“Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion,” Bryce Harper and the 2015 Nationals

Not exactly an ideal start, before that Red Sox game they are already -11 in runs. But surely they'll win the division at least.

Also, man, they could do something to remember the 'spos at little more.

I thought this was a Hillary Clinton thread from the title.

rrrrreally

t'was all for you Morbs

Still having a hard time getting to .500

Following his injury batting and the reported season-ending Achilles injury to Adam Wainwright, Scherzer told CBS Sports that it's time for the designated hitter to be used in both leagues.

Max Scherzer told CBS Sports that having a DH in the NL would be an easy way to add offense as MLB looks to boost scoring.

"If you look at it from the macro side, who'd people rather see hit: Big Papi or me?" Scherzer told the website. "Who would people rather see, a real hitter hitting home runs or a pitcher swinging a wet newspaper? Both leagues need to be on the same set of rules."

Scherzer, who said he likes hitting, jammed his right wrist and thumb batting in Thursday's loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He has only briefly played catch since sustaining the batting injury and missed a scheduled bullpen session Saturday.

"If you look at it long-term, I think eventually there will be a DH in the National League," Scherzer told CBS Sports.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12769662/max-scherzer-injured-batting-advocates-designated-hitter-rule-national-league

i'm less offended by pitchers who don't hit than by hitters who don't field. solution! eight-man batting orders. yr harpers and mccutchens get that many more plate appearances, offense is boosted, pitchers stop exploding on the base paths, i get a genius grant

i would notify the MacArthur folks but are you factoring in an uptick in DL appearances due to bulging swingcounts?

wet newspaper is clearly in my top 15 baseball expression

Max Scherzer, nursing his jammed thumb, repeatedly mumbles "seven and 13" as he watches April defensive highlights of Gose, Cespedes, Iglesias.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-nationals-have-lost-almost-all-of-their-edge/

welcome to the show, a.j. cole

nationals season saved by dan uggla

poor max: 1-3, 1.26

oof!

leading the league in walks: Bryce Harper

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/mlb-washington-nationals-bryce-harper-patience-walk-rate/

https://twitter.com/Nationals/status/595689431929102338

Oh mookieproof posted that on the Bryce Harper thread first. Sorry.

Strasburg exits in 3rd inning. Oh dear.

being checked by chiropractor for "lingering shoulder blade issue"

Scherzer may get a win for his worst outing of the year (3-run Stanton HR)

and Harper might get up again

...well, probably not w/out extras now.

and the tying runs are on

I like Stanton's "G" face guard -- hadn't seen it before.

This guy is never going to pan out.

Harper must be one of the youngest to have a 3 homer game.

youngest player with 3 HR in a game since Joe Lahoud (22 yrs, 53 days) on June 11, 1969

youngest player with three straight HR in a game since Boog Powell on August 10, 1963

youngest player with at least 3 HR & 5 RBI in a game since Al Kaline on April 17, 1955

also

@jazayerli
I mean, we're all - justifiably - getting excited about Bubba Starling, who's in Double-A. Harper is 2 months YOUNGER than Starling.

Bubba Starling.

I swear you americans give weird names.

Another two today.

HR for Harper.

tbf bubba's actual first name is derek, and no one wants that

Now it's a walk of HR. Dude is unstoppable.

"I don't think 40,000 people came to watch him ump tonight. Plain and simple," Harper continued. "I really don't think they did. Especially when we're playing the Yankees. The Yankees are a good team, we're a good team and we're rolling. I don't want to get tossed. There's no reason for me to get tossed in that situation. I don't think I did anything bad to get tossed. Maybe he just had a bad morning or he didn't get his coffee."

http://www.csnwashington.com/baseball-washington-nationals/talk/harper-williams-strongly-disagree-ejections-win-vs-yankees

@JamesWagnerWP
Dan Uggla hasn't played much but he's made an impact in Nats clubhouse -- with his hugs. "A big bicep teddy bear."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2015/05/29/dan-uggla-is-a-good-hugger-washington-nationals-say

homoerotic headline, or the seepage of cuddle parties into sports culture?

swept by the Redlegs! in trouble?

