PB69 presents "Fire Dave Martinez" (2019)

[rileyn]

I used to listen generally on the ten minute drive to the commuter lot. Took years to figure out which one was which. As I recall Lurch is a 49ers and Red Sox Fan.  You have to love that. It’s actually very weird they have been doing the same shtick for 25 years.

EB is the only Nats fan, and the only one that is a fan of all DC sports teams.
Cakes is a Caps fan but makes it clear he doesn't care about the other teams.
JP is an Orioles fan but does not care about the others.
Lurch is a Red Sox/49ers fan, although he is really the only one that follows MLB on a consistent basis.

[GburgNatsFan]

What's amazing is they can get on the air and talk about how little effort they put in. Contrast that with Paulsen (I know, not everyone likes him) who actually does work.

I used to listen generally on the ten minute drive to the commuter lot. Took years to figure out which one was which. As I recall Lurch is a 49ers and Red Sox Fan.  You have to love that. It’s actually very weird they have been doing the same shtick for 25 years.

[Natsinpwc]

EB is the only Nats fan, and the only one that is a fan of all DC sports teams.
Cakes is a Caps fan but makes it clear he doesn't care about the other teams.
JP is an Orioles fan but does not care about the others.
Lurch is a Red Sox/49ers fan, although he is really the only one that follows MLB on a consistent basis.

Aren’t they all Skins fans? 

[rileyn]

Aren’t they all Skins fans? 

Nope.  Other than EB, they only pay closer attention to the Skins because it's their job.

[Baseball is Life]

Yeah, those guys on the Sports Junkies are unbearable. I can't really figure out what discernible talent they have.

[UMDNats]

i feel like the junkies peaked like 2008-2011 (sexy rexy!) and since then they've checked out completely

[GburgNatsFan]

i feel like the junkies peaked like 2008-2011 (sexy rexy!) and since then they've checked out completely

Keep getting new contracts though. Which is good for them, because what the hell else could they do?

[Slateman]

i feel like the junkies peaked like 2008-2011 (sexy rexy!) and since then they've checked out completely

They still pull in ratings.

[Natsinpwc]

They still pull in ratings.

Some people still smoke. 

[GburgNatsFan]

They still pull in ratings.

Morning drive is one of the few times where people still listen to terrestrial radio... and there's almost nothing else on.  That's the only explanation.

[UMDNats]

They still pull in ratings.

of course, i just think they've been on cruise control for a decade

but then again i think sports talk radio is the biggest waste of time out there, so...

[HalfSmokes]

Morning drive is one of the few times where people still listen to terrestrial radio... and there's almost nothing else on.  That's the only explanation.

they still beat other local stations. They're like Kornheiser or Czabe (or bill simmons on a national level) at this point, basically 'guy' talk radio with a focus on sports- there's a pretty big market for that. Personally, I can can't stand the sports heavy guys like Ghaldi

[GburgNatsFan]

Yeah, I get the guy talk part. What pisses me off is when they don't know scores of recent games, etc. I mean, can't they get a producer to put facts in front of them?

I heard this all the time... they don't know who pitched, they don't know the final score (because they went to bed), etc.  This shouldn't be hard at all.  They can take 15 minutes to watch condensed games. Sound informed.

they still beat other local stations. They're like Kornheiser or Czabe (or bill simmons on a national level) at this point, basically 'guy' talk radio with a focus on sports- there's a pretty big market for that. Personally, I can can't stand the sports heavy guys like Ghaldi

[UMDNats]

can't believe our resident Davey fans have ignored this story in their obsession:

https://theathletic.com/854584/2019/03/06/cleaning-up-the-mess-inside-the-nationals-clubhouse-overhaul/

It was no surprise that the ultra-competitive Scherzer’s squad pulled through for the win. What is bizarre is it’s February 17. The Nationals have yet to hold a full-team practice, but are already planting the seeds for a clubhouse culture in dire need of change. This one involves the pitchers and catchers genuinely amped up about standing in a line passing around a head of cabbage.

“That’s the thing fans don’t understand,” Scherzer said of the importance of fostering one cohesive unit early. “When you’re in a day-to-day-grind, everyone in this clubhouse, at some point, is going to fail. Last year I had pitches that I regretted, that (I) thought cost us the game. And it’s tough to process. You have to be in a clubhouse with 24 other guys and you’re all trying to win and it falls back on you, you didn’t perform to do your job. That’s where the camaraderie, the teamwork, the leadership, all those clichéd words come into play, making sure that when the clubhouse functions as one, it doesn’t matter if one guys fails.”

That’s where the cabbage fits. As bad as last season was for the 82-80 Nationals, who under-performed on the field, there were plenty of distractions off of it. Questions about the clubhouse. Finger pointing. Anonymous players critical of the bullpen usage. The incessant spotlight — and oft media spectacle — surrounding the departed Bryce Harper.

“I feel like the feel of this camp compared to last camp is everybody is one,” said Matt Adams, who re-signed a one-year deal to return to D.C. this winter. “You see the young guys going about their business way different than a typical young guy, (who) would come in and walk on eggshells. So just developing that (vibe) that even if you are a young guy or a veteran guy, we are here together, to get our work in and we’re here to win. So, having that vibe, having specific leaders in the clubhouse policing it is huge for this team.”

