Washington Nationals

Young Drachma · 06-12-2005, 12:38 AM

The Nats won their ninth straight game. Do you think MLB is just rigging it so they'll capture the imagination of fans, only to lose towards the end. Or is it payback for the team being bad for all these years.

Or they're trying to raise the team's value, to get more for the team?

Of course, to buy this theory..you have to believe that sports are/can be rigged.

I don't really buy it. But it does make some sense, it's MLB after all.

MalcPow · 06-12-2005, 08:21 AM

I was at the game friday night against the Mariners, and really they're not a bad team. You have to beat them, they're not going to do it for you. I think it helps that they're basically a team of solid contact and gap hitters, with nobody that just mashes, because RFK seems to just destroy anything up in the air. They're 23-9 at home this year and this whole run has been a homestand. Other than Christian Guzman, who is just a completely worthless jackass at the plate, these guys all seem to have a good approach and probably have realized you can't lift anything in RFK. Johnson, Guillen, and Wilkerson all would be respectable all-stars, and Ryan Church has to be an ROY candidate, so they do have some talent on the field. They just don't have pitching, which is why RFK helps them so much (home ERA 2.90, away 4.90, with twice as many homers allowed).

Cuckoo · 06-12-2005, 09:33 AM

They have had a lot of talent the past couple of years in Montreal. I always thought they were one of those teams that didn't have a good record but you didn't want to play them anyway. I'm not surprised they're doing well.

duckman · 06-12-2005, 10:21 AM

It's amazing how they got competitive now that they have fans who give a damn about them.

MalcPow · 06-12-2005, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duckman

It's amazing how they got competitive now that they have fans who give a damn about them.

This is true too. Although the honeymoon is somewhat over, they're still drawing 20something thousand for an interleague series with no real rivalry potential against the Mariners. All but the upperdecks were full until the top of the ninth the other night, when people started leaving after the Nats blew it open the inning before. There's a good atmosphere, and Robinson is a good manager as well. He made a pretty great move where Vinny Castilla of all people laid a bunt down to give us second and third with one out, and then a base hit cued the fat lady, very smart and unexpected.

Balldog · 06-12-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcPow

I was at the game friday night against the Mariners, and really they're not a bad team. You have to beat them, they're not going to do it for you. I think it helps that they're basically a team of solid contact and gap hitters, with nobody that just mashes, because RFK seems to just destroy anything up in the air. They're 23-9 at home this year and this whole run has been a homestand. Other than Christian Guzman, who is just a completely worthless jackass at the plate, these guys all seem to have a good approach and probably have realized you can't lift anything in RFK. Johnson, Guillen, and Wilkerson all would be respectable all-stars, and Ryan Church has to be an ROY candidate, so they do have some talent on the field. They just don't have pitching, which is why RFK helps them so much (home ERA 2.90, away 4.90, with twice as many homers allowed).

I agree 100%

Adding .... Frank Robinson is a very good manager.

clintl · 06-12-2005, 10:43 AM

Last year they were bad, but the previous couple of years in Montreal, they were a decent team. As MalcPow said, Frank Robinson is a good manager, they have some good players, and they made some good moves over the winter. Now they just need a real owner.

Ksyrup · 06-12-2005, 11:16 AM

What do you think this is, the NBA?

Joe · 06-12-2005, 11:41 AM

I'm surprised at how shitty Christian Guzman is playing. Good thing he wasn't that bad here.

weinstein7 · 06-12-2005, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

What do you think this is, the NBA?

Beat me to it.

Young Drachma · 06-12-2005, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balldog

I agree 100%

Adding .... Frank Robinson is a very good manager.

No doubt about it. He's got to be an early candidate for manager of the year. Hands down. I'm so glad he stayed with that team.

Young Drachma · 06-12-2005, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

What do you think this is, the NBA?

You know that's what I was thinking when I thought of it.

Pumpy Tudors · 06-12-2005, 02:58 PM

Damn, I was going to bring up the NBA angle, too. I was beaten like Ed Belfour.

