NL East (2018)

[Natsinpwc]

Atlanta losing big to the BLOS again, 7-2.  Of course of they bring Britton in that lead could go away.  Watched the ninth inning last night; it was just like batting practice on Britton.  And that genius Buck just left him in.  At least until they tied it and he had enough sense to bring in O'Day.  Braves would have probably won it but they sent Freeman home from first on a double and he was out by  a mile.

[NatsAllThe Way]

At least we're not the Mets.

[mitlen]

At least we're not the Mets.

Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeriste that's reassuring.

[Natsinpwc]

Braves lost again.

[LoveAngelos]

Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeriste that's reassuring.

It is what we are reduced to when we have one legitimate starter who doesn't  get run production and a bullpen full of.....can't release him we owe him too much money; can't  send him down he is out of optons and a prima dona outfielder only concerned  about breaking the bank; no offense from the catchers position  and a clueless gutless Maddox wannabe of a manager

[Natsinpwc]

It is what we are reduced to when we have one legitimate starter who doesn't  get run production and a bullpen full of.....can't release him we owe him too much money; can't  send him down he is out of optons and a prima dona outfielder only concerned  about breaking the bank; no offense from the catchers position  and a clueless gutless Maddox wannabe of a manager

Maybe this is the secret to success. Winning four division titles and having home field advantage in the playoffs hasn't worked. Sneak into the second wild card. Steal a game at the other guys field and ride that momentum. When you read about the Caps season after the fact they had plenty of discord. Lame duck coach, etc.

[LoveAngelos]

Maybe this is the secret to success. Winning four division titles and having home field advantage in the playoffs hasn't worked. Sneak into the second wild card. Steal a game at the other guys field and ride that momentum. When you read about the Caps season after the fact they had plenty of discord. Lame duck coach, etc.

I do hope you are right. If they fired Trotz when they were about to I don't think Lord Stanley would have had his trophy rolled down Constitution Ave.

[Slateman]

Braves lost again.

#fakestofnews

[mixedmutt]

Braves lost again.

So did we.

[hotshot]

Watched the Barves beat the O's this afternoon. Gotta say that their first four hitters -- Inciarte, Albies, Freeman and Markakis -- are impressive as hell. Markakis leads the NL in hits and rarely strikes out, Freeman is Freeman, and Inciarte and Albies are excellent hitters with tons of speed.

[Slateman]

Watched the Barves beat the O's this afternoon. Gotta say that their first four hitters -- Inciarte, Albies, Freeman and Markakis -- are impressive as hell. Markakis leads the NL in hits and rarely strikes out, Freeman is Freeman, and Inciarte and Albies are excellent hitters with tons of speed.

[NatsAllThe Way]

I think you clicked on the wrong emoji...   

[Slateman]

I think you clicked on the wrong emoji...   

No

[Truconfidence]

Should be interesting to see Cincy in Atl this next series. Cincy is on a 7 game winning streak and been scoring runs easy. Braves thin starting pitching starting to crack and their closer is on the DL now.

[Natsinpwc]

Should be interesting to see Cincy in Atl this next series. Cincy is on a 7 game winning streak and been scoring runs easy. Braves thin starting pitching starting to crack and their closer is on the DL now.

Scooter Gennett has turned into Rogers Hornsby. The Reds have actually been scoring all year. When I went to the game a couple weeks ago all the starters other than the pitcher and Billy Hamilton were hitting over .260. And most of them with good power stats. The problem has been that their starting pitching has been a disaster. They are finally getting some quality starts. It probably won't last long but another few games would be nice. There was no way to expect the BLOS to take 2 of 3 but they did.

[hotshot]

Ascending : Braves, Phillies

In Decline: Nats, Mets

Wonder if Lerner regrets the Rizzo extension? Like maybe waiting until the season played out before locking in?

[bluestreak]

Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino to DL with shoulder inflammation.

[DPMOmaha]

According to MLBTR, Braves were in on Herrera. Double-whammy for them with Vizcaino going down now, too.

[rbw5t]

Ascending : Braves, Phillies

In Decline: Nats, Mets

Wonder if Lerner regrets the Rizzo extension? Like maybe waiting until the season played out before locking in?

Of course the Braves and Phillies are generally ascending -- they've been bad for a long time and are ready to start being better.  Not exactly shocking, and of course has nothing to do with Rizzo.  We're lucky the Mets are a mess and that the Marlins are the Marlins.

