Bob Carpenter

2013 season has been unexpected so far

2013-04-18T22:45:48Z

The more I watch this game over the years, the more I realize that if you try to figure baseball out, you might as well forget it, relax and enjoy the games. Unpredictability is what this new season has been all about so far, and with the ballclub not quite playing great in the first 15 games, I'll take a 9-6 start any time.

It all started with great pitching and enough timely hitting against Miami at home and continued on the road with three gut-check games at Cincinnati. The Nats came home and outslugged the White Sox for three games, then let one slip away to the Braves along, with the rest of the weekend.

The series in Miami saw two good bookend wins around a game that was up for grabs until the Ryan Zimmerman error and Dan Haren's mid-game problem turned the second game into a lopsided Marlins win.

Hey, they are, after all, a major league team and they were due to score some runs against somebody. What I take out of the Marlins series is that Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler are throwing as well as anyone in the National League right now, and coupled with Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez - wow, what a big four.

Now it's on to New York and a marquee match-up Friday night with Strasburg and Mets' phenom Matt Harvey, (3-0, 0.82 ERA.) That one will get baseball's attention in Game 1, then Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann go in Games 2 and 3 to give the Nats a chance for a big weekend.

This has to be a good series for Washington because the Cardinals and Reds are up next, before a trip to Atlanta (enough said) and Pittsburgh, where the Pirates have given the team headaches in recent years.

So who is this Nationals team? Great pitching and defense? Productive offense?

I happen to think all three, though they haven't worked together consistently yet. But they will. These guys learned how to win last year. Now they have to learn how to live with that target on their backs.

So don't read too much into 15 games. May brings a west coast trip that includes Dodgers and Giants, but by the end of the month, they'll figure out how good they are, and so will we.

With high hopes and expectations, spring telecasts are almost here

2013-02-21T17:57:51Z

This is the time of year when baseball fever can hit hard. The news that pitchers and catchers have reported, followed by the regulars, is enough to get your spring mindset in place. You and find yourself soaking in every bit of news from Florida and Arizona you can get.

For a baseball broadcaster, it's a time of transition from offseason work to that thing you really look forward to: spring training telecasts. I have one more basketball game before I turn my mind to the diamond and it's about time! F.P. Santangelo and I will be in the booth when the Nationals host the Mets on Thursday, Feb. 28 and that'll be interesting as I've never done a pro baseball game in this month before. The World Baseball Classic has everything pushed up a week earlier than usual, and that's OK with me.

Spring training TV games are hard to prepare for. It's business as usual for the first three innings or so, then once the regulars have two at-bats and starters get their two innings, things get crazy. I love the access the Nationals give us during these games, as we may have the chance to do live interviews with Stephen Strasburg after he comes off the mound, or any position player after they've been pinch-hit for. The telecasts are a great way for us to get back into our baseball rhythm, and to chat about the upcoming season.

I have to be honest with you: During some spring games years ago, we were optimistic about the season, but probably weren't convinced things would turn out well - and we were right. But I really noticed a difference in the Viera clubhouse last year; you could just feel this team was good, and ready for a special season. It sure turned out that way, didn't it?

So it's with renewed optimism that we open up our spring training 2013 broadcasts on MASN next Thursday. I'm getting a little nervous at all this World Series talk, though. Let's remember that we all have hopes this time of year, but need to be careful about those becoming expectations. This game will exhilarate you and it can break your heart, so it's on to 2013 with that feeling that this year can be special, very special.

But let's play 'em one at a time, starting this week.

Spahn winner Gonzalez takes Oklahoma City by storm

2013-01-18T22:50:30Z

Folks in Oklahoma know all about tornadoes and how to deal with them. A big one hit the Sooner State this week, and they loved it! Gio Gonzalez and his family blew into Oklahoma City on Wednesday as he accepted the Warren Spahn Award, given annually by the Bricktown Rotary Club to the best left-handed pitcher in baseball.

I've had the privilege of emceeing the banquet for the last three years, and it was a special delight for me to have Gio, parents Max and Yolanda and agent Jamie Appel alongside for the ceremony. Past winners include Randy Johnson, Cliff Lee, CC Sabathia, David Price and Clayton Kershaw. The beautiful bronze sculpture (shown below) depicts Warren Spahn's famous high leg kick, and is one of the most striking pieces of hardware any athlete could receive.