Rendon activated.

so I'm starting to believe that they will just keep on semi-sucking, with Werth out most of the summer and Harper, Espinosa and Escobar the only offensive threats, and the pitching all over the place.

And it's p much the Mets' only hope now, winning the divison.

Harper, Espinosa and Escobar the only offensive threats

i don't know, Rendon is back, and Span's got a 118 wRC+. pitching is obviously a strength (5th-best FIP in MLB, just behind the mets). i haven't watched them play too much this year so who knows, but i figured if they're only half a game back after underperforming for so long, they could pull away quickly if they get hot

oh i still like their odds, but it's all i have left.

I know Rendon is back, but i will blindly assume he's playing hurt til the stats say otherwise.

pepco amirite

BP odds now have NL East winner as Nats 60/Mets 40

@washingnats
Jonathan Papelbon said he wants to continue to close because he wants Mariano Rivera's saves record. #Nats #Nationals #MLB

That's MLB writer William Ladson, aka "washin gnats."

@washingnats
Jonathan Papelbon said he feels free and like starting a new life by joining the #Nats. #MLB #Nationals

@washingnats
According to Jonathan Papelbon, Doug Fister has been compensated for giving up No. 58. #Nats #Nationals #MLB

He gets to shine Papelbon's cleats? What the fuck?

https://s1.2mdn.net/viewad/2946704/300x250_ChiaPet.jpg

not sure i knew werth was back

some guys -- like werth and victorino and swisher -- are basically always rehabbing or will be shortly

Escobar nearly threw the game away, to the delight of a spectating John McCain, but not quite.

Looking at Scherzer's career box, and after seven seasons of a K/BB ratio between 2.63-4.29, he's at 8.23 this year. I would think a jump like that mid-career is extremely rare.

A couple of points of comparison that came to mind:

Koufax -- 1.07-3.79 first eight seasons, 5.28 in '63. (Different progression, though--more of a two-step spike from '61 to '63.)

Mike Scott -- Between 1.00-2.00 first six seasons, then 4.25 in his Cy Young year.

Proportionally, those two are fairly similar.

Jonathan Papelbon said he wants to continue to close because he wants Mariano Rivera's saves record.

Papelbon has 344 saves. Mariano has 652. Papelbon is 34 years old. Good luck with that.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-collapse-of-the-nationals

a leetle premature w/ the headline

Oof

lol

I think we just saw plumber butt on national tv

i don't often say this about a Cardinal win but YEEEEEEEHAWWWWWW

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/02/matt-williams-puts-up-another-strong-performance-in-his-quest-to-get-himself-fired/

@NoahFrankWTOP
A friend just pointed out: #Nats have 6 walk-off losses. All were tie games. Designated closer (Storen/Papelbon) appeared in none of them

Right before Moss hit the home run, the Cardinal announcer said that when Jansen throws more than 18 pitches his ERA is over 11.

Then on his 21st pitch, 3 run homer.

But how would papelbon get the save if the game is tied? Duh!

But yeah, Williams might be the only manager who makes worse on-the-field decisions than matheny (who made some terrible moves himself last night). Does he balance it with being a good "clubhouse manager", keeping players happy, dealing with clashing personalities, etc? I don't know anything about it but based off of his benching Harper for not hustling enough (lol) it seems like he isn't.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/COEcwuoUwAAKM8v.png

Goid mprning

@pgammo
Scherzer frustration:10-7, 2.11, 10.71 K-BB 1st half; 1-4, 5.12, 5.12, 6.25 K-BB 2d half. ERA bv month:1.26, 1.67, 2.33, 3.40, 6.43, 5.25

“[Papelbon’s] our closer,” Matt Williams said Wednesday morning in his weekly spot with “The Junkies” on 106.7 The Fan, speaking of Papelbon, idle the previous two nights. “He’s the one that closes the game.”

that is almost, almost, but not quite, as dimwitted as matheny and "non-save situation. we're on the road."

this next bit, however, may be dumber:

“So everybody wants to know why you don’t use Papelbon in that situation,” Williams told the Junkies, uttering something upon which we could all agree. “Let’s say, for instance, ‘Pap’ throws a clean ninth and we score in the 10th. Who’s closing the game for us? I guess it’d be ‘Somebody,’ right?” ... “All these people want to know why Papelbon isn’t in the game,” Williams said. “Because we lost. He’s our closer. He’s the one that closes the game.”

