Fouled-Off Bunts: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Edition
Oy. What's worse: losing three in a row to the Rockies (who probably have never swept a four-game series on the road) or having the tie-breaking run be a Jamey Carroll home run. Yeah, I said home run. (He's only one behind Jose Guillen at RFK this season)
Another starter, another disaster. It really was due to happen. Expecting them to pitch as well as they had been doing is probably a bit much. Worrisome, though, was the way Armas lost. He was the same Armas from last year: no bite on his pitches, tons of foul balls, and scads of line drives.
I've noted before that he seems to suffer on outings after having thrown lots of pitches in his previous start. He 'only' threw 101 in five innings last time out, and only 84 the start before that. So that can't be the explanation. I'll chalk it up to a bad day. But the Armas of the last five starts or so hasn't been the Armas of the first five. Danger Frank Robinson! Danger! Sell high, Jim! Sell high!
Armas wins the Lame Duck for burying the Nats, but Bill Bray assumed Eischen's and Stanton's mantle as crappy lefty who kills any comeback chances. He had nothing but a spinless slider yesterday, getting rocked for 5 runs in two brutal innings. He threw over forty pitches, so he's going to need two days off now. So look forward to more Stanton sightings.
A-Sor is officially in a funk. So is Jose Vidro. And Byrd just sucks. I'd expect we're going to see the B team out there today. Ward and Jackson in the outfield. Harris at second. Fick catching. LeCroy at first. Minor league baseball at Major League prices. Buck says it works.
The Nats really need a win, because the next 9 games ain't gonna be pretty: NY, Boston, and Toronto -- all of whom are clearly light years better than us.
The NY Times drools all over Soriano. So does SI. And so does, ummmm.... SI.
Today's good read o' the day is the Virginian-Pilot's profile of Bill Bray, a kid who clearly has 'it'.
Nationals draftee, Stephen King, took a Stand, watching the Misery of last night's game, and receiving batting tips from Frank Robinson. The Nats better be Pennywise and sign the guy, but Everything's Eventual, I guess. He, too, seems like he has "It."
The first person to get an on-record quote from him saying "Why doesn't he change his name? He's the one who sucks!" wins a special prize from my empty prize vault.
Todd Jacobson continues to be a one-man wrecking crew.
--Here's his interview with Bob Carpenter.
--Here's a look at pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson -- sans the 'extraordiaire' appendage.
Anderson, for what it's worth, is at .212/ .333/ .242, which is, ummm.... well, not so fresh. Daryle Ward, to contrast, is hitting .333/ .448/ .792 as a pinch-hitter. Where's the profile of the big guy?
--From earlier in the week, here's his look at the Mighty Mite, Jamey Carroll.
Federal Baseball highlights and discusses an excellent Tom Boswell column about Alfonso Soriano. (Both the column and his analysis are worth the read). In short, self-interest matters. She's gotta love you back, lest you turn into Albert Belle.
Another starter, another disaster. It really was due to happen. Expecting them to pitch as well as they had been doing is probably a bit much. Worrisome, though, was the way Armas lost. He was the same Armas from last year: no bite on his pitches, tons of foul balls, and scads of line drives.
I've noted before that he seems to suffer on outings after having thrown lots of pitches in his previous start. He 'only' threw 101 in five innings last time out, and only 84 the start before that. So that can't be the explanation. I'll chalk it up to a bad day. But the Armas of the last five starts or so hasn't been the Armas of the first five. Danger Frank Robinson! Danger! Sell high, Jim! Sell high!
Armas wins the Lame Duck for burying the Nats, but Bill Bray assumed Eischen's and Stanton's mantle as crappy lefty who kills any comeback chances. He had nothing but a spinless slider yesterday, getting rocked for 5 runs in two brutal innings. He threw over forty pitches, so he's going to need two days off now. So look forward to more Stanton sightings.
A-Sor is officially in a funk. So is Jose Vidro. And Byrd just sucks. I'd expect we're going to see the B team out there today. Ward and Jackson in the outfield. Harris at second. Fick catching. LeCroy at first. Minor league baseball at Major League prices. Buck says it works.
The Nats really need a win, because the next 9 games ain't gonna be pretty: NY, Boston, and Toronto -- all of whom are clearly light years better than us.
The first person to get an on-record quote from him saying "Why doesn't he change his name? He's the one who sucks!" wins a special prize from my empty prize vault.
--Here's his interview with Bob Carpenter.
--Here's a look at pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson -- sans the 'extraordiaire' appendage.
Anderson, for what it's worth, is at .212/ .333/ .242, which is, ummm.... well, not so fresh. Daryle Ward, to contrast, is hitting .333/ .448/ .792 as a pinch-hitter. Where's the profile of the big guy?
--From earlier in the week, here's his look at the Mighty Mite, Jamey Carroll.
posted by Chris Needham at
9:22 AM
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