Monday, August 29, 2005
Nationals Win Just 1 Against the Cards and Now Face 4 Games in Atlanta and Then 10 Straight Games at home vs. NL East rivals
Went to my second ever Sunday day game (hey, Zimmerman was supposedly, possibly going to be promoted Sunday, he wasn't). Left early.
Weekend:
Two lefties started for the Nationals and both games ended up 0-6 shut-outs of the Nationals offense.
Saturday:
Marquis pitched for the injured Mulder while White pitched for the injured Drese in Saturday's game. Marquis ended up picking up a complete game 2 hit shut-out (3 strike-out), while White lasted just 4 innings and gave up 4 runs, 3 hits, 3 walks and managed to strike out 3. Carrasco relieved White and pitched two solid scoreless innings. Then Stanton came in and pitched the next two innings, giving up 2 runs. Majewski finished the game with a very solid appearance in the 9th inning.
Saturday's Line-up:
Marlon Byrd, LF 1 for 4, .248
Jose Vidro, 2B 0 for 4, 1 SO .262
Nick Johnson, 1B 0 for 3, 1 SO .293
Jose Guillen, RF 0 for 3, .301
Preston Wilson, CF 0 for 3, 1 SO .262
Vinny Castilla, 3B 0 for 3, .248
Brian Schneider, C 0 for 3, .284
Cristian Guzman, SS 1 for 3, .195
Matt J. White, P 0 for 1, .000
a- Tony Blanco, PH 0 for 1, .200
Carlos Baerga, 3B 0 for 1, .269
Here's an interesting transaction message: "8/27Purchased the contract of LHP Matt White from New Orleans of the PCL and optioned him back to New Orleans."
CBS box score.
Sunday:
Unlike White, Halama pitched a very solid 5.1 innings, and only had two runs added to his ERA after he left the game. Carrasco relieved Halama in the fifth inning with 2 runners on base. He then proceed to give up three runs. Runs charged to Carrasco: zero. Runs charged to Halama: 2. Runs caused by error: 1 - Carroll wild throw.
Carrasco closed out that inning and was replaced by Majewski for the seventh. Majewski strike-out 3. He in turn was replaced by Stanton, who did what he did the day before: gave up runs, this time 3 runs off of 3 hits and 1 walk in 0.2 innings pitched. Jason Bergmann made his first major league appearance and gave up 1 hit, strike-out 3 in 1.1 innings pitched, and even was allowed to get his first major league at-bat (0 hits). 6'4" Bergmann spent the 2002 season in single A Vermont and started 14 games. He went 7-4 with an era of 2.89 in 71.2 IP giving up 48 hits, 23 ER, 4 HR, hit 9 batters, walked 33 and struck out 57.
2003: Single A Savannah:
6-11, 4.29, 22 GS (23 G) 1 CG 1 SHO, 109 IP 108 H 52 ER 8 HR 11 HBP 53 BB 82 SO
2004:
AA-Harrisburg:
2 Games 0-2, 9.00 4 IP 7 H 4 ER 3 HR 2 BB 3 SO
A-Brevard City:
24 Games 3-2, 1.14 8 Saves, 31.2 IP 20 H 4 ER 2 HBP 18 BB 28 SO
A- Savannah:
13 GS: 3-7, 4.85 65 IP 67 H 35 ER 6 HR 7 HBP 34 BB 58 SO
2005:
AA-Harrisburg:
21 Games: 2-0, 1.22 5 saves, 37 IP 27 H 5 ER 3 HR 16 BB 37 SO
AAA-New Orleans:
20Games: 3-2, 3.16 2 saves, 37 IP 26 H 13 ER 5 HR 13 BB 39 SO
CBS box score. Nationals.com recap. ESPN.com recap. SI.com recap. Washington Post.com recap ( The Nationals shuffled off the field and dressed for the road, their scoreless streak at 21 innings, their once-promising season on the verge of slipping away from them. ).
Bowden: "[The players] in the locker room know they have three more games before the rosters expand," Bowden said. "They all know by the last game in Atlanta that there is going to be enough choices for Frank that he doesn't have to play any of them, if he doesn't want to. There's going to be choices everywhere. These guys have three days to wake up. We are going to Atlanta with John Patterson, Livan Hernandez and Esteban Loaiza on the mound before the roster expands. Our best guys are going at them, and you know what? Be a man, wake up and do some damage. Or guess what? After that, Frank can do what he can do. When we get to Thursday, and they are not hitting, you might as well put other people in there. There are a lot of guys that can score no runs a game."
