 |
| USA Today Sports Images |
The Nationals have no one to blame but themselves for this predicament, and they better be careful not to overlook the Marlins, who may own the NL's worst record but who have been playing much better baseball of late. Did you know Miami is 20-16 since May 31, tops in the NL East? (The Nats, if you're wondering, are 20-18 since then.)
The good news: Stephen Strasburg is on the mound for his final start of the first half, and he's facing his favorite opponent. In 10 career starts against the Marlins, Strasburg is 5-2 with a 2.77 ERA, including a dominating performance against them this year on Opening Day.
I'm not in Miami this weekend, taking a couple of days off before heading up to New York for the All-Star festivities. Please enjoy the conversation as always here...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: Marlins Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 185
Weather: Indoors
NATIONALS (47-45)
CF Denard Span
SS Ian Desmond
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Jayson Werth
2B Anthony Rendon
C Wilson Ramos
RHP Stephen Strasburg
MARLINS (33-57)
LF Justin Ruggiano
3B Ed Lucas
RF Giancarlo Stanton
1B Logan Morrison
OF Marcell Ozuna
2B Derek Dietrich
SS Adeiny Hechavarria
C Rob Brantly
RHP Nathan Eovaldi
UMPIRES
HP Jerry Layne
1B Hunter Wendelstedt (cc)
2B Al Porter
3B Mike Estabrook
Nice pic. I knew their attendance wasn't great but dang. What? Oh. Never mind.
ReplyDeleteGo, SS! Fry those fish!
Cool picture, though the panoramic effect understates the horrificness of that giant green sea sculpture thingy out in centerfield.
ReplyDeleteThis is almost a must win, considering the starters the next two days. You want to go into the break with at least a series win and w/o a win tonight that would be hard.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine more than a few players staying in Miami to vacation after this series is over.
ReplyDeleteMark writes...I'm not in Miami this weekend, taking a couple of days off before heading up to New York for the All-Star festivities. Please enjoy the conversation as always here...
ReplyDeleteThat is a smart tradeoff.
I seriously hope they are not already on vacation mentally. The Marlins are a young and hungry team. Remember when the Nats were like that?
ReplyDeleteSection 222 said...
ReplyDeleteCool picture
That's a good picture of what it looks like before the players take the field. Total "real" attendence about 145 people and that includes the fans, ushers and workers.
Swami - as Mark noted, the Marlins are playing well lately but in looking at that lineup I am stumped. I try and read box scores on a daily basis but except for Stanton and Morrison I honestly don't have a clue who the rest of these guys are. I will be staying away until after the game but feel like Tcostant that this first game is a must.
ReplyDeleteGo Nats!!
Ghost - just wondering how many games they open the roof for and if there are stats as to how the place plays with it open or closed?
ReplyDeleteWith the game a few hours away and some time to kill, I seem to have piqued my own interest (if no one else's) in wondering about renting Kendrys Morales from Seattle. He's not even that expensive, I see, and he's only 30.
ReplyDelete$5,250,000 (half of which he already has, remember), 3rd-Year Arb Eligible, Earliest Free Agent: 2014
Hmmm.
So Seattle traded Jason Vargas to get him, who was, roughly, Detwiler, only three years older and more expensive. So that's only a good deal if you don't think much of Detwiler.
ReplyDeleteTcostant said...
ReplyDelete"This is almost a must win, considering the starters the next two days."
Come on, it's not like we're facing the Tigers with Verlander pitching Saturday and Scherzer pitching Sunday. They'll have a pretty decent shot to win each of the next two. Yes, not as good a shot as they have tonight, but it wouldn't exactly be the "Miracle by the Tacky Scuplture" if they won Saturday and Sunday.
It is a must win kind of game tonight. Silly to say that about a July, pre All Star game, but this is our Ace against a foundering club and we need a statement win. We need this series badly. A sweep would help a bunch.
ReplyDeleteMore sucking up:
ReplyDeleteJust dropped by Natslady's blog and the information was valuable and interesting. How great that you have created and maintained this. Keep up the good work.
Really? We're relying on the Nats having a "decent shot" to beat this or that guy after they treaded water aginst a bunch of sub .500 clubs? They gotta win this series, they gotta win with Stras. No excuses. They just need to be the better club, as they are the better club.