Anyways, sounds like Bryce was an issue last year (maybe not intentionally, it just dominated the team's vibe) and then it snowballed into a horrible season and Davey was in over his head trying to fix it all at once.

[bluestreak]

I think it’s pretty clear that Bryce was a clubhouse issue and that a fair number of players are happy to see him gone.

I’m excited to see what the team can do this year.

[Natsinpwc]

can't believe our resident Davey fans have ignored this story in their obsession:

https://theathletic.com/854584/2019/03/06/cleaning-up-the-mess-inside-the-nationals-clubhouse-overhaul/

Anyways, sounds like Bryce was an issue last year (maybe not intentionally, it just dominated the team's vibe) and then it snowballed into a horrible season and Davey was in over his head trying to fix it all at once.

It was all Bryce’s fault?  Or was it Dave’s? I’m so confused. A better start will help them believe all the teamwork stuff.

[UMDNats]

It was all Bryce’s fault?  Or was it Dave’s? I’m so confused.

Things in life aren't always so black and white. Bryce was a larger-than-life ego/personality and was in a highly publicized free agency mode. Davey was a first-year manager. Immediately the team suffered major injuries (Murphy, especially), so we were behind the 8-ball from the beginning. Bryce isn't a leader of men and had his own issues. Tensions ran high as the team struggled. The bullpen was stressed because the rotation sucked/was injured, and Davey relied too much on his big guys, who then struggled. 

The 2018 Nationals were 50 shades of grey

[Natsinpwc]

Things in life aren't always so black and white. Bryce was a larger-than-life ego/personality and was in a highly publicized free agency mode. Davey was a first-year manager. Immediately the team suffered major injuries (Murphy, especially), so we were behind the 8-ball from the beginning. Bryce isn't a leader of men and had his own issues. Tensions ran high as the team struggled. The bullpen was stressed because the rotation sucked/was injured, and Davey relied too much on his big guys, who then struggled. 

The 2018 Nationals were 50 shades of grey

I’m just teasing those who blame either for like ten games. It’s laughable. Lots of reasons for 2018 as you say. If they do well there will be many for that also.

[PowerBoater69]

can't believe our resident Davey fans have ignored this story in their obsession:

https://theathletic.com/854584/2019/03/06/cleaning-up-the-mess-inside-the-nationals-clubhouse-overhaul/

Anyways, sounds like Bryce was an issue last year (maybe not intentionally, it just dominated the team's vibe) and then it snowballed into a horrible season and Davey was in over his head trying to fix it all at once.

I read that article but didn't comment because it seemed to be just a rehash of info from last year along with unwarranted optimization that Martinez has everything fixed now.

[UMDNats]

I read that article but didn't comment because it seemed to be just a rehash of info from last year along with unwarranted optimization that Martinez has everything fixed now.

Davey says, "you know" in a radio interview:

"This guy is the dumbest human being alive and a stain on humanity. He is personally offensive to me and my family, and a disgrace."

Matt Adams, a player who played here last year, left, and came back, says this year's team is already more cohesive than last year and a different vibe than last year, offering supporting evidence to the theory that last year's issues were deeper than we expected:

"Rehashing info. Unwarranted optimism."

[rileyn]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/nationals-manager-dave-martinez-loses-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-in-year-2/2019/03/26/f60b9794-4fe2-11e9-88a1-ed346f0ec94f_story.html?utm_term=.76c03b5937c2

Svrluga chimes in. 

[LoveAngelos]

If talent is the only thing that matters then Dave doesn't matter anyway

[PowerBoater69]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/nationals-manager-dave-martinez-loses-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-in-year-2/2019/03/26/f60b9794-4fe2-11e9-88a1-ed346f0ec94f_story.html?utm_term=.76c03b5937c2

Svrluga chimes in. 

I like Svrluga but he's sounding like Boswell or Phil Woods, lecturing the fan base on how we should trust in the Nats knowing what they are doing. Like you need to be an insider to know that he's a dud and he's never going to get better. I really like that expectations are supposed to be higher now, when we aren't coming off a 97 win season.

[Air Desmond]

Last year it was camels.

This year it’s cabbage.

You know what builds team chemistry? Winning.

Watching the Nats last year was a chore for me. I’ve never felt that way before. There were so many ugly moments. It was a chore for Turner to run out a bunt in Milwaukee. It was a chore for Kelley to close out a 25-1 ballgame. Then you had Bryce’s “if that guy was on our side” comments. Overall, they just played a sloppy brand of baseball.

Hopefully this year is different. This is a balanced, talented group. A nice blend of respected vets and young guys. For Davey’s sake, I hope they get off to a got start. Another .500 season won’t be tolerated.

[varoadking]

https://www.federalbaseball.com/2019/3/27/18284612/sb-nation-fanpulse-washington-nationals-fans-like-job-davey-martinez-is-doing-as-the-manager-in-d-c