Master Index of Archived Threads


Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 04:55 PM

Yeah, so you know, the Nats. IT'S NOT THAT EASY, IS IT, BOYS?! The team that had the next big dynasty all teed up with the benefit of two #1 draft choices looking like legends at the dawn of their careers... is seven games out, in second, but with just the flailing Mets and the hard times of the Phillies' starting rotation keeping them out of fourth. Bryce Harper is drinking DL juice and Stephen Strassberg was pulled from his last start with a lat strain that the team publicly insists is nothing even as they privately tear themselves apart with fears that it isn't. The team is coming off losing two of three to the first-place Braves, despite playing badly enough to get swept, hitting .190, scoring seven total runs, and striking out 20 times while walking only twice. They are seven games out and, like most of the East, in danger of letting the season get away from them --- which would suck, watching the Braves run away with the flag while getting disastrous seasons from Uggla, Upton, and Heyward. That sort of thing should be blowing up in their faces. It would blow up in ours. "Half the ballclub is not doing things they're capable of offensively," manager Davey Johnson said. "I look up there, a bunch of guys are hitting .150. There's too good a quality of players here to be doing that. I'm sure we'll pick it up. It's just a tough time." Preach, Mr. Johnson. None of which makes this an easy assignment, even as leadership returns to the two guys who held the job before the arrival of those two young guns, those illegetimate sons of Bob Dylan, Ryan and Jordan Zimmerman(n). Apart from the wounded youth, Catchy is also sore point, as Wilson Ramos has been out since mid-May with a hammy strain. And you never know with hammies, do you? But Kurt Suzuki is doing an adequate job in what will likely be a second career as an adequate journeyman vet, after starting his career as an adequate young backstop with Oakland for six years. He's working at .235 / .301 / .333 // .635, but is probably a little better than that. His fringey backup is named Jhonatan Solano and has done squat besides squatting this year. Firstbasin' is still the province of Adam LaRoche, a professional hitter who probably isn't the guy who OPS'd at .853 last year, and is probably closer to the guy hitting .243 / .329 / .454 // .783 this season. But he's probably good for at least one big hit this series, so I don't take him lightly. No sir. Joining Upton, Heyward, Ike Davis, and Cole Hamels on the NL East team of players who desperately want the season to start over is secondbaseman Danny Esposito, he of 12 RBI and 25 hits all season, he makes the division's futility squad over Dan Uggla, which is hard to do. Somebody tell him that Davy Johnson likes keystoners who can hit. At third base, Ryan Zimmerman continues his career as an almost-convincing copy of David Wright. He's pretty much as good a hitter now, though Wright's highs are higher. Wright's probably got back to his level as a fielder, and our guy's arm is certainly stronger, and DW is the better baserunner as well. That's just how it is. Shortstop featured a breakthrough year by Ian Desmond in 2012, with 25 homers. He started well in 2013 too, but fell off in May and is now down to a more typical level of productivity --- .265 / .298 / .460 // .757 --- pretty good for a shorty but a drop of almost 100 points of OPS'n' from 2012. I like when somebody starts thinking of themselves as a power hitter and forget to get on base. Then the power isn't always there and then what are they? WHAT ARE THEY?! Injuries have moved Tyler Moore into the starting leftfield role. When he hits a homerun, a cat meows, because it's a Tyler Moore production. Get it?! Wocka wocka! Anybubbles, he's a fringey reserve outfielder who hits like one and I'd tell you not to worry about him except in this game, he pinch-homered in a grossly un-American act that conspired with Fred Wilpon's ugly hats in a shocking conspiracy to undermine the warm feelings I have about the Mets and thier response to the attacks of 2001, and almost cost R.A. Dickey a Cy Young Award. If Dickey didn't win, this hit and this hit alone would have been the deal breaker. So, pay him back. In the the middle of the outfield... in the middle of the outfield, I call your name. And the name I call, and the love that turns me on is that of Denard Span. Denard follows Kirby Puckett and Torii Hunter in the line of good-glovin' centerfielders out of Minnesota with a joy for the game, a bat that's aflame, and a kool first name. Fortunately for NL East rivals, he's also following Hunter in demonstrating a dropoff in offense upon leaving Minnesota. The defense is still there though. He's also kinda hot, and a two-triple day this weekend is all that kept the Braves from sweeping away the Nats into third place. Hey, guess who else is on the DL? Rightfielder and erstwhile Phil/sasquatch Jayson Werth. Werth has been rehabbing in the minors and will likely return during this series (for all I know he's in the lineup tonight), but let's hope he's rusty. With Werth and Harper giving themselves up to the cause in right, Roger Bernadina is out there until then, and will likely end up in one of the other outfield positions if Werth reappears. You've met Roger and are complaisant with him --- a meaty football type. Scott Hairston, but with more muscles. Can hit opposite field rockets, but can also chase breaking pitches at his feet. Definitely not getting it done this season (.479 OPS --- hello, futility team), but still dangerous. Went 11-32 against the Mets last year, but with no power, so I'm hoping their scouting report does the trick. Other dudes you might see? Steve Lombardozzi, is the scrappy ethnic white veteran guy you might get at second or in left. He's also OPSing unacceptably but Espinosa needs to be pushed. Expect at least one start from the Dozzer. Chad Tracy backs up the corner infield positions. He's usually pretty comparable to LaRoche, but this year is pretty comparable to an end table. He's gone 8-53 with seven singles and a homer. Does the futilty team need a futility infielder? (see what I did there?) Davey Johnson spent his last few years as a veteran backup on a good Phillies teams, and is said to value those sorts of players, but mercy, his vet backups are not helping him right now. You know this team well enough. One stranger who you don't know is Jeff Kobernus, an outfield reserve whose name I am not making up. He went to Berkley, got drafted in the second round in 2009, was nailed by the Red Sox in the Rule 5 Draft, traded to the Tigers, and returned to Nats. He's really an infielder but he got called up last week to help in the outfield (presumably after Clown Question hit the DL. He doesn't have a hit yet, and I wouldn't grow too attached to him, as he's clearly the odd man out if Werth returns as expected. Good contact, low power output.

