Beltway Baseball: Better to play the Braves or Cardinals?
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Thu, 4 Oct 2012|
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CSN Washington dot com. In the national through. The number one seed with the best record in baseball owner going to be kind of Guinea pigs if you will of the new playoff format they're gonna play either. The Atlanta Braves or the St. Louis Cardinals while we start with the Braves they're division -- that the team that. Got hot late one of the hottest teams in baseball but the nationals were able to secure the division in all that. How they match up against the Braves -- -- I -- they -- -- playoff series but things. Chris Evans become the hottest pitcher in baseball. And correct him on it's closer at least in the National League we've seen how hot it's closer -- help teams win it. In recent no absolutely I mean it's an action thing because you write the nationals won the course of the season. But in September the last series and I went down Atlantic got swept in a series that. That opportunity to kind of give knock -- punch at that point instead of the great -- back into -- force this thing go right down to the final week. The good thing and that -- perspectives -- mandolin is gonna start. The wild card game and -- wouldn't be available until game three of the NL yes you're going to be facing Hudson Hudson. Somebody else into Victoria project. To -- so that helps their cause but you point out creek timber. Who by far the most dominant closer in baseball this year you could throw in guy enters having good care of clarity and it. That bullpen if you get to seventh eighth inning you're trailing it is so hard to come back against it shortens the game. And that to me -- -- nationals -- my biggest concern you have to get out to a lead against them and not count on me I'm from behind it to a lot of teams this year. Race of the toughest team in baseball did that against. Right and they they were a good team last year but now there a year older Chipper Jones is a year older but also with Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman. That lineup is maybe I think it might be the second deepest next in the national yeah I mean there's a lot of. Under there you can come Brian -- in the mix see Dan Uggla ever reason always seem to terrorize. -- nationals. But it's very left handed. Aside from Uggla. And that's that's an interesting matchup possibilities -- stadium -- hit lefties or both starters and relievers and even admitted. And how things work out he would consider John Lannan. In the rotation for series against the Greeks maybe in place to Edwin Jackson because of the lefty right thing and because land. Percent success against. That's a penalty time. Now the other possibility that I mentioned as the St. Louis Cardinals who was another team that got hotly. And the nationals actually faced recently and it wasn't pretty Bryant Jordan Zimmermann pitched well but they had some some other problems there. How do you think they match up against the team that has really really gotten hot yet. And has the experience of winning the World Series last year -- -- -- -- on a similar kind of late season run lead and went on yeah that's the team might be scared because of experience. Because. The way they're playing at the end of the season and the one thing and the Cardinals don't have pitching depth in the rotation and actually -- -- In the best -- here he's gonna hit the wild card games you can be facing Adam Wainwright. Does not seem absolutely right right Chris Carpenter just coming back from injury he's not the same guy we don't know what his status is going to be. And I'm not blistered the back of the cardinals' bullpen is quite. And it's tough to deal with especially you know have really dominant left. Which I think plays in the national tennis harper and the -- in particular. So I think that part of the matchup goes well but the fact they just played him you know guys who. Maybe X-Factor for some versatility makes room in the postseason bullpen. Well against a lot of other teams they never saw him in -- it out of the Cardinals got a good look at Wright because he was called up in September in the song. So those kind of things a little X factors that. I think maybe not played in practice all that. CSN Washington dot com.