ReplyDeletesjm308 said...
ReplyDeleteGhost - just wondering how many games they open the roof for and if there are stats as to how the place plays with it open or closed?
I looked for the stats on it and haven't found it. That's a good question.
I guess when you are 6 games out and you have one of your 3 aces on the mound, its a critical game. Not sure but I suspect there will be many "must wins" as we try and climb this mountain to the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteQuestion - I realize the math says we are closer to the Reds than the Braves but which is our best shot? I think the wildcard since the Reds/Pirates/Cards still have a bunch of games with each other. Want to hear from others.
Don: agree completely! It is time to move NOW
ReplyDeleteSofa @ 4:37 p.m.,
ReplyDeleteKendrys Morales would be great second-half addition -- if the Nats were an American League team. Seattle has accumulated a number of these 1B/DH-types, which is why Michael Morse continues to play LF when he's healthy.
It's hard to say at this point which is a better shot. The thing about the WC is that you have to play that stupid 1 game playoff. I'd rather not do that (although with our pitching, I feel comfortable putting any of our 3 out there).
ReplyDeleteQuestion - I realize the math says we are closer to the Reds than the Braves but which is our best shot?
ReplyDeleteThe one they have more wins than, after Sept. 29. There is no shot. They have to beat the teams they're playing.
Don't forget a team in the West could come into play, for example if the Dodgers sweep past the D-Backs.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things ( the many things) I have found frustrating this week is that we could easily have swept the series in Philly. There were very specific situations in every game where we had the game right there to win. Bases loaded plenty of times and risp. I don't think we scored a run conventionally . Solo homers, sacrifices. Ok, ok- moving on. But the point is we were never, ever out of those games. And should not be in these games either. So sick of watching the " aggressive" one pitch outs.
ReplyDeleteFinishing a thought from the last post, The Misperception of Yasiel Puig
ReplyDeleteSounds kinda familiar, eh Bryce?
Move Rendon and Ramos up in the lineup and drop Zimmerman and LaRoche. Shuffle the deck with Zimm, LaRoche, and Werth. Looks like another 8 strikeout night with Zimmerman getting half.
ReplyDeleteWhy you picking on Zim? He leads the team in RBI'S.!
ReplyDeleteHey, I have an idea for spotting Nats Insiders at the picnic tables -- we need a big red sign on a stand for the table that says "4.7".
ReplyDeleteWe need keep our hitters in and they actually need to hit my weight. Quit hitting their weight.
ReplyDeleteSounds like JZimm isn't pitching in the ASG, per twitter.
ReplyDeleteI don't get it (but what else is new?).
ReplyDeleteSec. 1 D, seat 10 T, My Sofa said...
Hey, I have an idea for spotting Nats Insiders at the picnic tables -- we need a big red sign on a stand for the table that says "4.7".
July 12, 2013 5:18 PM
Pretty sure everyone's hitting over my weight, except for Det. :-)
ReplyDelete3 above mine, well I need to look Werth'S up
ReplyDelete4.7...I'm missing it too.
ReplyDeleteWIN TONIGHT GUYS!
Rare social engagement tonight. DVR set so watching is optional. Hope I want to .
ReplyDeleteThere've been a couple of false starts where it looked to the hopeful -- like me -- that this club was ready to snap out of it. Losing three of four has cured me of that feeling. But I still don't get it; you read down this lineup and think "Hey, looks good to me."
ReplyDeleteDavy of late has changed his model for hadnling pitchers; he's no longer completely averse to yanking someone in the middle of an inning. I applaud that. Too often a reliever clearly doesn'thave it, and he's been allowed to pitch a complete inning and let the game get out of hand.
My take is that if the hitting ever wakes up, they won't need another starter. And I continue to think that the hitting has got to wake up one of these days.
Until that wakeup day, I can say only "Play Ball."
Except that when he pulls a starter the reliever immediately gives up three runs, when the starter might have given up one.
ReplyDelete4.7 because that's how many runs, on average, they need to score, to win.
ReplyDeleteH/T Ghost
I'm 10-7
Assume 4.7 means average runs per game.
ReplyDeleteNotwithstanding the angst over our ##4&5, that really is the key, and the way we get 2/3 wins from our three aces and .500 ball from the others.
