Los Angeles Angels Sweep Washington Nationals With 1-0 Win, Nats Waste Jordan Zimmermann's Effort.
by Patrick Reddington on Jun 29, 2011 10:18 PM EDT
Email
Print
• Today's Top 5:
5. Zim(n) vs Haren: Los Angeles Angels' right-hander Dan Haren needs just 27 pitches to put the first six Nats he faces (in one peculiar lineup) down in order. Three K's, two backwards, two infield pops and a fly to left. Jordan Zimmermann retires the first five batters he faces before leaving a slider up that Alberto Callaspo lines to right for a two-out single in the LA second. A Mark Trumbo grounder ends the Angels' second and the Nats go down in order in the top of the third. Haren's retired the first nine batters he's faced on 41 pitches.
Zimmermann gives up a leadoff single by Peter Bourjos but that's all in the third, and Haren gives up a one-out bunt single by Brian Bixler for the Nats' first hit in the top of the fourth. Bixler takes second on a throwing error on the play, moving to third on a Ryan Zimmerman groundout before he's stranded by Matt Stairs to end Haren's fourth scoreless frame. Jordan Zimmermann lets the second-straight leadoff runner on when he walks Bobby Abreu to start the home-half of the fourth, but he should be erased on a sharp grounder to third. Zimmerman throws to second, but to the right of the bag and Danny Espinosa short-arms it and allows the throw to sail into right. Runners on first and third. The Nats get a DP grounder, but the first run scores when Abreu comes in from third. Unearned run, 1-0 Angels after four.
4. Not Hairston!!!: Jayson Werth's hip locked up last night, so he's not in the game. Laynce Nix's achilles heel is proving to be his...you know where I was going there and now Jerry Hairston gets hit with a pitch on the wrist and he's out of the game. The Nats' all-purpose supposed-to-be a bench player has been an invaluable part of the Nats' relative success this season, and with all the injuries going around the timing of this one couldn't be worse, unless it happened before Ryan Zimmerman returned, I guess.. Hairston's hopping around the first base line, holding his injured arm up with his other arm and he's out of the game replaced on the basepaths by Ian Desmond and in left by Michael Morse. Alex Cora who was playing short moves to first.
3. Don't Run on the Shark!!: Dan Haren's at 101 pitches when he completes his sixth scoreless frame. Jordan Zimmermann starts the bottom of the 6th at just 55 pitches. The Nats' right-hander gets the first two outs of the sixth, though the second one gets a little interesting when he strikes Torii Hunter out on a 76 mph 0-2 curve in the dirt. Pudge recovers what's ruled a wild pitch, and throws it by Alex Cora at first, Brian Bixler's backing up in short right and he nails Hunter trying for second. Two down. Bobby Abreu hits a gapper to left-center and gets greedy, trying for second on the Shark's arm, but Roger Bernadina cuts it off and throws a laser to second to beat Abreu to the bag! [CHOMP!] Don't run on Bernadina, Abreu. Don't you know that by now?
2. Two Dominant Starters: Dan Haren's back out for the 8th, with 113 pitches on his arm when he starts the frame, but he's also retired eight straight Nats going back to a one-out walk by Danny Espinosa and hit by pitch on Hairston in the 5th. Haren gives up a one-out single to Pudge in the eighth and he's lifted for Angels' reliever Scott Downs. Haren allows just two hits all night, no runs, earned or otherwise and he allows just one walk while recording 6 K's. The 30-year-old right-hander's night ends after 120 pitches, 77 strikes, and Scott Downs replaces him with Pudge on first and pinch hitter Jayson Werth at the plate. Downs gets Werth looking with a 1-2 curve outside that paralyzes the struggling Nats' outfielder. Roger Bernadina pops out foul of third, and it's 1-0 Angels after seven and a half with Haren's lead in tact.
1. All For Naught: Jordan Zimmermann needs just 13 pitches to complete a 1-2-3 eighth in LA, and the Nats' right-hander is at 93 pitches, 60 of them strikes at the end of the inning. Zimmermann: 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's, 10 groundouts, 6 flyouts. Top of the 9th, Ryan Zimmerman goes with a high fastball outside and pushes it to right for a one-out double off Angels' closer Jordan Walden. Matt Stairs grounds to first for out no.2. Zimmerman takes third. Michael Morse gets down 0-2 quickly and ends up swinging through a 100 mph 2-2 four-seamer from the Angels' closer. Ballgame. 1-0 Angels.