New York - Top of 7th

Blake Treinen pitching for Washington

Treinen relieved Thornton.
Wright singled to right.
Duda flied out to left.
d'Arnaud popped out to shortstop.
Conforto walked, Wright to second.
Flores singled to center, Wright scored, Conforto to third.
Johnson hit for Goeddel.
Rivero relieved Treinen.
Uribe hit for Johnson.
Uribe walked, Flores to second.
Granderson walked, Conforto scored, Flores to third, Uribe to second.
Storen relieved Rivero.
Céspedes doubled to deep left, Flores, Uribe and Granderson scored.
Murphy walked.
Céspedes to third, Murphy to second on wild pitch by Storen.
Wright walked.
Duda walked, Céspedes scored, Murphy to third, Wright to second.
d'Arnaud lined out to right.

6 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors

Storen's ERA has doubled since the Papelbon deal.

last night Nats relievers threw 70 consecutive pitches w/out getting a swinging strike.

Zimmerman oblique still sore. Escobar 103 fever. Taylor's knee "extremely swollen"

Papelbum in, trailing? Williams is desperate.

rip

@SI_Wire
Nats’ Drew Storen slams locker shut, breaks thumb, likely out for season http://on.si.com/1Mjo4Ir

loss last night reduced their shot at overtaking Mets to roughly 3 in 1000

you are really tempting fate

@pgammo
If Steven Steaaburg hadn't been limited in 2012, would he be as good as he is now?

Steven Steaaburg

1 result (0.29 seconds)

Funny how Harper refers to an opponent here by first name and then calls Papelbon "somebody." Perfect quote.

"I mean, Manny freaking hit a homer," Harper said. "Walked it off, and somebody drilled him. I mean, it's pretty tired. It's one of those situations where it happens, and, I don't know, I'll probably get drilled tomorrow."

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=350923120

@pgammo
The Nationalds are 25-27 since the Papelbon trade

Buck Showalter said of Papelbon: "He kind of reminds me of the wrestlers who pull somebody's hair and then they throw their hands up."

lol

ahhhahahahaha, yes

@MLB_PR
WSH RHP Papelbon has received a 3-gm suspension for intentionally throwing a pitch in the head area of Manny Machado.

Hoping for save situations in each of the games he's out (and losses in all others, obv).

papelbon-harper fite!

omg lol etc

Wonder how that would have played out with Harper the attacker from above.

Spencer Ackerman ‏@attackerman 58s58 seconds ago
Fitting that Papelbon's first instinct vs Bryce was... Wait for it... To choke.

pls fight strausberg/scherzer next

fuck a reliever telling the mvp to run out a popup

hope they change that error on trea turner to a hit so all five of pap's runs are earned

loved the espn article title "NATIONAL DISGRACE" before i realized it was a play on the team name

obviously the most impt story from that game though is back-to-back HRs from desmond (den) dekker

I don't think I've ever disliked a player as much as Papelbon, even when he was on the Red Sox.

Just watched it. I'm not saying Papelbon's right and Harper's wrong, but it does remind me of something from Ball Four: you're only as smart as your ERA. I forget the specifics, but I think it was a journeyman having an argument with a star player, and Bouton was pointing out that it didn't matter what the journeyman said, he wasn't winning that argument. So Harper's the league's MVP, a billion dollar property, and Papelbon's a reviled jerk who's worn out his welcome. But I wonder how that would be perceived if it were Harper getting on Papelbon for not hustling.

i think the issue is more that papelbon was the one who escalated it into a physical fight. i mean of course the fact that he was attacking the league MVP and the franchise cornerstone for what is likely a decade to come means he toast obv.

if harper was the one who escalated it i think papelbon would still be getting hate but i don't think it would potentially end his career with the team.

