DonRocks Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 "With Two Shots To Knock Out the Dodgers, the Nats Are in the Driver's Seat" by Thomas Boswell on washingtonpost.com About the only thing I have to add is that it really isn't important whether or not a team wins a given post-season series; what's important is that they put themselves in the post-season, year after year - then, the odds will take care of themselves, and they'll win a certain percentage of games, series, and World Series. Consistent excellence is what a team wants to strive for; the near-randomness of the post-season almost can't be controlled. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Horoscope Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Seems like the Lerners should buy their own radio station like Snyder of the Redskins, and TV network like Angelos of the Orioles. And dedicate it to coverage of the Nationals. Saturate the airwaves, and that'll go a long way toward building fan loyalty. IMO the MASN deal is not even as bad for building loyalty as the radio domination is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracisk Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 6 hours ago, DonRocks said: About the only thing I have to add is that it really isn't important whether or not a team wins a given post-season series; what's important is that they put themselves in the post-season, year after year - then, the odds will take care of themselves, and they'll win a certain percentage of games, series, and World Series. Consistent excellence is what a team wants to strive for; the near-randomness of the post-season almost can't be controlled. This makes me feel better about the 2016 Red Sox postseason, so thank you. I wish I could say I'm all in for the Nats now (I'm a Red Sox fan first, but the Nats are my NL team, though I admit I don't pay a ton of attention since my husband is a bigger baseball fan than I am and doesn't care about them at all), but I can't help but want to see the Cubs win the World Series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 11 hours ago, DonRocks said: "With Two Shots To Knock Out the Dodgers, the Nats Are in the Driver's Seat" by Thomas Boswell on washingtonpost.com I didn't like that headline when I read it 12 hours ago, and I like it even less now. If things don't go well for the Nats in this series, Boswell is to blame! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 2 hours ago, Bart said: I didn't like that headline when I read it 12 hours ago, and I like it even less now. If things don't go well for the Nats in this series, Boswell is to blame! LA's balls had eyes on them in the 8th inning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Horoscope Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 If you're superstitious like me, you also did not like the umpire's bad call strike 3 on Puig and refusal to get help from an umpire in better position to see if Puig checked his swing. I'd rather have gotten Puig out clearly on a strikeout or grounder. What happened just made the Dodgers mad and gave them some juice! (If nothing else, at least I demonstrated how superstitious baseball fans think!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 13 minutes ago, MC Horoscope said: What happened just made the Dodgers mad and gave them some juice! You make an excellent point, and I don't think there's anything superstitious about it: It *did* make them mad and pump them up (and it *was* a blown call - why the home-plate ump didn't check, I just don't know). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Creeping dread. Impending doom. I can't watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracisk Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 37 minutes ago, TedE said: Creeping dread. Impending doom. I can't watch. Nooooo! Keep the faith! Signed, a Red Sox fan who kept watching against the Yankees in 2004 ETA a random factoid: Dave Roberts, the Dodgers manager, stole the base that turned that series around for the Red Sox! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Who's going? Any tips on where to park or how to get outta there after Metro, in all its wisdom, closes? On StubHub I'm seeing nosebleeders for around $80, and some baseline box seats for around $180. All my baseball-loving friends are O's fans. I'll likely go by myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 $250 later, including parking and all sorts of fees, I'll be in Section 132 Row K. It is inevitable that, due to my presence, the Nats will kick ass! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 23 hours ago, dracisk said: Nooooo! Keep the faith! Signed, a Red Sox fan who kept watching against the Yankees in 2004 ETA a random factoid: Dave Roberts, the Dodgers manager, stole the base that turned that series around for the Red Sox! I'll be watching through my fingers (transferred all of our seats to season ticket partners, for reasons other than wanting to actually be at the game)! But, seriously, it's great to be in the position to experience that kind of sports anxiety. Better than absentmindedly checking scores for other teams the morning after the games are played. