NL East (2018)

[Natsinpwc]

If the Nats hang on today they will have made up two games on the Phillies over the last two series.  And one game on the Braves over that same stretch. Nats with 4 coming up against the Reds. Phillies 4 against the Marlins.  And the Braves 4 in NYC against the Mets. Need to win 3 of 4 or even a sweep to gain another game.

[dcpatti]

Tonight’s Marlins @ Braves is rained out, and rescheduled for an August 13 double header, giving the Barves 22 games in the 20-game stretch between days off. Half of those days are on the road.

[Smithian]

If the Nats hang on today they will have made up two games on the Phillies over the last two series.  And one game on the Braves over that same stretch. Nats with 4 coming up against the Reds. Phillies 4 against the Marlins.  And the Braves 4 in NYC against the Mets. Need to win 3 of 4 or even a sweep to gain another game.

Just have to chip away. If no rainout, hopefully Scherzday gets us a little closer.

[Senatorswin]

I'll bet Jim Riggleman wouldn't mind sticking it to the Nats this weekend.

[Ray D]

I'll bet Jim Riggleman wouldn't mind sticking it to the Nats this weekend.

Does Riggleman think of himself as the injured party, in that fiasco of 2011?  He quit on the team.

[imref]

Does Riggleman think of himself as the injured party, in that fiasco of 2011?  He quit on the team.

because they wouldn't give him an extension, I'm sure in his mind he's got a chip on his shoulder.

[Ray D]

because they wouldn't give him an extension, I'm sure in his mind he's got a chip on his shoulder.

Yeah I get that but walking out like he did, when he did, was unforgivable and selfish and completely unjustified by the "extension" matter.  Many players refuse to discuss extensions during the season.  It's reasonable for a GM to have the same policy with a manager.

[imref]

Yeah I get that but walking out like he did, when he did, was unforgivable and selfish and completely unjustified by the "extension" matter.  Many players refuse to discuss extensions during the season.  It's reasonable for a GM to have the same policy with a manager.

agreed, but I'd bet he sees it differently.  Walking out like he did isn't exactly a rational act.

[Slateman]

Pretty much do or die. The Braves and Phillies get cushy opponents.

[dcpatti]

During yesterday's game against the Mets, Adam Eaton slid into second in an attempt to break up the double play. The Mets used their review challenge but the call was upheld: slide was legal, despite what looked like contact between Eaton and Mets' 2b Phillip Evans, who exited the game right after the play.

In today's Mets news:

 ‏
 
@timbhealey

Phillip Evans has an undisplaced fractured tibia — a broken leg, but not that bad of one, apparently. He said he’ll see the doctor again in a month and take it from there. He is disappointed.

 

@timbhealey

Phillip Evans on Adam Eaton’s slide: “You got a got a fast guy hitting a soft-hit ball. I don’t think you need to come in that hard that late.

“But I mean, it’s part of the game. I respect it. I respect playing hard-nosed baseball. I play hard as well.”

That's kinda crazy because the contact didn't look all that hard to me.   Replay is here https://twitter.com/MLBReplays/status/1024696623388012544

Unlucky rookie? Mets need more calcium?

[Greg_SRT]

Mets dude didn’t even attempt to get out of the way. He wasn’t expecting contact, even if that contact was legal.

Nats need to play hard like that. Other teams need to get out of the way.

[imref]

Nats are the only NLE team with a winning record over the last 10 (6-4)

[HalfSmokes]

Nats are the only NLE team with a winning record over the last 10 (6-4)

Braves and Phillies both went 5-5. If it takes 10 games to make up 1, the math gets pretty rough for the nats

[Slateman]

And no ground gained.

[spidernat]

no ground yielded either

[nfotiu]

Braves and Phillies both went 5-5. If it takes 10 games to make up 1, the math gets pretty rough for the nats

There's about 50 games left, so the math works outs just right, I'd say.

Phillies and Braves both look like they're settling into a .500->.520 as the long season weighs on them.  A .600-.620 pace should pass them.  And it would pass them easily if they win the series left against them.

How we play is still mostly all that matters. 

[DPMOmaha]

There's about 50 games left, so the math works outs just right, I'd say.

Phillies and Braves both look like they're settling into a .500->.520 as the long season weighs on them.  A .600-.620 pace should pass them.  And it would pass them easily if they win the series left against them.

How we play is still mostly all that matters. 

Looks like a recipe for a 163.

[bluestreak]

I’d take 163 at this point

[Slateman]

There's about 50 games left, so the math works outs just right, I'd say.

Phillies and Braves both look like they're settling into a .500->.520 as the long season weighs on them.  A .600-.620 pace should pass them.  And it would pass them easily if they win the series left against them.

How we play is still mostly all that matters. 

Except the Nationals aren't going to win 6 out of every 8. This team will come back down to Earth.

Coming out of the break, splitting with the Braves, then losing two out of three to the Brewers, then splitting a four game series with the Marlins killed any chance of a postseason in DC

[Greg_SRT]

Except the Nationals aren't going to win 6 out of every 8. This team will come back down to Earth.

Coming out of the break, splitting with the Braves, then losing two out of three to the Brewers, then splitting a four game series with the Marlins killed any chance of a postseason in DC

You may be right, you may be wrong.

I can’t imagine being upset during a winning streak tho.

[nfotiu]

Except the Nationals aren't going to win 6 out of every 8. This team will come back down to Earth.

Coming out of the break, splitting with the Braves, then losing two out of three to the Brewers, then splitting a four game series with the Marlins killed any chance of a postseason in DC

I said 6 out of 10 the rest of the way would probably do it.   That's the same pace they played over a year last year, and probably a little below what they were expected to play at this year.   Maybe coming back to earth for the Nats is playing .600 baseball. 

[dcpatti]

Nats were winning roughly  6 out of 10 for the first two months of this season (33-23). May alone we went 20-7.

[Ray D]

That's kinda crazy because the contact didn't look all that hard to me.   Replay is here https://twitter.com/MLBReplays/status/1024696623388012544

It didn't look hard, but it didn't look legal to me.  Not with the new rules.  Not that I'm a fan of the new rules.

[Natsinpwc]

It didn't look hard, but it didn't look legal to me.  Not with the new rules.  Not that I'm a fan of the new rules.

Was watching the Mets broadcast and the announcers said it looked legal to them because he was in the baseline and slid  through the base.

[mitlen]

Was watching the Mets broadcast and the announcers said it looked legal to them because he was in the baseline and slid  through the base.

Like most, I don't think it wasn't illegal but I did have a cringe moment watching it in slo-mo.   The legs of both players had an awkward looking "tangle".       I would have understood if one of the other Mets had gone after Eaton.