The Nationals could have MLB’s best outfield

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Ryan Morris

Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats

Outfields are made up of a trio of players. AJ Pollock, Mookie Betts, and Cody Bellinger. Marcell Ozuna, Cristian Pache, and Ronald Acuna Jr. Those names may come to mind when prompted with the question, what team has the best outfield in MLB? A new set has arrived however, one that has been sneaky good in Spring Training and may continue to do well in the regular season. Today I’ll break down the Nationals’ outfield and tell you why they may be the best in the league.  Continue reading →

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Game #23 and we finally have MASN TV coverage!

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Andrew Lang

With only two games remaining on the Grapefruit League schedule, the Nationals monopolistic television provider, the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), has finally shown up to broadcast a game. Well, better late than never as they say. With the Nats ownership of just over 20 percent of the network, they do not possess enough voting rights to force MASN to broadcast more games during Spring Training as the Angelos controlled network continues to frustrate the Nats and their fans. These words are nothing personal in our support of the on-air duo of Bob Carpenter and F.P. Santangelo and the on-site employees, this is a rant at the controlling Angelos family.

Well, we have a game today and  that’s the good news.. As Spring Training wraps up tomorrow, the Nats made several cuts on Saturday to give us a good look at what the Opening Day roster could look like. As Edgar Allan Poe wrote, “Believe half of what you see and nothing of what you hear.” Continue reading →

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The Kieboom gamble did not payout as he is optioned to Triple-A

Posted on March 27, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

The cherry blossoms are blooming at Nationals Park; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

While Nationals Park is ready for the 5,000 fans who are allowed to attend on Opening Day, the Washington Nationals’ roster is not ready. It still feels like a work in progress. What general manager Mike Rizzo envisioned back in the offseason has changed. Today, the Nationals pared the roster down to 26 healthy players in what we could see on Opening Day. One player, who will not be on that roster, is the struggling Carter Kieboom.

The Nats made a sizable gamble to bet on Kieboom as their starting third baseman, and he subsequently fell well below the “Mendoza”  line in these 2021 Spring Training games. Rizzo tipped his hand early on and doubled down on Kieboom. This team could have made a hot corner or second base upgrade in the offseason, but only made some mediocre moves on minor league deals for Jordy Mercer and Hernan Perez. The third base spot was there for Kieboom’s taking. Today he was optioned to Triple-A. Continue reading →

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Game #22 is back in Port St. Lucie to face the Mets one more time before Opening Day!

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Clover Park in Port St. Lucie; Photo from Stan for TalkNats

One last trip to Port St. Lucie for the 2021 Grapefruit League season for the Washington Nationals against the Mets, and these teams will face each other in six days in a much different setting for Opening Day. The Nats will go to an opener again in this game and will send Kyle McGowin to the mound. The Mets will pitch LHP David Peterson in this one, and Nats manager Dave Martinez will counter with his right-handed lineup. Continue reading →

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What’s left to be decided at #Nats spring training camp?

Posted on March 26, 2021 by SaoMagnifico

Kyle McGowin strikes out Marcell Ozuna; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

There’s just three Grapefruit League games remaining on the Washington Nationals’ schedule before they head north. Opening Day is less than a week away.

We’ve talked a lot about spring training stats, but we know that on Opening Day, everyone starts out 0-for-0 and without an ERA. What matters is what players do when the games actually count.

Still, for players on the roster bubble, spring stats can be very important. And the Nats still have some decisions to make and questions that will have to be answered. Especially with Juan Soto exiting Thursday night’s game against the Miami Marlins with a calf cramp, at the forefront of those questions is health. Continue reading →

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Game #21 and #Nats go with the opener!

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo of the front gates of Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter by Sol Tucker for TalkNats.com

Once again the Washington Nationals are traveling that 14-mile road trip to the north to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium which is the Spring Training home of the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals jointly. They are part of the four team configuration along with the Nats and Astros that call Palm Beach County home. This time the Nats face the Marlins for the sixth and final time of the Grapefruit League games. But don’t fret, the Nats and Marlins will play each other 19 more times in this regular season.

The last time these two teams met, the Nats got to face Gio Gonzalez as a pitcher for the Marlins. The Nats absolutely smoked Gio in the game, and was not going to make their team. He decided to retire and posted a beautiful letter on his Instagram account.

” … unfortunately my body wasn’t keeping up with my mind,” Gio wrote. It is something I wrote unfortunately too many times about aging athletes when their bodies will no longer do what the brain asks of it.
Continue reading →

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Spring Training stats often mean nothing; Sometimes they mean something!

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

WEST PALM BEACH, FL; Josh Bell batting; Photo by Tom Sileo for TalkNats

On February 28, the Nats opened their 2021 Spring Training with a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Calling the game on KMOX was former Cardinals’ centerfielder Jim Edmonds. He was particularly critical of Josh Bell‘s swing which he said was a long swing and pointed to the holes in his swing. Seconds later, Bell shot a single away from the shift into leftfield against starting pitcher Jack Flaherty. Of course Edmonds downplayed the single with the luck factor that Bell swung late, giving no credit. Since that point, Bell has been en fuego and is now batting .385 with a 1.354 OPS. Continue reading →

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Game #20 has Strasburg going against their Ballpark of the Palm Beach neighbor!

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats

As Spring Training wraps up in 5 days, the Washington Nationals neighbors in the complex at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches are the opponent once again in their six game “A” schedule. The Astros have their big offseason acquisition, Jake Odorizzi, starting in the one and he will face Stephen Strasburg. Continue reading →

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Some notes from Dr. Faucett on current #Nats injuries!

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Sol tucker for TalkNats

Ten days ago, we had an update on the current state of Washington Nationals injuries after Stephen Strasburg injured his calf muscle. He is set to pitch today and says that he is good to go. Jon Lester had surgery on his thyroid, and he had a very encouraging start yesterday as he readies himself for the season.

“I feel good physically so now I think it’s just a matter of getting those reps and getting my feet under me and building,” Lester said.  “I think that the big thing is I feel like I’m a little bit behind the eight-ball on some things, and I think [velocity] is one of them.”

“I’m hoping that with … a little bit of adrenaline in regular games that my [velo] will go up a tick. But even if it doesn’t, I feel like I can still do the things I need to do.”

As you saw, Tanner Rainey finally appeared in a game after he was dealing with soreness in his collarbone area. The results from his first outing were not good as you would expect when batters are at full speed and Rainey is just getting going. Continue reading →

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Game #19 and on the 19th day, Davey created a whole new lineup!

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Kevin Nibley for TalkNats

Tell us if you have heard this before — the Nationals have a Grapefruit League road game in Jupiter at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The 14-mile drive up I-95 is also great for Nationals fans to make the short drive up the road to see the team in another venue, and today they get to see Jon Lester on the mound and a whole new look to the lineup. For the first time in a Nats’ uniform, Starlin Castro is playing 3rd base.

All of the narratives and media driven commentary that he “would not” play 3rd base just got proven incorrect when that lineup was written. Castro merely said he would rather not play 3rd base. This was not an Alfonso Soriano situation of being threatened by a General Manager of a suspension if he did not move his position.

Continue reading →

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