Ian Desmond | PhatzNewsRoom.com News Room and Blog

Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

August 15, 2012 By Admin

Strasburg 2 Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

The Washington Nationals have seen years of drafting and cultivating their farm system come to fruition with the rewarding 2012 season they’re currently enjoying. Analysts expected the Nationals to be good enough to make their first trip to the post season since their inception, but no one was predicting that as of mid August that they’d be boasting the league’s best record. They stand at 72-44 and have been won nine out of their last ten games, leading the league in ERA at 3.20 and getting an all around full team effort from start to bottom. So, let’s give the Nats a round of applause, but why doing so I’m tempted to ask are the Nationals truly the best team in the majors are they good by ‘national league standards’?

Let me explain in-depth, the National League has always been somewhat of the plain-looking twin sister compared to the sexy American League. The AL has on average always had the best hitters, sexier teams and there’s a DH–it’s a win, win, win. The National has always gotten the stigma of being ‘weird’ because they’re the only league in the world that doesn’t enact the DH, pitchers come up and bunt with jackets on or get pinch hit around…it’s strange. Also, there’s always been the reputation NL pitchers have of not being any good when traded to American League pitchers, as they’re thought to not being able to have the ability to contain all that prime hitting that the NL so dearly lacks. Yes, the NL isn’t for the faint of heart, but it remains a constant symbol of status quo for baseball purists everywhere. But with all that said, are the Washington Nationals only good by NL standards, and the test for their true greatness won’t come until they duel against an American League team?

Let’s look what happened during interleague play in the past and focus solely on what may happen during the post season if the Nationals end up going to the world series. Naturally teams like the Yankees and Rangers pose as immediate threats to them just from their sheer hitting alone, but then again the Nationals are sporting the best pitching rotation in the majors. Jordan Zimmerman has an ERA under 2 in his last ten starts, Ross Detwiler the team’s 5th starter has an ERA 2.99–and I’ll hold off on mentioning the ace like performance of Stephen Strasburg whose participation in the post season is still in doubt. But, let’s not give all the love to the pitching staff the Nationals have some hitting, which may not be as brag worthy as their pitching it’s effective when needed. Ryan Zimmerman has been the anchor of consistency and reliability on the squad with a .282 batting average and 66 RBI total so far. The return of all-star Ian Desmond is also going to be a welcoming sight as he has missed about three weeks with an oblique strain. The performance of Jayson Werth whose been injured the major of the season is another thing the Nationals will be relying on to edge out opponents, especially if Strasburg is straddling the bench.

While we should all tip our caps to the Nationals for finally pushing through to the realms of relevancy and putting that young talent to work the jury still awaits to see if they’re National League slayers or all around world beaters capable of holding their own against the Yankees and other élite franchises. The Nationals are no doubt just in the genesis of what can be something special and the jumpstart the franchise needed to establish itself as a real threat for years to come. So I ask are they National League fool’s gold or are they something more special?

df3e567d6f16d040326c7a0ea29a4f41 Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

Be sure to check out other great articles at BlackSportsOnline.

Play Our Fantasy Game Today and Try Your Hand at Winning $250 for FREE

009b06f38695de0d0d383c24bf894a9e Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

1df4af0e6e8f900d91267ca68edfd555 Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

7f14bbf0b0c13fca3af83ff82c0b71ca Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

7c7d24e16ce9807a51c9caae4d336d4f Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

325472601571f31e1bf00674c368d335 Are the Washington Nationals Truly the Best Team in Baseball?

Share|

National League Potential Stars

July 25, 2012 By Admin

National League Potential Stars

NL East

Giancarlo Stanton- Just ask Alex on which list Stanton will end up after his career. He thinks that Giancarlo is destined to break Barry Bonds single season home run record (*). I don’t think so. But he is, and will continue to be a force for many years to come. The 22-year-old right fielder already has 75 round-trippers. His average seems to be creeping up to more respectable numbers, which shows he’s not just an all-or-nothing swinger. His 33 walks aren’t awful, either. He has even chipped in with 5 stolen bases. In such a big park, Stanton will still not have a problem finding the cheap seats.

Freddie Freeman- This young man, also 22, put up great numbers in his rookie campaign in 2011, with a .282 average, 21 home runs and 76 RBI’s. This season, he is on pace for similiar numbers. He’ll have to improve on his 74 punchouts, but he could be a top 5 first baseman of his time if he keeps this up. He can also do the splits.

