This was the scene in Atlanta causing a postponement and a doubleheader today; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
In a day and age when technology has created retractable roofs, MLB does not mandate that teams must put them on newly built stadiums. Rain delays and rainouts still happen. If they did a cost-benefit analysis over the useful life of a stadium, they would see that retractable roofs are worth the investment. The Texas Rangers ownership figured that out when they built their new state-of-the-art complex that opened this year. Truist Park, formerly SunTrust Park, is the site of today’s doubleheader. The Nats have Wil Crowe in Game 2 as their 29th man for the doubleheader, and Austin Voth will start Game 1. Voth will face Tommy Milone who the Nats saw twice this year with the Orioles.
Milone came to the Braves from the Orioles in a deadline trade, and yes, the Nats will once again hope that Voth finds his form as he sports an horrific 7.99 ERA and an 0-4 record. The Nats enter this game at 12-23, and you can do the math of pitcher to loss ratios to figure just how bad things are for Voth and the Nats.
Current standings after games played on 9/3/2020
If the season ended today with the draft ordering determined by the worst winning percentages, the Nats would choose 4th in the 2021 amateur draft. The Pirates have a doubleheader today against the Reds, and the Red Sox have a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Angels play the Astros. Scoreboard watching might be cheering on the Pirates, Red Sox, Angels, Rangers, Royals, and Diamondbacks in the sweepstakes to who drafts Kumar Rocker.
The Nats are riding a six-game losing streak coming into this first game of this doubleheader. Manager Dave Martinez leaned hard on his “A” bullpen last night. Wander Suero threw 23 pitches, Tanner Rainey threw 17, and Daniel Hudson threw 28 high octane pitches. In addition, Kyle Finnegan, Will Harrris, and Sean Doolittle had to pitch in the 10-inning affair that ended in a Nats loss.
If there is any good news, doubleheaders are seven inning games per the new 2020 rules. Any no-hitters are considered “notable achievements” and if Austin Voth or Wil Crowe throw one of those it might be the coolest thing ever! Why not, it is 2020!
Today’s first pitch is scheduled for 4:10 pm and will be televised on MASN2, FOX Sports South, and MLB Network for out-of-market fans.
