So there was this guy once, and he pitched so well they named an award after him.

I decided that I wanted to take on the Cy Young candidates for this year because my hat is currently in the ring, so to speak. Although I’m the Orioles writer here, I’m also a noted long-suffering Mets fan, and I’ve got a candidate to back this time around!

That being said, it’s time to get this show on the road, so here are your three candidates for National League Cy Young Award.

R.A. Dickey, New York Mets: I’m not even going to lie about my bias here, because I’d absolutely love to see a knuckleballer — from a team I watch, nonetheless — take home the Cy Young. A knuckleballer has never won the coveted pitching prize, but perhaps this is the year.

Let’s talk about Dickey’s year for a minute here. He went 20-6 with the Mets. THE METS. That’s practically impossible in this day and age. He started 33 games and turned five of them into complete game performances, with three of those being complete game shutouts. In the 233.2 innings he pitched, he struck out 230 people whilst only walking 53 people, less than his two non-knuckleballer rivals. For a knuckleballer, a 2.73 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP are nothing to dismiss, either. The man was simply on fire this season.

That’s not to say that the other two weren’t on fire at all. It’s just really unusual to see a knuckleballer with such glowing stats.

» Continue reading “Some Guy Named Cy: National League Candidates”

Standings via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

The Nats have clinched a playoff berth and the club is sitting atop the NL East with a magic number of 6, and a near-unbelievable-yet-so-believable record of 92-60.

Lefty sensation Gio Gonzalez recorded his 20th win of the season on Saturday against the Brewers when his offense was certainly not feeling shy. The Nats trumped the Brew Crew with a final score of 10-4, and Gio held ‘em scoreless through five. Gio is the first National to reach a 20-game season, and is needless to say a contender for the Cy Young Award.

Meanwhile, rookie phenom Bryce Harper continues to astound and could be in a race for a title of his own: the NL Rookie of the Year Award, that is.

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: Rounding Third…”

National League East Standings. Image via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

Despite losing the series to the Marlins, not to mention with the rubber match culminating in an [embarrassing] 8-0 loss, the Nats continue to prove that it is still possible to move up from the top. Right now their record is 86-54.

Manager Davey Johnson announced that ace Stephen Strasburg won’t be back on the mound this season, due to inning limits in place from his Tommy John surgery in 2010. Of course, the news also came after one of Stras’s worst starts of the season- he allowed seven runs through only five innings. Lefty John Lannan should pitch against the Mets at Citi field this Wednesday in Stephen’s stead.

Meanwhile, on the mound Monday against the Mets, Gio Gonzalez will toss to try to be the first to reach 19 wins this season. Cy Young-speak continues to stir around the Washington southpaw.

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: We’re Going Streaking!”

NL East standings as of 8/25. Graphic via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

The Nats are high above all other teams in the majors with a picturesque win percentage at .611, and even a small losing streak really ain’t no thang but a blip on the radar.

Catcher Kurt Suzuki had a broken-hand scare Wednesday, but returned to the lineup Friday after negative X-ray results came through. Shortstop Ian Desmond should be out through Monday to play it safe with his hamstring strain. Likewise, Michael Morse took Sunday off to rest his hand, which remained painful after being hit by a pitch on Friday’s game against the Phillies.

… Just ask Jayson Werth, (or check his email in/outbox), those two teams just can’t seem to get along. Somehow injury is always added to insult in such rivalries.

Stephen Strasburg is set to miss his final two or three starts of the season by order of his Tommy John recovery schedule. In his absence, the Nationals could switch to a four-man rotation come October.

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: Dark Horse Play On Horizon?”

NL East Standings as of 8/12. via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

Jayson Werth rejoined the Nationals on Thursday (over a week ago) and the Nats have been winning with him since. Werth was moved up to the leadoff spot, and is hitting an insane .400 with a .500 on-base percentage.

Meanwhile, shortstop Ian Desmond took his first live swings during his rehab assignment, and manager Davey Johnson is antsy to have Desmond back in action.

Unfortunately, Chien-Ming Wang exited his Minor League rehab start with hip soreness on Tuesday night. His return to the Nats, which could have been as early as this past Saturday, is of course pushed back until he can make another rehab start.

