Nationals vs Diamondbacks, Game 2

[imref]

He's not really a good fielder. YET. Great arm... but he fell over on a routine fly ball.

I think he'll be a great fielder... but you have to remember he was a former catcher just learning the position... still, he's so raw, no way he'll get or deserve a GG this year.

alright, so i'm getting ahead of myself - but ROY and all star aren't out of the question.  If the kid hits .300ish MLB will do everything they can to get him into the game.

[nobleisthyname]

OK...I need the executive summary: explain the meaning of the number. Does this suggest that it is good to have LaRoche bunt with runners on 1B and 2B? As best I can tell, it says that on average a team will score 1.5 runs with runner on first and second, none out. But...how?

Runners on first and second w/none out = ~1.5 runs expected.
Runners on second and third w/one out = ~1.4 runs expected.

[HerndonNat]

Nice to finally have a superstar outfielder in DC. Soriano was the last one.

I moved here after the 2006 season so wasn't here for Soriano but when Carpenter talks about him he is always very negative.  Did some bad stuff go down while he was here?

[PANatsFan]

I moved here after the 2006 season so wasn't here for Soriano but when Carpenter talks about him he is always very negative.  Did some bad stuff go down while he was here?

He tried to steal every time he was on base when he was near 40 steals
He tried to go on strike rather than play the outfield during spring training
Otherwise, he was fine.

[sportsfan882]

Philly just tied it at 13

lol what a crazy game. Brian Sanches pitching bottom of 9th for Philly

[welch]

Harper has to be moved up in the lineup. 5th maybe? Kid is a total stud.

Harper should hit 3rd or 5th...Lombo lead-off, Desmond second, Harper/LaRoch/Werth, Ramos/Flores, espinosa or Ankiel. And Moore.

[HerndonNat]

He tried to steal every time he was on base when he was near 40 steals
He tried to go on strike rather than play the outfield during spring training
Otherwise, he was fine.

Hmm doesn't sound too bad.  He just acts like he hates him.  Maybe it's my imagination.

[PANatsFan]

Hmm doesn't sound too bad.  He just acts like he hates him.  Maybe it's my imagination.

The ST situation was bad - Bowden threatened to put him on the restricted list after he left the field when he was pencilied in to LF

[Nathan]

Hey Mods...forget how to post the ? 

I was actually working at work

Tom, you had your chance to beat me for once and ya blew it! 

[welch]

He tried to steal every time he was on base when he was near 40 steals
He tried to go on strike rather than play the outfield during spring training
Otherwise, he was fine.

I saw Soriano when he was young with the Yankees. He was an undisciplined hitter...always swung a hopeless uppercut on any pitch up at his eyes. Seemed uncoachable. Erratic fielder, looking worse because he played between Jeter and Tino Martinez (first year). The game I saw live at RFK, I watched him and Soriano seemed on strike in LF. Seemed to be 8 Nats, 9 Padres (?) , and Soriano. The red curly-W on his hat seems to stand for Walgreens.

[PowerBoater69]

I moved here after the 2006 season so wasn't here for Soriano but when Carpenter talks about him he is always very negative.  Did some bad stuff go down while he was here?

Soriano had the 40-40 year with a ton of outfield assists.  The not wanting to play outfield thing lasted less than a week in spring training.  He kicked ass, best single season for a Nats player, better than Zimmm's GG/SS year.

[The Chief]

A little late, but nonetheless:

NATS FOR THE WIN!!!

[zimm_da_kid]

Soriano had the 40-40 year with a ton of outfield assists.  The not wanting to play outfield thing lasted less than a week in spring training.  He kicked ass, best single season for a Nats player, better than Zimmm's GG/SS year.

bryce is going to go 40-40 within the next 5 years.  i am very confident about that

[PowerBoater69]

bryce is going to go 40-40 within the next 5 years.  i am very confident about that

I don't doubt it, he was freaking awesome tonight, no steals but still awesome.  So glad we resisted the urge to bail early.

[MarquisDeSade]

Harper is really, really fast. I had no idea he had those kind of wheels.

[Fan037]

We had the kind of game we really needed tonight.  Five runs, lots of hits, HRod back in to close, and Espinosa with a walk-off.  But if I was awarding a MVP, it would have been given to Harper.  That kid is superb!  The way he fields, throws, runs and hits.  He hustles on every play and creates havoc for the other team.  For those who felt he wasn't ready, forget about it!  He's here to stay.  And we're priviledged to have him.

[comish4lif]

OK...I need the executive summary: explain the meaning of the number. Does this suggest that it is good to have LaRoche bunt with runners on 1B and 2B? As best I can tell, it says that on average a team will score 1.5 runs with runner on first and second, none out. But...how?

Keep in mind that this is Tom Tango's analysis. What he did was code 4 seasons worth of situations, and over that period of observation, whenever an inning began with men on 1st and 2nd with no one out, the team scored 1.573 runs-- on average.

Dropping a sac in that situation changes you to a 2nd and 3rd with 1 out situation which reduces the average to 1.473 runs on average. However, that assumes you get the sac down correctly. There's always the chance that the defense gets the force at 3rd and then you are down to 0.971 (1st and 2nd with 1 out). Or a popped up bunt for a double play.

Does that help clear it up?

[comish4lif]

Hmm doesn't sound too bad.  He just acts like he hates him.  Maybe it's my imagination.

As fun as Soriano was to watch on a bad Nats team, it was all about Alfonso getting his numbers to get that FA contract. Very selfish player.

[aussienatsfan]

We had the kind of game we really needed tonight.  Five runs, lots of hits, HRod back in to close, and Espinosa with a walk-off.  But if I was awarding a MVP, it would have been given to Harper.  That kid is superb!  The way he fields, throws, runs and hits.  He hustles on every play and creates havoc for the other team.  For those who felt he wasn't ready, forget about it!  He's here to stay.  And we're priviledged to have him.

Desmond walkoff buddy, Espinosa is on his way to class A potomac

[GburgNatsFan]

Or too high a dry cleaning bill. Lerner's expressed agnst.

Sexual harrassment . . .

[GburgNatsFan]

Hope not. I'd rather see him come alive than go down. Espi plays outstanding defense.

Desmond walkoff buddy, Espinosa is on his way to class A potomac

[GburgNatsFan]

And makes good baseball decisions. Who knew the uninterested attitude in the minors was boredom?

Of course, that attitude doesn't bode well if the Nats don't win. He'll be clamoring for the really big time.

Harper is really, really fast. I had no idea he had those kind of wheels.

[PowerBoater69]

As fun as Soriano was to watch on a bad Nats team, it was all about Alfonso getting his numbers to get that FA contract. Very selfish player.

Yeah, all those lead off homers deprived Church and the boys of their chance to maximize their RBI numbers.

[PC]

Braves win.  Chipper Jones walk off.

[aussienatsfan]

Or too high a dry cleaning bill. Lerner's expressed agnst.

Lombo looks solid defensively as well, he can play 2nd and Zim 3rd when he comes back.

Braves just walked the phillies off 15-13