As the bottom of the 8th inning at Minute Maid Park was about to begin, Radio Broadcaster Charlie Slowes perfectly summed up the game being played by Our Washington Nationals against The Houston Astros tonight: "It has not been pretty."
13 Washington Batters struck out by the time this game ended.
10 more runners were left on base. Washington also left the bases loaded twice.
Ian Desmond committed three errors--his 12th, 13th & 14th of the season.
And John Lannan wasn't helped by those mistakes--although he wasn't perfect himself--giving up a towering two run homer to Carlos Lee in the 3rd inning.
Just a bad ball game all around for Our Washington Nationals. One in which D.C.'s attention span seemed to wane again at key moments.
Final score from Minute Maid Park where it appeared as if D.C.'s Team lost its concentration: The Houston Astros 5 and Our Washington Nationals 1. Loss number 28 of 2010 put Washington two games below .500 for the first time since they were 3-5 after eight games played. Washington's 26-28 record at the 1/3rd point of the season is better than what most expected after two straight 100-loss seasons. But that feeling is hollow tonight because D.C. Team's is beating themselves. At times Washington looks distracted. They've lost some of the momentum gained through the first six weeks. And after playing consistently well for the first 45 games--it has not been pretty over the last nine.
Our Washington Nationals need to tighten things up a little bit. And they need to pay a little more attention to detail.
Tonight's In-Game Photo, David J. Phillip (AP)
3 comments:
Desmond: love him, but he is playing just as advertised - shotgun arm, great range, good leadership qualities (bordering on cockiness), potential to grow into clutch hitter, and tendecy to make errors in bunches.
Morgan: had to be some reason why he was "blooming" so late, relatively, in his career: weak arm, forces plays, bad technique, especially at the wall, no Joe Morgan, as Knight notes, on the basepaths.
Dunn: still not signed. Much better at first defensively than predicted. Still peculiar for a clean-up hitter in terms of his looking to walk. Big strike-out machine, especially when the count goes to 2 strikes, and he swings at that low outside breaking pitch like he was doing an Austin Kearns imitation. Still not signed...
Flores: is he coming back? No sign of progress there for a key part of the Plan.
Guz: best overall Nationals player this year so far outside of Williamham and Zimmerman. Signing him is premature, but letting him go would be a killer, too...
Right field: Guz playing there everyday, with Kennedy at second probably the only option which gives the Nationals any production offensively from that position. Boz says team brass would go after such IF team is in the hunt, but without production out that position soon, may be a moot point...
Stammen: likely to be the man optioned when Strasburg comes up, despite the fact that he is probably more valuable in the pen than Tyler Walker, but he has options...
Atilano: likely to be sent down, should J.D. Martin throw two good games today and his next start, when Olsen returns. He may be sent down at 6-1, too...
Riggleman: has only been out-managed twice this year, both times by LaRussa. Has confidence of all, up and down the line, like Rizzo. Should be here for next two years, at least.
Listach: best of the bunch of dreadful 3rd Base Coaches Nats have been saddled with since 2005 - combination of Guz not seeing and that idiot coach cost Nats play-offs that year, in all probability.
Harper: he will be signed for somewhere between the $8.5 million Nats value him at, and the $17 million that his agent will claim is "rock bottom for the next Johnny Bench." Agreement will be implicitly tied, ironically, on how well Strasburg fares from June 8 - August 1. If he is sensational, Big Scott has some leverage; but, if he is a "bust," than folks will admonish Nats not to risk more than about half of what they spent on Stephen. Strasburg will be less than sensational, but very good, and Harper will sign for $12 million.
Attendance: IF team plays .500, around 2 million; if it slips to 10 below and Strasburg is human, 1.75 million. Not as strong as it should be. Big part is that it is not supported by fans from the inner city, seemingly, despite proximity and relative reasonable costs. Team remains politically incorrect, but so be it...
Trust in the Boswell jinx being reversed by his sound analysis and hopes panning out for once. Even a blind pig finds the acorn occasionally. And Boz sees clearly. All Good.
Even though SenatorNat seems to have given up his quest for the True Iconic Baseball, I'm glad to see he still has faith in Williamham. Whoever the hell that is.
ABM
I just laugh out everytime you do this to me -terrific!! Who, indeed, IS Williamham - is it some combo of BillyBall and Josh? I went nuts about that darned missing Iconic Baseball atop the Red Loft recently at the park to my poor unsuspecting 7-year old son, saying to him, among other things: "In a nation that can produce statues with multiple arms and gooey appendiges galore, you tell me that we cannot afford to place an Iconic Baseball to bring the park together for all eyes both inside and out?"
Trust in titling at iconic baseballs, and Don Quixowilliamte. All Spanish Anacostia.
Post a Comment