Braves at Nationals Series Preview - Strasburg Meets Heyward
by Scott Coleman on Jul 27, 2010 8:00 AM EDT
in Series Previews & Recaps
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PrintThe Braves and Nationals will start a 3-game series in Washington DC tonight, and that means two things: Rob Dibble, and the decent chance that the Braves will struggle. Fortunately for us, there's a mute button to deal with Dibble and his ridiculous commentating. The other half isn't so easy to fix though.
Since 2008, the Braves are 8-13 against the Nats at Nationals Park. The worst team in baseball the last two and a half years, and the Braves are 5 games under .500 at their stadium. The Nats have 4 walk-off hits against the Braves in the park and the Braves average a measly 3.7 runs per game. This really needs to change. Fortunately for the Braves, this is the best team we've had at any moment since '08 and I feel pretty confident about the series.
The Nationals are 42-57 and have lost 7 of their last 10 games. They are on pace for 67 wins, which would be better than previous seasons. Let's take a look at the offense first.
Offense:
Runs: 402 (14th)
BA: .258 (9th)
OBP: .327 (8th)
SLG: .399 (11th)
HR: 86 (10th)
SB: 70 (3rd)
BB%: 8.5 (9th)
K%: 21.6% (11th)
As you can see, they're a below-average bunch at the plate. The Nats are led offensively by a lethal 3/4/5 combination of Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham. All 3 are having great seasons and carry Washington offensively. Besides those three, Nyjer Morgan is a decent leadoff man with some serious speed. Pudge Rodriguez has slowed tremendously from his hot start in the 1st half, but is still having a solid season. Ian Desmond and Roger Bernadina have potential to be solid players one day, but neither are having very good seasons.
Starting Pitching:
ERA: 4.54 (13th)
FIP: 4.26 (11th)
BAA: .282 (15th)
BABIP: .312 (12th)
WHIP: 1.44 (14th)
K/BB: 1.80 (15th)
That's pretty horrible. Stephen Strasburg is the un-questioned ace of the staff, and he doesn't have much help. Livan Hernandez has been pretty good as the staff veteran, but he's been pretty lucky in 2010 and has fallen off since his great start. Craig Stammen, who'll start Thursday afternoon, isn't very good and neither is Ross Detwiler. J.D. Martin has been pretty solid, but the Braves won't face him in the upcoming season.
More after the jump...
Relief Pitching:
ERA: 3.68 (6th)
FIP: 3.95 (8th)
BAA: .253 (10th)
BABIP: .309 (9th)
WHIP: 1.37 (17h)
K/BB: 2.09 (5th)
When I looked up the stats, I expected to see the Nationals bullpen towards the bottom. They're actually not that bad. Matt Capps has been great as their closer and has 24 saves. Closer-of-the-future Drew Storen has been equally good this year in the 8th innings. Tyler Clippard and Sean Burnett have also been solid and feature low ERAs and FIPs. Miguel Batista, Doug Slaten, and Tyler Walker have all pitched occasionally this year and all three have been pretty good as well. The Braves won't be able to rely on late rallies like they did in Florida if they want to win this series.
Pitching Match-Ups:
Tuesday, 7:05EST:
Wednesday, 7:05EST:
Thursday, 12:35EST:
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Heyward will destroy the imposter who is stealing his hype.
Poets are like baseball pitchers. Both have their moments. The intervals are the tough things. ~Robert Frost
that's what we're all hoping for
Beware Newyorkers, Jason Heyward has arrived, he will rob A-rod of 100 homeruns, and will bring at least 5 world series trophies to the great city of Atlanta
it'll be death by a thousand pieces
2-3, 2BB
by kbertling353 on Jul 27, 2010 8:30 AM EDT up reply actions
No way Strasburg last that long in the game
for Heyward to face him 5 times
by LEastCoastBears on Jul 27, 2010 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
heyward's back
and that OBP is climbing back up to where it should be
by kbertling353 on Jul 27, 2010 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
i thought that was the only logical choice
It's like Hank, the rightfielder, is passing the ball on to the next rightfielder, and saying, 'Here it is, kid. Catch it.'"
I was so bummed...
I didn’t see that option until after I had already voted.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
Braves win 2/3
Braves will take the first 2 then Bobby will sent out his usual white flag lineup in game 3 which the Braves will lose.
