Expectations for Nationals Series

[FlipTheBird]

1 hour ago, MurphDogg said:

 

How dare you bring politics into this!!! The very fabric of the message board could crumble!!! 

Yeah, and there have only been two splits since then. I expect a third split this year.

 

I am going to the games today, tomorrow and Wednesday. Anybody else going to either of the two games in DC?

I will be at Thursday's game.

[bobmc]

2 hours ago, backwardsk said:

Turner is starting instead of Cole?

Per Bos again:

Short-term, Turner may need to start until Ross gets squared away or A.J. Cole goes to Oz and finds a heart. Cole had a "quality start" in his one appearance, but it was a miracle. He fell behind EVERYBODY, then had good enough stuff to escape by throwing strikes almost every time he had to. And his defense and atom-balls helped, too. I really like Cole. But it is so hard for young pitchers to get themselves to ATTACK! The ones who can usually make it __like Tanner Roark. If Cole came after people, got ahead, forgot about the occasional home-run ball, I think he'd be a decent 4.00 ERA fifth starter. He'd have A CAREER! Instead, he's given up 6.04 runs per nine innings in MLB. Until he does get aggressive and live with the truth of how his stuff "plays," he'll just be a nibbler who disappoints. He's in his seventh full year as a pro. He's 25 __time to produce. I'm sure others have told him the same thing, but he needs to look at Roark and, maybe, Turner and say, "I can do that. And I WILL do that."

https://live.washingtonpost.com/ask-boswell-20170501.html

[Machado13]

Nats have a terrible bullpen. Stay close and win in the late innings.

The Nats are not likely to win a playoff series until they stop ignoring their annual bullpen issues.

[jamalshw]

I think the way the Nats have swung the bats so far this year and the pitching matchups make this a tough series. I would be happy with 2-2, but think that's also very doable given the issues in the Washington bullpen. Adam Lind gives them a viable DH at OPACY (at least against RHP).

[sportsfan8703]

We're mentally tougher than them. That's what playing in the AL East does. I'm hoping for 3-1 but 2-2 is more likely. 

[Frobby]

I'm usually bullish on this series because the Nats play in a weak division while we play in the strongest, so that the records and stats are not necessarily indicative of who has the better team.   But this Nats team has been so strong with the bats this year that I'm much more worried about this series than usual.     

As an aside, I'm glad for Ryan Zimmerman that he's healthy and having a great season.    He's had several seasons in a row where he's missed a lot of time and had deteriorating performance due to injuries.    He also went from being an excellent 3B to a guy who couldn't throw any better than me due to recurring shoulder issues.   He's a class act and I'm glad he's doing well, through I'd prefer he slow down for a few days right now.  

It will be nice to see Matt Wieters, as well.    

[Moshagge3]

Kevin Gausman is plenty rested, that's for sure. Could play into his favor, as he might have more zip on the fastball which will give him more room for error.

[Aristotelian]

Harper is out. We should take two easy. Probably lose to Scherzer. I could see Miley stealing one vs Straburg.

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, dan-O said:

This is potentially the worst matchup so far of the season. Every bit as bad as the Yankees series. 

Their bullpen is suspect, but ours isn't exactly on fire right now, either. 

Gio has the 2nd best ERA in the league and just so happens to pitch left-handed.

Gausman is a smoldering trash fire.

Our hitters still aren't exactly hot.

 

regardless of all the above, it doesn't matter, this is baseball and you never ever know.

Usually top notch pitchers dont have huge success, but throw a no name kid out there, and we make him look at Cy Young.

[Emory Eagle]

The bats will need to show up for this series, that's for sure.  This is a good Nationals team and they're playing well right now.  

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, dan-O said:

 

Their bullpen is suspect, but ours isn't exactly on fire right now, either. 

3.58 ERA vs. 5.50 ERA.

[FlipTheBird]

36 minutes ago, dan-O said:

Yeah, although keep in mind some of that good ERA is from a lot of long relief. Ynoa's surprise 6 shutout innings certainly helps. 

Givens and O'Day have each had their turns looking iffy so far this year. Brach is great but he tired last year and without Britton he's going to pitch a ton. Hart is good but still a pitch of a question mark as far as I'm concerned. Not a huge sample there. 

The O's could really use one more surprise stud out of the pen. Someone that comes up and really runs with it. I think we'll find that guy this year at some point, but I'm not sure who. 

This could well be true, but it's highly unlikely that hits this week, against the Nats. The Orioles have a vastly superior pen.

[MurphDogg]

45 minutes ago, dan-O said:

Yeah, although keep in mind some of that good ERA is from a lot of long relief. Ynoa's surprise 6 shutout innings certainly helps. 

Givens and O'Day have each had their turns looking iffy so far this year. Brach is great but he tired last year and without Britton he's going to pitch a ton. Hart is good but still a pitch of a question mark as far as I'm concerned. Not a huge sample there. 

The O's could really use one more surprise stud out of the pen. Someone that comes up and really runs with it. I think we'll find that guy this year at some point, but I'm not sure who. 

The O's back 4 (Brach, Britton, O'Day and Hart) - 2.70 ERA

The Nats back 4 (Tranen, Romero, Blanton and Albers) - 4.41 ERA

 

Matt Albers is their best reliever. I'm not sure he would make the Orioles bullpen.

[TheEldestTorres]

How on earth is Matt Albers still a major league baseball player......

[capyy]

Vegas says coin flip tonight