NL EAST:
Braves won Sunday 5-2 over the Brewers. Florida lost 3-14 to the Cubs. Arizona defeated the Phillies 10-5. Mets lost 1-4 against the Giants.
Braves 74-56
Phillies 70-61, 4.5 GB
Marlins 69-61, 5.0 GB
Mets 68-62, 6.0 GB
Nationals 67-63, 7.0 GB
Wild Card:
Same as above plus: Astros lost 0-1 to the LA Dodgers.
Phillies 70-61,
Marlins 69-61, 0.5 GB
Astros 68-62, 1.5 GB
Mets 68-62, 1.5 GB
Nationals 67-63, 2.5 GB
Brewers 64-67, 6.0 GB
Monday: 74-56 Atlanta vs. 67-63 Washington in 4 game series in Atlanta
John Patterson (8-4, 2.43) vs. Jorge Sosa (9-2, 2.56)
Scouting Report:
Patterson will face the Braves for the third time this season. He has yet to pick up a decision, but he has given up only one run in 12 innings. In his last start, Patterson threw 8 1/3 solid innings and helped the Nationals defeat the Reds, 5-3.
Sosa proved he belongs in the rotation by limiting the Cubs to one run and four hits on Wednesday. The right-hander is 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 13 starts this season. He limited the Nationals to two runs in five innings during a victorious July 28 start at Turner Field. Opponents have hit just .233 against Sosa as a starter.
CBS preview. Nationals.com preview. ESPN.com stat pack, preview ("Braves kick off 10-game homestand against fading Nationals"). Nationals-Braves preview by FOX.com; Head-to-Head (edge to Braves in hitting and errors, edge to Nationals in pitching). FOX.com team report: "Technically speaking, the Nationals' season won't be over by the end of this week. Realistically speaking, it very well could be. Washington faces a daunting test: four games at NL East-leading Atlanta, followed by three games at home against the wild-card-leading Phillies. For a Nationals team teetering on the brink of collapse, this stretch could be a last gasp. Manager Frank Robinson prefers not to put too much emphasis on one week's worth of games." SI.com preview. Yahoo.com preview.
Tuesday:
Livan Hernandez (14-6, 3.87) vs. John Thompson (3-4, 4.97)
Scouting Report:
Hernandez hopes that he can have a better outing against the Braves. In his last two starts, Hernandez has given up 12 runs in eight innings. His ERA has soared from 3.45 to 3.87.
Thomson has gone 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in the three starts he's made since being activated from the disabled list. He hasn't completed four innings in either of his past two starts. After allowing seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Cubs on Tuesday, he said he thought he'd made some progress from the previous start.
Wednesday:
Esteban Loaiza (9-9, 3.57) vs. Horacio Ramirez (10-8, 4.58)
Scouting Report:
Loaiza will face the Braves for the fourth time this season. Loaiza has yet to pick up a decision, but he has a respectable 3.32 ERA against them. In his last start, Loaiza pitched seven solid innings and gave up one run on three hits against the Cardinals, as the Nationals won the game, 4-1.
Ramirez is pitching better than he has all season, posting a 1.99 ERA in his past three starts. But he still has just one win to show for his efforts during that stretch. He's surrended a team-high 26 home runs. In two starts against the Nationals this year, he's totaled 13 2/3 innings and surrendered five runs.
Thursday:
TBA vs. TBA (John Smoltz according to Fox.com & Yahoo.com)
For no reason what-so-ever, I'll mention: McCants Released by Redskins ( Darnerien McCants, once likened by Coach Joe Gibbs to his former star receiver Art Monk, has been released by the Washington Redskins )
and "As Angry Nats Fans Organize, Anti-Cable Agenda Suspected" by Thomas Heath and David Nakamura in the August 27th Washington Post.
Buses packed with baseball fans are scheduled to roll shortly after noon today from seven popular Washington area sports bars to the Nationals game at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.
Each fan will receive a free ticket and a white T-shirt with a slogan -- "Hey Comcast! Hey Angelos! You can. You won't. We lose!" At the game, they'll be instructed to wave posters and bumper stickers advertising a Web site -- http://www.iwantmynatstv.com/ .
