Official Washington Nationals Thread

[Higga]

Best team in baseball.

Just sucks that the Braves are also red hot and we don't have a bigger lead than just 4.5 games. You could say that the two best teams in baseball are in the same division. Sick.

[jmrosenth]

Was at the game on Friday. When Morse hit his grand slam I haven't felt that kind of emotion at a D.C. sporting event since the Wizards game six clincher against the Bulls in 2005. As we've seen with the Redskins, this city can get behind a winner (and stay engaged 20 years after that winning ends). I think the Redskins are different in that they hold some special mysticism here that I think goes back even before the Gibbs era, but the Nats truly do have a chance to make indelible mark, starting THIS year.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I'm happy the Nationals are a great team. I'm also happy the Orioles could still be a wild card team.

[Higga]

I was at the game last night. Strasburg was downright dominant, some of the best stuff I've ever seen.

Seven game lead in the division. Still a lot of baseball left, but it's looking more and more likely that the NL East is ours and the World Series is going to have to come through Washington.

[jmrosenth]

First time ever a DC and Baltimore team baseball have been in first place at the same time in September. Can you imagine if we had an all I-95 World Series and endless debates about who would root for who?

I was dead wrong about the O's.

[dobrojim]

lots of folks, myself included for sure, were wrong about the O's.
It's still be almost impossible to figure out how they are doing it.
Clearly Showalter is doing an amazing job. He should be MOY.

I finally made my first visit to Nats park on Friday vs Cardinals.
What I remember about the game was fun. May have enjoyed
myself a little too much between tail-gating (lot HH!), $3 Racer 5
at Jasons, then gratuitous beers inside.

Gotta get up to OP@CY once this season. I have not been since
some time WAY back in the 90s, before Ravens stadium was built.
Can't stand Angelos, but grew up an O's fan.

[Higga]

I'm not an O's fan by any means but I'm pulling for them. A beltway World Series would be incredible and a big **** you to the rest of the country that baseball in the D.C. metro area is king.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

First time ever a DC and Baltimore team baseball have been in first place at the same time in September. Can you imagine if we had an all I-95 World Series and endless debates about who would root for who?

I was dead wrong about the O's.

Happens to the best of us, jro.

I don't bet on anything, but last season I had the Cardinals making the playoffs and ultimately winning it all. I had a feeling about them even before they beat the Phillies.

This season, one of the DC teams is a really good bet to do well in the postseason. It wouldn't shock me at all to see Baltimore and/or Washington in the World Series.

[go'stags]

6 home runs in back to back games. Only the 3rd time since 1918 (and the first outside of the steroid era).

Harper's second home run landed a couple sections over from where I was sitting. If you didn't see it, catch a replay. A frozen rope line drive directly into the second deck. Probably the hardest hit ball all year.

[jmrosenth]

And Harper passed Ken Griffey Jr. last night for homers hit by a teenager - he trails Mel Ott and Tony Conigliaro on the list. I think Jr. is a great comp for Harper. Both are five tool studs. Both lefties with swagger. Griffey is the better fielder but Harper is no slouch and he'll be probably steal more bases. Bryce isn't likely to hit 56 home runs in a year, but a .300/40 HR/120 RBI/20 SB in his prime seems to be pretty realistic for him.

[Higga]

I think Harper is more Barry Bonds(pre steroids)because of his base stealing.

Some scouts are comparing him to Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.

[Wizardspride]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...enter-fielder/

Bryce Harper becoming an elite center fielder


The dissection of Bryce Harper’s rookie season has been ceaseless, both here and elsewhere, and yet a crucial part of his development may have been overlooked. Through his sensational offensive start, his second-half batting slump and recent batting resurgence, Harper has established himself as an outstanding defensive outfielder.

With the caveat that even the best defensive metrics are limited, Harper ranks fourth in the majors among center fielders according to one of the leading advanced stats. According to FanGraphs.com’s Ultimate Zone Rating, Harper has saved 28.5 runs per 150 games this year in center field alone. No National Leaguers rank ahead of him, and only Peter Bourjos, Lorenzo Cain and Craig Gentry score better in the majors.

The stat, commonly known at UZR, attempts to formulate a defender’s value through range, arm strength and errors. It is imperfect, to be sure, but no one believes the rating would be skewed to rank a poor or even average defender at the top of the league. For the the Nationals’ front office, the numbers bear out what they see – Harper is above-average with a chance to be elite.

[dobrojim]

There are a number of respected stat-heads that actually don't feel that
GriffeyJr was a particularly great fielder. He would make routine plays look spectacular
rather than spectacular plays look routine. That said, no questioning his overall
credentials as an all-time great. Nats fans can only hope Bryce achieves a fair
portion of what Griffey was able to do.

[jmrosenth]

Yup

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Last year I thoroughly enjoyed watching the MLB playoffs. Usually, I NEVER watch baseball. However, the drama of watching St Louis barely make the playoffs but just keep rolling over teams once they did, hooked me. I was glued to the tv. My 12-year old son is now a baseball fan. It seemed like every game came right down to the wire between the Cardinals, the Phillies, the Brewers, and the Texas Rangers. I enjoyed watching the MLB playoffs more than the NBA playoffs. Baseball is back!

This season I am really happy to see the Baltimore Orioles and the Nationals be very competitive. I remember being an Orioles fan back in the day when they were managed by Earl Weaver. Guys like Boog Powell, Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Mike Cuellar, Ken Singleton, and Doug Decinces were fun to watch. The real heyday came right after Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. were with the Os.

Now DC has a team that rocks. I have been here in HI the whole time but I did see the beautiful stadium where the Nats play. Strasburg coming back from the arm issue and the team doing so well is good to see.

I want to see the Os and the Nats in the World Series this year. After the years of Peter Angelos running Baltimore, who would have thought this possible?

Said that back on July 5. It is very much possible.

I need to start acting on my hunches...

[Higga]

Bullpen saved the day late, and of course my boy Merry Tyler Moore with the clutch 2 out 2 RBI single to give us the lead.

One win closer to a ring. Lets steal another on the road tomorrow and give ourselves three shots to win one home game.