Spahn, a native Oklahoman and Native American, won 363 games during his Hall of Fame career, the most wins ever by a lefty. I noted during the program that Warren also had 363 hits, and Gonzalez answered, "That's great! I only have 360 to go!"

The Gonzalez entourage arrived in Oklahoma on Wednesday, took in a Thunder win versus the Denver Nuggets (Gio was featured on the giant video screen), then experienced Oklahoma City's Bricktown nightlife into the wee hours - or so I was told.

On Thursday, Gio visited a local high school and spoke to student-athletes about his path to the major leagues and sacrifices made. At his side was Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins, who honors the top softball and baseball players and coaches in the state every year at the banquet with the Ferguson Jenkins Award.

When I found out in October that Gio was to win this prestigious award, I told everyone within earshot that they would fall in love with this young man and his family, and they did. He was surrounded constantly by adoring fans at the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, and one would have thought we were in the D.C. area for all the excitement and talk about the Nationals.

When I interviewed Gio at the podium and asked him about his family, he got very emotional, especially when he talked of how Max had taught him everything about our great game and had supported him every step of the way. He had to pause a few times and gather himself, and the crowd of 400 was very touched.

He also told the crowd that, based on the career Warren Spahn had, this award made him feel just as good as the Cy Young Award would have had he won it, and I know he meant it. The Spahn family shows up every year to honor their father and grandfather, and there was suddenly a strong connection between the Spahn and Gonzalez clans.

I wish you all could have been there to share this special night with our special young lefty, more than 1,300 miles from Nationals Park. For one interesting night, a capital city in Oklahoma sounded and looked a lot like the one in the District!

Spring training and great expectations

2013-01-14T17:36:17Z

In my 36 years of sportscasting, I have noticed there can be a big difference between hopes and expectations. As we all look ahead to Nationals baseball in 2013, it's hard not to have both, and at a very high level. All of us at MASN are excited - and with good reason.

Two things happened in the last week or so that have me psyched to get to Viera, Fla. First, on a personal note, MASN gave me a new contract to continue as the Nats' play-by-play man, so I look forward to my eighth season in the booth, and third with F.P. Santangelo. Second, MASN released the spring TV schedule, so we're making travel and lodging arrangements, and getting into the baseball mindset. We'll see the Mets, Cardinals, Astros, Tigers, Braves and Yankees on our schedule, but the special thing about spring training telecasts is simply getting back in the clubhouse and on the field with the guys, then in the booth to talk baseball.

I've been doing college basketball again this year and dabbling in local radio, but nothing gets me going like that first baseball telecast outside in the warm and breezy spring air.

You Nats fans will like Dan Haren, who I met when he came up to the majors years ago. When healthy, he's a horse and, wow, what an arm to have as a so-called fifth starter. The rest of the rotation looks rock-solid, and I'm sure general manager Mike Rizzo will answer bullpen questions as we get closer to the spring.

Adam LaRoche is a proven RBI man and quiet clubhouse leader, and I'm glad he's back. You can not overemphasize the importance of a great glove guy at first base - just ask Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, Steve Lombardozzi and Ryan Zimmerman how important this man is on defense.

The outfield is crowded, and I hope there's a way Michael Morse stays with us and contributes. "The Beast" is an important part of this club and a delight in the clubhouse. Denard Span will hopefully be the leadoff hitter the Nats have been looking for; if this man can register an on-base percentage of .350 or better, the offense will be among the league's best.

As I look back to 2012 and the tough way the playoffs finished, one thing stays with me: You loyal fans deserved everything that went right with this team. You have suffered through some tough seasons and growing pains with a new ball club, and the playoffs were quite a high. National League Division Series Game 4 will live in our minds for a long time, a walkoff win that will be a building block to a winning tradition.

So get ready - 2013 may be something special.

Just a few weeks until pitchers and catchers!

