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USA Today Sports Images Jayson Werth's fourth-inning homer produced one of the Nats' two runs. |
Hitting lowlight: The highlights were few and far between. Jayson Werth homered in the fourth. Jeff Kobernus homered in the eighth, the first of his career. In between, the Nationals barely did any damage to Lee. A notorious strike-thrower, Lee consistently got ahead in the count and left the opposing batters on the defensive. Werth impressed by ambushing Lee's first-pitch fastball for his homer. Not enough of his teammates could do the same. None of the nine men who stepped to the plate to lead off an inning tonight reached base. Only one got the ball out of the infield. That's not going to get the job done.
Pitching lowlight: For five innings, Detwiler was nothing short of brilliant. He pounded the strike zone, didn't walk anybody and recorded some quick outs, finishing the fifth on a scant 54 pitches. But when the sixth inning arrived, the left-hander suddenly crumbled. He put four straight batters on base and lost all semblance of command? Was Detwiler, making only his second start since returning from the DL, fatigued even though he had yet to reach 70 pitches? It sure looked that way. Except then he righted the ship, dialing up his fastball to 95 mph to strike out Domonic Brown and getting Delmon Young to whiff at a breaking ball. Detwiler appeared on the verge of escaping the jam altogether, getting Kevin Frandsen to send a line drive to shallow left. The only problem: Steve Lombardozzi got a bad jump and could only short-hop the ball, ultimately letting two runs score and putting Detwiler in line for his fifth loss of the year.
Key stat: If you exclude Anthony Rendon's at-bats, Cliff Lee threw 10 total balls to the first 17 batters he faced tonight.
Up next: The series concludes Wednesday night when Gio Gonzalez and Kyle Kendrick take the mound at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
115 comments:
another unwatchable game from this team.
no charisma, no heart, no runs.
gonna be a struggle to get 80 wins from this squad.
The taste of what we are choking down night after night is very sour. Ouch. Still love you, Nats, hang in there!
Well... It's not like Lee is some no name that we made into the next CY candidate....
Lee was on.... Nats bats were off.... Hopefully tomorrow we can get the win and go 5-5 on this road trip...
This team should have to ride on a bus like a AAA team until they actually play like major leaguers. Nats are becoming the joke of baseball. Horrific.
This team...*sigh*
This game isn't on Det, it's on the offense (as usual). Having said that, Det was one pitch away from getting out of it and couldn't do it. Although, of course, if that's an outfielder in the outfield, they probably catch that liner. That ended up being the difference in the game.
We gained half a game, but it should've been 1.5. We have to take advantage of these opportunities. It's hard to watch right now.
Again, you struggle for offense and play Punch and Judy second basemen in the outfield. Maybe in AAA the can convert Espi too.
Go ahead Davey, tell the team to relax.
Another embarrassing effort at the plate.
Boyer said...
This team should have to ride on a bus like a AAA team until they actually play like major leaguers. Nats are becoming the joke of baseball. Horrific.
This hyperbole does nobody any good. The Nats are 2 games under .500. Not good given expectations, but there are another 10-15 teams who would probably like to be where we are. We're not "the joke of baseball."
As I said before first pitch Det had to match Lee pitch for pitch.
On the bright side, we didnt make a single out with RISP
The Blue Jays have won 7 straight after being awful early on. It's possible, folks.
Total lack of heart. No passion. I would start taking things away in the locker room. Make them feel some pain and need to earn it. If this keeps up the place will be empty once Skins camp starts. No one will even know baseball is going on in Aug and Sept.
Keep the line moving has been my theme for 50 years
yesterday, Davey pulled Stras after 5 innings...why did he not pull det after 5? even FP stated Det looked tired..once again, Davey's decision was just wrong
David...The World Series or bust proclamation is a HUGE bust. That is why they are the joke. Too much preseason hype for a team that choked last year.
Detwiler was one pitch from getting out of it and probably should have gotten out of it if Lombo makes a decent play. Easy to go back in hindsight, but I'm fine with Davey's decision. He's made much worse before.
my point is both Stras and Det had just return after a month...Davey has no feel of his pitchers
Prediction:
Lombardozzi, with his .234 obp and popgun swing, will be sent down, Kobernus will stay.
Boyer, the season isn't over yet. It's getting harder, but the Braves aren't running away with it. How about we just see how it plays out instead of stressing so much?
Progress MNF.... Progress....
