The Nationals lost their series opener at Camden Yards 6-1 to the Orioles. It was a busy night for Mark as he made his debut hosting the pre & postgame shows on MASN and he tells Al all about it. They then dissect why Josh Bell got the nod in the field and Ryan Zimmerman was the DH, as opposed to Zim starting at 1B. Bell provided the only offense of the night with a tape measure shot, his third homer of the week. (16:26) Andrew Stevenson got another start in CF on Friday night. Has Robles be...
Jul 24, 2021•47 min•Ep. 107
The Nationals lost 3-1 in extras to the Marlins, ending their brief win streak at three games. Al & Mark dive into the offensive struggles from Wednesday night, as some familiar themes from earlier this season returned. This includes multiple double plays and stranding runners in scoring position. (12:33) Andrew Stevenson started two games this series in CF instead of Victor Robles. Is this a sign of lineup cards to come? (19:15) Erick Fedde bounced back with a solid outing, his first good s...
Jul 22, 2021•41 min•Ep. 106
The Nats beat the Marlins 6-3 after briefly blowing the lead in the 6th. Al & Mark discuss the victory which saw a balanced offensive attack. Josh Bell went deep for the second straight day, Tres Barrera had another solid performance at the plate, and Juan Soto continues to be locked in. (14:24) Paolo Espino returned to his "Secret Weapon" form as he tossed five scoreless innings. Why was Paolo able to bounce back after a few recent rough outings? (22:05) GM Mike Rizzo addressed reporters fo...
Jul 21, 2021•39 min•Ep. 105
The Nationals pulverized the Marlins 18-1 just a few days after losing by 16 runs. Mark & Al have a different tune to sing as Washington returns to NL East competition. The team slugged six homers, the majority of which came off of former Nat Ross Detwiler. (6:35) Juan Soto continued his hot stretch as he went deep twice and now has five homers since the Derby. When Soto is hitting opposite field, good things seem to happen. (16:31) Josh Bell hit a mammoth homer that landed deep into the lef...
Jul 20, 2021•38 min•Ep. 104
The Nationals topped San Diego 8-7 to end their six game losing streak. Al & Mark discuss Alcides Escobar's contributions so far this month, as he was the hero in the late innings for the victory. (7:52) Juan Soto had a go ahead HR in the bottom of the 8th, his third of the series. Mark takes another bow for his July 4th prediction that if Soto entered the Derby, it would lead to a Post All Star Break power surge. (18:30) Max Scherzer had a good outing, but couldn't hold onto an early 4-0 le...
Jul 19, 2021•31 min•Ep. 103
The Nationals lost 10-4 to the Padres in Game 2 of their series. This was the game that began on Saturday night, was suspended by gunshots outside the stadium, and concluded on Sunday afternoon. Mark tells Al what the atmosphere felt like Sunday at the ballpark following Saturday evening's events, including Davey Martinez's emotional pregame comments. (9:55) Patrick Corbin had another rough outing in his subpar season. Why do his struggles continue? (13:55) Stephen Strasburg recently suffered a ...
Jul 19, 2021•18 min•Ep. 102
Saturday evening there were gunshots outside Nationals Park which led to play being suspended in the middle of the 6th inning. Mark was in the press box covering the game and relays to Al what he experienced while sitting in the parking garage outside the stadium. **Taping occurred at roughly 11pm Eastern on Saturday July 17th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 18, 2021•12 min•Ep. 101
The Nationals were pummeled by the Padres 24-8 on what was an awful Friday in Navy Yard top to bottom. Mark & Al start with analysis and explanation of why Starlin Castro was placed on administrative leave by MLB due to a domestic violence allegation. (18:30) What will the Nats do at third base moving forward? Jordy Mercer started Friday night and Davey Martinez mentioned a trio of players who might man the hot corner. Did this position become an even higher priority ahead of the trade deadl...
Jul 17, 2021•58 min•Ep. 100
The Nats lost 3-1 at the Giants in their final game before the All Star Break. Al & Tim start by wondering, "Are the Nationals good?" They were over .500 until this last injury riddled stretch against the powers that be from the NL West. (7:56) Ryan Zimmerman did not start any of the games on the California road trip. Will he have an expanded role in the 2nd Half of the season? Plus, What to do with the struggling Victor Robles as he enters the break hitting .209? (17:38) Erick Fedde allowed...
Jul 12, 2021•42 min•Ep. 99
The Nats lost 10-4 to the Giants for their third consecutive defeat. Al & Tim first off salute Joe Ross' father, Dr. Willie Ross, for assisting a choking woman at Oracle Park during the game by performing the heimlich maneuver. As for Baseball matters, Yan Gomes was placed on the IL due to an oblique strain, as the "Injury Rat" continues to rip it's way through the Washington clubhouse. (8:53) Jon Lester got shelled in another start as he didn't make it out of the 3rd inning. Is this his fin...
