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The Nats franchise, albeit when they were in Montreal, under the idiot known as Omar Minaya (Mets fans know that name well) who was running the team out of Montreal were on the receiving end of one of the worst trades of all time: In July of 2002 with the Expos on the tails of the Braves who at that point were in year 10 of their 14 straight division title run. With the fanbase dwindling, still not having recovered from the 1994 strike, and Minaya wanted to strike for a division title and playoff appearance to put fans back in the seats he traded a CF prospect named Grady Sizemore, a middle IF prospect named Brandon Phillips, and a pitching prospect named Cliff Lee (along with veteran 1b Lee Stevens) for starting pitcher Bartolo Colon and middling reliever Tim Drew. Now Colon was great he finished 20-8 overall and had 10 or 11 of those wins with the Expos with a sub 2.75 ERA, but the Expos sputtered at the end of the season finished in 2nd 20 games back of the Braves who won their 11th straight division title that year, and from that point on baseball in Montreal was officially dead as they finished 83-79 in 2003 and 67-95 in 2004 their final year in Montreal. All 3 players the Expos gave up have turned out to be stars and flourished, and if not for back injuries Sizemore probably turns out a lot better as well. Whether all 3 turn out to be stars for the Expos or not we'll never know. The team probably moves to Washington regardless of whether that trade went through as they were already in discussions anyways, and remember prior to the 2002 season they were 1 of 4 teams talked about for relocation/contraction with the Twins (who won the division that year), Rays & A's the other 3 teams IIRC. Maybe all 3 don't turn out as great as they were, but playing the odds you'd have to say at least 1 of them turns out to be as great as they were, and hell maybe Sizemore doesn't have all the back injuries and maybe HE turns out better than Phillips & Lee did?? Either way that was one of the most lopsided trades of all time.....or at least prior to 2014.....when at the 2014 winter meetings the Padres traded #2 pick, and one of the top rated prospects in baseball Trea Turner, and pitcher Joe Ross for Wil Myers (who was traded from TB for Steven Souza). Souza's doing OK for Tampa, and Myers was an all star this year for the Padres, while Ross was great last year and was decent to OK this year before getting hurt, but Trea has been an absolute star and the catalyst for the Nats run to the East title. It's 14 years later, but it looks like the franchise finally got back on the front end of a lopsided trade in their favor.
Freddy Galvis singled in the 4th to put the Phils up 1-0. Rendon doubled in the bottom half to tie the score, Harper singled in the 6th to put them up 2-0 and that Turner guy hit a 2 run homer in the 7th to put them up 4-1. Koda Glover had a wild 8th walking a batter and giving up a hit by pitch before surrendering a game-tying home run to Cameron Rupp, but that Turner guy again saved the day with a walkoff homer in the 9th....his first career walkoff homer and his first career multi-homer game. Jake Thompson allowed 5 hits and 2 runs in 5.1 with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Frank Hermann (0-2) allowed 1 run on 2 hits (1 homer) with 0 walks and 1 strikeout. Luckily nobody else is close in the division as I can't imagine chasing teams would've been too happy with the Phillies as they let the relief pitcher Hermann bat in the 9th before sending him back out there to pitch and ultimately gave up the walkoff to Turner. Roark allowed 1 run on 6 hits with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts in 6 innings. Treinen (17th hold) pitched a scoreless 8th with 1 strikeout, Glover (2nd blown save) allowed 3 runs on 1 hit (with 1 walk, and 1 HBP in 1/3 of an inning. Melancon (2-1) had 1 walk and 2 strikeouts in a scoreless top of the 9th.
Game 3 goes on Saturday night: Max Scherzer (16-7, 2.88) starts for the Nats while Jerad Eickhoff (10-13, 3.86) takes the ball for the Phillies. Game time at 7:05.