Everybody Venting by Mark Zuckerman ("Nats' frustrations mount")
If the Washington Nationals didn't hit rock bottom yesterday in a 6-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, it's hard to imagine what rock bottom looks like.
Weekend:
Two lefties started for the Nationals and both games ended up 0-6 shut-outs of the Nationals offense.
Saturday:
Marquis pitched for the injured Mulder while White pitched for the injured Drese in Saturday's game. Marquis ended up picking up a complete game 2 hit shut-out (3 strike-out), while White lasted just 4 innings and gave up 4 runs, 3 hits, 3 walks and managed to strike out 3. Carrasco relieved White and pitched two solid scoreless innings. Then Stanton came in and pitched the next two innings, giving up 2 runs. Majewski finished the game with a very solid appearance in the 9th inning.
Saturday's Line-up:
Marlon Byrd, LF 1 for 4, .248
Jose Vidro, 2B 0 for 4, 1 SO .262
Nick Johnson, 1B 0 for 3, 1 SO .293
Jose Guillen, RF 0 for 3, .301
Preston Wilson, CF 0 for 3, 1 SO .262
Vinny Castilla, 3B 0 for 3, .248
Brian Schneider, C 0 for 3, .284
Cristian Guzman, SS 1 for 3, .195
Matt J. White, P 0 for 1, .000
a- Tony Blanco, PH 0 for 1, .200
Carlos Baerga, 3B 0 for 1, .269
Here's an interesting transaction message: "8/27Purchased the contract of LHP Matt White from New Orleans of the PCL and optioned him back to New Orleans."
CBS box score.
Sunday:
Unlike White, Halama pitched a very solid 5.1 innings, and only had two runs added to his ERA after he left the game. Carrasco relieved Halama in the fifth inning with 2 runners on base. He then proceed to give up three runs. Runs charged to Carrasco: zero. Runs charged to Halama: 2. Runs caused by error: 1 - Carroll wild throw.
Carrasco closed out that inning and was replaced by Majewski for the seventh. Majewski strike-out 3. He in turn was replaced by Stanton, who did what he did the day before: gave up runs, this time 3 runs off of 3 hits and 1 walk in 0.2 innings pitched. Jason Bergmann made his first major league appearance and gave up 1 hit, strike-out 3 in 1.1 innings pitched, and even was allowed to get his first major league at-bat (0 hits). 6'4" Bergmann spent the 2002 season in single A Vermont and started 14 games. He went 7-4 with an era of 2.89 in 71.2 IP giving up 48 hits, 23 ER, 4 HR, hit 9 batters, walked 33 and struck out 57.
2003: Single A Savannah:
6-11, 4.29, 22 GS (23 G) 1 CG 1 SHO, 109 IP 108 H 52 ER 8 HR 11 HBP 53 BB 82 SO
2004:
AA-Harrisburg:
2 Games 0-2, 9.00 4 IP 7 H 4 ER 3 HR 2 BB 3 SO
A-Brevard City:
24 Games 3-2, 1.14 8 Saves, 31.2 IP 20 H 4 ER 2 HBP 18 BB 28 SO
A- Savannah:
13 GS: 3-7, 4.85 65 IP 67 H 35 ER 6 HR 7 HBP 34 BB 58 SO
2005:
AA-Harrisburg:
21 Games: 2-0, 1.22 5 saves, 37 IP 27 H 5 ER 3 HR 16 BB 37 SO
AAA-New Orleans:
20Games: 3-2, 3.16 2 saves, 37 IP 26 H 13 ER 5 HR 13 BB 39 SO
CBS box score. Nationals.com recap. ESPN.com recap. SI.com recap. Washington Post.com recap ( The Nationals shuffled off the field and dressed for the road, their scoreless streak at 21 innings, their once-promising season on the verge of slipping away from them. ).
Bowden: "[The players] in the locker room know they have three more games before the rosters expand," Bowden said. "They all know by the last game in Atlanta that there is going to be enough choices for Frank that he doesn't have to play any of them, if he doesn't want to. There's going to be choices everywhere. These guys have three days to wake up. We are going to Atlanta with John Patterson, Livan Hernandez and Esteban Loaiza on the mound before the roster expands. Our best guys are going at them, and you know what? Be a man, wake up and do some damage. Or guess what? After that, Frank can do what he can do. When we get to Thursday, and they are not hitting, you might as well put other people in there. There are a lot of guys that can score no runs a game."