• Jordan Zimmermann's "quality start" gives him 11 straight quality starts which breaks a franchise record set by Livan Hernandez in 2005. So there's that at least...
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | Doghouse - 66 |
| 2 | RobBobS - 62 |
| 3 | Jeff T - 58 |
| 4 | MissB - 53 |
| 5 | Pig.Pen - 36 |
| 6 | hscer - 35 |
| 7 | Brotato - 26 |
| 8 | G8RB8 - 26 |
| 9 | RepConsul - 25 |
| 10 | cookielover - 22 |
• Doghouse's Post Game WPA Graphs: "Game 81: Jordan was robbed.":
- Give a guy some run support, jerks: Jordan Zimmermann (+19.4%) goes 8 IP and allows a single unearned run (on a GDP)--and gets a loss.
- Apparently he was okay last season: Matt Stairs (-20.6%) is 0-4, including a 9th-inning groundout with a runner in scoring position (-9.6%).
- Give and take: Ryan Zimmerman (+7.3%) has a 9th-inning double (+13.6%) that doesn't overcome his 4th-inning error to set up the unearned run (-11.6%).
- Not beastly: Michael Morse (-19.5%) is 0-3, striking out to end the game with a runner on third (-11.9%).
Nationals now 40-41.
73 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Davey was just managing for later....... they're banged up and have a short roster and now they're more banged up....
will Rizzo do something over the day off?
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 1:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Moar Stares!
I missed the game, thank God.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
Davey gambled on the veteran and lost....and on Bix....you don't give most of the ABs to those two...
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 1:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes, it was all Matt Stairs' fault.
Zim’s throwing error? Stairs’ fault. Bernadina going 0 for the series? Stairs fault. Then entire team collecting 3 hits and a walk? Stairs fault.
Boy, I sure pity you all when your wish comes true and they actually do DFA Stairs. Who will you blame all the Nats’ woes on then?
Rob
-- In baseball we trust.
I shall blame you...
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
No, the loss isn't all on Stairs, obviously.
But pretty much every other player has contributed to wins this year. Stairs has not. That’s what posters here have been noticing all year. And putting him at cleanup yesterday just made no sense. Anyone actually think he was going to get a hit after Zimmerman’s double in the ninth? No way. He’s overmatched every time he steps in the box.
I’d love to have someone else to blame (Werth, I’m looking in your direction!). Stairs as player is part of the problem right now, though.
Yes, I know, he's not helping, he's hurting.
But he’s not hurting nearly as much as it would seem to read these boards.
Rob
-- In baseball we trust.
opportunity cost
by having him on the 25 man, even if he only plays sparingly, means that there isn’t somebody else there who would surely be better at every aspect of the game than Stairs. So yeah, even if he doesn’t hurt us directly in a game, the lack of depth on the bench by having him take up a spot does.
by mrs. nook logan on Jun 30, 2011 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions
It's why using a metric like WAR is useful
And he’s put up a -0.3 WAR. So, he’s cost the team about a third of a game over someone they theoretically could have brought up from AAA. It’s not nothing, but it’s not worthy of the consternation.
I presume that the Nats really only have replacement-level player options available. If I really thought that there were better options than that available, then I’d be much less vocal in my “support” of Stairs.
But before you all begin to think that I’m losing my mind, I think I’ll pretty much stop talking about it now.
Rob
-- In baseball we trust.
Rizzo...remember, this team is all his.
I suspect DJ might have been sening The Riz a message…better batters NOW!
by MissB on Jun 30, 2011 1:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Hey now, did I say that I blame Stares?
On the contrary, sir. I have come over to your side: I am finally convinced that we need MOAR of this King-Kong of the War-Club, not less. Clean up. Every day.
Look out cellar, here we come.
(PS: You are arguing with a straw-man: I never said it was all Stares’ fault. But inserting a known, automatic out into the middle of an already-crippled line-up is not a gamble – it’s suicide.)