Jul 11, 2021•36 min•Ep. 98
The Nats lost 5-3 in the series opener in San Francisco. Mark relays to Al his experience of listening to the game on the radio while driving up north for the All Star Break. As for the game, Gerardo Parra had a RBI double, but the rest of his evening did not go well. He was tagged out twice at home and hit into a double play with the bases loaded. Who's to blame? Baby Shark or Bobby Henley, the third base coach? (14:10) Yan Gomes exited the game early due to a pinch in his oblique. Tres Barrera...
Jul 10, 2021•35 min•Ep. 97
The Nats lost 9-8 in San Diego despite leading 8-0 early in the game. Al & Mark open the podcast with the stunning collapse by Max Scherzer in the 4th inning and the curious decision to pitch Sam Clay the bottom of the 9th. Why did Scherzer look so good to start and then immediately fall apart in the 4th? (18:45) What makes the loss sting even more is that the offense came out on fire for another game in this series. Trea Turner went deep twice and is already close to a career high for homer...
Jul 09, 2021•33 min•Ep. 96
The Nats pounded the Padres 15-5 after Juan Soto hit a 3 run HR in the 1st inning. Mark & Al salute the offense, which had many contributors on Wednesday night. (7:08) Juan Soto will be participating in the Home Run Derby next week, as quasi predicted by Mark a few episodes ago. However, he will have to face Shohei Ohtani in Round One at Coors Field. (12:31) Josh Harrison had another big game this series as he notched a trio of hits. Plus, will Josh Bell play some outfield while Kyle Schwarb...
Jul 08, 2021•33 min•Ep. 95
The Nats lost 7-4 in San Diego as Erick Fedde returned from the IL. Al & Mark assess the current state of the rotation with Fedde's return. Who will be the odd man out between Jon Lester & Paolo Espino? (8:47) Analysis of Fedde's start after missing nearly two weeks due to an oblique injury. Should he have had a rehab start before taking the mound for Washington? (14:15) The Nationals flashed plenty of leather Tuesday night, especially Trea Turner & Victor Robles. Defensively on the ...
Jul 07, 2021•31 min•Ep. 94
The Nats won 7-5 in San Diego to snap their four game losing streak. Mark & Al stayed up late to catch you up on what happened out West. Trea Turner had an immediate impact as he homered on the first pitch he saw after missing the entire Dodgers series due to a jammed finger. (6:30) Josh Bell had monster evening at the plate as he had three hits, including a late go-ahead homer. Mark points out how strong Bell's offensive numbers have been since mid May. (9:32) Alcides Escobar, filling in at...
Jul 06, 2021•37 min•Ep. 93
The Nats lost on July 4th to the Dodgers 5-1 for a fourth straight defeat to end the homestand. Mark & Al digest all the obstacles that the Nationals had to fight through while facing the defending World Series Champs. Should Trea Turner have been placed on the IL to create a roster spot off the bench? (14:23) Juan Soto showed more frustration after a late at bat on Sunday as he hit .250 in the series. Mark has an offbeat idea to maybe turn around Soto's 2nd half of the season. (22:32) Joe R...
Jul 05, 2021•38 min•Ep. 92
The Nats lost 5-3 to the Dodgers for their third straight defeat despite a sellout crowd. Al & Mark begin with the growing list of injury updates. Kyle Schwarber has officially been sent to the IL and so has Alex Avila after playing the infield on Thursday. How much can their depth be continually tested, especially as Trea Turner remains out of the lineup? (9:38) Al was near apoplectic after seeing Jon Lester pinch hit for a second straight game. Why three games into the series does Washingt...
Jul 04, 2021•35 min•Ep. 91
The Nats lost 10-5 at home to the Dodgers on an evening filled with negatives. Al & Mark run through them all, headlined by Kyle Schwarber leaving the game in the 2nd inning with an apparent hamstring injury. Schwarber's reaction leads one to believe it might be serious. (7:51) Max Scherzer pitched well and handed the bullpen a 3-1 lead after six innings. Should he have tried to pitch the 7th considering the current state of the 'pen? (16:33) The bullpen coughed up the lead and allowed NINE ...
Jul 03, 2021•41 min•Ep. 90
The Nats lost to the Dodgers 6-2 in a five inning game that was called early due to inclement weather in D.C. Al & Mark look at the positives associated with the back half of the game not being played, considering all the circumstances in play. Given the incoming weather situation, should Brad Hand have pitched the top of the fifth? (5:44) Due to an incredible rash of injuries, Alex Avila had to start at second base. Mark explains all the dominoes that fell in order for the backup catcher to...
Jul 02, 2021•34 min•Ep. 89
The Nats pounded Tampa Bay 15-6 to complete a two game sweep and their fourth straight win. Mark & Al chronicle Trea Turner hitting for the cycle on his 28th birthday and doing so for the third time in the past five years. However, there is a downside as he jammed his finger while sliding into third base to complete the cycle. Will it affect his availability Thursday vs. LA? (15:32) The Nationals have beaten up on some of the top teams in Baseball as of late. Their upcoming schedule prior to...