Chief Rum · 06-12-2005, 03:10 PM

No more chump teams like Seattle and Oakland. Now they have to come to the Big A and keep it up.

Still, even if they play badly here, I think it's amazing what the Nationals have been doing.

Booj · 06-12-2005, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balldog

Adding .... Frank Robinson is a very good manager.

For what it's worth, I agree with you.

But there are a whole bunch of people here who didn't think so the last 2 years the team was here.

I have been a Nats fan since the team moved and was an Expos fan through it all (and I am only so old to *just* remember 1994). The only things that surprises me about this team, as mentioned is Guzman struggling and how the team has been able to pick up the slack without Vidro-- who they absolutely were dreadful without him in the lineup last season.

It is funny to see the number of people who have suddenly taken a liking to this team now that they are winning... a lot like they did when they were here too.

korme · 06-12-2005, 06:08 PM

They are in first because Barry Larkin is their special assistant

Pumpy Tudors · 06-12-2005, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

They are in first because Barry Larkin is their special assistant

The above line has been brought to you by Barry Larkin's "special assistant."

How's the view from Larkin's jock anyway, Shorty?

korme · 06-12-2005, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

The above line has been brought to you by Barry Larkin's "special assistant."

How's the view from Larkin's jock anyway, Shorty?

It's very humbling

Young Drachma · 07-02-2005, 02:31 AM

Nats win another 1 run game.

I still say it's an NBAesque plot. MLB wants to jack the value of the team up.

Still, I'm okay with it.

Go Nats!

Young Drachma · 07-02-2005, 02:32 AM

First paragraph of an article on MLB.com

Quote:

CHICAGO -- Prior to Friday's game, the last time Livan Hernandez faced Mark Prior was on Aug. 31, 2004, and it was a one-sided affair with Hernandez and the Expos pounding the Cubs by eight runs.

Link

ThunderingHERD · 07-02-2005, 02:41 AM

The Nationals are -1 runs scored on the year. The Braves are +69. The Nats record is nothing but an anomaly that will iron itself out before the end of the season.

SackAttack · 07-02-2005, 03:27 AM

Dark Cloud - when the game mentioned in that sentence happened, they were still the Expos. You wouldn't say the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 1955 World Series, would you?

Oh, and does anybody else hear "Gnats" when the radio announcers refer to them?

sterlingice · 07-02-2005, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

The Nationals are -1 runs scored on the year. The Braves are +69. The Nats record is nothing but an anomaly that will iron itself out before the end of the season.

Wow. Their third order winning percentage is only .495. Still, BP's odds give them a 51% shot to make the playoffs.

(Royals and D-Rays at 0.000% right now- ouch)

SI

Young Drachma · 07-02-2005, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Dark Cloud - when the game mentioned in that sentence happened, they were still the Expos. You wouldn't say the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 1955 World Series, would you?

Oh, and does anybody else hear "Gnats" when the radio announcers refer to them?

I read it wrong. My bad. I thought they were talking about the game from the other day or something.

Sorry.

Young Drachma · 07-02-2005, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

The Nationals are -1 runs scored on the year. The Braves are +69. The Nats record is nothing but an anomaly that will iron itself out before the end of the season.

Or maybe, just maybe...they're getting lucky and defying the odds?

MalcPow · 07-02-2005, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Or maybe, just maybe...they're getting lucky and defying the odds?

I think that's what he's saying.

korme · 07-02-2005, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Damn, I was going to bring up the NBA angle, too. I was beaten like Ed Belfour.

haha i love DAG

clintl · 07-02-2005, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

The Nationals are -1 runs scored on the year. The Braves are +69. The Nats record is nothing but an anomaly that will iron itself out before the end of the season.

Not necessarily. The Giants won the NL West in 1997 while being outscored. What the Nats are doing is not unprecedented.

Logan · 07-02-2005, 11:10 AM

I was in DC this week for work, and was really surprised how many people there actually follow the team. Tons of people wearing Nationals hats and shirts, and pretty much every restaurant I went in to had the Nationals game, not music, coming in thru the speakers.

