Nationals @ Braves, Game 1

[PebbleBall]

Yep. It's unusual and an off comment but he meant nothing by it. No doubt he would phrase it differently if he got to say it again though.

He did have a chance to say it again five minutes later, and he said the same thing.  I'm done with it too though.

[wpa2629]

haha


Mark Zuckerman ‏@ZuckermanCSN 2m

Storen on Desmond's game-ending throw: "That's an incredible play." Desmond: "I don't really know. I blacked out."

[PC]

Strasburg was money. FP needs to make some sort of comment admitting he made a stupid remark. Soriano is still toast. Storen cant be trusted under pressure to throw strikes.  Fun stuff.

Again, the number of inherited runners that score on Storen is ridiculously high.  He has no ability to come in with runners on.

[mitlen]

haha


Mark Zuckerman ‏@ZuckermanCSN 2m

Storen on Desmond's game-ending throw: "That's an incredible play." Desmond: "I don't really know. I blacked out."

 

[welch]

I understand FP's sentiment but  ....  it's still a wincer.    I guess I don't understand the connection.

Ugh. It would not be cool at all. Nats clinch would not compensate or divert or revert-to-before all the people killed and hurt at the Navy Yard.

[1995hoo]

ESPN points out this game dropped the Barfs to .500 (75–75). Nats can do more than clinch down there—they can pretty much put an end to Atlanta's already slim wild-card chances.

[Kevrock]

Ugh. It would not be cool at all. Nats clinch would not compensate or divert or revert-to-before all the people killed and hurt at the Navy Yard.

And FP didn't say it would, did he?

[Kevrock]

Sounds like typical slightly-awkward but good-natured FP to me.

[shoeshineboy]

I have to assume that the Nats mktg department may be planning some tribute I.e. It's our neighbor yada yada and the broadcast team.has been primed to chat it up. So maybe that is where it stems from. That would at least explain why it would even cross his mind, but it was a poor choice of words to say the least.

[grizzly]

Ugh. It would not be cool at all. Nats clinch would not compensate or divert or revert-to-before all the people killed and hurt at the Navy Yard.

People lean on sports for a distraction from pain, and there will be a lot of heavy hearts tomorrow for people affected by that shooting.

Maybe chill out with the self righteousness.

[More of #34]

Much ado about nothing - FP's remark.  Much more important - Williams' judgement (or lack thereof) continuing to stick Soriano in.  Honestly enough is enough.  Soriano doesn't have it anymore.  He almost blew Strasburg's best game of the year.

[Optics]

I can understand Williams wanting to give Soriano a chance in the 9th up 4. It's pretty hard to blow a 4 run lead and at some point you gotta see if Soriano can regain his first half mojo.

I'm just glad he pulled him before he did any more damage. We really lucked out with Freeman getting himself ejected and the 3 hole hitter giving us a freebie out. IIRC there were some high meatballs that AB that Freeman probably puts into the stands.

[varoadking]

"How cool would it be if they clinched on the anniversary of the Navy Yard shooting?"

Stoopid...

[whytev]

Feel bad that Bryce might not be playing when we clinch if he is just getting hit with it. Charlie said Bryce didn't feel well yesterday.

Whatever he doesn't drink champagne anyhow.

[whytev]

At least it's not a game finished. He's definitely not coming back next year. I'd leave him off the postseason roster too, but I doubt they'll do that.

I wouldn't. He's still better than Blevins.

[aspenbubba]

I don't ever want to see Soriano on the mound in a Nats uniform ever again

NO MAS!

YES!!!!!!!

[OldChelsea]

Comparative dates on which the Nationals notched their 86th win, each season:

2012 - 8th September (139th match of season)
2014 - 15th September (149th match of season)
2013 - 28th September (161st match of season) - final win of season
---
2005 - finished 81-81
2011 - finished 80-81
2007 - finished 73-89
2006 - finished 71-91
2010 - finished 69-93
2008 - finished 59-102
2009 - finished 59-103

[OldChelsea]

(Image removed from quote.)
Turner Field, Atlanta, GA
Attendance 18,220 (36.9% full)
(Image removed from quote.)[...]

Simply pathetic...team is still (theoretically) alive in the wild card race and the Nats were not in a mathematical position to clinch last night and still the fans don't turn up.

[Nats' lowest attendance this season to date is 20,869 for the Marlins on Thursday 10th April; last time the Nats drew less than 20k announced was on Tuesday 4th September 2012 vs the Cubs (17,648).]

[1995hoo]

Much ado about nothing - FP's remark.  Much more important - Williams' judgement (or lack thereof) continuing to stick Soriano in.  Honestly enough is enough.  Soriano doesn't have it anymore.  He almost blew Strasburg's best game of the year.

Couple of days ago my wife and I were saying Soriano is to Matt Williams as Henry Rodriguez was to Davey Johnson. The analogy isn't perfect, of course, because it doesn't give Soriano credit for his good effort earlier, but in both cases you have a manager continuing to use a guy who's pretty clearly lost it. The difference this time is management hasn't forced Williams's hand like they did to Johnson last year when they DFA'd Rodriguez.

[More of #34]

If Freeman had been in the line-up with Soriano in, I think for sure, we lose last night's game.  I agree - I don't want Soriano in the line-up in any playoff  game.......well maybe if we're up 18 to 0.  On second thought, maybe not.

[vicki4471]

Whatever Soriano has going on now, he was good the first half. I guess Williams just wants to see if the tank is on empty or if there is anything vaguely resembling 1st half Soriano left. The experiment in New York went pretty well so he upped the ante a bit and put him in the 9th with a four run lead. He knew Freeman was ejected and would not be due up, who is to say he would have done it if Freeman was going to be coming up to bat. The circumstances warranted giving Soriano a shot. At least he had Storen ready and at least he pulled him BEFORE the save was blown this time. Williams is learning from his mistakes, even if not as quickly as we might like him to. I commend him for not giving up on people too quickly, but I hope that last night made him see that Soriano just is not fixed and cannot be trusted in a high leverage situation. I do not fault him for trying last night but if he does it again that would be pure stupidity.

[More of #34]

I agree with your last statement.