Baseball 2016 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jazzeum
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Brad, the Nats have been operating with 3 main starters (Scherzer, Roark, and Gonzalez) since Strasburg went down a few weeks ago. That, and an injury to Ross (#5 starter) a couple of months ago, has left the Nats with 2 starter positions to fill. They have been using rookie call-ups like Geolito, Cole, and Lopez to fill the gaps. Cole has been ok, Geolito and Lopez are hit or miss. Essentially, the Nats have been spinning wheels since the All-Star break because of the pitching injuries. I assume that's why Latos is up, in case of a need for another starter. The Nats were counting on getting Strasburg back to make the final push to the playoffs, so this most recent set-back is going to be worrisome. Only Scherzer and Roark are really dependable. Gonzalez can be effective but he is one of those pitchers that is either 'on' or 'off' on any given day, just not real dependable, but he is durable, at least. If Strasburg is ok to return before the playoffs, I don't think any of the rookie pitchers will make the post-season roster, except maybe Cole. If Strasburg is out, then it's anyone's guess at this point. -- Al
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Brad:
Great points all around. You know it is a bad sign when you sign 17 year veteran (and former Giant from 1999 to 2003) Joe Nathan to be a closer. He promptly gave up 2 hits last night, allowing both inherited runners to score on only 8 pitches.
-Jason
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I thought it was a win also. I have-hardheartedly watched until the 9th. Even then I was sure that they would win it.
As you mentioned before, without a dedicated lights-out closer they are in trouble especially if they somehow make the playoffs and face teams like the Cubs, Mets etc. It is an absolute "must have" that they do not have. The Nathan signing is pure desperation, which is a really bad sign for the Giants' bullpen.
I know we keep saying it, but the AL East race is incredible. 4 teams within 4 games of each other. In no other division in baseball is the 2nd place team any closer than 5 games of the lead and the closest 3rd place team is 9 games out. 23 games to go and the AL East has solved nothing yet, just that competitive baseball is alive and well. ^&grin -- Al
jazzeum
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Good news for Strasburg and the Nats as results showed it wasn't serious or required surgery. With their lead, they can rest him and hopefully get in a few innings before the end of the season.
jazzeum
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The WC races should be fun for the remainder of the season. That is why it exists. Without the WC, most of us would be thinking about next year.
jazzeum
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Interesting article in today's Times: More Pitchers and Fewer Innings as Teams Battle Injuries, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/09/s...gs-as-teams-battle-injuries.html?ref=baseball
There was a school of thought that Strasburg should not have been brought back to start the other night and should have been rested another week or so before the final push and the playoffs. Starting him on a night when it was raining,
just off the DL, wasn't the smartest move Nats management has made. Whomever made that final decision to let him start in the bad weather has to be thanking his lucky star the Strasburg's injury wasn't more severe. Sometimes you just can't explain stupid. -- Al
Interesting, and the blame seems to keep coming back to kids throwing too much, too soon, in youth baseball or to pitchers not knowing how to really pitch without throwing at maximum effort, pitch after pitch. -- Al
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There is also the great debate of saving a pitcher for the playoffs, then again if you don't use him in the regular season you might not make the playoffs.
sammy719
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Sox lose, O's, Jays, Yanks win, now only 3 games seperate 4 teams from 1st place {eek3}{eek3}, screw the wildcard talk at this point any one of these teams can win the AL East title, and being they all play each other these last few weeks it's winner take all!!!...Sammy
The AL East roller-coaster is at full speed and no one is at the controls! Weeeeeeeeeee... ^&grin{eek3}{sm3} -- AL
Louis Badolato
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As a Yankee fan who was happy to give up 2016 to trade for some top prospects for years to come, watching the Baby Bombers go on this improbable win streak has been an unexpected bonus. If the Yankees take care of business today with 4-0 Baby Starter Cessa on the mound, they could end the day tied for a wildcard and 2 back in the division with 20 games left to play. It doesn't get too much more meaningful than that for the stretch run!
Nats finished their last series of the season with the Phillies this weekend, taking the 4 game set 3-1. They are now 9 games up with 19 to play. The Nats are now a season high 27 games over .500 and this is possible because of their record within the NL East itself where the Nats are 45-19 against the other 4 teams. The Nats finished 14-5 against the Phillies; are 14-2 against the Braves; 10-6 against the Mets and are 7-6 against Miami. Nats are 26 games over .500 against the NL East and 1 game over .500 against the rest of baseball. Not sure what this says about the playoff picture except it should be a concern for Dusty Baker, and the picture is a bit more concerning with Strasburg now sidelined with no return date set. -- Al
I hope you are right. It's just that I'm not real impressed with the Nats performance since the break or their performance against the West. -- Al