Nationals vs Rangers, Game 3

[eagleskins]

Milledge sucks.  Even though Church is injured, he is still a MUCH better player. 

[MrMadison]

Milledge now 1 for his last 23. But keep him in the #3 hole Manny, it's really doing wonders for our lineup.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again.

Milledge needs to bat 2nd.  with someone strong behind him.

[Obed_Marsh]

Young on base. Flores HR time!

f'n DP again. 

[eagleskins]

Lets go Flowers. 

[sportsfan882]

Game over. Worst team EVER.

[sportsfan882]

Now 17 games under .500. We'll be 20 games under after the Red-hot Angels sweep us.

[nats2playoffs]

so bring in Manning and let him pitch the rest of the game because we are afraid of their righty-hitting?

Bring in Manning and then forfeit the game, since we won't make any intelligent decisions.  So we called up right-hander Steven Shell, KNOWING that we are playing the Texas-Stolen-from-Washington Rangers, who cannot hit lefties, but KILL righties?  Manny and Claire needed to DEMAND a lefty for this situation, since we're now rotating players on a daily basis. 

We played two former Senators teams with a So-What attitude.  Manny said NOTHING to his batters in Minnesota, and then WHINED, after the game, that they were swinging at too many first pitches.  Manny is a minor league manager at best.

GAME OVER.  WE LOSE... AGAIN.

[MrMadison]

I'd hit Dmitri 3rd, and Dukes or Flores 4th.

Guzman
Milledge
Dmitri
Flores/Dukes
Dukes/Flores

I'll agree that Milledge shouldn't be batting 3rd, nor anywhere in the middle of the order. Milledge belongs at the top, and he should be tasked with seeing a lot of pitches, and simply getting on base instead of trying to drive in runs.

the Nationals are trying to turn Milledge into something he is not (a huge RBI/Power threat), instead of letting him be what he is (a table-setter and basestealer). and it is very clear to see.

[Air Zimmerman]

 

we wasted another solid outing from lannan, willie's  homer, and the  's blast that tied the game.

[sportsfan882]

Bring in Manning and then forfeit the game, since we won't make any intelligent decisions.  So we called up right-hander Steven Shell, KNOWING that we are playing the Texas-Stolen-from-Washington Rangers, who cannot hit lefties, but KILL righties?  Manny and Claire needed to DEMAND a lefty for this situation, since we're now rotating players on a daily basis. 

We played two former Senators teams with a So-What attitude.  Manny said NOTHING to his batters in Minnesota, and then WHINED, after the game, that they were swinging at too many first pitches.  Manny is a minor league manager at best.

GAME OVER.  WE LOSE... AGAIN.

(Image removed from quote.)

QFT. Manny would be a great Minor League manager but he's not built to coach up here. We are 17 freaking games under .500. If we were any other team the manager would be long fired by now.

[sportsfan882]

  And we thought Texas Rangers' pitching was tough. Just wait until the Angels come into town tomorrow.

[MrMadison]

And we thought Texas Rangers' pitching was tough. Just wait until the Angels come into town tomorrow.

but if we fire Manny RIGHT NOW the Angels will instantly stop being the Angels, yes?

guaranteed sweep.

[MrMadison]

listening to Manny's press conference, it sounds like he's got a bunch of guys on that roster that he doesn't want.

especially in the bullpen.

[sportsfan882]

The Nationals have scored just four runs to support him in his last six starts.

"I don't feel bad for him," Acta said. "He knows that everybody here is paying attention of how good he's pitching and how he's doing. Would I want him to have six, seven more wins than he has? Yes, I do."

Even Acta hates Lannan. 

[MrMadison]

Even Acta hates Lannan. 

i heard when he said that, and I don't agree one bit.  I feel horrible for Lannan.  our hitters treat our best pitcher like absolute crap. they don't hit when lannan is pitching, but as soon as he is out of the game, they start blasting home runs.

[sportsfan882]

i heard when he said that, and I don't agree one bit.  I feel horrible for Lannan.  our hitters treat our best pitcher like absolute crap. they don't hit when lannan is pitching, but as soon as he is out of the game, they start blasting home runs.

Yeah, it's embarrassing. I don't understand it. Lannan seems like a pretty likeable guy too.  I don't know why everyone on the team has a grudge against the best pitcher on the team. If anything they should be grateful and appreciative of him.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

This whole thing about the "whole team having grudges and hating Lannan" is the most ridiculous load of bull I've heard in a long time.

I understand when we totally suck, we jump to conclusions and make up fantasies and get angry to the point of pushing the little red button and taking out third world countries, but with statements like that, can you dig yourselves any deeper into the madhouse?

Why would this team tank just so one pitcher doesn't have a good record? I am waiting for a legitimate answer to the question with hard evidence, not conspiracy theories.

[sportsfan882]

This whole thing about the "whole team having grudges and hating Lannan" is the most ridiculous load of bull I've heard in a long time.

I understand when we totally suck, we jump to conclusions and make up fantasies and get angry to the point of pushing the little red button and taking out third world countries, but with statements like that, can you dig yourselves any deeper into the madhouse?

