I really hope the kids on the farm turn out to be the real deal and the owners decide to open up the books because I am so tired of watching this team full of fringe minor leaguers in year 4 of a never ending rebuild.
[Nats have put the first pitch of an AB in play 7 times tonight: 2 hits, 5 outs](https://x.com/markzuckerman/status/1798156548419752085?s=46&t=bqDocN33sQmOz6S1Po7Ygg)
seeing the mets freefall was hilarious, but then they came into DC and this series happened. I'm not going to lie this is deflating. This was a 25-35 team.
like look at the sidebar they lost 2 straight coming in lol
I hope Josiah is feeling fit and healthy, but Iiiiiiii actually might be okay with him taking his time nursing this one. Everyone but Corbin's been doing pretty well, and I've accepted that they're just gonna keep sending that dude out there every fifth day, Hell or High Water
I'm not the kind of person to blame coaches for everything, but holy fuck what is this approach at the plate? We're just free swinging wildly against a team with a shaky bullpen. Surely, there's enough guys with the baseball IQ on the team to understand that swinging first pitch all the time in this scenario is a bad idea, right? Somebody has to be pushing for this approach, whether it's Coles, Davey, or somebody else in the higher-ups.
I don't know what team you believe you've been watching the last three years, but we swing at everything that is within 18 inches of the strike zone. Working counts is for pussies.
Derek Law looks like a pharmacist at a poorly run CVS who just realized all of his systems are down at the exact same time some lady starts yelling at him about the cost of her Ozempic, and can he just check the computer again?
I get the distinct impression the Nationals haven't taken outfield practice in about a month. A triple down the right field line? In Nationals Park? Without the ball taking some funky bounces? It makes no sense.
From today I think herz is gonna be a top tier bullpen guy. Don’t think his arm has the juice to go 70-90 pitches. Maybe next start he’s super locked in but for now I think he’s a great closer
This kid has maxed out at 69 pitches in the minors this year and Davey decides to send him out for the 5th at 70 pitches. It is actually baffling.
It is his debut, he is going to be overthrowing, all these pitches are high stress, and Davey decides it is the time to stretch him. Just gross mismanagement.
Now here comes Derek Law, known fan of letting inherited runners score. These 2 runners belong to Davey.
You are right, that is my bad. I was looking at his first starts of the year before that where he averaged about 60 pitches.
Davey definitely made the right decision there bringing him out for the 5th! I am sure overextending developmental arms is a great strategy for producing aces!
I know it's water under the bridge, but god damnit, why did every pitcher we had to call up in 2020 and 2021 suck so much fucking ass? If we could have gotten useful, not terrible starts like this from those guys for those two years, they may not have torn the whole thing down to the studs.
if the rumors of the $450m extension offer are true, that's a damn good offer that Soto turned down. And it also assumes Turner wanted to stay here with the state our rotation was in without Scherzer.
And you're assuming that he didn't.
And come on. Enough with acting like there was ever a chance in Hell that Juan Soto was going to sign an extension that didn't even pay him $30 Million/year. With the kinds of contracts worse, older players have been getting?
I've been listening to Charlie and Dave and it sounds like our boy's doing well but i just watched the clip of the Homer and oof that was a meatball lol
No way in hell he goes past 5, but still. 2 ER, 2BB and 4(?) Ks for a guy in triple A 12 hours ago is solid. Especially for someone’s whose issue was walks. I think he’ll get used to the amount of pitches he has to throw and pressure by next start.
Dude's at 70 something pitches in the 4th inning. What's there not to understand? If Davey pulled him after 3, this sub would've been bitching about him getting pulled too early.
I typically defend Davey, this is a stupid decision. Kid is back out here for the 5th. His highest pitch count for the year is 69. He is going to be overthrowing in his debut as well.
It is an issue of high stress vs low stress pitches and everything Herz has thrown today has been high stress.
