Click to Read an Important Member Update Regarding Our Comment System
We recently upgraded our comment system to improve reliability, performance, and long-term control, and we’re currently running both systems during the transition. This shift moves us away from an external service to a system we run and control directly—meaning we own the content and can continue improving it over time. We’ve also reduced the comment refresh delay from about 30 seconds to 10 seconds, making it much closer to real-time.
We understand there have been frustrations and increased feedback, and we’re actively working to improve things. What we ask is simple: use the system and give it a fair shot. If you run into issues, please submit them through the support form so we can track and fix them properly. Repeated complaints without details don’t help us solve problems—we appreciate your patience as we continue refining the experience.
If you’d like a full side-by-side comparison of the platforms and the reasons behind this decision, please refer to the chart below. This change is being made with the long-term benefit of the entire community in mind.
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The big showdown between Chris Archer and Stephen Strasburg lasted one inning after Archer left with right shoulder discomfort, and Strasburg was better than advertised with a 7-inning shutout. The Nats offense only got him 1-run in support, and in the 8th inning Wander Suero entered and the meltdown was on full display. Suero did not retire a batter, and he was pulled with bases loaded and no outs and two swings later with Daniel Hudson on the mound it was a 4-1 deficit that led to a 4-1 loss. Continue reading →
In the month of August, Stephen Strasburg has struggled in his three starts and much of it was avoidable as he stayed in games he should not have, and only to watch his workload pile up unnecessarily. In his last nine starts, Stras has thrown 106-to-111 pitches in six of those games, and that is just too much for someone who has the medical history of Strasburg where less is more. In his last start, the Nats had a marathon offensive fifth inning in which Strasburg batted twice. The time Strasburg was off the mound was approximately 36 minutes in a game the Nats led the Reds 11-1. Not only did Strasburg return to the mound, he lost all control and was not effective. That did not stop #37 from motioning towards his manager Dave Martinez with a clear message to stay away when he wanted to pull him. Strasburg needlessly surrendered 3 more runs in that inning and pushed himself to 110 pitches of which many were stressful as he exited at 5 2/3 innings. Was that extra 2/3 of an inning worth it in the grand scheme of things? Continue reading →
Yesterday, columnist Thomas Boswell was asked in his weekly chat about the status of Ryan Zimmerman. Boswell’s reply, “You may see Zimmerman back up with the Nats THIS week.” The Washington Nationals have scored 116 runs so far in the month of August. The next closest team is not even within 10% of the Nats run production so why would you mess with what you have and tempt the “if it ain’t broke, you don’t fix it.” Ryan Zimmerman’s rehab just began over the weekend with Double-A Harrisburg which would allow him to continue to play and rehab in the Nats minor league system before needing to be activated in mid September.
