2019 NLCS - Nationals vs Cardinals - Gamethread

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DeadlySplitter

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the Nationals started the year 19-31, off of their awful pen. Their pen is still not good, but their young talent matured, Rendon was Rendon and their rotation is still top 3 in the game, and it was enough to get by the Dodgers in one of the biggest LDS stunners in recent memory.

the Cardinals won a mediocre NL Central this year, didn't really look great in the NLDS either, but the Braves could not with RISP at all, along with some awful blow-up innings of pitching at SunTrust Park, and the Cards were also able to win game 5 on the road for the [smaller] upset.

Series starts on Friday. Probably Wainwright for the Cards and Anibal Sanchez for the Nats.
 

sean1562

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hudson has been really good since he came over, and doolittle has been solid since he got some time off(they were kind of pitching his arm off). all you need is a really good run and anything can happen
 

Wingack

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Cardinals may have made a fatal mistake by pitching Flaherty yesterday when they did not have to. Now he may only be able to pitch once in the series and likely be matched up against Strasburg in this home park.
 

DeadlySplitter

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you don't know at the time you didn't "need" him. he'll still be able to go games 3 & 7.

I was a bit surprised the Cards used him for 104 pitches and 6 innings. Once it was clear the Braves were just defeated, I would have pulled him after 5.
 

Wingack

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you don't know at the time you didn't "need" him. he'll still be able to go games 3 & 7.

I was a bit surprised the Cards used him for 104 pitches and 6 innings. Once it was clear the Braves were just defeated, I would have pulled him after 5.
They should have pulled him after 1 or 2. He had an 11 run lead. They could have brought him back for Game 2. Now maybe he only pitches once. I think that's a mistake on their end.
 

AB in DC

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They should have pulled him after 1 or 2. He had an 11 run lead. They could have brought him back for Game 2. Now maybe he only pitches once. I think that's a mistake on their end.
What does it matter if he pitches game 3/7 instead of game 2/6? Even if you pull him early I still wouldn't line him up again on just two days rest.
 

AB in DC

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That argument never made any sense to me. What if game seven is the elimination game? Wouldn't you want your best pitcher then?

In any case, my guess is that the Nats will have Scherzer pitching game 2/6 and Strasburg 3/7, so I"m not sure it matters either way.
 

Wingack

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Game 6 is always an elimination game
Well yes, but my main point is it increases the chance of Flaherty only pitching once in the NLCS. That is bad for the Cardinals.

If you guys think the Cards are in a better position because they let him pitch 104 pitches in a game that was 10-0 before he stepped on the mound, then I don't know what to say.

Heck they could have even straight up skipped him and had him start Game 1 and have him go three times in the NLCS. That makes more sense then burning him yesterday IMO.
 

AB in DC

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Heck they could have even straight up skipped him and had him start Game 1 and have him go three times in the NLCS. That makes more sense then burning him yesterday IMO.
Come on, that's flat-out absurd. It's game five in the NLDS, of course they're going to have their best starter lined up for it. You can't just throw some other random pitchers into the game at the last minute just because of the huge 1st inning.
 

jon abbey

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Come on, that's flat-out absurd. It's game five in the NLDS, of course they're going to have their best starter lined up for it. You can't just throw some other random pitchers into the game at the last minute just because of the huge 1st inning.
Exactly, especially when you couldn’t come back with Flaherty that game in an emergency since he was in the original lineup. The STL GM and manager both ridiculed this idea when asked later, it’s not a real world move.
 

RedOctober3829

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Well yes, but my main point is it increases the chance of Flaherty only pitching once in the NLCS. That is bad for the Cardinals.

If you guys think the Cards are in a better position because they let him pitch 104 pitches in a game that was 10-0 before he stepped on the mound, then I don't know what to say.

Heck they could have even straight up skipped him and had him start Game 1 and have him go three times in the NLCS. That makes more sense then burning him yesterday IMO.
After it was 10-0 they could have done one of two things. One would be to let him go 3-5 innings and let a bullpen arm pitch an inning each until the end. The other is what they did because it rests the bullpen. There's no way they skip him after the 10-0 lead because he's already warmed up.
 

Plympton91

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And also because 10-0 is not a guaranteed win. The Nats came back down 6 in the 9th 4 weeks ago.

