The Nats beat the Athletics 3-1 in California on Saturday afternoon as MacKenzie Gore tied a career high with 11 strikeouts. Mark (Live from Oakland Coliseum) & Al discuss the southpaw's sterling outing that saw five shutout innings on 90 pitches. (08:45) CJ Abrams had a pair of hits including a RBI triple and Al notes that it seems like the team's success is directly correlated to Abrams' performance. The triple scored Jacob Young and Mark points out how just how lighting quick both of them...
Apr 14, 2024•30 min•Ep. 527
The Nats lost 2-1 in Oakland on Friday evening in 10 innings of play. Mark (Live from Oakland Coliseum) & Al begin by noting that this is the final season in this particular stadium as the team will temporarily relocate to Sacramento next year, before ultimately settling in Las Vegas. (04:40) Jake Irvin only allowed a solo homer in 6 IP on just 74 pitches for his best start of the season thus far. (08:00) Jesse Winker went 4 for 4 and was the lone source of offense as he clubbed a solo homer...
Apr 13, 2024•31 min•Ep. 526
The Nats lost 7-1 on Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco, ending their three game win streak. Al & Mark (Live from Oracle Park) recap a quiet day for the bats as they only mustered four hits in defeat. The only run came from Joey Gallo, who now has a trio of homers on the young season. (05:30) Catcher Drew Millas was called up and started behind the plate, replacing Joan Adon on the roster. Millas stepped in for Keibert Ruiz who wasn't feel well, but immediately was sent back down to the mi...
Apr 11, 2024•36 min•Ep. 525
The Nats held on 5-3 in San Francisco on Tuesday night for their 3rd straight victory. Mark (Live from SF) & Al though begin with the news from pregame that Josiah Gray is headed to the 15 day IL with a right elbow/ forearm flexor strain. Despite the news, there were some positive indications from both Gray and Davey Martinez that this does not necessarily mean season ending surgery or anything of that magnitude. (11:45) Taking Gray's place in the rotation was Joan Adon who serviceable in hi...
Apr 10, 2024•36 min•Ep. 524
The Nats cruised to an 8-1 victory on Monday night in San Francisco to begin their west coast road trip. Mark (Live from Oracle Park) & Al begin with the Nationals offense knocking Blake Snell out of the affair after just three innings of work with his new team. The reigning NL Cy Young winner did not sign with the Giants until mid March and therefore missed the bulk of Spring Training. (05:00) CJ Abrams missed a third straight game, but Mark notes that he did take infield practice in pregam...
Apr 09, 2024•30 min•Ep. 523
The Nats ended their three game skid with a 3-2 victory over the visiting Phillies on Sunday afternoon. Al & Tim start with MacKenzie Gore's solid performance as earned his first win of 2024 in 5.2 IP of work. A trio of bullpen pitchers (Weems, Harvey, and Finnegan) then combined for ten scoreless outs. (11:15) Lane Thomas had his best game of the season as he had a pair of hits, stole three bases, and scored the final two runs. The negative for the offense was that CJ Abrams missed a second...
Apr 08, 2024•36 min•Ep. 522
The Nats lost 5-2 to the Phillies but afterwards in a very subtle manner, it came across the MLB.com's transactions log that Stephen Strasburg is retiring. Mark & Al react to the news that the Strasburg saga has finally been wrapped up. The next homestand will serve as the 5th anniversary celebration of the World Series title as Houston will be in town and they wonder if the timing of that weekend played a role in the eventual resolution. (15:40) CJ Abrams was a late scratch due to a bone br...
Apr 07, 2024•36 min•Ep. 521
On a chilly night in the District, the Nats were blanked 4-0 by the Phillies. Mark & Al start with the struggling offense as they only totaled two hits on the evening. One of those was squandered by poor base running as CJ Abrams tried to stretch an early single into a double. (06:25) Lane Thomas was hitless and is mightily slumping this season. So far he is just 2 for 28 at the plate and has not had a hit since the home opener. (10:00) Trey Lipscomb was charged with his 2nd throwing error o...