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Beltway Baseball: Why Strasburg will be just fineCSN Washington dot com. Are welcomed the beltway baseball here on CSN Washington dot com on chase Hughes and mark Zuckerman. And mark we've been through a month and a few weeks or overly down here. And the nationals as a team having kinda inconsistent but one thing that is really travelling fans and people around league starting to notice is it consistency of Stephen Strasburg. The numbers aren't that far off from what we've seen but it anyone who's watched him over the last few years and tell maybe there's something something a little bit off he's having trouble finding the strike zone. What do you make of the situation and do you think it is that they concern yeah I mean the thing is like you said the numbers don't look. It that far off feeds the pitching. for big league pitcher but he set such a high bar for so we've come to expect so much. Patted him it just doesn't quite look like what you expected the biggest thing is fastball command. You know he's not. Throwing strikes getting ahead in the count. The way it did it was so amazing about him as a rookie when he came back originally from the Tommy John surgery was the fact that. He could be a power pitcher while still having excellent coming that deadly combination. Just not quite there yet. Curve balls still excellent still excellent. I think you're seeing signs of improvement I think he's getting there but he still working on to think that it's mechanical mostly. And they they seem to determine and it's not physical it's mormons and you can see it on the on the field he's the body language that. He's impatient he gets frustrates easily and this just a matter of him being such a perfectionist. He's not used to not being great. He's used to being great not just good right exactly and I think that's that next step and take if he's really gonna become an ace of the World Series contender. It's about hey it doesn't matter what happens behind him Doesn't matter what run support I the umpire and I'm gonna go out I'm gonna beat no matter We're seeing there and do that right now I think it's time for Strasburg if he really wants to become an elite. Top. The line pitcher. That's what he needs you now quickly another guy who's had trouble as you can also I think might be a little bit more of a concern is his command has been quite there. I think it's curve ball isn't quite as sharp as it was last year this is something that might he might work out the kinks out. But he has been pride stuff yeah I mean an more erratic certainly had some fantastic start and that's really troubling ones I think his last start Pittsburgh may have been a turning point for them. Got a huge jam in the first inning lead off home runs very first pitch then he loads the bases. Nobody out. Battle back and get out six straight after that I can almost see a little something clicked inside and minutes that. Maybe this you Ozzie admitted afterwards and younger version him would have melted there. Let it spiral out control. That might be assigned an comes back next time that made it a big turning point mark let's talk about the catching situation we're moving through May and so far Davey has. Rotated kind of alternated and depending on the edge depending on the he said that at some he's gonna have to make a decision we saw over the weekend go back to back with Ramos. At some point. Maybe you and you think we're gonna see him go with the primary catcher I think so maybe not a true number one in the and a guy you know catching you know once or twice a week and I think he does. Number one wanna play the hot hand whoever it is. I think he hopes its problems he understands that everyone understands. That Wilson Ramos has higher ceilings and Kurt Suzuki put the whole package together offensively defensively he can do more so I think you're gonna start to see that. It Suzuki gets hot they'll play obviously. I think the preference be for to ultimately take over. I went into the numbers last week how the pitching staff has done with Suzuki and For some reason everybody but you done way better with over the past few seasons in their career ERA is. Are better with him in their career marks I don't I don't know I can't tell you why that is but that's the case yeah and I the pictures all insist they'll have both guys I don't know if there even where it. Yzerman tops they had success with Suzuki and it's amazing stats that would certainly something overtime that you have to look him. Now as we're getting close to the middle of may what we take stock with the division first the Braves came out really hot out of the gate. It was it was really at the point were you thinking all right who's gonna slow him down or what's gonna slow them down they didn't seem to have a weakness whatsoever. The nationals. Meanwhile your 500. But as they're starting to get things going they're not that far behind it could be much worse at this point oh absolutely mean if the nationals. Figure that April was their worst month but that's as bad against them they're going to be all right because they hover around 500. And the rays came back to earth and what's it was gonna happen next maybe not. To this extent you're surprised by that we're gonna play 900 ball. All right I think it was twelve and when you start here to me what's interesting is all of a sudden they're closer Craig Kimbrel. Most dominant closer in baseball last year and the first month this year he's blown three saves in days yeah giving up home runs. That's. Staggered problem right there I mean who knows just a blip. Or something long term about but also without Johnny Panthers won their top. Setup men and PG beaches and come back and just came back Heyward been out for a while there. BJ Upton knocked off to a good start the play and they got a lot of weapons are they're going to be good. Long term but they may not be quite easily as we and BJ Upton has been really bad and having having gas was really early on but. he's not looking like the next Mike Capps at this point about one thing I think it's interesting as the two best guys I think in their offense have to look at the numbers today. They've been Justin Upton and Chris Johnson who of course were with the team much yeah exactly they talk on all the offseason moves it made it mentioned Johnson as much damage in the Upton Brothers that night do you think getting Freddie Freeman back to deal with me that isn't fantastic all around first baseman. The Braves are going to be fine long term this can make good race really do believe that. CSN Washington dot com.