Jordan Zimmerman- If it weren’t for a certain pitcher named Stephen, this young man would be the ace of the Nationals staff. He has incredible stuff, and the stats don’t lie. His ERA is 2.35 and he has amassed 84 strikeouts so far. He has grown up on a couple of bad Washington teams, but this year it seems the Nationals are putting it all together and going for the division (I still have the Braves winning the NL East, especially if they trade for Ryan Dempster).

Danny Espinosa- Espinosa is quickly becoming one of my favorite players. He has struggled to keep his batting average near respectable for most of the season, but he is violently making a push for the .275 range. 8 home runs and 30 RBI’s are definitely acceptable for a second baseman, although rumors say he will switch to his natural shortstop position while Ian Desmond is on the DL. Man, does he strike out way too much, though. He already has 103 K’s on the season. But he is still young and I think he will figure things out.

Jon Neise- This crafty lefty has had his ups and downs this season, but I like him moving forward. He has the ability to strike out hitters (102 in 117.2 IP) and his WHIP is a pretty good 1.17. He has given up 17 home runs so far, but he will learn how to approach hitters better with more experience. He will fit nicely in a future rotation of Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler.

NL Central

Starlin Castro- I have backed off of Castro a little bit because of his lack of focus, and making bad decisions. But the kid can do it all. His .282 average is a little down from what we have come to expect. He will be right around .300, over that if you ask me, when the season comes to an end. His 9 home runs show a lot of promise for future power numbers. He has also stolen 16 bases. He is the centerpiece of this future Cubs team, and a key to their success. Should be a top 10 shortstop of his time.

Castro should be a fixture on the North Side for years to come

Jose Tabata- I know his stats aren’t up to par, but I really like the potential of Tabata. He has been back and forth between Triple-A and the big club, and there is a lot of room to go. What I like most about this young outfielder is the fact that he doesn’t strike out much. He has only 43 strikeouts in 72 games. I think he will improve with the stick, and he definitely has great defense. I’m not worried about Tabata right now. He will be a very productive player for this scrappy Pirates bunch.

Jose Altuve- This 22-year-old will end his career with an average above .300. He is so physically gifted with hittin line drives and finding gaps. I don’t think he will ever hit for much power. He might hit a lot of doubles, but his home runs with never go above 12 or 13. He will always be a great stolen base condidate. And his defense is very solid. I see him as the lead off hitter for the Astros the next time they contend.

Mike Fiers- This 27-year-old got a little more seasoning in the minors before being called up late last year. However, in his first full season he has a 1.96 ERA. He has 58 strikeouts in just 59.2 IP. He has outpitched 2011 free agent signees Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcom so far this year. With Greinke rumored to possibly be on his way out of town, I like Friers to step in and do great things with this Milwaukee team that is struggling to find positives right now.

Aroldis Chapman- I know this is the “safe pick”, but I’m picking Chapman with his potential as a starter. The electric stuff is well-documented. We all check the radar gun in the stadium after each pitch. I get that. But I think if the Reds decided to stretch him out and make him a starter, it could pay huge dividends. With his 86 strikeouts in only 45.2 innings pitched, it’s obvious he is tough to hit of off. Why not let him take a few miles-per-hour off the fastball and pitch 6 or 7 innings every 5 days? He’ll still hit 96 or higher on the gun. And with his delivery and all his body parts flying everywhere, he could really throw some quality innings for a championship-caliber Reds squad.

Chapman has 86 strikeouts in 45.2 innings this year

NL West

Madison Baumgarner- With all the talk this offseason about Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, this 22-year-old lefty sort’ve fell through the cracks. I’ve been high on this guy ever since his call-up as a 20-year-old. He has everything you want in a pitcher: size, durability, and stuff. His sparkling 3.12 ERA backs me up here. He has the ability to get the strikeout when needed (112). And his 25 walks are very impressive, given most young lefties have trouble finding the zone. I think it’s safe to say that at his young age, he is a complete package for the pitch-happy Giants.

Paul Goldschmidt- Goldschmidt had incredible power numbers before his call-up, and he is definitely going to hit a lot of home runs in the big leagues. But his ability to hit for average (.297) is going to make him an even bigger asset for a Diamondbacks club that has plenty of pop in their order. This big guy already has 29 doubles and even 9 stolen bags to go along with his 13 HR and 46 RBI. He’s only 24, an will hit even more home runs when he adds weight to his 6’3″ frame.

