PB69 presents "Fire Dave Martinez" (2018)

[imref]

Pretty good recap of where we are, with some guarded reason for optimism:

http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=15266

[Greg_SRT]

We just got to the hump, and are about to get over it!

[NatsAllThe Way]

did Dave bring a camel or a dromedary to spring training? 

[ChiliPalmer14]

There's been a domino effect from the injuries in a way that even Dusty didn't have to deal with in 2017:

- A healthy Zimm had 36/108 last year and hit over .300
- Adam Lind had 14/59 and hits .303
- A healthy Daniel Murphy had 23/93 and hit .322
- Howie Kendrick was a huge pickup at the deadline hitting almost .300 and was versatile
- Rendon had another huge season last year while staying healthy all season
- Wieters was healthy and drove in 52 runs
- Stras only missed 4 starts last year, has already missed 4 this year
- Bryce hits 100 points higher than he is now
- Guys like Brian Goodwin and Stephen Drew were significant contributors off the bench - 97 hits, 14 homers, 47 RBI between them

2018:

After a slow start Zimm has missed 2 months, and while Adams is a good player he hasn't put up the numbers Lind did last year and after a hot start Mark Reynolds has regressed to what he's been for the past several years - some homers and a ton of strikeouts. Murphy missed the 1st 2 months of the season, didn't have a spring training and still doesn't look right. Rendon missed almost 20 games earlier this year. Howie is done for the year. Goodwin has missed significant time and Drew is gone so the bench has been thinner with the injuries added in. Wieters did a great job with the pitching staff last year and has missed 60+ games so far. With him out, there's been no offense production at all from the C position and Sevy can't seem to handle a pitching staff at this point which has especially caused problems for both Gio (who easily could have won over 20 games last year when Wieters caught him) and Tanner getting on the same page with him. The Nats were 36-26 when Stras went down, 6-17 since. Hellickson had pitched well then he goes out. Injuries to the rotation mean the guys who are taking their place aren't as good and therefore aren't going to be able to go deep into games, thus coupled with close games do to a lack of offense has lead to burning out the pen. And many of these injuries have occurred simultaneously, whereas last year the injuries were much more staggered during the course of the season. They have had virtually no solid offensive production from C, 1B or 2B so far. And on top of all of this the Braves and Phillies are both vastly improved over what they were last year.

Not saying Davey is blameless in this mess, he's made mistakes, but I don't care who the manager of this team is he wouldn't be able to overcome all of that and have this team in 1st place right now or more than a few games over .500.

To be fair, Davey has Eaton (what's left of him), the gift of Juan Soto and a bullpen for which Dusty would have been pretty grateful. 

[UMDNats]

Pretty good recap of where we are, with some guarded reason for optimism:

http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=15266

Those reasons for optimism are basically "we're about to play bad teams" and "our big guns can't possibly be this bad, right?"

[imref]

Those reasons for optimism are basically "we're about to play bad teams" and "our big guns can't possibly be this bad, right?"

that about sums it up.  At least we'll know in the next 2 weeks if there's any reason to be hopeful.

[Slateman]

To be fair, Davey has Eaton (what's left of him), the gift of Juan Soto and a bullpen for which Dusty would have been pretty grateful. 

Juan Soto is basically replacing Daniel Murphy last season. Davey has had Eaton for about the same amount of time Dusty did. Dusty still had a much healthier lineup that was capable of scoring runs. Yes, his pen was worse, but his starting pitching was also much better.

[Slateman]

Are we still blaming Martinez for this? Day after a players only meeting, the team still plays like crap. 

[UMDNats]

Are we still blaming Martinez for this? Day after a players only meeting, the team still plays like crap. 

these guys are grown men out here incapable of playing like professionals. can't really blame the manager when the guys aren't even trying. sure he needs to figure out a way to spark something but man, what is he gonna do when Rendon boots a routine grounder, Hellickson can't get a batter out and the offense just swings at the first pitch?

[Natsinpwc]

Are we still blaming Martinez for this? Day after a players only meeting, the team still plays like crap.

