The Nats Thread

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Thought that Williams had a better starting lineup dialed in and then made a foolish switch with Robinson and Werth.  I would have liked to have seen the lineup remain intact for the duration.
Win the East since wild card is out of reach.

Yeah, no one was saying that while Werth was out. He IS a detriment to this team at this moment though. Right now isn't the time to "wait for guys to get hot." Didn't they go into the all star break with a 4 game lead? Now they are back 4.5? Losers of 6 in a row? I don't know what is more annoying, watching this team suck balls night in and night out or hearing FP Santangello make excuses for them for 3 hours while they pile up strike outs.

Maybe the new Nationals identity is to make the playoffs every other year.

[martinrob]

Werth needs to get going and to be a first pitch threat.  Davey Johnson made the same comment back in 2011. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/post/should-jayson-werth-swing-at-the-first-pitch-more-often/2012/03/07/gIQAEqggwR_blog.html
 There is not enough time to wait and see for Werth and Rendon to get hot.  Espinosa and Robinson have proved that they are ready for the challenge.
There needs to be a fire lit with the players.  I suggest Murphy Jensen from the Washington Kastles.  The man is enthusiastic and gets his message of Refuse to Lose across to his tennis players but can be accepted by all athletes.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

We'll see if they can muster anything in Colorado. Wasn't in back in '13 when they lit up the Rockies and tore it up JUST to miss making the playoffs? Sounds eerie.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

Nationals Disaster: Remember When Washington Was Supposed to Be the Best Team in Baseball?

RG3 and the Dumbest Team in Football

Grantland is just straight up trolling DC today.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

DC sports curse? I've often scoffed at anyone who brings it up... but god damn.

I haven't watched anything from Skins pre-season, but my friend HAD to show me the "highlights" from RG3 being on the field and it was a fucking travesty.

At least the Nats won back to back series'? Something? 47 more days til hockey?

[vansmack]

Span out for the season, and he's the lucky one.

[hutch]

epic fail

[hutch]

hoping like my Bryce comment my nats comment will act as a reverse curse..

[DeathFromAbove1979]

5 1/2 back. Could have been worse coming out of this weekend. Could get worse with the Cards coming into town. Holy CRAP is Span out a huge gut punch. They should be alright though. Seems like the bats are waking up, finally. Don't have much faith, but there's a good chunk of time to make up ground.

[shemptiness]

Harper scores 4 runs and has an RBI without an official at-bat.  Pretty cool.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Normally I'd feel bad for a team that we just beat the piss out of, but it's the Barves. Fuck those guys. Hopefully make up some more ground on the Mets this weekend!

[vansmack]

On the plus side, Matt Harvey will be available this off season and they likely won't trade him in the division, so you've go that going for you.

I could see the Dodgers going after him if (when) Greinke opts out of his deal.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Can't wait to see us get blanked tonight. Ya know, can't hit against good or even semi-decent pitching and all.

[Space Freely]

im conflicted about the papelbon trade too but im wondering what the people who are adamantly against it wanted rizzo to do instead. seems like he deemed the prices for kimbrel/chapman too high, and even if hed sucked it up and paid it, theyd be displacing storen instead of papelbon. either way drew gets shafted

i get that drew is beloved here and papelbon has a bit (ok, a lot) of a reputation (overblown imo. the guy could stand to shut up from time to time but his past teammates rave about him, and all his media drama seems to be a product of playing for some...interesting fanbases. plus, remember all that "clubhouse cancer" talk about yunel escobar? i havent heard a peep of drama since he came here) but the nats badly needed bullpen help and rizzo got some. storen's having a great year and what the nats really needed was a solid setup man, but if there were none available that fit the price, why not go big and make your lights out closer your new lights out 8th inning guy.

having said that, the success of the trade hinges entirely on how well storen adjusts back to the 8th inning. if he pitches with a chip on his shoulder and gives the nats two shutdown closers, it's the best move rizzo couldve made this week. if he melts down again, the nats are back to square one with a single reliable reliever and less time to fix it. either way, especially with papelbon signed next year (for not too much money, all things considered), i imagine storen is traded this offseason. he seems like a good dude and watching him mature as a pitcher has been great, but its clear his future isnt with this team. tough break but its a results business and storen's late season past has been too shaky for comfort

Is this what you meant about melting down?

[DeathFromAbove1979]

its over