Your Atlanta Braves' starting pitcher for the game.....Jesse Chavez!
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on Jul 27, 2010 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions
White Flag Lineup??
McLouth CF
Cabrera RF
Infante 3B
Hinske 1B
Diaz LF
Gonzalez SS
Ross C
Conrad 2B
KK
Except replace KK with Chavez and Conrad with a sandbag. That would be a true white flag lineup.
KK could actually pitch well enough to hold the Nationals’ offense to one or two runs (and still lose), and having Conrad in the lineup isn’t fair – all that man does is hit grand slams. I think if he spends a little more time with Jason Heyward, he may even learn the secret to hitting grand slams when no one is on base. As for the sandbag as the replacement, I started to say put Glaus or McCann there, but then I realized it would be about the same defensively.
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on Jul 27, 2010 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
lol +1 i understand y but still hate wen he does that..i got heyward laceing a liner on his first abat off jesus to which is what they called him on espn to prove he is mortal..thank goodness jhey isnt human tho :) ima tivo this snaz cause this is ganna b a firece matchup for years to come..i jus pray he gives him his best stuff n pitches too him
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions
+1000
I fear, however, that this is how books will be written in 50 years…
he can't spell
but he makes decent points most of the time
by kbertling353 on Jul 27, 2010 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Its more of a just me typing to fast n not rereading my post..i do apologize n will go over my posts so the few of u who cant subtract a letter with another right next to each other to see what im spelling :)
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm guessing those rankings are in the NL, right?
When I first saw them, I thought it was in all of MLB!
God typed "iddqd" before creating Jason Heyward.
I’ll be at the game tonight and the one Thursday afternoon. If you’re around look out for me. Big bear looking dude wearing the Braves road blue hat.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
I had originally hoped to attend a game or two in this series, since I live about 35 miles from Nationals Park. Unfortunately, it’s not going to work out. At least I’m in-market to get the games on tv (even if I do have to listen to Dibble). Maybe I’ll be able to attend some of the games in the Nationals series September 24th-26th….maybe…. :(
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on Jul 27, 2010 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Did anyone else see that Chris Coughlan may have torn his meniscus trying to sove a pie in the face of Wes Helms after Sunday’s game? A walk-off off of Jesse Chavez is not worth that.
Yes I did. And it was hilarious! Not worth the loss, but funny nonetheless.
Poets are like baseball pitchers. Both have their moments. The intervals are the tough things. ~Robert Frost
u guys know he tore up his knee on that celebration right! lol i dont mean to laugh but ne tym a guy gets injured on a celebration a la morales its alil funny..guess thats jus what happens wen u celebrate aganist the BRAVOS! lolll
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions
However, double posts are not your friend
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
Lol like i stated before i will reread my post before i put them n there is no spell check on my pos<——— piece of shit comp<—- aka computer
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions
All these celebratory injuries need to stop!
Somebody call the stars of NBC’s “Chuck”, pronto! We need to make a series of “The More You Know” PSAs about over-celebrating.
Kids these days, I swear.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on Jul 27, 2010 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
lol i just posted somthing after reading that this morning..whatever happen to the “high five”..smh
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions
ne1 else getting tired of seeing those r the braves foreal?! or r they real contenders crap!although i know the power ranking mean squat! they bumped the padres back above us..we havent lead at the break n played this well since 05 and despite the fact we should have swept both the padres and the marlins where still playing great baseball aside from “nate Mcgrounder”..i love the underdog/last hooray for bobby role but i still dont think most analyst think we can stick around..freaggin BASTARDS!
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
Are you a native English speaker?
just curious…
by Xshare on Jul 27, 2010 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
yes.. i was born in america if thats what you mean
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
I never bother asking that question anymore. The answer always depresses me.
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on Jul 27, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
What happens when God hits a home run off of Jesus?
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
by MBL1 on Jul 27, 2010 11:28 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
jesus pitches around him in his next abat lol
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm calling..
2/3, I think Stras lasts 5 and a third tonight, and we get 4 off of him, and he gets pulled, and we win like… 5-1. Then we win the second game easily, and like redwards said, we’ll probably have the whipping boy lineup out for the finale, and lose by a few runs at least.
