Tag Archives: Strasburg innings limit

Nationals notes

Posted on by
2

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 →

Pitching matchup – game 139

Posted on by
Reply

Last night, Stephen Strasburg took the mound at Nationals Park in what is expected to have been his last home start of the season. Prior to the first pitch, manager Davey Johnson noted that there would be no limits imposed on the young right-hander and that the game flow would ultimately dictate his outing, which it certainly did.

Strasburg only managed to pitch three innings, allowing the Miami Marlins (62-77) to jump out to an early 5-2 lead in their eventual 9-7 extra-innings loss.

For Strasburg, who insisted his struggles stemmed from a lack of fastball command, the short outing might net him another home start, as Johnson offered a cryptic answer when asked whether it could affect his innings limit.

“It might,” Johnson said.

For now, the Washington Nationals (85-53) will have to focus their attention on the second game in their three-game set with the Marlins. They will face veteran left-hander Mark Buehrle, who will be opposed by Nationals left-hander and recent consistency extraordinaire, Ross Detwiler. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 138

Posted on by
Reply

Last night – in a game where stellar play from Jordan Zimmermann and Kurt Suzuki was overshadowed by two bench-clearing, bullpen-emptying altercations – the Washington Nationals (85-52) completed a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs. More than enough has already been said about the evening, including this adrenal-gland-inciting quote from Nationals reliever Michael Gonzalez. As such, I must move on to tonight’s three-game series opener with the Miami Marlins (61-77), a game that will almost assuredly garner more attention than last night’s.

Tonight, Jacob Turner and the Marlins are in town to take on Stephen Strasburg and the league-best Nationals in what will be Strasburg’s penultimate start of the season and his final at home. To predict the atmosphere at Nationals Park will be buzzing would be foolhardy. It should be nothing short of electric. Continue reading →

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

Posted on by
1

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 →

Offensive production is coming from an unlikely source for the Nationals

Posted on by
Reply

The Washington Nationals, now 83-52, have made discussion of their pitching staff very easy this year. If you want to discuss the Nationals pitching staff, you simply mention how well they have pitched, pepper in some league leading stats, rattle off a few tired comments regarding Stephen Strasburg’s innings limit and move on.

After last night’s victory over the Chicago Cubs, the Nationals hold a National League leading 3.28 ERA, second only to the Tampa Bay Rays in the majors. It does not hurt that they also lead the NL in hits allowed with 1,062 – second overall to the Rays – and lead all of baseball in runs allowed (483) and home runs allowed (103). When it comes to strikeouts, they come in a pathetic fifth overall with 1,111 – 195 of which can be credited to Strasburg.

In fact, for a while, the Nationals pitching staff was performing so well that it was hard to discuss anything else. That is, until the offense caught fire and inserted itself into the picture.

Prior to the All-Star break, the Nationals ranked eighth in the NL and 14th overall in batting with a .251 average. They ranked even lower in on-base percentage with a .314 OBP, 11th in the NL and 21st overall. Since then, the team has upped their batting average to .278 (fourth overall) with an on-base percentage of .331 (eighth overall) and 61 home runs (ninth overall).

These days, it is hard to talk about the Nationals offense without mentioning seemingly routine games like last night’s, which saw 11 runs scored on 19 hits – six of which were home runs. It has been, however, easy to discuss the Nationals offense without mentioning their catchers, who have, until recently, lacked production at the plate. Continue reading →

Detwiler and Jackson are ‘The Other Guys’

Posted on by
Reply

If you have been following the Washington Nationals, the Stephen Strasburg innings limit or any major news outlet for the past five or so months, then you already know that the team plans to shut down the man Sports Illustrated once referred to as “the most hyped and closely watched pitching prospect in the history of baseball” after his start on September 12 against the New York Mets – just prior to the team’s first postseason run since the franchise moved to Washington D.C. in 2005.

You are also likely aware of the fact that Strasburg’s shutdown spells certain doom for the Nationals’ chances at making it through the playoffs to the World Series. At least, that is what most reporters outside of the district would have you believe. And we all know that reporters are never wrong. After all, how could a team possibly survive without its ace? Certainly the other aces – Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann – have nothing to say about it.

The news of the Nationals’ failed 2012 season comes as a bit of a disappointment, especially since left-hander Ross Detwiler and right-hander Edwin Jackson – mainstays in the Nationals’ starting rotation this season – are more than capable of picking up the slack. But no one will ever know because they are looked upon as no more than “the other guys.”

Need proof? Here are Twitter users @JWerthsBeard‘s and @JackoBeam‘s creation, which proves just how little the country believes in Detwiler and Jackson.

"The Other Guys"

Photoshop created by @JWerthsBeard and @JackoBeam

You can read more about how Detwiler and Jackson became Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg over at the D.C. Sports Bog, where Dan Steinberg has graciously detailed the story.

Positive Mental Natitude’s lazy Labor Day special

Posted on by
2

In the interest of celebrating Labor Day properly, I am going to present the recent developments within the Washington Nationals organization in one sentence snippets. Less time writing for me, less time reading for you and more time eating barbeque for everyone. Shall we? Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 133

Posted on by
Reply

After taking the first two games of a four-game set, the Washington Nationals (80-52) dropped the third by a score of 10-9 as a sleeping St. Louis Cardinals (72-61) offense that had scored one run in their last 40 innings finally came to life in the second inning. Unfortunately, it was at the hands of Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who is in the midst of an unusual slump that has kept the pitcher from throwing six innings in each of his last four outings. And after giving up a career-high eight runs, Zimmermann was more than willing to take the blame for his team’s loss.

“I felt the way I normally feel,” Zimmermann said. “The offense did a great job. You have to tip your cap to those guys. They give you six runs and you do all you can to keep the team in the game and you can’t hold it down. This loss is totally my fault.”

The Nationals will have to put the loss behind them today when they face veteran right-hander Jake Westbrook. For the Nationals, it will be Stephen Strasburg, who will make the first of his expected two to three remaining starts before being shut down as part of his Tommy John surgery rehab plan. Continue reading →

Nationals notes

Posted on by
1

Washington Nationals right-hander Edwin Jackson deserves all the attention today.

Sure, Bryce Harper hit his third home run in two games and Jayson Werth hit his first since May 5, but Jackson was nothing short of brilliant as he led the Nationals to an 8-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals – their second straight after a five-game losing streak.

It may have taken 123 pitches, but Jackson finished the night having tossed eight dominant innings, allowing just one unearned run on four hits while walking two and striking out 10. It was the seventh time Jackson struck out 10 or more batters in his career and the second this year.

But as much as Jackson accomplished on the mound, his efforts elsewhere did not go unnoticed.

After grounding into a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the sixth, Jackson slid hard into second, breaking up a double play and allowing Danny Espinosa to add another run.

Yes, Jackson deserves all the attention. And he will garner much of it. But for now, here is a look at some of the bigger stories that developed this week and some that you may have missed. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 128

Posted on by
Reply

The weekend was not kind to the Washington Nationals (77-50), who were swept in a three-game series by the Philadelphia Phillies and extended their losing streak to four games. That is the big story. The bigger story is Nationals’ right-hander Stephen Strasburg and his impending shutdown. After making 25 starts and tossing 145 1/3 innings, Strasburg is only expected to have a handful of remaining starts for the Nationals before he is shut down as part of his Tommy John surgery rehabilitation plan.  One of those starts will come tonight when Strasburg and the Nationals begin a two-game series with the Miami Marlins (58-71) – a series that could prove to be a potential turning point in the Nationals’ season. Looking to keep the Nationals in the loss column will be Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco. Continue reading →