The Nats won a home series for the first time this season as they hung on 6-5 over Colorado to improve their record to 18-31. Mark & Al begin with how the game ended, Tanner Rainey retiring all five batters faced to close out the victory. It was Rainey's first multi inning appearance since 2020. (10:53) Josiah Gray gave up another homer on Sunday in the 1st inning, but that would be the only run he allowed in his outing. Was this latest start a step in the right direction? (17:02) The offens...
May 30, 2022•43 min•Ep. 227
The Nats split a doubleheader at home on Saturday against Colorado over the Holiday weekend. Game 1 went the Nationals way as they won 13-7 to achieve their first three game win streak of the season. That would end a few hours later as they dropped Game 2 by a score of 3-2 to the Rockies. Mark & Al go over the long day which included a huge afternoon for Victor Robles. He knocked in six runs in Game 1, but made a questionable decision at the plate in Game 2. (13:02) Juan Soto's struggles at ...
May 29, 2022•40 min•Ep. 226
The Nats beat the visiting Rockies 7-3 for a rare 2nd straight victory. Mark & Al start the discussion with the offense as they put up four runs right away off of German Marquez, including a long awaited extra base hit for Josh Bell. However, another evening filled with struggles for Juan Soto. Does he need a day off? (20:06) Patrick Corbin pitched into the 7th on his way to the "Curly W". Mark explains what he noticed on the mound from the southpaw. Could he have lasted longer given his low...
May 27, 2022•42 min•Ep. 225
The Nats blanked the Dodgers 1-0 on Wednesday to avoid the sweep. Mark & Al have a low scoring victory to discuss as Erick Fedde's is starting to turn a few heads with his 3.55 ERA. We are ver a month away, but are those All Star whispers you hear? Tanner Rainey hung on in the 9th for only his 2nd Save of the year. Could Rainey be traded this July? (17:42) The Nationals had more instances of poor base running despite the win. Juan Soto himself was tagged out trying to steal, but more importa...
May 26, 2022•39 min•Ep. 224
The Nats lost 9-4 to the Dodgers despite out-hitting their opponents. Al recaps the sixth consecutive LA victory in Navy Yard as Josiah Gray only lasted three innings and his ERA has ballooned to 5.34. What's up with the continued trend of him giving up so many homers? (10:41) The Nationals only scored four runs off of ten hits and Al puts into perspective the state of the offense compared to this visiting team. Nelson Cruz had his first three hit game since coming to Washington as his average i...
May 25, 2022•33 min•Ep. 223
The Nats opened the home-stand with a 10-1 loss at the hands of the Dodgers. Mark & Al discuss how Washington was drubbed top to bottom by LA as the offense couldn't do much of anything against Tyler Anderson, who had a Perfect Game bid game going into the 6th inning. (08:33) A lot of negatives in this section. Juan Soto had misadventures in the outfield, Joan Adon didn't last five frames, and Austin Voth's ERA is sitting above 9.00. Is it time to DFA Voth? (26:07) Trea Turner spoke to repor...
May 24, 2022•40 min•Ep. 222
The Nats took care of the Brewers 8-2 as Davey Martinez featured a new look lineup card. Al & Mark (Live from Milwaukee) recap Sunday's victory that saw Juan Soto moved down to 3rd in the order and with Keibert Ruiz now occupying the 2nd spot. The result..... eight consecutive hits in a six run 4th inning. (18:04) Nelson Cruz exited early after suffering a sprained ankle while sliding into 2nd base and was replaced by Riley Adams as DH. What will the roster move be to replace him? Josh Bell'...
May 23, 2022•39 min•Ep. 221
The Nats lost 5-1 in Milwaukee as Juan Soto's hit-less evening dropped his average to .245 on the season. Mark (Live from American Family Field) and Al dive into the curious postgame comments from Juan Soto on his struggles so far this season. (11:14) Lane Thomas has had a good weekend as he homered, one day after almost hitting an Inside the Park HR. The hosts take a chance to evaluate his play so far in 2022. (14:43) Patrick Corbin gave up 5 runs in 5 frames as Washington still has not won any...
May 22, 2022•25 min•Ep. 220
The Nats were blanked 7-0 in the series opener in Milwaukee. Mark (Live from Wisconsin) & Al recap the very unusual 7th inning as the top of the frame saw an almost Inside the Park HR, and the bottom featured a Triple Play. Should Lane Thomas have been rewarded home plate or did the umps get it right? (13:13) The game unraveled in the 8th as the Brewers scored five runs off of Austin Voth. Why not use Tanner Rainey in that spot when it's a close game? (22:07) The offense had another bad game...
May 21, 2022•42 min•Ep. 219
The Nats beat the Marlins 5-4 in 10 innings for their first win over Miami this season. Mark & Al recap the busy evening as the Nationals basically won twice, once in the 9th and then again ultimately in the 10th. Trust me, we'll explain, just after we get a ruling from New York. (12:27) Keibert Ruiz had a huge evening as he collected three hits, reached base five times, and had the go- ahead RBI double in extras. He currently is hitting .282 w/ an OPS at 7.26. (24:12) Josiah Gray stuck out ...
