As the Nats offense continues to keep this up, when they get average or better (excellent today) pitching they are more than competitive- they are formidable!
If this staff had just put a little effort into pitching instead of getting rid of pitching, this could have been shaping up as a really special season.
Yep. Maybe not those two alone, but keeping them and adding a couple more. Could you imagine this rotation with Gore, Cavalli, and Foster? And picking up one more decent starter instead of the two FAs they did sign? I fear a missed opportunity.
"If this staff had just put a little effort into pitching instead of getting rid of pitching, this could have been shaping up as a really special season."
With respect, I disagree.
There was absolutely no rational reason to think the Nationals offense would be this good this soon. I used the word "astonishing" above and I stand by that.
Toboni dealt Jose A. for a top-rated catching prospect when all evidence said that D.C. had no viable catchers (and despite Ruiz's good week that's still a huge concern.)
He dealt Gore for a basket of prospects in a sell-high trade. MacKenzie's currently sitting on a 4.50 ERA despite having a better defense behind him.
Given what the new front office was sorting through during the offseason, there's just no reasonable argument to make about investing in veteran pitching.
Many comments over on Fed Baseball that I made then and have repeated many times, you don’t give up on the season before the season begins. I was against the trades from day 1. Once again, for the third straight offseason, I argued the team needed to keep the core of kids and supplement them with talented free agents. YMMV, but I would’ve held on to both Gore and Ferrer and dealt them instead at the trade deadline, and even CJ if the returns were right, if the team wasn’t performing well. Risky? Sure. It’s a risk I would’ve taken.
And I made the point a few times over there that any free agent worth his salt who wanted to win was not going to sign with DC after how 2025 went. They can't sign top-notch free agents who don't want to be here, no matter how much money is thrown at them. And you also don't want to throw stupid money at players just for the sake of signing them. Spending money for spending sake doesn't work (see: Mets, New York).
The team thought the same thing when they signed Jayson Werth as well, and had even failed with Texiera before that. One thing for certain, the team is never going to sign anyone if they don’t try, and Mark Lerner was fairly clear about waiting. I never said to spend stupid money. Ive said Lerner needed to supplement the team with 1-2 meaningful free agents for three years now. I didn’t say sign or chase every superstar available. It didn’t work out but I was impressed with the Lowe trade last season to at least try to shore up 1B. What did we get this season? Ford? That kid is worse than we already have. And I don’t recall ever seeing you at FBb unless you used a different name there. Some may like this Tampa model we seem to be on, but I don’t.
I am struck by how accurate the live strike zone boxes are. There were quite a few challenges today and without exception, to my eye, every time the live picture showed the ball touching the line, it was a strike and vice versa. And I can't think of an example in any game I have watched.
What a fun and exciting team to watch! You can tell that they have an excellent clubhouse vibe and continue to make progress on nearly a daily basis. And with even more talent coming up from the minors and other future acquisitions, this team is going places. 2027 work stoppage stinks to high heaven! GO NATS!!
The Nats ended up scoring a ton of runs, but until the bottom of the 7th this was really a pitching and defense game, and the defense was very good. As was the pitching.
Lile made a great sliding catch in foul territory, the kind I don’t think he makes any other way. C.J. made a diving stop, got to his feet, and threw a seed to first. And Jacob Young, who we basically assume will catch anything he gets to, climbed the wall to take away another hit. Ho hum.
It’s now the third straight game without an error, and that’s worth noticing. They’ve been putting in a lot of extra work before games to clean up the defense, and maybe we’re finally seeing some results.
So even with a 13–3 final, most of this game was built on pitching and defense.
The non-D.C. feelgood story of the season so far resides in St. Louis, where the teardown/rebuild Cardinals are nine (!) games over .500... in mid-May, in what looks to be MLB's best division.
Yes, somehow the Cardinals seem to never need to rebuild for more than a season or two and it’s been that way since the 1970s!! Jordan Walker has blossomed after being called a bust - let’s hope one of the Nats guys in AAA (Crews) blossoms soon, too!
