Series 1: WAS@NYM
Greetings, Everyone. The following is a series of game-by-game recaps of a simulation of the Washington Nationals' 2020 season in a world in which "Reverend" Jim Bakker's Magic Silver Solution actually worked and the season started on time. The simulation is based on a crude dice game my brother and I made in middle school around the time I figured out Juice Newton was not some sort of fig smoothie.
Game 1: (1-0)
Washington 020 020 000 4 6 1
New York 000 000 001 1 3 1
WP: Strasburg (1-0)
LP: DeGrom
HR: Gomes (1), Turner (1)
SB: Robles (1)
CS: Rosario
The World Champion Washington Nationals opened the defense of their title on a chilly, but increasingly sunny Thursday afternoon. The game was delayed by Opening Day festivities and needing to find a replacement to throw out the first pitch after Vice President Mike Pence suddenly refused the honor just minutes before game time when he found out there would be girls there.
With Max Scherzer still roughly three weeks away from game action, World Series MVP Steven Strasburg was simply brilliant following a shaky 28-pitch first inning as he struggled with command. With two runners on, Stras' changeup froze cleanup hitter Michael Conforto, and he used a similar pitch to induce a popup from JD Davis to end the long first inning without damage.
Cy Young Award winner deGrom was dominant with six strikeouts in his five innings, but hung a second-inning slider to Nats catcher Yan Gomes on a two-out 1-2 pitch who deposited it into the left field seats giving the champs a 2-0 lead they never came close to relinquishing. DeGrom seemed to tire early, as he sandwiched strikeouts around a four-pitch walk to the pitcher Strasburg before leaving a fastball over the heart of the plate that Trea Turner did not miss. Turner's homer landed roughly eight rows past the landing spot of Gomes' blast, stretching the Nats' lead to a seemingly insurmountable four-run cushion.
Strasburg struck out 8 in his 5+ innings, but received a quick hook from Manager Dave Martinez after walking deGrom to lead off the sixth as his pitch count reached 90. The much-maligned Nats bullpen was equally effective as Elias, Rainey, and Hudson retired all nine batters they faced without a single ball leaving the infield. Nats pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts, three hits, and three walks.
Closer Sean Doolittle, however, was not as sharp. Mets leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo missed a home run by a few feet off Doolittle's third pitch--a chest-high fastball. Nimmo settled for a leadoff double before taking third on defensive indifference. Jeff McNeil also hit a high fastball hard, but Victor Robles chased it down in center giving the Mets their first run on the sacrifice fly. Finally, the Mets had something for which to cheer after the news of Noah Syndergaard's elbow surgery, Cespedes still unable to take the field, and the lingering ramifications of Mr. Met's #MeToo saga.
Alonso hit Doolittle's next high fastball hard, but it was caught by Juan Soto for the second out after a hold-your-breath circuitous route to the ball. Michael Conforto then kept the Mets alive with a sharp single on the 10th-pitch of his at-bat past a diving Trea Turner. With the Nats' comment boards lighting up with impending doom, the tying run in the on-deck circle, and the Nats' bullpen quiet, Doolittle shattered Davis' bat on a game-ending dribbler to the pitcher. Despite those five minutes of concern, the Nats were winners in the opener.
Manager Dave Martinez's questionable decision to start lefty-hitting Marcus Thames over veteran Ryan Zimmerman paid off as Thames reached base in all three of his plate appearances with a double and a run scored in the second, a sharp single in the fourth, and a walk in the sixth. Zimmerman replaced him in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement, hitting a weak grounder to short in his only plate appearance of what may be his last Opening Day.
Game 1: (1-0)
Washington 020 020 000 4 6 1
New York 000 000 001 1 3 1
WP: Strasburg (1-0)
LP: DeGrom
HR: Gomes (1), Turner (1)
SB: Robles (1)
CS: Rosario
The World Champion Washington Nationals opened the defense of their title on a chilly, but increasingly sunny Thursday afternoon. The game was delayed by Opening Day festivities and needing to find a replacement to throw out the first pitch after Vice President Mike Pence suddenly refused the honor just minutes before game time when he found out there would be girls there.
With Max Scherzer still roughly three weeks away from game action, World Series MVP Steven Strasburg was simply brilliant following a shaky 28-pitch first inning as he struggled with command. With two runners on, Stras' changeup froze cleanup hitter Michael Conforto, and he used a similar pitch to induce a popup from JD Davis to end the long first inning without damage.
Cy Young Award winner deGrom was dominant with six strikeouts in his five innings, but hung a second-inning slider to Nats catcher Yan Gomes on a two-out 1-2 pitch who deposited it into the left field seats giving the champs a 2-0 lead they never came close to relinquishing. DeGrom seemed to tire early, as he sandwiched strikeouts around a four-pitch walk to the pitcher Strasburg before leaving a fastball over the heart of the plate that Trea Turner did not miss. Turner's homer landed roughly eight rows past the landing spot of Gomes' blast, stretching the Nats' lead to a seemingly insurmountable four-run cushion.
Strasburg struck out 8 in his 5+ innings, but received a quick hook from Manager Dave Martinez after walking deGrom to lead off the sixth as his pitch count reached 90. The much-maligned Nats bullpen was equally effective as Elias, Rainey, and Hudson retired all nine batters they faced without a single ball leaving the infield. Nats pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts, three hits, and three walks.
Closer Sean Doolittle, however, was not as sharp. Mets leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo missed a home run by a few feet off Doolittle's third pitch--a chest-high fastball. Nimmo settled for a leadoff double before taking third on defensive indifference. Jeff McNeil also hit a high fastball hard, but Victor Robles chased it down in center giving the Mets their first run on the sacrifice fly. Finally, the Mets had something for which to cheer after the news of Noah Syndergaard's elbow surgery, Cespedes still unable to take the field, and the lingering ramifications of Mr. Met's #MeToo saga.
Alonso hit Doolittle's next high fastball hard, but it was caught by Juan Soto for the second out after a hold-your-breath circuitous route to the ball. Michael Conforto then kept the Mets alive with a sharp single on the 10th-pitch of his at-bat past a diving Trea Turner. With the Nats' comment boards lighting up with impending doom, the tying run in the on-deck circle, and the Nats' bullpen quiet, Doolittle shattered Davis' bat on a game-ending dribbler to the pitcher. Despite those five minutes of concern, the Nats were winners in the opener.
Manager Dave Martinez's questionable decision to start lefty-hitting Marcus Thames over veteran Ryan Zimmerman paid off as Thames reached base in all three of his plate appearances with a double and a run scored in the second, a sharp single in the fourth, and a walk in the sixth. Zimmerman replaced him in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement, hitting a weak grounder to short in his only plate appearance of what may be his last Opening Day.
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