Game #84 Will this be the night the real #Nats show up?

We have all been waiting for the pretenders to leave so the contenders can appear. It has been a month of some of the worst baseball that Nats fans have seen since the NLDS. Everyone has an opinion and those who want to place blame can find many to blame. Last night, Tom Boswell at the Washington Post was at the post-game presser, and he asked the question as to how this team has lost exactly 2/3rds of their one-run games. It is remarkable because if the Nationals had won 2/3rds of the one-run games they would be in first place. Continue reading

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

Scherzer makes a pitch to the opposing pitcher that defies logic

The Nationals mounted a comeback, but came up a run short in a 4-3 loss. The story is the same as the Nationals had one play that turned the game. This time that “one play” came against the opposing pitcher with 2 outs and an 0-2 count and bases loaded — Max Scherzer had Rick Porcello right where he wanted him — and Max threw a fastball inside that Porcello turned on and hit to deep leftfield to clear the bases for a 3-run double. Scherzer knows that he would have had him swinging at a pitch above or below the zone, but Max wanted to blow him away with a heater and missed his target. It was the first at-bat of the entire season for Porcello. Continue reading

Posted in Recap | Leave a comment

Game #83 Nats have a guy named Max Scherzer

We trust Max Scherzer, but how much do we trust that a 19-year-old can handle the grind? Juan Soto has shown he is not devoid of making mistakes. He went first ball swinging in a key spot in the game and has not shown his normal patience. His bat has looked tired the last 2-games and has not had a rest since he got his first start. Maybe a rest day would be wise after his weekend finished on a 0-10. Manager knows best, right? Soto is back in the line-up in the 3-hole.  Continue reading

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

A weekly round-up of a week at the halfway point of the season

You must be a TalkNats Subscriber to access this content. Subscribers have access to exclusive content on the TalkNats website and can engage in discussions with other Nats fans.

Click here to become a subscriber.

First two weeks are free and then you will be billed $3.99/month. Cancel anytime. Secure payments using Stripe.

If you are already a subscriber, simply log in using the form below.

Posted in Analysis | Leave a comment

#Nats roadtrip to Philly ends with some ugly baseball

Bryce Harper didn’t help the cause much in another loss to the Phillies.

The Washington Nationals had their chances, as they always do. But the Philadelphia Phillies won this one 4-3 in the thirteenth inning as pinch-hitter Andrew Knapp slugged an upper-decker off a gassed Justin Miller trying to muddle through his second inning of work.

How did we get here? It’s a good question. Continue reading

Posted in Recap | Leave a comment

Game #82 One name: Gio Gonzalez

The only name that really matters is Gio Gonzalez. His performance will most likely dictate the outcome of this game. Gio should be fresh after only throwing 62 pitches in 1.0 official inning six days ago. It was a disastrous start that followed a great comeback win against these Phillies past Sunday. Lately, the Nationals have not been able to piece together consecutive wins which they need to do sooner than later. As they say, a winning streak begins with a win, and there is no better time to do that than now.

Continue reading

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

Good, Bad, Interesting — Vol. 3

Our monthly look at the leaders, trailers, and outliers in the Washington Nationals minor leagues.
SYRACUSE CHIEFS – 33-46, 6th Place I.L. North, 13 games behind

Good Jacob Wilson .298/.364/.442
Jimmy Cordero 0HR in 33IP
Bad Andrew Stevenson .535 OPS in 31G
Brady Dragmire 0-3, 7.13 ERA since callup (3GS)
Interesting Fewest batting HR in I.L.
3rd Fewest pitching HR allowed in I.L.


HARRISBURG SENATORS 41-39, T3rd place E.L. West, 5 games behind

Good Carter Kieboom .375/.419/.550 in 10G since promotion
Tyler Mapes 1-0, 1.50 ERA in 2GS since promotion
Bad Osvaldo Abreu 15E in 69G
Luis Reyes 9HR in 64⅓ IP
Interesting (H/T Senators PR) 7-4 in extra-inning games
42 games decided by two runs or fewer, 23-19 record


POTOMAC NATIONALS 3-5, 4th place C.L. North, 2 games behind (40-35 overall)

Good Aldrem Corredor .407/.433/.556 in 7G since promotion
Ben Braymer 2-0, 0.50 ERA as a starter (3G)
Bad Branden Boggetto .381 OPS in 17G
13 Saves in 75G
Interesting Rhett Wiseman .280/.392/.524, 5HR, 12RBI, 14BB in June (23G)
James Bourque 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 14K in June (8G, 8⅓ IP)


HAGERSTOWN SUNS 1-7, 7th place Sally North, 5 games behind (28-48 overall)

Good Cole Freeman 12-2B, 15SB
Jackson Tetreault 68K in 65⅓ IP
Bad Freeman 10E in 69G
Tetreault 7HR, 1.52 WHIP
Interesting 44SB – 2nd Fewest SB’s allowed in Sally Lg.
45WP Fewest WP’s thrown

DSL NATIONALS 14-10, 3rd Place DSL South

Good 17-y.o. Geraldi Diaz .347/.476/.531 in 15G
17-y.o. Pedro Gonzalez 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 28K in 20IP (4GS)
Bad 17-y.o. Addiel Matias 5E, .224OPS in 11G
18-y.o. Bryan Caceres 8.36 ERA in 8G (14IP)
Interesting 17-y.o. Daniel Hernandez 14BB, 14E in 19G .357 OBP, .197 BA
18-y.o. Jose Ferrer 21K in 9IP (5G)

Editor’s note: Standings and stats as of June 29. Auburn and GCL were not included due to having played just 13 and nine games respectively.

Posted in NewsAndNotes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Game #81 The halfway point in the season; TravelNats head to Philly!

You just never know what you will see at the ballpark. History is made daily in sports, and last night the 19-year-old phenom tied a record and set a record. Juan Soto was the first teenager ever to record 4-hits in a game with 2 home runs, and with his second multi-HR game, he has tied the teenage record with teammate Bryce Harper‘s 2012 season as well as Ken Griffey Jr. and Mel Ott. Continue reading

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

Juan Soto with 2 blasts, 5 RBI, and a 1.067 OPS to lead the NL — and #Nats win!

The Washington Redskins Nationals beat the Eagles Phillies by a final score of 17-7 with 2 touchdowns and a field goal. The scoring started with a Trea Turner two-run homer and Turner would have been the star of the game with his 3-hits and a walk and 4 runs scored until Juan Soto in the 9th inning blasted his 2nd home run of the game for a total of 4-hits and 5-RBIs. It is more MLB history for Soto who became the only teenager in MLB history with a 4-hit game that includes 2 home runs. In all, the Nationals hit 7 home runs in support of Nationals starter Erick Fedde who held on for 5-innings and 115 pitches to earn his first win. Continue reading

Posted in Recap | Leave a comment

Game #80 The #Nats give Fedde the mound vs. ex-Nat Pivetta

Erick Fedde with Derek Lilliquist looking on; Photo by Luis Albisu for TalkNats

This Friday game has two youngsters going up against each other in a game the Washington Nationals need to win to end this 3-game skid. Erick Fedde pitches for the Nationals against ex-Nats farmhand Nick Pivetta. Continue reading

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment