tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post6038877795268468432..comments2023-10-20T04:28:04.547-04:00Comments on Nats320 -- A Washington Nationals Blog: Hangover EffectScreech's Best Friendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-67361333198325571782009-04-29T16:01:00.000-04:002009-04-29T16:01:00.000-04:00SBF, looks like Bergmann's not going to be your cl...SBF, looks like Bergmann's not going to be your closer. Optioned to Syracuse.LetTeddyWin.comhttp://blog.letteddywin.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-18405929822813524222009-04-29T15:56:00.000-04:002009-04-29T15:56:00.000-04:00Manny does not exhibit a lot of fire, but he does ...Manny does not exhibit a lot of fire, but he does seem to be very proficient - hard to know whether another young manager would make a real difference - when Rick Eckstein first arrived, my instinct said that he would one day replace Manny - I have no idea why my gut tells me that this may still happen. Nats have had some major things go right for them, and yet they have the worst record in baseball, and do not seem to heading out of the doldrums either:<br /><br />Z-Man hot and signed to long-term deal;<br /><br />Johnson healthy and second in NL in hitting and finds niche in the batting order;<br /><br />Dunn everything and more than we could even have expected out of Teixiera at the plate and has terrific team attitude;<br /><br />Dukes is playing, out of jail, and showing his many tools everyday;<br /><br />Guzman is again a hitting machine;<br /><br />Kearns is somewhat better than 2008 - somewhat. Williamham seems like a great National - fan favorite type;<br /><br />Shawn Hill is let go, and is on the disabled list;<br /><br />Joe Beimel looks worthy of the $2 million signing as lefty reliever;<br /><br />Zimmermann looks like the real deal in his first two starts in the majors, winning both!<br /><br />So - what is wrong? Pitching, pitching, pitching, starting at the back end: Hanrahan not ready to be a closer. Rivera did not get enough work, apparently, at WBC. Shell was shelled and then shelved. Hinkley not reliable. Mock is a bird. NO RELIABLE STARTERS - best bet is Zimmermann.<br /><br />Fielding last in majors again, as supposed defensive type Gonzalez sent down over 6 errors at short, leaving Alex Citron, a joke in the field last year as defensive back-up to Guz. Dunn is still liability. Milledge gone to minors over fielding miscues as much as not getting untracked in center. Z-Man and Johnson at times not finding handle on the ball even, and Dukes using sunglasses only to adorn hat...<br /><br />Focus, focus, focus: that much a manager can insist on. Manny observes but does not engage, it seems. Fielding practice should be mandated until Nats are in the middle of NL in fielding. As for major deficiency of pitching, there is little we can do until Strasburg and Van Allen and those types emerge. Bergmann; Mock; Ditweller; Ballister; Cabrera unlikely to fill out any good teams' starting rotation. Leaves us with Lannan and Zimmermann for the future. In the meantime, Nats Lose will be an oft-repeated phrase, me thinks.<br /><br />Trust in tactical arms over stockpiling. All nuclear.SenatorNathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10049860385485455410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-77533742311459735352009-04-29T15:33:00.000-04:002009-04-29T15:33:00.000-04:00Screech's Best Friend,
I really enjoy reading you...Screech's Best Friend,<br /><br />I really enjoy reading your blog, I try to read it as often as I can. I think it is so great that you and the African Queen are so loyal to your team. I wanted to send you an e-mail, but I couldn't find your e-mail listed on this site. However, I will be in Washington DC May 13-16 and I plan on attending the Nats game on Friday, May 15th with a friend of mine. This will be our first ever visit to Nationals Park and I was wondering what you would recommend regarding food we should try and things we should try to do at the stadium. Thanks for your help with this, as I said I really enjoy your blog it is an entertaining read!<br /><br />ChuckChucknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-72583384324273346352009-04-29T09:34:00.000-04:002009-04-29T09:34:00.000-04:00I agree with you SBF, but even if I didn't, I thin...I agree with you SBF, but even if I didn't, I think Nats fans are entitled to a little hyperbole if you look at some of the heartbreaking losses we've had and our record.CGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-86477755444678948262009-04-29T09:17:00.000-04:002009-04-29T09:17:00.000-04:00No one's blaming the park for last night's loss. T...No one's blaming the park for last night's loss. The fact of the matter is that baseballs are launched out of Citzens Bank Park at a higher rate than at most every other one in baseball--by both teams. That's always been the point. CPB plays small whether anyone else wants to believe it or not.Screech's Best Friendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-28999951896730457022009-04-29T03:23:00.000-04:002009-04-29T03:23:00.000-04:00Ok, as a Nats fan, I really have to disagree with ...Ok, as a Nats fan, I really have to disagree with the "puny" analysis of CBP. Last time I checked, both teams were playing in the SAME ballpark. And, I believe, in this series, the Nats hit more home runs than the Phils...so maybe, just maybe, we should all stop blaming the park... after all, we didn't play 15 games there.natsmanianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-20061967721211598122009-04-28T23:56:00.000-04:002009-04-28T23:56:00.000-04:00SBF,
I can't watch it anymore. I am still a fan ...SBF,<br /><br />I can't watch it anymore. I am still a fan but this is just too painful. This was the first game I have not bothered to watch this year. In ten years of the Senators and 5 years of the Nationals I can say I always hung in there. But I always felt they were doing the best they could with what they had. I don't feel that with this bunch. There is just something missing besides talent. Maybe they don't have any fire and that can only come from leadership. Manny would be a good manager with a great team that already knows how to win. This team needs a manager who can light a fire.<br /><br />Hopefully I can get my fire back after a couple game suspension for lack of faith.NatsGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12401416745131624177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-37892945174478570792009-04-28T23:45:00.000-04:002009-04-28T23:45:00.000-04:00True, but remember that the Phillies have been bui...True, but remember that the Phillies have been built to live and die by the long ball, and they were involved in every game at Citizens Bank Park.<br /><br />I don't actually know how to isolate that effect, but I was responding to "The Philadelphia Phillies continued to bang the baseball all over their puny ballpark..."<br /><br />Last year someone sent me to a website that plotted more or less every pitch of every game, but the URL is slipping my mind right now. It was fascinating.Chris S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06739976272047425977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-46639934925465956662009-04-28T23:35:00.000-04:002009-04-28T23:35:00.000-04:00Chris: But, Citizens Bank Park allowed the third h...Chris: But, Citizens Bank Park allowed the third highest amount of homers per game in The National League last season--2.33. Only Cincinnati's 2.64 and Houston's 2.39 parks were greater.<br /><br />And 6th in the Majors--AL Team Parks for the White Sox 2.76, Orioles 2.55 & Rangers 2.52 allowed more as well.Screech's Best Friendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-59541216757302616162009-04-28T23:27:00.000-04:002009-04-28T23:27:00.000-04:00To be fair, Citizens Bank Park is roughly average ...To be fair, Citizens Bank Park is roughly average in total dimensions, and last year the Phillies hit exactly one half of their home runs at home and one half on the road.Chris S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06739976272047425977noreply@blogger.com