Yeahs David... I'm not gonna worry about it until we are technically out of it... Until then and after then I will continue to root and cheer for them...
Prediction:
Lombardozzi, with his .234 obp and popgun swing, will be sent down, Kobernus will stay.
Desi, as a team leader went to the manager. He got the usual blather. They just need to relax and have fun. Yeah. That should do it. That's the brilliant plan? And as for those of you who think they don't care or have any heart? The opposite is probably true. They are tied up in knots. If you could ask their families how things are going, I am sure this is not a happy time. They are going through a horrible time. As hard as this is to watch, I cannot even imagine being in that clubhouse.
I truly believe this team is going to go on a roll in the second half. Depending on how far back we are, it may or may not be enough. But either way, it will be a whole lot of fun to watch. We will be in contention.
We lose the game My client on The Voice comes in second. Bad night.
David... Det shout a have been pulled after 5 in my view, using the same rationale for Stras after he was out a month.... I mean Storen was rested, right
Yeah swami - I was about to say... I know they are frustrated, probably beyond you and I could even think about.... It's tough but as we know winning cures all... Hopefully, they can start winning and things will get good...
Again, the run differential is ultimately determinative. We are about negative forty. We will end between 5 and 8 below 500. This is pretty much set in stone. We can say "go team," but it is over.
Mick, the difference is that this is Det's second start. Det went 5 in his first start, as did Stras. Stras will probably go further in his next start as well.
bottom line, Braves lose 2 and Nats fail to take advantage of it. there are simply no more excuses
DJB said...
Again, the run differential is ultimately determinative. We are about negative forty. We will end between 5 and 8 below 500. This is pretty much set in stone. We can say "go team," but it is over.
Then why watch? I don't get it. If you're SOOOO sure it's over and the team is so painful to watch, WHY DO IT? Or do you just enjoy coming here to tell us how awful the team is and we stand no chance? It makes no sense to think that way, otherwise.
Really proud of our guys tonight. Didn't show any quit.
It just cracks me up when people blame Lombo, the part time bench infielder. He is just a huge cog in this machine. Certainly no veterans with big contracts responsible here. Entire game rested all on that one throw. Such a very unlikely scapegoat.
When Harper gets back they will go on a tear.
Not sure why so many people are so negative about the ending.
Look at Giants 2010 and 2012. Tigers 2011.
One thing I dis agree with many. Every game is important be it early, middle or late. Too many kept saying it is earky. Well if Braves had gone 7-7 not 12-2 we would be just about even.
Agreed DP... I'm okay with us hovering around 500 considering the circumstances... Just trying to be patient until everything gets back in order...
Get Mlb.tv watch others. Getting ready to move on.
David....I hope you are right, but I see zero evidence that this group can ever put together a winning streak of any kind...
they are playing hard and in 70 games I feel they only quit once this season the exceood.ption is Haren, who is garbage). The point is, they are just not very good
Swami I don't blame Lombo I blame Davey for thinking he is a starting mlb outfielder
They. Are a lot faster. But record at this stage about the same.
The Tigers were under .500 until July last year. The A's were 5 back with 9 to play and won the division.
The point isn't that the team is playing well. It's not. The point is that runs CAN happen (even if they're not probable). People who come here and say it's a CERTAINTY that the season is over on June 18 annoy me. You can say the team isn't playing well, find fault with Davey, players, whatever. But the season isn't over, the Nationals aren't eliminated and I'm going to continue rooting for the team until the end (and even after that).
If you get some enjoyment out of the team struggling or trying to make the rest of us as miserable about the team as you, have fun with that I guess. To each their own.
Phillies appear to be a better team than Nats and will be in second place by Wed, as I said on Sunday. what is scary is that the Mets may be better than us. I hate to say, Nats will finish 4th, ahead of Miami
Oh my lord....
Our woodward and Berstein's on twitter didnt report if Harper started jogging today. Said yesterday he was suppose too, but no one followed up.
I am guessing he jogged a little to see how it will feel tomorrow.
mick said...
Phillies appear to be a better team than Nats and will be in second place by Wed, as I said on Sunday. what is scary is that the Mets may be better than us. I hate to say, Nats will finish 4th, ahead of Miami
Mick, come on. I know you're pessimistic but keep some perspective, man! You said we'd be in third after the last Phillies series and we weren't. The Mets are certainly not better than us. The Phillies are not better than us either. You have some confirmation bias because you only see when our team fails, not when they do.