Harper 3 run homer in the 8th was the only run of the game. Scherzer struggled with command early throwing 23 pitches in the 1st and looked like he maybe knocked out before the 5th inning concluded pitched into the 7th and lasted 6 2/3 pitching a shut out on 4 hits allowed, 1 walk with 8 strikeouts, Kelley (2-2) got the final out of the 8th and picked up the win while Melancon (10th save [40th overall]) pitched a 1-2-3 9th with 0 strikeouts. Jerad Eickoff pitched 6 scoreless allowing 5 hits, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts, while Luis Garcia (1-1) allowed 1 hit and 1 run (1 homer) with 0 walks and 1 strikeout in 1 1/3.
The final game of the season between these 2 takes place on Sunday afternoon. Adam Morgan (2-9, 5.90) starts for the Phillies while Gio Gonzalez (10-9, 4.40) starts for the Nats. Game time at 1:35.
Murph double in the 1st scored Turner, and it stayed 1-0 until the 7th when Tommy Joseph hit a solo homer to tie the game. In the bottom half Rendon gave the Nats the lead for good with a double scoring Harper, and later in the inning he came around to score on a passed ball, and that extra run would turn out big as Freddy Galvis homered in the 8th to tie the score. Adam Morgan (2-10) allowed 2 runs on 3 hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts and picks up the hard luck loss as Edubray Ramos allowed the inherited run to score to tag the loss on Morgan which he probably didn't deserve. Gio (11-9) allows 1 run on 4 hits (1 homer) with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Ollie (13th hold) and Treinen (18th hold) combined to finish the 8th after Glover gave up the leadoff home run to Galvis and finished with 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 strikeout. Melancon (11th save [41st overall]) allowed 1 hit sandwiched around 3 strike outs to close it out.
The penultimate home stand ends with the final 3 games against the Mets which begins on Monday. Not much to see this series as even if the Nats manage to lose all 3 (and I think they'll win at least 1 like Labor day weekend) they are still 6 games up with 16 games to go with 0 head-to-head games remaining. What saved the Phillies in 07 when they were 7 back with 16 to go (Mets had an extra game) they still had 3 head-to-heads against the Mets which they cashed in on and won all 3, and the heads-to-head are the easiest way to get back in the race. Unfortunately the Mets aren't afforded that luxury after Wednesday. Monday's pitching matchup has Rafael Montero (0-0, 4.63) starting for the Mets while an undecided starts for the Nats since this was Strasburg's turn and obviously he can't go with the elbow injury. The 2 most likely candidates to start are Reynaldo Lopez (2-3, 5.52) & Lucas Giolito (0-1, 5.59). Lopez last pitched last Sunday when he started the Sunday night game in Queens, while Giolito last pitched 3 1/3 on Wednesday in relief the game Strasburg left. If I had to guess I'd say Lopez gets the start, but will update when official. If I don't hear by 10 PM tonight I'll update tomorrow afternoon. Game time at 7:05.
Murph double in the 1st scored Turner, and it stayed 1-0 until the 7th when Tommy Joseph hit a solo homer to tie the game. In the bottom half Rendon gave the Nats the lead for good with a double scoring Harper, and later in the inning he came around to score on a passed ball, and that extra run would turn out big as Freddy Galvis homered in the 8th to tie the score. Adam Morgan (2-10) allowed 2 runs on 3 hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts and picks up the hard luck loss as Edubray Ramos allowed the inherited run to score to tag the loss on Morgan which he probably didn't deserve. Gio (11-9) allows 1 run on 4 hits (1 homer) with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Ollie (13th hold) and Treinen (18th hold) combined to finish the 8th after Glover gave up the leadoff home run to Galvis and finished with 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 strikeout. Melancon (11th save [41st overall]) allowed 1 hit sandwiched around 3 strike outs to close it out.