Sofa,
ReplyDeleteHappy to add one to the NIDO spreadsheet if you explain what 1D and 10T are about.
Swami -- are you talking fixes yet? Do you think more pitching or wiat it out? My thinking is that another pitcher wouldn't bail out the aneminc, erratic hitting.
ReplyDeleteDavey talked to Boche about zim and ASG. Recommended zim attend, but not pitch. Recommended Stras, Gio or Soriano replace Zim.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree- pitching will most likely be fine. Haren and Det win half their games we will be fine. It's the hitting, front and center. No doubt about it. And just which player would we replace? None if them- we are left with the guys we have, just needing to be average instead of poor. That is all. Four runs a game, five maybe. It's right there under our noses.
ReplyDeleteBrewers Player Dev @BrewersPD 19m
ReplyDeleteThe #Brewers have signed RHP/OF Micah Owings to a minor league contract. He will report to our complex in Maryvale
2 out of 3 in this series is not good enough. They have to sweep. They no longer have any slack. Losing at all in this series is not an option.
ReplyDeleteNo they don't have to sweep, yes losing is an option. Stop placing undue significance on a single game. 2/3 is just fine.
ReplyDeleteDont need to sweep, but I want one anyways
ReplyDeleteMark wrote... I'm not in Miami this weekend, taking a couple of days off before heading up to New York for the All-Star festivities. Please enjoy the conversation as always here...
ReplyDeleteRolls eyes... I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure if any of us was being paid to follow the Nats, a day off would be the farthest thing any of us would be thinking about.
I take it from the many days off, that CSN Washington has million dollar dreams on a 10 sent budget.
Well of course I want a sweep. But saying we "need" to sweep is silly. 2/3 is good. A sweep would be great.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty uncalled for Ken.
ReplyDeleteDavid if I said yes you would say no.
ReplyDeleteNo they don't have any more slack and certainly cannot afford to lose any more games against teams like Miami. The chances of making the playoffs are already miniscule considering the way they are playing that there can be no tolerance for playing poorly against inferior teams.
I am really tired of being ridiculed for bein pragmatic and realistic. I have been commenting on this blog and watching the Nats and Washington baseball for a very long time and have seen both the good occasionally and the bad often. This team is only fair.
Nats Guy,I have nothing against you at all. I don't disagree with you just to be difficult. There's a difference between being realistic and pessimistic. And I realize I'm very optimistic. However, the best of teams is going to lose every now and then to a team like the Marlins. If the Nationals win 2/3, they'll be where they want to be, Their chances aren't minuscule. That's not opinion. Their chances are still pretty good, that's fact. 4 games back of a playoff spot is not bad.
ReplyDeleteAt this point they lost more than enough games that they should win.
DeleteTime to cut the losses down some.
Not that they cant afford to lose. But why bother, when we could use the win.
Looked up on deadspin and it list the different umps and which teams have the most negative issues with the ump.
ReplyDeleteKerwin Danley plate ump last night most hated by ...... THE phillies.
Make up call? No way call was clise. Interesting.
David,
ReplyDeleteEarlier in the year I would have agreed with you about 2 out of 3. They have pooched way too many games and we are getting way too late in the year to blow any games against teams like the Marlins. Davey at this point should not be tolerating any losses or any stupid baseball like last night. A couple of time Nats base running was something that would not have been tolerated in a High school JV game. They have to sweep this series in order to set a standard for the rest of the year. There can be no tolerance any more for bad baseball.
Itis to late yet, but what you said we thrown too many already away so it is time to start being greedy and putting together 7 out of 10 each of the last 10 game sets
DeleteAh, 10-4.
ReplyDeleteSec. 1 D, seat 10 T, My Sofa said...
4.7 because that's how many runs, on average, they need to score, to win.
H/T Ghost
I'm 10-7
July 12, 2013 5:55 PM
ReplyDeleteI wanted to try to understand the difference between last year 98 win team and this year's almost .500 team based on numbers. to win 98 games the team should be at 55 wins after 92 games but they are at 47, an 8 game difference. I did a little study based on fangraphs WAR understanding that it's hard to take into account last year's injuries vs. this year's. I also found that the overall difference in the pen is negligible so I left that out.