I’m very happy for Jordan Walker. He’s a good, hardworking kid from a good family. He could have played ball at Duke but decided to go pro. The kid is only 23 years and if he played in college instead NO one would have thought he was a bust. His development was on time and It was just a matter of when he was going to put everything together. People ( fans and media) are too impatient.
eh, I think Martinez and his coaching staff did their collective best, but it's (20-20 hindsight) clear that they just weren't cut out to be teachers/talent developers.
I think that's more on Rizzo and his Scouty McScoutface crew.
I think the most important change has been the managers. Davey just trotted out the same lineup day after day, with bad results. Butera is clearly setting up his lineup to be what he thinks gives them the best chance for the Nats to win that day.
I accidentally left out one word in my comment….has the current staff had that many “MORE” than what Davey used. It was not accurate that Davey didn’t have variations in his lineups. Only big difference I’ve really seen is the use of Ruiz, which Davey may or may not have had his hands tied on.
A few folks were actually saying that to support Butera a few days ago after a rough outing. Funny how fans manipulate things like that to support narratives.
As the Nats offense continues to keep this up, when they get average or better (excellent today) pitching they are more than competitive- they are formidable!
500 at last! Ted Williams is happy 😉
Love to see packed stadium with great baseball
Bang zoom go the fireworks! Another Curly W is in the books!
JY continues his assault on Aaron’s record!! (ok fine Bond’s record if that works for you)
As of the moment (Atlanta just getting started against Boston), the Nationals, by twelve runs, are the highest scoring team in baseball.
That's just astonishing.
It's wonderful!
If this staff had just put a little effort into pitching instead of getting rid of pitching, this could have been shaping up as a really special season.
Yeah, Ferrer and Gore would have meant we're contenders
Yep. Maybe not those two alone, but keeping them and adding a couple more. Could you imagine this rotation with Gore, Cavalli, and Foster? And picking up one more decent starter instead of the two FAs they did sign? I fear a missed opportunity.
Griffin will turn out to be an asset, the bullpen is coming around but if we’d kept those two oh what a difference it have made
"If this staff had just put a little effort into pitching instead of getting rid of pitching, this could have been shaping up as a really special season."
With respect, I disagree.
There was absolutely no rational reason to think the Nationals offense would be this good this soon. I used the word "astonishing" above and I stand by that.
Toboni dealt Jose A. for a top-rated catching prospect when all evidence said that D.C. had no viable catchers (and despite Ruiz's good week that's still a huge concern.)
He dealt Gore for a basket of prospects in a sell-high trade. MacKenzie's currently sitting on a 4.50 ERA despite having a better defense behind him.
Given what the new front office was sorting through during the offseason, there's just no reasonable argument to make about investing in veteran pitching.
Many comments over on Fed Baseball that I made then and have repeated many times, you don’t give up on the season before the season begins. I was against the trades from day 1. Once again, for the third straight offseason, I argued the team needed to keep the core of kids and supplement them with talented free agents. YMMV, but I would’ve held on to both Gore and Ferrer and dealt them instead at the trade deadline, and even CJ if the returns were right, if the team wasn’t performing well. Risky? Sure. It’s a risk I would’ve taken.
And I made the point a few times over there that any free agent worth his salt who wanted to win was not going to sign with DC after how 2025 went. They can't sign top-notch free agents who don't want to be here, no matter how much money is thrown at them. And you also don't want to throw stupid money at players just for the sake of signing them. Spending money for spending sake doesn't work (see: Mets, New York).
The team thought the same thing when they signed Jayson Werth as well, and had even failed with Texiera before that. One thing for certain, the team is never going to sign anyone if they don’t try, and Mark Lerner was fairly clear about waiting. I never said to spend stupid money. Ive said Lerner needed to supplement the team with 1-2 meaningful free agents for three years now. I didn’t say sign or chase every superstar available. It didn’t work out but I was impressed with the Lowe trade last season to at least try to shore up 1B. What did we get this season? Ford? That kid is worse than we already have. And I don’t recall ever seeing you at FBb unless you used a different name there. Some may like this Tampa model we seem to be on, but I don’t.
I'm NoVA Dave over there.
It's hard to say Ford is worse when he hasn't been with the big club yet. Yeah, he's struggled at AAA, but seems to be coming around.
We disagree about how they're going about this, and that's fine.
We also still have a run differential of -9.