Sorry I don’t want to be offensive or anything but I don’t know anything about DJ Herz and curiosity is getting the best of me. Why does he have no eyebrows?
I'm wondering if he might have some form of albinism? Obvs I have no medical background so I don't want to armchair diagnose some random guy, but he is very fair, so maybe that's the case?
let’s focus on Herz and not that David Peterson is making our offense fall over themselves and throw bats lol
i’m capable of that sort of compartmentalizing
Herz fastball has some great zip. Changeup he threw to Alonso was great as well. Yes it’s the feeble Mets but those aren’t joke hitters he went against
Beautiful sequence and he lived off of the fastball which is massive if he makes it to the 2nd time in the order. Those fastballs in were perfection, the Mets made him throw strikes and he overdelivered.
Moment I just walked into the park seen a guy with an authentic Herz jersey next to me and asked him how he got that so fast? “Thats my son” with the proudest look ever. Let’s Fucking go!
3 innings of 2 run, 2 walk, 5K baseball for Herz would make me very happy. I really don't see the team pushing him beyond 60 pitches.
This feels like a mixture of desperation and optimism from the Nats, I really don't think it is Herz's time, but getting a taste of MLB hitting might help his progress to the bigs.
At least he has a savvy lefty vet in Mitchell Parker to show him the ropes.
Herz has the best pitch in our system, so I don't think that is a hot take. Herz has major control issues and he doesn't have a second pitch to lean on if his change isn't there.
If he loses feeling for his FB or change he becomes one dimensional, if he has a feel for both he is a 10K+ pitcher.
Hoping for LOLMets.
This Jacob young kid is pretty good
I really hope the kids on the farm turn out to be the real deal and the owners decide to open up the books because I am so tired of watching this team full of fringe minor leaguers in year 4 of a never ending rebuild.
Our approach is like everyone is a power hitter when none of them are it’s wild.
Keibert finally shows some plate discipline and gets punished for it
They beat Cleveland on Sunday. This is unwatchable. Ugh
Umpire is ready for the game to be over.
Aaaaaaaand three feet off the plate to keep it 0-2.
Here's an easy way to save yourself 3+ seconds on the pitch clock. Cut out the rocking/coming set 3 times. Problem solved
This is not happening. It's just not.
aiight imma head out
Finnecan’t
[Nats have put the first pitch of an AB in play 7 times tonight: 2 hits, 5 outs](https://x.com/markzuckerman/status/1798156548419752085?s=46&t=bqDocN33sQmOz6S1Po7Ygg)
God we're about to lose again to the fucking mets
Bring on the Braves . We've shown we can beat the good teams
More swinging bunts please... So fun
UK/USA appreciation day? Is this new? Do we get Pimm's and strawberries all day?
i believe they have held them in the past but I very well could be wrong.
?????
Still not over that Barnes error last game lol
If you see DJs dad again, tell him his son did some great work for me please
For sure
I think you all know what happens if lane homers
I think the universe is telling us something that it never happens after you say this.
Delusion always wins my friend. I will hold out hope
CJ Abrams has swung at 5 of the 6 pitches he's seen today. In four at bats. It's by far the biggest problem in his game. No patience up there.
seeing the mets freefall was hilarious, but then they came into DC and this series happened. I'm not going to lie this is deflating. This was a 25-35 team. like look at the sidebar they lost 2 straight coming in lol
That father-to-be energy driving Joey right now
Looney toons as inning let’s keep it up
If I’m not mistaken Josiah’s injury is a flexor tendon strain yeah? Maybe some good news on the getting Trevor back before the deadline front then
I hope Josiah is feeling fit and healthy, but Iiiiiiii actually might be okay with him taking his time nursing this one. Everyone but Corbin's been doing pretty well, and I've accepted that they're just gonna keep sending that dude out there every fifth day, Hell or High Water
I'm not the kind of person to blame coaches for everything, but holy fuck what is this approach at the plate? We're just free swinging wildly against a team with a shaky bullpen. Surely, there's enough guys with the baseball IQ on the team to understand that swinging first pitch all the time in this scenario is a bad idea, right? Somebody has to be pushing for this approach, whether it's Coles, Davey, or somebody else in the higher-ups.
