The Nats lost 8-7 in heartbreaking fashion in Arizona as the 9th inning saw the lead change hands multiple times. Al & Mark (Live from Phoenix) do their best to sort through everything, but begin with a recap of MacKenzie Gore's outing. Gore allowed a pair of runs in six innings, but struck out nine in the process. (09:20) The Nationals staged a furious five run rally in the top of the 9th; capped by Lane Thomas' 2 run HR to temporarily give Washington the lead. This all began when Keibert R...
May 07, 2023•34 min•Ep. 377
The Nats lost 3-1 in Arizona to open up their two city/ six game road trip. Mark (Live from Phoenix) & Al discuss how the offense was no match for Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. The lineup only mustered four hits and Luis Garcia had two of them (including a Solo HR). (06:15) Keibert Ruiz is mired in a slump as he struck out three times and has not yet had a hit in May. Joey Meneses went 0 for 4 and his average has dropped .267. (12:45) Josiah Gray had a so-so outing as he allowed three ...
May 06, 2023•25 min•Ep. 376
Thursday was an exciting day for the Nationals for many reasons, but with the most important being Alex Call's Walk-off HR to lead-off the 9th inning and give them a 4-3 victory over the Cubs. Al & Tim run through all the positives which include the game finishing under two hours, the Nats winning a series, and a 9-7 stretch in the past 16 games. (06:10) Kyle Finnegan came through with an incredible escape in the top of the 9th after putting the first two hitters in scoring position. Davey M...
May 05, 2023•35 min•Ep. 375
The Nats defeated the Cubs 2-1 on an evening where Jake Irvin made his Major League debut on the mound. Mark & Al analyze the right hander's first Big League start, which had an inauspicious beginning as he hit Nico Hoerner with the first pitch he threw. Washington is 3-3 on this home stand with the rubber match on Thursday afternoon. (10:00) The bullpen was outstanding as they combined for nearly five scoreless innings. Andres Machado, just promoted from Rochester, came through with clutch ...
May 04, 2023•31 min•Ep. 374
The Nats beat the Cubs 4-1 on Tuesday night as the offense broke the tie open in the 7th with a trio of runs. Al & Mark start though by breaking down the curious continued calls for bunting; highlighted by Alex Call's 5th inning bunt that blew up on Washington. This conversation is the definition of "Inside Baseball". (15:30) The bottom of the order came through with five hits between Victor Robles and CJ Abrams. Robles surprisingly leads the team with a .732 OPS. (18:00) Trevor Williams pit...
May 03, 2023•38 min•Ep. 373
MacKenzie Gore was dealt a loss by the visiting Cubs as he was not able to make it through five innings. Al & Mark examine the left hander's difficult outing as opposed to recent starts by Gore. His ERA currently sits at 3.77 on the season. (09:15) Lane Thomas homered, but that was the only offense in the 5-1 defeat. It is surprisingly his firs homer of the year after he slugged 17 of them in 2022. Dominic Smith had two hits on the evening; including a double in the 7th. (15:00) Chad Kuhl wa...
May 02, 2023•29 min•Ep. 372
The Nats ended April on a high note as they handled the Pirates 7-2 following a lengthy rain delay. Mark & Al begin with praise for Josiah Gray who only allowed one run in six innings. Gray closes out the opening month with a ERA at 2.67 and has thrown five consecutive solid starts. (14:00) The offense came alive early in the game as it was a quickly 5-0 lead. Al points out some surprising numbers regarding the lineup, especially in the category of team batting average. Joey Meneses did not ...
May 01, 2023•37 min•Ep. 371
The Nationals were no match for visiting Pittsburgh on Saturday in the twin bill. They lost the opener 6-3 and then were clobbered 16-1 in the nightcap. Al & Mark point out just how poorly the Nats have played at home this season despite their recent winning road trip. Chad Kuhl did not pitch well on Saturday evening and his future with the organization is respectfully brought into question. (11:30) The bullpen did not have a banner day and it was so bad that Lane Thomas had to pitch in Game...
Apr 30, 2023•34 min•Ep. 370
The Nationals were six outs away from a series sweep, but the Mets got to Mason Thompson in the bottom of the 8th and New York prevailed 9-8. Mark & Al start with the top of the 8th where the Nats turned a 7-3 deficit into a brief 8-7 edge as CJ Abrams hit his first career Grand Slam. Does this qualify as a "Good Loss" considering the circumstances? (07:00) Leadoff hitter Alex Call also homered for Washington and Al points out the positive contributions from Call this season in that role. (1...
Apr 28, 2023•38 min•Ep. 369
The Nats continued their hot road trip as they beat the Mets 4-1 for their fourth victory in the past five games. Al begins with high praise for MacKenzie Gore who struck out a career high matching 10 hitters; and his quest to become a true ace. (10:45) The bullpen kept their slate clean in this New York series and the bulk of the workload fell to Hunter Harvey, who put on a dominant performance. Did you know his father Bryan was also a Major League reliever? (16:00) The Nationals collected eigh...
