Nationals @ Cubs, NLDS Game 4

[Natsinpwc]

Honestly...that's how I'm looking at it.  As well as Stras and Max have pitched, we should have swept this series.  If the hitting isn't there in game 4, we could put Nolan Ryan out there and it wouldn't matter...

Nolan Ryan? He choked away game 5 of the 80 playoffs against the Phillies. 5-2 lead in the 8th.

[varoadking]

Did it ever rain or was this another Learner conspiracy to boost beer sales? 

[varoadking]

Nolan Ryan? He choked away game 5 of the 80 playoffs against the Phillies. 5-2 lead in the 8th.

Bad example, huh?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Look, to advance, you need to win both Game 4 and Game 5. Stras would start one of these. The big question is do you like Roark on the road and Stras at home, with Gio for early intervention if needed, more than Stras on the road and Gio at home, with Roark as a multi-inning guy. Game 4 is no more important than game 5 for advancing.  Sure, there's no game 5 without winning game 4, but this is not about getting one extra gate at Nats Park.  You need a strategy to win both.

So, where do you want Stras to pitch?  Who do you like better, Roark or Gio?  Those are the real questions.

For me, I think it is close to a coin flip. Something suggests to me that Roark on a short leash, with Gio available for 3 or so innings, might be the best strategy.  More important than who we pitch is whether we can get to Arrieta early.

[nats2playoffs]

IT MAKES NO SENSE TO START ROARK...

Roark played college baseball at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2006–2007. He was born in Wilmington, 60 miles from Chicago.  His family and friends will be there. It's a home game for The Tanner.

[NatNasty]

4:08 ET tomorrow.

Love it, much better than a 1 PM start.  I won't have to miss too much of the game, and some others on here will still get to watch their soaps. 

[Mathguy]

Given the circumstances, starting Roark in Game 4 is a good idea.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

(Image removed from quote.)

Roark played college baseball at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2006–2007. He was born in Wilmington, 60 miles from Chicago.  His family and friends will be there. It's a home game for The Tanner.

(Image removed from quote.)

Except...not...at all.

[Slateman]

(Image removed from quote.)

Roark played college baseball at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2006–2007. He was born in Wilmington, 60 miles from Chicago.  His family and friends will be there. It's a home game for The Tanner.

(Image removed from quote.)

Pretty sure Max's ten friends and family aren't going to drown out the 40k Cubs fans

[RobDibblesGhost]

Dusty's zero for his last 10 in elimination games. Nats have only won one such game in their history (Game 4, 2012).

[varoadking]

If Scherzer had kept his no hitter in tact, we win the game.

 

[mitlen]

Love it, much better than a 1 PM start.  I won't have to miss too much of the game, and some others on here will still get to watch their soaps. 

The Nats are the soaps.

[spidernat]

Look, to advance, you need to win both Game 4 and Game 5.

That's what the red sux said.

[spidernat]

yeah that dude Gio4Ever is one of the strangest posters we've had here in a while.

[mdnatsfan]

Max gave up the double to Zobrist which ended up being the tying run and gave the Cubs all the momentum.  If Scherzer had kept his no hitter in tact, we win the game.  The offense spotted him a run and he lost it. 

My point is NOT to knock our pitchers.  They've done a great job.  That being said, they haven't performed as well as the Cubs pitchers have.  And that's why the Cubs have a 2-1 lead.

Give me a break. One of the top hitting teams in the NL is getting completely humiliated by average pitching. No Nat pitcher bears any blame for this dumpster fire.

[Elvir Ovcina]

yeah that dude Gio4Ever is one of the strangest posters we've had here in a while.

I think he's a Mets fan or other troll.  If read as sarcastic, many of his posts are pretty funny.

[expos1994]

More important than who we pitch is whether we can get to Arrieta early.

I had to LOL at this. They way they're hitting they couldn't get to a high school pitcher early.

I'm trying to stay optimistic. I feel like Hendricks and Quintana baffled the Nats because they aren't hard throwers. It always seems to me that the Nationals hit better against hard throwers. I can remember them making RA Dickey look like Whitey Ford. Arrieta is jacked up on ... at the very least large amounts of 5-hour energy drinks and creatine. The Nats bats are about as non-existent as unicorns in this series but maybe ... just maybe... they shell this HGH abuser.

[RobDibblesGhost]

Jon Morosi‏Verified account @jonmorosi · 3m3 minutes ago 
 
Source: Stephen Strasburg now expected to start Game 4 for the #Nats. @MLB @MLBNetwork

 

You can't make this crap up...

[natsarl]

Jon Morosi‏Verified account @jonmorosi · 3m3 minutes ago 
 
Source: Stephen Strasburg now expected to start Game 4 for the #Nats. @MLB @MLBNetwork

 

You can't make this crap up...

Seems a little chaotic in the clubhouse. Maybe that will kickstart the offense?

[DPMOmaha]

Jon Morosi‏Verified account @jonmorosi · 3m3 minutes ago 
 
Source: Stephen Strasburg now expected to start Game 4 for the #Nats. @MLB @MLBNetwork

You can't make this crap up...

You can't? This might be the most predictable thing that could have happened in this whole mess.

[mitlen]

Cubs posted:

CF   Jon Jay (L)
3B   Kris Bryant (R)
1B   Anthony Rizzo (L)
C     W. Contreras (R)
RF   Ben Zobrist (S)
LF   Kyle Schwarber (L)
SS  Addison Russell (R)
2B  Javier Baez (R)
P    Jake Arrieta (R)

[varoadking]

Maybe Stras ripped the lineup card off the wall and told everyone "Oh hell no...this is changing."

[bluestreak]

Cubs posted:

CF   Jon Jay (L)
3B   Kris Bryant (R)
1B   Anthony Rizzo (L)
C     W. Contreras (R)
RF   Ben Zobrist (S)
LF   Kyle Schwarber (L)
SS  Addison Russell (R)
2B  Javier Baez (R)
P    Jake Arrieta (R)

Changed. Heyward replacing schwarber.

[mitlen]

Changed. Heyward replacing schwarber.

 thanks


CF   Jon Jay (L)
3B   Kris Bryant (R)
1B   Anthony Rizzo (L)
C     W. Contreras (R)
LF    Ben Zobrist (S)
SS   Addison Russell (R)
RF   Jason Heyward (L)
2B   Javier Baez (R)
P     Jake Arrieta (R)

SS   Turner
LF    Jayson Werth (R)
RF   Bryce Harper (L)
1B   Ryan Zimmerman (R)
2B   Daniel Murphy (L)
3B   Anthony Rendon (R)
C    Matt Wieters (S)
CF  Michael Taylor (R)
STRAS

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

I really hope they didn't make this decision due to pressure from fans and media lol