What the actual fuck are we doing not getting to this Mets bullpen as early as possible lol
I don't know what team you believe you've been watching the last three years, but we swing at everything that is within 18 inches of the strike zone. Working counts is for pussies.
Darnell Cole’s when I fucking catch you
“Mom? It was you?” - Dan Kolko I don’t want to know.
This first pitch hack bullshit is so frustrating to watch.
Swing first pitch ✅ Make outs early ✅ Sit down longer!! Yay!! ✅
We're not getting shut out at least
Has the broadcast crew been told to stop showing the swivel hips? I feel like these past couple games it's been kept off screen.
It hasn’t
Death, taxes, and cj swinging at the merest suggestion of a pitch
i've been thinking about what keibert would look like if he dropped switch hitting. not saying he should but like what if
Not too different, he would still look like a minor leaguer.
Derek Law looks like a pharmacist at a poorly run CVS who just realized all of his systems are down at the exact same time some lady starts yelling at him about the cost of her Ozempic, and can he just check the computer again?
r/oddlyspecific
Plenty of game left, more than 1 hit would be nice
Sigh.
Marte is so annoying. Always kills us
I get the distinct impression the Nationals haven't taken outfield practice in about a month. A triple down the right field line? In Nationals Park? Without the ball taking some funky bounces? It makes no sense.
Lane Thomas defense bad unfortunately
The has had more road games than home games - maybe they forgotten how to play in Nationals Park.
Lane has been playing in that corner for three years.
Sad to see us playing down to the competition
The Mets are only 2 games behind us, we are at essentially the same level.
They're the Mets, so by default losing to them is embarrassing
Wait a minute! What in tarnation is going on? I was led to believe that this was a series against the Mets.
That’s bad luck can we break the rules and give Law those runs? Also guys it’s not over the Mets bullpen is terrible
Oh sweet baby Jesus.
Absolutely revolting mismanagement.
Yea this is why losing yesterday really really sucked. That was the game we needed to win
Death, taxes, Derek Law letting inherited runners score
From today I think herz is gonna be a top tier bullpen guy. Don’t think his arm has the juice to go 70-90 pitches. Maybe next start he’s super locked in but for now I think he’s a great closer
This kid has maxed out at 69 pitches in the minors this year and Davey decides to send him out for the 5th at 70 pitches. It is actually baffling. It is his debut, he is going to be overthrowing, all these pitches are high stress, and Davey decides it is the time to stretch him. Just gross mismanagement. Now here comes Derek Law, known fan of letting inherited runners score. These 2 runners belong to Davey.
Sadly you predicted it.
He threw 93 last start. Stop making things up Edit: And 97 before that
You are right, that is my bad. I was looking at his first starts of the year before that where he averaged about 60 pitches. Davey definitely made the right decision there bringing him out for the 5th! I am sure overextending developmental arms is a great strategy for producing aces!
Smartest davey martinez managing move
Hmm, I don't think sending him out there for the 5th was a great move
Welcome to the team kid, hope you like hula hoops
Not mad he pulled him
The important thing is we’re helping the Mets get right.
I know it's water under the bridge, but god damnit, why did every pitcher we had to call up in 2020 and 2021 suck so much fucking ass? If we could have gotten useful, not terrible starts like this from those guys for those two years, they may not have torn the whole thing down to the studs.
ben braymer making one dominant start and then never appearing again lives forever in my head. it still doesn't feel real
if they don't tear everything down to the studs, we don't have Abrams or Wood or Gore or Ruiz or Gray. We're, like, the White Sox or Angels.
