BREAK UP THE F-ING NATIONALS

[stevewizzle]

i like the idea of shutting down stras now, bringing him back later.  and while i was busy making an ass of myself, this was reported:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8180037/washington-nationals-plan-shut-all-star-stephen-strasburg

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Trout had four hits!!!!!!!!!!

all of them in garbage time.

Yes, a lead off single to start the game and a 2-run HR in a 3-0 game in second inning are garbage time hits.  I completely agree.
 

two hits off a rookie pitcher with a 10+ era.  we can go ahead and asterik yet another day for mr. trout.

if you want a real comparison, look at what each player has done in extra innings.  Trout?  one INFIELD single for the whole year.  Harper? walk off hits, game-tying triples, the list goes on.  this is why the nats are in first place and it'll stay that way, and the angels are 5.5 back and will be playing for the wild-card if they are lucky.

Bong.

Anyone else ready for Drew Storen to come back? Seeing Clip's last 2 efforts have worried me, he was solid for a good amount of time and he did pull off the 2 saves, but he's been out of character from his recent run in the last 2... Hoping pushing him back to holder will be good for him with Drew taking the closing position back.

Hope we can S word the useless bastard Mets today. YAY EARLY GAMES!

[stevewizzle]

more nats news: Drew Storen activated

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/post/rick-ankiel-designated-for-assignment-drew-storen-activated-ian-desmond-out-again/2012/07/19/gJQAkaknvW_blog.html

i'm not worried about clip.  two-trick pitchers (fastball/change) sometimes have these hiccups. i usually attribute it to other teams figuring something out.  last night? jumping on the first pitch.

but clip's stuff is NASTY.  he'll be fine.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Ugggghhhhh Davey was talking [yesterday before the game, or after the game on Sunday] about Des possibly needing surgery? But if he did he would be out for the rest of the season. Also said he's been playing most of the year with the strain as well. If he's played this well so far I say wait.... I hope he can come back soon :\ he's my fave.

[gaaaaaaaaah]

i like the idea of shutting down stras now, bringing him back later.  and while i was busy making an ass of myself, this was reported:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8180037/washington-nationals-plan-shut-all-star-stephen-strasburg

I don't see this happening. He'd basically need a second spring training if they shut him down for a long period of time and then brought him back, and I don't see that being a good thing for him or the team.

[chaz]

Nats DFA'd Rick Ankiel today.  On his birthday.

[chaz]

Meanwhile Gio is getting lit up.  Zimmerman already homered today.  Dude is red hot.

[vansmack]

if you want a real comparison, look at what each player has done in extra innings.

Yes, because one in every what, 15 games goes to extra innings?  Or we can just look at WAR.

this is why the nats are in first place and it'll stay that way, and the angels are 5.5 back and will be playing for the wild-card if they are lucky.

Yes, the Nats are in first place because Bryce Harper is a stud and the Angels are in second because Mike Trout only gets hits against crappy pitching.  Not the depth of the pitching staffs or the talent in the rest of the division - those aren't important.  I said in the beginning of this thread that Nats had a really good chance of making the playoffs and I stand by that.  Nats fans should be very proud of what this team is doing and this thread exemplifies that.  But let's not get carried away - Mike Trout is having one of the top three greatest rookie season's of all time and potentially one of the top 25 seasons of all time.  That needs to be recognized, even by Nats fans caught up in Bryce Harper Mania.  We're looking at a potential MVP, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glove, Stolen Base Champion and batting average champion despite not playing the first 40 games.  Since I'm one of a few on this board who saw Freddy Lynn play, you're watching something you may only see once in your lifetime.   

I will say this though and you hit it right on the head - the one thing keeping me up at night is the thought of a one game playoff against Justin Verlander to win the Wild Card.  I still remember having to face Randy Johnson in 1995 to make the playoffs, and that was brutal.  I don't want to do it again.

[vansmack]

and a gift bag for the girlfriend?  it's standard rookie hazing to get cuckolded by jeter, right?

I loved everything about that article.  I hope half of it is true.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Gio's shortest outing of the season 3.1 innings, YEESH! This is painful. Fuckin RA Dickey.

[James Ford]

I'm guessing you were maybe two years old during Lynn's rookie season?

if you want a real comparison, look at what each player has done in extra innings.

Yes, because one in every what, 15 games goes to extra innings?  Or we can just look at WAR.

this is why the nats are in first place and it'll stay that way, and the angels are 5.5 back and will be playing for the wild-card if they are lucky.

Yes, the Nats are in first place because Bryce Harper is a stud and the Angels are in second because Mike Trout only gets hits against crappy pitching.  Not the depth of the pitching staffs or the talent in the rest of the division - those aren't important.  I said in the beginning of this thread that Nats had a really good chance of making the playoffs and I stand by that.  Nats fans should be very proud of what this team is doing and this thread exemplifies that.  But let's not get carried away - Mike Trout is having one of the top three greatest rookie season's of all time and potentially one of the top 25 seasons of all time.  That needs to be recognized, even by Nats fans caught up in Bryce Harper Mania.  We're looking at a potential MVP, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glove, Stolen Base Champion and batting average champion despite not playing the first 40 games.  Since I'm one of a few on this board who saw Freddy Lynn play, you're watching something you may only see once in your lifetime.   

I will say this though and you hit it right on the head - the one thing keeping me up at night is the thought of a one game playoff against Justin Verlander to win the Wild Card.  I still remember having to face Randy Johnson in 1995 to make the playoffs, and that was brutal.  I don't want to do it again.

[vansmack]

I'm guessing you were maybe two years old during Lynn's rookie season?

You are correct.  I did not mean to imply that I saw him that rookie year, I meant play AT ALL which is why this is potentially a big deal.

My first sports memory was the 1979 World Series, but that should either be discussed in the Orioles thread, or perhaps not at all on this board.

[shemptiness]

I'm guessing you were maybe two years old during Lynn's rookie season?

You are correct.  I did not mean to imply that I saw him that rookie year, I meant play AT ALL which is why this is potentially a big deal.

My first sports memory was the 1979 World Series, but that should either be discussed in the Orioles thread, or perhaps not at all on this board.

Some of us old geezers who remember 1979 would prefer the latter.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

How can you guys work the internets. Whoa.

[vansmack]

How can you guys work the internets. Whoa.

Well, we did invent it...