Nats survive a minefield of bats

2012-07-03T19:56:34Z

When the Nationals departed on their six-game road trip to Boston and Toronto on June 8, the pitching staff ERA was 2.97, best in baseball. They swept that trip, came home and were swept by the Yankees, won two of three from Tampa Bay, and lost two of three at Baltimore. Including the May series against the Orioles, the Nats survived their 18-game trek through the AL East at 10-8, their best-ever interleague record and a testament to the resilience of this 2012 Washington team.

The Nats left Baltimore with an ERA of 2.95 - the best pitching number in baseball had actually gone down against the mighty AL East. That was truly impressive. But the fun wasn't over yet, as Colorado was next.

In four crazy games at Coors Field, the Nats' bats finally came alive when Ryan Zimmerman's shoulder got medication and Michael Morse reached 100 at-bats.

Washington scored 35 runs on 57 hits, including a Nats-record 21 hits in the 12-5 win on June 26. The Rockies scored 25 runs on 53 hits, including 20 in their 11-10, 11-inning win June 28. Between wild fires and ringing bats, it was a tough week in Denver, but the Nats survived. It was on to Atlanta, where Ross Detwiler and Gio Gonzalez had good starts, and the back end of the bullpen was again brilliant in taking two of three from the Braves. The Nats came home with an ERA of 3.19, still No. 1 in baseball.

Thus, the Nats went 5-5 on a tough road trip and Stephen Strasburg didn't win a game. That tells you something about the rest of the team, and that 25-18 road record is among baseball's best. Win at home, break even or better on the road and you can win a division. The Nats are doing that, and have been doing it right from the first road trip of the season.

Now, six games loom vs. the NL West before the All-Star Break. The Giants have the third-best pitching numbers in the National League behind Washington and Los Angeles, and the Rockies have the same bats they used last week, so this homestand will be very interesting.

Congrats to Stephen, Gio and Ian for making the All-Star team, and maybe Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche make it as well.

Have the Nats arrived with three All-Stars, and maybe more? If not, they're well on the way, and all signs point to a July, August and September to remember. They're doing it the right way with pitching, defense and now a potent offense.

There's a long way to go - 77 games down and 85 left. If baseball is a marathon, not a sprint, the Nats are in great shape. Drew Storen is close, and Jayson Werth is a month away. Name one major league team that will add two players like that in the second half.

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Nats come limping home

2012-05-14T22:15:13Z

Baseball was at its unpredictable best on the Nats' road trip to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, and the injury bug is, evidently, the size of a bear.

Losing Jayson Werth was a huge blow in the last game of the homestand, then Wilson Ramos went down six days later, just as he was 5-for-16 and had hit his third home run earlier in the game.

The Werth situation presented Roger Bernadina with playing time, and he has responded to the tune of 6-for-17 over four games, flashing his speed and power - the combination he has always possessed but not always shown at the major league level.

Ramos' injury earns Double-A catcher Sandy Leon his major league debut, which is about to happen in the rain tonight at Nationals Park. His .319 batting average at Harrisburg is enough to get your attention, and he also possesses good hands, a sharp mind and plus arm behind the plate. He's a line-drive gap-to-gap hitter with probably less power than Jesus Flores and a lot less than Ramos. Flores was magnificent defensively in that excruciating game Sunday in Cincinnati, plus he had two hits and a sacrifice fly.

Good organizations have the depth to deal with injuries, and Washington is deep at all levels, but it's tough to lose your front line players.

Then, on the trip, were the games themselves.

One would expect the Nationals to win the series at Pittsburgh, then take their chances in hard-to-handle Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. As baseball would have it, things worked out exactly the opposite.

Offense was hard to come by at PNC Park, where the Nats lost two of three, but should have won the series if Henry Rodriguez hadn't blown a save Tuesday night - a tough one to swallow when light-hitting Rod Barajas hit the walk-off HR. Stephen Strasburg was brilliant in grabbing the salvage game Thursday to break a six-game road losing streak.

In Cincinnati, Washington bats came alive - 15 runs on 34 hits in three games - and that should've been enough to sweep. Saturday night's 2-1 win was a classic and Sunday's shaped up as a sweeper, but ill-timed walks by H-Rod and Joey Votto's performance for the ages got in the way.

There's nothing wrong with a 3-3 trip. It could have been better, but now it's home sweet home for seven straight against the beatable Padres and Pirates, then the very surprising and looking-good Orioles.

