Nice performance from Fister on sunday. Photo via wp.com
So, after destroying the ball in Atlanta (30 runs in 3 games) and getting what feels like an early “turn around the ship” 13-12 epic come from behind win, the team goes to New York and takes 3 of 4 from the Mets (who were theretofore undefeated at home and had the best record in the game). Even if you don’t think the Mets are really that good, it was still a statement series to go to a divisional rival ahead of you in the standings and take 3 of 4.
They couldn’t beat Matt Harvey (who can these days?), not even with Max Scherzer going, but beat Jacob DeGrom and got the kind of shut-down performances from their #4 and #5 starters (Gonzalez and Fister) that practically no other team in the league can depend on. It isn’t a good sign having to depend on untested rookies and fortunate bounces to get one-off runs that lead to 1-0 victories, but then again, its a great sign that you have a team that *can* win these kinds of games.
Now Miami comes to town; they’ve been hot (8-2 in their last 10), but the pitching matchups favor the Nats. I’ll take Zimmermann, Strasburg, Scherzer (the best 1-2-3 in the majors) over what Miami’s bringing to the table this week (Phelps, Latos and Koehler). Anything less than a sweep of Miami will be a disappointment. The Nats have clear, inarguable pitching matchup advantages, and Latos/Koehler sport ugly ERAs that should help the Nats offense get healthy again quick.
Are we backed away from the ledge yet? There’s still areas of improvement of course. Per Fangraphs today, the team ranks:
- 23rd in team WRC+ at 86 (my favorite all-equaling offensive stat measure)
- 23rd in team Batting Average at .235, which sounds awful but there’s seven teams worse right now.
- 7th in Starter ERA … but 2nd in Starter FIP and 1st in Starter WAR (Scherzer leads the league in fWAR despite being just 1-3)
- 12th in Bullpen ERA and 11th in bullpen FIP
So, the bullpen we’ve fretted about is holding on but could use improvement, the Starters are holding up their end of the bargain, and the offense needs to improve. About where we expected the team to be?
Now if we can only find a manager who’s aware that the game has changed since Alvin Dark & Gene Mauch.
Still waiting for the 1st original thought of M.W. career.
It’s pretty amazing when you score 2 runs in 3 games and you actually win two of those.
Mark L
4 May 15 at 3:39 pm
I didn’t realize Jose Fernandez was pitching tonight…
How could a team of big leaguers be so inconsistent in their hitting? If we didn’t have an all-time pitching staff, we’d be the worst team in baseball.
Andrew R
4 May 15 at 9:09 pm
Well, they did score six runs last night in a come-from-behind win. Someone must be hitting the ball.
John C.
5 May 15 at 10:44 am
Andrew R – you mean there are consistent hitters? Guy who get hits every 3 PA’s? Like Stanton? Oh wait, he went 0 for 4 last night.
Baseball is all about inconsistency on offense. Guys hit, then they don’t. Over a season, it averages out. The Nats didn’t hit too well in NYC, but definitely did last night. Escobar went 5 for 5. I will bet my house that he can’t consistently do that.
ehay2k
5 May 15 at 11:19 am
I think my writing was the catalyst for the Nats comeback last night, as I wrote that note a few minutes before they started scoring!
The Nats went about 35 innings with only 3 total runs and that’s not great. Sure, they came in with 5 runs in the last few innings last night, but almost 4 whole games averaging less than 1 run per 9 is crazy.
Individual guys go into slumps, but a team of very good ballplayers shouldn’t have the overall inconsistency that our team does. I just don’t get it.
Andrew R
5 May 15 at 11:22 am
Get your P-Nats tickets now:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2015/05/05/prized-pitching-prospects-lucas-giolito-reynaldo-lopez-joining-potomac/
KW
5 May 15 at 3:21 pm
Only three hits against a guy with a 5.60 ERA? That’s just embarrassing. And Stras is hurt, although not badly, he claims. I wonder who the #6 starter is this time. Call up Giolito! (Kidding!)
On the flip side, the bullpen looked good. Solis really stepped up with three scoreless . . . since Roark had been used as the “closer” the night before. Thornton and Treinen both looked better after recent struggles.
The offense has been feast or famine all year. They’ve done well against some of the better guys – deGrom, Teheran – but have also made some back-of-the-rotation stiffs look like all-stars, including Koehler, who they face today.
KW
6 May 15 at 5:19 am
I think maybe they need to send Treinen down to get stretched out as a starter. Not a demotion but right now it’s just Cole who is a possibility to fill in for starts. Might be Jordan too, but it seems like he only pitches every 8 or 9 days, so I am not sure what’s up there.
Difo still raking. Played 2b last night too.
Wally
6 May 15 at 2:07 pm
Is anyone amazed like I am at how effective Solis has been so far?? Cole, a more “accomplished” minor league pitcher by innings if not by age, gives up 9 runs in 2 innings … Solis, despite having a COMBINED total of just 7 1/3 innings above a-ball, shows up and has given up just 2 hits in his first 5 innings. wth??
Todd Boss
7 May 15 at 10:19 am
Treinen to AAA to get stretched out: how about sending him to AAA to remeber how to be a dominant sinkerballer again? 10 walks in 14 innings to go along with 14 hits does not make for an effective middle reliever.
Todd Boss
7 May 15 at 10:30 am
Cole is more accomplished both by innings and age (Solis is three years older than Cole). Cole had a strong start in his return to AAA, giving up one run in six innings. A lot of fans will write Cole off for his one disastrous start. That would be a mistake.
That said, I’ve been very pleased with Solis’s strong start. Unlike Martin, he’s also managed to have a strong second appearance. Solis’s velocity wasn’t quite as high his second time around, but more importantly the command was still there. He’s always been highly regarded; I’m hoping that the diminished workload of a bullpen role will allow him to stay healthy. The 2015 version of Christian Garcia, anyone?
John C.
7 May 15 at 11:32 am
Christian Garcia. Most ink ever spilled about a guy who threw TWELVE major league innings. Roark threw four times that in 2013 with better results and was still not given as much credence.
Todd Boss
7 May 15 at 12:05 pm