LaRoche -1.5
Espinosa -1.5
Desmond +1
Zim -1
Werth 0
Harper -.5
Span Vs. Morse -.5
Catchers +1
Strasburg -.5
Gio -1
JZim +1
Detwiler 0
Jackson Vs. Haren -1
Tyler Moore -1
Lombo -1
Bernadina -1
Tracy -1
-8.5
Interestingly enough the numbers do tie and they show:
1) LaRoche's decline.
2) Espi's contribution last year vs. this (this should wash eventually once Rendon accumulates enough WAR value with playing time.
3) The Span vs. last year's Morse is an overall negative.
4) The bench either over performed last year or is under performing this year and the difference is stark.
5) the pitching overall is fine.
If we assume that ALR is what he is and the 2nd base situation has been addressed and the bench will at least somewhat balance out I would say the only available action at this time is to move Span the heck out of the leadoff spot to which he is not really showing any aptitude.
Lose 3 of 4 to the - gag- Phils and the posters get testy. Story of the season. I do not remember a season where we spent less time talking baseball and so very much with personal spats. Frustration reigns supreme.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteSwami,
I think we are at a pretty serious cross roads here. I have seen NL examples of teams making up 6 games in August but it doesn't happen often. After the break we get the red hot Dodgers and the surprising Pirates, The Braves get the horrible White Sox and the schizophrenic Mets. This is survival mode.
If we fall behind any further and there will only be 60 games left after the series I mentioned we may be left with only the WC to play for and that's assuming Cincinnati doesn't get hot.
Of course we can go 9 out of 10 and all of this will be moot.
I said basically the same, each of the last sets of 10 we win 7 we win. We win 6 then it is close. Win 5 and we are out.
DeleteSwami - right on. Thanks, man.
ReplyDeleteWho knows? But I will tell you I would rather see our lineup face a fastball thrower like Eovaldi than a soft tossing lefty. We like the fastball- a lot.
ReplyDeleteFinal tonight Nats 7 Fish 1
ReplyDeleteLet's Beat the Fish! Go Nats!
ReplyDeleteLeadoff walk by Span. More of that please.
ReplyDeleteMy eyesight really gone bad. A wakk.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Bob Davidson.Had 2 balks already.
Keep the line moving.
ReplyDeleteWatch for balks. He is not setting.
Mark Z wrote: they now have to take two of three in Miami or else
ReplyDeleteI'll finish the sentence: or else they will lose their "Wonk series"
Win 2/3 with the big three pitching
Win 1/2 with the other two
So, win tonight to accomplish the first goal
Win one of the next two to get the second one
GYFNG!
SPAN WALK SPAN WALK.to lead off the game
ReplyDeleteThat is a part of Span's game he can directly control. Sometimes you can't help feeling lost with the bat, but you can maintain a good eye and draw walks. That's been the most disappointing part of Span's game to me (I don't care about steals).
ReplyDeleteThis guy being slightly squeezed.
ReplyDeleteWe better score at least 2...
ReplyDeleteAverage is close 2.5 in bases loaded 0 out situations
DeleteBarrell the fastball
ReplyDeletetoo close to take Zim...come on.
ReplyDeleteZim takes to many close ones. Just tap it foul.
ReplyDeleteThat wasnt a strike....
ReplyDeleteZim has best RISP what would it be if he cut out the ks
ReplyDeleteHarper could've easily scored on that. Not sure why Jewett didn't send.
ReplyDeleteWhy didnt Jewitt send Harper....
ReplyDeleteneeded that...nice job ALR.
ReplyDeleteThat ball got stuck, stanton had to chase, why Harper not home,
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Jewett didn't see the ball get stuck. He should be looking for that though.
ReplyDeleteLove a good battle between a batter and pitcher....
ReplyDeleteEven when Werth is making outs right now, he's drilling the balls.
ReplyDeletePositive out for Werth
ReplyDeleteProductive out for Werth.... Come on Anthony... Take a few pitches next time, please...
ReplyDeleteFast ball he thought he could drive. Was wrong.
DeleteWoah Strasburg calm down
ReplyDeleteTight zone, although Strasburg has missed by a lot on some.
ReplyDeleteIs Strasburg okay?
ReplyDeleteWhy he has poor control someone always assume he is not fine.
DeleteHe looks fine, just no control.