I don't agree that we're really in decline.  We have good cheap young outfielders, and Max/Stras should continue to be a well above average 1-2 for a couple more seasons.  Rizzo built a team that's been good since 2012, and to me looks likely to continue being good for several more years.  You can't expect to be favored to win your division by ten games before every season, because eventually other teams get better.  But this is our 7th straight season of being good (and either winning the division or being heavily favored to do so, despite blowing it), and I expect we'll be at least near the top of the division with the Braves and Phillies for the next 3 or so (beyond that, too hard for me to predict).  It's hard for me to say that a GM that has his team as the class of the division for a ten year window isn't doing a good job.

[Smithian]

Ascending : Braves, Phillies

In Decline: Nats, Mets

Wonder if Lerner regrets the Rizzo extension? Like maybe waiting until the season played out before locking in?

You mean in June or as a franchise?

Because even if we lose every FA, our lineup next year looks a little like this

Turner
Eaton
Rendon
Soto
Zimmerman
Robles/Taylor
Severino
Difo

That isn't terrible. Toss in a decent bat at second base or catcher and then whoever replaces Zimmerman who he goes down? That is a good lineup.

And any rotation with Scherzer and Strasburg up top is more than enough to keep you competitive.

[Senatorswin]

Ascending : Braves, Phillies

In Decline: Nats, Mets

Wonder if Lerner regrets the Rizzo extension? Like maybe waiting until the season played out before locking in?

They should have signed Rizzo to a longer term contract for more money. Rizzo is a bad ass. Not only did he help the back end of the Nats bullpen but he kept Herrera from the Phillies and the Braves.

[Truconfidence]

Exactly, look at all the ptiching Rizzo is drafting. Some of that will fill our backhalf rotation and bullpen. Will Crowe so far looks like he is close. Jefry Rodriguez might be something. I am impressed with him. Sterling Sharp looks like he might be something too.

[Elston32]

You mean in June or as a franchise?

Because even if we lose every FA, our lineup next year looks a little like this

Turner
Eaton
Rendon
Soto
Zimmerman
Robles/Taylor
Severino
Difo

That isn't terrible. Toss in a decent bat at second base or catcher and then whoever replaces Zimmerman who he goes down? That is a good lineup.

And any rotation with Scherzer and Strasburg up top is more than enough to keep you competitive.

 

I'd like to see another bat added- someone under 30 yrs. old. Maybe Scooter Gennett- he can play 2nd, have Difo do utility.
A better hitting catcher would certainly help too.

[Optics]

I feel like so far this season has been absolute worst case scenario for us and absolute best case scenario for Atlanta and Philly, yet with all that we're only 3 back. I sense a hot streak coming, probably sometime after the ASB.

[vernon337]

I am impressed with Atlanta's team this season, and I believe they can be a solid team over the rest of the season.  But in looking at their lineup this season, I am struck by how much good fortune they have had up till  now -- especially when compared to Washington.

Of the eight players in Atlanta's starting lineup for their first game this year, seven have now played in at least 50 games.  The one who hasn't was their catcher, who got beat out for the job by Suzuki.  Suzuki has now played in 53 games.  So their basic starting lineup has been pretty much intact throughout the season.  Three of their starters -- Freeman, Markakis and Flaherty -- are having career-best years in terms of OPS+.  Suzuki actually had a higher one last year, but his OPS+ for this year is 33 points higher than his career average. (Markakis's is 30 pts higher).

Meanwhile in Washington ...
Four of the players in our starting-day lineup -- Eaton, Zimmerman, Wieters and Kendrick (who was himself a replcement for Murphy) -- have played 40 (Kendrick) or fewer games.  Of the other four Rendon is now 11 pts above his career average for OPS+ and Taylor is four pts above.  But Turner is 12 pts below and Harper 17. 

Maybe our players are just more injury-prone.  Maybe Markakis and Suzuki have suddenly figured it out in their mid-30s.  Maybe Harper will defy baseball history and become a .200 hitter after winning an MVP before he turned 25.  But I say the odds are better that The Nats' lineup performs better for the rest of the season than it has up to now, and the Braves' performs worse.  It's a crazy game, with a lot of twists and turns that are impossible to predict, but that's what it looks like to me.