I did a quick email interview with Frank Gray, an editor at the Mets Gazette that was published yesterday, but in my travels I didn't get a chance to put up a link. In the interview we discuss the biggest story of the year for the Nats, the best player or team MVP, the biggest disappointment and what to expect from the series with NY currently being played in Nationals Park. You can read my responses HERE, but I thought it would also be interesting to see what the DC Faithful had to say, so why not take a shot at answering the following in the comments section:
?'s For The DC Faithful:
• What is the biggest story for the Nationals this year?
• Who has been your best player so far?
• What or who has been your biggest disappointment or worst player?
• What are your team's strengths and weaknesses currently?
• Your thoughts on the Mets and expectations for this series?
• One Or Two More Opinions On The Nyjer Morgan Bench-Clearer...
Nats' relievers Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen spent the better part of an hour on Sirius/XM's MLB Network Radio show The Power Alley this morning, talking about life in the nation's capital, walk-on music, and what relievers did to pass the time in the bullpen before they're called upon in the fifth inning or so (I kid, I kid). Inevitably, however, the talk turned to their teammate Nyjer Morgan and the bench-clearing brawl with the Marlins last week. Here's some of what Clippard and Storen had to say:
On the relievers joining the brawl:
Tyler Clippard: "It all happened so fast, I tried to help Nyjer out there at the bottom of the pile a little bit. It was kind of over by the time...any time the bullpen gets there it's kinda winding down..."
Drew Storen: "Well, we had to hop a fence. It's a tough jump..."
Tyler Clippard: "I was very surprised at all of the athleticism that was down in the bullpen."
The Brawl:
Drew Storen: "I'll be honest with you, I really didn't know what to do. I didn't know, I've never been in a brawl before, so you don't know if you're supposed to go in there...so I just go, eh, I'm just going to make sure I don't get hit in the face by somebody."
Tyler Clippard: "When I got there, it was like, looking back on it, there were so many people around, but I was just focused on what was going on at the bottom of the pile, but I could have easily gotten broadsided or anything could have happened. I had no idea, it was my first brawl too and I just wanted to get involved any way I could." [Laughter]
On Jim Riggleman Getting Involved In Brawl And Defending Nyjer Morgan:
Drew Storen: "It makes it easy to play for, it's not like you have to worry about a thing, you just go out there and play hard, and that's what Nyjer does, I mean obviously he rubs some people the wrong way sometimes...Awesome teammate and the guy I want in center field, so just having him go out there and steal those bases and come around and score, we were fired up about that, you know, we were down by a lot but that's something you get the team going..."
Tyler Clippard: "Absolutely, that's what you say [to the host] you said it the best, it's a team-building excercise, man, and as weird as that sounds, you're right, and to see Jim [Riggleman] get fired up like that, I mean he's kind of an even keel guy, he tries to be even keel and that's just kinda who he is, but to see him get a little fire in him and stuff like that, it was fun to see and everybody kinda came together in that situation."