We just are clueless on how to holf runners.
ReplyDeleteLets walk just like they walked us. Our guys who walked both scored.
McCatty are you going to stand by and watch or coach?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCome on Stephen... Throw Strikes...
ReplyDeleteDP, he doesn't look okay...he's not a big fan of the 1st inning.
ReplyDeleteHis curve a tad high. Fix it.
ReplyDeleteHe loojs fine. He is just not tgrowing strike.
ReplyDeleteYikes. Strasburg just has no command today. Is he okay?
ReplyDeleteThat is pathetic...
ReplyDeleteHe was 0 for his last 18
ReplyDeleteI am more pissed at McCaddy
ReplyDeleteI called for after second pitch to Stanton. To go do his thing.
ReplyDeleteStill also mad at zim for taking strike 3
DeleteRamos should have been walked out there... What the hell....
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous...
This is bad.
ReplyDeleteThey are rocking SS asz.... Unh...
ReplyDeleteEasy to hit just fastballs
DeleteHis breaking ball not breaking, throwing just fast balls you are no better than Detwiler.
ReplyDeleteGet the hook.
ReplyDeleteHe will pitch great after this. Why hook? That seems like a panic move
DeleteDan Haren costume night?
ReplyDeleteWow, the pitcher too.
ReplyDeleteWhere's that hook?
ReplyDeleteBochie hooked Cain the otger night, which was totally stupid.
ReplyDeleteThe walking people piss more tgan the hits.
now this is just comical...what is McCatty waiting for?
ReplyDeleteThis is BP practice for them.... 5 damn runs...
ReplyDeleteI think the reason the question about Strasburg being Ok is that sometimes TJ pitchers sometime have control issues when they beginning to have problems with the elbow again.
ReplyDeleteI suspect he is just having a real bad night.
Anyhoo looks like a very long night. They are killing him and it is probably time to get out the long man. I suspect he won't get by the 2nd inning. Hard to watch.
This is painful to watch right now.
ReplyDeleteThey better score a hell of alot of runs tonight.
ReplyDeleteThat was not the first inning I expected.
ReplyDeleteFor people wanting the hook, someone has to warm up. Ohlendorf was warming up. It takes time.
Okay. The messages to me are: if this was Dan Haren. We would be calling for him to be DFA'ed.
ReplyDeleteTwo. Stras needs to take a break tonight in the longest inning ever.
I hope the Marlins pitcher will continue as he started.
Oy oy oy.
He will pitch fine after this.
ReplyDeleteOur hitters who were not nearly as good as tgeirs need to get those runs right back.
That first inning was brutal... SS doesn't have the command tonight....
ReplyDeleteHe is gonna have to be creative and Ramos will have to call a good game....
I would let Strasburg go back out, but with Ohlendorf warmed and ready.
ReplyDeleteThis might end up being the sloppiest game ever played.
ReplyDeleteWe are just missing hits. Fouling balls straight back means just missed.
ReplyDeleteOnce losing you cant just miss.
Bunting is just not that hard.
ReplyDeleteThere is the difference 2-0 we swing not giving a chance to go 3-1.
ReplyDeleteThey didnt swing. I blame Davey and Eck for the approach
Why in the heck did Desi swing at that.... Ugh...
ReplyDeleteI explained last night though I was wrong. They don't care a strikeout is not tge stigma it was 40 years ago. The pitch at no time was strike on tge last one.
DeleteMake tge guy throw strikes. My goodness do they think they can hit a ball foot outside. He didnt swing at the one before and the last one was worse.
ReplyDeletePut him away, dont screw around like you did Lucas
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong he just throwing way too many balls.
ReplyDeleteThere is something wrong. I've never seen Strasburg look like this.
ReplyDeletecalled that unfortunately...Stanton loves Nats pitching.
ReplyDeleteThis is a test to see if he have quitters on the team.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the Nats will continue to be patient... And have better at bats...
ReplyDeleteUmm. Maybe he's just not as good as we thought
ReplyDeleteSay he is for trade see how many line up.
DeleteJust a bad game nothing more.
yep Bryce, its a yawner.
ReplyDeleteAt some point, we all have to ask ourselves, what if Stephen Strasburg is just a very good pitcher, but that is all.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is just an elaborate plot to help Haren's confidence. Tomorrow when Haren gives up 6 runs, he won't feel so bad now.