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Goodness. Justin Turner just had an at-bat where he was behind 0-2 on 2 called strikes, but then extended the at-bat to 13 pitches, with 7 foul balls, and finally fought for a walk - that was Scherzer's second walk, and second baserunner, of the game. Man, that was a tough at-bat, like a boxer killing you with body blows - it can show up later in the game. Scherzer is through 4 innings with no hits, but he needs some run support, like, *now*, because he won't last the game, not after the number of pitches he's thrown (67 pitches!). They've got to keep Scherzer in until he's spent. He's pitching too well to take him out just because of a high pitch count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 18 minutes ago, DonRocks said: They've got to keep Scherzer in until he's spent. He's pitching too well to take him out just because of a high pitch count. Shit. The velocity of his pitches has dropped 3-4 mph between the 4th and 5th innings. The Nats batting 3-up, 3-down in the bottom of the 4th did *not* help things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 21 minutes ago, DonRocks said: Shit. The velocity of his pitches has dropped 3-4 mph between the 4th and 5th innings. The Nats batting 3-up, 3-down in the bottom of the 4th did *not* help things. Scherzer just earned his paycheck by getting out a bases-loaded 5th and still maintaining a shutout. If the Nats don't win this game, you can't blame it on Mad Max - not at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 17 minutes ago, DonRocks said: Scherzer just earned his paycheck by getting out a bases-loaded 5th and still maintaining a shutout. If the Nats don't win this game, you can't blame it on Mad Max - not at this point. Okay, gentlemen - it's the final game of the playoffs, you're at home, you have your 3-4-5 hitters batting, and you have a quality start - *six shutout innings* - from your ace: It's time to win this with your bats, or you have no one to blame but yourselves. Jason Werth walks. Runner on 1st, none out, and the hottest postseason batter in baseball, Daniel Murphy, at the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 7 minutes ago, DonRocks said: Okay, gentlemen - it's the final game of the playoffs, you're at home, you have your 3-4-5 hitters batting, and you have a quality start - *six shutout innings* - from your ace: It's time to win this with your bats, or you have no one to blame but yourselves. Jason Werth walks. Runner on 1st, none out, and the hottest postseason batter in baseball, Daniel Murphy, at the plate. 1-0 after 6 with Scherzer tired, Strasbourg out, and Kershaw injured. The Cubs are out drinking right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 What the hell just happened?!?! They had 15 feet to spare to get Werth out at home. Why did he attempt the impossible?!?!!? And before I could hit "submit reply" the game is tied. Edit - since I posted the message above I've seen the reply and Henley, the third base coach, waving him home from somewhere in the outfield. WTF was he thinking?!?! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 ......from someone on Twitter: Werth was just trying to catch the Metro before it closed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracisk Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 I was going to go to bed if there were no positive developments this half inning. Looks like I'm staying up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 8 hours ago, dracisk said: I was going to go to bed if there were no positive developments this half inning. Looks like I'm staying up! That was such a glimmer of hope! And then when Werth got up with runners on first and third, I was thinking REDEMPTION! Here it comes! Sadly, it never came. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 13 hours ago, DonRocks said: Shit. The velocity of his pitches has dropped 3-4 mph between the 4th and 5th innings. The Nats batting 3-up, 3-down in the bottom of the 4th did *not* help things. I was watching that little MLB "cartoon thing," so I know for a fact that his fastball dropped from about 97 mph to about 93 mph in one inning - that 13-pitch at-bat may have ended the season for the Nats. Both the Nats and Orioles should be holding their heads high right now, even though we all know they aren't. I hope Scherzer got a standing O when he came out of the game - that guy is an animal, with ice running through his veins. Take *some* consolation in knowing that there's no way in hell that the Nats could have beaten the Cubs - everything is clicking right now for Chicago. I'd almost bet even money right now that they'll win the World Series, and that's with *two* series to go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracisk Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 3 hours ago, Bart said: That was such a glimmer of hope! And then when Werth got up with runners on first and third, I was thinking REDEMPTION! Here it comes! Sadly, it never came. I realized around midnight that I'd probably be up until at least 1am if I watched until the bitter end, so I called it. I heard the sad news on NPR this morning. Oh, well. It was a good run. And now I can root for the Cubs without conflict. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 On 10/12/2016 at 3:31 PM, Al Dente said: It is inevitable that, due to my presence, the Nats will kick ass! I take full responsibility. It took FORTY-FIVE FUCKING MINUTES just to get out of the parking garage-- and I was only 1 level down! Added insult to injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 It's on days like this that I'm glad that I no longer follow baseball and never watched hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 1 hour ago, Al Dente said: I take full responsibility. It took FORTY-FIVE FUCKING MINUTES just to get out of the parking garage-- and I was only 1 level down! Added insult to injury. You saw a double-elimination, major-league playoff game, and spent only about twice what I spent last night at dinner. Although I had a good meal, you have a lifetime memory, bitter though it may be - you spent your money well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 1 hour ago, Al Dente said: I take full responsibility. It took FORTY-FIVE FUCKING MINUTES just to get out of the parking garage-- and I was only 1 level down! Added insult to injury. It wasn't you. It was the ridiculous Boswell headline of the Nats being in the "driver's seat" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 13 minutes ago, Bart said: It wasn't you. It was the ridiculous Boswell headline of the Nats being in the "driver's seat" They *were* in the driver's seat; but drivers die in