Yeah--it was Papelbon who lunged at him (at his throat, no less), I guess that's the issue.

http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2015/09/27/mlbtv_phiwas_505505983_1200K.mp4

Apology:

"First of all, let me say, I'm in the wrong there," Papelbon said. "I've got to leave that up to our manager.

"I've talked to Bryce and told him how we feel and we're on the same page now, which is good. Squash this and (play) tomorrow's game. You know, I grew up with brothers, he grew up with brothers. I view him as a brother of mine. Sometimes in this game there's a lot of testosterone and there's a lot of intensity that spills over, and I think that happened today. For me, I can't allow that to happen in the middle of a game. You handle that after the games or allow the manager to handle that. In that light of it, I'm wrong."

You could take that at face value, or not. Obvious the Machado thing lurks in the background here.

i guess bull durham has taught us all not to throw punches with our pitching hands, but grabbing at someone's throat seems like a strange reaction to me

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/414papgrabsharpbyneck.jpg

u wan play spies

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CP9ySspVEAAp2G1.jpg

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/794522/images/o-ASHAMEDANIMALS-facebook.jpg

http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2015/09/28/former-players-think-papelbon-was-right-wha

come on, cj

@jay_jaffe
SMH. focusing on quallity of Bryce Harper's hustle shouldn't the issue when HIS ASSHOLE TEAMMATE TRIED TO CHOKE HIM IN BROAD DAYLIGHT

Like Papelbon wasn't motivated 100% by revenge.

Did he ever pull anything like that with Ortiz, Ramirez, Howard...?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CP_xlV_VAAIQLBV.png

mark derosa otm

it's like papelbon learned about calling out a lack of hustle from a babelfish translation of a misspelled brian mccann facebook rant

@jay_jaffe
SMH. focusing on quallity of Bryce Harper's hustle shouldn't the issue when HIS ASSHOLE TEAMMATE TRIED TO CHOKE HIM IN BROAD DAYLIGHT
― Andy K, Monday, September 28, 2015 10:55 AM (18 minutes ago)

unless harper was bragging about sleeping with pabelbon's partner or something i have no idea why it matters what they were arguing about

i guess this Friday's NYM-WAS game i have tix for might be suspenseful after all

unless harper was bragging about sleeping with pabelbon's partner or something i have no idea why it matters what they were arguing about

Absolutely. I kind of missed the throat-lunge initially; it makes everything else irrelevant.

@LaTroyHawkins32
@CJNitkowski loved the article CJ, Pap will take a beating for this from everyone who doesn't play the game. #EntitlementGeneration

kids these days think they *deserve* not to be choked

it's like papelbon learned about calling out a lack of hustle from a babelfish translation of a misspelled brian mccann facebook rant

― nomar, Monday, September 28, 2015 11:09 AM (50 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol so otm

Also see Showalter's quote above -- top step as turnbuckle.

wtf Latroy Hawkins.

The 'play the right way' shit from old-timers is extra bizarre since this is the first season Harper hasn't hurt himself for hustling too hard.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQAeJAVUsAIuFBW.png

Today's lineup -- the Nats' last home game. Thanks, fans!

Taylor CF
Turner SS
Rendon 3B
Robinson 1B
Ramos C
Moore LF
den Dekker RF
Uggla 2B
Scherzer P

@MarcCarig
So, Harper had a scheduled day off, and now it’s being labeled as a benching. This guy is amazing.

tbf the nats fans are some of the worst in baseball, so maybe they deserve dan uggla starting at 2B still being in the major leagues

they are?

ha, well it's obviously anecdotal, but every game i've attended there has been dismal. i chalk it up to DC being such a transient place. feels like the nats are everyone's second favorite team there.

better that than real-life hatcats/caps/terps fans

not sure how the nats are going to finish this game without their closer

don cherry is weighing in on the papelbon affair; i'll bet you (canadians) can guess where he stands

given that papelbon has authority as judge and deliverer of punishment, and that he judged harper to be guilty of not hustling enough, the only question left was whether the sentence would be an immediate choking, a suckerpunch in the locker room, or a spinning Zangief-style piledriver into a pile of empty fragile crates in the corner of the room.

