Author Topic: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview  (Read 1190 times)

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Offline sportsfan882

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Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Topic Start: June 05, 2007, 04:52:58 PM »
Quote
The Pittsburgh Pirates hope going on the road can help them get out of their latest funk. Opening their trip against the lowly Washington Nationals should also help.

The Pirates begin a six-game road swing with a three-game series against the Nationals at RFK Stadium on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh (24-33) lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 on Monday, completing a seven-game homestand with just two wins. While the Pirates have the third-worst home record in the league at 11-19, they have won three of their last four away from PNC Park.

Washington (23-34), meanwhile, has the fourth-worst home record in the NL (13-17), and is 2-4 on its current nine-game homestand.

Pittsburgh's Xavier Nady hit his ninth homer of the season on Monday, and is 7-for-18 (.389) with two home runs and five RBIs in his last four road games.

Left fielder Jason Bay is batting .563 (9-for-16) with two homers and eight RBIs in his last four road games, and was 8-for-24 with a home run and seven RBIs in six games against the Nationals last season.

Shawn Chacon (1-0, 2.84 ERA) looks to carry some momentum from his last outing in Tuesday's series opener.

Chacon made 16 appearances out of the bullpen before replacing the ineffective Tony Armas in the Pirates' rotation. He's coming off a dominating performance, striking out 10 in seven shutout innings while allowing only three hits, but the bullpen squandered his gem as Pittsburgh lost 4-2 in 11 innings.

"I kind of had an invisible ball I guess with those swing and misses. That's just something to build on," Chacon told the Pirates' official Web site.

In his only start against the Nationals last season, the right-hander allowed six runs in 4 1-3 innings of an 11-9 loss for the New York Yankees on June 17. Chacon is 2-2 with a 4.14 ERA in eight games - six starts - lifetime against the Washington franchise.

The Nationals lost 7-3 to San Diego on Sunday, and own the second-worst record in the NL.

Shortstop Cristian Guzman is batting .571 (12-for-21) with seven runs in his last five games, while Ryan Zimmerman, who hit a two-run homer in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Padres, has two home runs and eight RBIs in his last four.

Mike Bacsik (1-1, 2.29) seeks another solid outing when he makes his fourth start of the season on Tuesday.

Bacsik, who is pitching in the majors for the first time since 2004, has been doing an admirable job as a replacement for the injured Jason Bergmann, but hasn't been getting much help from his offense.

He gave up four runs - two earned - and six hits in six innings of a 5-0 loss to Wednesday. The left-hander has allowed two earned runs or less in two of his starts, but his offense has scored just one run in those games.

"I have confidence in myself. I've had it the whole time," Bacsik told the Nationals' official Web site. "Being in the minor leagues, you look at the transactions and see some guys go up and you think, 'Gosh, you can do better than he can.'"

This will be Bacsik's first career start against the Pirates.
 
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2006-2007, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

Offline 2k6nats

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If you were to make a thread for every time the Nats are called "lowly" in game previews and such, they would fill General Discussion.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #2: June 05, 2007, 04:59:52 PM »
True, I just found it odd that a mediocre team such as the Pirates can look at another team as "lowly". 

Offline The Chief

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #3: June 05, 2007, 05:02:04 PM »
The gloves are off.  We must now sweep the LOWLY Pirates.  There is no other option.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #4: June 05, 2007, 05:06:46 PM »
What? We're both LOWLY. The Pirates are just as bad as we are.

Offline kimnat

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #5: June 05, 2007, 06:37:36 PM »
They're one game better than us and WE'RE LOWLY???????  That's one horrible, and I mean horrible!!! writer!  AP adding bias to their writing!  I expect that in a hometown paper.  But the AP knows better and has no reason to do that!  PISSES ME OFF!!!!!

Doesn't help that I'm listening to Levin about the Libby debacle!  That's ticking me off too.  DAMN Fitzgerald!  He should be sent to prison!  Sorry, I know that's OT, but I'm cranky.  And now some idiotic AP writer puts out this crap.....  look out guys  I'm getting riled up!

