Series Preview: Nats @ Mets -- Aug 9-11

[Frayed Knot]

We haven't had one of these in a while. But this series is important enough to warrant one, as is this time of year.
And while no one game is crucial yet, we need to keep the ship at an above-.500 pace vs these other contenders in order to make the recent stretch vs the sisters
of the poor even a little bit meaningful.



We last saw these guys in late May (20-23) when our four-game sweep of them looked like it might leave them for dead at 19-31, in 4th place and 10 games out.
They were so dead that they won just 46 of their next 61 games. More recently they've gone 6-7 in their last 13 games against mostly decent squads: LAD, ATL, ARZ, SFG


We'll miss Scherzer, currently IL'd with a back strain (specifically the rhomboid muscle ... bet you didn't even know you had a rhomboid muscle!) unless they decide
to dramatically bring him back for Sunday's finale as he bursts out of the bullpen WWE-style to a rousing roar of ... no wait, they'll be on the road, so scratch that idea.

Instead it's Strasburg, possibly in the midst of his best ML season, vs Stroman on Friday
Lefty Patrick Corbin goes on Saturday's 7:10 start vs Syndergaard
and Sunday's 1:10 match features Anibal Sanchez vs deGrom (so we won't score)

Currently IL'd: the previously mentioned Scherzer; also Howie Kendrick (hammy) but he may be back on Sunday; Ryan Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis - extended absence); as well as the usual variety of subs & relievers
Matt Adams has been playing most of the 1B and Brian Dozier mostly 2nd, although Asdrubal Cabrera is now a (re)-Nat so he could be at either/or.
Anthony Rendon missed their last game with a toe injury and his immediate status seems to be up in the air.

Juan Soto is really good, especially since he's still about 14 years old. The more highly touted Victor Robles is less so, but those two and Adam Eaton man the OF almost every game.
Turner & Rendon are at SS & 3B every day; Yan Gomes & Kurt Suzuki pretty much swap catching.

Their pen is worse than ours -- yes, really! -- as they've gone through any number of dudes trying to find a workable combination including bringing in multiple guys at the trade deadline.
Even Sean Doolittle at the back end has had his troubles.

[MFS62]

I will not miss a moment of sleep if Rendon misses the series.
Later

[MFS62]

I will not miss a moment of sleep if Rendon misses the series.
Later

F**K.
Later

[MFS62]

F**K!
Later

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, but if I had offered you two of three before this series started you've have jumped all over it.

[MFS62]

Yeah, but if I had offered you two of three before this series started you've have jumped all over it.

Yes.
But that guy is still a pain in the rosy red rectum.
That said, if the Mets should sign him when he becomes a free agent, I would love him just as much as I don't now.
Later

[Lefty Specialist]

With our luck, we'd sign him and he'd hit .218 with no power.