The Home for Washington Nationals Game Talk

Photo by Andrew Lang for TalkNats

For those who want to look back in time, 15 years ago today, the Washington Nationals played their first game ever. Their temporary digs were in Washington’s RFK stadium at that point in time in 2005. Besides some exhibition games, the last time a regular season game was played at RFK Stadium was the Washington Senators in 1971.

What a day it was with all of the pomp and circumstance and pageantry of that special day to bring baseball back to Washington, D.C. With President Bush throwing out the first pitch to Brian Schneider, and Livan Hernandez pitching into the 9th inning with a save by the “Chief” Chad Cordero to preserve the win. The offense was provided by a near “cycle” by Vinny Castilla who was just a single shy of the feat. The crowd was roaring that day with 45,596 in paid attendance, and the Nats did not disappoint. It was the beginning of something special. Continue reading →

Photo by Craig Nedrow for TalkNats

Four things you remember from this sixth World Series game was manager Dave Martinez becoming unglued after Trea Turner was ruled out for runner’s obstruction or some rule to that effect, Strasburg was told he was tipping pitches via Jonathan Tosches who is the coordinator of advanced scouting, Rendon’s big home run, and that the Nationals forced a Game 7 winner-take-all game. While we know the Nats won this game, you will get to re-live it on MASN tonight at 7 pm. Continue reading →

Those who gave the Nationals no chance of winning the first World Series game with Gerrit Cole on the mound, got a good look at what these Washington Nationals are made of. You have to be sure that many who were predicting the Nats quick demise in this World Series had a different outlook on this team the day after. The Nationals were on this grand stage because they are good, and they also looked energized in the first game after six days between the NLCS and the World Series. That break between the NLCS and Game 1 of the World Series was the most time that Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon, and Juan Soto had off the playing field since each was on the 10-day IL earlier in the season. Each player had little to no time off until the Nats clinched a Wild Card berth, and each got the feeling back in their legs with the week off between the NLCS and the World Series.  Continue reading →

The Washington Nationals went into the morning of May 24th with a miniscule chance of making the postseason. The Nats defied the odds entering the postseason as the Wild Card berth. The team found themselves in varying odds of underdogs during each series in the postseason. The Nats were big underdogs against the Dodgers in the NLDS, and slight underdogs in the NLCS against the Cardinals, and the second worst odds of winning the World Series against the Astros. Caesars Sportsbook opened with the Astros as -235 favorites to beat the Nationals in the best-of-seven series. The Nats were listed as +195 underdogs. Continue reading →

Photo by Lynn G for TalkNats

Since the NLDS games were decided on the same day, we have knew that this third game of the NLCS would matchup two of the hottest NL pitchers in Stephen Strasburg and the righty Jack Flaherty. Tonight we will get to see the replay of this game in its entirety on MASN in the first home game in the Nats history for an NLCS game. Back in the lineup for the Washington Nationals was centerfielder Victor Robles who returned from a tight hamstring and that moved Michael Taylor back to the bench. Every decision Nats manager Dave Martinez made seemed to work and he was sticking with Ryan Zimmerman against a tough righty. On the other side, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt downgraded his overall defense to add Jose Martinez to his lineup, but he kept the struggling part of the top of his lineup the same with Dexter Fowler, much to the dismay of Cardinals fans. Nats fans could commiserate with their lineup experiences from the 2017 NLDS. Continue reading →

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

Other than a Wild Card game, the minimal goal for the road team in the first two games of a postseason series is to win at least one game in a split. For the Nationals, they accomplished that minimal goal with a win in the first game of the 2019 NLCS against the Cardinals. Using manager Dave Martinez’s mantra of go 1-0 today, the Nationals of course won this game and headed back home with home field advantage at 2-0. To pitch your number four pitcher in the first game of the series with Anibal Sanchez and get a win set up the Nats to go with Max Scherzer on regular rest in this NLCS Game 2.  Continue reading →

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

Join us tonight at 7 pm as we relive and re-love Game One of the NLCS. This was the first time the Washington Nationals progressed past the NLDS in the postseason, and we all remember how it all ended. Now you can watch again the journey through the NLCS. If you forgot, the Nationals shocked the Cardinals to take this first game of the NLCS behind a near-no-hitter from Anibal Sanchez that ended with two outs in the 8th inning. Sanchez cruised in this game, and made big pitches when he had to. Manager Dave Martinez pulled him after the hit was surrendered in that 8th inning at 103 pitches. In the entire game per Statcast, Sanchez only gave up one hard-hit ball which is measured at contact in play at over 95 mph. In his career, Sanchez has thrown a no-hitter before so he thought he might have had another when he got a clutch Web Gem from Ryan Zimmerman in that 8th inning on a diving catch that few first basemen could make. Being “close” still put Sanchie in the history books for the furthest any pitcher has gone in a postseason DS/LCS except for Roy Halladay who finished the only non-World Series no-no. Continue reading →