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"I’ve got a prayer, basically, with Andrelton Simmons at third. Just tried to get it as quick as I could and get rid of it. If I set, he’s already sliding in celebrating. There was a probably 1 in 10 chance, and didn’t get him."
(Ian Desmond, via Washington Post, 9/15/2012)
Braves 2, Nationals 1: Nats lose on a walk-off fielder's choice, throwing error by Desmond. October baseball in September...NL East lead 7.5
(Screencap via MASN/MLB.com)
Keep the champagne on ice when the Washington Nationals inevitably clinch a wild card berth in the next few days:
"That’s not a big moment. It’s a nice moment, but it’s not a big moment. The additional wild card, to me, just really put more of a burden on the manager, because nobody wants that one. A one-game playoff to get in? The other format, if you were the wild card, you’re in the playoffs. So clinching a one-game playoff doesn’t have any appeal at all to me."
(Davey Johnson, via Nationals Journal, 9/14/2012)
But hey, clinching means Davey won't deserve to be fired!
(Screencap via CSN Washington.com)
Earlier today, chatter about the Nationals not talking to Lewis Yocum (the doctor who performed TJ surgery on Stras) about the plan for shutting down Stephen Strasburg was all the rage. Turns out it's not really a "thing" at all; Yocum released this statement to the LA Times to clarify:
"I would like to correct the misimpression generated from today’s L.A. Times article, that I have not been a participant in discussions with the Washington Nationals regarding the recovery strategy for pitcher Stephen Strasburg. In fact, I have been contacted repeatedly and have had numerous discussions with the Nationals GM Mike Rizzo and the team’s medical personnel, as recently as mid-August. While the final decision was up to the team, as is standard practice, I was supportive of their decision and am comfortable that my medical advice was responsibly considered."
(Lewis Yocum, via LA Times, 9/13/2012)
No truth to the rumor Mike Rizzo was standing behind Yocum holding a baseball bat when that statement was written.
(Screencap above of Strasburg's curtain call after his first career HR via MASN/TV)
Seems eerily fitting that on the night Stephen Strasburg was supposed to make his final start of 2012, his replacement would do his post-game interview in front of Strasburg's #37 nameplate in the clubhouse.
"He pitched a superb ballgame."
(Davey Johnson, via MASN postgame, 9/12/2012)
Nationals 2, Mets 0: On the night Stephen Strasburg was supposed to make his final start of 2012, John Lannan stepped in and shut down the Mets. Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond provided the firepower.
Lannan's line: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 11-3 groundouts-flyouts.
Magic Number 11 yet?
(Screencap of John Lannan in front of #37 via MASN/TV)
Ho hum, just another Big League first for Bryce Harper last nOight. Time to scratch "four hit game" off Harper's to-do list. Video of all four hits (via MLB.com) above and here.
And to think, Harper wanted the night off. Here's Davey Johnson on Harper, who apparently didn't want to face R.A. Dickey last night:
"Harp didn't want to play against the knuckleballer, but he got three hits, so now he realizes he can hit a knuckleballer so now we're over that hump." (Davey Johnson, via MASN postgame, 9/11/2012)
(Screencap via MLB.com)
"It's time to be looking at magic numbers. And I've been looking at them for a while now."
(Davey Johnson, via MASN postgame, 9/11/2012)
13. Thanks to a win over the Mets last night, and a Braves loss to the Brewers, the Nats magic number to clinch the NL East is down to 13. Pinch me:
(Screencap of Davey celebrating a home run in Milwaukee earlier this year via MASN/MLB.com. Standings via MLB.com)
Yeah, you did, Davey.
And so, the Nats hit 3 home runs, Gio Gonzalez earned his 19th win, and Davey Johnson seemed positively giddy about officially eliminating the Mets from the pennant race with tonight's 5-1 win:
"Great win. I think we eliminated the Mets from the pennant race, didn't we?
Yeah, I figured that. That made me a little happy. So that's why I was [throwing] everything but the kitchen sink out there. So, that was nice."
(Davey Johnson, via postgame interview/MASN, 9/10/2012)
(Screencap of Davey Johnson's sh-t eating grin via MASN/TV)
Last year, Nats rookies were forced to dress as Smurfs. Strasburg was Papa Smurf. This year: Olympians. Gymnasts at that. Amazing. Bryce Harper holding the USA flag proudly. Nats rookies en route to New York. Call 'em the GymNats?
(Photos via @giogonzalez47)
Below, video (via CSNWashington.com) of Stephen Strasburg discussing the shutdown.
Feel awful for him, really. There's a full transcription of Strasburg's comments in the Washington Times. There's this quote:
"I don't know if I'm ever going to accept it, to be honest with you. It's something that I'm not happy about at all. That's not why I play the game. I play the game to obviously be a good teammate and to win. You don't grow up dreaming of playing in the big leagues to get shut down when the games start to matter. It's going to be a tough one to swallow..."
Here's Mike Rizzo, via Thomas Boswell/Washington Post:
"Stephen is going to have to accept it...There are going to be a lot of bright and happy days ahead of us watching him pitch."
Oh bright and happy days! But will they be in October? More Strasburg (quote via Washington Times):
"I just looked the other way. I didn't really worry about it. I was always thinking things were going to change, there was going to be something that would change and I would get the opportunity. But this decision, they made well before the start of the year. I play for the Washington Nationals. I play to help this team win games. And that's the bottom line. I'm not the one making the calls."
Wonder if Strasburg would agree with FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi: that the Nats mishandled the situation? This much we know: despite Thomas Boswell whistling past the graveyard, the Nats will miss Strasburg in October.
Anyway, here's the Strasburg video:
Up above, the video (via MLB.com) of Jayson Werth's game-tying home run in the 9th inning on Saturday following that (at times, Biblical) 2 1/2 hour rain delay.
How did Werth deal with the delay? As the saying goes, when life gives you chicken sh-t, make chicken salad:
"I had a little massage, change of clothes. Had a chicken salad. And then tied it up. It was well written."
(Jayson Werth, via Brian McNally/Washington Examiner, 9/8/2012)
Well written, indeed. The second best part about Werth's home run: the mayhem in the dugout when Werth returned, including Michael Morse throwing bubble gum and playing hairdresser. Oh, and what was up with the guy carrying the girl who caught the HR ball up the steps of the Red Porch?
(Screencap via MASN/TV)
