“Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion,” Bryce Harper and the 2015 Nationals

homoerotic headline, or the seepage of cuddle parties into sports culture?

swept by the Redlegs! in trouble?

Rendon activated.

so I'm starting to believe that they will just keep on semi-sucking, with Werth out most of the summer and Harper, Espinosa and Escobar the only offensive threats, and the pitching all over the place.

And it's p much the Mets' only hope now, winning the divison.

Harper, Espinosa and Escobar the only offensive threats

i don't know, Rendon is back, and Span's got a 118 wRC+. pitching is obviously a strength (5th-best FIP in MLB, just behind the mets). i haven't watched them play too much this year so who knows, but i figured if they're only half a game back after underperforming for so long, they could pull away quickly if they get hot

oh i still like their odds, but it's all i have left.

I know Rendon is back, but i will blindly assume he's playing hurt til the stats say otherwise.

pepco amirite

BP odds now have NL East winner as Nats 60/Mets 40

@washingnats
Jonathan Papelbon said he wants to continue to close because he wants Mariano Rivera's saves record. #Nats #Nationals #MLB

That's MLB writer William Ladson, aka "washin gnats."

@washingnats
Jonathan Papelbon said he feels free and like starting a new life by joining the #Nats. #MLB #Nationals

@washingnats
According to Jonathan Papelbon, Doug Fister has been compensated for giving up No. 58. #Nats #Nationals #MLB

He gets to shine Papelbon's cleats? What the fuck?

https://s1.2mdn.net/viewad/2946704/300x250_ChiaPet.jpg

not sure i knew werth was back

some guys -- like werth and victorino and swisher -- are basically always rehabbing or will be shortly

Escobar nearly threw the game away, to the delight of a spectating John McCain, but not quite.

Looking at Scherzer's career box, and after seven seasons of a K/BB ratio between 2.63-4.29, he's at 8.23 this year. I would think a jump like that mid-career is extremely rare.

A couple of points of comparison that came to mind:

Koufax -- 1.07-3.79 first eight seasons, 5.28 in '63. (Different progression, though--more of a two-step spike from '61 to '63.)

Mike Scott -- Between 1.00-2.00 first six seasons, then 4.25 in his Cy Young year.

Proportionally, those two are fairly similar.

Jonathan Papelbon said he wants to continue to close because he wants Mariano Rivera's saves record.

Papelbon has 344 saves. Mariano has 652. Papelbon is 34 years old. Good luck with that.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-collapse-of-the-nationals

a leetle premature w/ the headline

Oof

lol

I think we just saw plumber butt on national tv

i don't often say this about a Cardinal win but YEEEEEEEHAWWWWWW

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/02/matt-williams-puts-up-another-strong-performance-in-his-quest-to-get-himself-fired/

@NoahFrankWTOP
A friend just pointed out: #Nats have 6 walk-off losses. All were tie games. Designated closer (Storen/Papelbon) appeared in none of them

Right before Moss hit the home run, the Cardinal announcer said that when Jansen throws more than 18 pitches his ERA is over 11.

Then on his 21st pitch, 3 run homer.

But how would papelbon get the save if the game is tied? Duh!

But yeah, Williams might be the only manager who makes worse on-the-field decisions than matheny (who made some terrible moves himself last night). Does he balance it with being a good "clubhouse manager", keeping players happy, dealing with clashing personalities, etc? I don't know anything about it but based off of his benching Harper for not hustling enough (lol) it seems like he isn't.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/COEcwuoUwAAKM8v.png

Goid mprning

@pgammo
Scherzer frustration:10-7, 2.11, 10.71 K-BB 1st half; 1-4, 5.12, 5.12, 6.25 K-BB 2d half. ERA bv month:1.26, 1.67, 2.33, 3.40, 6.43, 5.25

“[Papelbon’s] our closer,” Matt Williams said Wednesday morning in his weekly spot with “The Junkies” on 106.7 The Fan, speaking of Papelbon, idle the previous two nights. “He’s the one that closes the game.”

that is almost, almost, but not quite, as dimwitted as matheny and "non-save situation. we're on the road."

this next bit, however, may be dumber:

“So everybody wants to know why you don’t use Papelbon in that situation,” Williams told the Junkies, uttering something upon which we could all agree. “Let’s say, for instance, ‘Pap’ throws a clean ninth and we score in the 10th. Who’s closing the game for us? I guess it’d be ‘Somebody,’ right?” ... “All these people want to know why Papelbon isn’t in the game,” Williams said. “Because we lost. He’s our closer. He’s the one that closes the game.”

