Will the Washington Nationals hang on? 93 games wins the East

Journeyman · Jul 13, 2005

It would be a pretty remarkable feat, the Washington Nationals winning the NL East....I think they will hang on and win the NL East, winning 93 games...

If you take a close look though, the Braves the team chasing the Nats, may be the team that is really the team with more question marks and trying to hang on...Their top starter Hudson has been injured and hasn't pitched that well, and Kolb has been a bust as the closer....another amazing job by Bobby Cox, I don't see Atlanta having enough to stay in the race

Florida the Mets and Phils all hovering around .500 have been disappointing , if any of these three makes a run, I think it is Florida...

Who will come out of the east?

How do you see the NL EAST unfolding, I will pull this up in September to see how we did :103631605

My prediction win totals

Was 93
Fla 89
Atl 88
NYM 85
PHI 83

GreenDoberman · Jul 13, 2005

Guillen goes nuts, Wilkerson pulls a hammy, Cordero comes back to earth and the Nats do as well.

Bobby Cox wins the division for the 83rd year in a row and the Braves get swept in round one.

Journeyman · Jul 13, 2005

GreenDoberman said:
Guillen goes nuts, Wilkerson pulls a hammy, Cordero comes back to earth and the Nats do as well.

Bobby Cox wins the division for the 83rd year in a row and the Braves get swept in round one.

:lolBIG:

Arodd · Jul 13, 2005

NATS WIN THE DIVISION!!
they aren't the sexiest team in baseball but they play the hardest, and botom line is they win games. tasted success, us hometown fans have tasted it, we won't let it slip away in the 2nd half. The team knows how to win. Don't know when Chipper is coming back for the Braves, that team scares me when the pitching is healthy, plus Florida (if they ever put together a decent win streak), but the nationals, man what a story.
i think they win the division, Florida gets the wildcard, Nats win the world series haha

booze · Jul 13, 2005

1. Atlanta (95 wins) - Have to respect the streak. Chipper, Hampton & Hudson have all been injured during the recent run, they can only help. You know Schurholz will do something to boost the bullpen before the deadline.

2. Mets (89 wins) - Wishful thinking here. In all honesty, I'm hoping for a big second half out of Beltran. Trachsel will be back soon, and I have a feeling Minaya will make a deal for a 1B. I like the way their playing under Randolph. Pedro, Benson, Reyes, Wright & Floyd have to stay healthy however.

3. Phills (86) - Could go south real quick, bust still like this squad despite all of the doubters. Ryan Howard, Burrell, Abreu, etc. can light up Citizens Bank park.

4. Fish (85) - still probably have the most talent out of the division. McKeon seems to have worn out his welcome though.

5. Nats (83) - they will come back to earth. Cordero looked shaky in the Mets series, Livan's a workhorse but can he pitch 300 innings? I do like their lineup, but I'm not confident in Loaiza, Patterson & Armas continuing to deal

SSI · Jul 13, 2005

Jman, cant believe that you think, anyone other than the braves will win the division.. I love this atlanta team, 10 rookies now make up the 25 man roster but help is on the way.. no need for a close, John Smoltz can easily slide back to that role for the stretch run and playoffs... Sorry to say but he is their ace and not Hudson, we miss Hudson but John is our man..

Rotation will set up nicely once, Hamp-Hudson-Thompson return, Sosa has done great and will be a great asset in any role, Ramirez has done a good job as well and may hang on over Thompson in the #4 slot..

Chipper will return and get hot down the stretch, the big If to me is, If Andruw keeps playing the way he has been,,,, the braves will be in first by Aug 1st and win this thing going away..

Bobby and Leo have done great jobs, their best ever (in my opinion).. winning with guys like: Langerhans/McCann/Kelly Johnson/Betemit (outstanding talent) by the way/ and several others.. once the lineup rounds back into shape, their will be no stopping them..

juice · Jul 13, 2005

Rumors have it that the Nats will acquire Preston Wilson for Zach Day and JJ Davis as well, another bat in the lineup is very much needed.
Besides that, more depth in their bullpen is probably a priority too, they had been faltering the last few games.

