Well you know that Fish thrive in water. But did they really have to score 11 on one of our feel-good stories, local kid Mike O'Connor? Did Andrew Miller, Taylor Tankersley and Matt Lindstrom really have to hold us to 3 hits tonight?
We were apparently spoiled by a pseudo-streak against the Cubs, Braves and Pirates so much that many of us actually expected results against the Marlins. All I've got to say: watching the last two games seriously sucked. The only good things tonight: Rauch had 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 K. Lopez was 2/4. That's it...seriously. At least in last night's 7-3 loss, we saw 3 multi-hit games (Guzman, Johnson, Milledge), an extra base hit (Guzman's double) and 3 shutout innings by Matt Chico and Joel Hanrahan.
Let's just hope this doesn't give anyone a reason to throw Matt Chico back into the rotation. Give Bergmann another shot. Give Balester a shot. Please get rid of one of these lefties who can't pitch! Convert them into LOOGYs or something.
UPDATE-MAY 11, 7:40 PM
It appears my wish came true, with Mark Zuckerman of the Washington Times (via Capitol Punishment) reporting that O'Connor is being sent down and Chris Schroder will be recalled in his place. Zuckerman also notes that the move may be temporary, as O'Connor's rotation spot needs to be filled. It all depends on whether or not the team is willing to throw Matt Chico back into the rotation already or if they'll instead call upon Jason Bergmann or one of the pitching prospects such as Balester, Mock, etc.
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Who needs a LOOGY anyhow? If Chico can give a couple innings every night or two or three, let's take advantage of the opportunity to have an honest left-handed reliever who can actually provide relief.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not convinced that Chico can actually provide relief. I don't see his pitching being much better than that of Ray King. Only time will tell, I guess, but I think Chico does need some time in AAA.
ReplyDeleteYou may have a point there. I just don't think Chico's as bad as his starting record would indicate, though I could be wrong (and we'll surely find out soon enough).
ReplyDeleteWhatever the case, please let's not go trolling for the next incarnation of Ray King or Joey Eischen. The seemingly irresistable urge to twist pitchers into specialists -- either LOOGYs or one-inning closers -- is one of the legacies that will mar the present era in the eyes of future historians.
That's true, he doesn't need to be a LOOGY...was just naming off options I guess. I do think that Chico needs seasoning in AAA and that the Nats would benefit greatly by calling up a guy like Balester or Bergmann, since both seem to have their heads on straight in AAA.
ReplyDeleteOne good thing though...if you look at Matt Chico on Baseball Reference (http://tinyurl.com/55j7co), one of his top age comparables is Al Leiter. I say send him to AAA and let him regain his confidence, because there really isn't another guy with options who deserves to be sent down (I'd say give O'Connor the benefit of the doubt in the bullpen for a while, since Chico has had more opportunities so far).
Talking of Al Leiter, did you see the article by Clay Davenport in this year's Baseball Prospectus book, entitled "Enlightening Strikes"?
ReplyDeleteIt starts with a quote by Leiter: "There's a baseball adage that says strike one is your most important pitch. Of course that's true."
Davenport then proceeds to take that assumption all to shreds. So much for what I thought I knew about that subject.
Hmm, I never saw that. I'd be interested to see that because thats something I always believed in too. I'll look it up.
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