Hello Natstown Citizens,

The Braves (51-41, 27-17 away) will send to the bump Ben Sheets (1-0, 0.00 ERA) in opposition of the Nationals (53-38, 26-18 home) whom will answer with Edwin Jackson (5-5, 3.89 ERA).

The GS have this contest scored 54% to 46%, Braves and the morning line is set at even-6, Off.

That stated, If ya think last night's game was bazaar folks, get a load of the fact that both teams haven't the SP ta cover this monstrosity created because of an single unplayed game back on June 1st. What Cha gonna do?

Hope the boys are sleeping better than I am this A.M...

GO NATS !!!

gimmy

Is the 162 game schedule and extra round of playoffs responsible for games like last night not getting called due to rain?

Hi Eddie,

I don't know what the heck that was, but I am so angry right now, it really doesn't matter.
For me the rain was part ot the setting. A harbinger of things to come....Both teams had to play in it.

Why jerk umps let the game play on is beyond my pay grade, but the play and performance of the NATS
bats, infield, and most notably, the pitching after the 6 inning, was atrocious, timid, and sadly sub-par.

While the weather may have added to the fans discomfort, there is no way, the players get a pass. The plaing field
was level.

LETS FACE IT.....Strasberg has been getting tagged in 4 of his last 5 outings. Clippard has been noticably shakey in his last 3
and the bullpen is a roll of dice of late.

WE LOST....No excuses available. POOR PLAY, WEAK PLAY, against a rival, that smelled fear. I won't forget this loss for
long time....The NATS used to lose games like this all the time....This harbinger thing??? I sincerely hope, "THIS IS NOT
THAT!

GO NATS.....

One thing is for sure, we will find out what BOTH teams are made of today. To your point, the Braves smelled blood in the water and surged. On the other hand, the Nats, following the lead of the manager, were just trying to run out the clock and finesse the game to completion. Now we have suffered the most devastating, exposing defeat ever to our closest pursuers and the Braves must be feeling pretty darn good this morning.

I hope our Nats follow my sons lead and not mine. I went to be last night (and just laid there fuming)not even wanting to go to game 1 today because I was so depressed, but my son (10 years old) woke up this morning excited and ready to go. I guess I should follow his lead and try to get my mojo back.

C'mon Nats, get back on that horse today.

Hey Gim- You are right about 4 games in 48 hours, so bad they've allowed a 26-man roster. The 26th man is Lannan who starts game 2 today, which I'm anticipating like I would a root canal.

That game last night was about the worst display of lousy baseball I've seen since the Cardinals blew a 13-0 lead to the Brooklyn Dodgers back in the Middle Ages.

The fall off in starting and relief pitching is palpable. Ball after ball, walk after walk after passed ball. Why do they all go belly-up at once? And the catching. Leon handles pitches in the dirt about as well as Solano did. Wonder what DJ is telling them today.

Well, we will see just how good this team really is this weekend. They'll have to be pretty good to halt the momentum and split four. I don't know about you but I'd take a split and be happy.

This BP gets a lot of work.

Maybe too much

A starting pitcher never goes past 7 and usually is done after 6

Burnett may have a bad wing and refuses to own up to it but the his results may tell all

Couldn't agree more, Angelo. How far do you think Edwin and Lannan will go? The bullpen will need those cortisone shots by midnight.

rileyn,

No, I haven't lost my mojo. I'M HOPING THE NATS HAVEN'T LOST THEIRS....
Today's play will answer a number of questions about the resiliance of this team, and the manager.

PLAY BALL is what I say, BRING IT ON! GO NATS!

Yeah Bucky, bring in kegs of cortisone. I don't know how the pen is going to make it through the series after last night.

I see a bad moon rising as the Credence Clearwater song goes

I honestly think I'd rather see Mattheus/HRod instead of Burnett/Clippard in the 8/9 innings today.

It might come to that. Watch DJ on MASN after the game. Guy's really down.

Davey put the blame on himself, but the fact remains that the pitchers didn't execute, didn't do their respective jobs. If we don't make the playoffs this game is probably the one we remember as to why.
_____

Let's go Nationals!

Top O' the Morning to ya Bucky, ya typed among other things;"Well, we will see just how good this team really is this weekend. They'll have to be pretty good to halt the momentum and split four. I don't know about you but I'd take a split and be happy."

That makes two of us as far as settling for a split goes with the Bravos, but last night one of me crew had a question. "Why are we faltering going into the second half?" When all of us looked at him with blank stares, he continued;" because the team that made the first half what it was...is no longer taking the field!" quote/unquote... Anon.

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! ;~)

GO NATS !!!

gimmy

Could be, eddie, but both teams had to play in it. You notice something? Stras is very sensitive to his environment. Remember early on when he was having trouble with a mound and finally left. Multiple times when he's getting bad calls. Last night with the rain interfering with his grip. Got to get over that. And nibbling, instead of giving them what he's got.

This game and where it leads this team the remainder of the weekend.

Not so sure about that, gimmy. Zim now is much better than Zim then. Espi and Desmond have made stready strides. We should have taken all four in Miami. We took 2 of 3 from the Mets. It's the pitching, really. It's always the pitching. Pitching goes south and yer done, pal.

Hey Bucky, Well no matter, cause the one thing I am sure of is, if Sofie wants more board participation on the GDT. A Nats loss will do it every time amigo! ;~)

GO NATS !!!

gimmy

Yeah, when they're hot we take it all for granted. When they're lousy we cling to our message board like Linus's blanket....That and your bottle of Chivas!

ROTFLMAO! Ya got it buddy.

Cya around

GO NATS !!!

gimmy

Bucky, I had the same thought about Stras - very sensitive to the environment. The big question is, are the Nats creating that by babying him so much, or do we have a mental toughness issue? All reports are that he is a fierce competitor, but I'm starting see some signs of entitlement possibly creeping in. Maybe last night is what everybody needed (of course we all rationalized the Colorado blown game before the break by saying the same thing.)