Why would this team tank just so one pitcher doesn't have a good record? I am waiting for a legitimate answer to the question with hard evidence, not conspiracy theories.

We are 4-11 when Lannan starts a game and 13-3 when Redding starts a game.

Redding has a 4.12 ERA. He has quality starts in 7 of 16 starts. Redding gets 5.79 runs of support per start.

Lannan has a 3.34 ERA. He has quality starts in 11 of 15 starts. Lannan gets 2.22 runs of support per start.

Pure coincidence? I think not.

[MrMadison]

This whole thing about the "whole team having grudges and hating Lannan" is the most ridiculous load of bull I've heard in a long time.

I understand when we totally suck, we jump to conclusions and make up fantasies and get angry to the point of pushing the little red button and taking out third world countries, but with statements like that, can you dig yourselves any deeper into the madhouse?

Why would this team tank just so one pitcher doesn't have a good record? I am waiting for a legitimate answer to the question with hard evidence, not conspiracy theories.

I don't really believe the team has a grudge against Lannan or anything.

but as for hard evidence?  Lannan had the only hit in the game for the Nats for the entire 6 innings he pitched.

from the moment Lannan came out of the game, until the end, the lineup had 5 hits and 2 HRs.

like I said, I don't believe the team "tanked" for Lannan, I just think it is ridiculous that the team can't seem to hit when he is on the mound. they treat him like crap in terms of support, and all he does is continue to go out and pitch well and keep us in ballgames.

conspiracy theory or not, Lannan deserves better.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

like I said, I don't believe the team "tanked" for Lannan, I just think it is ridiculous that the team can't seem to hit when he is on the mound. they treat him like crap in terms of support, and all he does is continue to go out and pitch well and keep us in ballgames.

conspiracy theory or not, Lannan deserves better.

I believe this part. I don't believe they are sucking because of Lannan one way or the other. They are just sucking and it just happens to domino because Lannan is a new kid pitching his heart and soul while the rest of our journeymen and cripples are...well, journymen and cripples. The fans feel for the kid and I understand that. But a team wide "Out to get Lannan" philosophy? I'm not biting.

Patterson had this happen to him in 05' or 06' the time he was with us those seasons. Pitched some great games, no run support.

[nats2playoffs]

I don't really believe the team has a grudge against Lannan or anything.  but as for hard evidence?  Lannan had the only hit in the game for the Nats for the entire 6 innings he pitched.  from the moment Lannan came out of the game, until the end, the lineup had 5 hits and 2 HRs.  like I said, I don't believe the team "tanked" for Lannan, I just think it is ridiculous that the team can't seem to hit when he is on the mound...

I think Lannan is a victim of his own outstanding play.  He became our ace, and a number of his losses were against our opponents' #1 or #2 pitcher.  Texas has poor pitching, but Padilla at 10-3 is arguably their best.  This Forum has presented evidence that pitchers tend to get more hittable the longer they remain on the mound.  They lose control before their pitch speed drops.  We started hitting Padilla exactly that way, plus, we got more used to facing him as the game went on, and he pitched 7 innings.

Acta removed Lannan after 6 innings and 96 pitches.  Due to his success today, plus Texas' excelling against right-handers, Manny might have sent Lannan out for the 7th (giving up Harris PH homer in the process.)  What if Lannan retires the side in 10 or 12 pitches?  Then bring lefty Manning out in the 8th and Rauch in the 9th.  Manny manages like a robot, which is not managing at all.  (96 pitches = "You're done.")  Against the Twins, when Lannan put a man on first and was now facing their BEST hitter, Claire should have gone to the mound and REMINDED him not to throw the pitch that Manny criticized him for, after the game, which resulted in a 2-run homer that lost the game.

[spidernat]

This whole thing about the "whole team having grudges and hating Lannan" is the most ridiculous load of bull I've heard in a long time.

QFT   

Yeah, it's embarrassing. I don't understand it. Lannan seems like a pretty likeable guy too. 

Here is the evidence NOTLD. Lannan is a nice guy so the players must be part of my anit-nice guy agenda

[PANatsFan]

We are 4-11 when Lannan starts a game and 13-3 when Redding starts a game.

Redding has a 4.12 ERA. He has quality starts in 7 of 16 starts. Redding gets 5.79 runs of support per start.

Lannan has a 3.34 ERA. He has quality starts in 11 of 15 starts. Lannan gets 2.22 runs of support per start.

Pure coincidence? I think not.

SMALL. NUMBER. STATISTICS.

[sportsfan882]

QFT  


Here is the evidence NOTLD. Lannan is a nice guy so the players must be part of my anit-nice guy agenda

Seriously man, how can you explain the offense scoring 3.57 MORE runs per game for Redding than Lannan? This is ridiculous and is historical in it's rarity.

[nats2playoffs]

Seriously man, how can you explain the offense scoring 3.57 MORE runs per game for Redding than Lannan? This is ridiculous and is historical in it's rarity.

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.