B & B · 07-02-2005, 11:13 AM

Im not one to normally play baseball for real money, but I am betting on the Nationals game this afternoon.

Game starts at 4 est, and Im taking the Cubbies.

Pumpy Tudors · 07-02-2005, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

haha i love DAG

You just saw that post I made three weeks ago? Or did you just find out who Ed Belfour is?

06-12-2005, 09:33 AM	#3
Cuckoo College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Edmond, OK	They have had a lot of talent the past couple of years in Montreal. I always thought they were one of those teams that didn't have a good record but you didn't want to play them anyway. I'm not surprised they're doing well. __________________ Commissioner - North American Football League Dallas Cowboys GM

06-12-2005, 11:16 AM	#8
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	What do you think this is, the NBA? __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

06-12-2005, 02:58 PM	#13
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	Damn, I was going to bring up the NBA angle, too. I was beaten like Ed Belfour. __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

06-12-2005, 03:10 PM	#14
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	No more chump teams like Seattle and Oakland. Now they have to come to the Big A and keep it up. Still, even if they play badly here, I think it's amazing what the Nationals have been doing. __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

07-02-2005, 02:31 AM	#19
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	Nats win another 1 run game. I still say it's an NBAesque plot. MLB wants to jack the value of the team up. Still, I'm okay with it. Go Nats! __________________ Current Dynasty:The Zenith of Professional Basketball Careers (FBPB/FBCB) FBCB / FPB3 Mods

06-12-2005, 08:21 AM	#2
MalcPow College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Diego	I was at the game friday night against the Mariners, and really they're not a bad team. You have to beat them, they're not going to do it for you. I think it helps that they're basically a team of solid contact and gap hitters, with nobody that just mashes, because RFK seems to just destroy anything up in the air. They're 23-9 at home this year and this whole run has been a homestand. Other than Christian Guzman, who is just a completely worthless jackass at the plate, these guys all seem to have a good approach and probably have realized you can't lift anything in RFK. Johnson, Guillen, and Wilkerson all would be respectable all-stars, and Ryan Church has to be an ROY candidate, so they do have some talent on the field. They just don't have pitching, which is why RFK helps them so much (home ERA 2.90, away 4.90, with twice as many homers allowed).

06-12-2005, 10:43 AM	#7
clintl College Starter Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Davis, CA	Last year they were bad, but the previous couple of years in Montreal, they were a decent team. As MalcPow said, Frank Robinson is a good manager, they have some good players, and they made some good moves over the winter. Now they just need a real owner.

06-12-2005, 11:41 AM	#9
Joe Pro Starter Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Minneapolis	I'm surprised at how shitty Christian Guzman is playing. Good thing he wasn't that bad here.

06-12-2005, 06:08 PM	#16
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	They are in first because Barry Larkin is their special assistant

07-02-2005, 02:41 AM	#21
ThunderingHERD College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	The Nationals are -1 runs scored on the year. The Braves are +69. The Nats record is nothing but an anomaly that will iron itself out before the end of the season. __________________ "I'm losing my edge--to better looking people... with better ideas... and more talent. And who are actually really, really nice." "Everyone's a voyeurist--they're watching me watch them watch me right now."

07-02-2005, 03:27 AM	#22
SackAttack Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Green Bay, WI	Dark Cloud - when the game mentioned in that sentence happened, they were still the Expos. You wouldn't say the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 1955 World Series, would you? Oh, and does anybody else hear "Gnats" when the radio announcers refer to them?

07-02-2005, 11:10 AM	#29
Logan Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NYC	I was in DC this week for work, and was really surprised how many people there actually follow the team. Tons of people wearing Nationals hats and shirts, and pretty much every restaurant I went in to had the Nationals game, not music, coming in thru the speakers.

07-02-2005, 11:13 AM	#30
B & B College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: A sports era long ago when everything didnt require a Nike logo	Im not one to normally play baseball for real money, but I am betting on the Nationals game this afternoon. Game starts at 4 est, and Im taking the Cubbies. __________________ Nobody cares about Kyle Orton because he's black. -PT

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