May 19, 2022•45 min•Ep. 218
The Nats lost 5-1 in Miami in a second straight game marked by committing two errors on the same play. Al & Tim discuss the sorry state of Washington affairs as we have a clear and obvious case of "Bad Baseball" on our hands. (09:31) Nelson Cruz struggled again at the plate as he was 0 for 4 with 3 Ks. Is it tine to flip him and Yadiel in the order? Victo Robles' evening wasn't much better as he was picked off 1st Base. (17:40) Joan Adon took the loss, but didn't walk any batters in his outi...
May 18, 2022•39 min•Ep. 217
The Nats were routed 8-1 in Miami as they came very close to allowing a "Little League Grand Slam". Mark & Al recap a game that encompassed all of the issues so far this season: sloppy defense, bad hitting, subpar pitching, and poor execution. (08:21) The offense was no match for Sandy Alcantara as he retired 20 Nationals in a row over 8 IP. Juan Soto was 0 for 4 and is showing clear signs of frustration at the plate. Will he naturally snap out of it like all great hitters typically do? (16:...
May 17, 2022•38 min•Ep. 216
The Nats were shutout 8-0 by Houston to drop their fourth consecutive series rubber match. Al & Mark recap Patrick Corbin's outing, which started well, but ultimately in the end he allowed five runs in six plus frames. Meanwhile, Justin Verlander earned his 231st career victory after five innings of work. (10:01) The trouble began in the 5th inning shortly after a pick-off attempt resulted in a poor throw by Josh Bell. It's another example of a season marked by defensive lapses, typically fo...
May 16, 2022•29 min•Ep. 215
The Nats beat up on the Astros 13-6 to snap their eleven game win streak. Al & Mark focus on the offense that piled up fourteen hits, including big nights from Nelson Cruz and Yadiel Hernandez. Is Nelson Cruz showing signs that he is overcoming his early season slump? (20:11) Maikel Franco doubled and homered in the victory and shares the team lead in RBIs. Is he becoming a potential trade option for the franchise later this summer? (30:15) Erick Fedde escaped early trouble and labored his w...
May 15, 2022•45 min•Ep. 214
The Nats lost 6-1 to Houston as it is the first time these two teams met in Navy Yard since Game 5 of 2019 World Series. Mark & Al recap Josiah Gray's nightmare first inning, before he settled down to make it through six frames. They then put in perspective the drastically different directions the two franchises have taken since meeting in the Fall Classic. (18:26) The Astros have now won 11 in a row as the Nationals offense couldn't much going at the plate. One troubling stat is that Washin...
May 14, 2022•39 min•Ep. 213
The Nats lost 4-1 to the Mets to drop their third straight series. Al discusses the loss while taking note that Mark Lerner was on hand watching Juan Soto's action filled afternoon and the current state of the franchise. Soto homered and doubled, but also was part of a base running mistake (along with Josh Bell) that was so absurd it made national news. Hear Davey Martinez's reaction to the play in the bottom of the 4th. (16:37) Joan Adon issued five walks in the first two innings and was lifted...
May 13, 2022•27 min•Ep. 212
The Nats rallied in the early innings on the Mets for an 8-3 win. Mark & Al rehash this unusual game as New York scored three runs right away, before Washington then put up all eight runs in the first two innings. Juan Soto and Nelson Cruz both went deep, which lead to a discussion about each of their season's thus far. (15:06) Cesar Hernandez had three hits before the third inning concluded as he was a big part of the early rally. Dee Strange-Gordon played shortstop for another game as Alci...
May 12, 2022•44 min•Ep. 211
The Nats lost 4-2 to the Mets for a 9th consecutive home defeat. Al & Mark open with the poor defense on display as the Nationals made a pair of errors that were compounded by subpar baserunning. Why so many instances of runners getting thrown out by wide margins on the bases? (12:30) Patrick Corbin had his third straight good start as he threw five scoreless innings despite issuing four walks. It seems to be the new norm that Riley Adams will be his personal catcher. An indictment of Ruiz o...
May 11, 2022•32 min•Ep. 210
The Nats lost a heartbreaker 5-4 in Anaheim as they could not hold onto their late lead. Mark (Live from Angels Stadium) & Al recap the Mother's Day loss as Tanner Rainey inherited a 4-2 lead with three outs to go. All weekend the Nationals held the Angels stars in check; until the bottom of the 9th on Sunday. (14:03) Erick Fedde gave Washington five scoreless innings despite issuing five walks in the process. The hosts discuss Fedde's performance through the first month of the season as his...
May 09, 2022•42 min•Ep. 209
The Nats beat the Angels 7-3 to end a three game losing streak. Tim Shovers & Mark (live from Anaheim) recap Josiah Gray's outing as he lasted into the sixth and did not give up a hit against Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, or Anthony Rendon. Was it a good start or a decent start for Gray? (09:45) Rendon is 0 for 8 this series and is barely hitting over .200. Does he look uncomfortable at the plate? He did though make a vintage Rendon play in the field. (15:25) Maikel Franco had a big night as he...