Offline PC

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #6: June 05, 2007, 06:43:15 PM »
The same person writes all of the Nats AP previews because they all have the same tone, regardless of the opponent.

http://www.wnff.net/index.php/topic,3689.0.html

Offline kimnat

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #7: June 05, 2007, 06:45:22 PM »
Then that reject of an idiotic writer should be fired!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Offline heatchucker

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #8: June 05, 2007, 11:54:38 PM »
I think its hilarious when they say the lowly Nats (23-34) and then mention the Pirates at (24-33)  HAHAH 1 game away from being the lowly Pirates  jeez writers  read what your friggin writing

Offline spidernat

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #9: June 06, 2007, 12:42:17 AM »
But he was right about how playing the Nationals would help the Pirates.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #10: June 06, 2007, 06:58:15 AM »
Go ahead and delete this thread Mods.. The Pirates are far superior to our team, I don't know what I was thinking.   :worship:

Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #11: June 06, 2007, 09:09:32 AM »
Its amazing how some of us throw in the towel after a simple three game losing streak.

Bacsik just got hammered on a night he did not pitch "Cy-Young-like."  It was due to happen as majority of us knew a rotation like this wouldn't hold up forever and pitch like a miracle every game. We need our starters back.

Zach Duke has been sucking this year so I think we will get the Bucs tonight as long as our offense shows up and Bowie keeps the damage down.

I got in in time to see Cordero pitch in the top of the ninth and he looked good with 2 Ks and a pop out.  Aggressive Chief of old!

Offline shoeshineboy

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #12: June 06, 2007, 09:13:50 AM »
Its amazing how some of us throw in the towel after a simple three game losing streak.

I think it is more of a matter of expectations. The Nats are still the team that was correctly slated to be a cellar dweller. They may not be historically bad, but expecting this team to play .500 ball is a tall order. The fact that they are striving for it is a good thing, because they have to play as well as they can to expect to win games against better teams - which is pretty much everyone. And as always, everything starts with starting pitching. Bacsik had a dreadful performance. But, like usual, the team did not give up and remained competitive.

Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #13: June 06, 2007, 09:55:19 AM »
I think it is more of a matter of expectations. The Nats are still the team that was correctly slated to be a cellar dweller. They may not be historically bad, but expecting this team to play .500 ball is a tall order. The fact that they are striving for it is a good thing, because they have to play as well as they can to expect to win games against better teams - which is pretty much everyone. And as always, everything starts with starting pitching. Bacsik had a dreadful performance. But, like usual, the team did not give up and remained competitive.

Yep, regardless of last night's outcome, I remain positive about the performance.  They could of easily given up after the third but they battled back and made it interesting.  A "lowly team" never would of made it a one run game.

Of course I want them to win but I will take a game like last night anyday over a complete blowout.  Like I said, I feel good about tonight.  GO NATS!

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #14: June 06, 2007, 10:04:08 AM »

Doesn't help that I'm listening to Levin about the Libby debacle!  That's ticking me off too.  DAMN Fitzgerald!  He should be sent to prison! 

Not sure I understand this, but as for your main point, I agree that the AP wonk is a bona fide turd.  But wire service writers are generally pretty mediocre, and seem to rely more on canned language (e.g. "lowly Nationals") than bona fide sports journos who write for the better dailies.   

natsfan1a

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #15: June 06, 2007, 11:03:34 AM »
It's my usual practice to try and come up with some positives after a loss. My thoughts last night were that the team was competitive, kept chipping away at the lead, and almost came back. I thought that Chief was looking really good, as was Guze. Evidently Bacsik was battling some sort of stomach ailment. It didn't seem to hurt his fielding or batting but unfortunately his pitching was off last nite.

Yep, regardless of last night's outcome, I remain positive about the performance.  They could of easily given up after the third but they battled back and made it interesting.  A "lowly team" never would of made it a one run game.

Of course I want them to win but I will take a game like last night anyday over a complete blowout.  Like I said, I feel good about tonight.  GO NATS!

Offline spidernat

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #16: June 06, 2007, 12:29:33 PM »
Who's throwing in the towel?

Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #17: June 06, 2007, 01:32:25 PM »
It's my usual practice to try and come up with some positives after a loss. My thoughts last night were that the team was competitive, kept chipping away at the lead, and almost came back. I thought that Chief was looking really good, as was Guze. Evidently Bacsik was battling some sort of stomach ailment. It didn't seem to hurt his fielding or batting but unfortunately his pitching was off last nite.


I was shocked to see Bacsik get that run.  Not everyday your pitcher puts some points on the board.

natsfan1a

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Re: Nats called "Lowly" in AP's Game Preview
« Reply #18: June 06, 2007, 02:29:29 PM »
I seem to recall the radio guys saying at one point that he was a converted position player.