Tag Archives: Atlanta Braves

Is the National League Cy Young race already over?

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Watching Washington Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez through the early innings of yesterday’s eventual 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, one would have likely had a hard time believing that the left-hander is in the running for the National League Cy Young Award. It is especially true when you consider the performance that New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey put on just a few hours earlier when he earned his 20th win of the season after tossing 7 2/3 innings, allowing just three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out 13 batters.

But if you were to check the box score after the game, Gonzalez’s start would have appeared to be business as usual – three runs on six hits and three walks while striking out six through six innings. After suffering a hiccup in the first inning, which included three walks and three runs on a lofty 37 pitches, Gonzalez settled down. The following five innings, through which he allowed not a walk or a run, required just 69 pitches.

Now, once again, Gonzalez sits atop all of baseball after earning his major league leading 21st win as he continues to build his case for the NL Cy Young. But for Gonzalez, the path to the award is still very much an uphill climb as two contenders remain in the mix – one obvious and one less so. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 151

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Though the Washington Nationals (91-59) suffered a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers (78-72) last night after a blown save from Tyler Clippard, the team actually managed to move a step closer towards clinching the National League East. With the Atlanta Braves’ loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Nationals’ lead stood pat at 5 1/2 games while their magic number dropped to seven. And despite a recent string of less-than-stellar performances from Clippard, manager Davey Johnson has no plans to reduce the co-closer’s role in the bullpen.

“He’ll be fine,” Johnson said. “That one just got away. One battle. He’s been pretty awfully good.”

This afternoon, all eyes will be on another Nationals pitcher as left-hander and sole 19-game winner Gio Gonzalez heads to the mound in search of his 20th win. To earn it, he will need to out-pitch Brewers right-hander Wily Peralta, who started his first major league game earlier this month. Continue reading →

A look into the remainder of the Nationals’ regular season

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If you will, take a trip with me to September 2011. It was only a year ago that the Atlanta Braves entered September with an 8 1/2 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League Wild Card, while the Boston Red Sox held an even larger nine game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League Wild Card. It would take two simultaneous disastrous collapses, collapses that rivaled the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies and the 1978 Red Sox, for either of the leaders to fall out of playoff contention. Well, in 2011, the Cardinals and the Rays took the Wild Cards in their respective leagues.

Now, back in the pseudo present, the Washington Nationals took an 8 1/2 game division lead into Turner Field on Friday night to begin a three-game series with the Braves. The good news for the Nationals was that their worst-case scenario was taking a 5 1/2 game division lead back to the district. The bad news is that they will be returning to the district with a 5 1/2 game division lead after being swept by the Braves and leaving their magic number untouched.

Before you begin wondering when Positive Mental Natitude became Negative Mental Natitude, let me say that I am in no way suggesting that the Nationals are on the verge of suffering a collapse on par with those seen last year. To do so would undermine the talent that makes up the roster and would suggest that I have failed to follow the team closely at all this season.

I am suggesting, however, that baseball is anything but predictable. With 16 games remaining on the regular-season schedule, the Nationals are all but assured a playoff berth – needing only to go 3-13 for the rest of the season to ensure it. But for a division win, which is more desirable than ever considering the new playoff system, the Nationals have their work cut out for them.

Having said that, let us take a look at the remaining 16 games on the Nationals’ schedule. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 146

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The good news coming into this weekend’s final regular-season meeting between the Washington Nationals (89-56) and the Atlanta Braves (83-63) was that a series sweep at the hands of the Braves would leave the Nationals with a still-sizeable 5 1/2 game lead in the National League East. Of course, no one really expected that the Nationals would find themselves in such a position come Monday morning; but barring a win in tonight’s finale, it is exactly where they will find themselves, which explains the team’s renewed sense of urgency regarding the game.

“You don’t want to get swept anywhere, especially against the team behind you, so it’s a big game,” Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche said. “I think they’re all pretty big from here on out.”

If the Nationals hope to avoid a sweep and lower their magic number to a single digit for the first time this season, they will need a strong showing from Gio Gonzalez, the league’s sole 19-game winner. Braves left-hander Mike Minor will oppose him. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 145

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After an exceptional pitchers’ duel between Washington Nationals (89-55) left-hander Ross Detwiler and Atlanta Braves (82-63) right-hander Kris Medlen at Turner Field last night, the Nationals dropped the first of a three-game series with the Braves in what will be their final meeting of the regular season. Now, with their lead in the National League East cut to 7 1/2 games, the Nationals’ magic number for a playoff berth remains at four while the magic number for a divisional crown still sits at 11.

A Nationals win tonight would mark the team’s 90th win – the franchise’s first 90-win season since the 1933 Washington Senators won 99. Coincidentally, a playoff berth would be the first for a D.C. baseball team since the same Senators team made a World Series appearance.

