Nationals @ Marlins, Game 3

[Air Zimmerman]

I agree DT.  It just sucks we have to wait 51 hours before our next Nats game.  Martis better stop the bleeding.

Thursday will be a much needed day off. it's a shame Shairon is going to have to go against Lowe on Friday.

[GburgNatsFan]

No argument from me. He's better than Milledge (but not as good as Kearns).

Dukes played a fine game and deserves the CF job.

This loss is on the pitchers and several unclutch ABs by the hitters.

[Minty Fresh]

(Image removed from quote.)

I cannot stop laughing at this image.  I am literally typing through the tears as we speak.

I demand this be made into a usable image in the smilie area.

[sportsfan882]

everyone has turned on Milledge. I love it.

[UMDNats]

josh bard with an awesome 5 LOB in 2 at bats. What a great decision to pinch-hit him when we have Nick, Flores, Gonzalez, and (even) Milledge on the bench.

I'm quickly losing my patience with Acta.

[DieselTurtle]

josh bard with an awesome 5 LOB in 2 at bats. What a great decision to pinch-hit him when we have Nick, Flores, Gonzalez, and (even) Milledge on the bench.

I'm quickly losing my patience with Acta.

That's what I was missing from my negatives. What the hell was that all about?

[blue911]

josh bard with an awesome 5 LOB in 2 at bats. What a great decision to pinch-hit him when we have Nick, Flores, Gonzalez, and (even) Milledge on the bench.

I'm quickly losing my patience with Acta.

I don't mind him using Bard but why not for Willie Harris? That way Gonzalez actually has to think about if he wants a lefty/righty matchup or a righty/lefty.

[UMDNats]

I don't mind him using Bard but why not for Willie Harris? That way Gonzalez actually has to think about if he wants a lefty/righty matchup or a righty/lefty.

This too, but I'm just baffled that we have so many solid hitters on the bench and Acta goes to Bard because he wants to get a look at him. This isn't spring training anymore Acta, if you haven't noticed. We want to win games, and we have an off day tomorrow. No excuses not to use one of our solid hitters on the bench.

[sportsfan882]

Here's Dunn, talking about the start of the season. (Notice, he's no longer dismissing the hole his team is in.) "It's very frustrating. That is kind of an excuse, that it's only the third game. But, you know, we had our chances to win this game, and we let them slip.

Asked how he would sum up this series, Dunn said, "Awful. It was not how we wanted to start our season. And the only thing we can do is go put it behind us, clear our minds, get our minds right on the off day tomorrow, and take it to Atlanta."

this is so embarrassing/humiliating.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

this is so embarrassing/humiliating.

When did The Mule suddenly become the spokesperson for the team? For the past three days he has made some really great  completely obvious and oblivious quotes that we can treasure for a life time.

[sportsfan882]

This too, but I'm just baffled that we have so many solid hitters on the bench and Acta goes to Bard because he wants to get a look at him. This isn't spring training anymore Acta, if you haven't noticed. We want to win games, and we have an off day tomorrow. No excuses not to use one of our solid hitters on the bench.

Acta cares more about developing players than winning games

[blue911]

This too, but I'm just baffled that we have so many solid hitters on the bench and Acta goes to Bard because he wants to get a look at him. This isn't spring training anymore Acta, if you haven't noticed. We want to win games, and we have an off day tomorrow. No excuses not to use one of our solid hitters on the bench.

They say good managers are thinking three innings ahead but Manny wasn't even thinking one batter ahead. Manny doesn't seem to be managing. We all knew that Miller would probably get pulled but make the other manager have to sweat a little bit. This is what I'm referring to when I talk about letting the other team get too comfortable. We just don't push hard enough.

[NatsAddict]

Acta cares more about developing players than winning games

Then the Nats need to put him and his pitching instructor down there where they belong.

[sportsfan882]

Then the Nats need to put him and his pitching instructor down there where they belong.

I agree 100%. this isn't the little leagues/minor leagues. the goal up here is to win games. Acta and Co. don't get it and their lackadaisical attitude rubs off on the players.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Then the Nats need to put him and his pitching instructor down there where they belong.

Confess. Confess now. You are jubilant aren't you?

[Air Zimmerman]

everyone has turned on Milledge. I love it.

ya, i like Milledge a lot- but he's become the enemy. Dukes should be starting in CF!!!

