The Nats used a home series against Colorado to do the unthinkable in 2022. Win 4 out of 5. Sitting at 14-30 the Nats were now 18-31 and staring that 19-31 square in the face. If you don't recall 19-31 was the nadir of the 2019 season. From that moment they'd go 28-11 into the All-Star break, and a couple of monster 2nd half runs (16-3 in August, 10-1 to end the year) would counter some middling play the rest of the way. Playoffs - forced short pen - Garbage Cardinal team - World Champs. Or something like that.
Now of course there shouldn't be comparison of the two. That team won 95 and 97 games a couple years before and the 82 in the previous year seemed pretty unlucky (pythag had them at 90 wins, they were 18-24 in 1 run games) This team is coming off two straight bad seasons. That team didn't have a good start but a run of bad luck at the end cost them a few wins and dug them a deeper hole then they probably deserved. This team is as bad as their record says they are. That team was built to contend for a playoff spot and Rizzo would slowly do his "try to build a pen from nothing" work which most of the times failed but this time worked. This team is built to miss the playoffs and Rizzo is currently keeping talent down in the minors that would help them be better with an eye on the future.
So no comparison to be made. But there would have been. Now there won't be.
Thank heaven for small favors.
The Nats are in a schedule lull. The Rockies are deceptively bad and they got them at home. The Mets away is tough but, the Reds and Marlins away are not. The Reds are the worst team in the NL. The Marlins not great. It's a chance to crawl back, or at least have the kids do something. So get some kids up here.
5 comments:
If, and its a big IF, Max & deGrom come back healthy, the amazins might run away with this division, as it is pretty bad right now. The Nats are well, the Nats. The fish have cooled off & have no hitting, The Phils can't hit and pitch well at the same time & their defense is HORRIBLE. The choppers in Hotlanta seem to be suffering from a post WS hangover and not resigning Freddie is bigger than just his numbers. He had such a GREAT impact in the clubhouse. As talented as Acuna is, he is equally immature.
The Nats' gears are slowly starting to turn.
They promoted pretty decent reliever Matt Cronin from AA Harrisburg to AAA Rochester.
In Rochester, they've recently begun flipping Garcia between SS and 2B.
And . . . last night the pitchers held the Mets to a mere 13 runs!
Nelson Cruz has a WRC+ of 144 since Harper's "Dead or Alive" post two weeks ago
Such a missed opportunity for a great story line that every outlet would have taken up. The Nats --- right back where the 2019 run started!
And reality intervened. Fedde reverted to old Fedde, killing a dozen story lines that were tee'd up and ready, stories that die hard fans are dying to read.
But hey. Robles is back on form! The bull pen is --- okay? Cruz is paying off. Strasburg is striking out A-level hitters! Cesar Hernandez! Lane Thomas! Gray only gave up ONE HR in his last outing. It can only get better.
Is this it for Joe Ross? I felt like there was potential there, but never really came together.
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