Phillies @ Nationals: Game Preview (8/2)

Phillies vs Nationals

7:05 PM Nationals Park

MASN-1

Story Lines:

• Dangerous times for the Nats, who will try to avoid the sweep facing Cole Hamels.
• Will the Nats offense wake up with some run support tonight?
• Nats will look to gain some momentum going into tomorrows double-header.

Pitching Match Up:

• Cole Hamels
• 11-5 with a 3.31 ERA.
• Is 2-0 against the Nats this year, having surrendered 1 run.
• Surrendered 5 runs, 3 of them earned, in 5 innings his last start.

• Ross Detwiler
• 5-4 with a 3.24 ERA.
• Has not faced Philly this season.
• Gave up 4 runs over 4.2 innings his last start.

Who to Watch:

•  Chase Utley
• Hitting .286 with double and an RBI against Detwiler.
• Went 2-4 in yesterday's game and drew a walk.
• Hitting .375 in the series.

• Ryan Zimmerman
• Has sat out the first two games of the series, but said he would play tonight.
• Came in last night to pinch hit, but was caught stealing.
• Hitting .273 with 2 homeruns, 4 RBIs, and 4 BB against Hamels.

Keys to the Game:

1. Stop the Run Game.  Pierre has had 2 stolen bases in each of the first 2 games.
2. Run Support.  Tonight against Hamels, Detwiler will need some help.
3. Avoid the Sweep.  Not really a "key" to the game, but the Nats should really do this.

Series Preview: Phillies @ Nationals

After going 7-1 last week, the Nats welcome the Phillies into DC for a three game series.  The Phillies are in last place in the NL East, as they have been basically all season.  Still, you can bet Philly fans will try and crowd our stadium during this series.  If you can, get out to the park and catch a game.  Here is how it stacks up:

• Tuesday: 7:05 PM, Lee (1-6) vs Strasburg (11-4).
• Wednesday: 7:05 PM, Hurley (5-6) vs Jackson (6-6).
• Thursday: 7:05 PM, Hamels (11-5) vs Detwiler (5-4).

Game of the Series:  Going with Tuesday.  Sure Cliff Lee hasn't been himself this season, but how can you resist a Lee vs Strasburg Match Up.

Sound of the Series:  With the talk of protecting our park from the Philly fans, this song came to mind.  Welcome to the Jungle, Philly.

Prediction Time:
My baseball IQ is on the line as I try and predict how the Nats will fare each series. 

• Nationals WIN Tuesday.
• Nationals WIN Wednesday.
• Nationals LOSE Thursday.

Nationals WIN the series 2-1.

National League All-Stars: Are Gio & Stras Locks?

Last night Matt Cain threw a perfect game for the San Francisco Giants.  It was his 8th win of the season (4th NL), struck out 14 batters (2nd NL w/ 96), and lowered his ERA to 2.18 (3rd NL).  Being on the west coast keeps Cain a little bit off of the radar but obviously he is an All-Star.

Most people in DC believe that Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez are also locks for the team.  However, there are a few other good NL pitchers that are also looking to get an all expenses paid trip to ... Kansas City.  So who are these other pitchers?

Keep in mind, the players/managers/coaches vote just 5 starters to the team and 3 relievers.  Tony LaRussa picks the other 7 or so pitchers from the starter or reliever pool.  It is early but these are my 7 locks right now, but Tony will probably pick 3-4 more starters.

Possible Starters:

1.  R.A. Dickey:  Nats fans know this knuckleballer because he dominated the Natty's last week, shutting out the Nats through 7 1/3, allowing only 4 hits and striking out 8.  Dickey currently has 10 wins (1st NL) and a 2.20 ERA (2nd NL).  LOCK

2.  Matt Cain:  See Above.  The Perfect Game may help his chances at being considered as a starter.  LOCK


3.  Stephen Strasburg:  First to 100 K's (1st NL).  2.45 ERA (9th NL).  8 wins.  Nats fans watch him dominate almost every game.  Gio's stats may be better, but Strasburg is the bigger name.  LOCK


The Rest:


4.  Gio Gonzalez:  With Strasburg on the Nats, Gio is somewhat underrated.  Keeping in mind he has pitched one less start than most of these other guys...He has 89 strikeouts (5th NL), he has only given up 1 homerun all year, and batters are batting only .168 (1st NL) against him.  Throw in a .235 ERA (6th NL).  LOCK

5.  Lance Lynn:  This Cardinals pitcher has 10 wins (1st NL) and an ERA of 2.42 (9th NL).  Those 10 wins will look good to the other players voting and Tony LaRussa seals the deal.  LOCK


Debatable:


6.  Brandon Beachy:  Beachy's 5-4 record doesn't look that great but the Braves pitcher has the lowest ERA in all of baseball, a 1.98.  He isn't a strikeout king, but batters are only hitting .176 against him (2nd NL).

7.  Cole Hamels:  Hamels has 9 wins and while his ERA is 3.34 (not top 10) he has 92 strikeouts (3rd NL)

Other Guys:

Unmentioned Guys in top 10 in ERA:  Ryan Vogelsong (Giants), Ryan Dempster (Cubs), James McDonald (Pirates-struck out 11 Nats in a Pirates win), Wade Miley (Diamondbacks)

Unmentioned Guys in top 10 in Wins:  Madison Bumgarner (Giants), Chris Capuano (Dodgers), Johnny Cueto (Reds), Zach Greinke (Brewers)

Unmentioned Guys in top 10 in K's:  Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), Bud Norris (Astros), Tim Lincecum (Giants)

I personally like James McDonald and Wade Miley to be manager choices, maybe Dempster, but knowing LaRussa it could be every player on the Cardinals.  It will be interesting to see if anything changes in the next month.

Thankfully Someone Finally Hit Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper is a cocky 19 year old rookie.  He has only been in the league for a handful of days and he is making Sports Center plays each and every game.  In my eyes he has quickly gone from a d-bag wearing shark tooth necklaces and applying chapstick every second in the dugout to one of my favorite players in all of DC Sports wearing shark tooth necklaces and applying chapstick every second in the dugout (I know not hard to shoot up that chart).

That being said, I think he deserved to get thrown at on purpose, and I have no problem with what Cole Hamels did.

I know a lot of fans in this area are new to baseball.  They probably used to watch a handful of Orioles games when they could make it out to Camden Yards.  I also know that in DC we all hate Philly teams and their fans and we take extra exception to anything that they do.  But come on people!

Getting mad because Cole Hamels admitted throwing at Bryce Harper is also bizarre.  Why are you fine with him throwing at him on purpose (what clearly happened) but upset because he said something.  Their guy threw at our guy, our guy threw at their guy...both did it on purpose...should be end of story.  This is baseball.  Hamels calls it "old school", and I like it.

There was a clear message to Harper in this pitch that I think even some of his teammates should give him.  "We've been here before.  You are new.  We've heard you are good but you haven't done it yet so here is a little welcoming present.  Welcome to the Major Leagues kid."  It's the equivalent of throwing at your little brother because he is much younger than you and needs to understand what the game is all about.

Harper took that message, jogged down to first base, and then went 2 for 3 with several highlight plays including stealing home.  He just showed the rest of the Major Leagues that he won't back down, but also showed everyone that he understands the game, and he probably expected to be hit even sooner.

I also think he would get hit every play if it would get him on base (if only Ian Desmond would have that same Natitude)

So those of you screaming suspension you can chill out a bit.  Baseball happened on Sunday night at Nats Park and nothing else...