Game #31 First series of the season against the Phillies!

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Erick Fedde; Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats

The Washington Nationals have faced all of the teams in the NL East this season except for the Phillies. Tonight will start the first series of the season against these NL foes. The Nats were in first place just six games ago, and after losing 5 of 6 games, the Nats enter this game with at 13-17 record. The Phillies were marching to a victory on Saturday and had three blown saves in that game. They gave back a 2-run lead in the 9th, a 1-run lead in the 11th and a 3-run lead in the 12th. Both of these teams have lost two in a row and one will be victorious while they other will be mired in a 3-game losing streak.  Continue reading →

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Jordan Zimmermann announces his retirement from baseball, and still one of the greatest Nats ever!

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Andrew Lang

A photo I got licensed with MLB; Photographer Cathy Taylor

Back in the day, the Washington Nationals were not too popular at the time Jordan Zimmermann was to make his MLB debut on April 20, 2009. The team had just come off of a season when they lost 102 games, and this 2009 season might only be saved if they had a great season from Zimmermann, and even then they might only win 70 games.

It was a cold rainy night. The Capitals were in the Stanley Cup playoffs to compete with the Nats for fans on that evening, and first pitch was rain delayed to 9:15 pm that night. While the announced attendance was 12,473, there were only hundreds who stayed around for 1st pitch, and they all moved to the lower level. I was there to watch Jordan Zimmermann who I had signed to an exclusive deal to handle his memorabilia. The Nationals won 3-2 and JZim got his first win of the 70 he would have for the team that drafted him in 2007 with a comp pick when Alfonso Soriano went to the Cubs.  Continue reading →

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Management on Trial – Wilmington A+ Spotlights the Next Wave

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Forensicane

Photo provided for the media by the Washington Nationals

High-A is a good lens through which to view the last three drafts. The 2020 draftees never got a chance to play, so anyone who gets to Wilmington genuinely has people excited. Anyone from 2019 who gets here, given the Nats’ penchant for slow movement through the lower minors, is also separating one’s self. As for 2018 draftees, if they have not yet made it to A+, then injuries or fate is getting in their way. Continue reading →

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Game #30 Nationals must regroup to win this series! Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted on May 9, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

The great win on Friday by the Washington Nationals was tainted by the tough blown save loss last night in the Bronx. The team has to shake that off, and win this finale on Mother’s Day to take the series. With a needed day-off tomorrow, manager Dave Martinez might have to push his bullpen or use Austin Voth and Will Harris to bridge this to Daniel Hudson who looks like the closer for this one. First things first, the Nats need a great pitching performance from Joe Ross. Continue reading →

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Some losses hurt more than others; Nats lose after a blown save in the 9th!

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Famous last words for $1,000 please. The quote above from an off-season question and answer session with invited Washington Nationals season ticket holders and Brad Hand. He broke his own golden rule when he walked the lead-off man in the 9th inning leading to his first blown save since August 21, 2019. From that point until today, Hand was a perfect 24-for-24. Some losses hurt worse than others, and this was one of them. Max Scherzer pitched a 7 1/3 inning gem with 14 strikeouts handing a 2-1 lead to the bullpen. Continue reading →

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Game #29 Max Scherzer gets his first start as a father of 3!

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

On Sunday, Max Scherzer wrapped up a 2 hour, 37 minute complete game at 3:32 PM for a nice Washington Nationals win to extend a Nats winning streak to four games. We learned after the game that he was headed to the hospital for the birth of his third child who was born 2 hours, 6 minutes after the last pitch.

Given the time for Scherzer to shower and then travel time to the hospital, Max cut it close to get there for the birth of his first son, Derek Alexander. There will be great stories for the Scherzers to tell about the day of the birth. Today, Max will get to pitch for the first time as a father of three on the day before Mother’s Day.  Continue reading →

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Harrisburg Senators 2021 Roster Preview – What Doesn’t Glitter is Still Plenty Interesting

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Forensicane

Embed from Getty Images

With the Nationals slowly rebuilding prospect depth with more quality recent drafts than early years, and the paucity of breakthrough position talent at the AAA level, Harrisburg naturally draws attention for who might be poised to the reach the cusp of the majors this year. Everyone who aces the year becomes, at least, part of the 40-man discussion and perhaps an NRI next year. Or perhaps, even more. Continue reading →

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The losing streak ends in a laugher in the Bronx!

Posted on May 7, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Josh Harrison comes up big!; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

The Washington Nationals just needed Patrick Corbin to keep his team in the game, and the Nats offense exploded for 11-runs to win it. There were contributions from everyone in the order.

It was the energetic Josh Harrison who put the Nats up by four with a 3-run homer in the 6-run eighth inning to put the game out of reach. In all, the Nats had four home runs in total and Josh Bell, Yan Gomes, and Juan Soto had the other three.  Continue reading →

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Game #28 The Nats are in NYC again, this time to face the Yankees!

Posted on May 7, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

In 2015, the Washington Nationals acquired Max Scherzer in a way that looked reminiscent of how George Steinbrenner would add to his Yankees rosters in an abundance of riches. The one lesson is that you are never guaranteed a World Series win even if you have the best statistical roster. It was Nats’ team owner, Ted Lerner, who was nearly 90 years old at the time, and he gave a gift to Nats’ fans by signing a right-handed pitcher to the largest contract ever in the form of Max Scherzer. It took four years to deliver a World Series with Scherzer.  Continue reading →

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May Madness – Reading into the Minor League Rosters

Posted on May 7, 2021 by Forensicane

It all starts at Low-A Fredericksburg, Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

For well over a year, we have been forced to settle for blurbs from the alternative training site, unexpected promotions to the major league level of overlooked talents like Dakota Bacus, Kyle McGowin, Seth Romero, and Yadiel Hernandez, the procession of clickbait offered by pundits telling us whom they think are the Nationals best prospects, and of course, the major leagues’ own list. And, like Charlie Brown missing the kick when Lucy whisks away the ball, we fall for it every year until we have the chance to use our own minds and own eyes once again and see how wrong they are. I’m convinced that the angst that follows Kieboom and Robles is heightened because of the hyped expectations they fell short of. Continue reading →

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