Brad, you're right about there still being plenty of games but I am just discouraged because the Nats have been and continue to be so inconsistent. The team is only 6-10 since the All-Star break and is showing no real fire. Even with the injured players now returning there is still a performance gap as these players have to play themselves back into game shape. I am also concerned about the schedule as we are in the midst of 20 straight games with no break, including an upcoming 7 game road series against LA and SF. It's going to be a make or break stretch. We shall see. Wish you all luck against the Marlins as they always give the Nats a hard time as well. -- Al
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The weekend sweep of the Nats by the Mets has brought a lot of questions to the fore in DC, both sports talk and newspaper, about Williams and his handling/mishandling of the pitching staff. There are also questions being asked about his ability to fire the club up after the weekend sweep and 8 innings of absolutely listless ball against Arizona last night. The Nats went to the bottom of the 9th trailing 6-0 before scoring 4 runs to make the final score a deceivingly close 6-4. I have been a critic of Williams and the way he handles the pitching for some time but I haven't been concerned about his abilities otherwise until the Nats completely uninspired showing since the All-Star break (a 6-11 record). The club needs to wake up and realize that the Mets are a legitimate contender and that a few runs are necessary to win games despite how good a pitching staff might be. -- Al
jazzeum
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I would have thought it would have been the reverse. I think most Mets fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop and right now we can't believe this is happening. This is so because of what happened in 2007 and 2008. In addition, in the past few years, the Mets had gone into the All Star break with a winning record, only to fall flat on their face in the second half. When they lost four out of six to the Cards and the Nats after the break and then proceeded to drop the next two to the Dodgers, I thought, well, here we go.
However, they then took the next two, added a couple of pieces and even though they lost two of three to the Pods, I thought, well, maybe it's different.
I thought last night's game was important because it would have been natural to expect a letdown after the weekend series so in that way yesterday was encouraging. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they are playing the Marlins and Tampa Bay, the two teams who are as bad as they are in scoring runs.
However, they then took the next two, added a couple of pieces and even though they lost two of three to the Pods, I thought, well, maybe it's different.
I thought last night's game was important because it would have been natural to expect a letdown after the weekend series so in that way yesterday was encouraging. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they are playing the Marlins and Tampa Bay, the two teams who are as bad as they are in scoring runs.
It all comes down to scoring runs. Good pitchers, bad pitchers, no pitchers, a team can't win if they don't score and the offense for the Nats has been really inconsistent all season. Regardless of the reason, injuries, slumps, bad seasons, the Nats aren't scoring consistently enough to take pressure off the pitchers. The Nats have played 104 games and scored 2 or fewer runs in 41 of them. If the Nats don't pick up the pace and continue the percentage of low scoring games (and the win/loss ratio of those low scoring games), I believe they will win about 85 games. This season is playing out like 2013, when the Nats underachieved themselves out of the playoffs. I think they are headed for the same result this year if the bats don't get going. Last year, when Harper was injured, he said it took him about 100 at-bats to get his timing and swing back to where it should be. If that is typical, the Nats have a problem because they have just gotten Zimmerman, Rendon, and Werth back into the line-ups and are still waiting on Span. 100 at-bats for each of these regulars will eat up approximately 25 of the games still on the schedule, leaving maybe 35-40 games for this team to put it all together. That could be too late. The Nats need to start now and not wait around for these 4 to get hot. Harper can't do it alone. -- Al
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Al:
I watched the game Arizona game (I am in DC on business).
Sometimes a team needs to be micro-managed down to the last detail. Williams better wake up soon and realize that as talented as the Nats are someone still needs to be in charge and make decisions. The downfall of most MLB teams that are great on paper is usually their manager.
I am a big fan of Williams, but if this team does not make the playoffs the blame will clearly and correctly be placed on him.
