The Nats Implode again as the Bullpen Stages an Epic Collapse

It was armed forces day yesterday

I have seen this happen in the last two games that I've gone to.

Saturday the Nats were up 3-1 against the Rangers. Top of the 9th comes along and Texas scores two runs. The game goes into extra innings. Top of the 11th a three run home run. The Nats lose.

The bullpen let the team down. However, there are a couple of things to point out. The Nats loaded bases early in the game and failed to score a run. Bring in one of those runs and the Nats win. In the 10th the Nats get a double from Stephen Drew. There are no outs and they can only advance him to third. Get Drew in and the Nats win.

As bad as that was last night was even worse. It's 9-6 top of the 8th against the Braves (a team that I can't stand). The Nats give up a home run and another run scores as well (all but one of the Braves runs came off of home runs in fact one guy got two of them bringing in four runs.

One of the better moments of the night, Harper hits a home run

Ok don't panic. It's 9-8. All you need is three outs. That's all. Just three outs. Or you can give up a three run homer. The Nats get one on the bottom of the 9th but that's all she wrote.

From the Post:

[Matt]Albers escaped a two-out, two-on jam with a one-run lead in the eighth inning but labored when he returned for the ninth. The right-hander, who entered averaging 1.4 walks per nine innings, walked Nick Markakis to start the inning after getting ahead in the count 0-2. Two batters later, after striking out Matt Kemp, he walked Matt Adams. That coaxed pitching coach Mike Maddux for a chat before Tyler Flowers, who was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, stepped to the plate. Albers then fell behind 2-0 and Flowers smacked the third pitch into the Nationals’ bullpen for a go-ahead three-run home run, which held up to give the Nationals their fourth straight loss.

It was lose that was so completely preventable. It gives one pause going forward as to what the Nats will be able to do. The only saving grace is the other teams in the division (for right now at least) are all terrible but that could change.

Teddy helps with a promotion for Delta

A story from the post entitled: ‘We need some help’: Bullpen deficiencies continue to vex Nationals had this to say about the bullpen:

Certainly, pitchers such as Shawn Kelley, Joe Blanton, and Blake Treinen will continue to get chances. All are on guaranteed contracts. Their resumes suggest they will improve. But Baker does not have to use them in key situations if more tenured pitchers look better. Glover will probably get the closer’s job back when he returns from injury, having looked the best of anyone the Nationals tried there. But outside of that ninth inning, everything else feels up for grabs, an uncertainty the Nationals can afford, for now, in a division as weak as theirs, with a lead as big as theirs, at least statistically.

What they may not be able to afford is much more of the mental strain.

Here's hoping for a better result today.