Atlanta lost to Boston, 3-2.
My abacus tells me that the Nationals now have outscored every other team by at least ten runs.
When was last time they had winning record during season?
2021, June?
2026 - March
I think that was .500, but not above .500. Above .500 would be June 2021, right before Schwarber was injured.
Never mind, I see I misread what you wrote. I read it as 2024. Now I get it. Little slow sometimes.
Haha yep! I meant this far into a season.
After 4 games this season they were 3-1. Good times
I am struck by how accurate the live strike zone boxes are. There were quite a few challenges today and without exception, to my eye, every time the live picture showed the ball touching the line, it was a strike and vice versa. And I can't think of an example in any game I have watched.
What a fun and exciting team to watch! You can tell that they have an excellent clubhouse vibe and continue to make progress on nearly a daily basis. And with even more talent coming up from the minors and other future acquisitions, this team is going places. 2027 work stoppage stinks to high heaven! GO NATS!!
The Nats ended up scoring a ton of runs, but until the bottom of the 7th this was really a pitching and defense game, and the defense was very good. As was the pitching.
Lile made a great sliding catch in foul territory, the kind I don’t think he makes any other way. C.J. made a diving stop, got to his feet, and threw a seed to first. And Jacob Young, who we basically assume will catch anything he gets to, climbed the wall to take away another hit. Ho hum.
Cavalli was excellent too: 6 1/3 innings, 8 Ks, 0 BB.
It’s now the third straight game without an error, and that’s worth noticing. They’ve been putting in a lot of extra work before games to clean up the defense, and maybe we’re finally seeing some results.
So even with a 13–3 final, most of this game was built on pitching and defense.
Let's go for 4 straight error free games tomorrow!
Young's catch brought the house down!
The Baltimore broadcasters called him Spider-Young!
First baseman was way off the bag and I saw Keibert had a huge lead, then bam- he stole second!
The non-D.C. feelgood story of the season so far resides in St. Louis, where the teardown/rebuild Cardinals are nine (!) games over .500... in mid-May, in what looks to be MLB's best division.
Yes, somehow the Cardinals seem to never need to rebuild for more than a season or two and it’s been that way since the 1970s!! Jordan Walker has blossomed after being called a bust - let’s hope one of the Nats guys in AAA (Crews) blossoms soon, too!
I’m very happy for Jordan Walker. He’s a good, hardworking kid from a good family. He could have played ball at Duke but decided to go pro. The kid is only 23 years and if he played in college instead NO one would have thought he was a bust. His development was on time and It was just a matter of when he was going to put everything together. People ( fans and media) are too impatient.
Last year, after 46 games, the Nats were 19-27 - eight games under .500.
and boring, with a not-real-good baseball IQ.
Last May was actually somewhat exciting. The only winning month the team had experienced in a while? It all went to Hades in June though.
But it’s never on the coaches, right Davey?
dead 🐎
eh, I think Martinez and his coaching staff did their collective best, but it's (20-20 hindsight) clear that they just weren't cut out to be teachers/talent developers.
I think that's more on Rizzo and his Scouty McScoutface crew.
Not sure about all the coaches, but Hickey had a long track record of developing young pitchers, which is why he was hired by the Nats.
I think the most important change has been the managers. Davey just trotted out the same lineup day after day, with bad results. Butera is clearly setting up his lineup to be what he thinks gives them the best chance for the Nats to win that day.
I am quite impressed with Butera.
Toboni on down there is a different feeling with all the managers and coaches
I don’t really see much difference. Have they trotted out that many different lineups this season?
You're kidding, right? There are dozens of variations. https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/batting-orders.php?team=WSH
I accidentally left out one word in my comment….has the current staff had that many “MORE” than what Davey used. It was not accurate that Davey didn’t have variations in his lineups. Only big difference I’ve really seen is the use of Ruiz, which Davey may or may not have had his hands tied on.
A few folks were actually saying that to support Butera a few days ago after a rough outing. Funny how fans manipulate things like that to support narratives.
A very satisfying game!
Going back to last season, Nats are now 7-1 in those last 8 games against the O’s. Loving it. 😊
I was there, and it was glorious. The weather was perfect! So many good moments.
So was I. What a fun game to be at!