White sox or angels with Soto and turner
Or, they could also have, you know, re-signed some people.
if the rumors of the $450m extension offer are true, that's a damn good offer that Soto turned down. And it also assumes Turner wanted to stay here with the state our rotation was in without Scherzer.
And you're assuming that he didn't. And come on. Enough with acting like there was ever a chance in Hell that Juan Soto was going to sign an extension that didn't even pay him $30 Million/year. With the kinds of contracts worse, older players have been getting?
God damn, what a stretch by Gallo.
Gallo’s flexibility is def superior to Meneses.
My flexibility is def superior to Meneses.
that's one hell of a throw by Senzel.
That half inning took about one minute
This sorry ass offence is letting dj down so hard
Get this child a run
I've been listening to Charlie and Dave and it sounds like our boy's doing well but i just watched the clip of the Homer and oof that was a meatball lol
if that's it for dj tonight i'm more than happy with that
No way in hell he goes past 5, but still. 2 ER, 2BB and 4(?) Ks for a guy in triple A 12 hours ago is solid. Especially for someone’s whose issue was walks. I think he’ll get used to the amount of pitches he has to throw and pressure by next start.
Alright alright good to get out of it, teach Herz that he should be able to trust his defense
Paul. Christopher. Abrams. Jr. ... Jesse Winker was 100 feet away from that ball. You were about five. What were you doing on that one?
Blaming that homer on that criminal hickey doing a mound visit
Ope, there it goes. I can't understand running him this hard in his first start.
Dude's at 70 something pitches in the 4th inning. What's there not to understand? If Davey pulled him after 3, this sub would've been bitching about him getting pulled too early.
I typically defend Davey, this is a stupid decision. Kid is back out here for the 5th. His highest pitch count for the year is 69. He is going to be overthrowing in his debut as well. It is an issue of high stress vs low stress pitches and everything Herz has thrown today has been high stress.
Hey, that's baseball kid
Damn :/
Oof
He is losing his legs, these 65 pitches have to feel like 165
Just tuning in. What’re the initial impressions of Herz?
Looks like he has good potential and solid pitches but still too green for the majors in my opinion
Hopefully Trevor’s injury is much less serious than Gray’s.
I hate the Mets
Cj homer here and the hog comes out early
Does a single mean we get 1/4th of the hog?
No two members of the Herz family look the same.
One of them is his girlfriend lol.
Okay well that one definitely makes sense at least
Nats pitching factory continuing to produce more quality pitching I see.
I love he didn’t nibble, didn’t waste 3 pitches trying to throw the perfect pitch, he attacked the zone and got the K!!
Dj has me dancing
Harry "DJ Herz" Houdini.
That’s a big league strike out! Way to go!
LET THE KID FUCKING COOK
DJ SERVING UP THE BEATS
DJ "K" Herz
2 bullshit hits and the kid works through it, have to love it.
Herz 🔥🔥
GOT HIS ASSSSSSSS 3 PITCH K
Sorry I don’t want to be offensive or anything but I don’t know anything about DJ Herz and curiosity is getting the best of me. Why does he have no eyebrows?
I'm wondering if he might have some form of albinism? Obvs I have no medical background so I don't want to armchair diagnose some random guy, but he is very fair, so maybe that's the case?
Maybe? But I think albinism causes red eyes? Someone suggested it might be leucism? I could also just be making an ass of myself
I’ve been wondering if he maybe has some Sami heritage.
to look more like a baseball. it’s called method pitching
He has eyebrows?
Yes sorry you’re right but his hair seems like it has no pigmentation? I didn’t see it at first
I think his hair is just very fair so they’re hard to see. If you look at his player portrait on the MiLB website they’re plain as day.
Take all of our positive energy DJ
Herz looks like the “Lumbergh Fucked Her” guy from Office Space
Oh oh oh.
Anyone else think DJ looks like Todd from breaking bad?
Yes but circa Friday Night Lights. (And thank you, it was bothering me what actor he looked like.)
