing wild
Oh, you are right- bad vocabulary. Now Stras hits the first guy after getting him 0-2. Can he keep from panicking? Oh, it's Ramos who will panic! First inning shenanigans again for the Nats with Stras on the mound.
That's fortuitous! An ugly swing & miss K by McCutcheon!
Best 1st inning by Stras since Game #1
SS is totally on control today, really good comand! I can see complete game shutout,112 pitches, 14 strikeouts. Nats Wins 3x0
Bryce and Ryan will homer
Talk about tossing you teammates under the bus.
Ben Nicholson-Smith @bnicholsonsmith
R.A. Dickey said the Blue Jays are dysfunctional on the field.
RZ had a couple hits last night? I think not.
And ALRs bat is coming to life? FP must have his hand over his mouth.
NatsLady, I guess RA Dickey will have some 'splaining to do.
If Locke doesn't have control he is very hittable. Let's go, guys!
Can you believe that. Darn ball by Ramos was smoked and with Barmes shading up the middle a tailor made DP.
And no, Span is not out because of a hamstring injury.
That is twice the guys run thru the bag they are safe
I saw that NatsJack about the Foxgame so i planned my day thinking i wouldnt e able to watch the game until late tonight. So now I have to run errands.
High throw there by Zim, but not TOO bad.
Way to go Danny.
The non-FP announcer is really from hunger. Proclaimed TMo as being from "Brandon Missouri, no let me correct that, Branson,Missouri." Guess FP is too polite to point out that TMo is from Mississippi.
And Danny has another predictable damaging K.
Span does have an owie-- hit by pitch in the foot. Could not stand up this morning.
Can't say I'm surprised. Worst eye in baseball leads off for us.
Bench Damny for that fold!!
Actually Span fouled two off his foot/ankle last night.
Nobody out , guy on 3rd, 3 pitches you're out
Looks like Bryce wants to get to dinner early.
And Desi shows how it's done.
I'll take it -- a run on an HBP, error, SF, like the early 1960s Chisox used to do it.
Ouch that ball that fell into RF. Any of our OFers would catch that.
And that ball that drops hurts.
Moore again showing he is built to be a DH and, again, it costs the team
I agree David. Any everyday outfielder would have caught that, but at least he didn't try and miss and have it get past him. Turns out it really hurt anyway.
When I hear that defense doesn't matter I just cringe.
I hate listening to these awful interviews!!!!!!! Can we watch the game???? And why don't we just criticize the bench player playing where he never does? Because those veterans sure are doing their jobs, aren't they?
2 very solidly hit balls today by Zim.
Yah see?
Moore again showing he is built to be a DH and, again, it costs the team
LaRoche and Marerro couldn't even do it.
Well, now. Sure glad he did that up here rather then somewhere in the minors, Ghost! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)
Ghost of Steve M., please to explain again why Ryan Zimmerman should be playing A ball today.
And Tyler Moore proves he is as good as Morse if not better? Well I get to dance and sing at Natsjack's expense just as I did with AAAA Morse.
Way to go Ryan and, ahem, Adam
I'm getting the Orioles game in the Fox regional coverage. For some reason, central Virginia and all the Shenandoah Valley where I live is slotted for the Baltimore game.
That ball hit to right was hard hit and dropped in front of him. Not like a can of corn or anything. How bad did you feel for Jordan being on air during the home run?
So awkward.
peric at least complaining about ALR to make your boy look better gets you off the Span hate train. When he hits and fields like Moore you are going to BBQ him.
Zim was running just fine :)
Tyler played that as well as it could be played
Great to see a good Zim throw.
I like our third baseman right where he's at.
peric at least complaining about ALR to make your boy look better gets you off the Span hate train.
I don't hate Span. I just don't think he fits in this team, with this offense given what we've seen last season. He is a good fielder and maybe makes a good #2 hitter but I still think Werth should lead off and earn his $16,000,000 because when he leads off he is closer to be worth that exorbitant amount.
Reminds me of another difference between Espinosa and LaRoche:
Espinosa who can play a great shortstop or second is making all of $526,250 while LaRoche who is slow and can only play first: AND WHO STINKS? $10,000,000.
Good job playing the caroom Tyler
Thank now here's a quarter go play in traffic.
Another double, #8 and the $10,000,000 man?
Without question this broadcaster "Howard" or whatever is the worst broadcaster I've ever heard. And I don't speak in hyperbole much. He has made...I'm counting...11 factual mistakes about names, towns, and basic facts that occurred fifteen seconds previously ("Here's Zimmerman, and he hit a homer..uh I'm sorry..a triple last inning")....and then just annoying FP to no end. "Hey FP you see the Islanders game last night?" (silence) "Not a hockey guy, huh?" "Not now, Howard. I've been watching some baseball games."
K K but it wasn't Danny Espinosa ...
Yeah, I've been cringing at this Howard guy.
If Desi couldn't pull that inside FB, he should at least have been able to foul it off.
8 doubles for the $526,250 man and one of the team's best defensive players.
Still only 2 doubles for the $10,000,000 man.
Happy that Danny got a hit, but wish he had done it earlier when there were runners on the corners.
Howard is probably a "political" appointment.
Stras not missing so many bats now...
And I wrote that before he gave up a dinger to the #8 hitter.