Apr 27, 2023•23 min•Ep. 368
The Nationals shutout the Mets 5-0 in New York as Josiah Gray earned his first victory of the season. Al examines Gray's excellent outing where he struck nine batters and saw his ERA dip below 3.00. Mason Thompson picked up the slack for the late innings as he tossed three blank frames to finish out the win. (08:30) Keibert Ruiz homered for the second time this season to put the Nats on the board. It shockingly was the first bit of run support for Gray since Opening Day. Joey Meneses continued h...
Apr 26, 2023•27 min•Ep. 367
**This episode is sponsored by shirtgoodhq.com - Custom DC novelty shirts** The Nationals were not able to complete the sweep as they lost 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in Minnesota. Al & Mark (Live from Target Field) get very into weeds right away as they examine the bunt attempt in the top of the 5th by Victor Robles. Later in the game; Robles then made an incredible throw in the bottom of the 8th to complete a fantastic double play. It is always a roller coaster ride with Victor. (21:00) Patric...
Apr 24, 2023•31 min•Ep. 366
The Nationals won their second straight in frigid Minnesota as they handled the Twins 10-4 on Saturday afternoon. Mark (From Target Field) & Al start with CJ Abrams who hit his first HR with the organization and also made a beautiful 9th inning catch. (08:15) Joey Meneses had himself a four hit game on Saturday; continuing his momentum from the series opener. His OPS so far is still a cause for concern as it sits at .664. (16:45) Chad Kuhl was gifted a lot of help from his offense, but still...
Apr 23, 2023•30 min•Ep. 365
The Nationals staged a late inning comeback in Minnesota to win 3-2 on Friday evening. Mark (Live from a very cold Target Field) & Al give props to Joey Meneses for hitting his first HR of the season in the 7th, which ended a startling drought for the franchise of 24 consecutive innings without scoring a run. (14:00) Keibert Ruiz was slotted 2nd in the batting order and delivered with the game winning RBI in the top of the 8th. This being part of a new look order that saw Dominic Smith dropp...
Apr 22, 2023•35 min•Ep. 364
The Nats were shutout yet again from the Orioles in a 4-0 loss that resulted in them being swept at home in the short series. Al & Mark focus on how the offense was helpless against a Baltimore pitching staff that typically does not dominate its opponents. It is already the fourth game this season in which Washington was unable to score. (05:00) CJ Abrams was 0 for 4 with 3 Ks and had a 9th inning throwing error. Abrams has struggled at the plate this year and is barely hitting above the "Me...
Apr 20, 2023•40 min•Ep. 363
The Nats were shutout 1-0 by the visiting Orioles and Josiah Gray yet again was given absolutely zero run support. Mark & Al run through another poor evening by the offense and pinpoint just how many things went wrong in the bottom of the 3rd when they had many chances to bring home a run. (14:00) Gray only allowed one run in five innings, but now is 0-4 on the season as the team has only scored one run in his four outings. His ERA is under 4.00 and has pitched well in the past three starts....
Apr 19, 2023•37 min•Ep. 362
The Nats held an exciting 8th inning rally to defeat Cleveland 7-6 on Sunday afternoon in D.C. Mark & Al run through all the major moments from the Washington victory; which at one saw them trailing by three runs in the 7th. Stone Garrett, who many fans had been clamoring for on the lineup card, scored the tying run in dramatic fashion; which did not become official until after a lengthy replay review. (08:00) The Nationals hit a pair of HRs in the series finale and they came from Jeimer Can...
Apr 17, 2023•33 min•Ep. 361
The Nats lost their fourth in a row on Saturday; a 6-4 defeat at the hands of visiting Cleveland, that began late after a nearly two hour rain delay on Jackie Robinson Day. Mark & Al discuss how the lineup gave Chad Kuhl an early 3-0 1st inning lead, but that did not last. Hear the gruesome stats of how much the offense has struggled this season as the game reaches the later frames. (08:00) Many fans have been upset that Stone Garrett has disappeared from recent lineup cards. Mark asked Dave...
Apr 16, 2023•36 min•Ep. 360
The Nats couldn't keep their early lead and lost 4-3 to visiting Cleveland on Friday night. Al & Tim Shovers begin with the bullpen who for a third time in less than two weeks could not deliver a victory. Hunter Harvey and Carl Edwards Jr each struggled as an early 3-0 Washington lead became no more. Josh Bell played a big part of it in his return to Navy Yard; as he homered and doubled in the later innings. (08:00) Trevor Williams was in line for his 2nd victory of the season, but ended up ...
Apr 15, 2023•34 min•Ep. 359
The Nats lost the series rubber match in Anaheim 3-2 and came up short for the first time when MacKenzie Gore took the mound. Al & Mark (Live from Angels Stadium) examine the decision by Davey Martinez to remove the young left hander after 88 pitches. Gore still did manage six strikeouts in 3.2 IP. (11:40) The bullpen only gave up one run in 4+ frames and Mason Thompson had himself a very solid series. A well deserved and needed day off awaits for the relief pitching staff. (16:00) The bats ...