Apr 06, 2024•36 min•Ep. 520
The Nats lost 7-4 to Pittsburgh in D.C. to drop a 2nd straight rubber match as they are now 2-4 on the season. Al & Mark recap another bad outing by Josiah Gray as he gave up four runs in the opening inning. His ERA so far this season after a pair of starts is 14.04. (14:00) The offense totaled eight hits after trying to dig themselves out from the early deficit. Lane Thomas was for 0 for 4 and so far he is hitting just .179 on the young season. (18:00) Joey Gallo doubled and drew a walk in ...
Apr 05, 2024•34 min•Ep. 519
Wednesday was filled with rain in the DMV, but the skies were clear enough in the early evening for a 5-3 Nationals victory over Pittsburgh. Mark & Al start with Joey Gallo as his first hit with the franchise was fittingly a solo HR. He then later added two more hits after beginning the season 0 for 12. (08:00) Luis Garcia Jr. doubled three times and knocked in a run. It is the first time in Garcia's career that he pulled off that feat. (11:40) CJ Abrams had another impressive performance as...
Apr 04, 2024•36 min•Ep. 518
The Nats lost 8-3 to the Pirates in their sold out home opener to begin the season 1-3 for the sixth consecutive year. Mark & Al recap a second straight day filled with bullpen struggles as the game was tied at 4 entering the top of the 8th. Matt Barnes and Tanner Rainey shared responsibility for the four late Pirates runs and overall the quartet of Nats relievers gave up ten hits in the afternoon. (12:00) MacKenzie Gore threw a so-so start as he gave up a trio of runs in 5.1 IP on 101 pitch...
Apr 02, 2024•34 min•Ep. 517
The Nats came one out shy of winning the opening series of the season as they lost 6-5 on Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati. Mark (Live from Cincy) & Al recap the loss where a 5-3 lead with two outs in the 9th quickly turned into a Reds walk-off HR given up by Kyle Finnegan. (07:30) Trey Lipscomb homered in just his 2nd career game and continues to impress at 3B. (11:00) CJ Abrams also homered on Sunday, but Al takes issue with a decision for him to attempt a sacrifice bunt despite it working o...
Apr 01, 2024•29 min•Ep. 516
The Nats scored 3 runs in the 9th to escape with a 7-6 victory on Saturday afternoon. Mark (From Cincinnati) & Al discuss the comeback, which involved a lot of "Small Ball". Keibert Ruiz tied the game by getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Eddie Rosario continued his strong start to the season with the go ahead sacrifice fly. CJ Abrams had a excellent game as he scored a trio of runs and also stole 3 bases in the win. (11:00) Trey Lipscomb made his Major League debut as the star...
Mar 31, 2024•34 min•Ep. 515
The Nats were routed 8-2 on Opening Day on Thursday afternoon in Cincinnati . Mark (Live from Cincy) & Al recap the defeat that got off to an immediate negative tone as third baseman Nick Senzel broke his thumb while fielding a ground ball in warmups. Then Josiah Gray allowed seven runs before the 3rd inning was over, including allowing a pair of HRs to Nick Martini, who entered the game with only 8 career HRs. (16:20) The offense was very ineffective as only one runner reached scoring posit...
Mar 29, 2024•39 min•Ep. 514
Mark is back from Florida and so are the Nats as Opening Day is Thursday in Cincinnati. He & Al begin start with the prospect likeliest to begin in Ohio this week and it's not James Wood or Dylan Crews. Hear all the factors that led to Trey Lipscomb escalation up the depth chart within the organization. Lipscomb is an infielder and was drafted by Washington in the 3rd round of the 2022 Draft after playing at the University of Tennessee. (12:00) An update on the starting rotation which will i...
