44 Comments
User's avatar
natsclop's avatar

Nasim Nuñez the player that you are, just stellar on defense

Tim K's avatar

Who said winning at home is hard!

BassMan's avatar

Nunez is coming into his own. Rizzo was smart to pick this guy.

Tegwar's avatar

Maybe they should've let him play a little more?

Greg10ike's avatar

I was not a fan his first year or two. But Nasim is proving to be quite a valuable, not only as a stellar defender but the dude can be a clutch hitter. He’s got 12 RBI. He also leads MLB with 14 steals despite an OBP of .325. He’s a an unexpected spark plug for this team.

John walker's avatar

A big difference between this year and the last several: I REALLY cared about winning this game, especially as it wore on! Scrappy Nats (to steal from Carp a few years back…)

nats1fan's avatar

Am I being too critical or does it seem that Woods just doesn't care much for hustle? He seems to miss balls quite often that Jacob or Daylen would hustle for and get. He's just so nonchalant. Yesterday and today in key moments he just let the ball fall short when it looked like he could've gotten to them.

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

Yes, I think so. He has greatly improved and continues to do so. By all accounts he is a hard worker. His low-key personality can be mistaken for being lacidasical.

nats1fan's avatar

Yes, he reminded me of JW when he first came on the team so nonchalant. Easy peasy like Jason always was. I like him and he's a great bat. Just like to see a little more consistent hustle.

Tegwar's avatar

You are being too critical, he's made some fantastic plays in RF since he was moved there. He stolen at least 2 HRs and made spectacular diving catches. He's much better in RF. Right field is a sun field and he will get better at it as he plays there more. He's not as good in LF. He also has a gun for an arm. I'm more than happy with his play in RF. Lile actually is not a very good fielder. He's fast but still has trouble judging where the ball is. He's much better than last year. Just my opinion.

nats1fan's avatar

Respect your perspective. He is good at the leaping fence plays. It's the others I wish he'd push for a little more. Yesterday's was the turning point in the game. Started a barrage of hits and runs. Of course that wasn't his fault but had he got the ball that came to him the inning would have been over. Guess I'm just so used to MATs and JYs etc. Love a good hustle.

Tegwar's avatar

I know the play you are talking about. Balls hit directly at you (not pop flys) are some of the hardest balls to judge. If you watch JY he's almost always moving his feet as soon as a ball is hit, this give him a better read and perspective. Wood is not JY or MAT or Denard Span and he never will be. He has very long strides and it never looks like he's moving fast but he's actually is one of the faster players on the team. He's only 23 and he makes some mistakes but they are learning ones. Now if he doesn't learn from them that's a problem but I've seen improvement from last year. I'd leave him in RF even though Joey Wiemer is clearly a better outfielder as Wood hopefully will be on the team for a long time. Just my take, not saying Wood is a GG but, I do think he will get even better.

nats1fan's avatar

Appreciate your thoughts. Never thought in terms of height and how the body moves differently. Just so fun watching Jacob or others like him run like crazy at the ball and judge it just right. Remember Taylor in several playoff games making those kind of plays at just the right time and man is so fun to watch. I'll keep James' height in mind in the future. He does seem to be a really good kid.

nebco66's avatar

Point is, a good hustle is more visible, more obvious in smaller players. A player who is 6'7" won't look like smaller players when they are both in motion.

nebco66's avatar

I repeated elements of the previous post (tegwar). I'm sorry. My bad. Got caught up in the discussion.

Tegwar's avatar

No problem, nice that someone agrees with me.

Joe Douglas's avatar

Even his home run robbery the other day was nonchalant. I think he tries as hard as anyone else, but it doesn't look the same because:

1. He's so stoic.

2. Giant people move differently than less giant people. He covers ground faster, but also if he goes full speed, it's going to be physically harder to stop. A counterpoint is Nas--possibly the smallest guy out there and they best at changing directions.

nats1fan's avatar

The homerun rob was very cool. Soto even seemed to have fun with it.

McMerc7MHDC's avatar

He does care. He’s just a low-key personality. And he’s so athletically gifted that he makes difficult things look easy, and the impossible (like robbing home runs) look routine.

The dopey smile on his face after he makes spectacular defensive plays says it all.

Joe Douglas's avatar

Fun win. Nasim has impressed and proved me wrong lately--with some real clutch hitting.

Also just wanted to add that I'm really enjoying the Alexa Datt era. She asks great questions and has been a real nice addition to the broadcast.

Tegwar's avatar

She actually watches the game and understands key moments in it. She know her baseball.

Randem's avatar

Agree. Hope they can keep her. Seems to have Network potential.

Skum8247's avatar

Looking forward to the day when she has a regular seat in the broadcast box…whichever role she would fill best

Mark P's avatar

A well pitched game, all around!

Mark's avatar

Coaching staff was extremely proactive today managing each pitcher…

Joe LaPlante's avatar

Any news on Josiah Gray

gonatsgo1's avatar

Was MIA most of the weekend but home in time for the 8th and 9th. Way to hang on to salvage one. The Nats take the season series from the Crew!

Love Nunez flashing the leather for that huge second out.

Tegwar's avatar

You took really took good notes during the game Mark as this is an excellent write up. One of the best team wins this year. This is really starting to look like a team, these players seem to actually like each other and play well together. Butera is getting the best all these players have.

Mark's avatar

Nice to see some clean and efficient baseball.

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

This game was another good example of how this team stays in the fight, responds well to the coaching staff, and has bought in on Toboni and Butera's approach. They are a fun and exciting team to watch. I'm looking forward to seeing how they continue to improve in all facets of the game.

GO NATS!!!

William T's avatar

Unconventional to have Poulin start, but as he has starter experience, let’s keep doing what works for Littel and Mikolas. Great game to attend and see no errors on the Nats side.

Beached56's avatar

I like Butera’s approach. He is getting everyone involved and making the best of the roster he has. Harry Ford got a hit today finally and Crews and I think Morales homered for Rochester. Clemmey got bombed for Harrisburg but Seaver King continues to hit well.

Tegwar's avatar

Clemmey is the little girl with the curl. Last game he took a no hitter into the 6th; today he got shelled. That seems to be part of the package with him right now.

I heard someone say Seaver King might be getting promoted, but I haven’t seen it written anywhere. I’ve mostly only seen highlights, so of course he looks good there, but the recent write ups on him have all been very positive.

I haven’t seen much on Morales. Cayden Wallace, who we got for Hunter Harvey, is also hitting really well, though I don’t think they view him as a great defensive third baseman. I think they even tried him some at first in spring training.

As for Butera, he seems like some kind of savant right now. His lineups and PH choices keep working. I don’t agree with everything, but I’m bright enough to keep quiet when it’s working. The runs this team is scoring are hard to explain from the talent alone, so I’ve got nothing but praise for him and the system they’ve put in place.

nebco66's avatar

Crews is at .259 and trending up. Morales looks like he is ready (power and averge). King looks ready for Rochester. I want to believe in Wallace, but he has been trending down lately (but had a good day today). Petry to Harrisburg? Doing well in a place that isn't kind to hitters. Only caveat for these guys is time. It's early in the season, and they haven't been around the league(s) yet.

Tim K's avatar

Crews hit curve for HR

nebco66's avatar

A curve ball-- now, that's good news. Strengthening a weakness.

Tim K's avatar

Technically, a splitter hit over 110 MPH to LF. I still like him hitting something other than a fastball

nats1fan's avatar

OK. Cool. Never tout about that being 5'5" myself

Daniel's avatar

Abimelec Ortiz debut in the Twins series?