The penultimate home stand ends with the final 3 games against the Mets which begins on Monday. Not much to see this series as even if the Nats manage to lose all 3 (and I think they'll win at least 1 like Labor day weekend) they are still 6 games up with 16 games to go with 0 head-to-head games remaining. What saved the Phillies in 07 when they were 7 back with 16 to go (Mets had an extra game) they still had 3 head-to-heads against the Mets which they cashed in on and won all 3, and the heads-to-head are the easiest way to get back in the race. Unfortunately the Mets aren't afforded that luxury after Wednesday. Monday's pitching matchup has Rafael Montero (0-0, 4.63) starting for the Mets while an undecided starts for the Nats since this was Strasburg's turn and obviously he can't go with the elbow injury. The 2 most likely candidates to start are Reynaldo Lopez (2-3, 5.52) & Lucas Giolito (0-1, 5.59). Lopez last pitched last Sunday when he started the Sunday night game in Queens, while Giolito last pitched 3 1/3 on Wednesday in relief the game Strasburg left. If I had to guess I'd say Lopez gets the start, but will update when official. If I don't hear by 10 PM tonight I'll update tomorrow afternoon. Game time at 7:05.
It turns out Mat Latos (1-0, 7.79; season 7-2, 4.74) is going to be the starter. He last started a game June 7, ironically against these same Nationals when he was still apart of the White Sox rotation, and was DFA'd when the team acquired Justin Morneau. A couple days after his release he got signed by the Nationals, and has been pitching with the AAA Syracuse Chiefs until September 4 when he made his debut allowing 2 runs on 3 hits (1 homer) with 0 walks and 2 strikeouts in 2 innings of relief of Lopez. I have a feeling he's not throwing more than 70 pitches, so this looks like a bullpen game for the Nats.
After Yoenis Cespedes had a sac fly scoring Jose Reyes, the Nats drew TWO bases loaded walks in the first off of Rafel Montero to take the lead for good, first by Harper, second by Ramos. Yet despite walking 3 batters in the first, including those 2 bases loaded walks, and having about 60 pitchers with the expanded rosters in September, Collins lets Montero bat in the 2nd in a 2-1 game with runners on first & second and sends him back out there to begin the Nats 2nd where Mat Latos would precede to homer into the left-field bullpen for a 3-1 lead and Rendon would add a 3 run homer later in the inning to put a bow on both the game & Montero's evening. The Nats would add the final 2 runs in the 4th on singles by Ramos & Zimmerman. Montero (0-1) lasted only 1 2/3 allowing 6 runs on 5 hits (2 homers) with 4 walks and 2 strikeouts. Latos only lasted 4 1/3 as he left with a hamstring injury after allowing 1 run on 3 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. Lopez (3-3) ended up getting the win pitching 3 innings on hitless relief with 2 walks and 0 strikeouts.
Tuesday is the middle game of the 3 game series: A.J. Cole (1-2, 4.56) starts for the Mets opposed by Noah Syndergaard (13-8, 2.48) who starts for the Mets. Game time at 7:05.
Ramos double in the 2nd put them up 1-0 early, T.J. Rivera singled in the 3rd to tie it up, Granderson triple in the 5th put them up 2-1 and he scored on a Rivera sac fly to make it 3-1 before rallying in the 9th to tie it on singles by Rendon & Ramos, but it was short lived as a Rivera home run won it the next half inning later, and former Nat Jerry Blevins struck out Murph to end the game. Cole allowed 3 runs on 9 hits with 2 walks and 6 strike outs in 5 innings. Melancon (2-2) allowed 1 run on 2 hits (the Rivera home run) in the 10th to pick up the loss. I don't like the fact we are using him every day it seems like. Noah Syndergaard allowed 1 run on 4 hits with 1 walk and 10 strikeouts in 7 innings. Addison Reed (36th hold) pitched a 1-2-3 8th with 2 strikeouts, Jeurys Familia (3-3, 4th blown save) allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits blowing the save but picking up the win, Fernando Salas (2nd hold) allowed a hit and a strikeout in 2/3 innings of work, and Blevins (1st save) recorded his first safe in more than 4 years (September 11, 2012) with the strikeout of Murph.
The finale of the season series and this series goes on Wednesday and unless the Mets can get 1 of the 2 Wildcard's (I think they will), beat Carlos Martinez, Adam Wainwright, Madison Bumgarner or Clayton Kershaw in said Wildcard game (decent shot especially at home) beat the Cubs (doubtful) AND the Nats beat the Giants/Dodgers (questionable) this will be the last time they'll see each other until April 21 of next season when they play the first of 6 series starting in Queens. Of course they'll probably face each other a handful of times in Spring Training (this past year they played 6 I believe) but I'm not counting those matchups.
