Frustrating all around. The one night the pitchers don’t give up loads of runs, the offense doesn’t hit. And dear god I CANNOT watch Jorbit Vivas waste more at-bats for this team. How is there not someone better than him in the system?
On to the next one, I guess. Happy Foster Day for all who celebrate.
He should never open. The results already tell you that. When a plan fails five times and you continue using it, that shows an inability to learn from your mistakes.
Butera, or whoever keeps making this decision, should no longer be trusted to manage the beginning of these games. Palmquist is being put in a role he cannot handle, the team keeps falling behind early, and the same failed strategy continues. It is just bad baseball.
DJ Herz in the lefty opener role intrigues me. Of course, he might be effective enough to be a starter long term but excited to get him back in whatever role
Like the write-up, except for this: "Foster Griffin makes an important start (maybe his last?) for the Nats". Oof. Do not want to think about that. No, not at all.
How many times do they have to keep trying this failed plan of opening with Palmquist before admitting it does not work? This was the fifth time in recent weeks, and once again he put the Nationals in trouble almost immediately.
Littell settled the game down and pitched well, yet Butera still went to the bullpen with the wind blowing in. Cosgrove gave up a single and a four pitch walk, Arizona executed a double steal, and Ribalta allowed the sacrifice fly that brought home the winning run.
The opener failed, the bulk reliever rescued the game, and then the bullpen lost it. I hate to say it, but Butera was outmanaged in this game. At some point, continuing to repeat the same failed plan is not experimentation. It is stubbornness, and it is just bad baseball.
And if they insist on using him as an opener, STOP sending him out there for a second inning! Especially when he has to throw 30 pitches to survive the first inning!
Yes. I like Butera and Toboni, but sometimes there is a maddening “Mr. Roboto” rigidity in the decision making, as when they put on the contact play with a slow runner on third and the infield in.
Only DC and CJ did much offensively. Unfortunate that Nunez was the one at bat with the last chance to score with the bases loaded. It was a winnable game and since it’s AZ that they are chasing this one hurts more because it’s a two game swing in the wrong direction. AZ was just better when it mattered.
Rare bad offensive effort. The Ford AB with one out, second and third was disastrous. Looked bad. As did Nunez. Also, Garcia’s fielding limitations hurt them and a really good fielder makes one or both of those plays. Agree with previously expressed sentiment on the opener. Also, why bring him out for second inning?
Given the nature of the comments below, I'll probably be slammed for this. But when the Nats lose 3-2, the loss falls on the lack of offense. This team is about offense and hoping the pitching is good enough. Tonight it was good enough - but the best offense in MLB was not. Butera's pitching decisions, whether wise or not, were not why the Nats lost.
Poorly managed game by Butera and co.
Frustrating all around. The one night the pitchers don’t give up loads of runs, the offense doesn’t hit. And dear god I CANNOT watch Jorbit Vivas waste more at-bats for this team. How is there not someone better than him in the system?
On to the next one, I guess. Happy Foster Day for all who celebrate.
Nationals got a rare small ball lesson from Diamondbacks tonight
Palmquist cannot open beyond one inning. We really need the pitchers on rehab to get back and be effective.
32 pitches. I was shocked to see him return for the second inning
He should never open. The results already tell you that. When a plan fails five times and you continue using it, that shows an inability to learn from your mistakes.
Butera, or whoever keeps making this decision, should no longer be trusted to manage the beginning of these games. Palmquist is being put in a role he cannot handle, the team keeps falling behind early, and the same failed strategy continues. It is just bad baseball.
DJ Herz in the lefty opener role intrigues me. Of course, he might be effective enough to be a starter long term but excited to get him back in whatever role
Like the write-up, except for this: "Foster Griffin makes an important start (maybe his last?) for the Nats". Oof. Do not want to think about that. No, not at all.
I hope it’s not his last!
How many times do they have to keep trying this failed plan of opening with Palmquist before admitting it does not work? This was the fifth time in recent weeks, and once again he put the Nationals in trouble almost immediately.
Littell settled the game down and pitched well, yet Butera still went to the bullpen with the wind blowing in. Cosgrove gave up a single and a four pitch walk, Arizona executed a double steal, and Ribalta allowed the sacrifice fly that brought home the winning run.
The opener failed, the bulk reliever rescued the game, and then the bullpen lost it. I hate to say it, but Butera was outmanaged in this game. At some point, continuing to repeat the same failed plan is not experimentation. It is stubbornness, and it is just bad baseball.
And if they insist on using him as an opener, STOP sending him out there for a second inning! Especially when he has to throw 30 pitches to survive the first inning!
Yes. I like Butera and Toboni, but sometimes there is a maddening “Mr. Roboto” rigidity in the decision making, as when they put on the contact play with a slow runner on third and the infield in.
Must win tomorrow. Agree that it could be the last we see of Griffin.
If the trade Griffin that is a ridiculously bad decision
Only DC and CJ did much offensively. Unfortunate that Nunez was the one at bat with the last chance to score with the bases loaded. It was a winnable game and since it’s AZ that they are chasing this one hurts more because it’s a two game swing in the wrong direction. AZ was just better when it mattered.
Nunez has got some clutch hits, and is hitting better than 8 other guys. But sure, I would have preferred others to be up there with the sacks full:))
Rare bad offensive effort. The Ford AB with one out, second and third was disastrous. Looked bad. As did Nunez. Also, Garcia’s fielding limitations hurt them and a really good fielder makes one or both of those plays. Agree with previously expressed sentiment on the opener. Also, why bring him out for second inning?
Butera lost another one with his pitching “strategy” and horrible decision making. Maybe he should start asking Doolittle, “what would Davey do?”
Given the nature of the comments below, I'll probably be slammed for this. But when the Nats lose 3-2, the loss falls on the lack of offense. This team is about offense and hoping the pitching is good enough. Tonight it was good enough - but the best offense in MLB was not. Butera's pitching decisions, whether wise or not, were not why the Nats lost.
Agreed. It’s rare to win 2-1 games.
The offense can’t win every game. Sometimes the pitching needs to win a game here and there, even the occasional 1-0 game.