May 08, 2022•29 min•Ep. 208
Th Nats were blanked 3-0 by the Angels as their road trip extended to a third city. Mark (Live from Anaheim) & Al open the discussion with Joan Adon's start as there was a lot to like despite the final result. The highlight of his outing were back to back strikeouts against Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. (13:06) It was the first time that Anthony Rendon faced his old team as he went 0 for 4 with 2 Ks. Mark explains what Anthony said to reporters pregame about playing against the Nationals. Wh...
May 07, 2022•37 min•Ep. 207
The Nats were outslugged by the Rockies 9-7 as Coors Field lived up to its reputation. Mark (live from Denver) and Al recap the afternoon defeat where Alcides Escobar committed his third error in under 24 hours. (10:01) Josh Rogers gave up a 3 run HR out of the bullpen as did starter Aaron Sanchez. What is Rogers' exact role on this team right now? (19:25) Juan Soto was caught napping at 3rd base for a crucial out in the 5th inning. Mark explains the "Inside Baseball" that went into that play. H...
May 06, 2022•33 min•Ep. 206
The Nats lost 5-2 in Colorado, but there were many positive vibes afterward as **PATRICK CORBIN THREW A COMPLETE GAME IN COORS FIELD** (No bottom of the 9th was played). Mark (from Denver) and Al rehash the left hander''s best start in years, despite the poor defensive play behind him. Davey Martinez thinks Corbin is "back", what say you? Plus, will Riley Adams become Corbin's personal catcher moving forward? (14:40) Alcides Escobar had another bad game as he committed two errors and struck out ...
May 05, 2022•37 min•Ep. 205
The Nats trounced the Rockies 10-2 in Denver as they have won three of the past four games on the road trip. Al & Mark (Live from Coors Field) recap the victory as Erick Fedde became the first Nationals starter to last seven frames this season. Why has the team played so much better on the road than at home this year? (10:52) Josh Bell had three hits, including a 3 run HR, as his OPS is above 1.000. This brings up a question we will ask many times this year.... sign him to an extension or tr...
May 04, 2022•35 min•Ep. 204
The Nats took the series in San Francisco as they won the rubber match 11-5 on Sunday afternoon. Mark (live from Oracle Park) and Al recap a very encouraging day for the organization's future as Josiah Gray only allowed one hit in six frames. Is your confidence growing that he can become a frontline starter? We have an extended discussion about the young right hander. (13:35) Yadiel Hernandez had a huge day with 5 RBIs, including a 3 run double in the 8th to break the game open. Should Davey Mar...
May 02, 2022•34 min•Ep. 203
The Nats lost 9-3 in San Francisco as they scored as many runs as they committed errors. Mark (Live from Oracle Park) and Al rehash the subpar defensive effort, which included an E6 for Alcides Escobar. (07:27) Speaking of Escobar, the Rochester Red Wings tweeted out a defensive highlight made by Luis Garcia on Saturday afternoon that raised our hosts eyebrows due to the way it was typed out. (Cade Cavalli also threw his best outing of the season) (16:12) Victor Robles had six hits so far in thi...
May 01, 2022•37 min•Ep. 202
The Nats ended their 8 game losing streak in emphatic fashion as they crushed the Giants 14-4 to open their road trip. Al & Mark (Live from San Francisco) convened at 3:11 AM Eastern to discuss just exactly how the offense busted out in such a big way with 22 hits. (06:31) Juan Soto began the evening with a 1st inning HR, but then a mini controversy developed in his next at-bat. His request for a timeout was not granted as Alex Wood was quick pitching and it resulted in a visibly upset Soto....
Apr 30, 2022•31 min•Ep. 201
The Nats have now lost 8 in a row as they were swept by Miami in the series finale 3-2. Al Galdi recaps another very disappointing performance by the offense. Nelson Cruz 's average currently sits at .160 to exemplify where things stand. Juan Soto drew a pair of walks, but otherwise was hit-less at the plate. (07:38) Lucius Fox is still without a Major League hit, but did draw a walk. However, he was then promptly picked off. It was his second straight day starting at SS over Alcides Escobar. (1...
Apr 29, 2022•25 min•Ep. 200
The Nats lost to Miami 2-1 for a 7th consecutive defeat. Al & Mark recap an evening that didn't see much action until late as the offense mightily struggled for yet another game. During this losing streak, they are averaging just a pair of runs per game. (08:40) Maikel Franco thought he hit a game tying HR in the 9th, but instead ended up with just a single because he jogged down the line as the ball caromed off the wall. The hosts respond to this mental error in the final frame. (14:55) Eri...
Apr 28, 2022•33 min•Ep. 199
The Nats skid extended to six games as they lost 5-2 to visiting Miami. Mark & Al have plenty to talk about though, and begin with what exactly happened in the bottom of the 4th as the Nationals had a runner thrown out at home on back to back plays. Did Yadiel Hernandez purposely run through the stop sign? (12:05) Luis Garcia went 4 for 4 with 2 HRs for AAA Rochester on a night that Alcides Escobar's struggles continued. The hosts wonder if/when the Garcia move will be made given the difficu...
Apr 27, 2022•39 min•Ep. 198
