341 Comments
User's avatar
natsclop's avatar

For some reason this game feels like it’s going to dictate the rest of the season

Seeburgc's avatar

That may have already happened in the last two games.

cipherlockinexile's avatar

One thing I've learned from personal humiliation, is the baseball season is always unpredictable and full of surprises. A turning point is rarely obvious until sufficient hindsight has been obtained has been my experience.

Mark's avatar

This is not a good matchup for the Nats unless Cade pitches the game of his career.

Mark's avatar

Glad to be wrong about the matchup with Sanchez.

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

I don't thing anything will do that for this team. It will not cost them their resiliency.

Seeburgc's avatar

<the Nationals are hoping Cade Cavalli can help them salvage a four-game split>

Let’s revise the headline of this story to say the Nats are hoping the bullpen can help….

peter wood's avatar

Please no Lovelady tonight:))

JJJ's avatar

Did any pitcher in the baseball history got summoned 4 days in a row? That's a good question I'm going to ask Gemini.

teddywillwin's avatar

Just out of curiosity, I went back and looked at one guy I remember as being rubber-armed: John Hiller, who in 1973 pitched 125 innings in 65 games with 38 saves, 60 games finished, a 1.44 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

So the dude nearly averaged 2 innings a game every time he pitched (!!). And at one point (6/27 - 7/3), he closed 7 games over 8 days. . . . and got the save in all seven. Details here: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=hillejo01&t=p&year=1973

Dave Nemec's avatar

That was 2 years after Hiller suffered a heart attack.

Bernie Gilbert's avatar

In 1884, Old Hoss Radburn pitched 40 of the Providence Gray's last 43 games. He finished the season with 678.2 innings pitched and 73 complete games, and he won the Triple Crown with a record of 60–12, a 1.38 earned run average, and 441 strikeouts.

cipherlockinexile's avatar

I recall Darold Knowles became the first pitcher to appear in all 7 games of a World Series in 1973.

Also, I recall Mike Marshall setting the record of 106 relief appearances in 1974 with the Dodgers.

The game was different then.

Mark's avatar

Hrabosky of the Cardinals. I remember him always saving games. Turns out he appeared in 13 straight games in 74. It is considered an unbreakable MLB record.

Diane Doyle's avatar

And to think our franchise employed Mike Marshall before trading him to the Dodgers. Back when they were in Montreal.

Dave Nemec's avatar

I highly doubt he gets used tonight.

Carl Rosendorf's avatar

Lefty smefty why is Garcia sitting and Andres playing...

Garcia batting 100 points higher

:(

Mark's avatar

I have been pleasantly surprised that Garcia’s defense and fielding at first has improved enough that I expect him to make the play. I expect we will see him tonight - bat is too valuable now.

Bernie Gilbert's avatar

Next up for the Nats: Orioles, 38-44, Red Sox, 32-46, Pirates, 41-40 and Astros, 39-43. 150-173 combined. Can we be cautiously optimistic?

DCSportsfan63's avatar

Not with this bullpen

gonatsgo1's avatar

I love my Nats but am also slightly relieved that I have to leave shortly to attend a stuffy dinner event. No sports, no TVs.

I will be peeking at my phone when the speeches start. -:) It should be right about the 8th inning.

Dave Nemec's avatar

I seriously thought about sitting tonight out, but I want to see if Cavalli can come up big. 6 or 7 strong innings would do this team good.

Diane Doyle's avatar

I think the stuffy dinner event tonight was probably a better use of your time and less frustrating to endure.

gonatsgo1's avatar

Yeah, funny thing about that. This was mostly my wife's acquaintances but a few people there know I'm a big Nats fan and they all asked about the Philly game last night.

Little did they know...

John walker's avatar

Will be a test for Sanchez (at least a front runner for the Cy Young if not THE front runner) against this lineup, but would be more of one if James would come around and CJ were in the line-up! And while I wish it would’ve waited until tomorrow, it is nice to see Schwarber is healthy enough to start…

peter wood's avatar

I for one don't want to see Schwarbs on the field tonight:))

John walker's avatar

I’d rather see him in the field than at the plate too — sadly, I think only at the plate is likely…

Beached56's avatar

I think Wood could use a day off, so maybe he’ll surprise me.

MikeeFish's avatar

Give Wood a day off to reset. He needs it.

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

I'm thinking, CURLY W TONIGHT, PLEASE!! GO NATS!!

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

Great minds because I'm thinking it, too!

Go, Nats!!

Doggy Daycare's avatar

Lovelady has heart! He plays unbridled with emotion. It is exciting. It’s also scary. Pitching with that much emotion without control is the other side of that coin.

John walker's avatar

Sure hope Cade keeps the good week going for Oklahoma tonight!

Mark Zuckerman's avatar

The finale of this four-game series is underway on a seasonable, 86-degree Thursday evening at Nationals Park.

DCSportsfan63's avatar

Oh dear, bullpen here we come . I’ve seen this movie

dennis703's avatar

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;

Mark P's avatar

Striking out Trea is a positive. Let's go with it! 👍🏼

Dave Nemec's avatar

Too. Many. Pitches.

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

That's for sure. Glad he got out of that without giving up a run, but he won't last long throwing 20+ every inning. Got to settle down and settle in.

Mark P's avatar

The other team has something to do with that, too. That ain't an easy lineup to deal with especially with Schwarber back. He kept them off the board. Consider that a "victory".