Category Archives: Analysis

Today is a new day and lessons learned

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Andrew Lang

A year ago at this time, the Padres crushed the Washington Nationals in a Friday night game on June 23, in a 13-3 drubbing. On Saturday, ex-teammate Juan Soto was making gestures into the Nats’ third base dugout. Maybe that … Continue reading →

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Midway point in the season gut-check

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

A year ago on this day, General Manager Mike Rizzo reached a tipping point with pitcher Chad Kuhl after a Friday night 1.0 inning appearance yielded 4-runs and pushed his ERA to 8.45. Rizzo got on his phone to get … Continue reading →

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Cleaning up the mistakes even in wins must be part of the process

Posted on June 22, 2024 by Andrew Lang

Normally when you make two fielding errors, two base running blunders, and give up three home runs — you lose the game. Saved by 11 runs on offense in the Colorado thin air at altitude, the Washington Nationals faux pas … Continue reading →

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Defense, defense, defense!

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Andrew Lang

You cannot have a closer seat to the action behind the center fielder than my seats in the front row at Nationals Park. From all of my years of watching games at Nationals Park, there have been few who have … Continue reading →

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Two-thirds of the Washington Nationals future outfield is in NY

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Coming soon to Nationals Park will be outfielders James Wood and then Dylan Crews. Both are currently teammates with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings after Crews was promoted officially on Tuesday. They were teammates last year in Double-A Harrisburg to … Continue reading →

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The DNA of this 2024 Nats team

Posted on June 17, 2024 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

When we analyzed the 2024 season over the winter, the slivers of optimism were from taking the team’s post-All-Star break record of 35-37 in 2023 — and what was right and what was wrong. How could you add four wins … Continue reading →

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DJ Herz takes a spot in the record books; Just Breathe…

Posted on June 16, 2024 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Yesterday, DJ Herz pitched the gem of the season for the Washington Nationals on a day that the offense was a little sluggish. The Nats needed Herz’s zeroes with a scant 1-0 lead then a 2-0 lead when he exited … Continue reading →

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A win, a sin, some fightin’, Marlins swing & missin’

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Friday’s game did not start-off the way you pencil it up. There was not the normal pleasantries that you would expect in a workplace. If a baseball dugout was a typical workplace, H.R. would get an urgent call, and MacKenzie … Continue reading →

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A semi-happy flight; 5-game winning streak ends.

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

What could have been, is usually how a team replays it in their minds, after a loss. The Washington Nationals were riding a 5-game winning streak coming into this game. They got everything they needed from starter Patrick Corbin who … Continue reading →

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The Nats need a 1st baseman today; Think outside the box!

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Last night, manager Dave Martinez confirmed that his first baseman, Joey Gallo, pulled his hamstring, and the team would need to get a player to Detroit. Just as Gallo finally started hitting the past 16-games at a .262 pace and … Continue reading →

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