Like most of the hundreds of Nationals fans in Washington, I've gotten excited by their recent hot streak. Though they have a talented roster, I thought that it was merely a hot streak on the backs of surging players such as Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa and pitchers like Jordan Zimmermann rather than proof that this year's squad is a talented and legit team.
But something in today's Post is making me rethink that position. Adam Kilgore reports that the Nationals have outscored their opponents 26-6 this year in extra inning games. And yesterday, as the Nats - the Washington Nationals - played on national TV in the Fox Game of the Week a graphic showed that 11 percent of Nationals games have gone into extra innings, the highest percentage in baseball in almost 50 years.
Not sure if the extra inning-games percentage means much: it could be that our bullpen is NOT as good as we thought, blowing leads too often; or it could mean than this team never gives up and has a talent for late-inning comebacks.
Either way, I think outscoring your opponent by 20 runs in extra inning games is impressive. It demonstrates both physical talent - making plays on offense, defense and the base paths AND making pitches - and mental toughness and confidence.
A young, talented roster AND confidence - and now Davey Johnson? Go Nats!
A few more notes:
But something in today's Post is making me rethink that position. Adam Kilgore reports that the Nationals have outscored their opponents 26-6 this year in extra inning games. And yesterday, as the Nats - the Washington Nationals - played on national TV in the Fox Game of the Week a graphic showed that 11 percent of Nationals games have gone into extra innings, the highest percentage in baseball in almost 50 years.
Not sure if the extra inning-games percentage means much: it could be that our bullpen is NOT as good as we thought, blowing leads too often; or it could mean than this team never gives up and has a talent for late-inning comebacks.
Either way, I think outscoring your opponent by 20 runs in extra inning games is impressive. It demonstrates both physical talent - making plays on offense, defense and the base paths AND making pitches - and mental toughness and confidence.
A young, talented roster AND confidence - and now Davey Johnson? Go Nats!
A few more notes:
- I love the Davey Johnson hire, in theory. He's a great baseball man with an impressive track record. But it has been 10 years since he managed. But of all the potential managers available it's hard to quibble with a hire like Johnson.
- Also hard NOT to root for Equatorial Guinea in the women's World Cup.
- One potential concern for the U.S. team - not enough Tar Heels (or less there there than usual). Historically fellow alums have made up half the roster, but this year only 3 of the 21 players on the U.S. team are from Carolina: Tobin Heath, Heather O'Reilly, and Lindsay Tarpley.
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