Going Deep with The Nats

In a rare occurence, tonight’s starting battery of Patrick Corbin and Yan Gomes are celebrating birthdays today. Birthdays deserve a celebration! In the Washington Nationals clubhouse, Gerardo Parra brought back what has been missing since Michael Morse was traded away which was bringing back the fun, and fans now get to witness the home run celebrations in the Nationals dugout. Morse would say, “baseball is supposed to be fun” and as Trea Turner said, “we get paid to play a game”. Combine that and enjoy a new twist of Bryce Harper‘s MBFA (Make Baseball Fun Again). The irony is Harper was known to be “not fun” or approachable when he was in a slump and almost standoffish. On manager Dave Martinez‘s 2019 team, he does not want his players to dwell in the negative.  Continue reading →

MASN TV Graphic screenshot

The schedulers backloaded over 60% of the Nats/Braves games after the All-Star break. For high drama, it will work out well for the fans and the networks. ESPN has flexed the Sunday afternoon game to be their Sunday night game. So far these teams have only played 5-games, and the Nats lead the season series 3-2 including a 2-game sweep in Atlanta. The Braves and Washington  Nationals are separated by 6.5 games in the standings, and they are arguably the two hottest teams in the league since the end of May. Now they will face-off in this 4-game series in what could determine whether the Nats are NL East contenders or a team just in it for a Wild Card berth. Continue reading →

This series between the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles was once a good rivalry, and MASN hyped it as the “Battle of the Beltways” which was a catchy moniker for the main event if it was a heavyweight fight. On paper today this is more like a street fight with the big kid (the Nationals) and the little kid (the Orioles). The baseball schedule has these matchups monthly due to the disparity with teams that are “tanking” like the Orioles, Royals, Tigers, and Marlins. The names on the Orioles roster are unrecognizable for the most part, but yet, you play the games and in the 162 game schedule, these are the games the “big kid” must win. Continue reading →

Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats

The Nationals are back in the region, but as visitors in Orioles Park at Camden Yards for a two-game series that begins tonight. It appears that Austin Voth will start today’s game, and Erick Fedde tomorrow night to set the rotation with Stephen Strasburg to start on Thursday in Atlanta followed by Patrick Corbin on Friday. It is hoped that Max Scherzer will return from the 10-day IL to start on Saturday or Sunday and Anibal Sanchez will also get a start in Atlanta in that four-game series. This will also give the Nationals the opportunity to choose either Voth or Fedde to start in Nats Park on Monday against Colorado. The Sunday starter would also line up to start the following series against the Dodgers on Friday, July 26th.  Continue reading →

Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats

For a week, Max Scherzer was penciled in as the starter to pitch this afternoon in Philadelphia. It was then revealed that Scherzer was scratched with a balky back and he has now been placed on the 10-day IL. Anibal Sanchez moved up to take Scherzer’s spot which comes with extra rest afforded by the All-Star break. This is the last game this season for the Nationals in Philadelphia, and these teams will not even see each other again until the last week in September. After the completion of this game, the Nationals only have 70 games remaining in the regular season. Because of wins like last night, the Nationals have the inside track to the first Wild Card spot with a 2-game lead over the Brewers who sit in the second Wild Card spot. Continue reading →