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 05:05 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Matchup One Jordan Zimmermann has been as good a pitcher on as there has been for any team in the division with a non-Harvenian presence. He's 8-3 with a 2.37 ERA and he pitches deep into games. But, you may remind me, the Mets handed him his first loss of the season. Yes, I'll reply, but it took a five-pitcher shutout by the Mets to pull it off, and he's got a 1.85 ERA againt the Mets over his last six starts against the team. It's not like we've suddenly got his number. He comes, however, off of a bad start against Baltimore, and he catches Jeremy Hefner, who put up a goodie against the Yankees. These two guys are kind of having antithetical seasons, so it's good that they're opposing each other.

Frayed Knot Jun 04 2013 05:07 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Read the other day that this team currently has like the 4th or 5th worst OBA for any team in the division (post-1969) era. Can't remember the exact numbers or the previous teams that were lower but, I gotta say, I didn't see this one coming, nor did I foresee a sub-.500 nest of Gnats in June.

Zvon Jun 04 2013 05:09 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Thx :)

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 05:11 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Matchup Two Dan Haren is a wiley oldish vet, and Dillon Gee is a freshfaced young vet, but both have 5.00+ ERAs. The Nats have dropped Haren's last four starts, but he's pitched well in three of 'em, including a 10 strikeout game two starts back against Philly. Like Anthony Quinn and Juan O'Gorman, he's an enigmatic Irish Mexican. He has a slow delivery with a pause in the middle, which I think was true of those two also. Dillon's chillin', but he's comin' off a good start against the Yankees while pitching for his rotation life.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 04 2013 05:13 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do. Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 04 2013 05:22 PM

Espinosa and his "hurt shoulder" to the DL; 3B/young prospect'er Anthony Rendon up to... man second in his place? If he has a terrible debut, it'll still likely be an improvement over what they've been getting there.

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 05:15 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Shaun Marcum vs. Stephen Strassburg in game three. Marcum is winless and Strassburg is peerless. Assuming Strassburg makes it to the mound, I think we can all guess how this one is going to turn out.

bmfc1 Jun 04 2013 05:22 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Thursday is now Gio Gonzalez. And good news! Bob Carpenter is off this week. His replacement is local legend Johnny Holliday. He has quite an interesting background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Holliday and he is one of the few DC announcers that I like.

