2013 Washington Nationals - ".500 or bust...."

[Cowboy8467]

Can't wait for the season to start!

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

Won't go to WS this year

Would have to topple Giants

That being said NL is clearly better than AL at this point and if the Nats were to win the NL they would most certainly win the WS

As someone has already pointed out, we were 5-1 against the Giants last year. I remember those games pretty well because there were some great pitching matchups. We dominated. Period. 45 runs scored, vs 24 runs allowed.

[The Evil Genius]

As someone has already pointed out, we were 5-1 against the Giants last year. I remember those games pretty well because there were some great pitching matchups. We dominated. Period. 45 runs scored, vs 24 runs allowed.

Congrats, you can use it to fill you WS trophy case.



Again - the Nats should be better suited for a playoff run this year. But until the final out at the end of October/early November - the mantle of champs belongs in SF.

[Cowboy8467]

Not to mention I remember shelling Lincecum on more than one occasion.

[The Evil Genius]

I really liked our bats against the Giants pitching staff. I felt very confident the Nationals would have made quick work of the Giants. 46 runs in 6 games? Lit up Bum-Bum, and Lincecum twice. Scored 2 touchdowns out at ATT park in August one night? The Giants of baseball remind of the Giants of football, 2 titles in a short span due to getting really hot at the right time. I still like our team (in both cases) much better going forward

Do you honestly think the 2011 Skins led by Grossman were better than the 2011 SB winning Giants?

---------- Post added February-14th-2013 at 07:29 AM ----------

Not to mention I remember shelling Lincecum on more than one occasion.

Everyone did last year. The fact that SF won without their best pitcher from the past 3 prior years should be something to be thought about. It says how good (or deep) that team was to overcome losing their ace.

[Cowboy8467]

Do you honestly think the 2011 Skins led by Grossman were better than the 2011 SB winning Giants?

---------- Post added February-14th-2013 at 07:29 AM ----------



Everyone did last year.

Valid point, I think his ERA was over 6 going into the ASB.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Not to mention I remember shelling Lincecum on more than one occasion.

The Nats have owned Tim Lincecum since 2009.

Believe me I was very dissapointed we didn't get a chance at them, especially the way the lineup hit in Game 5. I felt very good about that series, especially with how our bats have crushed that pitching staff the last 3 years

To add to that, I feel even better about a potential NLCS matchup vs the Giants this year. However I am more worried about the Braves and Dodgers right now then I am the Giants. I can see them repeating their 2011 performance

[The Evil Genius]

The Nats have owned Tim Lincecum since 2009.

Believe me I was very dissapointed we didn't get a chance at them, especially the way the lineup hit in Game 5. I felt very good about that series, especially with how our bats have crushed that pitching staff the last 3 years

To add to that, I feel even better about a potential NLCS matchup vs the Giants this year. However I am more worried about the Braves and Dodgers right now then I am the Giants. I can see them repeating their 2011 performance

You expect their heart of the lineup to get seriously injured in a needless collision again?

[SkinsHokieFan]

You expect their heart of the lineup to get seriously injured in a needless collision again?

I am just curious who the next BALCO Giant is this year

Again, I think the Braves and Dodgers right now are better teams. Arizona will be better. The NL West will be more of a dog fight this year.

We gotta handle ATL first in the regular season. But yea, I am really not concerned about the Giants in 2013, and if proven wrong in October again, oh well.

I am hoping for some luck health wise this year with the Nats. Losing Werth/Zimmerman/Morse/Ramos for 40 plus games each hurt. Hopefully the team is healthier

[10]

win a couple series and turn into yankee fans.....

[The Evil Genius]

I am just curious who the next BALCO Giant is this year

Again, I think the Braves and Dodgers right now are better teams. Arizona will be better. The NL West will be more of a dog fight this year.

We gotta handle ATL first in the regular season. But yea, I am really not concerned about the Giants in 2013, and if proven wrong in October again, oh well.

I am hoping for some luck health wise this year with the Nats. Losing Werth/Zimmerman/Morse/Ramos for 40 plus games each hurt. Hopefully the team is healthier

I dunno, Gio Gonzalez? Oh wait..wrong team, wrong scandal.