So far, real good

2012-04-18T21:49:40Z

As we gaze out on a rainy evening at Nationals Park, we're pretty sure the Nats and Astros will play tonight, and it should be a very tough evening to hit against Jordan Zimmermann. Pitchers don't mind a little cold and wet weather early in the season, especially this spring when it's been so unseasonably warm, even in our visits to Chicago and New York.

The Nats have already done what contending teams need to do: play well on the road and dominate at home. Four wins and two losses on the first road trip, then 5-1 (so far) at home is the formula for a good start and hopefully a good first month or two. If not for some questionable calls, it would be a 6-0 homestand, but those things happen and good teams overcome.

While we wait for the offense to gel, pitching is the story, as the young arms of this staff have been simply fantastic. We arrive at the park every day thinking the Nats have a chance to win with that game's starter, and they haven't disappointed.

Going into tonight's game, a sparkling 1.91 team ERA is the envy of baseball, with a major league second-best 30 runs given up (Texas has allowed 27) and a league-low two home runs. In every facet the staff has been better than advertised and the bullpen is working hard to keep up. Even when the bullpen has struggled late in some games, the Nats have found ways to win and are in well-deserved first place.

I know in the MASN booth, F.P. and I have this feeling that every night something good is going to happen, and the telecasts have been fun. Thanks for being along for this exhilarating ride, but there's a long, long way to go.

Baseball is a marathon, not a sprint, and we're barely off the blocks. But, wow, what a start!

Pitchers and catchers - and "The Kid"

2012-02-17T16:51:53Z

With spring training upon us, complete with the anticipation of a new season, it's a time to look ahead to what should be an exciting 2012 season, and to look back at a great character from our organization's past, even though he never wore the Nationals uniform. More on Gary Carter in a moment.

If pitching is the basis for great teams, the foundation of this ballclub appears to be rock solid, and could stay that way for many years to come. Mike Rizzo's brilliant pickups of Gio Gonzalez (at a steep cost, of course) and Edwin Jackson give the Nats four potentially outstanding starters. Whereas in the past we headed to Viera with several starting spots up for grabs, there appears to be just one available now.

Really good teams don't have more than a spot or two available this time of year.

Back this crew up with a reliable and potentially great bullpen, and we have a basis to excite, win and contend this year. I'm not going to put the Nats in the playoffs just yet; after all, there are still some offensive issues to be addressed. But if your pitching staff keeps you in the game every night, you don't have to be dominant offensively to win.

With the bats, I do expect Jayson Werth to far exceed his 2011 production, Danny Espinosa to hit way better than the .230s, Ryan Zimmerman to have a healthy 2012 (knock on wood), Ian Desmond to be able to get on base, Adam LaRoche to fit and produce while playing that smooth first base, and Wilson Ramos to really come into his own as a major leaguer. If those things happen, and Michael Morse keeps doing what he showed us last year, Rick Eckstein's crew should be at least middle to top half of the league.

The defense looks solid, and who has a better center fielder than Rick Ankiel to put in late-game situations? Veterans on the bench solidify a good ballclub, and Davey Johnson knows how to handle the extra men to get them their at-bats.

I know you fans have high expectations. I have high hopes, and there's a difference. The National League East isn't going to lay down for Washington; it will be quite a battle, but won't it be great to stare the Phillies and Braves and Marlins square in the eye, and know we can contend with them?

Our first MASN telecast is March 4 and I can't wait!

* Baseball lost a great one Thursday when Gary Carter finally succumbed to his courageous battle against brain cancer. He was a great Expo and Met and a deserving Hall of Famer. He was one of the outstanding players that gave Montreal something to cheer about in those early days, and we should claim him as one of our own. I know some Nats fans want little or nothing to do with Montreal, but we need to welcome Carter, Andre Dawson and other Expos so that they will always have a home to visit.

Carter joined us in the MASN booth two years ago and he was a delight. He never shied away from the cameras or the microphone as a player, and it was hilarious as I asked him maybe two questions the entire half-inning, and he filled in the rest of the time. He loved God, loved life and I'm sure he's in a better place after the agony of his final year on this earth.