This season, Zimmerman has done two stints on the 10-day IL which have been extended where he has missed large chunks of the season due to his plantar fasciitis. Should general manager Mike Rizzo wait until September 1st when teams can expand their rosters to activate Zim or should they do it sooner? That is the question, but what is the hurry? The Nationals have Howie Kendrick as their right-handed first baseman, and he is crushing the ball, and so is Matt Adams who is in another hot streak and handles the left-handed duties. Behind them, you have Gerardo Parra who has also played several games at 1st base this season. But the more important question would be, what would the soon to be 35-year-old’s role be on this new-look Nats who also just added veteran infielder Asdrubal Cabrera who was just signed as a free agent two weeks ago. Continue reading →
The Nationals offense slowed down a little bit after scoring 14-runs on Saturday, 16-runs yesterday, and they only scored 13-runs tonight. Of course that is all said tongue-in-cheek as the offense scored 4-runs in each of the first two innings to roll in this laugher until starting pitcher Joe Ross was hit by a 110 mph comebacker squarely on his shin (X-rays negative) after one bounce off of the grass, and Ross came out of the game under his own power at the 3 1/3 mark. The bullpen went the rest of the way and pitched a 1-hitter and the Nats shutout the Pirates 13-0. Continue reading →
The Washington Nationals take their show on the road again for a quick two-series road trip that begins with four games in Pittsburgh. The Nationals had the option of skipping Joe Ross because of the day-off last Thursday and go with Stephen Strasburg on regular rest. But why do that when it is Joe Ross’ spot in the rotation. Ross is the statistically the best starting pitcher in baseball since August 1st with a 0.50 ERA and three wins in 18 innings. Continue reading →
The Nationals offense stepped on the gas pedal and did not let up in this game in which they scored 16-runs on 19-hits which also included eight home runs. The starting outfield trio of Juan Soto, Adam Eaton, and Victor Robles combined for four home runs on six hits. Soto hit his 50th career home run today to join that 50 home run club for players younger than 21 in which there are only three members and the other two are Tony Conigliaro (56) and Mel Ott (61). Speaking of home runs, every Nats starting position player had a home run except for Yan Gomes and Trea Turner, but don’t feel bad for them as they had multiple hits just like every spot in the lineup except for the pitcher’s spot. The final score: 16-8 Continue reading →
After this game, the Nationals have just 39 games remaining, and while this will be the last game the Nationals will face the Brewers within the 162-game regular season, it might not be the last time they see each other this year. After last night’s 14-inning five hour and forty minute marathon, the team is going to have to dig deep. They have shown what they are made of and it is a team game. They lost as a team last night, and today is a new day. Continue reading →
Sometimes the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and the Nationals once again had a three run lead in the 9th inning like they did eight days ago and five days ago and again tonight and each time Sean Doolittle was brought in to close out the game. In those three games, Doolittle blew two saves and was a run away from another and combined gave up 10 earned runs. Why has manager Dave Martinez followed the same game plan in each game? The last two fastballs that Doolittle threw tonight had diminished velocity at 91 and 90 mph which are well below his season’s average 93.6 mph. Continue reading →
For Nationals manager Dave Martinez, he believes in the one game at a time approach which sounds cliché, however it makes sense to focus on the task at hand and not look too far ahead. In the starting rotation, Anibal Sanchez just needs to follow what his teammate Patrick Corbin found to be successful yesterday. The Brewers will pitch the righty Jordan Lyles who the Nats have faced before when he was with the Pirates. Lyles was a July deadline acquisition by the Brewers to beef up their depleted starting rotation that is missing three starters. Continue reading →
Last night, Nationals’ closer Sean Doolittle was back on the mound — again — and he once again caused Nats fans to reach for Zestril, Maalox, and bourbon after he walked the Brewers lead-off hitter on four pitches — none of which were close while the reigning MVP, Christian Yelich, stood twenty feet away in the on-deck circle. Doo persevered and earned his 28th save in heart thumping style to preserve a 2-1 win for his team. The circuitous road to that 28th save includes five painful blown saves and four excruciating losses, but Doolittle has taken on more work than almost every closer with at least 20 saves except for Josh Hader and Will Smith. Hader is only 25 years old and Smith is 30 while Doolittle will celebrate his 33rd birthday next month. Continue reading →
We recently upgraded our comment system to improve reliability, performance, and long-term control, and we’re currently running both systems during the transition. This shift moves us away from an external service to a system we run and control directly—meaning we own the content and can continue improving it over time. We’ve also reduced the comment refresh delay from about 30 seconds to 10 seconds, making it much closer to real-time.
We understand there have been frustrations and increased feedback, and we’re actively working to improve things. What we ask is simple: use the system and give it a fair shot. If you run into issues, please submit them through the support form so we can track and fix them properly. Repeated complaints without details don’t help us solve problems—we appreciate your patience as we continue refining the experience.
If you’d like a full side-by-side comparison of the platforms and the reasons behind this decision, please refer to the chart below. This change is being made with the long-term benefit of the entire community in mind.