-Jason
Jason, that is a perceptive comment especially considering what happened to the Nats in 2013, Davey Johnson's last season as Nats manager. Johnson made a pre-season 'World Series or bust' statement and then proceeded to adopt a laissez-faire managing style that proved a disaster. It was like he retired before the first game and just let the rudderless ship drift where it may. Williams might be giving the players too much credit in terms of motivation and self-leadership. It shows in several ways, not the least of which is the team's terrible base running. and some fielding fundamentals. There is a lot of room for improvement and I just hope someone wakes up in time. -- Al
jazzeum
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As you can imagine, people up here have been talking about the Mets, what with the Carlos Gomez fiasco, Wilmer Flores almost being traded and showing emotion on the field, the Mets blowing a 7-1 lead on Thursday, the Cespedes trade and the sweep.
I know now why I hate the MFY fans. Several of them are calling into shows complaining that people aren't talking about the Yankees, Mets suck, blah, blah. Arrogant *****.
I know now why I hate the MFY fans. Several of them are calling into shows complaining that people aren't talking about the Yankees, Mets suck, blah, blah. Arrogant *****.
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Join the club; my hate for them as burned like the fire from 10,000 suns since 1978.
You have Buckey Dent and I have SBIII. Bad losses can leave permanent scars. I'm going to my grave with SBIII still in my head... -- Al
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jazzeum
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Good. Now if only some of your fellow fans felt the same way. Instead of worrying about other teams whom they don't play (except for a couple of games in September), they should worry about their team, especially with its suspect starting pitching.
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Al,
That's really the problem isn't it; the championship wins are great, you feel awesome about them for awhile then life gets back to normal, but the championship losses stay with you like your shadow forever.
Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner, Aaron Boone and Eli Manning times two will follow me to the cemetery.
Warrior
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Well they're MFY fans, it's their birthright to win the WS every year, didn't you get the memo?
Color me crazy, but I have this sinking feeling the MFY's, lead by A-Roid and horseface, are going to win the WS this year.
I'm getting that vibe.....................they've got over 50 home runs between the two of them and it's early August, two months still to go.
I watched bits and pieces of the game last night to see how the Owens kid did in his first start; other than ARoid, Horseface, Dreamboat, Bulbous head out in left and coconut head behind the plate, I look at the rest of them and say "Who are these guys?" yet they keep rolling along.....................it's positively maddening.
No one on the Nats has room to talk right now, especially Werth, who has played in a total of 35 games and is hitting .205. -- Al
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So tonight the MFY's are throwing some tomato can named Luis Serevino out there as their staff is in shambles; mark it down now, in pen; Luis Ford will throw a no hitter and be lights out all night long.
For team that all I've heard has nothing down on the farm, they just keep throwing guys out there who throw 95mph on the black all night long.
Unbelievable; Brad, you are a saint living down there as a Mets fan and having to put up with this nonsense from the MFY's season after season, decade after decade, century after century.
As one of my friends pointed out; in the 1900's, the Red Sox dominated the first 15 or so years, then the MFY's took over for the next 85 or so and the 2,000's are shaping up to be the same way.
Luckily, I'll be dead and buried and not have to live through most of it, as doing so would kill me anyway.................
For team that all I've heard has nothing down on the farm, they just keep throwing guys out there who throw 95mph on the black all night long.
Unbelievable; Brad, you are a saint living down there as a Mets fan and having to put up with this nonsense from the MFY's season after season, decade after decade, century after century.
As one of my friends pointed out; in the 1900's, the Red Sox dominated the first 15 or so years, then the MFY's took over for the next 85 or so and the 2,000's are shaping up to be the same way.
Luckily, I'll be dead and buried and not have to live through most of it, as doing so would kill me anyway.................
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Al/Brad:
I got curious so I looked up his stats. The biggest number that stands out is 21. As in he is making $21 Million this year.
-Jason
jazzeum
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Yes, but he's probably right although I suppose it's not the best thing to say.
Someone pointed out that the Nats and Mets play each other at the end of the season. That would be something if the NL East was still up for grabs then.