Stras is getting hammered again ...
Just curious, does anybody remember Espy having a sac. fly in past two years? I'm sure he must have, but I can't remember him having one.
Never mind, I looked it up. Espy had two sac flies last year.
charlie and dave are about 4 seconds ahead of fox. worth the delay.
Howard is probably a relative of Cantor.
Joe -- not much of a good situational hitter. Same approach no matter what is happening on the game. And you know what that is. Power or whiff, mostly whiff.
He's not a Pittsburgh play by play guy he has to be from Fox I live in the Altoona,Pa area and they don't have a Howard guy
And you know what that is. Power or whiff, mostly whiff.
Still managed to attain basically the same OBP as Lombo with a much higher SLG and ISO though.
Last year Strasburg gave up 15 homers in 28 starts.
This year he's allowed 5 homers five innings into his seventh start.
Come on , Tyler Moore!
WELCOME BACK WILSON!
Atta boy, Wilson!
The Shark is absolutely lost at the plate. Lost.
This PBP guy sounds even more confused than Johnny Holliday.
I think there's a good chance Kobernus will beat out Bernie for a bench role next year.
Even if his scalding bat is a fluke, he has speed and great versatility, playing outfield, second and third.
Honest to god I am now enjoying this guy. I've just accepted that he is either on drugs, drunk, or demented, and it's amusing.
Did y'all hear that?! N A T S Nats Nats Nats, twice, with a woo on the end, live on the Fox broadcast from PNC Park. Don't know who's out there from section 313, but way to go, peeps! Represent 313 on national TV!
Yes, Dave, we heard the 313 chant,too!
LOL. Howard messes up Matt Vaskergian's (sp?) name when throwing it back to the studio. And FP saved his butt. FP is the winner of this broadcast team today.
We have now scored four, count rhem, four runs!!!! Stras better not complain about run support today. He should be able to keep it at less than four. He looks awful.
I think Strasburg misunderstood when Davey says to attack hitters. He's hit two today.
Good one, David P. I was thinking of that HBP in the first as a one-pitch walk.
Hey, Jack, how'd you like that AB by Danny? Don't hold back, now.
LOL! David.
One pitch walks are more pitch efficient. You know, there are pitchers I enjoy watching. Stras not do much. Mound demeanor is not formidable.
Who is this guy, and ever let him into a baseball booth?
I'll bet a drink on the NIDO that Tyler gets a hit.
Tyler has had the bases loaded twice and hasn't been able to drive any in.
Damn it, Tyler.Probably cost me a Flying Dog.
This is ridiculous. Do the Nats have no idea about how to let people pressure themselves into losing? You'd think the age in the dugout would inform Tyler Moore to not swing until something crosses the plate. Morris came in and would have walked Moore if he'd let him!
Maybe if we threw Espy in they'd make the trade, Jack
Howard didn't even try to say Matt's name when he threw it to the studio that time.
Yep, I like our third baseman right where he is.
Good inning, Stras!
PS: Howard's name freaks me out a bit. My closest brother's name is Howard. Sounds like our mom calling us in for dinner or something. (We're both in our late 50s.)
I am not understanding this Giancarlo talk - where would you put him? Harper, Werth and Span are fixtures.
Oh, Howard, Howard, Howard. Steve Grilli Junior? Really?
Who else thinks Ramos makes it to first on the Barmes bobble if he's not jogging?
Espinosa takes one for the team. Almost like he hit it. Sorta.
I think he makes it closer, but he's still out. He's not fast.
Espinosa definitely leaned into that pitch. Get on base any way you can.
Eep. Today's theme seems to be not taking advantage of opportunities, I guess.
DOUBLE PLAY!
NICE PLAY,CLIPPARD!!!
Can we just sit Harper for 3-4 games and let him relax. I feel like this could last for a week or longer if we don't let him relax.
what a time for Bryce to slump, it just figures
If Bryce isn't hitting and Zim hasn't gotten started there is no offense to speak of.
Giancarlo Stanton probably makes more sense than one poster gives it credit for. But, it probably wouldn't happen since they are in the same division.
Tyler has left 6 men on so far.
Well, ALR's BA and OBP goes up today. Ok, Tyler, make up time!
That was worth one of those millions right there. Double steal by Zimm and ALR!
Wow the double steal followed by a sac fly. That is absolutely brilliant. Great smallball.
Way to hang in there Tyler.
Good to see LaRoche take better at bats.
Jesus, that double steal worked?! HOW. Adam LaRoche was one of the runners!
Section 313 doing its thing one more time. Heard it clearly on TV.
Where's Ghost of Steve M. anyway? Down in Potomac calculating the size of the batter's box?
That Davey guy sure can't manage, eh?Calling that double steal with those over priced, over the hill veterans was pretty ballsie.
TUCK IN PEOPLE!
Cheers Insiders. Too hard to post via phone, but wanted to say hello from PNC . Good tight game in a spectacular venue. Lots of Natitude here. And I am ready to TUCK and then UNTUCK!
Tucking it up here, boss!
Time to lock it down Soriano. Ready for the UNTUCK
That play was no problem for Avell-rezz. Stay strong, Howard.
"A gimpy Zimmerman (who was plunked on the left knee by Tony Watson)"
For the record, the pitch hit him in the back foot.
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