CD

[BarryBobPosthole]

Nats - Cards tomorrow night on the MLB Channel. You gonna be there?

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

I'm going to be out of town Friday and Saturday. I've been toying with Sunday if I can bottom feed some good seats on Craigslist.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Ah, I thought you had season tickets for some reason. Must be the Skins I was thinking about.

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

I used to have Skins season tix, but I gave then up a couple of years ago. I usually go to 6-8 Nats games per year.

[LW]

The Nats need to play in the shift all the time so maybe the 3rd basemen could cover shortstop. They would do better to have brendan ryan over there. Wow. Hard to watch.

[Chicken Dinner]

Bear in mind you're only watching about half of the opening day starting line up and the rookie pitcher tonight would still be in AAA if not for injury. No excuse for sloppy play, but we're just hoping to get to May with our heads above water.

[Chicken Dinner]

Or, walking the pitcher...

[LW]

Your middle infield has some bad juju going tonight.

[LW]

This would be a strong contender for worst defensive performance by a team this season. Wow.

[Chicken Dinner]

And, that was before Werth just lost the ball in the lights. Hopefully, they're getting it all out if their system tonight.

[Chicken Dinner]

Man, last might's game was ugly. I think the Cards and Braves are inside the Nationals' heads and they need to prove they can compete to themselves.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Its early and teams are still struggling in areas that they'll do well in when the season gets a little further along. Those defensive errors are mind boggling. Its like players get snake bit once in a while.
BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

I didn't get to see it, but it sounds like the riles reversed last night.

[BarryBobPosthole]

It was a completely Different deal last night. A good pitchers duel until the 7th. Three errors and two unearned runs later and the Nats win.

BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

And Bucky's boy Kolten Wong needs to be sent down. I can't believe we traded Freese to make room for this minor leaguer.

BKB

[Buckrub]

He didn't even play! Why you on him? You want .100 Descalso at 2nd, or $5M Ellis?

and Freese is already injured AGAIN! And he's hitting .151.......

Who's pitching Monday night?

[BarryBobPosthole]

He played today. O-fer, didn't hit the ball out of the infield, which is a continuance of last season. I'd rather have Freese, who at least WON me a world series than Wong in my lineup any day.

I don't think they've announced the pitcher. I was thinking Martinez would get his shot but they used him in relief today so that's kind of out. I'll bet its one of the guys they called up, Limejello or Orangejello Johnson.

BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

Fucking Rosenthal can go with him.

BKB

[Buckrub]

Man, you're tough. Wow.

and Rosenthal just saved it, and bailed out Martinez.

What is it you want? Every pundit on Earth marvels at STL's pitching staff, top to bottom. You never like it. Not sure what you want.

Curmudgeon.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I never like it? Pshaw. I love their pitching staff. And Rosenthal didn't bail out anybody but hisownself. He's not got it this year, at least yet.

BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

Bryce Harper got benched for lack of effort. The big baby. another overrated player. I'm glad the Nats manager has the cojones to bench players that you know management of the club really really want to succeed. But as a pretty dandy songwriter once said.......you don't always get what you want....

BKB

[Buckrub]

Several of them don't have it yet. Many HOF'ers had historically poor Aprils.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Lollygaggers. They're all a bunch of lollygaggers. Its a simple game....

BKB

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was benched for lack of effort in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Manager Matt Williams apparently was not happy with Harper's effort running to first base during a groundout in the sixth inning. He replaced Harper with Kevin Frandsen.

“

Lack of hustle. That's why he came out of the game. He and I made an agreement, this team made an agreement, that when we play the game, that we hustle at all times.
” -- Nationals manager Matt Williams, on OF Bryce Harper

When asked about the incident after the game, Williams attributed Harper's "inability to run 90 feet" as the reason for the benching.

"Lack of hustle. That's why he came out of the game,'' Williams said. "He and I made an agreement, this team made an agreement, that when we play the game, that we hustle at all times.''

The 21-year-old Harper, a two-time All-Star, said he understood the decision.

"I respect what he did," Harper said. "That's part of the game."

Harper, who finished the game 0-for-3, has missed time recently with a quad injury, though he said it felt "fine" Saturday, according to The Washington Post.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said after the game that he backed Williams' decision.

"I unequivocally support the manager's decision 100 percent," he said, according to the Post.

Harper is expected back in the lineup Sunday for the series finale against the Cardinals.

[Buckrub]

Good for Matt.

I wish he'd bench him ONE more game, though!