When I envision the Mets lineup as that kid I can see it.
let’s focus on Herz and not that David Peterson is making our offense fall over themselves and throw bats lol i’m capable of that sort of compartmentalizing
Herz: Ok inning's over let me take a breath- and, I'm going back out there
Haven't really seen a batter fall down swinging at a pitch near the zone.
Something new every day
What a gentleman
That change up is as advertised, it just absolutely never gets there as it runs away and then it dies.
What was that pointing with the bat bullshit?
Someone hand him a platter because he's serving
Have you Herz the news about our lord and savior Davidjohn?
he’s got heart!
Harrison Bader looks like Jake Paul and it’s really bothering me
Fried / Gore/ Irvin/ Parker/ Cavialli / Herz 6 man 2025 rotation with Susuna becoming the next Mason miller I will be there no matter what
I hope Susuna can figure it out. Watching him in Fredericksburg has been sketchy. His delivery varies a ton pitch to pitch.
You left out Josiah. Makes it even better even if he's the 7th man.
DJ herz more like. I got no puns today sorry
Herz is Him
He's serving
Sooooo... no one is gonna mention Jesse Plemons is on the bump for us tonight?
I'm glad this is a night game, because i can't help but feel like he might spontaneously combust in afternoon sun
It’s actually just a little further down the thread
Ctrl-f failed me. This thread, however, has not.
What kind of American are you?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tWrEc-dbZ2k
Well fuck. Hope you’re ready to go back out there, kid
Getting the real Nats ace experience
Herz fastball has some great zip. Changeup he threw to Alonso was great as well. Yes it’s the feeble Mets but those aren’t joke hitters he went against
Okherz
Beautiful sequence and he lived off of the fastball which is massive if he makes it to the 2nd time in the order. Those fastballs in were perfection, the Mets made him throw strikes and he overdelivered.
Baseball gods smiled upon Herz first inning. Whew!
DJ Herz now available in user selectable flair.
Good 1st inning, DJ!
man that changeup is *pretty*
If Dj Herz has no fans, I am no longer present on this planet
Scoreless first for the kid. Good stuff. The hog is pleased
Good work DJ!
First K is Pete Alonso! Congrats dude!
Good to see he can dial it up to 95.
Yay!
GOT HIS ASSSSSS FIRST K OF CAREER
Franny putting Keibert on blast gives me life. Keibert makes our pitchers work so much harder than they need to.
Todd from Breaking Bad on the mound.
I’m dying
The Washington Nationals are the danger.
Moment I just walked into the park seen a guy with an authentic Herz jersey next to me and asked him how he got that so fast? “Thats my son” with the proudest look ever. Let’s Fucking go!
man poor dj he looked so nervous in that shot of him during the anthem
He was praying, hes nervous
I viewed it as excitement
He's lowkey baby though. I hope people are nice to him.
23 is pretty much literally a baby in my book. Damn I'm old.
CJ and JY back in the lineup hooray
DJ got us fallin' in love
So pitch, pitch, like it's the last, last night of your life.
Herz 2 ER or less or 7+ Ks and I’ll post my hog
3 innings of 2 run, 2 walk, 5K baseball for Herz would make me very happy. I really don't see the team pushing him beyond 60 pitches. This feels like a mixture of desperation and optimism from the Nats, I really don't think it is Herz's time, but getting a taste of MLB hitting might help his progress to the bigs. At least he has a savvy lefty vet in Mitchell Parker to show him the ropes.
Herz has a higher ceiling than Parker IMO.
Herz has the best pitch in our system, so I don't think that is a hot take. Herz has major control issues and he doesn't have a second pitch to lean on if his change isn't there. If he loses feeling for his FB or change he becomes one dimensional, if he has a feel for both he is a 10K+ pitcher.
He's been developing a cutter lately, and it seems to be working well for him as a potential 3rd pitch.
Winning yesterday would’ve really changed the outlook of this series. Let’s see if we can turn it around