The Morning Briefing: September 18

Good morning, Washington Nationals fans.

Here are the latest headlines and analyses around the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for today, September 18.

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Welcome to the Morning Briefing!

Leading this Morning's Briefing: More Sloppy, Lazy Baseball

Can someone please remind me why it was so imperative to extend the entire coaching staff before the end of the season? The Nats looked very lifeless and unfocused yesterday, with a long line of bad at-bats and yet another instance where Mitchell Parker flat-out forgot to cover first base on a grounder to the right side. Sure, despite the promotions of Wood and Crews this isn't the most talented team in the league (or on the field last night), but it would be nice to see some level of consistent effort and attention to detail as the season winds down, and that has been missing.

Last Game Out

Dylan Crews looked like the only National who showed up ready to play yesterday as the Mets boat-raced the good guys 10-1. Only one other National (CJ Abrams) recorded a hit, and Mitchell Parker could not get out of the fourth inning. The Nats' season record against two of their division foes, the Mets and Barves, could very well determine the final wild card spot in the National League - the Mets are 10-2 versus the Nats with today's game to play, while the Barves finished 5-8...and the Mets now hold a two-game lead over Atlanta.

Nationals Headline of the Day: Wood Turns 22

James Wood's 22nd birthday was yesterday, and he did collect an RBI on an infield groundout, but was rung up with the bases loaded later in the game on a pitch from Adam Ottavino that appeared to be nowhere near the strike zone.

Down on the Farm

Fredericksburg was rained out yesterday, meaning that (weather permitting) they will play a doubleheader today starting at 5:05, with both games (if both are necessary) being seven innings. It seems rather ludicrous to have a championship series, even a minor league championship series, hinge on a seven-inning game, but what do I know? Starters are TBD, but were I managing Fredericksburg I would roll with Travis Sykora on six days' rest and probably not have to worry about the second game - Sykora has allowed three runs once since mid-July (and two of those were unearned) while striking out 61 batters in 36.2 innings.

Featured Baseball Story of the Day

Old friend Juan Soto hit his 200th career home run yesterday in Seattle, becoming just the seventh player in MLB history to do so before his 26th birthday, joining Albert Pujols (201), Mickey Mantle (207), Mel Ott (211), Alex Rodríguez (216), Jimmie Foxx (222), and Eddie Mathews (222). In doing so he also hit 40 homers in a season for the first time in his career, and, if that weren't enough, became the youngest player ever to go deep in all thirty stadiums in his career.

Former National of the Day

José Vidro was a 30-year-old three-time All-Star when the Nats played their inaugural season in DC in 2005, and looked like a possible cornerstone piece for the relocated franchise. Injuries, however, sapped his effectiveness, and in two seasons in DC he hit a league-average .284/.345/.407, a significant step down from his .316/.375/.494 five-year peak with the Expos from 1999-2003. Vidro left DC after the 2006 season and played just two more years with Seattle before hanging 'em up at the age of 34.

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