On paper, sure, it looks like the Dodgers and Braves are better. Again, we'll see. No one really takes the Giants seriously until they are getting the 27th out and walking off the mound of the clinching game of a playoff series.

---------- Post added February-14th-2013 at 07:43 AM ----------

win a couple series and turn into yankee fans.....


http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runnin...e_fans-600.jpg

A couple? Try 7. You can't get mad though, it had been 50+ years between the last one (1954) and the one in 2011. ****ign rally monkey in 2002.

Again - I don't see the comparison. The Giants continually fill their stadium, they don't lead the league in spending, they don't have their own network, and they don't go out and overspend on every single FA. In fact, they are usually the opposite of the Yankees - they fill their rosters with journeymen and rejects and rely on the mostly homegrown pitching staff. If anything, they are similar to the mid 90's Braves.

[Cowboy8467]

I am just curious who the next BALCO Giant is this year

Again, I think the Braves and Dodgers right now are better teams. Arizona will be better. The NL West will be more of a dog fight this year.

We gotta handle ATL first in the regular season. But yea, I am really not concerned about the Giants in 2013, and if proven wrong in October again, oh well.

I am hoping for some luck health wise this year with the Nats. Losing Werth/Zimmerman/Morse/Ramos for 40 plus games each hurt. Hopefully the team is healthier

Yeah but on the flip side the Nats had amazing luck with the health of their starting pitchers last season, so hopefully that will continue this season. I'm wondering how Stras will look late in the regular season especially after he faltered in his last couple of starts last year before he was shut down.

[SkinsHokieFan]

I think one more thing people forget is the Nationals were way ahead of schedule last year.

Did anyone expect 98 wins with a pitching staff of under 25 somethings, a short season of Strasburg, and an offense in April/May/June that averaged 2 runs a game?

Harper hit 22 HRs last year as a rookie in a short season for him. Strasburg had 15 wins in 160 innings.

This was the year I pointed to for a long time that the Nats would breakthrough and make the playoffs. Getting that experience 1 year early is only going to help with this young core

---------- Post added February-14th-2013 at 10:47 AM ----------

Yeah but on the flip side the Nats had amazing luck with the health of their starting pitchers last season, so hopefully that will continue this season. I'm wondering how Stras will look late in the regular season especially after he faltered in his last couple of starts last year before he was shut down.

Agree, with both points. The Nats were very lucky the starting 5 was healthy. But again you take into account of losing Strasburg in September and that was a huge hit (look at how the Nats finished up September)

McCatty is talking about Stras getting 230 innings this year. If he is the pitcher we all think he is, it'll really emerge this season.

Now with the back end of the bullpen even better, the Nats are really going to be involved in 6 inning games. Clip/Drew/Soriano in the 7th, 8th, 9th and its lights out

[StillUnknown]

Agree, with both points. The Nats were very lucky the starting 5 was healthy. But again you take into account of losing Strasburg in September and that was a huge hit (look at how the Nats finished up September)

McCatty is talking about Stras getting 230 innings this year. If he is the pitcher we all think he is, it'll really emerge this season.

Now with the back end of the bullpen even better, the Nats are really going to be involved in 6 inning games. Clip/Drew/Soriano in the 7th, 8th, 9th and its lights out

All reports out of camp is that Stras is in ridiculous shape, he's talked about wanting to be not just the ace, but the workhorse of the staff.

[Cowboy8467]

I agree, and I'm also encouraged by the early reports of his physical condition coming into spring training. It looks like Stras is doing everything he can do be durable and be able to last the whole season and into the postseason.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...llpen-session/

Stephen Strasburg threw his first bullpen session of spring training, firing 37 pitches to minor league catcher Sam Palace as McCatty looked on behind him. Strasburg’s session was perfectly smooth, even including a smile before he chucked a perfect changeup over the right side of the plate on his final pitch.

Strasburg looks to be in stunningly good physical condition, all corded muscle from head to toe. He has talked this offseason about his desire to be the workhorse of the Nationals’ staff. He came in physically prepared to do so.

Edit: Or what Stillunknown said.