Nationals vs Braves, Game 1

[PC]

There were so many culprits in this crapshow tonight.   I don't know who was worst. 

[sportsfan882]

Pathetic effort against Kimbrel. Nats going to lay down and take it in the ass from Atlanta all weekend

[PC]

Hudson is tossing a regulation baseball from a regulation distance. It was way to early in the game to be playing small ball and giving up an out when the next guy up is less experienced and no more likely to get that run in.

Michael Morse is batting .263 against Hudson and Werth, batting after Morse,  is .367 against him.

[GburgNatsFan]

How ridiculously small is that sample size?

Michael Morse is batting .263 against Hudson and Werth, batting after Morse,  is .367 against him.

[PC]

The only regular player batting worse against Hudson than Zimmerman is Espinosa, .182.

[GburgNatsFan]

And he did what tonight? Run? Big double?

The only regular player batting worse against Hudson than Zimmerman is Espinosa, .182.

[Slateman]

How can he just stare at that!?!  Werth! You bum!!!

Wait ... it was Zimmerman? Oh well uh tough pitch and Zim just *mumbles*

[PC]

And he did what tonight? Run? Big double?

But Ryan Zimmerman was 0 for 4 against him and he's batting 3rd in the lineup...and it was Zimmerman who came to the plate with runners on first and second, no outs.

I don't know what the debate is here.  There are some matchups that just aren't good for even good hitters.  It's not a slight against them.  We needed runs on the board at that point and we didn't get them.  What we did do was give up two outs.

[GburgNatsFan]

I'm not giving up an out that early in the game to *advance* a runner - not score a runner, *advance* a runner - because the next guy up's BA against the pitcher is less than .1 better. I'm not giving up that out.  It wasn't the go ahead run moving to 3B.

That's taking small ball to the extreme. That tells your hitter you don't have confidence in him.

The debate is that you are willing to give up an out to advance the runner that does not represent the tieing or winning run.

 

But Ryan Zimmerman was 0 for 4 against him and he's batting 3rd in the lineup...and it was Zimmerman who came to the plate with runners on first and second, no outs.

[PC]

I'm not giving up an out that early in the game to *advance* a runner - not score a runner, *advance* a runner - because the next guy up's BA against the pitcher is less than .1 better. I'm not giving up that out.  It wasn't the go ahead run moving to 3B.

That's taking small ball to the extreme. That tells your hitter you don't have confidence in him.

I don't have confidence in Zimmerman against Hudson.  The five GIDP have made me that way.

[GburgNatsFan]

Clearly. You're willing to tell him to give up an out to move a runner 90 feet, when he was already in scoring position.

I don't have confidence in Zimmerman against Hudson.  The five GIDP have made me that way.

[PC]

Clearly. You're willing to tell him to give up an out to move a runner 90 feet, when he was already in scoring position.

As opposed to giving up two outs.  Again, in 47 AB against Hudson, Zimmerman has 8 hits and has grounded into 5 double plays.  Playing for the hit in this situation is not a good bet.

Also, Tim Hudson and the Braves are aware of this.  If you're not willing to bunt they know that Hudson can play Zimmerman like a fiddle.  The pressure is completely off Hudson when Ryan comes to bat especially in situations where the double play is on.  That makes it even LESS likely that he'll get a hit off Hudson.

[blue911]

This is stupid. Ryan Zimmerman has exactly 1 sac bunt in his entire career and that was 2006.

[panthers30]

How was Strasburg tonight?  I worked and couldn't catch it.

Velocity, control, etc.  I saw he had a bad first inning.

[Sharp]

How was Strasburg tonight?  I worked and couldn't catch it.

Velocity, control, etc.  I saw he had a bad first inning.

He was fine.  Braves singled him to death.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Just got back from the game, and I'm glad I went.  That "rundown" clusterfreak was perhaps the most extraordinary thing I have ever seen, kind of like a circus freakshow.  "Step right up, step right up..."

[RobDibblesGhost]

Hey all

I just read back through some of my comments, and I think a bad game after a rough week got the best of me. I crossed the line with some of my posts, and I apologize if anyone was offended.  I shouldn't take my comments to a personal level. Everyone is human and I need to remember that. I know there are certain other posters on here who criticize everybody and everything, and I don't want to be like them.  Again, my sincerest apologies, and I will use more discretion in the future.  Thanks for your understanding.

[heeman82]

Just got back from the game, and I'm glad I went.  That "rundown" clusterfreak was perhaps the most extraordinary thing I have ever seen, kind of like a circus freakshow.  "Step right up, step right up..."

Blue owes me 100 push-ups

[spidernat]

Hey all

I just read back through some of my comments, and I think a bad game after a rough week got the best of me. I crossed the line with some of my posts, and I apologize if anyone was offended.  I shouldn't take my comments to a personal level. Everyone is human and I need to remember that. I know there are certain other posters on here who criticize everybody and everything, and I don't want to be like them.  Again, my sincerest apologies, and I will use more discretion in the future.  Thanks for your understanding.

Your comments fit right in.

[PANatsFan]

Your comments fit right in.

I remember going apecrap bananas over Villone. The thing is, I like Ron Vilone. I think Ron Villone would be a cool drinking buddy. I bet Ron Villone would like to go shoot clay pigeons with me or something. However, he was singlehandedly losing games and I just couldn't take it. Bally is having some issues but he's not Villone bad. Also, Villone did HGH. Collin works hard.

[aspenbubba]

Does anyone know why Nix was pulled?

[OldChelsea]

He was fine.  Braves singled him to death.

That seems to be the book on the Nats generally the past couple of months - we seem to lose more matches on bloopers and seeing-eye singles than from longball mashing.

Zimmerman did a fair Bill Buckner imitation on that grounder (do you realise that tomorrow it'll be exactly one month till the 25th anniversary of The Botched Grounder Heard Round The World? How time flies....).

[Mathguy]

Left handed pitcher came in,  Also, he was part of a switch so our pitcher wouldn't bat right away (or at all, given another switch)

Does anyone know why Nix was pulled?