Can the Nationals go 11-3 the rest of the way?

OK, it isn’t the thrilling pennant race to save the season… BUT it could be a big stepping stone for the Nationals.

11-3 would mean the Nationals would have a winning record.
After losing over 100 games in 2008 and 2009 and coughing up 93 losses last year, a winning year THIS year would be a giant first step for the franchise.

It would be the franchise’s first winning season since they were the 2003 Expos.
It would be the city of Washington’s first winning baseball season since the Ted Williams managed 1969 Senators.

And with a core of young players like Wilson Ramos and Ryan Zimmerman and pitchers like John Lannan, Jordan Zimmermann, Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard they might be piecing together decent team.

And oh yeah. If Stephen Strasburg is totally back from his Tommy John surgery and Bryce Harper hits as advertised, this team could be making strides to be the first playoff team in DC history since 1933.

Step one though… put a winning team on the field.
And they can do that THIS year by going 11-3.

And I’m rooting for them.

14 STRIKEOUTS????!!!!!

SERIOUSLY???

How is it possible that Stephen Strasburg EXCEEDED expectations?

But he DID!
Who would have picked 7 innings? Who would have picked 2 runs? Who would picked ZERO walks?

14 strikeouts!!!

Holy Cow… maybe there IS something going on in Washington.

Do you want to see something nobody has seen in generations?
Look…

Washington baseball fans are EXCITED!

Washington baseball fans have a cool memory!

He’s worth every penny!

OH WAIT!

Tyler Clippard is in to pitch!

You know what THAT means!!! He will blow the lead and get the win.

Oh boy, the vulture might strike again!

Look who crashed the 8 wins list

Ubaldo Jimenez has the most wins in the bigs with 10. Then, after last night, there are seven pitchers tied for the second most wins in baseball with 8.

Cy Young candidate David Price has 8.
So does Mets surprise stud Mike Pelfrey.
Old friend Derek Lowe has 8 wins too.

And last night four more pitchers got to win #8.

Roy Halladay wasn’t perfect but was good enough for his eighth.

Adam Wainwright and Clay Buchholz each added to their Cy Young bids with complete game shutouts and win #8.

And then comes the party crasher… Mr. Vulture, Tyler Clippard.
He’s still piling up wins.

He might no longer be on the Jack Chesbro pace… but he IS on pace to win 23 games.

The record for wins in a season by a reliever is 18 by Elroy Face in 1959. That year he went 18-1 with 10 saves.

Clippard is only 10 vulture wins away from tying him.

It’s a diabolical plot to get his name in the record books… and I am loving it.