crashes also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 40 minutes ago, DonRocks said: You saw a double-elimination, major-league playoff game, and spent only about twice what I spent last night at dinner. Although I had a good meal, you have a lifetime memory, bitter though it may be - you spent your money well. Could've done that for free sitting on the couch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedm Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 I was at the game last night, and I'm glad I went Money for a ticket was well spent, and the lost sleep was worth it. My decision to park near Capitol South? Priceless. Although it was not the outcome I'd hoped for, it was an exciting game. The crowd was fully involved the entire time, and although some had to leave because of the idiotic Metro decision, the park remained full. #Natitude 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 1 hour ago, reedm said: and although some had to leave because of the idiotic Metro decision, the park remained full. #Natitude DC may have gained some cachet with the Michelin Guide, but we'll always be a second or third class city with decisions like this. And the Marine Corps Marathon is going to be a bigger nightmare. I'm no fan of Congressional intervention, but I wish some higher power would weigh in and overrule these stupid decisions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 The first spring training game of the year couldn't have come soon enough. It means next to nothing but the Nats beat the Mets 8-6 this afternoon. Many Nats regulars started the game and left after a few. Harper HR'd in his first at bat and also got a single. Hope springs eternal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 WOO HOO! Spring is truly here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 "Down to Final Strike, Bryce Harper Saves Nationals with Three-Run Homer To Beat Phillies" by Chelsea Janes on washingtonpost.com There is a *great* photo at the top of that article - I would love to accredit the photographer, but the Post's paywall has precluded me from finding Chelsea Janes' (the author's) email, or from doing much of anything else. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 2 hours ago, DonRocks said: "Down to Final Strike, Bryce Harper Saves Nationals with Three-Run Homer To Beat Phillies" by Chelsea Janes on washingtonpost.com There is a *great* photo at the top of that article - I would love to accredit the photographer, but the Post's paywall has precluded me from finding Chelsea Janes' (the author's) email, or from doing much of anything else. You have to wonder if Werth's iconic walk off picture was in his mind. I highly doubt it, this is just an enthusiastic competitor doing what he loves to do best, but they make nice bookends: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 7 hours ago, TedE said: You have to wonder if Werth's iconic walk off picture was in his mind. I highly doubt it, this is just an enthusiastic competitor doing what he loves to do best, but they make nice bookends Great post! I wonder if the only person in both pictures is Ryan Zimmerman (#11). Ryan's not a Hall of Fame candidate (just a super-solid, star-quality player), but we're not *that* far from having three future Hall of Fame players in that second picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 The last two innings of that game last night took months, if not years, off my life. I like Wieters just fine (and I'm sure the Nationals management/ownership enjoyed sticking it to Angelos by signing him), but--Good Lord!!--he needs to use his body to block the ball! He just sticks his glove out and, if the ball goes in, great (even better if it stays there). Otherwise, he has to get out of his crouch and lumber to the backstop to pick it up while runners are advancing. To make it clear: I am not blaming the last batter fiasco on him, because that was bad umpiring all the way, but if he had caught the ball cleanly and held onto it, there would have been no basis for anyone thinking the bat (far, far as it was away) had touched it. Fortunately, he caught basically the exact same pitch in the same place cleanly the second time around (which, of course, should never have had to happen.) I also like Treinen and the Nats did a disservice to him by trying to cram him--like a square peg into a round hole--into the closer's spot. He's good at coming in and inducing ground balls when they need them with that great sinker. Let him do what he's good at. I really hope they haven't messed him up psychologically with this experiment. (Ditto for Joe Ross, who is apparently getting his first 2017 start tonight.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Horoscope Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Sounds like Dusty Baker is getting tired of the bullpen situation! Opponents already know that once they get past our starting pitchers they have a good chance to win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovehockey Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Four games in the ever-changing Denver weather environment (plus that altitude thing) and a 3-1 record: 8-4 loss (the day after playing the ESPN Sunday night game against the Mets), 15-12 win (Turner hits for the cycle), 11-4 win, and 16-5 win (11 of the 16 runs coming in the top of the 7th). Imagine if they played at Coors field half the season... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 13 hours ago, lovehockey said: Four games in the ever-changing Denver weather environment (plus that altitude thing) and a 3-1 record: 8-4 loss (the day after playing the ESPN Sunday night game against the Mets), 15-12 win (Turner hits for the cycle), 11-4 win, and 16-5 win (11 of the 16 runs coming in the top of the 7th). Imagine if they played at Coors field half the season... 