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
At least Bixler is hitting close to what Werth is this year, but Stairs at clean-up?
Wow. At least if you want to put him in at DH, bat him 9th. Bat Espinosa in clean-up after Zimm and before Morse. That’s a potent combo at 3-4-5.
I hope Johnson is just giving Stairs one last chance to prove himself before releasing him. Johnson has probably been following the games this year, enough to know that Stairs is way past his prime.
I didn’t watch the game but I read that Hairston might have a broken hand. Who joins the team while Hairston is on the DL? I hope Johnson doesn’t rely on Bixler to take over Hairston’s role on the team.
-------------------------------------------------
"Save it. I'm goin' for a smoothie."
The Washington Nationals, the team of the 2010s!
Dissapointing Lineup
Yea, I drove up from San Diego to catch the Nats game. I was excited for the game, knowing Zim’n was on the mound. As I get into my seat, they announce the line-up, and I thought for sure it was some joke. Bixler in the 2-spot and Stairs clean-up?? The two worst hitters on the team in two of the most important spots? Talk about stranding Zim… We could have used Espinosa at 2 and Morse at 4 in the 9th. But, I’m sure DJ had the computer algorithms and statistics to back up his line-up.
by Chazz Micheal Michealzz on Jun 30, 2011 2:22 AM EDT reply actions
We only got 3 hits
off a pitcher who was struggling badly coming in. Doesn’t really matter how you arrange the guys.
I feel for you, but it could have been worse...
I remember a game I went to in RFK, don’t remember whether it was 05 or 06, but anyway, it was Frank’s team. It was a Sunday game against the Padres, and he was fed up with the regular lineup. So switched out 7 of the 8 position players (OK, catcher would have been out anyway, day game after night game), leaving only Guzman (who was hitting low .200s at the time) as the only regular position player to start that day. Seven backups and the regular with the worst BA. Result? Why, a shutout against the Nats, of course (I thnk Peavy was pitching)! I wasted my good money for that one, and introduced my son to the concept of Nationals hopelessness that day, too.
"Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear..."
[cue William Tell Overture]
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
More appropriate reference for a Rangers blog, I suppose.....
But the team would have looked awesome in the black masks!
Black masks are always awesome....
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions
It's their fielding that's the worst.
That top one wants to bat the ball about and sneak up on it and pounce. The other two have serious short-arming problems.
Just sayin’.
by MissB on Jun 30, 2011 1:56 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
dang, could the scouting reports get out any faster?
ricksnats and MissB: actually, the top one can watch the ball go by all day long like a right fielder….offensive indifference…(licks paw….)
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
My heart goes out, brother.
Musta’ been a long drive home on that ever-lovin’ I-5.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
I’ve never been on I-5 south but I-5 north from LA to Sacramento is one of the worst drives I’ve ever been on.
If you think I-5 is bad on that stretch,
jog right, to I-99.
What're y'all Left-Coasters doin' on here, DC ex-pats?
I lived in LA from late 70’s – late ‘80s, when the I-99 didn’t exist, and there were still some boondocks in Orange County. Now, I s’pose the only break between LA and SD is Pendleton. You can have it. I ain’t lost nothing in SoCal.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
My recollection is that I-99 was there at least from aboot 1980 (when I started driving)
Calling DC home now for the past 20 years, though. Miss central CA coast, not ashamed to say.
Yeah, the 99 is Much older than I-5...pretty rural.
I’ve switched to 101…much more scenic and a LOT fewer trucks svreaming by at 80- 90 MPH!
Doesn’t help getting to the Angels’ game, though. My condolences for that drive and that stinker of a game. PTOH, you did get to see a very good ZNN.
by MissB on Jun 30, 2011 2:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Ah, you mean US99 (old SR99), which parallels da 5, and joins in some reaches
I-99 is in PA or some f’n place.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
Yeah, I realized I shouldn't have stuck the "I" in front of 99
Sorry about that. Gotta agree with MissB, though: take 101 if you can. Or, if you’ve really got the time, take 1.
Man I use to live in Monterey..you all got me missing NoCal.
