Nationals vs Phillies, Game 1

[houston-nat]

A collaborative no-hitter with the help of some of the new call-ups would be awesome.

BTW SI.com reports Ben Sheets left his game with an injury.

[ronnynat]

I don't need a no-hitter. 6 or 7 innings of one of two-hit ball works for me.

[nats2playoffs]

You should send him a copy of the Jinx Cookbook.

No, he should be taken out and SHOT, for doing this all year long.  We could have gone to the World Series.

Carpenter can be shot too.  Possible use one bullet to get both of them, to save the Lerners on the cost of bullets...

[sportsfan882]

No, he should be taken out and SHOT, for doing this all year long.  We could have gone to the World Series.

Carpenter can be shot too.  Possible use one bullet to get both of them, to save the Lerners on the cost of bullets...

[fersaltiel]

Zimm at .283, can he get to .290 like in 2006?

[ronnynat]

Not just the walk.  He got helped out in the those first two innings, one with a lucky strike call to end the second and some good defensive positioning by the outfielders.  I have rarely ever ragged on Redding, but the one thing I will knock on him is his lack of "veteran" confidence.  For a guy that has been in the league for awhile like him, his nerves get rattled pretty easily.

The only guys I've seen get really rattled this season are Perez and Balester. Redding seems to usually turn it around after bad innings.  I have missed about 20 games this season, though.

[fersaltiel]

Dukes is hit. 2 on, no out. Let's score both these guys.

[ronnynat]

Dukes takes getting hit a lot better than Milledge does.

[JMUalumni]

The only guys I've seen get really rattled this season are Perez and Balester. Redding seems to usually turn it around after bad innings.  I have missed about 20 games this season, though.

Don't forget Bergmann.  He has most definitely lost it a few times this season mentally, Minnesota is the first thing that comes to mind.

[sportsfan882]

The only guys I've seen get really rattled this season are Perez and Balester. Redding seems to usually turn it around after bad innings.  I have missed about 20 games this season, though.

Redding has by far the worst composure on the mound out of any of our starters. He gives up a ton of 2 out hits and he almost never stops the bleeding. He's also been beaten by the opposing pitcher/8th hitter far too often.

2 on, no out. Let's put this baby away!

[houston-nat]

Hitting is contagious.

[ronnynat]

Redding has by far the worst composure on the mound out of any of our starters. He gives up a ton of 2 out hits and he almost never stops the bleeding. He's also been beaten by the opposing pitcher/8th hitter far too often.

I don't think that has to do w/ getting rattled, though. I think that's just a case of missing your spots.

[JMUalumni]

I don't think that has to do w/ getting rattled, though. I think that's just a case of missing your spots.

I think the argument could be made that the two go hand and hand.

[houston-nat]

I'm hoping our pitching rotation out of ST next year is Lannan-Balester-Bergmann-Zimmermann-Martis, but if we do sign a vet or two to take up Martis and Zimm's spots, they'd make great deadline trade candidates so those two guys can join us in the autumn...

[ronnynat]

Don't forget Bergmann.  He has most definitely lost it a few times this season mentally, Minnesota is the first thing that comes to mind.

True. I have seen him comeback and pitch well after getting hit, though. With Balester, I figure it's just because he's young. With Perez, he's just too damn hard on himself.

[sportsfan882]

I don't think that has to do w/ getting rattled, though. I think that's just a case of missing your spots.

Oh, believe me, he gets rattled more than anybody. You must be forgetting all of the starts where he would get 2 outs in an inning and then give up hit after hit after hit. I also remember that game against St. Louis where he gave up like 5 RBIs to the opposing pitchers.

Whatever, Redding is what he is. #4-5 starter at best. Nothing to be ashamed about.

[sportsfan882]

Damn. More runs would have been nice. Oh well.

[ronnynat]

I think the argument could be made that the two go hand and hand.

They can, but not always. A guy giving up runs w/ 2 outs doesn't sound like a rattled pitcher to me.

[houston-nat]

\With Perez, he's just too damn hard on himself.

That I can sympathize with.

[ronnynat]

Whatever, Redding is what he is. #4-5 starter at best. Nothing to be ashamed about.

Oh absolutely. That is what he is. I just don't think he's a Grade A pitcher. I think he does well w/ above average skills. Those types of guys DO get hit over and over sometimes.

[JMUalumni]

True. I have seen him comeback and pitch well after getting hit, though. With Balester, I figure it's just because he's young. With Perez, he's just too damn hard on himself.

Bergmann has bounced back before, Ill give him that.  But he has also had some of the most miserable outings on the staff.  Balester thinks entirely way too much at this point, but I think your right about him just being young; most pitchers don't get into the league until they are 24 or 25 or even older.  I don't mind Redding as much as some people and don't see he won't be back next season, unless we do actually acquire a decent pitcher in the offseason.

[hammondsnats]

Yeah that "Face of the Franchise" Ryan Zimmerman is overrated! 

He's looking pretty darn good to me.   

[JMUalumni]

They can, but not always. A guy giving up runs w/ 2 outs doesn't sound like a rattled pitcher to me.

Yeah, I wouldn't include that part in my argument.  For me, it is more his unwillingness to just trust his pitches and challenge the hitters to make the play.  The intentional walks irk me a bit as well, as a pitcher you have to have confidence that you can get out any batter in the line-up (save a damaging power hitter).

[sportsfan882]

Yeah that "Face of the Franchise" Ryan Zimmerman is overrated! 

He's looking pretty darn good to me.  

People around here should be ashamed of themselves for ripping him like they did for so long.

There goes the no-no. damnit.

[spidernat]

Yeah that "Face of the Franchise" Ryan Zimmerman is overrated! 

He's looking pretty darn good to me.   

Cut that crap out dude. You act like Zimmerman has actually lived up to the hype. Where the freak were you and all this talk when he was stinking up Nationals' Park?

Unlike people who are on players' balls around here and refuse to accept reality, I'll call it like I see it with our players.