ReplyDeleteTuned in a little late. Anything much happen?
ReplyDeleteIf Strasburg is just a very good pitcher, I'm fine with that. He's better than this, that's for damn sure.
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty common to see first round picks in sports end up just being decent players. Strasburg is obviously better than decent but he has shown me very little this year that makes me think of Tom Seaver or Bob Gibson or what have you.
ReplyDeleteGuys, turning on Strasburg because of one bad start is about as low as it gets on here. Maybe he's not elite, we don't know. To say he's not that good, is just dumb. His floor is very, very good. His ceiling is elite.
ReplyDeletelooks like Stras is done after 2 innings, 66 pitches.
ReplyDeleteThere have been no games with large numbers of K's. There have been no games where he has come close to no-hitters. He had a very good record last year, fwiw. I want to find him impressive. I just don't really, since the first year.
ReplyDeleteWhy does everyone think Bryce is so good? He's just not.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm out. You people are ridiculous tonight.
ReplyDeleteLadies and gentlemen, I don't often do this but I am invoking the once-a-season "It's OK to drink in the third inning rule." The bar is open. Barkeep, bourbon and Maalox all around for my friend.
ReplyDeleteEverybody thinks Bryce is so good because everybody watches him and the stats back up what everybody sees. It is pretty obvious.
ReplyDeleteJust got home. WTF
ReplyDeleteOkay... Ludicrous thinking.... Good lord...
ReplyDeleteWhat a joke. I'm done with this team.
ReplyDeleteNobody said Strasburg wasn't good. Where did you get that, D.Proctor? I just think people in DC were expecting another Walter Johnson. He can't stay healthy, but when he does pitch he is generally very good, although not quite Cy Young. Two very poor outings in a row where he couldn't get the ball over the plate. He hit 3 guys on Sunday, so something is off.
ReplyDeleteIn 14 of Strasburg's starts this year, he's allowed 2 runs or less. ANY team would love to have him. These games happen to the absolute best. Verlander gave up 8 runs in one inning at one point this year. To say he's not good, or even worse, Harper isn't good, is just stupid. Sorry, it's stupid.
ReplyDeleteWODL, I'm pretty sure Scott said "maybe he's just not that good?" and then said something about Harper not being good as well. That's just ridiculous to the max.
ReplyDeleteI understand Strasburg may not be Walter Johnson. We don't know. But to say he's not very good is just dumb.
He is way off as he he said tge same thing about Harper
DeleteThis Marlin starter is a real warrior.....great example of strong perseverance. The Nats could use some of that makeup.
ReplyDeletegood move to get SS out of there, no reason to keep him in...game's still young, this is the Marlins but we can't give up any more runs.
ReplyDeleteZimm'nn's hurt, Stras is rocked what's next? We sign Chien Ming-Wang off waivers? Anybody have Daniel Cabrera's cell phone number?
ReplyDeleteOk. This team irks me. Davey is a idiot, that's clear. I look at the lineup each day and wonder how we don't win...but it's down to bad choices. Aleichem, Span, Zim at 3rd, espi, etc. these cost us games. It's just bad mismanagement. Very exasperating. I truly hope things get better.
ReplyDeleteIf it irks watch a team that doesnt.
DeleteIrks me to but I assume we will still winuntil the game is over.
So let me get this straight Scott: Harper sucks, Strasburg sucks, Davey sucks. Why even watch the team?
ReplyDeleteThe guys said "so good" and "very good" in his quotes so you need to read what he wrote so that you are not defending something else. Has Strasburg delivered so far? He sort of did last year. I don't know if Verlander is the standard that people are looking to when you are talking about the "greatest pitching prospect" ever.
ReplyDeleteI will say that tickets to Sunday's game when Stras was pitching were surprisingly cheap and easy to get. I think people are ready to see him take the next step. His FIPs stats are good but not great this year.
I realize code words like he used and read it the same way David did.
DeleteStrasburg is statistically better this year than last (although I suspect this start will change that).
