Nationals @ Giants, Game 3

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Cruz In the three hole is destroying soto. In honestly would not be surprised the nats were doing this intentionally to drive down production to try and use it against him in contract negotiations. There is absolutely no reason our best player should be the No.2 over the 3 or 4

2 separate questions there, maybe 3. Lots of teams hit their best hitter 2nd. Separate question frim whether it works given this group of hitters and whether Cruz is the right guy to hit behind Soto. Bell against righties for sure, whether Soto is 2d or 3rd.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Luscious! Speed kills.

[welch]

Fox!! Takes two bases on Soto's single and then takes home on a bobble.

[welch]

I thought I had read it about Jim Busby, the Nats' CF in the early '50s:

And, boy, could he run. In a college track meet he dashed 100 yards in 9.8 seconds, one-half second off the world record at the time. In the majors he was clocked from home to first base in 3.4 seconds, 3/10 of a second slower than Mickey Mantle. Busby tried to promote a match race against Mantle, but the Yankees wouldn’t allow it.

From Busby's SABR bio, https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jim-busby/

[JCA-CrystalCity]

What is it with the 5th inning and our SP. It’s like the Berlin Wall prior to 1989.

Mr. G. tears down that wall!

[welch]

2 separate questions there, maybe 3. Lots of teams hit their best hitter 2nd. Separate question frim whether it works given this group of hitters and whether Cruz is the right guy to hit behind Soto. Bell against righties for sure, whether Soto is 2d or 3rd.

Maybe switch Cruz and YadiStar.

[Natsinpwc]

Cruz In the three hole is destroying soto. In honestly would not be surprised the nats were doing this intentionally to drive down production to try and use it against him in contract negotiations. There is absolutely no reason our best player should be the No.2 over the 3 or 4

I believe all the analytics show the best spot for your best hitter is #2. The best move would to put Bell as number three and Ruiz or Yadi as cleanup. Cruz 5 or even 6 until he starts hitting better. In any event Soto is 2-4 today and a HR the other night.

[welch]

And Victor!!!

[Dave in Fairfax]

Yay! Our bullpen working to keep things interesting.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

So much for an inning of Arano to shorten the game

[welch]

Finnegan not much better than Arano. Maybe worse.

[Dave in Fairfax]

So much for an inning of Arano to shorten the game

So much for Finnegan coming in and ... actually, this is what Finnegan does. Half his inherited runners have scored this season and last, and his own ERA is rising.

[welch]

Who has confidence in Cishek?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

My regard for Kyle is approaching Cartman's.

[NatNasty]

Finnegan crapagain

[KV]

You just can’t get complacent with this team.

[imref]

Mike Ford was released a few days ago and picked up by SF. Sigh....

[welch]

THAT M

Mike Ford was released a few days ago and picked up by SF. Sigh....

THAT Mike Ford? Played awful for Rochester last season, could not hit, looked overweight? The Giants found some use for that Mike Ford?

[aspenbubba]

Cruz might be Rizzos worse signing ever.

[welch]

He is YadiStar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dave in Fairfax]

Yadi's two doubles are the only extra-base hits this game.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yadiel has to play.

By the way, nice outfield positioning

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Also, kudos to Soto for taking 2d. Set up the inning.

[Dave in Fairfax]

Franco's the only Nat not to reach base this game.

[imref]

Cruz might be Rizzos worse signing ever.

Rafael Soriano checking in....