Read more on the Nationals on Win For Teddy 

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: They Tried To Make Me Go To Rehab…”

Standings via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

It might be a bit premature to break out the champagne, but Washington has already won more games so far this season than their totals of either the 2008 or 2009 seasons. So, hooray.

But on the flipside, Nats first baseman Adam LaRoche left the game Sunday against the Brewers for back tightness, and he is listed as day to day.
Outfielder Xavier Nady was released on Sunday and the Nationals recalled John Lannan. Additionally, the Nats signed free-agent Mike MacDougal to a Minor League contract in Triple-A.

Read more on the Nationals on Win For Teddy

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: Record-Breakers & Re-Runs”

NL East Standings via MLB.com

Washington Nationals
Is it just me, or is Bryce Harper quite saucy? Apparently he had some beef with the Notorious Ozzie Guillen of the Marlins regarding pine tar, which just goes to show you, maybe sometimes it takes two to tango.

Ian Desmond sat out of the Nats lineup on Sunday due to an oblique injury that has been plaguing the All-Star-nominated shortstop for months. In fact, Desomnd opted-out of his All-Star nomination for healing time.

Read more on the Nationals on Win For Teddy

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: In Repair?”

If you’re a new baseball fan who enjoys attending games at the stadium, or if you have ever taken a noob to the ballpark, then you have probably approached this question from one side or another:

“Why is that kid wearing his baseball cap inside out?”

And like every other equally bizarre but equally precious baseball oddity, you could just shrug, and say:

“Superstition.”

Or, you could give a real answer, and explore the highly disputed history of the Rally Cap.

A rally cap. Photo by Alex Carson, via Public Domain

A “rally cap” is more than a baseball cap that is worn inside out. It is a time-sensitive  phenomenon that occurs late in a game, when the team one is root-root-rooting for is losing. The cap is worn in solidarity to “rally” the team to come from behind and win the game.

The best time to break out a rally cap might be during the seventh inning stretch, and likewise anytime after that point is fair. However, putting on a rally cap any time before the bottom of the seventh, I would argue, is entirely uncalled for and premature… and means you have probably already had too much beer, because, well, you put your hat on inside out, you sad, drunk fool.

» Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: Inside-Out & Outside-In, The Tale Of The Rally Cap”

National League East standings via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

It’s not much of a surprise that D.C.’s aces Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez were voted to the 2012 All Star Game, along with Ian Desmond. And what’s more, wonder-kid Bryce Harper is eligible for a final vote All Star nomination. The Nats have never had more than two representatives elected as All Stars, which continues to prove that this season’s club is a whole different breed than the Nats you used to know.

In heat: Many cities in America endured a heat wave this week, and when the Nats played in Atlanta the temperature climbed to over 100 degrees, which limited Strasburg’s performance to only three innings, probably due to dehydration. But the club didn’t melt completely. Washington managed to stay cool and best the Braves for the series, and finished off a month of star-worthy success.

Read more on the Nationals on Win For Teddy

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: All Star Edition”

R.A. Dickey

There is no other way to ask this so I’ll be blunt about it.

Just what in the hell has gotten into R.A. Dickey?

In case you haven’t been paying attention to the New York Mets lately, knuckleballer Dickey is on a run of historic proportions.

Last night, he tossed his second consecutive one-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles – the Mets won 5-0, and in his past six starts Dickey has been phenomenal. He’s amassed a 6-0 record with a paltry 0.18 ERA – that works out to one earned run in nearly 50 innings and his batting average against is 1.31. Add to that 63 strikeouts and five walks and you have one of the best runs in the history of baseball.

Considering Dickey is 37-years-old and was nearly an afterthought in 2010 makes this story more amazing.

But if you can believe it, the story gets even better. Dickey became the first pitcher to strikeout at least eight batters in five consecutive starts. He already has 103 this season in 14 games – his career high came back in 2010 when he struck out 104 in 27 games. He’s 11-1 with a 2.00 ERA, his WHIP is 0.889 and he has four complete games – three of them have been of the shutout variety.

» Continue reading “R.A. Dickey’s Tremendous Run”