Yes, he was a great one from our organization, never to be forgotten - "Kid" Carter, an Expo that any Nats fan can be proud of!

Taking stock with 30 games to go

2011-08-30T02:00:44Z

The Nationals enjoyed a welcome day off in Atlanta today on the heels of a tough weekend series sweep in Cincinnati at the hands of the Reds.

All three games were winnable, but hitting with runners in scoring position just wasn't there and some good pitching from Chien-Ming Wang, Ross Detwiler and Jordan Zimmermann was wasted. The bullpen struggled Friday night but was very good Saturday and in the marathon game Sunday.

Wilson Ramos' home run bat has come alive again and he now holds the Nationals' team record for homers by a catcher in a single season. He surpassed that of Brian Schneider back in '05 and, I feel, will be a 20-plus home run catcher in the years to come.

While struggling defensively in his major league debut at first base, Chris Marrero showed us a live bat and collected his first three big league hits Saturday and Sunday. It's always exciting to see in person these young men we've been hearing about in the minor leagues, and Marrero's arrival was no exception.

September 1 is almost here and there will be more debuts in the days to come.

While we are all excited about the future, there are still 30 games to be played and the Nats need to take care of some business to make this a successful 2011 by the numbers:

* They have eight more games to win to surpass the 69 wins in 2010. That should be easy to do.

* 13 more wins gives the Nats 75 victories, a nice number if you're looking for significant improvement over last year.

* A 17-13 mark in these last 30 would give the Nats 79 wins, a 10-win jump over 2010 (and 20 more than '08 and '09).

* A 19-11 record in these last 30 games would make the Nats the .500 ballclub we hope to see as a springboard.

* And, of course, if they finish 20-10, they will make it over .500; no small task.

Whatever happens down the stretch, the Nationals are improved as a team over previous seasons, and can you imagine how much better they would be right now if the team batting average was higher than .242?

Or if they could hit even .250 with RISP? Or if Jayson Werth was simply reaching his last four-year averages of .284 with 24 HRs and 75 RBIs? Or if Ryan Zimmerman wasn't injured for two months? Or if there had been a bonafide leadoff hitter at the top of the lineup all season?

Yes, these last 30 games will be very revealing. With talent like Strasburg, Lombardozzi, Peacock and Milone about to reach the major leagues, there might be plenty of reasons, very shortly, to get real excited about 2012!

If you would have told me in spring training that ...

2011-07-11T12:47:31Z

If you would have told me in spring training that ...

* the Nationals would be 46-46 at the All-Star break, I would have taken that in an I-395 minute.

* the pitching staff would have the sixth-best ERA in the National League, I would have been ecstatic.

* the defense would be seventh-best in the NL, I would have bought stock in Rawlings.

* Tyler Clippard would make the All-Star team and Michael Morse should have, and Danny Espinosa and Drew Storen could have, I would have thought, "What about Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth?"

* Zimmerman would be out for two months, I would have thought our defense would be a disaster and our offense would be anemic. (Well, I got half that right.)

* Werth would be hitting under .220 and on pace for fewer than 60 RBIs, I would have thought he was the one on the disabled list for 58 games.

* Ian Desmond would be hitting just over .220, I would have thought you were crazy.

* Jordan Zimmermann would be our best starting pitcher but have a losing record, I would have thought he must not be in line for any run support (Right again!).

* the Nats would play, prior to the break, 37 one-run games and win more than half, I would have been giddy.

* the Nats would be 46-46 with a team batting average better than only the Pirates, I would have questioned your sanity.

* Jim Riggleman would walk away from a team that had won 11 of 12 games and was over .500, I would have thought "That's not the Riggs I know."

Yes, it has been an interesting and intriguing first half with unexpected twists and turns. You could say the Nats have won several games they should have lost, and lost a number of games they could have won with a sacrifice fly or some other little thing in the fundamental department.

One thing has been consistent: The Nationals have played solid baseball, seldom get blown out and have proven they can play with any team in the National League - well, maybe not the Phillies just yet.

The road trip starting Friday will be tough in Atlanta, winnable in Houston and uncertain in L.A., like everything else there. Then it's home to return to the NL East versus the Marlins, Mets and Braves.