Apr 13, 2023•31 min•Ep. 358
The Nats were no match for the right arm of Shohei Ohtani as they were blanked 2-0 by the Angels on Tuesday night. Mark (Live from Anaheim) & Al tip their caps to the marvel that is Ohtani, who only allowed one hit in seven innings. CJ Abrams had the lone hit on the evening, coming in the 4th inning. (06:00) Keibert Ruiz is just hitting .216 so far on the season and Mark assesses what he has been seeing from the catcher's approach at the plate. (11:00) Josiah Gray took a hard luck loss as he...
Apr 12, 2023•27 min•Ep. 357
The Nats ralled in California to beat the Angels 6-4 on Monday evening after trailing early on by three runs. Al & Mark (Live from Anaheim) begin with the bullpen's sterling effort, as the staff combined for four shutout frames. Hunter Harvey really came through as he struck out both Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. This was the opposite of Sunday in Colorado where the 'pen couldn't hang on to the three run lead. (10:30) Patrick Corbin lasted five innings and ended on a high note as he retired ...
Apr 11, 2023•31 min•Ep. 356
The Nats had to settle for a series split in Colorado as the bullpen could not maintain a 6-3 lead and ultimately Washington lost 7-6. Mark (Live from Coors Field) & Al dive into Erasmo Ramirez's tough afternoon while Davey Martinez was limited in his options. Will Erasmo return to his 2022 form? (12:00) Victor Robles was positioned in right CF as opposed to straightaway CF on Elias Diaz's RBI double to trim the lead to 6-5. Mark explains all the "Inside Baseball" that went into Robles defen...
Apr 10, 2023•34 min•Ep. 355
The Nats have won two in a row for the first time in 2023 as they held off the rallying Rockies 7-6 on Saturday evening. Mark (Live from Coors Field) & Al discuss the roller coaster bottom of the 9th where the fatigued bullpen eked out a narrow victory despite being given a five run lead. Did Davey Martinez make the right decisions with his 'pen? (09:45) Stone Garrett hit 2nd and rewarded his trusting manager with a career evening. Garrett raked four hits and was a triple shy of the cycle, i...
Apr 09, 2023•34 min•Ep. 354
The Nationals doubled up the Rockies 10-5 as MacKenzie Gore improved to 2-0 in as many starts. Al & Mark (Live from Denver) examine the lefty's strong start that last six innings. Gore was given a lead before he even took the mound as Alex Call and Jeimer Candelario went Back to Back right off the bat. (13:00) CJ Abrams had quite the evening as well as he tripled TWICE as part of his three hit night. He is only the fifth player in franchise history to triple twice in a game; can you name the...
Apr 08, 2023•32 min•Ep. 353
The Nats lost 7-2 to the Braves on a beautiful but cold Opening Day in D.C. Mark & Al recap the sloppy defensive effort as the young SS CJ Abrams had three errors on his scorecard. How much of a factor did the sun monster play in the afternoon game? (12:30) The lineup only scored a pair of runs, but no surprise one of the RBIs came from Joey Meneses. The Nationals recorded eight hits, but only one was for extra bases. Keibert Ruiz and Dominic Smith had bright days, as they both registered tw...
Apr 08, 2023•39 min•Ep. 352
The Nationals skid extended to four games in a 1-0 loss in Colorado. Mark (Live for Coors Field) & Al balance the negative of the lineup with the big picture positive of Josiah Gray only allowing one run in six innings. Yet again a Nats outfielder lost a ball in the sun (Lane Thomas), and it was a very costly one that led to the lone run. (15:40) Washington was shutout and only had one runner reach scoring position. The troubles aren't only with the bats, they surprisingly are only 1 for 4 i...
Apr 07, 2023•31 min•Ep. 351
The Nationals were swept by the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 as Patrick Corbin is now 0-2 on the season. Al Galdi solo hosts this edition and recap the lefty's outing; which did include a string of retiring 11 straight, but also plenty of runs allowed. (09:00) The Nats stranded the bases loaded in the 4th when trailing 3-2. Hear what Davey Martinez said about his young nucleus and their evolving plate approaches. (12:45) Al discusses why Luis Garcia sat for a 2nd straight game and what went into ...
Apr 06, 2023•24 min•Ep. 350
Kyle Finnegan inherited a ninth inning one run lead, but after a trio of 9th inning Tampa homers, Tuesday became a 10-6 loss for the Nationals in D.C. Mark & Al discuss Davey Martinez's decision to keep his closer on the mound after surrendering back to back homers to lose the lead. (15:30) Chad Kuhl made his franchise debut on the mound and settled down after giving up four runs right away. Kuhl became a member of the rotation after Cade Cavalli was ruled out for the season. (19:00) In addi...
Apr 05, 2023•33 min•Ep. 349
The Nats lost the series opener to the visiting Rays 6-2 as the offense only mustered four hits. Al & Mark begin with the struggling lineup and wonder... is that what to mostly expect all season? Washington has only totaled nine runs in four games so far. (12:20) Trevor Williams' Nationals debut resulted in a loss as he gave up four runs in his outing. Adding to the bad fortune of the evening, runner interference yet again did not go the franchise's way. (24:00) Ildemaro Vargas got the nod t...
Apr 04, 2023•35 min•Ep. 348