[Nat of the Living Dead]

ya, i like Milledge a lot- but he's become the enemy. Dukes should be the starting in CF!

Please say you just didn't call someone "the enemy?" Please God--

You did. EPIC FAIL.

[DPMOmaha]

ya, i like Milledge a lot- but he's become the enemy. Dukes should be the starting in CF!

He's not the enemy,  but I'm actually ok with giving the everyday, or at least the most-of-the-days job to Dukes.

[hammondsnats]

I have complete faith Milledge, Dukes and Zimmerman will find their swings.  It's the third freakin game of the year.  Remember how cold Dukes started last year?  Remember how off Zimmerman has been in the past to start the season.  People are so freaking knee-jerk around here it's embarrassing. 

[UMDNats]

hammonds, is the far left pitcher zimmermann?

if so, that means 3 of the 5 pitchers on than sig are not on the team currently, and one isn't even in the organization

sad days in "natstown"

[hammondsnats]

hammonds, is the far left pitcher zimmermann?

if so, that means 3 of the 5 pitchers on than sig are not on the team currently, and one isn't even in the organization

zimmermann will be up in 2 weeks and if olsen and cabrera are crappy one of them will be gone and we'll see balester up soon.  strasburg is a whole other story.  some scout has said he's better than AJ Burnett right now, others have claimed him as the best pitching prospect they've ever seen.  obviously anything can change, but it's still exciting and gives us some glimmer of hope.

[UMDNats]

zimmermann will be up in 2 weeks and if olsen and cabrera are crappy one of them will be gone and we'll see balester up soon.  strasburg is a whole other story.  some scout has said he's better than AJ Burnett right now, others have claimed him as the best pitching prospect they've ever seen.  obviously anything can change, but it's still exciting and gives us some glimmer of hope.

i know, but isn't it kind of sad that we're pinning our hopes on a draft pick, a rookie, and a young kid with a 5+ ERA last year?

I have hope for them but I wish we had some stability already

[hammondsnats]

i know, but isn't it kind of sad that we're pinning our hopes on a draft pick, a rookie, and a young kid with a 5+ ERA last year?

I have hope for them but I wish we had some stability already

yeah, but i've been saying for a while i've prepared myself for this.  we went into the season  going with a young staff, we didn't go after a lowe/burnett/garland/whatever ... so it was expected.  i don't think they'll be this bad.  it sucks to start like this, that's for sure, but i'm not gonna freakin bury some of our players like some posters are doing after three games.  gotta keep a level head, sit back and hope these guys can deliver and hope the future is bright.





that and drink a lot.

[sportsfan882]

yeah, but i've been saying for a while i've prepared myself for this.  we went into the season  going with a young staff, we didn't go after a lowe/burnett/garland/whatever ... so it was expected.  i don't think they'll be this bad.  it sucks to start like this, that's for sure, but i'm not gonna freakin bury some of our players like some posters are doing after three games.  gotta keep a level head, sit back and hope these guys can deliver and hope the future is bright.





that and drink a lot.

if these young guys don't prove themselves this year then we are in a lot of trouble because they will never prove themselves. This includes RZ, Milledge, Dukes, etc. It's put up or shut up time.

FA starters are generally too risky and expensive. Of course Lowe/Burnett/Sabathia would have been nice but it's not realistic for us to acquire them. Guys like Jon Garland are not any better than anything we have here.

[hammondsnats]

if these young guys don't prove themselves this year then we are in a lot of trouble because they will never prove themselves. This includes RZ, Milledge, Dukes, etc. It's put up or shut up time.

FA starters are generally too risky and expensive. Of course Lowe/Burnett/Sabathia would have been nice but it's not realistic for us to acquire them. Guys like Jon Garland are not any better than anything we have here.

Garland is 106-89 w/ a sub 4.5 ERA in 9 seasons in the AL ... I'll take that here. 

I agree with letting the kids play, but I've also learned to accept there are going to be growing pains.  look we have growing pains right now - we're 0-3.  but, there also going to be nights when john lannan goes 6 shutout innings with 5 k's and jordan zimmermann goes 7 innings with 8 k's and milledge and zimmerman hit back-to-back homers.  But it would've been nice to have one of those stud veteran pitchers, just like our line-up has a veteran Dunn.