by Andrew Lang
by Andrew Lang
The Nationals clawed back in this game, and got the game to a 3-3 tie but could not get the lead. Instead of going to today’s closer Fernando Rodney, manager Dave Martinez gave the inning to Matt Grace for the tied game in the 9th inning and he surrendered the walk-off home run to Maikel Franco. The Nats still won this series even though they lost today, and they head to Baltimore after a day-off tomorrow. Continue reading
Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats
For a week, Max Scherzer was penciled in as the starter to pitch this afternoon in Philadelphia. It was then revealed that Scherzer was scratched with a balky back and he has now been placed on the 10-day IL. Anibal Sanchez moved up to take Scherzer’s spot which comes with extra rest afforded by the All-Star break. This is the last game this season for the Nationals in Philadelphia, and these teams will not even see each other again until the last week in September. After the completion of this game, the Nationals only have 70 games remaining in the regular season. Because of wins like last night, the Nationals have the inside track to the first Wild Card spot with a 2-game lead over the Brewers who sit in the second Wild Card spot. Continue reading
Juan Soto hits the game winning HR; Bryce Harper in the background
Tonight, the 20-year-old Juan Soto added to his lore with a come-from-behind opposite field 420-foot two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning to win this game for the Nationals over the rival Phillies. Almost the entire game, the Nationals were stymied by great defensive plays, typical baseball bad luck, and some of the Nats own ineptitude — until that fateful ninth inning! With one swing, Soto wiped the slate clean of any transgressions and took the “L” that was about to be stuck on his starter, Patrick Corbin, and turned it into a “W” for reliever Wander Suero. Continue reading
Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats
When teams come back from the All-Star break, you never know if the players will be flat with a lack of energy. Fortunately, the Washington Nationals looked energetic and continued on the pace they set leading into the Mid-Summer Classic. After last night’s game, manager Dave Martinez said he was impressed with his team’s preparedness. Continue reading
Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats
The Washington Nationals started their second half of the season with a nifty 4-0 win behind the arm of Stephen Strasburg and some small ball by his teammates. The Nationals home run streak ended tonight, and who cares as Victor Robles showed you can get two RBIs on a single. Strasburg also received some nifty defense behind him with Juan Soto robbing extra bases at the top of the wall, and Brian Dozier flashed the leather too. Fernando Rodney had to face the meat of the Phillies order in the eighth inning in a 3-0 game, and he responded with some big pitches to get Harper and Jay Bruce on an inning ending doubleplay. Continue reading
Leading into this game, the Nationals have 73-games remaining in the regular season, and they open up baseball’s second half of the season against the rival Phillies in Philadelphia. General manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez have set-up their rotation with Stephen Strasburg in the number one spot in the rotation, Patrick Corbin in the number two spot, and Max Scherzer will get some much deserved extra rest and pitch in the number three spot followed by Anibal Sanchez. In a series of moves that raised some eyebrows, Rizzo also assigned a trio of number five starting pitchers to Double-A Harrisburg. Erick Fedde, Austin Voth and Kyle McGowin will all be closer to Washington, D.C. and could be used on a rotating group of number five pitchers. Per MLB rules, an optioned player has to spend ten days in the Minor Leagues. With three players the Nats could essentially move in fresh arms into the rotation then option them back. That would also allow the team to bring up an extra player in four game stints between the time that a number five pitcher will be used again. The Dodgers have used a system like this before to much success. Continue reading
Trea Turner flies!
Baseball players are judged by their tools at every step of their youth from travel baseball to showcases on the 20-80 scale. The 5-Tool player is the most coveted by teams that want the complete athlete who can excel in every aspect from the hit tool, defense, baserunning, throwing and exhibit power. The Nationals had that for a season with Alfonso Soriano who put together a 40-40 season for the ages although we can debate his defense as he learned leftfield. Baseball has a chance to showcase these athletic marvels like the NBA does with their athletes. Continue reading
“Babe Bows Out” June 13, 1948
There have easily been more than a billion photographs taken of the various aspects of baseball. From that large supply only a scarce few are truly indelible. Nathaniel Fein’s Pulitzer Prize winning photo of Babe Ruth bidding farewell on June 13, 1948 is one of them. Celebrating the Silver Anniversary of Yankee Stadium Ruth’s number 3 was being retired. He was dying from a rare form of cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, had undergone pioneering chemotherapy, and was horribly frail. Dressing in the Visitor’s Locker Room he borrowed a bat from Cleveland’s Bob Feller to use as a cane. Staring out at a big crowd, the rafters were filled with banners from triumphs gone by the ways. The crowd sang “Auld Lange Syne” as Fein captured the moment. Two months later — Ruth would pass. Today that site is a collection of sandlot baseball fields dubbed, “Heritage Fields” with few markings to indicate the history of the spot. Towering nearby the haunts of “The House that Ruth Built” is the new Yankee Stadium disparagingly referred to as “The House that Greed Built.” It is a safe bet that the youngsters running the bases on the sandlot fields have dreams of making it to that bright and shiny park. Few things frame the cycle of life more effectively than baseball.
"Opening Day should be a National holiday"
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