There are things in every game that I appreciate. First of all- I just really like baseball. Watching Jayson shut up that rude crowd was quite satisfying. Det showed five innings of what he is capable of. And don't compare Det and Stras!!! Det was out for a full month. Stras was working up to 7-8 innings and was out a shorter time. And he is supposed to be " The Man". Det was cruising and hit a wall- did anyone notice? Again- he was out much longer, made one start in Colorado, in the altitude . I love the team but I am getting the feeling that the bosses are not paying attention. Anyway, positives-- how about Kobernus getting his first homer off of Lee???
Zach Wheeler was rewarded for his stellar start by being sent back to AAA.
I'm always happy when the Astros win.... Good for Bo Porter...
Mick - be prepared for people to call you out when you make statements such as that you made about the Nats being in 4th place, if it doesn't happen...
I've seen you make various comments like that then scream 'why me?' When your statements are false....
No, the whole game didn't rest on the throw.We got beat by a great pitcher who is having a great year personally. But, swami, the infielders playing the outfield are killing our pitchers.Though plays like tonight don't go in the book as errors, they are plays that have to be made. I have a lot of respect for your opinions but we'll never agree on this thing regarding Lombo, Kobernus and Moore. Like I said, I don't expect web gems from them because they can't make them. I'll continue to cheer for them from the stands, but I have my opinion and you have yours. Mine is quite simply they shouldn't be out there to start with.
The Nats are not in third place, they're tied for second.
On any given day any team can win or lose. It's not predictable- you think it is, but it's not. It's been disappointing and frustrating to be sure, but I will watch every day because anything can happen. David is right- it's June 18 th. Game tomorrow. I hope they play well but I would not be against a little lucky bounce now and then!!
Mick had loose all 6 ganes between Twins and Rockies, so I concluded he is just to negative for me toi believe.
I realize I am to positive as I see no reason why we can't win the division.Most pkayers are way under lifetime numbersand when they get back to normal and Harper is back we will take off.
MrsB...my comments are so harmless compared to other posters...I also do not insult anyone unless they attack me first.I predicted Sunday, Nats would be in third after Phillies series...now, if Phils win...my prediction will be spot on, right? So, will you and any other mother fers in here acknowledge it?? No,
I watch, I hope, I love this franchise but they are hurting my heart this year
Tiebreakers aren't recognized until the end of the season for a reason. You know, when there's a sample size that actually means something and not 5 games.
frankly, my 8 game losing streak prediction was wrong that week, but it is a more than viable to occur than an 8 game winning streak
Joe- you are completely misunderstanding my position on the young guys. I am sticking up for them only because I feel that they have been put in a no win situation. Bad for their development, bad for their careers, bad for the game, bad for the team. I hate it that they have been stuck where they don't belong without the skills, experience or training. I hate to see them personally blamed for doing their best when I feel that it's poor management to have them out there. That 's why I defend them. They are tiny cogs in the wheel and the last guys who should be blamed for how things are going.
I will back my boy Manassas. We have just begun to fight. Our pitching is too good to keep this up. We deperately need Harper back
The key to victory was Det had to match Lee and he couldnt
manda Comak @acomak 18s
Asked Jayson Werth how #nats can keep from drowning in struggles & hit stride. "Got to show up tomorrow ready to eat somebody's face."
Well I suppose killing the opposition is one way to win games...
I thought you didn't insult people, Mick? You just did.
Season's not over, many games left to be played. Of course, the probability of success isn't that great. Last year's excellence has given way to the reality of mediocrity.
I go into every single game assuming we can win.Why bother if you can't possibly win.
I assume the itger team goes in with same attitude.
We need to out execute other teams which we have not done enough of.
Eat someone's face? Seriously, Jayson Werth is one of a kind. I hope he knocks a ball to New Jersey tomorrow.
You watch because they're Washington's team. Whether or not they win, we still have a team. When it gets too painful, I'll turn to football, but right now we have baseball, which is something to say. We just need to fix the organization and watch individuals develop. We have the money, we just need to change management.
Doesn't a good manager find ways to shake things up? How bout a little small ball Davey? Shake it up baby. Anyone can just sit there and hope for a 3 run bomb ala Weaver. How bout picking the lineup out of a hat? Could it be worse? Hell, it couldn't be worse if you brought up the P-Nats to play. World Series or Bust!!
Could you make some positive predicions? We know all your negative ones.
I dont remember many negative predictions last season by anyone.
