How did it come to this? Six months after after Bryce Harper essentially called out a World Series championship in the preseason, the Washington Nationals were eliminated from postseason contention with more than a week to play. Despite Harper’s MVP-caliber season and Max Scherzer‘s Cy Young-caliber first half, the defending National League East champions haven’t …
Tag: Matt Williams
Sep 07
With the season on the line, who would you rather be?
For baseball fans, the season’s final weeks can be a manic-depressive time when fortunes turn on a dime. At least that’s how it’s been for followers of the Washington Nationals. We’ve gone from hope to despair and back so many times in the past few weeks, it’s hard to count. Remember that awful Western road …
Aug 31
Nats get most from Werth in the leadoff spot
When the Nationals learned Friday that leadoff man Denard San would have hip surgery and miss the rest of the season, it was certainly discouraging news. Without Span’s .365 OPB and base-stealing potential atop the lineup, the team’s offense takes a severe hit, and with it their chances to catch the New York Mets in …
Aug 24
Encouraging signs spark memories of Nats’ 2014 run
Funny how quickly your outlook can change. A week ago, many Nationals fans were calling for manager Matt Williams’ head, for the team to cut bait on Jayson Werth and the $42 million the team still owes him through 2017, and for the benching of Anthony Rendon, who had gone more than two weeks without …
May 25
Fans need to show patience with Strasburg
The Nationals are flying high, winners of eight straight series, all alone in first place, 2 ½ games up on the New York Mets in the National League East – but it seems all the fans want to talk about is Stephen Strasburg’s pitching troubles. On talk shows, Internet message boards and Facebook groups, there’s …
Nov 12
Williams named National League Manager of the Year
Nationals manager Matt Williams, who in his first season guided an injury-riddled team to the National League’s best record and its second division title in three years, has been named the 2014 National League Manager of the Year. Williams received 18 of 30 possible first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to finish …
Sep 15
No slow lane on the road to the 2014 postseason
It comes down to this: With 14 games left in the regular season, the Nationals visit their division archrivals in Atlanta with a chance to clinch the National League East, drop the Braves below .500 and send them to the outer fringes of the postseason picture. In a season where they’ve overcome numerous injuries and …
Sep 01
Slugfest in Seattle proves Nats can beat anyone, anywhere
The Nationals and their fans bid a reluctant farewell to Seattle after the team pounded a Mariners staff with the lowest ERA in baseball for ten home runs over three days in pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. Manager Matt Williams told reporters before the series that it was not necessarily a measuring stick for a team that …
May 12
Parity? Nationals put disparity on display
Parity seems to be a buzzword in the major leagues these days. Much has been written about how the low-budget, small-market teams like the Oakland A’s are competitive with big-spending clubs. It was disparity, however, that best described last weekend’s series between Nationals and the A’s. It played out like a three-day infomercial for “Moneyball,” …
Mar 29
Nationals 2014 Preview: Hitters
Let’s get the predictions out of the way first. I’m calling “World Series or Bust” for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The defending National League West champions have two wins under their belts before most other teams have even played a game, and there should be many more to come. In fact with all their talent …
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