ReplyDeleteWe all need a dose of good news. Here it is, courtesy of the AP:
ReplyDeleteB.J. Upton has left the Braves' game against the Reds with an apparent knee injury, marking the second straight night Atlanta has lost an outfielder. Justin Heyward was held out of Friday's lineup after straining his right hamstring on Thursday night. Jordan Schafer is already on the disabled list.
People getting hurt to me is mever good news.
DeleteI want to beat you , but dont want you hurt.
So what is tge good news?
I don't find an injury good news, even if it's a division rival. And to be honest, the Braves are probably better without BJ Upton anyway.
ReplyDeleteYou think like me mostly. Though I do think I hate losing more than they do.
DeleteMy wife hates it even more as I am not a quiet angry.
Ollie to the rescue
ReplyDeleteGio and Jordan are excellent pitchers and I think it is hard to make an argument that Strasburg is the ace of the staff. Right now, he is a fringe All Star-type pitcher that any team would love to have. Am I disappointed? Yes, but only because everyone said he had the talent to be an all-time great.
ReplyDeleteIs Strasburg still one of my favorite players? Yes, but we have to try to be honest and loyal at the same time.
Wait 10 years to make a decision
DeleteThe boat is taking on water. The rats are beginning to jump.
ReplyDeleteChip away.... One or two runs at a time
ReplyDeleteI understand WODL. I'm not saying Strasburg is a once in a generation player (although at 24, he could certainly still develop into one). I think JZimm is clearly the ace of this staff with Gio and Stras tied behind him. Regardless, to suggest he's "just not very good", which is what Scott said, is ludicrous.
ReplyDeleteWith any luck, the Reds will hold on and the Braves will bail us out yet again.
ReplyDeleteFinally a hit. None since the first.
DeleteHow much longer before we call it a wrap snd start bringing up the prospects? First one I bring up is the CF in Harrisburg. Lets see what the kid has got
ReplyDeleteI told you we are winning the division
DeleteIt depends on what stats you look at. Stras has given up a lot of unearned runs this year and that is a hugely problematic stat that no one who looks at advanced stats thinks should be a free ride. He still seems to not deal all that well with adversity. He blew this game all by himself with 7 base-runners in the first inning and then grooved a pitch to Stanton. He walked everybody except the guy everybody walks. Horrible performance, but hopefully it doesn't mean he is tired or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI never relish in injury news... But yeah I bet the Braves are better without Bj...
ReplyDeleteI am, however, thoroughly disgusted with how this game started and is going....
BigCat, you don't give up on a season when you're 4 games out. We're literally 4 games out of a playoff spot.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad the one evening I am home and figure I can watch a game with "friends" here... Oh, well, off to WaPo.
ReplyDeleteI am not impressed with our batters who seem to have given up for the night, apparently having gotten the three runs that are supposed to guarantee victory....
ReplyDeleteI am with you. However your man Span leads off the 5th
DeleteWe just need to score. They did why cant we?
ReplyDeleteCompletely understand NL.... But well, when the Nats are losing, this is what we get...
ReplyDeleteI stand by comment i hate losing more than they do.
DeleteI can not make us win, thus I have no control.
They have control but do nothing about it.
Strasburg is a good pitcher that the league didn't have time to adjust to last year. The league has adjusted. If he is off now, he gets rocked. More importantly, he is frail and can't be relied upon for a full season. All the more reason why the shut down was a mistake. The "curse of the shutdown" - are we going to be the next Cubs franchise? Why won't anyone call Rizzo out? He's made epic mistakes and everyone is in thrall like he is P.T. Barnum?
ReplyDeleteMets look like they will shut down Harvey in September too.
DeleteIt will become the new normal.
How often has Strasburg been rocked, DJB? Please do share.
ReplyDeleteAs usual , we spin our wheels a little in the first inning or 2, now we won't sniff of anything until the 8th or 9th where we will hit a 2 run shot and everyone will talk excitedly.
ReplyDeleteWe need a whole new coaxing staff!
Well, I'm near Niagara Falls, NY, with no eyes on ears on the game. It sounds like my Nats are not doing so well. I was hoping things would turn around after we got the full lineup back. Wish I could see what's going on. My internet connection is not very good.
ReplyDeleteTop of first fine the rest Strasburg didnt tgrow strikes, and then our hitters quit so far after the first.
DeleteWhat a play by Rendon
ReplyDeleteIndeed
Delete