Is there a playoff race ahead? Can the offense hit? Can the pitching staff keep on keeping on? Can the defense keep catching the ball and throwing it to the right place? The answers to those questions: Maybe, they'd better, I think so, I know so.

Brace yourselves for a second half that may bring memories of 2005 back, and bring them back in a hurry!

By the way, here the final interleague numbers:

AL 131-NL 121
AL East 50-40, AL Central 42-48, AL West 39-33
NL East 44-37, NL Central 37-56, NL West 40-38

The Nats went 8-7, a marked improvement over 2010.

Nats good, not great, as interleague wraps up

2011-07-01T16:45:55Z

Last year, the Nationals went 5-13 in interleague play. This year, they improved to 8-7, and it could have been much better had they been able to avert the three-game sweep at the wings of the Angels. This year's version featured a split of six games with the Orioles, a sweep of the Mariners at home and series win over the White Sox in Chicago. The Sox hadn't lost an interleague series since '08, so that was noteworthy, especially for the Nats to do that at U.S. Cellular Field.

Losing to the Angels was nothing to be ashamed of, as Los Angeles/Anaheim has racked up the best won-loss record of any major league team in the interleague era.

There are still some interleague games to be played this weekend, but here are some interesting numbers as the National League continues to make up ground on the American League:

The American League leads this year, but it's close at 107-103, the most even it has been in years. The AL East leads the way at 41-34, while the AL Central went 34-41 and the AL West 32-28.

The Nats' division, the NL East, has gone 37-32, the NL Central a poor 33-45 and the NL West 33-30. If you can draw any conclusions from all this, it appears the best clubs are in the East in both leagues, then the West, with the central divisions lacking success.

The belief has been for years that the AL would suffer in NL parks by losing the DH, while the NL would have the advantage in AL parks by adding the DH to their lineup and taking the bats out of pitchers' hands. It just hasn't worked out that way, as the AL has dominated by pounding NL pitching in all parks.

I'll have more detail in my next blog as far as AL-NL matchups with hitting and pitching, but at least the National League is no longer being embarrassed against the AL.

This 10-day, 11-game homestand may define the Nats' season. They play three beatable teams, though the Pirates are much better this year, doing it with pitching (most notably closer Joel Hanrahan) plus mediocre defense and hitting. The Cubs and Rockies follow, both clubs capable of big offense.

First, the Nationals need to get Davey Johnson a win, relax and go from there. They have played the fewest number of home games of any major league team, so it's now time to take these 11 games and charge into the All-Star break well over .500. An important trip to Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles awaits after the break.

By the way, a third trip to the West Coast in just over a month, and the second to play just one Pacific time zone team while there, screams for some common sense when it comes to scheduling. The Nats just played the Angels after a trip to Chicago, then play the Dodgers after playing in two other time zones. Where's the sense in that?

In today's business world, everyone is trying to cut expenses and save money; that is, except for Major League Baseball. Why couldn't the Nats have played the Angels, then hopped on the bus for an hour to play the Dodgers? Instead, they paid for two extra cross-country flights, arriving home in the wee hours twice.

They could have played the Braves, White Sox and Astros together on a three-city trip, all with short flights in between. The Nationals also played teams from every division in the American League this year, making little sense. Interleague play has really messed up traveling and scheduling like never before.

But it is great to finally be home, and it's time for that early July run that could make things around here very interesting in August and September!

Offense comes and goes

2011-06-06T13:23:11Z

When the Nationals stepped off their charter plane Sunday night here in San Francisco, the temperature drop was around 40 degrees from Phoenix to the Bay Area. When they step on the field at AT&T Park Monday night, there will be no telling what the drop, or the leap, will be in hits and runs.

These 2011 Nats are easily the most inconsistent offensive team I've ever followed, but they do catch the ball and the pitching has been solid most of the year, and a ballclub can survive on that.

Sunday afternoon at Chase Field was an afternoon of missed opportunities, hitters on both teams hit by pitches, controversial calls and, ultimately, a big swing by Michael Morse that sent the Nats to Northern California with smiles on their faces.

