It's time to put an end to the skid tonight and calm the fears of those who are already calling to break up the team.
Breaking news! The sky is NOT falling!

The Nationals have done relatively well all season. They were swept by the Dodgers and the Yankees, but they were competitive in all 6 of those games.
Not including the Yankees games, the Nationals are (by my count off the top of my head), 7-2 versus the AL East. That's a sweep of the Red Sox, a sweep of the Blue Jays, and 1-2 versus the O's. That was another competitive series, as well.
Now it's time to see how the Nats hold up against the Rays. I'm optimistic about the Nats' chances. Stay tuned tonight!

Nationals lineup:

NATIONALS (38-26)
2B Danny Espinosa
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Michael Morse
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
LF Tyler Moore
C Jesus Flores
RHP Chien-Ming Wang
_____
Please, Zimmerman, get off the schneid.

Let's go Nationals!

Inning 1
K
single
GIDP

Inning 3
K
double
6-3
Fly out

Inning 6
6-3
BB
GIDP

Good to see Mary in there. (bet he never gets tired of that) (although his generation might have no idea what it means)

NatCast from the Capital Weather Gang:

"While warmer, still an overall pleasant game night."

First pitch: 82F
Ninth inning: 78F

I'm headed over in a bit, a friend of mine is in the chorus singing the Anthem. Whoot!

Go Nats!!!!

Hello mottz, Ya typed;"Breaking news! The sky is NOT falling!"

Couldn't have said it better meself, but wait...I think I did! ;~)

gimmy

(Laughing). You're killing me Rich, you're killing me. Zimm: .229 B/A, .300 OBP, .323 SLG, .624 OPS, 3 HR. Just cannot have those numbers in the 3 slot. Love Zimm, but move him out of the 3 hole until he gets straightened out (if he can). Hope he proves me wrong soon.
_____

Let's go Nationals!

Geeeez, it looks like Adam LaRoche is supposed ta be protecting the Z-Man and The Beast. That's a new slant...

gimmy

Rich, you really should go into stand up.

But we would probably be the only one's to really appreciate you.

I'm taking your prediction with me.

ROTFLOL, Ummm...I taking your post ta mean that you don't believe Ryan Zimmerman's explanation to the fans?

Well, I have it on good stead, that he was digging through an olde pair of game trousers and found the schematic of his Silver Slugger batting box stance in the back pocket. Ala Jayson Werth! ;~)

nuff said

GO NATS !!!

gimmy

lets not forget the power hitting 2 baseman 2 whiffs and a weak ground ball to short as he tries to pull a slider away

as long a syou and lady t and Ms maniac and sofie and the others appreciate it no one else matters

Continuing to swing at shyte and watch the good stuff sail by untouched is NOT optimal strategy, no matter which team the Nats are playing....and Zimm needs to (a) stand about 6-8" closer to the plate and (b) stop 'winding up' before swinging, which causes a 'hitch' and a timing change and often results in striking the ball on top of it, when it arrives at belt level or below, for the ever popular ground ball to SS....
Working the opposing pitchers is NOT a mortal sin...something the Nats thus far have failed to understand...(review the video when they played the Yankees over the weekend...patience ruled the day)...there is NO rush, the lights will not be turned off prematurely if one does not flail madly at the first pitch, ergo, make the pitcher deliver something hittable....this comes from the book
"Hitting in the Majors for Dummies"...by Tony Gwynn.

Lets go Nationals!! Sweep them!!....

Of course the sky isn't falling. Our offense has been disappointing, but as far I'm concerned I'm ecstatic about the future of the Nats. The Nats have outdone themselves this year, and sitting on top of the NL East for so long this season should be regarded as exceeding expectations. I'm sure by the end of the year it's going to be clear as to what changes need to be made. It's hard to watch a player go in every day and screw up the same way over and over but when I take a second to breathe and think, it's the right thing to do for the future of the club, and its clear the FO sees that.

I am trying to remember why we replaced Detwieler with wang?

Wang is Wrong tonight! Gone, but one inning too late... :~(

Rays 5 - Nats 2

GO NATS !!!

gimmy

Time is up for Wang ... time for his DFA. That give's enough time to showcase Detwiler and package him with Moore and to acquire and extend Greinke.

I smell a DFA coming real soon

Why would you want to get rid of Detwiler? He's a lefty who throws in the upper nineties.

This game is done--limp noodle bats-----Wang dialed it in COD----I mean DOA---sorry