Jul 01, 2021•58 min•Ep. 88
The Nats edged Tampa Bay 4-3 for a third consecutive win. Al & Mark somehow find a new way to analyze Kyle Schwarber's recent run as he now has homered 16 TIMES IN THE LAST 18 GAMES. Has he entered the NL MVP Race? Listen for what Al explains by "Air Matters" as it relates to the D.C. summer. (14:31) Juan Soto & Victor Robles each had significant homers on Tuesday night. It was Soto's first homer at Nationals Park this year and Robles went yard for the first time all season. Why was Robl...
Jun 30, 2021•45 min•Ep. 87
The Nats doubled up the Mets 8-4 as they slugged five homers and Paolo Espino earned his second career win. Al & Mark start with Kyle Schwarber continuing his historic power surge as he now has gone deep FIFTEEN TIMES IN THE LAST 17 GAMES. He now shares company with Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Frank Howard based upon the recent stats he's amassed. (15:02) Gerardo Parra picked up where he left off last week vs. the Mets as he homered and doubled. What makes his plays so infectious when he is...
Jun 29, 2021•45 min•Ep. 86
The Nationals beat the Marlins 5-1 as Max Scherzer won his seventh game of the season. Mark & Al recap the lineup's performance as Trea Turner & Josh Bell turned the tied in the 6th inning, and the hosts point of how dependent Washington is on the long ball. Josh Harrison stepped up while hitting fifth, as he had a RBI single in the first inning. (11:03) Juan Soto had multiple extra base hits this weekend in Miami, but it's been almost three weeks since his last home run. Is it due to th...
Jun 27, 2021•41 min•Ep. 85
The Nats lost 3-2 in Miami for a second straight defeat. Al recaps the offensive struggles versus Marlins rookie Zach Thompson, who was only making his fourth career Major League start. Starlin Castro however has been swinging much better ever since returning from the Restricted List. (14:21) Patrick Corbin tagged with the loss in his uneven start. He had rough first inning, but then settled down to retired ten in a row. What to make of Corbin on Saturday? (20:22) A preview of Max Scherzer takin...
Jun 27, 2021•31 min•Ep. 84
The Nationals were drubbed 11-2 in Miami; ending a string of five straight victories. Mark & Al discuss Jon Lester's worst outing since joining Washington. What was different Friday night from his previous solid start? Why didn't Davey Martinez go to Jefry Rodriguez earlier in order to eat more innings? (12:01) Mark gives an update on Josh Bell's MRI and what his status is for this weekend. (16:05) Kyle Schwarber hit another HR, he now has 13 HOMERS IN THE LAST 14 GAMES. The guys run through...
Jun 26, 2021•37 min•Ep. 83
The Nationals beat the Marlins 7-3 for a fifth straight victory. Al & Mark marvel at how Kyle Schwarber hit two more bombs, a historic run of 12 HOMERS IN 13 GAMES! Is the best stretch a Nat has ever had at the plate? (9:53) Juan Soto had a pair of RBI doubles, showing some rarely seen power of late. How's the 1-2-3 punch looking at the top of the lineup right now? (16:35) Joe Ross bounced back and threw seven shutout innings. Why are Ross outings all over the map. Plus, Mark points out a lo...
Jun 25, 2021•32 min•Ep. 82
The Nats emerged victorious in a seesaw affair 13-12 over the Phillies. Mark & Al aren't quite sure where to start so the conversation begins with the decisive 9th inning. What would have happened if Jordy Mercer had to exit the game? Was it the right move to have Alex Avila sacrifice bunt? No Starlin Castro jokes today as he was the hero with the 2 run single in the 9th. (8:01) Josh Bell hit a grand slam which put Washington ahead and his skipper said afterward, "That made him a National". ...
Jun 24, 2021•48 min•Ep. 81
The Nats beat the Phillies 3-2 on a tension filled evening in Philadelphia. Max Scherzer made his dissatisfaction quite clear with the new protocol of checking pitchers for sticky substances. His aggravation escalated as Phillies Manager Joe Girardi requested a third check, which led to fireworks between the two. Oh by the way, Washington is now tied for second place in the NL East, as they have won eight of the past nine games. (18:40) Brad Hand made his fourth appearance in the past five days....
Jun 23, 2021•35 min•Ep. 80
The Nats defeated the Mets 5-2 to take the series and close out the home stand with an 8-3 record. Mark & Al capture the avalanche of good vibes on South Capitol Street Sunday. Kyle Schwarber went deep three times, to punctuate an all-time stretch, as he homered NINE TIMES in the last ten games. (12:03) For the 1st time since October of 2019, Gerardo Parra returned to Nationals Park. Not only did "Baby Shark" resume, but he had a pinch hit double in the bottom of the 7th that led to crucial ...
Jun 21, 2021•34 min•Ep. 79
The Nationals beat the Mets 6-2 to split Saturday's Doubleheader. Al & Mark focus on Jon Lester's impressive attempt to throw a complete game shutout, that made it all the way until the top of the 7th (final inning). Should Davey Martinez have pulled him prior to the 7th, when the game all of a sudden got interesting? (15:25) Kyle Schwarber went deep twice; including what has become his near tradition of a 1st inning HR. The winning home stand and his performance in the leadoff role have gon...
Jun 20, 2021•33 min•Ep. 78