I heard from a third party that the Arizona TV announcers ripped crew chief Gary Darling for his safe call on Roger Bernadina's high chopper, and replays showed they were probably right. They also took Wilson Ramos to task for his home run trot after he went deep in the eighth inning.

I have, from an impeccable source - me - that the Washington TV announcers took the umpires to task for their, as usual, strange handling of the pitchers hitting batters that happened throughout the game. Once again, the umps have to read minds and determine whether pitchers are intentionally throwing at hitters, and they get themselves in trouble when they warn both dugouts after a HBP (Werth in the 5th), then do nothing when Morse gets hit two batters later. They threw out Jason Marquis and Arizona's Esmerling Vasquez, the same numbers of pitchers from each team even though the Diamondbacks "out-hit" the Nationals three batters to one.

But I digress. The offense that was so dead last weekend at home against the Padres came alive against the Phillies and their vaunted pitching staff, sizzled for one night in Arizona, then went dead for 20 innings before scoring again. Flashes of excitement on the Ramos and Morse homers show once again how fleeting offense is this year, and how it goes bang, then fizzle, then back and forth again.

Catch the ball, throw it to the right bases and hit cutoff men, and pitch well enough to the tune of a 3.73 ERA and you have a chance to win games. It looks like the phony stats of the Steroid Era are now long gone and we're returning to a more pure brand of baseball, based on fundamentals and execution rather than artificial strength ... and I like it!

Now, if the commissioner's office and their umpires will let the players decide things on the field like men, we would really be onto something between the lines and not have the umps using ESP on top of their other tough duties.

Are we there yet?

2011-05-17T20:30:39Z

As we head north on the train out of Union Station on a Tuesday afternoon, it seems like we just unpacked our bags from a 10-day trip to Philadelphia, Florida and Atlanta. Now, after a short 2-2 homestand that featured plenty of action with the Marlins and Pirates, it's on to New York, Baltimore and Milwaukee.

In those four games, the solid Nationals defense made just one error and Roger Bernadina thrilled us with the best play I've seen at Nationals Park. The staff ERA went from 3.77 - 9th in the National League - to 3.65, good for 6th. The club batting average crept up from .222 to .225 as Jayson Werth showed signs of life by going four for his last eight, Laynce Nix continued to hit the ball hard, and Mr. Bernadina established himself as a bona fide leadoff man.

On the homestand, Bernadina went 5-for-16, walked three times, drove in three runs and laid down several
beautiful bunts. His on-base percentage is well over .400 with his batting average is in the .300 range, the kind
of numbers we're all looking for out of that No. 1 hole. And his defense ... wow! The great catch on Mike Stanton's drive got the nation's attention, and he threw out a Pirate at third base Monday night. Watching him in the outfield is a joy if you enjoy defense.

On a personal note, Bernadina is one of the nicest, most polite young men I've ever met in this game, and when you find a player whose personality and attitude match his talents, you're on to something special. In the last two weeks, he may have solved a major problem the Nats have been dealing with since Nyjer Morgan had that great second half in '09.

The subject of some of the conversation on the train today is Mets' third baseman David Wright, battling a bad back problem and about to go on the DL. He has always played well against the Nats, and his absence will be felt by the Metropolitans.

The Orioles have been better this year, and again this weekend we'll mix our MASN crews to include Jim Hunter and yours truly on play-by-play with analysis from F.P Santangelo and Mike Flanagan.

Then it's on to Milwaukee, where the Brewers are bolstered by the addition of Zack Grienke. The Nats were swept at Miller Park last year and swept the Brewers at Nationals Park in April, so these teams are gunning for each other.

So, it's "on the road again" for the Nats, and hopefully, a continuation of the solid baseball, or, as Jim Riggleman calls it, "clean baseball," they've been playing most of the 2011 season.

April showers bring ... ?

2011-05-02T13:02:11Z

It's May 2, and the Nationals have beaten the Giants for the second time in three games to get the month off to a good start. May will not be an easy month, starting with the world champion San Francisco ball club and continuing with a grueling NL East road trip to Philadelphia, Florida and Atlanta. After a short five-game home stand, the Nats hit the road again.

And all of this without Ryan Zimmerman.

