75 Comments
User's avatar
natsclop's avatar

Think I need a break from these games for a few days

Let Teddy Win's avatar

You are not alone.

david behnke's avatar

I'm going to continue watching and reading Mark but I'm staying away from this comment section because it only adds negativity to their play.

stoat's avatar

I've unsubscribed a couple of times this year and probably will again for that very reason.

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

Personally, I hope you guys stick around. Although I myself should practice guitar more instead…

Dave Nemec's avatar

I practice, but in the afternoon. 😁

Mellotron's avatar

The two activities are not mutually exclusive, I’ve found.🙂

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

I get where you're coming from, but as you're not giving up on the team, don't give up on this community, either. The fellas and the fans have been under a lot of stress lately. Things will get better.

Dave Nemec's avatar

Stick around. I mute the overly negative. Especially those who only comment when things are going bad.

The OG NY Nat's avatar

Someone will have to explain to me why a team that has been so dogmatic about lefty righty splits put Cosgrove in against a pocket of righties (and then put Beeter in against lefties!).

This made absolutely no sense. They haven’t done that all season. Not once. Why now?

stoat's avatar

I'm one who's questioned the rigid adherence to platoon shifts by a management team that's supposedly sophisticated about analytics. And I kinda cringed when I saw Ribalta alongside Cosgrove in the pen.

But boy, doing the opposite sure didn't work out tonight.

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

Butera was ejected and isn’t the bench coach one of the few old school guys? At least older guy?

Dave Nemec's avatar

Yeah, but you know Butera was managing from the tunnel. They all do after getting run.

Ray Mitten's avatar

“Already demoralized” is dead spot on.

Travis McGavin's avatar

The Lerners are gonna have to spend for this team to contend again. The fact that we traded Foster Griffin for 4 random AA guys signifies that we never made a good faith effort to resign him.

Josh Sager's avatar

That would require them to spend money. That’s not allowed

stoat's avatar

No, it doesn't. He signed with an also-ran in order to get a full opportunity to cash in as a free agent. He delivered on his end of the deal and the Nats did on theirs. He's gonna get paid.

But nothing I've read since early in the season suggested that his signing an extension was ever on the table.

I can't know for sure, and neither can you, but every article you can find will say the same thing in so many word.

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

There were some negotiations but reports were contradictory about how extensive or serious they were. I’d definitely like to know more about that topic.

Dave Nemec's avatar

Exactly.

It's entirely possible he didn't want to sign an extension, instead wanting to test the open market in what could be his only chance to cash in.

Steve's avatar

No, it doesn’t - it means the return, even for good players, when a guy is in the final year of his contract isn’t on par with his potential future value.

The Guardians gave the Nationals what, at most, 10 starts from Griffin, plus - maybe - playoffs is worth. They are as unlikely as the Nationals to get him in a free agent bidding war.

Look at how little the Tigers got for arguably the best pitcher in the game - Skubal - for comparison’s sake.

The Nats got something as they decided Griffin’s not worth the $22M qualifying offer to get something back for him. Since they won’t do the QO, they had to get the best offer on the table…..even though it’s not really much return…..

Let Teddy Win's avatar

At least Ortiz looked comfortable.

I predict he'll do fine.

gonatsgo1's avatar

My mood is foul. I think we're in a legit downward spiral.

Have we lost 6 straight in '26?

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

No, this is the first 6-game losing streak. The Nats lost 5 in a row over the end of March thru the start of April.

(Checks notes: don’t tell him 2 of those games were against the Phillies, the rest against the Dodgers)

Dave Nemec's avatar

0-3 vs LA, 2-5 vs PHI, 3-8 vs ATL.

The only NL "contender" they've played well against is Milwaukee (4-2).

John walker's avatar

Is there a reason, since the owners and front office clearly have given up on this season, the rest of us shouldn’t as well?

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

Because 2027 could be worse with the lockout? Nevermind, that might not be a convincing argument. I just don’t think the FO necessarily gave up. The team fell into the seller category and they sought to address needs. I haven’t enjoyed the Nats this much since 2019 and will stick with them.

Dave Nemec's avatar

Seconded. Good reply. I'm sticking with them as well.

les abernathy's avatar

Please ask why a lefthander was bought in to face righthanded batters? Over thinking?

Josh Sager's avatar

Philly has to be using satanic devil magic against us at this rate. I don’t know how they do it time and time again. I get our bullpen sucks but against this team especially.

At least Abi looks extremely promising.

Jimmy's avatar

Took a different path to get there but I feel pretty much the same now as I did at this point last year: just end the season, I've had enough

WDCFan's avatar

Yep. NFL HOF game is Thursday, so there's that.

Eddieb 11's avatar

With all of the pitching they got in the trades, maybe they should DFA the whole bullpen and replace them all with the new acquisitions. Can't get no worse🫣🤪

Nats Fan in Exile's avatar

Really proud of Alvarez. He is still a rookie and still learning but pitching as well as most in the rotation not named Cavalli.

stoat's avatar

I like Alvarez a lot but he seems to be one of those guys who hits the wall suddenly and hard.

Dave Nemec's avatar

He did run face-first into the wall tonight. Maybe 6 innings is his max?

Nats Fan in Exile's avatar

I’d suggest that he was acutely aware that he was being trusted longer than usual and that self awareness and his anger at himself at the consecutive HBP and BB got the better of him. But that is what being a rookie is all about - Getting those experiences and becoming familiar with them and how to still maintain performance. It should not overshadow the fact that he silenced that powerful lineup after just being called up and with little prep.

Brandon Persinger's avatar

The Nationals have one of the three worst WRC+ in high-leverage spots in the 7th inning and later, and they have THE WORST FIP in baseball in high-leverage spots in 7th inning and later. They are young and the organization is in the first year of pretty major second rebuild. But they don’t create runs or pitch effectively in big moments.

stoat's avatar

They've done well when they've been able to jump out on top and build on it. And even then the bullpen... which commenters SAY must be improved but only if we don't give up anything significant in return... has found was to lose game that seemed locked up.

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

Garcia knocks a go-ahead dinger for the Yanks!!

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

His second hit of the night, and this one the potential game winner. The Yankee fans should love him - at least for tonight!

stoat's avatar

Start spreading the news...

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

And he stood to admire it with his big smile at his new home, ha.

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

Did anyone in the dugout hug him?

Mellotron's avatar

The yanks will have to learn about hugging from the master.

stoat's avatar

That's awesome. I thought they were dead and buried, down 6-0,

Susan H aka pitchingfan's avatar

No longer. Louie's 2-run shot put them ahead 7-6!

stoat's avatar

So I see.

Cards have Nats-itis.

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

Interesting, I’ve always thought the Nats had Cards-itis! 😀

John walker's avatar

After spitting the bit to fall behind 7-6 following having a 6-0 lead, Cards have roared back to take an 11-7 lead. So Cards > Nats and not = to after all. Danmmit….

Bill S formerly dclivejazz's avatar

13-7 now…Because of the Nats’ Cards-itis, I particularly enjoyed the Nats sweeping them in the 2019 NLCS.

stoat's avatar

Wow. I'll bet whatever is the Yankees equivalent of NatsJournal is melting down about the bullpen help they gave up for Garcia. LOL.

Because all fans are basically the same.

Andrew Cain's avatar

I need a timeout.