Post by Commissioner Erick on Aug 24, 2018 7:21:07 GMT -5
Baltimore Orioles (64-85) @ Washington Nationals (93-57)
BAL: David Hess (1-0, 3.09)
WAS: Franklin E. Perez (10-9, 4.26)
It's been a rough season for the Orioles. It's been a wonderful second half for the Nationals. While only one of the teams is playing for the postseason, the Orioles would love to secure Beltway bragging rights for their fans.
Local rivals square off in a late season showdown between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles.
The Nationals have two conflicting goals for the final weeks of the season. It's essentially guaranteed that they're going to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs. However, the team with home field advantage has not been determined. Whether or not Washington rests their starters or goes hard for home field will determine the lineups they send out. This means, they could send out the game's brightest superstar in Bryce Harper, or the Canadian Rookie League's initial superstar, young phenom Juan Soto.
Washington has shifted its lineup of late. Trea Turner has been dropped down to the five spot, with Michael Brantley moved up to second. Raul Mondesi is now batting eighth. Adam Eaton and Brandon Goodwin have been benched for Ryan Zimmerman. It's a lot for a team secure in its playoff positioning. The Zimmerman story has been a nice one. After injuries ravaged him for 2018 and much of 2019, he's back in the lineup and hitting. He hit his eighth home run on Saturday, taking Stephen Okert deep, and now has a .940 OPS.
A national audience, appropriately, will have a chance to see Franklin E. Perez work. Perez was one of the players received from Houston in the Daniel Murphy trade everybody has benefitted from. Merely 21-years old, Perez has shown himself to be a successful starter already at such a young age. He has solid control and excellent stuff that he's still refining as he gets used to the majors. It's a standard repertoire, with a fastball, slider, curve, and changeup. Because the changeup is his best secondary, he's been better against lefties than righties this year. He loves to work up with his fastball, and will need to develop the secondaries to keep righties with quick bats from beating him to the spot up in the zone.
They'll take on a Baltimore team that just didn't click this year. After a competitive team in 2017, and a winning record last year, the Orioles took a step back this year and will likely lose at least 90 games. The better offensive players have been fine, but some veterans have shown their age, there have been depth issues, and the staff has been an outright disaster. Only two pitchers on the team have received a significant workload and have an ERA lower than 4.44—ace Dylan Bundy, and star closer Zach Britton. It's been a train wreck everywhere else.
A starter who has beaten that ERA but hasn't received a significant workload is tonight's starter, rookie David Hess. Hess has made two starts, getting roughed up a bit by the Yankees, and improbably coming within an out of a complete game in a win over the Red Sox. An innings-eater, Hess has trusted his stuff and worked within the zone, trying to hone his control as much as possible. He had good walk numbers in Triple A, and a fair home run rate, but he never struck out anyone and worked to a 4.71 ERA and a 6-13 record in Norfolk. With little to play for, seeing if Hess can overcome middling stuff makes for feel-good viewing for Baltimore fans.
Of course, there's always the matter of who to blame for this. Sandy Alomar Jr. has come on board as bench coach and not done a good job with this club, unable to replace Juan Moran. Only on a one-year deal, he may be a scapegoat of the campaign. Jason Simontacchi was brought on late last year as pitching coach, and the team has been dreadful under his tutelage, though he's under contract for one more year and has made strides with Dylan Bundy. When veteran teams go south, the coaching staff often takes the blame. Expect some heads to roll this offseason.
Questions for the GMs:
For Jeff Jennings, it's been a dreary year in Baltimore I'm sure. Will your coaching staff take any of the blame or are they safe?
Anthony Santander was well regarded last year, but didn't hit at all in the majors, or at Triple-A for that matter. This year, he really punished Triple-A with a .901 OPS, and has looked good in the majors. Will we see a lot of him the final two weeks with your team perhaps needing young talent going into next year?
Your bullpen just hasn't come together. What has been the biggest issue?
For Jake Pennel, today and down the stretch, what will be your biggest concern. Keeping players healthy, or getting home field in the playoffs?
Super-prospect Juan Soto has been called up to the majors. Will we see him today? He's one of the most exciting prospects left.
Adam Eaton has been benched for Ryan Zimmerman is appears. Why did you make that move?
BAL: David Hess (1-0, 3.09)
WAS: Franklin E. Perez (10-9, 4.26)
It's been a rough season for the Orioles. It's been a wonderful second half for the Nationals. While only one of the teams is playing for the postseason, the Orioles would love to secure Beltway bragging rights for their fans.
Local rivals square off in a late season showdown between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles.
The Nationals have two conflicting goals for the final weeks of the season. It's essentially guaranteed that they're going to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs. However, the team with home field advantage has not been determined. Whether or not Washington rests their starters or goes hard for home field will determine the lineups they send out. This means, they could send out the game's brightest superstar in Bryce Harper, or the Canadian Rookie League's initial superstar, young phenom Juan Soto.
Washington has shifted its lineup of late. Trea Turner has been dropped down to the five spot, with Michael Brantley moved up to second. Raul Mondesi is now batting eighth. Adam Eaton and Brandon Goodwin have been benched for Ryan Zimmerman. It's a lot for a team secure in its playoff positioning. The Zimmerman story has been a nice one. After injuries ravaged him for 2018 and much of 2019, he's back in the lineup and hitting. He hit his eighth home run on Saturday, taking Stephen Okert deep, and now has a .940 OPS.
A national audience, appropriately, will have a chance to see Franklin E. Perez work. Perez was one of the players received from Houston in the Daniel Murphy trade everybody has benefitted from. Merely 21-years old, Perez has shown himself to be a successful starter already at such a young age. He has solid control and excellent stuff that he's still refining as he gets used to the majors. It's a standard repertoire, with a fastball, slider, curve, and changeup. Because the changeup is his best secondary, he's been better against lefties than righties this year. He loves to work up with his fastball, and will need to develop the secondaries to keep righties with quick bats from beating him to the spot up in the zone.
They'll take on a Baltimore team that just didn't click this year. After a competitive team in 2017, and a winning record last year, the Orioles took a step back this year and will likely lose at least 90 games. The better offensive players have been fine, but some veterans have shown their age, there have been depth issues, and the staff has been an outright disaster. Only two pitchers on the team have received a significant workload and have an ERA lower than 4.44—ace Dylan Bundy, and star closer Zach Britton. It's been a train wreck everywhere else.
A starter who has beaten that ERA but hasn't received a significant workload is tonight's starter, rookie David Hess. Hess has made two starts, getting roughed up a bit by the Yankees, and improbably coming within an out of a complete game in a win over the Red Sox. An innings-eater, Hess has trusted his stuff and worked within the zone, trying to hone his control as much as possible. He had good walk numbers in Triple A, and a fair home run rate, but he never struck out anyone and worked to a 4.71 ERA and a 6-13 record in Norfolk. With little to play for, seeing if Hess can overcome middling stuff makes for feel-good viewing for Baltimore fans.
Of course, there's always the matter of who to blame for this. Sandy Alomar Jr. has come on board as bench coach and not done a good job with this club, unable to replace Juan Moran. Only on a one-year deal, he may be a scapegoat of the campaign. Jason Simontacchi was brought on late last year as pitching coach, and the team has been dreadful under his tutelage, though he's under contract for one more year and has made strides with Dylan Bundy. When veteran teams go south, the coaching staff often takes the blame. Expect some heads to roll this offseason.
Questions for the GMs:
For Jeff Jennings, it's been a dreary year in Baltimore I'm sure. Will your coaching staff take any of the blame or are they safe?
Anthony Santander was well regarded last year, but didn't hit at all in the majors, or at Triple-A for that matter. This year, he really punished Triple-A with a .901 OPS, and has looked good in the majors. Will we see a lot of him the final two weeks with your team perhaps needing young talent going into next year?
Your bullpen just hasn't come together. What has been the biggest issue?
For Jake Pennel, today and down the stretch, what will be your biggest concern. Keeping players healthy, or getting home field in the playoffs?
Super-prospect Juan Soto has been called up to the majors. Will we see him today? He's one of the most exciting prospects left.
Adam Eaton has been benched for Ryan Zimmerman is appears. Why did you make that move?
