185 Comments
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Stephen Jobe's avatar

Blake sure is giving Crews every opportunity. Again, let’s see if he can get the ball out of the infield today.

Stephen Jobe's avatar

Good for Crews and Vivas. Hope they keep it up. Go Nats!

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

When the Nats win more of these 1 run games, we'll know they have turned another corner. GO NATS!!

Mellotron's avatar

Teams on the rise, in all sports, take time to figure out which small but significant things you have to get right in order to compete with the big boys consistently. Once they do, it really turns a corner.

Zack B's avatar

Is Alvarez just unavailable because of the pitch count ? Today would be the third day since he appeared. Even though he’s long relief, are we treating him like a starter?

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

Starter schedules are every 5 days.

Zack B's avatar

Yeah, but Alvarez had been bulk relief exclusively after Littell. Just interesting we’re only using him in that capacity and not as general 2-3 inning bullpen arm regardless of starter.

Guess we’re keeping him stretched out

Mellotron's avatar

As an old-timer, I try not to be reflexively cranky about modern baseball. However, saying that a pitcher is "unavailable, having thrown 37 pitches over the last two days..." well, let's just say we've come a long way from Old Hoss Radbourn's 73 complete games in 73 starts in one year. He went 60-12. WHIP <1.00.

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

I remember the days of complete games and relievers throwing a tone of pitches multiple days in a row. Apparently, that was the week after the dinosaurs died.

cipherlockinexile's avatar

And I remember when gas was 28 cents a gallon, spaghetti and chop suey were considered ethnic dining, and there were three networks on TV to choose from - if you had good enough rabbit ears. 😁

Mellotron's avatar

...keep the tinfoil handy.

Hondo's avatar

And the second picture on the Nats commercial is Cookie Lavagetto. Last manager of the original Senators. First manager of the Twins and man who broke up Floyd “Bill” Blevins no-hitter with 2 outs in game 4 of the 1947 WS.

gonatsgo1's avatar

Old Hoss and chop suey.

Now we're talkin'!!

Martin Niland's avatar

I remember 10 cent beer night in Cleveland. Not so much the next day.

John walker's avatar

We are unlikely to win today with defense, that’s for sure (the corners on the infield and Crews vs JY in center all suspect, and of course Irvin has been a piñata on the bump most of the year☹️). But maybe we’ll outscore them! Nats are STILL #1 team in baseball in scoring runs (26 runs clear of #2 Dodgers) even though they remain easily last in runs allowed (by 23 over second worst Orioles) and errors (13 more than second worst Marlins)

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

Second in runs scored actually are the Nats’ opponents today, the Braves, who stand at 281 to our 284. They’ve been ahead of the Nats on this stat occasionally so far this season and might be again soon, considering the difference in pitching. Hope Irving and the bats can come through today though.

John walker's avatar

Right you are! Braves at 281 not dodgers at 258 are #2!

Athan Manuel's avatar

I understand sending House down due to his defense and lack of situational awareness, but I don't understand giving Vivas so many at-bats, especially with the way Mead is hitting both lefties and righties. Having two minus bats like Nunez (whose defense is good enough to keep in the lineup) and Vivas shortens our lineup too much in my opinion.

Athan Manuel's avatar

Then again, Nunez has an OPS of .310 in his last seven games…

Athan Manuel's avatar

A Vivas goes yard in response!

777701's avatar

I have a balcony room that overlooks Truist. I’m watching batting practice. Because of the obstructed view I’m not really sure but it looks like Crews at bat working on his ground outs. Nothing reaching beyond infield grass. 😆 ⚾️🙋🏼‍♀️

Go4Ridgeback's avatar

I like that the concept of a moral victory is more and more bothersome to both the team and fanbase. That, in and of itself, suggests we’re all buying into the current perceived progress being real.

david behnke's avatar

You don’t think this year’s team is progressing?

Go4Ridgeback's avatar

No, I do! The fact that the team and fanbase increasingly don’t accept moral victories is a sign that the team IS improving and that the signs of progress are real, not just fan hope.

Mark Zuckerman's avatar

No official word yet, but it doesn't look like we're going to be starting on time. They just covered the infield, minutes before it began raining. Jake Irvin had been stretching in left field to begin warming up, but he has halted that prep.

Mark Zuckerman's avatar

And now the sun has come out and Irvin has begun playing catch. So who knows?

Mark Zuckerman's avatar

And after all that ... we are underway on time. It's 78 degrees with 80 percent humidity.

LEE MCDOWELL's avatar

Well, THAT was ugly with a capital U.

Susan V's avatar

Not a fan of this lineup. You know it's weak when Garcia is batting second.

Hondo's avatar

Any word on why Willets hasn’t been playing?

Susan V's avatar

Side tightness. They're being cautious.

gonatsgo1's avatar

Ah, thanks. Finally an answer.

Mark's avatar

That sounds like an oblique…

LEE MCDOWELL's avatar

BTW, Willets has moved up the ESPN Prospects List from #41 to #8.

gonatsgo1's avatar

Wow. That's a jump.

Mark Zuckerman's avatar

Missed the last four games with tightness in his side, but he's in the lineup tonight.

Stephen Jobe's avatar

Crews with another awful at bat.

Mark Zuckerman's avatar

Finally, Daylen Lile's first triple of the season.

LEE MCDOWELL's avatar

And Nasim wastes an AB & an ABS. Now the downpour.

Mark's avatar

No way he should be allowed to waste these challenges. Chances are he ends up with a SO or soft flyball anyway.

Mark Zuckerman's avatar

And now we're in a rain delay in the middle of the second.