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

[StillUnknown]

Sad showing from our offense. Colorado ranks near the bottom in just about every pitching category, we make their first starter look like an all-star.

[Warhead36]

8 hits, but we can't seem to ever get that big knock when there are RISP to get those 2-3+ run innings that can really kill the opponent.

[grego]

Sad showing from our offense. Colorado ranks near the bottom in just about every pitching category, we make their first starter look like an all-star.

yep. story of our year. this pitcher came into tonight with a 8.5 era, right? good lord, what a joke.

[Boss_Hogg]

Got damnit. This team needs a big bat.

[StillUnknown]

Got damnit. This team needs a big bat.

Problem then becomes where does that bat go. We really only have 1 open spot and that's in the outfield. If you make a move for a long term bat in the outfield, you block the trio of young OF's (Perez, Hood, & Goodwin) in our system.

Every other position is covered, with the middle infield being the next logical spot to add a bat, but Davey loves the 2 already there.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Should Rick Eckstein be worried about his job?

[Warhead36]

Should Rick Eckstein be worried about his job?

Not really sure what he can do. Is it his fault Zimmerman is hitting well below his average, or that Morse was out 2 months and is still getting into a groove, or that Espinosa can't hit lefty at all, etc. etc.

I think our roster is what it is right now. I still believe the #1 need is a true lead off hitter who can set the table for our power bats. Harper should also move down and hit 3 or 4.

[thebluefood]

Pretty pathetic showing from our offense. We had 8 hits and yet we could only muster two runs.

[SAli457180]

This was really a bad loss. Strasburg dominating and then loses his control and then the lead. This was a Rockies team that the Nats could've dominated. The offense isn't clicking at all and they need to figure that out if they want to continue to be a contender in NL East.

[aREDSKIN]

Should Rick Eckstein be worried about his job?

Should have been 2 years ago!!!! Nothing's changed. Truly pathetic effort from the bats.

[Forehead]

Not really sure what he can do. Is it his fault Zimmerman is hitting well below his average, or that Morse was out 2 months and is still getting into a groove, or that Espinosa can't hit lefty at all, etc. etc.

I think our roster is what it is right now. I still believe the #1 need is a true lead off hitter who can set the table for our power bats. Harper should also move down and hit 3 or 4.

I'm not sure what to do with Harper at this point. Obviously, he stays in the lineup, but he is striking out far too much for a guy in the #2 spot in the order. His high batting average was .307 on June 12th, coincidentally also the last time he homered. In the 11 games since then, Harper's average has dropped to .280, he's 8 for 43 since then (.186) with four walks mixed in. He's also struck out 14 times, about one in every three at bats. That's awful for a #2, a guy that's supposed to make contact.I've never been a fan or 40+ homer guys who strike out 170+ times in a season, I'd rather have a 25-30 homer guy who makes a lot more contact. In the last 10-11 games, Harper is on pace to strike out over 190 times in a season (600 at-bats assumed) though his mark for the entire season is closer to 140. Still far too many.I'm begining to question the hitting instructor myself. Clearly, Harper has been scouted and teams are adjusting. That slow curveball Livan Hernandez got him on a month back? I know Harper homered his next time up, but what was he being served yesterday? A steady diet of those curves, and he struck out three times. He needs to start making small adjustments in reaction to the adjustments pitchers make, and the hitting coach needs to help him do it.Overall, it's just frustrating because it feels like anytime someone on this team gets two strikes, the ending feels inevitable, and more often than not, I'm right. I'm reminding myself that our boys are still 11 games over .500 and have a 3.5 game lead, but it's really frustrating. We might be the only team in the league that hasn't scored double digit runs in a single game all year. We've managed nine runs one time and eight runs twice.

[youngchew]

I did not expect to go to Coors field last night and watch the nats lose to a crappy Rockies team. Stasburg did his job, but the Nats bats didn't show up.

But it was freaking HOT. 101 degrees at game time.

[Boss_Hogg]

Problem then becomes where does that bat go. We really only have 1 open spot and that's in the outfield. If you make a move for a long term bat in the outfield, you block the trio of young OF's (Perez, Hood, & Goodwin) in our system.

Every other position is covered, with the middle infield being the next logical spot to add a bat, but Davey loves the 2 already there.

Then let's hope MLB decides to go all DH for the NL next year.

[thebluefood]

Any way we can make Strasburg a fielder on days he's not pitching? I think he's got the best average on the club right now.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Then let's hope MLB decides to go all DH for the NL next year.

Ugh.