Nationals vs Phillies, Game 2

[Natsinpwc]

The Phillies don't have what it takes to win. They basically pitched three of their best four pitchers in the last two games and only won because of Patrick Corbin and Wander Suero. They just lost McCutchen for some time. I know the Mets are doing their best Mets impersonation, but I wouldn't be surprised if the team leading the division by September 1st isn't Atlanta. They've been a weird team all season, but somehow I think they could go on a small run and overtake both the Phillies and Mets. Really it doesn't matter, as even in a one game play in or a short series, the Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, and even the Reds are better bets to win.

That's a little misleading because Suarez could only go 3 innings in a starting role.  They need Eflin back.  Nola seems to be coming around.  I would have sold at the deadline if I was Dombrowski.  Or trade for two starters.  He seemed to go half ass.

[Smithian]

Nonsensical, but I blame tonight’s loss on last night.

Last night will go down like the Berkman swing game in 2010 when all the good vibes around a bad team were flushed down a toilet.

[Mattionals]

That's a little misleading because Suarez could only go 3 innings in a starting role.  They need Eflin back.  Nola seems to be coming around.  I would have sold at the deadline if I was Dombrowski.  Or trade for two starters.  He seemed to go half ass.

The Nola of old when he had a 2.something ERA looks gone though. Even "coming around" I think that guy settles in at more of a 3.50, which don't get me wrong is excellent, but I still don't see that bullpen in ANY fashion working for them. They also have a weird amount of holes in the lineup, which a year ago seemed very good. Now it's Segura, Realmutp, and Harper if he can stay healthy. The.big knock on him is that it seems like every 2 weeks he throws out his back or something.

Overall I know the Mets are trying to give this thing away, but the Phillies have to find a way to stop finding ways to lose first. Again, no team from this division is going anywhere. Too many flaws, too many holes, too many other good teams.

What I do see though is that the Phillies have a farm that is now probably ranked below the Nats, and can't seem to "put it all together". This entire rebuild the Phils have gone on since 2015 when they actually decided to stop trying to compete with the re-animated corpses of their 2008 team plus over the hill and hurt pitchers will likely go down as a complete bust.

[hohoho]

He walks almost 9 per 9. His fWAR is -0.3. my mom is a Phillies fan. They hate him. Pitcher wins mean nothing and especially mean nothing as a reliever.

Well, he blew the Nats away. (Which maybe doesn’t say much.)
This is a pattern I seem to have noticed over the years - relatively mediocre rp fastballs compared to competition. For example, in 2012, StL had relievers who threw an average of 3-5 mph faster. Doolittle peaked at 95 in 2016 and fell off after that. Hudson peaked at 96-97. Nobody 100.

[Natsinpwc]

The Nola of old when he had a 2.something ERA looks gone though. Even "coming around" I think that guy settles in at more of a 3.50, which don't get me wrong is excellent, but I still don't see that bullpen in ANY fashion working for them. They also have a weird amount of holes in the lineup, which a year ago seemed very good. Now it's Segura, Realmutp, and Harper if he can stay healthy. The.big knock on him is that it seems like every 2 weeks he throws out his back or something.

Overall I know the Mets are trying to give this thing away, but the Phillies have to find a way to stop finding ways to lose first. Again, no team from this division is going anywhere. Too many flaws, too many holes, too many other good teams.

What I do see though is that the Phillies have a farm that is now probably ranked below the Nats, and can't seem to "put it all together". This entire rebuild the Phils have gone on since 2015 when they actually decided to stop trying to compete with the re-animated corpses of their 2008 team plus over the hill and hurt pitchers will likely go down as a complete bust.

Whoever wins the East will face Milwaukee.  A good team but not unbeatable.  You never know what can happen.  If deGrom is healthy they can win a short series. 

[Mattionals]

Well, he blew the Nats away. (Which maybe doesn’t say much.)
This is a pattern I seem to have noticed over the years - relatively mediocre rp fastballs compared to competition. For example, in 2012, StL had relievers who threw an average of 3-5 mph faster. Doolittle peaked at 95 in 2016 and fell off after that. Hudson peaked at 96-97. Nobody 100.

Treinen threw 100. He ry Rodriguez threw over 100. Velo just makes it easier if the location is a mistake. Doolittle's FB had lots of life on it and his placement was excellent. When he lost some velo he also lost some command and definitely lost that late life. That is what led to his downfall.