NL East Race Watch

[Baseball is Life]

All right all right all right

Only going to be down by 2.5 games on Monday

Negative. This is the weekend where the Braves are exposed. Nats take 3 out of 4 and go from there.

This message brought to you by the Sunshine Squad.

[Hogie]

This is going to be ugly

[vicki4471]

A split keeps it right where it is and I think that is completely realistic. Gio is the weak point of the rotation right now and we got him out of the way last night. No one is going to convince me that the Braves are more talented than the Nats. I have seen them play lately. They have obvious flaws.If we bend over and take it , then it is 100% psychological and nothing more. If we can face the Giants in their house and take 3 of 4 there is no reason in this world we can not get a split with the Braves is our yard. Time to shake the monkey off the teams back and play like they are capable of playing.On this day last year we were 7 games back.

[skippy1999]

I was more confident about them taking on the Braves before they wussed out playing the Cards  

[BigMeech]

The battle cry for this series.  The man in the tank is (probably) Danny Espinosa.

[skippy1999]

The battle cry for this series.  The man in the tank is (probably) Danny Espinosa.

I like it, bring that attitude to the GDT!

[3bside]

We have the better pitching matchup in 3 of the 4 games.  Floyd is pitching decently, but JZim has been lights out the last 3 starts.  Minor and Santana are both pitching poorly, so Stras and Roark should have an advantage.  Teheran vs. Fister is a wash.

[Slateman]

I was more confident about them taking on the Braves before they wussed out playing the Cards  

Yea. The Nationals are simply unable to beat the Barves or Crads. Like I said, at least we'll be less than 3 games back after the series.

[Ray D]

A split keeps it right where it is and I think that is completely realistic.

What's realistic is we sweep.  There is no damn reason to lose even one of these four, at home, when we have the matchup advantage in all four:

Strasburg Minor --> WIN
Zimmerman Floyd  --> WIN
Fister Tehran  --> WIN
Roark Santana  --> WIN

We should be up 5 1/2 by Sunday night.

[vicki4471]

Of course I like your thinking...but lower expectations usually lead to pleasant surprises. I'd love to sweep them. But I will be content to split.

[houston-nat]

Of course I like your thinking...but lower expectations usually lead to pleasant surprises. I'd love to sweep them. But I will be content to split.

Happiness = Reality - Expectations

[Mathguy]

That equation would either be happiness=zero or negative.

Happiness = Reality - Expectations

[Slateman]

What's realistic is we sweep.  There is no damn reason to lose even one of these four, at home, when we have the matchup advantage in all four:

Strasburg Minor --> WIN
Zimmerman Floyd  --> WIN
Fister Tehran  --> WIN
Roark Santana  --> WIN

We should be up 5 1/2 by Sunday night.

Strasburg melts in the heat
Zimmermann chokes
Tehran is an ace
Roark is our ace

1-3

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Herr Schopenhauer approves

That equation would either be happiness=zero or negative.

[Dschmiel]

What's realistic is we sweep.  There is no damn reason to lose even one of these four, at home, when we have the matchup advantage in all four:

Strasburg Minor --> WIN
Zimmerman Floyd  --> WIN
Fister Tehran  --> WIN
Roark Santana  --> WIN

We should be up 5 1/2 by Sunday night.

Don't be surprised if Teheran tries to hit one of our guys for "intimidation" like he did to Harper last year - since he can't pick on Harper this series for obvious reasons, the next logical candidate is probably Rendon. 

[spidernat]

If so then someone has to go to the mound and kick his ass. No bullcrap huddling around acting like you're angry. Charge the mound and send a definitive message.

[Optics]

We're taking 3/4. Book it.

[madj55]

If so then someone has to go to the mound and kick his ass. No bullcrap huddling around acting like you're angry. Charge the mound and send a definitive message.

Who on this team has the balls to do that?

[monkeyhit]

Who on this team has the balls to do that?

yes

Don't be surprised if Teheran tries to hit one of our guys for "intimidation" like he did to Harper last year - since he can't pick on Harper this series for obvious reasons, the next logical candidate is probably Rendon.

and yes

[monkeyhit]

Who on this team has the balls to do that?

The Fist? 

[skippy1999]

Who on this team has the balls to do that?

I thought Stras looked pretty badass last year when he hit Upton, I could see him throwing down his glove to get ready to go at it.  I wouldn't want him to though, I'd be afraid he'd break  
See this is when a team really needs a crazy man like Julian, may be useless as a pitcher but he'd for sure go crazy on some Braves   

[DPMOmaha]

Happiness = Reality - Expectations

[GburgNatsFan]

I thought Stras looked pretty badass last year when he hit Upton, I could see him throwing down his glove to get ready to go at it.  I wouldn't want him to though, I'd be afraid he'd break  
See this is when a team really needs a crazy man like Julian, may be useless as a pitcher but he'd for sure go crazy on some Braves 

His name was Sean Burnett.

[vicki4471]

Who on this team has the balls to do that?

Barrett, Roark, Fister.... and Soriano when he was a Brave was suspended for intentionally hitting Uggla when he was a Marlin...

[skippy1999]

His name was Sean Burnett.

Wait was Sean Burnett crazy? I don't remember that, he had a silly hat but I don't remember him being psycho like Julian could be.