Easy. The Nationals are the WORST hitting team in all of baseball. Lannan faces the other team's #1 or #2 pitcher, who EASILY shuts down our weak-hitting team. If Redding faces a #4 pitcher, we are more likely to hit him, score runs and win for Redding. Also, Lannan had Flores today, but on other Sunday games he rests, like most MLB catchers.
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The last point definitely needs to be considered as well. Until today, I believe that Wil Nieves was paired exclusively with Lannan, while Flores has been the team's most productive hitter on the season. If you drop Flo and add, say WMP, you hurt whoever is pitching as was evidenced on Saturday night with Mock. This is also a very small statistical sampling and it is just the way things sometimes work out. If the team could will the scoring of runs, they would do it more often. The team does not have a grudge against Lannan. They just stink alot. Perhaps Manny should be blamed for having this grudge for not having Flores in the lineup for so many of his starts.
