Tag Archives: Los Angeles Dodgers

Detwiler, Nationals secure their place in history

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There are many things to be said of Ross Detwiler, the Washington Nationals’ power left-hander.

Presumably, you were aware of that juicy tidbit, provided you have watched alongside the rest of the Washington Metropolitan Area as he has developed into a frontline-caliber starter since his selection in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Nationals.

His prowess was on full display last night as he led the Nationals to a series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on six innings of one-run ball, through which he allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out five.

With the victory, he added another talking point to any discussion involving him by notching his 10th win of the season, marking the first time he has reached double digits in the win column as a professional.

Now, on its own, that might not be seen as much of an achievement. But because in doing so, Detwiler became the pitcher of record for the game that clinched the first playoff berth for a Washington baseball team in 79 years and will forever be remembered by Nationals fans. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 149

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After splitting yesterday’s straight doubleheader with the Los Angeles Dodgers (77-72), the Washington Nationals (90-58) will have to play at least one more game before clinching a playoff berth that will mark the first for a D.C. baseball team in 79 long years.

With a win in the first game of the doubleheader, the Nationals ensured that they would live to play more than 162 games this year as they clinched a worst-case scenario that involves a 163rd game – one that would decide the winner of the second National League Wild Card.

Now, with their NL Wild Card magic number sitting at one, they can ensure that the 163rd game never happens by taking tonight’s game – and the series – from the Dodgers.

Still, Nationals manager Davey Johnson is concerned with only one thing.

“The only thing that means anything to me is when we clinch the [division],” Johnson said. “That’s the only thing I’m concerned with.”

To claim their right to October baseball, the team will have to look past last night’s blown call and look forward to Dodgers left-hander Chris Capuano, who will take the hill opposite Nationals lefty Ross Detwiler. Continue reading →

An aside on accountability

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The difference between a five-run shutout and a six-run shutout, the latter of which seemed a definite possibility as the nightcap of last night’s doubleheader between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals entered the bottom of the eighth inning, is insignificant.

The difference between a 6-6 tie and a one-run lead held by the home team heading into the top of the ninth, however, is huge.

After mounting a six-run comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning last night, the Nationals took a tied ballgame – what should have been a one-run lead – into the ninth inning. The Matt Kemp home run that followed should have tied the ballgame, not won it. But because of a blown call in the top of the fourth inning, one that bestowed one of the most unearned-scored-earned runs ever upon the Dodgers, everything that should not have happened did, in fact, happen. Continue reading →

Nationals-Dodgers doubleheader preview

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After being swept in a three-game weekend series by the second-place Atlanta Braves, the Washington Nationals, now 89-57, have had plenty of time to regroup following a scheduled day off on Monday and the postponement of last night’s series opener with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who bring a record of 76-71 to Nationals Park. For those who have yet to hear, last night’s game will be made up this afternoon as part of a single-admission doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at 4:05 p.m.

The good news for the Nationals is that their magic number for clinching the National League East, which had remained stagnant since September 12, finally ticked down a notch with the Braves’ extra-innings loss to the Miami Marlins last night. As for their magic number to clinch an NL Wild Card, that number still sits at three. It could, however, vanish altogether with a sweep of the Dodgers in this afternoon’s doubleheader and would mark the first playoff berth for a D.C. baseball team since the 1933 Washington Senators.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson, however, will not be celebrating a Wild Card.

“The additional Wild Card, to me, just really put more of a burden on the manager, because nobody wants that one,” Johnson said. “A one-game playoff to get in? The other format, if you were the Wild Card, you’re in the playoffs. So clinching a one-game playoff doesn’t have any appeal to me.”

As such, one can assume that the Nationals will still be looking to take both games of the doubleheader, but only to put as much distance between themselves and the Braves as possible in an effort to ensure a division crown. To do so, they will have to best Dodgers right-hander Aaron Harang, who will be opposed by Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann in game one of the doubleheader. 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 →