Mar 25, 2024•47 min•Ep. 513
As Opening Day approaches next week, Mark (From West Palm) & Al react to Davey Martinez giving Josiah Gray the nod to take the mound on March 28th in Cincinnati. Patrick Corbin, who started Opening Day the past two seasons, will get the ball in Game #2. MacKenzie Gore is expected to be the starting pitcher for the home opener on Monday April 1st. (15:20) An update on the bullpen and which arms are healthy as the regular season approaches. (19:15) A look at the outfield and first base from a ...
Mar 20, 2024•43 min•Ep. 512
Opening Day is under a month away as Mark & Al convene to discuss the latest with the Nationals. James Wood has been the star of Spring Training and that is where the conversation begins. What are the chances the 21-year-old will be with the Nats on March 28th in Cincinnati? (08:30) An update on how Dylan Crews and Robert Hassell III have looked during Grapefruit League play. (11:30) An explanation of the complicated Prospect Promotion Initiative (PPI) that factors into the decision of wheth...
Mar 06, 2024•39 min•Ep. 511
The Nats have played a pair of Grapefruit League games and James Wood homered in each one. Mark & Al begin by discussing the team's #2 ranked prospect's mammoth shots in West Palm and Jupiter over the weekend. Wood is 21 years old spent the bulk of 2023 with Double-A Harrisburg. Meanwhile, Robert Hassell III tripled on Saturday night and Dylan Crews already came through with a diving catch. (11:45) Keibert Ruiz's had a rough start to Spring as he was charged with two catcher interference cal...
Feb 26, 2024•55 min•Ep. 510
Mark is down in West Palm Beach, Florida for the beginning of Nats Spring Training and relays to Al what he's seen thus far. James Wood has already reported and it is emblematic of the high profile prospects that will garner a lot of attention down at camp unlike the past few seasons. (13:30) Despite the optimism for the future, a negative story line from the past remains as there is still a vacant locker for Stephen Strasburg. Mark explains the complicated situation that was not resolved over t...
Feb 16, 2024•49 min•Ep. 509
Al & Mark are back in 2024 in what continues to be a very sleepy offseason for the Nationals. The episode begins with an exciting podcast announcement as it relates to the NL East. (12:25) We are joined by two important new additions to the organization who just came over from Baltimore. Brad Ciolek, Senior Director Amateur Scouting, and Danny Haas, VP of Amateur Scouting. A true "Inside Baseball" segment as they give a peek into the world of scouting and the exhaustive preparation head of t...
Jan 15, 2024•45 min•Ep. 508
The Winter Meetings wrapped up with a flurry of news as Mark has returned home from Nashville. He and Al begin by evaluating the Nick Senzel signing to a one year deal. If he primarily plays 3B, what does mean for Brady House's timeline? This comes as Jeimer Candelario agreed to terms with Cincinnati where Senzel played last season. (10:15) The Nats acquired Nasim Nunez from the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft. Get to learn about the young shortstop. (19:00) Juan Soto has been traded again and he is...
Dec 07, 2023•40 min•Ep. 507
The MLB Winter Meetings are underway as Mark (Live from Nashville) & Al check in on the latest regarding the Nationals off-season. Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez each addressed the media and there are indications that this could be another slow Hot Stove for Washington. How does Jeimer Candelario fit into all of that? (19:00) The Stephen Strasburg situation was addressed and we still have not yet reached a resolution. (26:00) An explanation as to why Joey Meneses' did not have the power we al...
Dec 05, 2023•48 min•Ep. 506
The Texas Rangers won their 1st World Series title to officially bring on the MLB's off-season. Al & Mark begin with a quick recap of the successful Podcast Party last month at Walter's. Thanks to all who came! (04:00) The Nationals announced that weeknight evening games will begin 20 minutes earlier at 6:45pm. This seems to be a way to encourage more fans to be able to stay for the final few innings, but what about those who don't get off work until around 6:30pm? (11:30) Roll call and anal...
