Sunshine Squad: No More Screwing Around

[welch]

I've been wearing my 2019 WS Nat's hat. First time in a couple of years. This team is fun!

[PowerBoater69]

I've been wearing my 2019 WS Nat's hat. First time in a couple of years. This team is fun!

I broke out my 2012 October Natitude hat today.

[imref]

1 game back of the wild card.

[PowerBoater69]

ESPN has the Nats ranked as the 6th best team in MLB.

[Smithian]

I broke out my 2012 October Natitude hat today.

 

[imref]

ESPN has the Nats ranked as the 6th best team in MLB.

I guess after two months of having around the best offense in the game, it's no longer a fluke.

[PowerBoater69]

I guess after two months of having around the best offense in the game, it's no longer a fluke.

We've scored over 100 more runs than KC, SF, and Detroit. The Rockies have now allowed more runs than us, and soon the Os will as well.

Anyone know whether the Nats will send out full ticket strips this year or go full digital?

[aspenbubba]

ESPN has the Nats ranked as the 6th best team in MLB.

Interesting as I have noticed that ESPN rarely mentions the Nats on their MLB home page.

[Slateman]

Interesting as I have noticed that ESPN rarely mentions the Nats on their MLB home page.

At this point, Im genuinely surprised ESPN even knows baseball exists

[imref]

Abrams, Ruiz and Wood named to MLB's May team of the month (top player at each of their positions).

[PowerBoater69]

Back to 500, back to a positive run differential, still tied for the hardest strength of schedule to date, still the most runs scored.

[aspenbubba]

Color me gobsmacked but I never thought they would recover from the Marlin series. Still to soon to tell what the season holds for us Nats fans but there is hope that they stick around .500.

[IanRubbish]

6th best run differential in the NL

[PowerBoater69]

Good day for out of town scoreboard watching.

[PowerBoater69]

And just like that, the Nats are one game in the win column behind all three NL Wild Card teams. The time to buy is now, not after the ASG, now. I have it on good authority that MLB ownership groups like to make money, and the best way to do that is to offer playoff ticket strip priority to ticket plan holders who are renewed for next year.

[Natsinpwc]

And just like that, the Nats are one game in the win column behind all three NL Wild Card teams. The time to buy is now, not after the ASG, now. I have it on good authority that MLB ownership groups like to make money, and the best way to do that is to offer playoff ticket strip priority to ticket plan holders who are renewed for next year.

Realistically what good pitchers are available to trade for and which prospects would you give up? Or are you talking about trading CJ for pitching and hoping someone like Seaver King could replace some of his offensive production?

[PowerBoater69]

Realistically what good pitchers are available to trade for and which prospects would you give up? Or are you talking about trading CJ for pitching and hoping someone like Seaver King could replace some of his offensive production?

I'll trust Toboni and his team to make the decisions. I just want to see it happen, and in June not July. As I believe that others have noted, this team could add payroll, so taking on contracts that other teams (the Orioles?) are dumping is an option. As far as prospects go, we've got more than we can ever use.

I don't see the rush to trade CJ, I think all that noise is being driven by media, maybe if we were falling out of the race instead of in the thick if it.

[Slateman]

I'll trust Toboni and his team to make the decisions. I just want to see it happen, and in June not July. As I believe that others have noted, this team could add payroll, so taking on contracts that other teams (the Orioles?) are dumping is an option. As far as prospects go, we've got more than we can ever use.

I don't see the rush to trade CJ, I think all that noise is being driven by media, maybe if we were falling out of the race instead of in the thick if it.

That's never going to happen. And you know that.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

That's never going to happen. And you know that.

it's the sunshine thread

[PowerBoater69]

it's the sunshine thread

With the best offense in MLB, a game out of playoff position, having faced the toughest schedule in MLB that will get easier, this team needs to buy. Even if we lose the Wild Card game, the team will have sold a ton of 2027 plans to fans looking for playoff priority.

On the other hand, if the Nats lose the next ten in a row, I'm happy with a sell off. The team will still have outperformed expectations and the plan was always to build for the future. 2026 has been a transformational season regardless of the outcome at this point.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Who had the Nats catching combo as the 4th best defensively coming into the year?
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2026&month=0&season1=2026&ind=0&team=0%2Cts&rost=&age=&filter=&players=0&pos=c&sortcol=20&sortdir=default&pagenum=1

Even ahead of SFG after the Bailey trade

[welch]

With the best offense in MLB, a game out of playoff position, having faced the toughest schedule in MLB that will get easier, this team needs to buy. Even if we lose the Wild Card game, the team will have sold a ton of 2027 plans to fans looking for playoff priority.

On the other hand, if the Nats lose the next ten in a row, I'm happy with a sell off. The team will still have outperformed expectations and the plan was always to build for the future. 2026 has been a transformational season regardless of the outcome at this point.

I doubt the Nats will lose the next ten games, although I probably said that Sunday evening, July 19, 1959, after Camilo Pascual shut out the Kansas City A's 7-0, as the Senators pounded out thirteen hits off of Johnny Kucks and two relief pitchers. One of the hits was Bob Allison's 24th homer of what would become his Rookie of the Year season. The Nats were 43-46 before starting the second game of the double-header.  (By the way, Washington lost the night cap 6-5 in ten innings.)

[Elvir Ovcina]

Who had the Nats catching combo as the 4th best defensively coming into the year?
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2026&month=0&season1=2026&ind=0&team=0%2Cts&rost=&age=&filter=&players=0&pos=c&sortcol=20&sortdir=default&pagenum=1

Even ahead of SFG after the Bailey trade

Maybe not quite that good, but Millas playing a lot more was gonna help the defensive numbers.  Dude is a heck of a defender.  I don't remember who the runner was, but against SD he had a guy hosed by so much on a steal attempt that the runner stopped and tried to go back to first after the ball got to the bag.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Maybe not quite that good, but Millas playing a lot more was gonna help the defensive numbers.  Dude is a heck of a defender.  I don't remember who the runner was, but against SD he had a guy hosed by so much on a steal attempt that the runner stopped and tried to go back to first after the ball got to the bag.

Gotta be fair  to Ruiz. He's taken a monster leap forward, too. He's also become pretty adept with his catching challenges.

Millas in place Adams is an enormous defensive improvement.

[PowerBoater69]

Aroldis Chapman is available.