Hockey is my oxygen, football is my food, and baseball is my water. I'd say basketball is my shelter, but I'd rather not lie.
DC resident here
There are a lot of things wrong with this town – from an arrogant, possibly corrupt mayor, to an inept public transportation system, to hordes of fanny-pack-wearing tourists 365 days a year – but the worst thing DC has to offer to the rest of the world is, BY FAR, Rob Dibble.
At least job security is amazing around DC. God bless the federal bubble.
"Give him the heater Ricky."
by Pavy848 on Jul 27, 2010 1:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Not sure if you all have heard yet
But the Bravos just ink David Ross to a 2 year extension. Great move to keep that man in the clubhouse!
Great news!
Washington Tribune, June 29 2010 – "The stonecutters carving Stephen Strasburg’s name onto the Washington Monument have been directed to await further instructions."
just saw on ESPN"s fantasy news
great proactive move by Wren. Better hitter/thrower than most everyday starters and he’s genuinely happy to backup a perennial all-star, couldn’t have a better backup.
by GT_Thrashfan on Jul 27, 2010 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Somebody
should do up a Fanshot!
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
couldn’t find a sensible 75 words until more details come out. tried “espn referencing x who is quoting y” etc etc hah
by GT_Thrashfan on Jul 27, 2010 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions
yeap.... just heard
at least we did get a Ross on the trade deadline….
Jason Heyward is what Willis was talking about.....
by Hektor DiPaula on Jul 27, 2010 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions
It feels funny to say this, but in my opinion this Nationals series could have a big impact on the rest of the season. With the Phillies home for the lowly Diamondbacks if we were to lose 2 of 3 or do the unthinkable an get swept, they could be within 2.5 or even 1.5 by the time the weekend arrives.
Guys really have to buckle down and take at least 2 out of 3, and like mentioned above hopefully Bobby doesn’t run out the B-team on Thursday afternoon – especially with Lowe on the mound.
+1 we need to try and go for the sweep and show no mercy unless they really need a day off if something like someone geting hit by pitch like what happened to hinske “knock on wood”..if we could maybe get a big enuff lead we could always pull a indy and rest our players towards the end of the season with the lead far safer and the schedule more in our favor
Prado is a 1 man wolf pack
by SkipTOoMyL0U_ on Jul 27, 2010 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Nyjer Morgan is not a "decent leadoff man"
If you believe the following analysis, http://firejimbowden.blogspot.com/2010/07/out-rate-new-measure-of-offensive-value.html, you’d conclude that Nyjer is actually one of the worst “leadoff men” in MLB. 3rd best? Prado.
PS: Nyjer Morgan sucks at baseball.
that's a flawed analysis
It punishes guys who are aggressive on the basepaths without factoring in any advantage they might bring.
A guy like Ichiro may generate more outs than Prado, but he’s also going to generate about 50 more bases with his speed. And those extra bases will likely compensate for any run differential that might be suggested by a greater out tendency.
For anyone watching the game tonight..
with the Washington feed — if you’re on the open thread, please update with the stupidest Rob Dibble comments. I know, it will be hard to choose, but just a few highlights will be highly entertaining.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
I’ve never heard Rob Dibble, I must be blessed by Jason Heyward
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
He is so irritating.
I listen to MLB radio on XM a lot, and he is on the morning drive show. Also, he was one of my least favorite players when he was a relief pitcher for the Reds; you could just tell what a jerk he was.
He’s one of those announcers/analysts who feels the need to remind the listeners every few minutes that he was a major-league player, and he knows this guy, and he’s big buddies with that guy, blah, blah, blah. He’s also the know-it-all type.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
It's the constant "we" and "us"
when referring to the Nats, as if he’s wearing the uniform in the booth.
I don’t mind a little homer-ism, especially for a hometown broadcast, but avoiding personal pronouns when referring to the team you cover is Sports Broadcasting 101.
PS. He also NEVER played for the Expionals, er Naxpos, Nationals. I could see it he were broadcasting the Reds, but come on dude…
yeah...
That bothers me also.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
hitters
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
And if Gluas dosen’t start hitting soon they need to sit his ass to all he does lately is fucken strike out and he just did again !!!!
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