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Game 88: Parra Error Leads to Another Bad Lester Start Jul 11, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost 10-4 to the Giants for their third consecutive defeat. Al & Tim first off salute Joe Ross' father, Dr. Willie Ross, for assisting a choking woman at Oracle Park during the game by performing the heimlich maneuver. As for Baseball matters, Yan Gomes was placed on the IL due to an oblique strain, as the "Injury Rat" continues to rip it's way through the Washington clubhouse.

(8:53) Jon Lester got shelled in another start as he didn't make it out of the 3rd inning. Is this his final time donning a Nationals uniform? Can the team continue to use him in the rotation?

(20:01) For the 2nd time this summer, the Nationals offense was flummoxed by Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani. However, Alcides Escobar had 2 hits Saturday and is hitting .314 in the past week. What will his role be in the 2nd Half of the season?

(23:36) Max Scherzer was named to the All Star Game, giving the Nats four All Stars. Will he get the nod to start on Tuesday?

(31:02) A listener email asking whether the Nationals will be buyers or sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.

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Game 87: Parra Tagged Out Twice at the Plate in Frustrating Loss Jul 10, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost 5-3 in the series opener in San Francisco. Mark relays to Al his experience of listening to the game on the radio while driving up north for the All Star Break. As for the game, Gerardo Parra had a RBI double, but the rest of his evening did not go well. He was tagged out twice at home and hit into a double play with the bases loaded. Who's to blame? Baby Shark or Bobby Henley, the third base coach?

(14:10) Yan Gomes exited the game early due to a pinch in his oblique. Tres Barrera stepped up in his absence, as he tripled for his first career extra base hit. Will the Nationals need to call up a catcher for the final two games of the series to fill in as the backup catcher?

(19:31) Paolo Espino had a short outing and picked up the "no decision" as he exited when the game was tied. It was his second time facing the Giants and they hit him harder this time around.

(24:30) The bullpen yet again was taxed and multiple relievers had to be used. Will Jon Lester be able to step up on Saturday and eat up some innings?

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Game 86: Nats Blow Eight Run Lead in Gut Punch Defeat Jul 09, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost 9-8 in San Diego despite leading 8-0 early in the game. Al & Mark open the podcast with the stunning collapse by Max Scherzer in the 4th inning and the curious decision to pitch Sam Clay the bottom of the 9th. Why did Scherzer look so good to start and then immediately fall apart in the 4th?

(18:45) What makes the loss sting even more is that the offense came out on fire for another game in this series. Trea Turner went deep twice and is already close to a career high for homers in a single season.

(26:36) Victor Robles caught two more web-gems on Thursday night to continually rob Jake Cronenworth. His offense has maybe taken a step back, but he remains Gold Glove caliber.

(29:03) Joe Ross was placed on the 10 day due to elbow inflammation. What does that mean for the rotation this weekend in San Francisco?

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Game 85: Soto HR Sets the Tone in Rout Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

The Nats pounded the Padres 15-5 after Juan Soto hit a 3 run HR in the 1st inning. Mark & Al salute the offense, which had many contributors on Wednesday night.

(7:08) Juan Soto will be participating in the Home Run Derby next week, as quasi predicted by Mark a few episodes ago. However, he will have to face Shohei Ohtani in Round One at Coors Field.

(12:31) Josh Harrison had another big game this series as he notched a trio of hits. Plus, will Josh Bell play some outfield while Kyle Schwarber is out with injury?

(21:05) Patrick Corbin earned the win and a had a quality start. It was however a bit of an adventure to get through the six innings. Will he turn things around after the All Star Break?

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Game 84: Fedde Returns But Takes the Loss Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost 7-4 in San Diego as Erick Fedde returned from the IL. Al & Mark assess the current state of the rotation with Fedde's return. Who will be the odd man out between Jon Lester & Paolo Espino?

(8:47) Analysis of Fedde's start after missing nearly two weeks due to an oblique injury. Should he have had a rehab start before taking the mound for Washington?

(14:15) The Nationals flashed plenty of leather Tuesday night, especially Trea Turner & Victor Robles. Defensively on the other side, Fernando Tatis Jr. had an awe inducing throw to the plate to nail Starlin Castro. Should Bobby Henley have sent him?

(22:02) Juan Soto hit his 10th homer of the season and all but one of have come on the road. Any reason for that or is it just a quirk?

(26:13) We close with a listener email asking if Victor Robles's offensive development was stunted by not spending more time in the minors.

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Game 83: Turner Homers in Return & Bullpen Gets the Job Done Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

The Nats won 7-5 in San Diego to snap their four game losing streak. Mark & Al stayed up late to catch you up on what happened out West. Trea Turner had an immediate impact as he homered on the first pitch he saw after missing the entire Dodgers series due to a jammed finger.