I can see lifting him at 13-1 after 5 to avoid any injuries or fights with hothead loafing outfielders, but you can’t go to the bullpen in the 1st or 2nd inning.
 

Wingack

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And also because 10-0 is not a guaranteed win. The Nats came back down 6 in the 9th 4 weeks ago.

I can see lifting him at 13-1 after 5 to avoid any injuries or fights with hothead loafing outfielders, but you can’t go to the bullpen in the 1st or 2nd inning.
Or they could have put him in the pen and just brought him in if the Braves got to within 6 runs.
 

jon abbey

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Or they could have put him in the pen and just brought him in if the Braves got to within 6 runs.
No, it was a NL game, he batted in the first inning before he ever threw a pitch. He was in the game (in the lineup, not actually in the game) at 0-0.
 

brandonchristensen

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He has been good since going back to the NL last year, two very solid years and a good playoff start this past series.
I remember being super excited for him as a prospect.
Then trading him.
Then him almost throwing a no hitter in 2013 ALCS.
Then today.
 

cannonball 1729

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Or they could have put him in the pen and just brought him in if the Braves got to within 6 runs.
That's not allowed in either league, even if he hadn't batted yet. The starting pitcher has to face at least one batter unless he's injured.

5.10 (f) (3.05(a)) The pitcher named in the batting order handed the umpire-in-chief, as provided in Rules 4.02(a) and 4.02(b) (Rules 4.01(a) and 4.01(b)), shall pitch to the first batter or any substitute batter until such batter is put out or reaches first base, unless the pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the judgment of the umpire-in-chief, incapacitates him from pitching.
 

jon abbey

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That's not allowed in either league, even if he hadn't batted yet. The starting pitcher has to face at least one batter unless he's injured.
Wow, I didn't know that, and that answers my question from last night as to why the road team in NL games doesn't just put yesterday's SP in the lineup in case the spot comes up to bat in the top of the first inning.
 

cannonball 1729

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Wow, I didn't know that, and that answers my question from last night as to why the road team in NL games doesn't just put yesterday's SP in the lineup in case the spot comes up to bat in the top of the first inning.
Yeah - it came up last year with the Brewers' Game 5 headfake where they took Wade Miley out after one batter. Apparently it's been on the books as a rule for a while, because the Washington Senators did the same pull-the-pitcher-after-one-batter trick in Game 7 of the 1924 World Series.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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One of the secondary subplots to this series is figuring out how badly the Cardinals pitchers and even their position players want to get Eaton out.
 

DeadlySplitter

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Cards are starting Mikolas for game 1. I did get Sanchez right, but that was more predictable as the Nats will just go Sanchez, Scherzer, Strasburg, probably Corbin, repeat.

Cards are going Waino game 2, of course Flaherty game 3, Hudson is still their game 4.

like before, 2 games of this series will be completed before the ALCS begins
 

jon abbey

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"Gametime temperature of 45°F is the coldest for a postseason game since 2016 WS 2 at CLE (42°).

Coldest in St Louis since Apr 8 2018 vs ARI (L 1-4, 41°).

Nats did have one other 45° this season, Apr 2 vs PHI (L 2-8)."
 

dealktf

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Did Mikolas look in Soto’s direction and grab his crotch as he walked off the field? I hadn’t really paid attention to how obnoxious Soto’s antics in the box were until this last AB.
 
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BornToRun

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God I hate the cardinals. Bunch of self righteous hypocrites. The last team left I wouldn’t be slightly irritated to enraged to see win is Washington so go Nats.
 

Ale Xander

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"Gametime temperature of 45°F is the coldest for a postseason game since 2016 WS 2 at CLE (42°).

Coldest in St Louis since Apr 8 2018 vs ARI (L 1-4, 41°).

Nats did have one other 45° this season, Apr 2 vs PHI (L 2-8)."
every Fenway game in 2018 was warmer? Wouldn't have thought.
 

Soxy

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The role of Steve Pearce will be played this season by Howie Kendrick.
Wasn't Kendrick a highly regarded prospect coming up with the Angels? I remember chatter that this kid would be a perennial All-Star who would challenge for batting titles year in and year out. Never really materialized that way, but he's always been a good hitter.
 
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