Game #35 Familiar faces in this match-up Gio and Koehler: Game Thread

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Once again, the Marlins and the Nationals will play an early season series. This will be a 4 game series to include a doubleheader tomorrow. We know today is Gio Gonzalez and Tom Koehler. You probably remember that Bryce Harper has 6 career HRs off of Tom Koehler which is the most that Bryce has against any pitcher. Tomorrow will be Stephen Strasburg in the 1st game of the doubleheader and Tanner Roark in the night game of the doubleheader. Dusty Baker will decide on the 26th player for tomorrow, and the other variable will be the suspension of Bryce Harper as to whether or not he sits out a game tomorrow. Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

Joe Maddon comments on the Nats lineup. Jeff Banister on Line-up construction

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Virginiascopist

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

Time Warp: The Spectacle of Bryce Harper and Brian Knight

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Ray Wyvill

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, Umpires | Tagged | Leave a comment

Another Perspective on When to Call Trea Turner Up

Posted on May 12, 2016 by DonH

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 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

20K Gold pitched by Scherzer on 5/11/16 Nats win 3-2 to beat Jordan Zimmermann: Postgame

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

The best pitcher did win tonight. 20 strikeouts in a game to tie the record of Roger Clemens, Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson and now Max Scherzer‘s name will be alongside those names. 96 of Scherzer’s pitches tonight were strikes and only 23 balls which set a record in a 20K game. By the way, the Nats won 3-2

Photo for TalkNats by Art Guillory

Photo for TalkNats by Art Guillory

Danny Espinosa‘s HR was the difference in the game as it turns out and Anthony Rendon scored the other 2 runs on hits by Daniel “Hits” Murphy. Bryce Harper had 2 hits as he hit in front of Daniel Murphy and looked the most comfortable he has in over a week. Continue reading →

Posted in Recap | Tagged | Leave a comment

Game #34 is 34 for Bryce Harper Bobblehead night Scherzer/JZim: Game Thread

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Tonight is a pivotal game for the Nats young season. The Tigers have Jordan Zimmermann on the mound that he is so familiar with as this will be Zimmermann’s 95th start in Nationals Park, and of course his first as a visitor. Max Scherzer the ex-Tiger is facing his old team for the first time since he departed via free agency after the 2014 season.

Jordan Zimmermann has an MLB best 1.10 ERA through his 6 starts this season, and he is very familiar with his ex-Nats teammates as is Scherzer with his ex-Tiger teammates. This game should come down to execution and minimizing mistakes.

There is no meaningful stats to look at versus the line-ups each pitcher will face except Daniel Murphy has hit Jordan Zimmermann well in recent years. As the Nats showed on Sunday, even Jake Arrieta can come up on the wrong side of the ledger, and the best pitching performance should decide the winner in today’s game. Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

NL East: Best in Baseball

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

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, NLEast | Leave a comment

Nats lose a tough one with the tying run on 2nd with 1 out: Postgame

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

With one out Anthony Rendon doubled to represent the tying run in the 9th. Brad Ausmus walked Bryce Harper with 1st base open in the 9th inning in a 5-4 game to put runners at 2nd and 1st to face Ryan Zimmerman who had hit 2 HRs already in the game, and Zimmerman struck out to make it a 2 out situation with Daniel Murphy coming to bat. Murphy flew out to CF to end the game. The Nats once again had their chances to tie it in the 9th inning, and they could not take advantage.

This game had much drama when the game was tied 3-3 in a test of the new doubleplay rule. The umpires did not reverse the call as the score moved in favor of the Tigers.

Joe Ross the Nats starter had an off-day and took the loss. The series is tied 1-1 with Scherzer and Jordan Zimmermann facing each other tomorrow.

 

Posted in Recap | Leave a comment

Game #33 Joe Ross for the Nats: Game Thread

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

After all the excitement of last night’s walk-off and Stephen Strasburg‘s 7 year contract extension coupled with the debate of Bryce Harper‘s ejection, the Nats will hope for dry weather and continue on the momentum built-up last night with a stunning come from behind victory.
Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

Official: Nats sign Strasburg to a 7 year extension with opt-outs

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

It’s official! Stephen Strasburg will be a Washington National for the foreseeable future. Timing is not always everything. How strange to leak the news of a Stephen Strasburg extension during the middle innings of last night’s game? This is huge news on so many levels, and mostly because this was shocking news as most believed Strasburg would never stay in Washington.

This contract extension for Strasburg also once again destroys stereotypes like the “Lerners are cheap”, the on-going narrative “players don’t want to remain with the Nationals”, the silly geographic myths “he wants to play close to his home”, the perpetuated defamatory words “toxic clubhouse”, and the most popular one, “Boras doesn’t give hometown discounts or allow his players to extend contracts”. That is a lot of horse hockey to refute.

From Nationals owner Theodore “Ted” Lerner, “Ensuring that Stephen [Strasburg] will remain a part of our organization for years to come is a proud moment for our entire family. We are very fond of Stephen and his entire family, and we’ve thought very highly of them since he became such an integral part of our organization almost seven years ago. We’re honored that he feels the same way about the Washington Nationals, and very happy to keep him pitching in the nation’s capital.”

Continue reading →

Posted in Roster | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment