Washington Nationals Rapid Reaction: Nats Still Can’t Score Runs
Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Nationals dropped the opening game of their four game series with the Giants. The loss came against one of San Francisco’s worst pitchers, Ryan Vogelsong. The Nationals could not muster the critical hits when they needed them.
The Nationals had chances to score runs against Vogelsong. As seems to happen at least once in every game, the Nationals loaded the bases and could not get a runner in. They had runners on the corners in another inning with one out and could not get the runner in from third.
Vogelsong walked four batters. His control was erratic. Nationals batters helped him out several times when he was on the ropes by swinging at pitches out of the zone. Bryce Harper struck out on a pitch up around his shoulders, as did Michael Taylor.
The most help Vogelsong got from Nationals hitters was in the first inning. Yunel Escobar hit a home run on the first pitch of the game, Vogelsong walked three Nats during the rest of the first inning and the Nationals did not cash in. With the bases loaded, Wilson Ramos, after taking ball one, swung at the second pitch and ground out to end the inning. Vogelsong had just walked the two batters in front of him, but Ramos did not have the patience to see more pitches.
The Nationals have now scored one run in the last three games. You might say that not scoring runs against Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw is nothing to be ashamed of. Scoring one run off of Vogelsong is something to be ashamed of.
Next: Strasburg Struggles, But Still Has Quality Start
Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Strasburg Struggles, But Still Has Quality Start
Stephen Strasburg gutted through six innings without fastball command. He only gave up two runs and worked out of several serious jams. The Giants could have broken this game wide open against Strasburg several times, but the right-hander managed to keep the Giants from doing so.
Strasburg ran into trouble in the first inning. It was clear that his fastball was erratic and he was having difficulty throwing it for strikes. After giving up two runs in that inning, he went to using his curveball when he needed a strike. The curveball was working and Strasburg used it to good effect. He ended up striking out eight.
Strasburg has, in the past, become rattled and not pitched well when he gets into a jam or when his teammates commit errors behind him. He did not do that in this outing. He gave up a lead off triple in the first inning, which came in to score. He gave up a lead off triple in the second inning, and Strasburg stranded that runner and did not allow that critical run. He bore down and took care of his business.
So, in his second start after coming off the DL, Strasburg had another quality outing and deserved a better fate than taking the loss. The good news for the Nationals is that it appears that Strasburg may be on his way to finishing the year strong and should give the Nationals a chance to win when he starts.
Next: Ramos Is a Ground Ball Machine
Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Ramos Is A Ground Ball Machine
Wilson Ramos is not a fast runner. He is a large catcher. He wasn’t fast before he went through his series of hamstring injuries over the last several years. Now, needing to protect his hamstrings and avoid injury, he is even slower.
When Ramos hits the ball on the ground in the infield, it is either an out or a double play. To be effective, Ramos needs to drive the ball.
Ramos doesn’t strike out a lot. What he does is hit ground balls in the infield for outs. Ramos has been punching the ball down into the ground with distressing regularity this season.
Since Ramos isn’t driving the ball, he isn’t hitting many home runs. The Buffalo only has nine home runs so far this season, and he hit two of those against position players serving as relievers in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. So really he has seven homers this year.
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In last night’s game, Wilson was 0-4. All four plate appearances resulted in ground ball outs.
Ramos drives the ball when he keeps his swing more level through the zone and gets his arms extended. For the last several months Ramos has been swinging down through the zone, which chops the ball into the infield. This needs to be corrected.
Until Ramos starts driving the ball, perhaps Matt Williams should give some thought to swapping him and Taylor in the batting order. Right now Ramos has been batting seventh and Taylor eighth. If Taylor is batting in front of Ramos and gets on first he has a better chance of beating out a Ramos grounder to second and avoid the double play. If Taylor hits a ground ball with Ramos on, it’s a guaranteed double play.