(xpost) Ditto Don Cherry Jr., Gregg Zaun, who says that Harper would have lost his MVP vote over this incident. You read that right the first time.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQFbOIJVAAA1fDX.jpg

judge lee judge

CJ Nitkowski has opinions. as usual, they're terrible

I've been focused on the what and not the why about Pap/Harp, so it's been interesting to figure out that this wasn't really about hustle but about Harper criticizing Papelbon in public Thursday night for beaning Machado.

baseball's juvenile self-governance horseshit is outdated and stale.

For the headline--the piece itself is just okay.

https://medium.com/sportspickle/jonathan-papelbon-arrested-after-strangling-man-with-17-grocery-items-in-15-items-or-less-line-b4af48685383

see that would be totally justifiable

matt williams, buried: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/trade-for-jonathan-papelbon-had-disastrous-results-for-the-nationals/2015/09/30/0aef1564-66ee-11e5-8325-a42b5a459b1e_story.html

daaaang

matt williams, fired

too bad rizzo couldn't have joined him

he was the manager, he was the one who managed the game

Guess he won't be a repeat manager of the year...

'contacted' Dusty Baker YESSSSSSSSSSS

Jim (on the ledge): Okay, Keith. Washington’s first managerial interview is with Dusty Baker. I’m hoping it’s just a “courtesy” interview, although saying he’s “better than Williams” doesn’t reassure me. Granted the Prior/Wood issues were over 10 years ago, and lineup construction can be overrated, but still, how worried should I be?

Klaw: He’s absolutely not worth hiring. It would be a dumb PR-oriented move that would be more likely to set the franchise back rather than forward, and with the Mets ascendant and only likely to improve from here – it’s pretty easy to forecast them as a 95-win team in 2016 with only marginal changes – the Nats would be shooting themselves in the face by hiring someone so regressive.

also heard bud black was in the running for the spot

http://www.federalbaseball.com/2015/10/18/9563981/washington-nationals-rumors-will-the-nats-consider-trading-stephen-strasburg

Larry King @kingsthings
Congratulations to my pal @dbaker_12, he's the new manager of the @MLB @Nationals. Play ball!

some choice quotes from ol' Dusty:

"I don’t think of myself as 66 years old. I don’t know how old I am sometimes...not to sound cocky or nothing, but I don’t see a whole bunch of dudes out there that look better than me now."

"Adapation is no problem for me. My friends call me a chameleon because they think I can adapt any place, any time, anywhere. I would like to think that I transcend different generations - like some musicians. I mean, Stevie wonder still sounds good"

my eyes are watering. please tell me you made that last one up.

I accidentally cut some off, I encourage you to read this

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/11/05/dusty-baker-wins-the-press-conference-with-one-terrific-quote-after-another/

“I do know quite a few politicians, from the president down,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit because of the culture here, the educational system here, I’d like to turn my son on to the diversity that’s here. Last night I went to a Wizards game and I saw people from all over the country and all over the world. I used to call myself back in the day International Bakey, even though I wasn’t international yet. Now I have an opportunity to be international and feel as such. I’m used to diversity, and this is probably the most diverse setting and the most diverse town that I’ve been in.”

this isn't a Clickhole article, believe it or not

is he doing this intentionally? like - is he just throwing shit out there to mess with us – or are these all earnest blatherings?!

dusty's just l-i-v-i-n

Dusty supposedly smoked a J with Jimi Hendrix.

Ol' Bakey indeed! ==~~

http://deadspin.com/dusty-baker-once-smoked-a-joint-with-jimi-hendrix-1737726562?trending_test_a&utm_expid=66866090-62._DVNDEZYQh2S4K00ZSnKcw.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2F