Wade Miley- I’m staying in Phoenix, Arizona with this pick. He is my pick for NL Rookie of the Year so far. His 11 wins are tied for 11th (ironically) in the Majors. His 3.02 ERA is pretty solid on a team that I think will eventually win the NL West. The guy has 110 strikeouts this season. There aren’t many better lefties in the game than Miley already. He will only continue to mature and become a possible ace on a staff full of talent.

Dexter Fowler- As much as I wanted to go with Josh Rutledge, I don’t think he will be in the majors, with the Rockies at least, once star Troy Tulowiztki returns from injury. I have always liked Dexter Fowler’s defense. He has elite speed and he’s just a solid athlete at 6’4″, 190 lbs. He is finally starting to hit, and hit well. He sports a .301 average going into Tuesday night. His 12 home runs from a defenseive position are only icing on the cake. Fowler only has 8 steals, which is kind’ve disappointing. But overall, I love this guy going forward. He has the chance to be a top 5 centerfielder eventually.

Yasmani Grandal- Grandal came over to the Padres in the Mat Latos deal with Cincinatti. This guy can really swing the stick. He has a career .314 average in the minors. He got called up this year in San Diego and has continued to hit well (.299). I would like to think he would hit for more power than this (4 doubles, 5 home runs), but he is still only 23. I think he is up to the Majors to stay.

American League Potential Stars
Ross Parcel’s Archives

By: Ross Parcel

Be sure to check out other great articles at Mr Fantasy Freak.

Play Our Fantasy Game Today and Try Your Hand at Winning $250 for FREE

009b06f38695de0d0d383c24bf894a9e National League Potential Stars

1df4af0e6e8f900d91267ca68edfd555 National League Potential Stars

7f14bbf0b0c13fca3af83ff82c0b71ca National League Potential Stars

7c7d24e16ce9807a51c9caae4d336d4f National League Potential Stars

325472601571f31e1bf00674c368d335 National League Potential Stars

Share|

Bullpen Blows Another One as Mets Fall to Nationals 5-4.

July 18, 2012 By Admin

bobbyparnell Bullpen Blows Another One as Mets Fall to Nationals 5 4.

The Mets needed a big-time performance from Jon Niese tonight. They got that but found themselves on the wrong end of a pitchers duel for eight innings. Down 2-0 in the top of the ninth, Jordany Valdespin sent a Tyler Clippard pitch into the right-centerfield seats for a three-run homer to give the Mets a 3-2 lead.

Then the Met bullpen showed their true colors yet again.

Bobby Parnell came in to try and close things out in the bottom of the ninth. After retiring Ryan Zimmerman to lead off the inning, Parnell gave up a one-out single to Michael Morse. The next batter, Adam LaRoche singled up the middle on a hit-and-run which allowed pinch runner, Ian Desmond, to go first-to-third on the play. After Tyler Moore struck out, Danny Espinosa came to the plate as the National’s last hope. Espinosa’s RBI single plated Desmond, tying the game and procuring the blown save for Parnell.

The Mets were able to regain the lead in the top of the tenth off a Josh Thole RBI double but the bullpen let them down again in the bottom of the frame. Lefty Tim Byrdak came in to try and close things out. Jhonatan Solano led off the bottom half with a single and was promptly advanced 90-feet to second on a sacrifice bunt by Steve Lombardozzi. The next batter was Bryce Harper who promptly tripled to tie the game and secure yet another blown save for the Met bullpen. Following intentional walks to Zimmerman and Desmond to load the bases and an Adam LaRoche fielders choice, Pedro Beato relieved Byrdak. Beato threw a wild pitch past the catcher Thole, allowing Zimmerman to score from third to give the Nationals a 5-4 walkoff win.

The Mets wasted a strong outing by Jonathan Niese (7-4, 3.58 ERA). Niese pitched seven innings, giving up only one run on three hits with eight strikeouts. His only mistake was a solo shot given up to Tyler Moore in the bottom of the fifth.

Not to be outdone was Nationals starter Ross Detwiler (4-3, 3.15 ERA) who pitched seven innings of shutout ball. He scattered five hits and struck out four batters. Both Detwiler and Niese left with no decisions.

What’s Next

The Mets and Nats are right back at it tomorrow in Washington. Chris Young (2-3, 4.28 ERA) goes for the Mets. Jordan Zimmerman (6-6, 2.48 ERA) takes the hill for Washington. First pitch is set for 7:05.

