The Nats Thread (old thread link inside, too many load issues)

[StillUnknown]

Well, I feel bad for HRod. I love his arm, he just needs to get his head adjusted when things go tough for him. Again, he doesn't have many innings pitched in MLB (~110). Storen had more innings last year. He's still learning to close.

I remember watching Pudge catch him last year. He always knew what to say to him (or show him) when HRod was getting wild to calm him down.

Coach him up and get him fixed.

When he's right he's just about untouchable, but that guy only shows up 25% of the time.

[GoSkins0721]

H-Rod has no business in Major League Baseball and he sure as hell has no business in Washington. We're on our way to having the best pitching staff in the NL and he's doing more than his part to bring us down.

Dude, that is so freaking unfair and unwarranted. He's having a tough stretch. He's saved 8 games this year in a role I'm sure he didn't practice or prepare for in the preseason.

On a different note: Leon on the 60-day DL with a "high ankle sprain".

[thebluefood]

When he's right he's just about untouchable, but that guy only shows up 25% of the time.

I'll take a guy that's alright 85-90 percent of the time and wretched 10 percent of the time than a guy that's Sandy Koufax 25 percent of the time and terrible 75 percent of the time.

[skinfan2k]

Davey making excuses for Hrod saying he pitched 3 days in a row and had a lot of pitches. then why not bring in burnett from the start?

[thebluefood]

Leaving a lot of men on base. Not happy about that, but we're back in first place and we *are* hitting. This is good.

[GoSkins0721]

Davey making excuses for Hrod saying he pitched 3 days in a row and had a lot of pitches. then why not bring in burnett from the start?

And why is that unusual? He's done it for Espinosa all season. Take away his last 3-4 games and he's a sub .200 hitter starting everyday.

You take away half of the BBs that HRod has given up (not including his 3 tonight) and his pitching line is almost exactly the same as Kimbrel for the Braves. The GS last night hurt his ERA, but it was a result of the wild pitching & BBs.

Fragile egos require kid gloves. Coach HRod up and find a role for him...

[skinsfan_1215]

I'll take a guy that's alright 85-90 percent of the time and wretched 10 percent of the time than a guy that's Sandy Koufax 25 percent of the time and terrible 75 percent of the time.

Last I checked 8/11 is a little better than 25%. Henry has great stuff, his head just isn't right at this point. No reason to say we should run him out of town. Agree with that being out of line.

[No Excuses]

And why is that unusual? He's done it for Espinosa all season. Take away his last 3-4 games and he's a sub .200 hitter starting everyday.

You take away half of the BBs that HRod has given up (not including his 3 tonight) and his pitching line is almost exactly the same as Kimbrel for the Braves. The GS last night hurt his ERA, but it was a result of the wild pitching & BBs.

Fragile egos require kid gloves. Coach HRod up and find a role for him...

That's exactly how I feel. Sure he stinks it up, but his ability is damn good. Coach him and get him out of his own head. He may not be a closer but he can be a valuable asset to the bullpen.

[Backpack3r]

Never bring in H-rod to close another game.

[hunterx]

He's saved 8 out of 11 opportunities. It's not terrible. He'll get a few days off and I am sure get another shot. Stammen should not close, he's too important to pitch 2-3 shutout innings if we need to.

[skinfan2k]

That's exactly how I feel. Sure he stinks it up, but his ability is damn good. Coach him and get him out of his own head. He may not be a closer but he can be a valuable asset to the bullpen.

but lets coach him up at the minor league level or even set up role. not to lose ball games in the 9th and let him learn

[TaylorPickSix]

I want to see Clippard closing until Storen's back. I think he's matured quite a bit as a pitcher since he shared closer duties with Matt Capps two years ago. Move HRod to the set-up role so he can build back his confidence.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

This thread is getting funny to me. Before the season started i said that the nats could contend this year, and everyone sort of pointed towards 2013 instead. Now its mid-May, and people are assassinating our "third closer" for not being better and saying he's not MLB caliber. I guess the bar has been raised around here.

This is good, but its also sort of funny to me.

[ixcuincle]

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[hunterx]

This thread is getting funny to me. Before the season started i said that the nats could contend this year, and everyone sort of pointed towards 2013 instead. Now its mid-May, and people are assassinating our "third closer" for not being better and saying he's not MLB caliber. I guess the bar has been raised around here.

This is good, but its also sort of funny to me.

I think most people thought we would contend this year. But it's all relative. I don't think anyone expected (and some still probably don't expect) that we would compete for first place...possibly wild card spot. I think finishing 1 game below .500 last year, and about 10-15 games away from a wild card spot isn't too unheard of. We signed 2 starting pitchers and have Strasburg back.

The team expects to win every game, and the fans should too. I think fan criticism is warranted around slumps that Espinosa went through, and that HRod has gone through of late. However, Davey seems to have been right about Espinosa as he has played better. I am sure he will continue working with HRod and giving him opportunities, too.

We just need to get through these next 2 months and get our guys healthy again so we can hold first place in the division :P