I-5 @ cow country is a very bad thing… I-5 @ Walnut / Othernuts and letuce country just boring… Pacific Coast Hwy is a dream within a dream just like mawage…
Oh god, the 5 is terrible
everytime the 5 comes up on maquest I get mad, I hate that road it always has traffic, always
I threw a rod in my 73 Toyota Corolla on I-5 about 30 years ago.
Cracked the engine block, and I was about 150 miles from home and about 15 miles from an exit.
Talk about feeling stranded.
Hate I-5. Hate Harris Ranch [holds nose].
Talk about a disappointing game!
Hate like hell to see the great game that Jordan threw get totally wasted!
Chris Marrero
I wonder if Rizzo has given thought to bringing Marrero up for a look see and moving Morse back to left field?
Dont think he is ready yet
I think the soonest we see him is September, but I think he could use another year at AAA
Lombardozzi.....
Bring him up and put him at first – for now – and move Morse back to the outfield. Or put Lombardozzi at 2nd, move Spinner to short and put Desmond at first. and move Morse to left.
Say what? He just got to AAA and you want to promote him to the bigs and move everybody around to accommodate him? You’re kidding right?
by PerryMason on Jun 30, 2011 11:47 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
plus, Morse really started hitting only when he was put at 1B.........moving him back may screw up the Crane Kick...
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions
No messing with The Crane Kick!
Fear the Crane Kick. Seriously, Morse has been so much better at 1B than I could have imagined. IT’S The Bearded One in RF that I worry about.
by MissB on Jun 30, 2011 2:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Werth is completely lost. It’s kind of sad to see. Looks like he’s aboot to have a nervous breakdown.
If he was getting squeezed by umpires, that’d be one thing but taking strike three over the heart of the plate and not even flinching like he wants to swing. He’s lost.
I bet that by August or September he’ll be hitting better.
I have a hard time believing that his move to first base is the reason that Morse’s bat came alive.
In any case it seems like the team needs some reinforcements and Marrero might be the easiest (in house) short term fix.
One reason, I suppose, for not bringing up Marrero is that he could potentially be a part of a trade package at the deadline and the Nats wouldn’t want to expose him
It may not have been the move to 1B for Morse, but once the bat is alive, don't make any changes....
and he is an infielder by trade, so he’s probably comfortable there now.
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
The move to first did help Moarse's hitting
Not only is he playing every day, but 1B is without question the least demanding fielding pos – with LF a distant second. Fewer distractions. He don’t hafta worry about chasing flyballs, backing up third, hitting the cut-off man, etc, so he can concentrate better on hitting – which is what Mike Moarse was put on this earth to do.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
Just has to remember, step on first for the force, Morse!!
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jun 30, 2011 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I disagree
Im traveling and its difficult to type on this little phone keyboard… matter a fact, I’m a little concerned that doing so will prove to be such a distraction that my eating and drinking (which is the main reason I’m here- that and loafing) will suffer. But I digress.
WUPASS, you can’t be serious that the strain of “chasing fly balls, backing up third and hitting the cutoff man” proved to be too much for Morse to handle?
I can just imagine him telling that to his coaches… “you want me to hit in Beast Mode? Okay then, relieve me of having to do so much of that backing up third stuff or how am I suppose to crush the ball when I need to be thinking about potentially having to hit a cut off man next inning?” Come on man, you know better than that.
Anyway, I better stop. Its close to 7 at the lake and I fear if I keep typing on ths thing I may not be able to apply sunscreen
by PerryMason on Jul 1, 2011 7:07 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Who knows what make people hit or not?
A while back, I looked at Dunn’s stats as a function of where he played (site search isn’t working right now, so I can’t find the link), and it turned out that playing RF instead of LF made him stop hitting!
"I don't believe in luck, but it was just one of those things where it wasn't really skill, either." --Jerry, jr.
Could’ve been something as simple as there were more good looking girls he could show off for in left or that distracted him in right but I dont think it had anything to do with the respsonsability of having to make longer throws from RF.
Anyway, I still bet money Morse would continue to hit well if he moved back to LF for a short time if needed.
I perfer hiim at 1st long term, but if it would help the team short term I don’t think putting him if LF short term would mess with his head
by PerryMason on Jul 1, 2011 12:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Don't think playing LF could screw up his hitting? Ye' don't say.
