Pitching Plaudits: K Street appreciation thread

[JCA-CrystalCity]

We are starting to see and hear lots of slobber about the Nats rotation from the national media, as the screw ESPN thread is now full of positive mentions.  Figure we need a thread for the positive mentions of the team and the rotation in particular.

Listening to Fox's broadcast of two unheralded teams facing each other in a building built next to a swamp, there was mega slobber over the rotation today, with a focus on the ERAs.  They even explained that E-Jax's 4.26 includes a shut out.

[NatsDad14]

Does that mean I have to also appreciate every shady lobbyist and prostitute that resides on that street too?

[The Chief]

I also never expected the "screw ESPN" thread to carry on for this long.  I posted that early last year as more of a passing FU for them telling people not to watch our games.  Definitely did not expect it to become the PC rage omg ESPN disrespected us thread

^^^ bears repeating.

On-topic: The Partly Cloudy Platoon is down with this thread.

[Nathan]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7834237/washington-nationals-quality-young-arms

Gio Gonzalez bounced out of the Nationals' dugout wearing a smile as wide as the strike zone. He smiles a lot, he always has, and he should: He is 26, left-handed and signed long term, and throws 95 mph with a good changeup and a curveball that calcifies left-handed hitters. And, most important, he is a critical member of the best pitching staff in the game.

There is so much to like about the Nationals' pitching. Every night, they will send out a starting pitcher, under the age of 29, who throws in the 90s. Every night, they can bring several power arms out of the bullpen as well. Every night, with the game's best pitching, they have a chance to win.

No wonder Gio Gonzalez is always smiling.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7834237/washington-nationals-quality-young-arms

[Nathan]

I also posted it in the "Screw ESPN" thread, copypasta here:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7834237/washington-nationals-quality-young-arms

Gio Gonzalez bounced out of the Nationals' dugout wearing a smile as wide as the strike zone. He smiles a lot, he always has, and he should: He is 26, left-handed and signed long term, and throws 95 mph with a good changeup and a curveball that calcifies left-handed hitters. And, most important, he is a critical member of the best pitching staff in the game.

There is so much to like about the Nationals' pitching. Every night, they will send out a starting pitcher, under the age of 29, who throws in the 90s. Every night, they can bring several power arms out of the bullpen as well. Every night, with the game's best pitching, they have a chance to win.

No wonder Gio Gonzalez is always smiling.

[wpa2629]

Nathan likes it so much he posted it twice!

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Thanks SoxFan59 for the shout out for K Street from Chicago:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/sc-spt-0422-notes-rogers-baseball--20120422,0,6500497.column

juicy quotes:

Though the Nationals enjoyed a soft schedule to start the season, with 10 of the first 14 against the Cubs, Mets and Astros, their pitching — especially their starting pitching — has been impressive. The Nationals went into the weekend with a 2.08 ERA from Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler, the lowest ERA from any group of starters

With those guys holding opponents to a .188 batting average, the Nationals already have won three 3-2 games, a 2-1 game and the 1-0 gem Gonzalez started Tuesday. Can the Nats keep winning with such little hitting?

"It is sustainable for this team," veteran reliever Brad Lidge said. "Obviously we're not going to win every game 1-0, but it's sustainable for the simple fact that our rotation is so good."

[Tyler Durden]

I'm most impressed with Gio.  The knock on him was supposed to be giving up too many walks - he's been outstanding in that area so far this year, giving up only 2.5 per 9 innings while striking out over 10 - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gonzagi01.shtml

Stras is what he was last year and so is JZ - both really good.  But Gio seems to have taken a step forward.

[PowerBoater69]

Stras is what he was last year and so is JZ - both really good.  But Gio seems to have taken a step forward.

Detwiler too.

[Smithian]

I'm hoping Ryan Zimmerman will start hitting and Michael Morse will be back and producing by the time our pitching comes back towards Earth a bit.

[Evolution33]

I was wondering when K Street would make it to WNFF. In case you were wondering it does have a Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/KStreetNats

[imref]

how awesome was it to see Detwiler shut down the fish, and know that they still had to face Strasburg and Gio?  this rotation is as good as any I've ever seen.

[Evolution33]

Here are some numbers I looked at this afternoon. Through 98.2 IP the Nats starters have an ERA of 1.82, WHIP of 0.86, and a K/BB rate of 4.55. In 1997 Pedro Martinez had a 1.90 ERA, 0.932 WHIP, and 4.55 K/BB. I don't think the rotation can keep this up all season, but that gives some idea of how good they have been thus far. 

[PowerBoater69]

I was wondering when K Street would make it to WNFF. In case you were wondering it does have a Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/KStreetNats

K Street started up in 2010, it just disappeared for a while after Stras got hurt.

[The Chief]

I was wondering when K Street would make it to WNFF. In case you were wondering it does have a Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/KStreetNats

Not sure what you mean.  There were mentions of it on the forum as soon as it became a thing in the media.  This thread was created a bit later on.

[The Chief]

Here we go, April 13th:

http://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=26195.msg977933#msg977933

[Evolution33]

Here we go, April 13th:

http://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=26195.msg977933#msg977933

Yeah but this tweet is before both. https://twitter.com/DavidHuzzard/status/190169718718611456
As is the podcast http://www.blogtalkradio.com/citizensofnatstown/2012/04/13/episode-8-home-opener

[Lintyfresh85]

So you're saying WNFF stole your idea?

[Evolution33]

So you're saying WNFF stole your idea?

It belongs to all of Natstown. Was glad to see it made it over here. Section 138 also made shirts in case anyone is interested in them http://274742.spreadshirt.com/k-street-red-outline-I11872877

[Lintyfresh85]

Are you also suggesting FP stole it from your Twitter account?

[PowerBoater69]

Here we go, April 13th:

http://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=26195.msg977933#msg977933

6/11/2010

http://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=18236.msg580534#msg580534

[Evolution33]

6/11/2010

http://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=18236.msg580534#msg580534

They actually used it in RFK in 2005. Did anyone really want to nickname the rotation K Street in 2010. I mean it did include Luis Atilano and Yunesky Maya.

[PowerBoater69]

They actually used it in RFK in 2005. Did anyone really want to nickname the rotation K Street in 2010. I mean it did include Luis Atilano and Yunesky Maya.

It was used specifically for Strasburg in 2010, so it's been refactored to include the whole rotation, but still hardly new.

[nats2playoffs]

It belongs to all of Natstown. Was glad to see it made it over here. Section 138 also made shirts in case anyone is interested in them http://274742.spreadshirt.com/k-street-red-outline-I11872877

The white shirt selection makes it a little more obvious that it's a take-off on a street sign.