To get that win, the Nationals will rely on right-hander Edwin Jackson, who will take the mound opposite Braves right-hander Tommy Hanson. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 144

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What was originally scheduled to be the most significant series of the year for the Washington Nationals (89-54) and the Atlanta Braves (81-63) is now scheduled for standard fanfare – and it begins tonight as the two division rivals open a three-game series in what will be their final meeting of the regular season.

Since drawing to within four games of the Nationals on August 28, the Braves have played .500 baseball and watched their deficit jump to 8 1/2 games while the Nationals have scored a league-high 96 runs. Now, rather than hoping to close the gap that separates them from the Nationals, the Braves will look to put distance between themselves and the myriad teams hoping for a wild card.

Tonight’s matchup pits Nationals left-hander Ross Detwiler against Braves righty Kris Medlen, who has returned to the rotation in his first full season since a 2010 Tommy John surgery, in what will be a rematch of their last meeting on August 22 at Nationals Park. Continue reading →

Nationals-Braves series seems less exciting than promised

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Tonight, the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves will play the first game in a three-game series that will mark the final regular-season meeting between the division rivals.

The series, which was originally slated to provide the unyielding excitement that is typically characteristic of a down-to-the-wire pennant race, will now hold far lesser stakes for a Nationals team that holds a sizeable 8 1/2 game lead over the Braves. In fact, this series was originally so favored that Fox picked up the Saturday afternoon game for national broadcast while ESPN did the same for Sunday’s game, moving it to the 8:05 p.m. time slot on “Sunday Night Baseball.”

Now, one can only assume that the excitement will be replaced by standard end-of-season baseball as the Nationals are assured to bring, at least, a 5 1/2 game lead back to the district. Of course, those results assume that the Braves will sweep their white whale – an outcome that seems unlikely given the quality of play displayed by the two teams as of late.

What happened to the excitement? Well, the aforementioned quality of play has a thing or two to say on the subject. Continue reading →

Nationals notes

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Yesterday, the Washington Nationals were shut out by right-hander Ricky Nolasco and the Miami Marlins for the second time in just over a week. With the loss, the Nationals’ lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East was cut to 5 1/2 games. The Nationals are still, however, carrying the best record in baseball and are primed to represent the first playoff appearance by a Washington baseball team in a very long time. My only question is: How did the Washington Redskins do yesterday?

My curiosity about the Redskins is, of course, not of my own volition. I could not care less about them (Am I allowed to express that opinion?). But now that the NFL season is underway, the Redskins have usurped the D.C. media and the Nationals have been placed on the back burner – or possibly even the back corner of the refrigerator next to the pasta salad you are afraid to disturb. Now, with all of your favorite venues likely discussing Robert Griffin III, you are going to have to visit Positive Mental Natitude a bit more for your fix of Nationals news. And the big story is… Continue reading →

Nationals’ offense looks to shut down talks of Strasburg’s shutdown

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In case you are unaware, the Washington Nationals currently hold the best record in baseball at 84-52. They are also leading the Atlanta Braves in the National League East by 7 1/2 games – their largest lead of the season. Oh, and each and every subsequent win will result in a new high-water mark for the franchise since relocating to the district in 2005.

Of course, I cannot exactly fault you if these notes come as a surprise. After all, right-hander Stephen Strasburg is due to be shut down in just under a week’s time. That is what is important, right? ESPN and the rest of the national media certainly think so. Is it possible that they are wrong in heaping all of their attention on Strasburg while virtually ignoring what the team as a whole has accomplished? I would not think so, but Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo does. He discussed his thoughts yesterday morning when he joined Holden & Danny for his weekly segment, the “Mike Rizzo Show,” on 106.7 The Fan. Continue reading →

Nationals shut down young right-hander

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Victims of a complete-game shutout. Losers of five straight. Dethroned by the Cincinnati Reds. What more can be said about the Washington Nationals’ recent stroke of poor play? There is quite a lot, actually.

It could be pointed out that right-hander Stephen Strasburg suffered what could be considered one of the worst starts in his young career, tying a career low in strikeouts with three and setting a career high in runs allowed with seven. Or, it might be worth noting that following Atlanta’s 2-0 win over San Diego, the Nationals lead in the National League East has been cut to just four games. And need I remind you of the fact that a 270-pound Carlos Lee stole second base standing last night?

There are plenty of stories surrounding the now second-best Nationals that command discussion. But since I have the luxury of choosing what to write about, I am going to leave the negativity to the professionals. Besides, my thoughts were made clear yesterday when I pointed out the potential turning point this series could provide for the Nationals.

Instead, I am going to use this time to talk about the young pitcher the Nationals just shut down for the remainder of the season. Perhaps you have heard about it. Continue reading →