National League Division Series, Game 2

[Displaced Bucco]

Just got home.  Really depressing show on offense...everyone trying to hit home runs in cold weather.  Just stupid.  This team needs a couple of more real veterans to grind out a bats.  And a real closer.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Find a way, any way to get to game 5.

But, this really was an epic game. Sucks because we lost it, but it was everything post season baseball should be.

Were we watching the same game?  There were some awesome moments, but most of it was just manufactured drama based on a lot of bush league, inept hitting.

[santanaf]

Just got home.  Really depressing show on offense...everyone trying to hit home runs in cold weather.  Just stupid.  This team needs a couple of more real veterans to grind out a bats.  And a real closer.

Three base hits instead of attempted fence swinging heroism is the different in this game. Even in the 18th, Rendon gets on, so Werth is looking to be the hero. Everyone figures "we're due, someone has to be able to hit a bomb if we just keep swinging."

[santanaf]

They are clapping now, great job Pres Club peeps!

You should've seen the Pres club just outside of the camera view, almost totally empty. As Pres club people left they kept moving other pres club sitters into the camera view. Other than the 2 sections right behind the plate it was totally empty.

[Displaced Bucco]

Oh, by the way, this fan base sucks.  More than half empty stadium at the end of the game in a must win, extra inning, suspense filled postseason ballgame.  Really?

[Jordanz Meatballz]

Oh, by the way, this fan base sucks.  More than half empty stadium at the end of the game in a must win, extra inning, suspense filled postseason ballgame.  Really?

It does suck. Prepare for it to be even worse next year if they don't win this series.

[sportsfan882]

The crowd was fine. I was there, my section got up every single time there were 2 strikes and stood for several innings in a row without sitting in the late innings. Every time everyone would get on their feet and get pumped the Nats would let them down.

It is stunning the amount of 2-0, 3-1, 3-2-, etc counts that our hitters have had the last two games and fouled a ball of or struck out, etc. Just unbelievable.

[DPMOmaha]

Were we watching the same game?  There were some awesome moments, but most of it was just manufactured drama based on a lot of bush league, inept hitting.

lol, yes I watched the whole thing. It was tense throughout. We're probably too close to it, especially being on the losing side, but this was an outstanding game as a spectator to watch. We don't fall into that "spectator" category, probably, but it was a remarkable game. Sucks, big time to lose it.

[Displaced Bucco]

The crowd was fine.

I agree SF, the folks who were there were into it, just unreal to me how many people left.  Of course, there were people leaving before the end of Zimmerman's no hitter too

[sportsfan882]

lol, yes I watched the whole thing. It was tense throughout. We're probably too close to it, especially being on the losing side, but this was an outstanding game as a spectator to watch. We don't fall into that "spectator" category, probably, but it was a remarkable game. Sucks, big time to lose it.

It was surely a long game but far from remarkable. That was some of the worst hitting I think I've ever seen in all my years of watching baseball. So many hittable pitches that the Nats could only foul off. Almost no baserunners, no homers, no grind out ABs resulting in getting on base. Just sick. I've never  felt so hopeless at a game before. They didn't have a chance. Could have played another 12 hours and still not scored.

[sportsfan882]

I agree SF, the folks who were there were into it, just unreal to me how many people left.  Of course, there were people leaving before the end of Zimmerman's no hitter too

I'll give you that. I did see some people in my section leave in like the 7th inning but the people in my row and the surrounding who stayed to the end were into it. We tried to muster all the positivty we could time and time again only to be let down. The crowd was just dying for the Nats to get something going offensively and they couldn't do it.

[Optics]

I will not blame the fans who went. They cheered their asses off and tried EVERYTHING.

Team needs to sack up and actually do something worth cheering. We are sick of losers in town.

[sportsfan882]

I will not blame the fans who went. They cheered their asses off and tried EVERYTHING.

Team needs to sack up and actually do something worth cheering. We are sick of losers in town.

QFT. It really is just the same crap all over again. People don't want to hear the Capitals comparison but it's a fitting one. Regular season studs, playoff duds. I know playoffs can be a crapshoot but why can't we ever be on the good end of the crapshoot? What do the Giants have that we don't?

[Jordanz Meatballz]

I just realized that my ears are ringing. The crowd that stayed was awesome. Those of you that left make me sad

[Optics]

I don't know what it is, something about this city just creates losers.