Look what the strain of typing done to you. And you’ll grant me that a long hard day of lathering on sunscreen, swilling adult beverages, and feeding your face by the lake requires a damn sight less concentration than hitting a 95 fastball or a change.
Sure, Mike was distracted, trying to play left field. Look, he is not a good fielder to begin with, he doesn’t run well, and he was trying to learn an unfamiliar position that requires glove, and at least a modicum of speed and range. He was constantly aware of his difficulties as a left fielder, and still, he was trying to crack the lineup.
First base requires no wheels, no arm, minimal skill, and apart from some basic footwork, there’s nothing to learn. First is one step above DH – which is the gutter of baseball – and on an NL team, it’s where you hide big, slow guys who can’t field a lick but hit with power (see Mike Moarse).
Anyway, buona vacanza (that there is Italian), and don’t get distracted.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
No, I'm not kidding
That kid’s been in the minors for enough years and he’s destined for 2nd base anyway – maybe starting next spring – why not just put him in there and get it over with. Maybe you leave Morse at first and move Desmond to left. Maybe that would take pressure off Desmond and he can focus on improving his hitting.
Enough years?
He was drafted in the nineteenth round of the 2008 draft. He’s got just two and a half years of real minors work under his belt. Hell, it might be two and a half years before Rizzo decides that Harper has mastered low A ball.
Rob
-- In baseball we trust.
Oh, I think you will have turned The Riz's head from shiny round into a sharp triangle...
LONG before 2 1/2 years of The Cyborg at low A!!!
That or we’ll have to keep talking you off the ledge on a daily basis!
(Do I get points for future perfect tense?)
No Way!!
Morse caught fiore at 1B and I say don’t mess with success. His defense is fine and his bat is awesome. Leave the infield alone.
Desmond to first, Desmond to left?
“You vex me, mon, you vex me.”
Desmond’s a shortstop, and shortstops get paid for D, not hitting. The steroid era is over; nowadays, If a sure-handed, rangy shortstop with a strong arm (see Ian Desmond) can lift his BA to anything north of .250, that be icing on the cake.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
by Whupass on Jun 30, 2011 2:44 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I disagree about Lombardozzi.
I think he can handle the bigs. But, apparently, I’m the only one to think that so, oh well. Our problem is that all our talent seems 2 – 3 years away from making it to the show. It’s frustrating. I want to rush them.
Maybe he can handle the bigs, but is there any reason to believe he would improve the Nats infield?
Aim for the head baby Jesus
Other than giving Desi a trip to the DL so he can start to hit again
no, I also think that Lombo should not be rushed, If you want an example of what can happen if you rush players, see Bill Reinhart
In the words of the Ol' Perfesser (Casey Stengel):
“Now it is possible to see a young player who thinks he can hit any pitcher, which he did in the minor leagues. And he goes to the plate and gives it a great fight but those balls comin’ in have too much stuff for him to handle, too much curve, because the pitchers are more expert, which is not even talking about the change of speeds. After a while the young player don’t think he can hit any pitcher anymore. When a young player loses confidence in hisself, that is a terrible thing. I have seen them, good ones, blow up in a single season. They never make it back. They have been humiliated in professional baseball and will go somewhere else for their livelihood.”
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
Mr. Werth, please pick up the white courtesy phone...
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, but isn't a cucumber that small called a gherkin?"
there's a lot of wisdom packed in those words........
you gotta be careful if you accelerate anyone’s development…
"Another K for Werth. Tosses the bat and the helmet. Staggering." - A. Kilgore
by cat daddy3000 on Jun 30, 2011 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Federal Baseball
Related FanShots on Federal Baseball
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
GAMETHREAD SPONSOR
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- The Juice: Nelson Cruz matches career high eight RBIs, Pujols stays hot in Seattle
- Benches clear at Fenway as Red Sox-Rays rivalry heats up
- Keeping good company: Albert Pujols becomes fourth-youngest player to hit 450 home runs
- Giancarlo Stanton misses cutoff man, and Logan Morrison is thankful he did (Video)
- Snoop Dogg delivers memorable first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field