Arodd · Jul 13, 2005

Bullpen looked like shit against the Phillies, but this was an aberration, NOT the first 80 games of the season. Eischen's back to hold down lefties, Cordero is the man until proven otherwise. I'd love to win with just the guys the Nats have right now, but with Preston Wilson you get a big bat and plus can move Wilkerson to left, making the whole OF stronger and hopefully keeping him away from injury...i'm tellin you, these guys have tasted what it's like to be on top, i think they'll be right up there the whole way (although thats not to say they'll lose the lead at some point).

I don't trust the Braves' young guys to carry them to a pennant. All i gotta sya is, put Julio Franco in the starting lineup, that guy is a monster

Journeyman · Jul 13, 2005

SSI, do you really think they would move Smoltz at this point? Yes, as its turned out Smoltz is the man again....I can't see them switching it though, Smoltz back to the closer role? is that being talked about down there?

Hudson may be showing wear and tear, he's a small guy and this is back to back years he's broken down....

I think Washigton gets another bat in that middle of the lineup....what if this team still had Vladdy!!??

Livan could pitch every 4 days if needed, talk about a throwback player, he is it!

tooran · Jul 13, 2005

Remember, these Nats used to be the Expos. Let's give the Nats a couple more weeks to remember that, then I'm sure we'll see them slide down the standings.

royalfan · Jul 13, 2005

I would be stunned if the Marlins weren't a factor at some point.

royalfan · Jul 13, 2005

The Nationals are doing it with mirrors. No way they can even flirt with that type of percentage in one run games that they are doing. A team that many over 500 that has been outscored is flat out getting lucky to some extent, my opinion is that it is to great extent.

Journeyman · Jul 13, 2005

I can see your point Royalfan...Cordero can't keep it up...not that pace...I am thinking they will be buying a bat for AUG and Sept...none of the East teams are great though or without holes...its not like we have Bost and NYY heavyweights of the past in this division....low 90's wins this race...they will beat each other up some too, all are decent.

snowtime · Jul 13, 2005

Time to fade them !!

Revon · Jul 13, 2005

Nationals are the prime contender to slip.

They're 24-8 in one-run games and have been outscored this season!

Fade them!

Arodd · Jul 13, 2005

Big Nats fan here so naturally i'm biased, but watch for getting burned on the fade. They have the best home record in the majors (so even if they're not scoring runs, they know how to score at home and RFK is a pitcher's paradise).
They aren't great against divisioanl opponents, only 18-18, but Atlanta is the only team in that division with a better intra-division record (24-18).
Nats slide the past few series becuase of injuries, Nick Johnson and Ryan Church will be back soon enough to add depth in the lineup and bench. Vidro just got back and has been playing well, keep in mind they won the whole first half without their perennial All-star candidate. Guillen has been putting up great #s with virtually no protection in the lineup, and now he gets Vidro.
Not saying they'll breeze thru the NL East, far from it, but just deciding to fade them becuase they're the Expos and becuase of their hot start- well hey it might not be the greatest idea in the world, contray to popular opinion.

TONYMONTANA · Jul 13, 2005

I would like to see the Nat win the division, but I think it will take a move like Juice is suggesting may happen for them to come out on top. They need a star and Wilson would be a star w/ the Nats.
I'll say the Braves by 3.5 games when it's all said and done. MAY'N!

SSI · Jul 13, 2005

Jman, John Smoltz will do what it takes to win, he has shown that.. Its not being talked about now but i think it will be come september.. I can assure you the braves are very pleased with where they are sitting and confidence along with experience is going to carry this team.. Team is young but alot of guys have experience and in atlanta with this run, they are expected to win...

I know playoffs are a different story but we are talking about winning the east.

I applaud what the nationals have done and your correct about Livan.. but this team has done it with mirrors, the stats do not support them.. the new city is really making a difference but the braves should slowly overtake them..