50 runs in 4 games or 2.5% of the regular season games they will play this year. For comparison that is 6.5% of their total runs for the entire 2016 season, on pace for 1022 runs this year. Of course they won't plate that many, but 900 runs doesn't seem out of the question at all. This offense is fun to watch. Of course they might need to score that many to give the bullpen a 5-6 run cushion ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentbob Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 2 hours ago, TedE said: 50 runs in 4 games or 2.5% of the regular season games they will play this year. For comparison that is 6.5% of their total runs for the entire 2016 season, on pace for 1022 runs this year. Of course they won't plate that many, but 900 runs doesn't seem out of the question at all. This offense is fun to watch. Of course they might need to score that many to give the bullpen a 5-6 run cushion ... The Nats aren't going back to Coors this year unless both teams make the playoffs. In their 18 non-Coors games this year, the Nats have averaged 5.17 runs. Project that to 158 games, add the 50 they scored in Coors, and that gets them to 866. I'd bet somewhere in the low 800s is most likely though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 28, 2017 Author Share Posted April 28, 2017 1 hour ago, silentbob said: The Nats aren't going back to Coors this year unless both teams make the playoffs. In their 18 non-Coors games this year, the Nats have averaged 5.17 runs. Project that to 158 games, add the 50 they scored in Coors, and that gets them to 866. I'd bet somewhere in the low 800s is most likely though. What, you don't think Bryce Harper is going to maintain his .418 batting average?! And you have doubts that the Nats will continue to have 3 out of the top 4 NL RBI leaders?! Pessimist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 2 hours ago, silentbob said: The Nats aren't going back to Coors this year unless both teams make the playoffs. In their 18 non-Coors games this year, the Nats have averaged 5.17 runs. Project that to 158 games, add the 50 they scored in Coors, and that gets them to 866. I'd bet somewhere in the low 800s is most likely though. I didn't say it would be easy, but it's not crazy talk. Bryce will not hit .400, but can Bryce/Murphy/Zim combine for .340+ along with Eaton (and hopefully Turner) getting on base at this clip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentbob Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 4 hours ago, TedE said: I didn't say it would be easy, but it's not crazy talk. No offense intended -- recent history suggests that it's crazy talk and I think the chances are virtually zero because they don't play in the AL. No NL team has scored 900 runs in a season since the 2003 Braves, in the midst of the PED era. Now that MLB isn't rampant with cheating, NL teams haven't come close to 900 in quite a while, not even the Rockies. Even the dominant Cubs last year barely scored over 800 and the Nats offense this year isn't as good from top to bottom. So yeah, even if their start is real, I'll be pretty shocked if the Nats reach 850 this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 24 minutes ago, silentbob said: No offense intended -- recent history suggests that it's crazy talk and I think the chances are virtually zero because they don't play in the AL. No NL team has scored 900 runs in a season since the 2003 Braves, in the midst of the PED era. Now that MLB isn't rampant with cheating, NL teams haven't come close to 900 in quite a while, not even the Rockies. Even the dominant Cubs last year barely scored over 800 and the Nats offense this year isn't as good from top to bottom. So yeah, even if their start is real, I'll be pretty shocked if the Nats reach 850 this year. Okay, *but*, just objectively interpreting: "Pretty Shocked" + 5% Not = "Crazy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentbob Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 7 minutes ago, DonRocks said: "Pretty Shocked" + 5% Not = "Crazy" In the context of run-scoring in baseball, 5 percent is a lot more than you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 20 minutes ago, silentbob said: In the context of run-scoring in baseball, 5 percent is a lot more than you think. I agree - at the level where we're talking (850-900), it's a run every 3.24 games. Well, this is why baseball is perfect for bar debates - nobody loses an eye over anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Losing Eaton is going to skew everything in a bad way. I hope it's not as bad as it seems. He's been an invaluable addition to the ball club early in the season and absolutely worth what we gave up for him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 It was as bad as it seemed and worse: Eaton out for the season with a torn ACL. (Subsequently confirmed by Chelsea Janes.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 On 4/28/2017 at 8:51 PM, silentbob said: No offense intended -- recent history suggests that it's crazy talk and I think the chances are virtually zero because they don't play in the AL. No NL team has scored 900 runs in a season since the 2003 Braves, in the midst of the PED era. Now that MLB isn't rampant with cheating, NL teams haven't come close to 900 in quite a while, not even the Rockies. Even the dominant Cubs last year barely scored over 800 and the Nats offense this year isn't as good from top to bottom. So yeah, even if their start is real, I'll be pretty shocked if the Nats reach 850 this year. With Eaton out the chance is pretty much off the table (and with 170 runs in April, the 10th highest ever, I still contend it's a possibility). A lead off man's OBP is a strong determinant of runs scored over the course of a season. Unless Trea (maybe) or Taylor (unlikely) can pick up the slack. It's a huge loss. I guess now their chance is to have a game like yesterday every other week to pad the stats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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