The halfway point of the season is an ideal time to take stock of what the Nationals have accomplished so far and what they need to improve. Here are the grades so far: Starting Pitching: B-plus. Jordan Zimmermann (11-3, 2.28) is the main reason the Nats are still in contention in the National League East. …
Tag: Washington Nationals
Apr 26
Bryce is Nice… Happy Anniversary, Harper.
Of all the red-letter days in Washington’s baseball history, Nationals fans may well look back on April 28, 2012 as the most important date of all. It was on that date that a 19-year-old rookie named Bryce Aron Max Harper made his major league debut, amid the media spotlight of Los Angeles. He singled and …
Apr 22
Keep expectations realistic for Anthony Rendon
Welcome to the big leagues, Anthony Rendon. Making his major league debut Sunday against the New York Mets, the Nationals’ 2011 first-round draft pick went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, including one to end a 2-0 loss. He made a nice catch at third base in the first inning, but like the rest of …
Apr 15
Three reasons not to hit the panic button
It’s hard to blame Nationals fans for feeling down after last weekend’s three-game sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves. After a big buildup to a supposed early season showdown between the top teams in the National League East – if not the entire NL – the Nats fell flat. Almost every aspect of …
Apr 06
This Day in D.C Baseball History – A Brilliant Start to 2012
It’s often said that “it’s better to be lucky than good.” But it’s what you do with that luck that counts, and by making the most of the breaks that came their way Thursday in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs, the Nationals are 1-0 to start the 2012 season, with plenty of optimism. …
Feb 21
MLB-TV to the rescue
Now it turns out, thankfully, that baseball-starved fans of the Washington Nationals won’t have to miss Saturday’s Grapefruit League opener after all — at least not those who have access to the MLB-TV cable network. The Nats’ game against the New York Mets in Port Lucie, Fla., will be shown on MLB, starting at 12:10 …
Oct 19
The Year I Got to Be 11 Again
I got to be 11, all over again this summer, thanks to the greatest season in Washington Nationals history, and my boy, Mark. Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, baseball was not a huge part of my life. When I was 11, in 1975, I could still remember the Senators and their move to …
Oct 15
Looking back through tear-stained eyes
Let’s face it, for the fans of 29 teams, the end of the baseball season is hard to take. To be sure, it’s harder in some cities than in others. Here in Washington, after watching seven regular seasons mercifully conclude with the reality of a losing team, we got not only our first winning season, …
Sep 26
Do the Nats have the right uniforms for a championship?
Wearing the right uniform can make all of the difference. Way back in 1915 the Washington Times posted a cartoon that claimed uniforms play a prominent part in winning championships. The 1915 Senators uniforms were not up to snuff as the Washington Senators ended the season 85-68 and were in 4th place 17 games behind …
Jul 19
Good Ol’ Days: Fans Get Behind Nats in Turn-Back, Comeback Win
Remember when most of the noise at a baseball game came from the fans, themselves, and not from loud music or recorded sound cues, or in response to from flashing scoreboard signs imploring everyone to “get loud?” Remember when the fans knew on their own when to clap in rhythm to urge the pitcher to …