Nov 07, 2023•59 min•Ep. 505
The Nats ended 2023 on a high note as they defeated the Braves 10-9 in a Sunday Slugfest. Mark (From Georgia) & Al wrap-up the 71 win campaign; which was 16 more victories than a season ago. Washington ended up beating Atlanta 5 times and were never swept from the NL East Champs. (05:30) CJ Abrams stole a pair of bases in the finale to surpass Trea Turner's previous franchise mark. Abrams ended at 47 swipes, which just nosed past Turner's 46 stolen bases in 2017. (12:30) Lane Thomas conclude...
Oct 02, 2023•40 min•Ep. 504
The Nats lost 5-3 on Saturday night in Atlanta despite jumping out to an early edge. Mark (From ATL) & Al examine how the offense immediately attached Spencer Strider, but then went silent after the 1st inning. (06:25) CJ Abrams had a pair of hits and stole his 45th base of the year. He trails Trea Turner (46 - 2017) by just one stolen base for the franchise record in a single season. (11:00) Joan Adon only lasted 4 IP in his final start of the season. Adon made 10 starts and his ERA was a w...
Oct 01, 2023•37 min•Ep. 503
The Nats out-slugged the Braves on Friday night for their 70th victory on the season. Mark ( From ATL) & Al recap the 10-6 victory that saw Washington crush 5 home runs as Dom Smith continued his scorching September with his 6th trip around the bases this month. (07:40) Carter Kieboom went deep while getting the start in his hometown. The hosts handicap where Kieboom fits into the organizational plans and show why this past stretch might be his last real opportunity to make an impression. (1...
Sep 30, 2023•37 min•Ep. 502
The Nats were swept in their 2 game series in Baltimore as they fell 5-1 on Wednesday night. Mark (From Camden Yards) & Al have another Nationals loss to discuss as the team is now 7-17 in September. (06:45) Patrick Corbin took the "L" in his final outing of the season. He wraps up with a 10-15 record, ERA of 5.20, and a staggeringly high WHIP of 1.48. Corbin threw 180 IP, up from 152.2 IP. (18:45) Jake Alu had a RBI single; which shockingly was the only run Washington scored on Baltimore al...
Sep 28, 2023•36 min•Ep. 501
The Nats lost 1-0 on Tuesday night in Baltimore, to begin their final road trio of the season. Mark (From Camden Yards) & Al though begin by honoring Brooks Robinson, the Orioles Hall of Fame 3rd Baseman, who passed away prior to the game at age 86. Robinson was an 18 time All Star and won 16 Gold Gloves (2nd most all time). (02:00) Josiah Gray only allowed 1 run in 6 IP in what is his final start of the season. Gray dropped his ERA to 3.91 to conclude his All Star season. Al poses the quest...
Sep 27, 2023•34 min•Ep. 500
On the final day of play this season at Nationals Park, the Nats and Braves split the Sunday doubleheader. Mark & Al open with Jackson Rutledge coming away with his 1st career MLB victory in his 3rd start since getting called up. Rutledge went the minimum 5 IP and is expected to face Atlanta again next weekend. (08:00) Lane Thomas reached the 20/20 plateau and is the first player in franchise history to accomplish that feat since Bryce Harper in 2016. (16:10) Jacob Young had an excellent Gam...
Sep 25, 2023•33 min•Ep. 499
The Nats lost 9-6 to the Braves on what was a very busy Friday in Navy Yard. Mark & Al start with the offense somehow going just 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position. CJ Abrams paced the lineup as he had a pair of hits, 3 RBIs, and stole his 43rd base of the season. (10:40) Patrick Corbin immediately fell behind 3-0 and the game began by him surrendering Ronald Acuna Jr.'s 40th homer of the season. Acuna is only the 5th player to join the 40/40 club and is the first since Alfonso Sorian...
Sep 23, 2023•36 min•Ep. 498
