The Nats again today squandered a late game 2-run lead while not adding on runs late in the game to lose another game with questionable execution, and for the first time this year, the Nationals are not in 1st place atop the NL East.
Bryce Harper was walked 6 times today and HBP once to set a record of 7 times on-base with no official at-bats.
Dusty Baker‘s response to all the Harper walks, “You know until we start swinging the bat [behind him] that will be the norm”.
In the old days you had to earn your spots in the lineup, and the only ones earning coveted spots is Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, and Wilson Ramos. Ben Revere is quickly earning his spot and showing why Mike Rizzo traded for him as he got on base 3 times today, and made a tremendous running catch in CF.
UPDATED: Pedro Gomez of ESPN reports:
“After Bryce Harper was walked 13 times and the @nationals were swept in four games by the @cubs, it looks like Washington will change its lineup on Monday night and have Daniel Murphy bat cleanup behind Harper. It means 3-4-5 will be Harper (lefty), Murphy (lefty) and Zimmerman (righty) instead of the L-R-L the Nationals have been using.”