The news of his impending surgery and loss for at least six weeks is sobering indeed. Third base will be a committee of Jerry Hairston, Alex Cora, Brian Bixler and possibly Michael Morse if Laynce Nix's bat continues to boom and Jim Riggleman has to get him in the lineup. Plus, if Adam LaRoche, the notoriously slow starter that he is, doesn't heat up soon, the Nats manager will have to consider Nix for cleanup like he did Sunday against the Giants.

LaRoche's defense has been spectacular at first base, and many of us in the press box and broadcast booths have him saving at least a dozen and maybe closer to twenty errors or opponent hits so far. He has to be in there, but it may not be in the No. 4 hole to produce runs and protect Jayson Werth.

April featured the Nats facing Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson and Josh Johnson in the first week, then winning a series at New York in the second. When they came back home, they ran into Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, then swept Milwaukee. A rain-plagued road trip to St. Louis and Pittsburgh produced four losses in six games, then a series loss to the Mets at home. But, Washington will gain at least a split with the Giants and have a chance to head for Philly with momentum.

I will remember April for several things; a new broadcast partner in F.P. Santangelo, who has worked very hard to get to know our team quickly; the emergence of Wilson Ramos, who got my vote for NL Rookie of the Month; and, first and foremost, the Nats' surprising and impressive pitching.

The staff set a franchise record for April with a 3.58 ERA, 8th-best in the National League, and were in the top two in the league in fewest home runs given up and fewest walks. Livan Hernandez and Jason Marquis each won three games, and Marquis' five-hit shutout of San Francisco on April 29 was the highlight of the month.

The defense, while still making errors, is obviously better, and Ian Desmond has played well as a new Dad after some unnerving times before the birth of little Grayson. Pudge has been spectacular behind the plate and his first 10 hits of the season produced 10 RBIs.

The offense? Here's the big question regarding this team for the next month and a half without Zimmerman, a clutch hitter throughout his first five full years in the big leagues. Who will step up and get hot? It needs to be several guys, and if the pitching keeps doing what it has been, May could be a nice month for our Nationals.

With all these road games in the windshield, this team needs to be hitting on all cylinders ... and very, very soon!

Waiting for offense, waiting for Zimmerman

2011-04-22T22:48:08Z

Baseball is a game of subtleties; a moved runner here, a played made there, and you can win some games by doing a lot of little things the right way. The Nationals, with a few exceptions, have done that for the first 18 games of the season and are holding their own against some solid National League clubs like the Phillies, Brewers and Cardinals.

But there's not a lot of offense right now, and there may be a very tangible reason. His name is "Zim."

When Ryan Zimmerman took that ill-advised head-first slide in New York April 9 and strained his left abdominal muscle, his .357 batting average, nearly .500 on-base percentage and presence in the No. 3 hole of the offense went with him. He was off to one of his best starts, and to lose him has been costly.

Back to that subtle thing in baseball. When you lose a front-line player, it may take a while to expose that absence in the lineup as other guys pick up the slack for a while and help generate runs. But, there comes a time after a week or so that you miss that presence; it makes your club easier to pitch to, there are fewer RBI opportunities and the hits which translate into runs are down.

And where would this offense be without Danny Espinosa?

The Nats scored 14 runs in the first two games without Zimmerman, but since, they've been shut out twice and held to four runs or fewer five times in eight games. While most of the individual batting averages started low and stayed there, Jayson Werth's was .259 when Ryan got hurt and is .209 now. Zimmerman, of course, was hitting behind Werth and providing a lively bat behind the No. 2 hitter.

Werth isn't getting that protection from Adam LaRoche, a career slow starter, who was hitting .179 then and just .211 now. The team is hitting .218, better than only San Diego at .217.

With the weather expected to be cold and rainy here in Pittsburgh all weekend, the offense, which we hope is about to explode, may be quiet for a while. But if these middle-of-the-order guys do what they've done throughout their careers, everything should shake out well and the pitchers don't have to be perfect every night.

By the way, how about that staff, especially the starters? The Nats sport a 3.63 staff ERA, seventh-best in the National League. The big three in the bullpen (Tyler Clippard, Drew Storen and Sean Burnett) have been outstanding and are all young with bright futures.

Now, let's get Ryan Zimmerman back and this club should be able to be even better!