Ramos home run to the Red Porch seats in left-center in the 7th was the only run of the game. Mets got the first 2 guys on in the first before Yoenis Cespedes popped up, and after Curtis Granderson walked to load the bases, Jay Bruce struck out and Tuesday night's hero TJ Rivera fouled out to Harper in right, and outside of the first inning they didn't get another runner past 2nd base. Due to 2 caught stealing's even though the Nats had 6 hits, the only runner that actually got to second was Roark on a wild pitch, so the Mets had the games only runner past 2nd base, yet they lost the game. Go figure?? Of course the Giants & Cardinals also lost, so it's not like they actually lost ground, or ground overall this week as the Giants got swept.....AT HOME by the Padres and the Cardinals lost 2 of 3 to the Cubs, and since the Giants & Cardinals start a series this weekend the Mets are in the drivers seat. Jesus, does ANYONE want the 2nd Wildcard since I assume the Mets will end up getting the 1st Wildcard?? Robert Gsellman allowed 5 hits in 5.2 scoreless innings with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts with Fernando Salas (0-1 [3-7 overall with the Angels]) taking the loss allowing 1 run on 1 hit (Ramos home run) with 0 walks and 2 strike outs in 2 innings of relief. Roark (15-8) allowed 3 hits over 7 scoreless with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts, Treinen (19th hold) pitched a 1-2-3 8th with 2 strikeouts, and Melancon (12th save [42nd overall]) pitched a 1-2-3 9th. Roark, Treinen & Melancon retired the final 10 Mets that came to the plate.
Both teams are off Thursday. The Nats start their final road trip of the season, a 9 game trip with 3 games each in Atlanta, Miami & Pittsburgh with the trip beginning in Atlanta Friday evening, the final time they will be stepping foot in Turner Field since the Braves have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Max Scherzer (16-7, 2.78) will start for the Nats while the Braves scheduled starter is John Gant (1-3, 4.40). Game time 7:35. Mets will return home to Queens since the US Open is over and will start their final home stand of the season a 10 game homestand against the Twins, Phillies & Braves with 3 against the AL worst Twins on Friday evening.
Rendon 2 run single in the 1st put them up 2-0, Turner homered in the 2nd and Murphy added a RBI double to put them up 5-0 after 2. Tyler Flowers single (2nd) and sac fly (6th) got the Braves first 2 runs before a Murph sac fly in the 7th and a Werth 9th inning single added the final 2 runs. Scherzer (17-7) allowed 2 runs on 7 hits over 7 innings with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts. John Gant (1-4) allowed 5 runs on 6 hits (1 homer) with 3 walks and 0 strikeouts in just 1.2 innings.
Game 2 goes on Saturday afternoon. Gio Gonzalez (11-9, 4.27) starts for the Nats while ex-D'Back Josh Collmenter (1-0, 4.84) starts for the Braves. Game time at 1:05. If the listed attendance was only 33,618 for Friday (and it looked like there were barely more than 10,000 actually there) I can't imagine there will be many people there on a Saturday afternoon when football is on, and we know football is king down there. Probably still plenty of good seats available for the 1 PM game.
Turner lead off the game with a home run, and Nick Markaikis singled in the bottom half to tie it. Braves took the lead for good with a Freddie Freeman single in the 3rd, and Markaikis added the 3rd run on a double play grounder. Turner's second home run in the 5th got the Nats back to within 1 at 3-2, but the Braves would put it away with a 3 run 6th started with another Markaikis RBI single, ended with a Gordon Beckham bases loaded walk, and in between an Anthony Recker RBI single. Werth got an RBI groundout in the top of the 7th and Recker added the final run of the game with his second RBI single of the afternoon. Gio (11-10) allowed 6 runs on 9 hits with 0 walks and 7 strikeouts in 4.1. Josh Collmenter (2-0) allowed 2 runs on 4 hits (2 homers) with 3 walks and 8 strikeouts in 5 innings.