I try to fuss at all negative predictors not just yours.
when did you defend me??
I only saw an uuprovoked insu
Time for me to go to bed, the crowd is getting rough.... nightnight manassas
DJB-- I think you have a point- someone or group of someone's is asleep at the wheel. Need to make adjustments. The guys seem to need a little more support and guidance instead of pat answers, stories and quips. Jayson, though- what a character .
David Proctor said...
manda Comak @acomak 18s
Asked Jayson Werth how #nats can keep from drowning in struggles & hit stride. "Got to show up tomorrow ready to eat somebody's face."
Well I suppose killing the opposition is one way to win games.
------///-///
Wow, Jayson taking the Werewolves of London to a new level!
Manass. I do all the time!!! you only cherry pick the ones you do not like and that makes me SICK!!!
Sleepy time. Go Nats!!!!!!
At this point neither is likely.
Why are so negatie? It is like you rather be right than the Nats wi a game.
That is why so many people jump on you.
It appears you are happy about predicting doom. Real fans hate that.
Harper will make everyone better.
However if the majority of tge hitters stay below career aversges, even Harper cant save it. I believe most people near career averages.
Correct mediocre so far.
No more lossrs in June
Was phanatic mobile tgere tonight. He took care of that.
It doesn't really matter whose name is printed first in the standings tomorrow in the sense that I see no relevance in that with regards to any topics on here. If the Phillies win tomorrow, which we probably all dread and sort of expect, then the Phils will take 2nd again.
This team is not the same team without Harper and no one has any clue when he is coming back. How long has it been already? A month? That is a long time for a mysterious injury.
Its our team I cheer as if they will win every game.
Never negative prediction.We are busting loose soon.
No more losses in June
"LESS" no i don't coach the team, i just cheer the kids on win or lose.
Top 8 in a hat (ith Gio) throw all in the hat.
That would loosen tge team for sure.
Of course remeber
No more loses in June
His post 1133.
No more loses in June.
For the record when below .500 most wins listed first, when above least losses listed first.
Two benefits of the Nat's poor performance thus far.
1: No one is slamming dissenters with "In Rizzo we trust".
2: At this pace prices to the games on stubhub will come down
"David Proctor said...
manda Comak @acomak 18s
Asked Jayson Werth how #nats can keep from drowning in struggles & hit stride. 'Got to show up tomorrow ready to eat somebody's face.'"
Ha! This kind of trivial hilarity is exactly why I love this guy. Levity is vastly underrated. Home runs in a hostile ballpark don't hurt either ;).
I dont remember seeing real positive predictions. I will have to look for them from now on.
Your negative are so plentiful.
A real Nats fans might have a few negative predictions.
I dont expect or ever expect it.
He stole the keys to the phanaticmobile yesterday, and tgey coulnt get it restarted. Classic
I'm with you on Werth, Eric. Gotta love that guy's schlick.
I hate having fat fingers.
Last 8 homers solo.
Zim hit a 2 run homer last Thursday in Colorado.
As poor as the execution has been could you imagine the grief the 2 Los Angeles teams are hearing.
Didn't he do that late last year, too, MNF? I remember some kind of shenanigans with the Phanatic mobile
Joe:
"Gotta love that guy's schlick."
That just sound dirty ;)
Posey just made a play similar to Suzuki's earlier tonight.
Speaking of tgat play, Span made a great throw.
He needs to walk more as well as drop more bunts
He got on it, but didn't drive it.
Lot of his Shenanigans were focused on helping Teddy win
We started off 7-2 and had the Braves dead to rights at home in the next game. That was a pretty good start. Those were good times until Heyward got the key hit and started us on a 3 game series loss to the Braves.
The Friday night game was the Zim throwing to right field game.
I notice Morse is not playing tonight? Is he injured again?
DP for President of this Bolg! Dude...u truly are the voice of reason.
Mick...u need to settle! We are all bummed...but maybe a little positive vibe from US the fans is what they need to "get loose" :-)
I think that as irritated as I get with our OF situation, I'd be infuriated if I was a Braves fan. I know that error tell a small part of an outfield's story. many miscues are not ruled errors, but our whole outfield has only been charged with 5 errors. Meanwhile the Uptons have 8 between them, in addition to numerous miscues that aren't ruled errors. Between the strikeouts, errors, and money committed the Braves have to be very concerned. Though being 7 games in front will temper their concern for a while.