New York - Top of 7th

Blake Treinen pitching for Washington

Treinen relieved Thornton.
Wright singled to right.
Duda flied out to left.
d'Arnaud popped out to shortstop.
Conforto walked, Wright to second.
Flores singled to center, Wright scored, Conforto to third.
Johnson hit for Goeddel.
Rivero relieved Treinen.
Uribe hit for Johnson.
Uribe walked, Flores to second.
Granderson walked, Conforto scored, Flores to third, Uribe to second.
Storen relieved Rivero.
Céspedes doubled to deep left, Flores, Uribe and Granderson scored.
Murphy walked.
Céspedes to third, Murphy to second on wild pitch by Storen.
Wright walked.
Duda walked, Céspedes scored, Murphy to third, Wright to second.
d'Arnaud lined out to right.

6 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors

Storen's ERA has doubled since the Papelbon deal.

last night Nats relievers threw 70 consecutive pitches w/out getting a swinging strike.

Zimmerman oblique still sore. Escobar 103 fever. Taylor's knee "extremely swollen"

Papelbum in, trailing? Williams is desperate.

rip

@SI_Wire
Nats’ Drew Storen slams locker shut, breaks thumb, likely out for season http://on.si.com/1Mjo4Ir

loss last night reduced their shot at overtaking Mets to roughly 3 in 1000

you are really tempting fate

@pgammo
If Steven Steaaburg hadn't been limited in 2012, would he be as good as he is now?

Steven Steaaburg

1 result (0.29 seconds)

Funny how Harper refers to an opponent here by first name and then calls Papelbon "somebody." Perfect quote.

"I mean, Manny freaking hit a homer," Harper said. "Walked it off, and somebody drilled him. I mean, it's pretty tired. It's one of those situations where it happens, and, I don't know, I'll probably get drilled tomorrow."

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=350923120

@pgammo
The Nationalds are 25-27 since the Papelbon trade

Buck Showalter said of Papelbon: "He kind of reminds me of the wrestlers who pull somebody's hair and then they throw their hands up."

lol

ahhhahahahaha, yes

@MLB_PR
WSH RHP Papelbon has received a 3-gm suspension for intentionally throwing a pitch in the head area of Manny Machado.

Hoping for save situations in each of the games he's out (and losses in all others, obv).

papelbon-harper fite!

Guess he won't be a repeat manager of the year...

'contacted' Dusty Baker YESSSSSSSSSSS

Jim (on the ledge): Okay, Keith. Washington’s first managerial interview is with Dusty Baker. I’m hoping it’s just a “courtesy” interview, although saying he’s “better than Williams” doesn’t reassure me. Granted the Prior/Wood issues were over 10 years ago, and lineup construction can be overrated, but still, how worried should I be?

Klaw: He’s absolutely not worth hiring. It would be a dumb PR-oriented move that would be more likely to set the franchise back rather than forward, and with the Mets ascendant and only likely to improve from here – it’s pretty easy to forecast them as a 95-win team in 2016 with only marginal changes – the Nats would be shooting themselves in the face by hiring someone so regressive.

also heard bud black was in the running for the spot

http://www.federalbaseball.com/2015/10/18/9563981/washington-nationals-rumors-will-the-nats-consider-trading-stephen-strasburg

Larry King @kingsthings
Congratulations to my pal @dbaker_12, he's the new manager of the @MLB @Nationals. Play ball!

some choice quotes from ol' Dusty:

"I don’t think of myself as 66 years old. I don’t know how old I am sometimes...not to sound cocky or nothing, but I don’t see a whole bunch of dudes out there that look better than me now."

"Adapation is no problem for me. My friends call me a chameleon because they think I can adapt any place, any time, anywhere. I would like to think that I transcend different generations - like some musicians. I mean, Stevie wonder still sounds good"

my eyes are watering. please tell me you made that last one up.

I accidentally cut some off, I encourage you to read this

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/11/05/dusty-baker-wins-the-press-conference-with-one-terrific-quote-after-another/

“I do know quite a few politicians, from the president down,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit because of the culture here, the educational system here, I’d like to turn my son on to the diversity that’s here. Last night I went to a Wizards game and I saw people from all over the country and all over the world. I used to call myself back in the day International Bakey, even though I wasn’t international yet. Now I have an opportunity to be international and feel as such. I’m used to diversity, and this is probably the most diverse setting and the most diverse town that I’ve been in.”

this isn't a Clickhole article, believe it or not

is he doing this intentionally? like - is he just throwing shit out there to mess with us – or are these all earnest blatherings?!

dusty's just l-i-v-i-n

Dusty supposedly smoked a J with Jimi Hendrix.

Ol' Bakey indeed! ==~~

http://deadspin.com/dusty-baker-once-smoked-a-joint-with-jimi-hendrix-1737726562?trending_test_a&utm_expid=66866090-62._DVNDEZYQh2S4K00ZSnKcw.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2F