The final game of the season series and the Nats final game at Turner Field takes place on Sunday afternoon. Matt Wisler (6-12, 5.00) takes the ball for the Braves while Joe Ross (7-4, 3.49) comes off the DL to make his first start since July 2. Game time at 1:35. According to Dave Jaegler and Charlie Slowes on Nats radio, it sounds like Ross will be limited to about 3 innings of work. That's what's good about being in the spot they are in: not gonna get caught by the Mets, not going to catch the Cubs, and probably not gonna get caught by the Dodgers for the 2nd home field spot in the first round, so for the final 14 games they can experiment with some stuff and see what works and what doesn't work, and not suffer the consequences like the Mets, Cards or Giants will if something they experiment with blows up in their faces.
Jace Peterson single in the 2nd put the Braves up 1-0, and Dansby Swanson & Adonis Garcia added RBI hits in the 4th for a 3-0 lead. Werth doubled in the 6th just before the first rain delay and Harper singled just after the first rain delay for the only 2 Nats RBI's for the day. Garcia (single) and a Freddie Freeman double added the final 2 runs for the games. The rains came again in the 7th and after an almost 2 hour rain delay, approaching 7:30 PM and after a downpour ruined the uncovered infield (they had taken the tarp off before then but hadn't resumed for whatever reason) they finally decided to call the rain shortened game. Matt Wisler (7-12) allowed 2 runs on 5 hits with 0 walks and 2 strikeouts in 5.2 with Chaz Roe (1st hold) striking out Wilson Ramos on 3 pitches to end the 6th for the only batter he faced. Ross (7-5) allowed 1 run on 6 hits with 0 walks and 5 strikeouts in 3 innings.
Nats will visit Marlins park for the final time in 2016 when they open a 3 game series in Miami which begins on Monday. Wei-Yin Chen (5-4, 4.99) the Marlins big free agent disaster comes off the DL to start for the first time since July 20 and he'll be opposed by A.J. Cole (1-2, 4.71) who starts for the Nats. Game time at 7:10. Braves begin their final road trip of the season and they'll start that by playing 3 games in Queens against the Mets which starts Monday evening.
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in the first off of Rafel Montero to take the lead for good, first by Harper, second by Ramos. Yet despite walking 3 batters in the first, including those 2 bases loaded walks, and having about 60 pitchers with the expanded rosters in September, Collins lets Montero bat in the 2nd in a 2-1 game with runners on first & second and sends him back out there to begin the Nats 2nd where Mat Latos would precede to homer into the left-field bullpen for a 3-1 lead and Rendon would add a 3 run homer later in the inning to put a bow on both the game & Montero's evening. The Nats would add the final 2 runs in the 4th on singles by Ramos & Zimmerman. Montero (0-1) lasted only 1 2/3 allowing 6 runs on 5 hits (2 homers) with 4 walks and 2 strikeouts. Latos only lasted 4 1/3 as he left with a hamstring injury after allowing 1 run on 3 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. Lopez (3-3) ended up getting the win pitching 3 innings on hitless relief with 2 walks and 0 strikeouts.
by the Padres and the Cardinals lost 2 of 3 to the Cubs, and since the Giants & Cardinals start a series this weekend the Mets are in the drivers seat. Jesus, does ANYONE want the 2nd Wildcard since I assume the Mets will end up getting the 1st Wildcard?? Robert Gsellman allowed 5 hits in 5.2 scoreless innings with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts with Fernando Salas (0-1 [3-7 overall with the Angels]) taking the loss allowing 1 run on 1 hit (Ramos home run) with 0 walks and 2 strike outs in 2 innings of relief. Roark (15-8) allowed 3 hits over 7 scoreless with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts, Treinen (19th hold) pitched a 1-2-3 8th with 2 strikeouts, and Melancon (12th save [42nd overall]) pitched a 1-2-3 9th. Roark, Treinen & Melancon retired the final 10 Mets that came to the plate.