18 Comments
User's avatar
John walker's avatar

No Mead, but Vivas at third?🤦🏻‍♂️The only way that would make sense is if “if at first you don’t suceed, try, try again” were a known baseball adage of renown and repute. It is not…

peter wood's avatar

100%...........

Alexva's avatar

or maybe just stick with the plan. the one that has scored the most runs in baseball.

Darryl Shawgo's avatar

Omg Vivas has nudie pics on someone, 0 for 24 with RISP! How many players get that many chances? Serious question.

User's avatar
Comment deleted
1h
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Darryl Shawgo's avatar

LOL. Calm down man.

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

Interesting lineup. I won't go into details, as I'm sure others here will have plenty to say. I assume that Butera and company have their reasons, none of which are apparent to me at the moment.

Dave Nemec's avatar

It is a head-scratcher, but I will defer to him - he's been fairly successful doing what he's doing with the lineups.

BassMan's avatar

I suspect we'll see Meade later in the game. Since Butera played with King in college, we can assume he knows the pitcher's strengths and weaknesses.

Tegwar's avatar

Exactly, the Padres strength is their BP. With Mead on the bench he can be inserted into the game to play 1st, 2nd, or 3rd base so his role as a PHer who can field is very useful. Vivas then can be replaced or moved to second base as needed. If a key spot opens up in the game I'm sure we will see Mead as he's on a hot streak right now.

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

Have you been listening in to Butera's staff meetings? Yes, I suspect you're right about all of this, especially in light of the Padres BP, an impressive group.

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

Right. Read that nugget and promptly forgot it. Thanks!

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

Yes, he's been good with the lineups, so I won't criticize. Just wonder. :-)

Beached56's avatar

Nats do well, as most teams do, when the bottom of the lineup produces. Could be a big ask today.

John's avatar

Love the Butera - King nugget. Led me to looking up BC’s mid-2010s rosters and found Scherzer-Trea trade return flop Donovan Casey was also on that team, followed by Nats legend Jake Alu a year after Butera graduated

Beached56's avatar

I can’t really understand the Vivas/Tena thing as both are left handed utility players. Nats have plenty of right handed players in Rochester than can play multiple positions. Even Trey Lipscomb has 10 HR in Rochester. Is it just that left handed batters are more important than right these days. Lots of people on this board know more about baseball than me. Please explain.

Tegwar's avatar

I’ll try to explain why I think José Tena is on the team.

Baseball has always had role players, and a good PHer can be very valuable. Tena’s overall numbers don’t look great, but right now he has one thing he does really well: he’s been one of the best PHers in baseball this season, going 6-for-13, .462, with at least one PH HR.

That’s a tough role. You’re coming off the bench cold, often facing a pitcher you haven’t seen all game, or a reliever brought in specifically for that matchup. It also becomes a little chess match between managers, because a good PHer can force the other team to adjust or use its bullpen differently.

So I don’t think Tena is here just because he bats left handed. He has a defined bench role, and as long as he keeps doing that well, he has a reason to be on the roster.

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

I would just prefer a CURLY W this afternoon, regardless of the final score, whose playing, or why.

GO NATS!!