NL EAST:
Braves won Sunday 5-2 over the Brewers. Florida lost 3-14 to the Cubs. Arizona defeated the Phillies 10-5. Mets lost 1-4 against the Giants.
Braves 74-56
Phillies 70-61, 4.5 GB
Marlins 69-61, 5.0 GB
Mets 68-62, 6.0 GB
Nationals 67-63, 7.0 GB
Wild Card:
Same as above plus: Astros lost 0-1 to the LA Dodgers.
Phillies 70-61,
Marlins 69-61, 0.5 GB
Astros 68-62, 1.5 GB
Mets 68-62, 1.5 GB
Nationals 67-63, 2.5 GB
Brewers 64-67, 6.0 GB
Monday: 74-56 Atlanta vs. 67-63 Washington in 4 game series in Atlanta
John Patterson (8-4, 2.43) vs. Jorge Sosa (9-2, 2.56)
Scouting Report:
Patterson will face the Braves for the third time this season. He has yet to pick up a decision, but he has given up only one run in 12 innings. In his last start, Patterson threw 8 1/3 solid innings and helped the Nationals defeat the Reds, 5-3.
Sosa proved he belongs in the rotation by limiting the Cubs to one run and four hits on Wednesday. The right-hander is 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 13 starts this season. He limited the Nationals to two runs in five innings during a victorious July 28 start at Turner Field. Opponents have hit just .233 against Sosa as a starter.
CBS preview. Nationals.com preview. ESPN.com stat pack, preview ("Braves kick off 10-game homestand against fading Nationals"). Nationals-Braves preview by FOX.com; Head-to-Head (edge to Braves in hitting and errors, edge to Nationals in pitching). FOX.com team report: "Technically speaking, the Nationals' season won't be over by the end of this week. Realistically speaking, it very well could be. Washington faces a daunting test: four games at NL East-leading Atlanta, followed by three games at home against the wild-card-leading Phillies. For a Nationals team teetering on the brink of collapse, this stretch could be a last gasp. Manager Frank Robinson prefers not to put too much emphasis on one week's worth of games." SI.com preview. Yahoo.com preview.
Tuesday:
Livan Hernandez (14-6, 3.87) vs. John Thompson (3-4, 4.97)
Scouting Report:
Hernandez hopes that he can have a better outing against the Braves. In his last two starts, Hernandez has given up 12 runs in eight innings. His ERA has soared from 3.45 to 3.87.
Thomson has gone 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in the three starts he's made since being activated from the disabled list. He hasn't completed four innings in either of his past two starts. After allowing seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Cubs on Tuesday, he said he thought he'd made some progress from the previous start.
Wednesday:
Esteban Loaiza (9-9, 3.57) vs. Horacio Ramirez (10-8, 4.58)
Scouting Report:
Loaiza will face the Braves for the fourth time this season. Loaiza has yet to pick up a decision, but he has a respectable 3.32 ERA against them. In his last start, Loaiza pitched seven solid innings and gave up one run on three hits against the Cardinals, as the Nationals won the game, 4-1.
Ramirez is pitching better than he has all season, posting a 1.99 ERA in his past three starts. But he still has just one win to show for his efforts during that stretch. He's surrended a team-high 26 home runs. In two starts against the Nationals this year, he's totaled 13 2/3 innings and surrendered five runs.
Thursday:
TBA vs. TBA (John Smoltz according to Fox.com & Yahoo.com)
For no reason what-so-ever, I'll mention: McCants Released by Redskins ( Darnerien McCants, once likened by Coach Joe Gibbs to his former star receiver Art Monk, has been released by the Washington Redskins )
and "As Angry Nats Fans Organize, Anti-Cable Agenda Suspected" by Thomas Heath and David Nakamura in the August 27th Washington Post.
Buses packed with baseball fans are scheduled to roll shortly after noon today from seven popular Washington area sports bars to the Nationals game at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.
Each fan will receive a free ticket and a white T-shirt with a slogan -- "Hey Comcast! Hey Angelos! You can. You won't. We lose!" At the game, they'll be instructed to wave posters and bumper stickers advertising a Web site -- http://www.iwantmynatstv.com/ .
Everybody Venting by Mark Zuckerman ("Nats' frustrations mount")
If the Washington Nationals didn't hit rock bottom yesterday in a 6-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, it's hard to imagine what rock bottom looks like.
