Nationals @ Blue Jays, Game 1

[Natsinpwc]

Harper left?

I don't get the Rizzo bashing, since he took over in 2009 we've been the 7th best team in baseball.  Since 2012, we've been the third best team. Our 2012-2019 run saw four NL east titles, a wild card appearance, and a WS title. Every other team would kill for that kind of run.  Has he made a ton of mistakes that deserve criticism? Sure. Has his overall performance been among the best in baseball? Sure.

He’s in a slump.

[imref]

an argument for why Martinez should have pinch hit Stevenson for Robles with the bases loaded and the Nats down a run:

https://www.talknats.com/2021/04/28/last-night-nats-trailed-4-3-bases-loaded-robles-due/

[JCA-CrystalCity]

an argument for why Martinez should have pinch hit Stevenson for Robles with the bases loaded and the Nats down a run:

https://www.talknats.com/2021/04/28/last-night-nats-trailed-4-3-bases-loaded-robles-due/

Interesting.  I don't feel the analytic case based on this year is compelling.  It's more of a gut hunch.  I'd also be curious about how many times Castro had faced lefties.  That line looked weird.  All that being said, I had the same thought, too.  Stevenson has been a terrific pinch hitter since 2019, especially with the platoon advantage. 

Despite the whole "go 1-0 every day" line, Davey is clearly managing for what he perceives is the long haul.  It's literally the old "it's early" line.  He knows this team is designed around Schwarber and Bell compensating for the line-ups weaknesses against righties, and he believes that Robles eventually will perform closer to his scouting reports than what he's been doing.  Along these lines, he wants to show confidence in the roster his GM gave him.  Get Bell going by benching RZ.  Challenge Robles to produce when the bases are loaded and, hey, there's only 1 out, and he's not a DP guy.  I sweep Schwarber into this too because of Yadi and Stevenson.

It was a winnable game, and we did have a chance to go 1-0.  It's just it was managed as if other things were more important.

[OldChelsea]

Yeah I’m back on the fire Davey bandwagon. I know rizzo has screwed him with a team rather devoid of talent but this is just unacceptable. Nationals heading back to 2005-2009 levels of suckery

You mean 2006-11 (the six straight losing seasons topped by the abysmal 2009 campaign - the Hungry Years). The 2005 team (the '05 Overachievers) finished .500 and were astonishing everyone till that disastrous Fourth of July series against the Mets - even so, they weren't mathematically eliminated from post-season till there was a week left in the season.

[welch]

Painful loss. I watched the Caps take a 1 - 0 lead over the Islanders, turned to the Nats in time to see Yadiel Hernandez homer to make it 3 - 0 Nats, skipped over to the Caps, and returned see, clunk, that Toronto had taken a 4 - 3 lead. And then it got worse.