Nationals @ Marlins, Game 1

[Baseball is Life]

I was thrilled Harper had two hits and hope that's the beginning of something big from him.  He did wince after swinging before his second hit.  Hope he didn't injure anything again.

Noticed that too. It doesn't seem like that thumb is 100% healed. He seems to tweak it now and then.

[DPMOmaha]

I know that managers are smarter baseball people than I am, but there are still things that I question.  They like to give relievers "roles".  And Soriano's role is the "save situation" guy.  But relievers are sometimes different pitchers from day to day (Hello Barrett and Detwiler).  Some days they don't have it, and they won't reveal that to the bull pen coach.  Soriano was sketchy against Cincinnati, Storen comes in to get an out in the 8th, looks great, but Williams has to stick with the "roles"?  Why not a four-out save for Storen?  Why walk away from something going good and enter the Soriano vortex?   

Everybody has a "role" not just the bullpen guys. Frankly, it's not that different from real life or more traditional workplace settings. Everyone has their role within the context of whatever situation is. It's healthy for people to know what's expected of them and no one performs perfectly within it. Starters have bad days too, but it's harder sometimes to mitigate that for relievers when they're only out there for such a short period of time.

[mitlen]

I listened to the last two innings on the radio.    I thought about the Atlanta game on July 20, 2012 and the St. Louis Game 5.    My thoughts are not about beatin' Atlanta or the Marlins for the NL East.    However, St. Louis and/or LA will steal our lunch money when we make the playoffs if some things don't change   ....   now.

In my old workplace, if my "role" was performed like Soriano's was last night, I would have been relieved of my responsibilies in that particular project.

[blue911]

Stammen should have been in at the start of the 8th.

[mitlen]

Happened to be surfin' before I go to the pool.    MASN is replaying last night's game  ...   it's the bottom of the 9th  ...   Blevins is in.

 

Noticed that one of the coaches "untucked" Baker during the Marlins' on field celebration.

[Mathguy]

Why not Clippard ?

Stammen should have been in at the start of the 8th.

[GburgNatsFan]

My guess is that if he continues to look bad for a couple more games, a switch will be made. You hear all the time about athletes that have great warm-ups and perform badly, or bad warm-ups and perform great, so you can't base a decision like this on one data point, or even two.

I lost sleep because of that loss. My only solace is the Nats have shown that, this year, they can bounce back after a bad loss.
 

I know that managers are smarter baseball people than I am, but there are still things that I question.  They like to give relievers "roles".  And Soriano's role is the "save situation" guy.  But relievers are sometimes different pitchers from day to day (Hello Barrett and Detwiler).  Some days they don't have it, and they won't reveal that to the bull pen coach.  Soriano was sketchy against Cincinnati, Storen comes in to get an out in the 8th, looks great, but Williams has to stick with the "roles"?  Why not a four-out save for Storen?  Why walk away from something going good and enter the Soriano vortex? 

BTW, if Soriano had finished the season 60 for 60 in save opportunities, with a sub-1 ERA...I'd still hate the "untuck".  It's bush league garbage.

[Mathguy]

I can't agree with this.  Offices I worked, while we had different specialized skills, we all filled multiple roles depending on the project.

Everybody has a "role" not just the bullpen guys. Frankly, it's not that different from real life or more traditional workplace settings. Everyone has their role within the context of whatever situation is. It's healthy for people to know what's expected of them and no one performs perfectly within it. Starters have bad days too, but it's harder sometimes to mitigate that for relievers when they're only out there for such a short period of time.

[mitlen]

Listening to Williams' post game  ....   Good Lord what a gas bag.    You can tell he's winging it by the extensive use of "ya know".    At least he'll have a place with Phil Wood on Saturday mornings when his managing career is over.   

[captkirk42]

The Nats are not a playoff team.

If they miss it by a game they can look back at this one.

I think the one against the A's when Sorryano gave them the tying run (bottom nine) by cutting off the throw to the plate, and then didn't throw to 1st when he looked like he was going to. Don't think I'll ever forgive him for that blunder.

[skippy1999]

I think the one against the A's when Sorryano gave them the tying run (bottom nine) by cutting off the throw to the plate, and then didn't throw to 1st when he looked like he was going to. Don't think I'll ever forgive him for that blunder.

And yet they rebounded quite nicely from that debacle, I'm confident they will from last night's as well

[Kevrock]

Why not Clippard ?

He was unavailable

[PC]

Stammen should have been in at the start of the 8th.

Or have Storen pitch the entire 8th.  There was no reason to use Detwiler.  He gave up a run too, let's not forget.

But the original sin of last night was McLouth for that horrible dive that started their scoring when it shouldn't have.

[spidernat]

Happened to be surfin' before I go to the pool.    MASN is replaying last night's game  ...   it's the bottom of the 9th  ...   Blevins is in.

 

Noticed that one of the coaches "untucked" Baker during the Marlins' on field celebration.

I didn't even notice that. 

I was too busy doing this. 

[Slateman]

This is what happens when you let non-Nats fans do the GDT

[stealyerbase]

But the original sin of last night was McLouth for that horrible dive that started their scoring when it shouldn't have.

For which he gets a start? McGlovin needs to go away.

[spidernat]

This is what happens when you let non-Nats fans do the GDT

That motherfreaker is probably at camden right now waiting on first pitch.