by Andrew Lang
by Andrew Lang
by Andrew Lang
Photo by Craig Nedrow for TalkNats
The Nats call on their lefty, Patrick Corbin, who is set to make his second Spring Training start this evening against those same St. Louis Cardinals he faced over the weekend. This time, Corbin will be on his own mound at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Continue reading
Evan Pittman; Photo provided by the Pittman family for TalkNats
Maybe we have Hollywood to thank for today’s version of walk-up/walk-out music. It was 1989 when the film “Major League” became a hit with baseball fans as Charlie Sheen’s character Ricky Vaughn emerged to “Wild Thing.” Now you have music and baseball somewhat intertwined for an entire game with a variety of music. About 120 miles way down I-95 in Virginia, there is a growing population of Washington Nationals fans. One of them is ten-year-old Evan Pittman of Richmond who is a Nationals fan ready to embark on his playing career with his local Little League. It’s his budding guitar skills, however, that caught the attention of Nats closer Sean Doolittle, after his father, Greg Pittman, posted video of him playing the All Star and World Series champion’s walk-out music, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica. When Doolittle responds to your post on Twitter, you are bound to get some extra attention. Continue reading
Photo by Katie Moran for TalkNats
All teams deal with their share of Spring Training maladies, and the fortunate teams are the ones dealing with minor tweaks and bruises to key players. The Nationals now have three players on the unofficial injured list with minor issues, and they are Will Harris (side), Victor Robles (side), Eric Thames (calf), and Adam Eaton (hamstring). With twenty-two days to Opening Day, the Washington Nationals have 18 game days remaining on the schedule. Position players need about fifty at-bats to get their timing going, and many players will get some of those at-bats on the Minor League side. Manager Dave Martinez will not rush back any of his nicked up players, and that is a wise move.
Photo by Craig Nedrow for TalkNats
The Spring Training schedule has matched up the Washington Nationals with some AL East opponents already, and now it is the Baltimore Orioles turn to face the Nats. Back home in the Mid-Atlantic, these two teams are linked by geography, a regional sports network (MASN), and decades of animosity. Even before the Washington Nationals came to existence, the Orioles owner, Peter Angelos, was wrangling to make sure no team made it back into Washington, D.C. unless he was handsomely compensated. The list of concessions that MLB made to Angelos to allow the Montreal Expos to relocate to D.C. were mind-blowing. Not only was Angelos handed the majority ownership to MASN, but he also got seed money to do it. If you have time, read what Baltimore journalist and former O’s beat writer Nestor Aparicio has written in the past on the subject. While the owners are still entrenched in a lawsuit, the players on the field have been insulated by much of the legal fracas. The Nationals do not have the money they want from the MASN annual rights fees, and you have to wonder when that will be resolved after they have been fighting in the courts since 2011 on the annual rights fees. Continue reading
Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
As expected, it will be Joe Ross starting in this game against the Marlins which lines him up as the fifth starter behind Anibal Sanchez in the ordering of the rotation. As it looks now, manager Dave Martinez has his starters lined up in the ordering of Max Scherzer to Stephen Strasburg to Patrick Corbin to Sanchez to Ross. There is no guarantee that Ross is the fifth starter, but the other spots are set. This is the second start for Ross while Austin Voth and Erick Fedde have entered games only after the starters exited which might point to what appears to be hinting that is Joe Ross’ spot to lose. With that said, Martinez is trying to stretch out both Voth and Fedde for the team’s starting rotation depth and has been pitching them in games with multiple innings of work. Continue reading
Photo by Andrew Lang for TalkNats
If it feels like the rotation is being set-up in an order of Max Scherzer to Stephen Strasburg to Patrick Corbin to Anibal Sanchez, you would be correct. That is the plan and the last guess is who will be the fifth starter in the rotation. Out of the gates, it looks like Joe Ross as he took the start this week against the Yankees while Austin Voth and Erick Fedde are entering games after the starters have reached their pitch counts. Fedde tried to go 3.0 innings in relief of Corbin yesterday but was pulled as he got in trouble with a high pitch count at 2 2/3 innings. Manager Dave Martinez is trying to stretch out both Voth and Fedde for obvious reasons as the team’s starting rotation depth. Continue reading
Photo by Andrew Lang for TalkNats
The Nats lone lefty starter, Patrick Corbin, is set to make his Spring Training debut today in Jupiter, Florida against the St. Louis Cardinals. Continue reading
Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
This afternoon matchup has the Tampa Bay Rays travelling into the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches to face our Washington Nationals. In this game, Stephen Strasburg will make his 2020 Spring Training debut. He will be on a strict pitch count as expected. The Rays are starting lefty Ryan Yarbrough. He is a Florida native who went to Old Dominion University. Continue reading
Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
This was supposed to be a rare marquee matchup between former Tiger teammates Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, but the Houston starter was scratched with a sore groin. Astros’ manager Dusty Baker will start Cristian Javier in Verlander’s place. This is the second start by Scherzer who was on a 30-pitch count that was capped at two innings in his last appearance. This time Scherzer will be ramped up a little more in this start and will try to go three innings for his Washington Nationals. Continue reading
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