Joe, watching the Bravesthey are not unbeatable at 7.5 down if we start hitting in the 260s instead of 232
2 games still going both in bot of 7 giants 3-2 over Padres and Seattle 2-1 over the Angels.
No more losses in June.
Not sure who home ump in Giant game. The strike 3 just called was a foot outside. Wow worse call of the night.
Home plate ump is Manny Gonzalez. He is first ump born in Venezuela.
Interesting batter was Marco Scootero also a Venezelean.
Okay, lots of rethinking to do. Mets sweep Atlanta. Interesting stuff going on elsewhere--Boston, Houston, etc. It now seems as though our 2010 and 2011 teams were better than their records--I thought so at the time. Go back and rethink 2011: If we had not had the manager shakeup--not blaming anybody--I just think that team that finished strong showed a lot.
I now think last year was a bit of a fluke--at the start everybody thought our come-of-age year would be this year. No one expected us to have the best record in baseball last year, but we arrived early. I think Boz, among others, would agree that maybe we got there too fast. Then Davey's world series talk in April, which was way premature and not very smart, put the wrong ideas in our guys' head and pissed off everybody else. Can't you hear them gloating in Philly right now? We owned the Phillies back a while--all right, we won the season against them--and now where are we?
The team is eating humble pie, and it's not all their fault. If they get over it, we may be playing "meaningful games in October." (Rizzo was always right to use that phrase--moderate, a reasonable goal.) But world series? You don't ever want to predict that. Not ever.
Eight teams have never won a world series. Quite a few other have won only a few. The Phillies, for example, have won 3 in 130 years! The last 4 teams to go to their first world series have a collective record of 2-16. And the Rangers, for example, finally got there but haven't won yet.
The only thing that will get this team's heads on straight is patience. Nothing is fore-ordained.
My NL team growing up was the Giants--I saw Willy Mays play at the Polo Grounds in NY. And the greatest year for me until 2004 was 1951. Thirteen games behind in late August. Finished 37-7, and then Bobby Thompson finished it off. My best friend Dodger fan couldn't even spit for a month.
Swami's comment the other night about sitting back and enjoying the games is the way to go.
Tomorrow a quadupleheader.
First Dodgers @ Yanks
Second Padres @ Giants
Third Nats @ Phillies
Fourth Mariners @ Angels.
I love Wednesdays and Thursdays during the summer. 4 games mosts days for old farts like me.
My only addition the team that is hot at the end and makes the playoffs sually does well.
Willie Mays on Deck when Thompson hit the homer.
No 400 game Thursday so hopeully 215 game goes extra innings to make it 4 full games not just 3.5 games
Mick, you make negative predictions day after day, week after week, and month after month. Every now and then you may get one right, but overall your batting average is below the Espinosa Line. That you want to pat yourself on the back is far more surprising than the collective yawn from your fellow NIers when you stumble over a correct prediction.
Of course, Thompson's HR (and the team's comeback) was helped considerably by the fact that the Giants had a guy in the stands stealing signs & relaying the to the batter.
It has become very, very hard for the "best" team in baseball to win the world series since they added the extra round back in the mid-90's.
Assuming each round is essentially a coin flip, each team has about a 13 percent chance of winning it all. We were a bit fooled by the Yankees doing so well in the late 90's but that wore off. The Braves are a better example. Going back to 1982, they have been in the play-offs 15 years, I believe and made it to only 4 World Series and won only one.
Didn't the Giants have to play a lot of road games that summer? I am not sure how it played out but I think that whole thing about stealing signs was way overblown. Weren't they still stealing signs when the Yankees wiped them out 4-1 in the World Series a few days later?
Harper is going to be rushed back, play for about a week, then be out for the rest of the season. Watch.
I personally loved Jayson Werth's comment. "Eat somebody's face." It speaks to the passion, aggressiveness, and confidence this team needs. I think there is a bit of a depressive, Eeyore mentality going on.
The Phil's rally last night is exactly what the nat's need to show. They opened with small ball getting a runnner on base. Could have patiently worked him around the bases, yet they had the kind of confidence to make even more happen. Not disconnected, random luck, but a determined attack.
I'm picturing the squad with faces painted half red, screaming as they charge out of the dugout.
Strong individual performances, especially pitching, just won't cut it. Confidence in each other and a "take no prisoners attitude."
GYFNG-ESF!
Newbie, nice new rally cry: GYFNG-ESF! I'm down with it!
Love the negative prediction
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