Post Game Notes

Jason Bay went 0-3 in his return from the disabled list.
Bobby Parnell blew his second consecutive save since taking over the closer’s job for the injured Frank Francisco.
The Mets have now lost five games in a row.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Sports Media 101.

Play Our Fantasy Game Today and Try Your Hand at Winning $250 for FREE

009b06f38695de0d0d383c24bf894a9e Bullpen Blows Another One as Mets Fall to Nationals 5 4.

1df4af0e6e8f900d91267ca68edfd555 Bullpen Blows Another One as Mets Fall to Nationals 5 4.

7f14bbf0b0c13fca3af83ff82c0b71ca Bullpen Blows Another One as Mets Fall to Nationals 5 4.

7c7d24e16ce9807a51c9caae4d336d4f Bullpen Blows Another One as Mets Fall to Nationals 5 4.

325472601571f31e1bf00674c368d335 Bullpen Blows Another One as Mets Fall to Nationals 5 4.

Share|

Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals Lead Slew of First Half Surprises

July 13, 2012 By Admin

mccutchen 4 Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals Lead Slew of First Half Surprises

Well well well, who woulda thunk it. It’s the All-Star break, the Pirates and Nationals are in first place, the Phillies in last, the Orioles are actually in contention, and “The Freak” is pitching like, well…a freak. These are among the leading surprises as we take stock of the first half, causing us to ask, “What’s going on here?” After all, this is baseball, where most teams perform pretty much the same, year in and year out. Not this season.

Let’s start in the nation’s capital, where the Nats have never even had a winning record since moving there from Montreal in 2005. Not only are they in first place, but their impressive 49-34 mark is the best in the NL, and one of the best in baseball. And that’s without one of their best hitters, Jayson Werth, out since May, and their closer Drew Storen, who has yet to play this season. This from a team that last finished with a winning record in 2003, when they were the Montreal Expos. With some of the brightest young stars in the game like Ian Desmond, Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, and Bryce Harper, the future looks more than promising for the Nats.

Then there’s the Pittsburgh Pirates. See photo for the last time this team actually made the playoffs. Ok, it hasn’t been quite that long, but still, this team has not even had a winning record for 20 years. Yes, that’s right, 20 years. In fact, in all those years they only even came close once, when they finished four games under in 1997. You have to go back to 1992 to find their last winning season and playoff berth. This is apparently the longest consecutive losing- seasons streak of any pro team in any sport. Not only that, but they haven’t won a postseason series since winning the 1979 World Series. Anyone remember Sister Sledge and “We Are Family?” Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, and Kent Tekulve? You say you weren’t even born yet? Oh. Never mind. You get the point. These guys are in first place about as often as our nation’s economy is in the black. Could this be the year the Bucs finally pull out at least a winning season? At 48-37, they have a great shot at it, if they can find a way to avoid a repeat of last season’s second half collapse.

Speaking of the 1979 World Series, the Orioles are the team the Bucs beat, and they haven’t fared much better than the Pirates since then. The O’s currently stand at 45-40, good for second place in the tough AL East. Why is that surprising? Understand that these guys went 69-93 last season, have not had a winning season since 1997, and have not even so much as won 70 games in a season since 2006. At seven games out of first, can they give the Yanks a run for their money in the second half?

So what’s going on in Philadelphia? The Phillies in last place at a miserable 37-50? They come limping in with their worst record at the break since a 24-61 mark in 1997. True, the injury bug has not stayed away, as Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Roy Halladay have all been stung by it, but lack of production seems to be an even bigger culprit. Jimmy Rollins is hitting just .256, Shane Victorino .245, and John Mayberry .232. And Cliff Lee, 1-5 with a 3.98 ERA? Huh? All is not well in Philly-Town. Can they right the ship in the second half?

Finally, that brings us to “The Freak,” Giants‘ ace Tim Lincecum. You know, the four -time All-Star and two-time Cy Young Award winner, the guy with long hair and a career 72-51 record, 3.27 ERA. The guy who is currently 3-10, 6.42. Could it be his freaky clone? Is the real Tim Lincecum kicking back on a beach somewhere in Tahiti sipping Pina Coladas? Maybe he figures the Giants are doing well enough without him. At only a half game behind the first-place Dodgers, where would the Giants be with a strong “Freak?”

Well baseball fans, we still have a long second half to look forward to, let the races begin!

Be sure to check out other great articles at Sports Media 101.

Play Our Fantasy Game Today and Try Your Hand at Winning $250 for FREE