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 05:31 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Bullpen: Jeeps, everybody they got out there is good, so get to the starters. Tyler Clippard was saving 32 games for them last year and now he's number four in the pen a mere year later. Yankee $$-lover Rafael Soriano already has closed out 15 wins. Nationals with Metropolitan Style: The Nats having given up on eternally rehabbing former Met prospect Jesus Flores, no former Flushingers haunt the Nats roster. Manager Davey Johnson is a Met Hall of Famer, which is no small thingaling. Director of pro-scouting Bill Singer used to be the Mets' Director of racial harassment. Pre-game and post-game action is brought you cardiac health advocate and Mets post-season hero Ray Knight. Mets with Nationalist Leanings: Rick Ankiel spent a pair of low-average/decent sock years in Washington during his decline. Marlon Byrd was an original Nat back in 2005-2006. LaTroy Hawkins has never been a National. Before there were Nationals, there were Expos, a team Dan Warthen called home in the mid-to-late 70s.

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 06:52 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

With Werth and Harper giving themselves up to the cause in right, Roger Bernadina is out there until then, and will likely end up in one of the other outfield positions if Werth reappears. You've met Roger and are complaisant with him --- a meaty football type. Scott Hairston, but with more muscles. Can hit opposite field rockets, but can also chase breaking pitches at his feet. Definitely not getting it done this season (.479 OPS --- hello, futility team), but still dangerous. Went 11-32 against the Mets last year, but with no power, so I'm hoping their scouting report does the trick. Don't let me mislead you with my Hairston analogy. Benadina's a lefty. Also, the defense has hurt this team all year. Only the Dodgers have more errata.

Nymr83 Jun 04 2013 06:55 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Edgy MD wrote: Shaun Marcum vs. Stephen Strassburg in game three. Marcum is winless and Strassburg is peerless. Assuming Strassburg makes it to the mound, I think we can all guess how this one is going to turn out. It'll turn out the same way as playing the lowly Marlins fresh off a sweep of the Yankees- not the way you hope or expect!

Fman99 Jun 04 2013 06:56 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Bullpen: Jeeps, everybody they got out there is good, so get to the starters. Tyler Clippard was saving 32 games for them last year and now he's number four in the pen a mere year later. Yankee $$-lover Rafael Soriano already has closed out 15 wins. Nationals with Metropolitan Style: The Nats having given up on eternally rehabbing former Met prospect Jesus Flores, no former Flushingers haunt the Nats roster. Manager Davey Johnson is a Met Hall of Famer, which is no small thingaling. Director of pro-scouting Bill Singer used to be the Mets' Director of racial harassment. Pre-game and post-game action is brought you cardiac health advocate and Mets post-season hero Ray Knight. Mets with Nationalist Leanings: Rick Ankiel spent a year of low-average/decent sock years in Washington during his decline. Marlon Byrd was an original Nat back in 2005-2006. LaTroy Hawkins has never been a National. Before there were Nationals, there were Expos, a team Dan Warthen called home in the mid-to-late 70s. Looks like the current Nats 1B first base coach is former Met Tony Tarasco.

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 06:56 PM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Nymr83 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Shaun Marcum vs. Stephen Strassburg in game three. Marcum is winless and Strassburg is peerless. Assuming Strassburg makes it to the mound, I think we can all guess how this one is going to turn out. It'll turn out the same way as playing the lowly Marlins fresh off a sweep of the Yankees- not the way you hope or expect! Oh, no, I've got that one filed away as a Mets win.

Edgy MD Jun 06 2013 05:06 AM Re: Crap, I got a KTE to do.

Gio returns to the mound only occasionally looking like the near-Cy Young winner he was last year. Reports leaking from MLB to ESPN suggest that he isn't one of the players facing suspension despite his name coming up in the Biogenesis report. Interestingly, he's been as dangerous with the bat as the glove this year. That can't last, but keep your eyes open when he's at the plate. He wears Jordan-brand cleats with an elephant skin pattern, which he reports to be one of his top-ten pairs of skids ever.