No. Rendon today. His error in the first made Hellickson pitch terribly the next inning. 

[PowerBoater69]

@markzuckerman Miller was warming when they pinch-hit for Rodriguez, but then Kelley replaced him and now he's coming in to pitch the 6th down 9-5.

The Davey Dry Hump

[imref]

I know hindsight is always 20-20, but pitching a sick hellickson was probably a bad idea.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

freaking ballsy use of the bench tonight!  Early when we had a shot.

[Slateman]

I know hindsight is always 20-20, but pitching a sick hellickson was probably a bad idea.

Agreed

[DPMOmaha]

freaking ballsy use of the bench tonight!  Early when we had a shot.

I missed most of the game. What did he do?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I missed most of the game. What did he do?

he used Reynolds, Eaton, and Difo to pinch in the 5th and 6th innings to push the rally, which meant Kieboom coming in to catch, then used his last bench player, Goodwin, in the 7th.

[DPMOmaha]

he used Reynolds, Eaton, and Difo to pinch in the 5th and 6th innings to push the rally, which meant Kieboom coming in to catch, then used his last bench player, Goodwin, in the 7th.

Nice. That dude can sure manage, huh. 

[imref]

He managed like our season depended on winning tonight. Good job.

[rileyn]

He managed like our season depended on winning tonight. Good job.

It did.  He had no other choice and they were not hard decisions.  His hardest decisions were how to deal with the staff.  Stay with Hellickson for how long?  What to do in the 8th/9th, when we had a 5 run lead evaporate to a 2 run lead.  We got the W, so I can't complain.

[Natsinpwc]

He managed like our season depended on winning tonight. Good job.

Helps a little when you score 14 runs. So now they have a 14 run game and a 17 run game in the last week. With lots of empty box scores in between.

[PowerBoater69]

Martinez gave up on the game and left Hell in to save the pen, he only started playing to win after the slam. He's not leading this team he's along for the ride.

[Greg_SRT]

Helps a little when you score 14 runs. So now they have a 14 run game and a 17 run game in the last week. With lots of empty box scores in between.

My hope is the incredible come from behind is what flips the switch for this team.

They didn’t quit after 9-0. So that’s in everyone’s mind moving forward... hopefully.

[dcpatti]

Martinez gave up on the game and left Hell in to save the pen, he only started playing to win after the slam. He's not leading this team he's along for the ride.

Honestly the pen is cooked currently. Grace probably will be unavailable again tonight, Madson is probably next in line for the DL, we saw what happened to Herrera (who seems to be having a rough adjustment) and Miller and they both probably only pitched because *someone* had to.  With an early 7-Run deficit, a team that hasn’t been able to score lately, and a game with no starter in 4 days, you need more of a reason to push the relievers than just “Hellickson is getting shelled.”  You burn them out if there’s a decent chance it will result in a win, but not till after your offense shows you it can do something other than lay there like an old rug.

[PowerBoater69]

Honestly the pen is cooked currently. Grace probably will be unavailable again tonight, Madson is probably next in line for the DL, we saw what happened to Herrera (who seems to be having a rough adjustment) and Miller and they both probably only pitched because *someone* had to.  With an early 7-Run deficit, a team that hasn’t been able to score lately, and a game with no starter in 4 days, you need more of a reason to push the relievers than just “Hellickson is getting shelled.”  You burn them out if there’s a decent chance it will result in a win, but not till after your offense shows you it can do something other than lay there like an old rug.

At some point you have to try to win games rather than concede them early. Every post game Martinez says he has confidence in his guys but his actions show that he doesn't.

[Natsinpwc]

My hope is the incredible come from behind is what flips the switch for this team.

They didn’t quit after 9-0. So that’s in everyone’s mind moving forward... hopefully.

They had the come from behind win against the Phillies a couple weeks ago. They were down 6-2 and won 8-6. They promptly went to Tampa and laid an egg. I will believe it when they put together a streak. Even then it may not be sustained. They had a great May and then fell apart in June.