District Daily: Nats’ TV Ratings Down, Tyler Clippard Pumped for ASG
By Kenny DeJohn
Jun 5, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Tyler Clippard (36) throws in game against Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: H.Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports
Enjoyed watching Yoenis Cespedes demolish baseballs into the Minnesota night? So did we. The Nationals also made some headlines on Monday night, though, and you can check them out below.
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Nationals TV ratings down 34 percent
(Dan Steinberg, the Washington Post)
The 2013 Nats started off slowly, underachieved for most of the season, never really contended for a playoff berth and fell far short of 2012′s happiness and joy.
The 2014 Nats have been flirting with first place for weeks and enter the all-star break tied for first in the division, within a game of the NL’s best mark and with the best run differential in the National League.
And yet the team’s local television ratings are down, substantially. According to SportsBusiness Journal’s annual July assessment of local TV ratings for baseball’s 29 U.S. franchises, Nationals ratings in the D.C. television market on MASN/MASN2 and WDCW WUSA are averaging a 1.90 rating, which is down 34 percent from the same point last season. That’s the third-biggest drop in baseball, behind just the Dodgers — who are struggling with distribution on their new regional network — and the last-place Rangers. Read full article here.
Clippard excited to be in Jeter’s final All-Star Game
MINNEAPOLIS — Tyler Clippard had planned to spend his All-Star break at home in Florida, playing golf and soaking up some rays on the beach. Instead, the Nationals reliever will enjoy having a great view of what he called “The Derek Jeter Show.”
Clippard was added to the National League roster on Sunday as a replacement for the Braves’ Julio Teheran, who started that day against the Cubs. It is the second All-Star appearance for Clippard, who picked up the victory in the NL’s 5-1 win in 2011 at Chase Field.
Notified of his selection to the roster, Clippard said that he was happy that the Nationals would have representation at the game, but also that he’d be linked again with Jeter — a teammate briefly in 2007, when Clippard broke in as a starter with the Yankees. Read full article here.
Williams sets post-All-Star break rotation
PHILADELPHIA — Manager Matt Williams has set up his rotation for the Nationals’ first three games back after the All-Star break, a series against the Brewers that begins Friday night at Nationals Park.
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg will start the first game followed by left-hander Gio Gonzalez and right-hander Doug Fister. Washington will then travel to Colorado, where the club is hoping that Jordan Zimmermann makes the start against the Rockies. Zimmermann is dealing with a biceps strain, and they were planning to evaluate him Thursday during practice at Nationals Park.
As of Sunday, Zimmermann, who opted out of the All-Star Game because of the ailment, said the biceps felt much better. Read full article here.