Harper, #1 pick all the hype. If he went to like the Rangers or Brewers he'd be a megastar by now.

RG3, Heisman Trophy winner, awesome rookie year, now his career is basically shot in not even 3 years.

Ovie, best hockey talent in a generation, can't get past the 2nd round and has been leapfrogged by Crosby, Kane, etc.

[varoadking]

Nats' fans are clearing out.

We stayed until the bitter, cold end at 12:02am...

Sux...

[varoadking]

What do the Giants have that we don't?

A two game lead in the series.  That's it...

[varoadking]

You should've seen the Pres club just outside of the camera view, almost totally empty. As Pres club people left they kept moving other pres club sitters into the camera view. Other than the 2 sections right behind the plate it was totally empty.

I bet mitlen and Spidey stayed for the entire game...

[mmzznnxx]

Oh, by the way, this fan base sucks.  More than half empty stadium at the end of the game in a must win, extra inning, suspense filled postseason ballgame.  Really?

Team's looked awful in two postseason games. Most of the fans stuck through until the end in an 18 inning game. And this criticism is coming from "Displaced Bucco"?

freak off.

[RobDibblesGhost]

We took the first three in SF earlier this year. I still have faint hope that we can take the next two and come back to DC. It won't be easy and the bats need to wake up.

Listened to Matt's comments - XM replayed them when were headed home from the bar. Sounded like he was planning all along to go to the pen if Zimmermann let a runner get on. I understand his reasoning, but I'm not saying I totally agree with it. Still, Zim did give up some hard liners and a long foul. If Posey had hit a two-run homer, people would be asking why he wasn't taken out.

The offense needs to freaking step up though.

[whytev]

We were on base more times than them today. Both teams had no bats. It's playoff ball.

Face starts tomorrow. I don't care where.

[RobDibblesGhost]

We were on base more times than them today. Both teams had no bats. It's playoff ball.

Face starts tomorrow. I don't care where.

I wish, but I heard Saturday that he was saying he still can't really move laterally. That rules out any infield position. Maybe start him in left, Harper in center, and let struggling Span sit? I'd also start Lobaton over Ramos at this point. I don't see Matt making any major lineup changes though.

[ChiliPalmer14]

Two games worth of AB's and they manage one measly run?  Against eight pitchers?  At home?  Thanks for letting me pour myself into the team, boys.  Way to step up. 

I was mad at the ump for a while because I think Panik struck out looking in the ninth on three strikes called balls.  But after that long, it became the fault of the Nats woeful offense. 

IT.  IS.  OVER. 

[Minty Fresh]

This game and this series should be an indicator to MLB.  You cannot, CANNOT, CANNOT give teams four off days prior to starting a series.  It's not like we coasted into this spot, we kept playing hard despite our sizable lead (and pushed for the #1 seed as a team should) only to get burned by a team that had to keep playing because they lost their division.

Every team should get an off-day the day after the regular season is over (in case there's a need for 163) then the wildcards should play on that Tuesday and all series should start on Wednesdays.  It's ridiculous to ask any team to shut it down for four days while they wait around for two inferior teams to work out their mess.  These players get 18 days off (not including the ASB) during a six-month period for the regular season.  freak travel - there are airplanes for that crap.  You don't want to have to travel and play the next day, WIN YOUR freakING DIVISION.  And by the way, it happens all the freaking time during the regular season anyway.

MLB post-season scheduling is completely antithetical to the way the game is played for six straight months - and on top of it, it coddles the wildcard winners every year.  If we're going to win a playoff series, we're better off letting the Barves win the division and we can play the wildcard game.

[mitlen]

This game and this series should be an indicator to MLB.  You cannot, CANNOT, CANNOT give teams four off days prior to starting a series.  It's not like we coasted into this spot, we kept playing hard despite our sizable lead (and pushed for the #1 seed as a team should) only to get burned by a team that had to keep playing because they lost their division.

Every team should get an off-day the day after the regular season is over (in case there's a need for 163) then the wildcards should play on that Tuesday and all series should start on Wednesdays.  It's ridiculous to ask any team to shut it down for four days while they wait around for two inferior teams to work out their mess.  These players get 18 days off (not including the ASB) during a six-month period for the regular season.  freak travel - there are airplanes for that crap.  You don't want to have to travel and play the next day, WIN YOUR freakING DIVISION.  And by the way, it happens all the freaking time during the regular season anyway.

It's about the money.