by Andrew Lang
by Andrew Lang
At one time, Jim Riggleman was the only full-time Washington Nationals manager with a winning record in a single season when he resigned mid-season in 2011 with a 38-37 record. Now the Rockville, Maryland native returns home to a city he loves as his Cincinnati Reds team tries to play spoiler.
Olin Howlin plays the pensive “Firebrand Lefty MacDonald” as he shares his melancholy with Nurse Carol Adams
Lost in the pantheon of baseball-related books, movies, and entertainment is a small forgotten gem. On August 5 we will mark the 65th anniversary of the 1953 Kraft Television Theater airing of a live performance of Old MacDonald Had a Curve. The short play was at once comedic and painfully insightful. Olin Howlin and Jack Warden starred in a farcical look at an old man tantalized by an unlikely return to the game of his youth. Suspending the rules of time and the realities of age for just a moment the play opens a window through which we can see the larger realities. The up-and-coming 29 year-old playwright would make such twists of life and suspending its constricts into his stock in trade. His name was Rod Serling. The Twilight Zone was six years into the future. But, the roots of the weekly show were firmly on display in MacDonald. Continue reading
Tommy Milone starts for the Nats; Photo by Luis Albisu for TalkNats
What a good time for the Nationals to get a gem from Tommy Milone who out-pitched Mets ace Noah Syndergaard. The Nationals struck early and milked the lead behind Milone going 7.0 innings of one-run baseball with 9 strikeouts. The Nationals made the most of their 7-hits and 2-walks to produce 5-runs as the Nats had 4 stolen bases with Trea Turner swiping 2 more bags to lengthen his MLB best 28 SBs this season. Turner scored 3 of the Nats 5-runs and wreaked havoc causing Mets pitchers to throw more fastballs and make some mistakes. Turner also turned a Web Gem in the game to flash the leather. The big hit of the game was a 2-run home run from Anthony Rendon, and Bryce Harper was the only Nat with 2-hits in the game. Continue reading
With the Brandon Kintzler trade yesterday turning into a “Deep Throat” situation to the removal of Shawn Kelley last night from the clubhouse and his DFA, the Nationals are making changes that are tabloid fodder. For anyone who watched the entire Nationals 25-4 dismantling of the Mets last night you saw a Kelley tirade on the mound. That did not sit well with anyone, and the Nationals move quickly after the clubhouse cleared out to address it after the media departed. Continue reading
(Photo by Laura Peebles)
For the Nationals, they won in a record setting way as Ryan Zimmerman got a first inning single which was his 1,695 hit that set the new mark for hits in the franchise. Every batter in the line-up had at least one-hit tonight which included substitute players and pinch-hitters. Tanner Roark pitched a very nice game going 7.0 innings giving up only 1-run in the game en route to a 24-5 crushing of the Mets. The Nationals scored 7-runs in the 1st inning and knocked out Mets starter Steven Matz after 2/3 of an inning. The Mets bullpen fared even worse. Continue reading
The trade deadline came and went and the Nationals traded Brandon Kintzler and added not one Major Leaguer — no star catcher was added which was the number one need identified rather the Nats competition in the NL East added and it was the Phillies who acquired that star catcher, Wilson Ramos, and you have to wonder if they did that to block the Nationals from their biggest need. It was underwhelming to say the least to the Nationals do nothing to strengthen the team since they decided not to trade pending free agents. In fact, Kintzler was under team control for next year. Continue reading
It’s a familiar feeling for Nationals fans today after two straight losses in games that could have been wins. Runners on the corners nobody out, fail to score a run. On Tuesday, put a crooked number on the board and fail to get that shutdown inning. See the deficit go from one to three to five as the bats fall silent. Season momentum shifting win on April 16th against the Mets, and then again on June 24th against the Phillies, then again on July 5th with a nine-run comeback against the Marlins. Games you circle on your calendar as the turnaround in the season but that ignite little more than a flicker. Failing to capitalize on these momentum shifts is why the Nationals are where they are today. Their 10-18 record in one-run games is awful. Failing to take the baton and run with it. Rinse. Repeat. Continue reading
"Opening Day should be a National holiday"
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