(6:30) Josh Bell had monster evening at the plate as he had three hits, including a late go-ahead homer. Mark points out how strong Bell's offensive numbers have been since mid May.

(9:32) Alcides Escobar, filling in at second base, was a major contributor as he had three hits and 2 RBIs. What do the hosts think of him in the leadoff spot?

(16:26) The bullpen did a masterful job as they pitched almost six innings of shutout baseball against a powerful lineup. Jon Lester however did not perform as well, as he exited in the bottom of the 4th. Is Lester's spot in the rotation on the line if he continues to have subpar starts?

(26:03) Washington has not yet announced who will start on Tuesday as Patrick Corbin and Max Scherzer each had their next starts pushed back a day. Who will take the mound for Game 2 of this series?

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Game 82: Injury Riddled Roster Swept by the Dodgers + All Stars Announced Jul 05, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost on July 4th to the Dodgers 5-1 for a fourth straight defeat to end the homestand. Mark & Al digest all the obstacles that the Nationals had to fight through while facing the defending World Series Champs. Should Trea Turner have been placed on the IL to create a roster spot off the bench?

(14:23) Juan Soto showed more frustration after a late at bat on Sunday as he hit .250 in the series. Mark has an offbeat idea to maybe turn around Soto's 2nd half of the season.

(22:32) Joe Ross had an electric start on Sunday in the opening innings, but was given no help from his offense. Ross has 40 strikeouts to just 4 walks issued in recent outings, showing how impressive he has been as of late.

(31:44) Washington had three players named to the All Star team, but the biggest surprise was who wasn't placed on the roster. Will Max Scherzer end up being named one at some point in the next week?

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Game 81: Electric Night Turns into a Whimper After Loss & Cancellation of Fireworks Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost 5-3 to the Dodgers for their third straight defeat despite a sellout crowd. Al & Mark begin with the growing list of injury updates. Kyle Schwarber has officially been sent to the IL and so has Alex Avila after playing the infield on Thursday. How much can their depth be continually tested, especially as Trea Turner remains out of the lineup?

(9:38) Al was near apoplectic after seeing Jon Lester pinch hit for a second straight game. Why three games into the series does Washington still have a short bench?

(15:49) A recap of the offense, including Yan Gomes' HR, Juan Soto hitting into another double play, and a rough evening for Victor Robles.

(22:39) Paolo Espino's outing ended once the rain arrived, but it was not his best. What led to a rather uncharacteristic amount of walks for Espino? Who "won" the duel between "The Secret Weapon" and Clayton Kershaw?

(26:30) Nationals fans were dealt a slew of bad hands on Saturday night. Many local viewers missed portions of the game on TV and the fans in attendance did not get their customary holiday fireworks. What are the explanations?

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Game 80: Schwarber Injured & Bullpen Collapses in the 7th Jul 03, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost 10-5 at home to the Dodgers on an evening filled with negatives. Al & Mark run through them all, headlined by Kyle Schwarber leaving the game in the 2nd inning with an apparent hamstring injury. Schwarber's reaction leads one to believe it might be serious.

(7:51) Max Scherzer pitched well and handed the bullpen a 3-1 lead after six innings. Should he have tried to pitch the 7th considering the current state of the 'pen?

(16:33) The bullpen coughed up the lead and allowed NINE RUNS in the top of the 7th. This leads to Al wondering if Brad Hand should have come in to replace Sam Clay as opposed to Austin Voth.

(23:57) The Nationals called up Humberto Arteaga from AAA to play SS as Trea Turner remains out of the lineup due to his injured finger. Mark explains how and why Arteaga was the choice and why he maybe wasn't called up on Thursday.

(36:49) We read a listener submitted email about if the Nationals will have their own versions of "Bobby Bonilla Day" with the big money deferred contracts owed to Max Scherzer & Stephen Strasburg.

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Game 79: Muncy Grand Slam The Difference in Rain Shortened Affair Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

The Nats lost to the Dodgers 6-2 in a five inning game that was called early due to inclement weather in D.C. Al & Mark look at the positives associated with the back half of the game not being played, considering all the circumstances in play. Given the incoming weather situation, should Brad Hand have pitched the top of the fifth?

(5:44) Due to an incredible rash of injuries, Alex Avila had to start at second base. Mark explains all the dominoes that fell in order for the backup catcher to play the infield on Thursday night.

(17:57) The Dodgers used an opener to combat Kyle Schwarber with a lefty in the first inning. What do the hosts think about the unconventional move? This lead to a conversation on Patrick Corbin, who's subpar 2021 season added a new chapter. The fifth inning was a disaster as a 2-1 Washington lead quickly turned into a four run deficit.

(27:20) An update on Daniel Hudson and Kyle Finnegan on when they might return to the active roster. The guys close the show with a look at the All Star landscape as Juan Soto was not voted in as a starter.

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