The Washington Nationals had a WILD 5 hour game that gave us flashbacks of the infamous 18 inning game of the 2014 NLDS, and the Nats fell short again. But, Luis Garcia Jr. came in to attempt to save the day in the pouring rain, and his breakout continues. We give you a Nats prospect stock report as it's a Friday. We then preview Anthony Rendon returning to DC tonight for the first time since 2019!
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It's the lockdown podcast network, your team every day. The Nationals had a wild X-ray game yesterday against the San Francisco Giants, and it kind of gave you flashbacks of 2014, but at the end of the day, they still lost, but Luis Garcia Jr. continues his breakout. Thank you all for making lockdown nationals, you are firstless in every single day as we are free and available wherever you get your podcasts, and of course, I'm your host Ryan Clary. You can catch me over on Twitter @brawingclary11 and as well as your show page at L.L.O., underscore nationals. For our latest nationals, news and notes, make sure to check us out over on Twitter. And of course, while you're at it, make sure to search up lockdown nationals wherever you get your podcasts, including over on YouTube, again, search lockdown nationals wherever you get your podcasts, and while we're at it, today is a pretty rainy, dark, cloudy day, but Anthony Rendon returns tonight for your Washington Nationals. This is going to mean a lot for the organization for Anthony Rendon. This has been a very tough time for Anthony Rendon since 2019. We'll discuss that a little bit later on and why Nationals fans should give him the biggest standing ovation in tonight's contest against the Los Angeles Angels, but we'll discuss that later on. Second segment, it is a Friday, so you know what that means. It is a Nat's Prospect Stock Report Friday who has been up, who has been down. We'll discuss that. As I can tell you this, one of the Nationals, new prospects from their latest trade they made has been pretty damn good so far. We'll discuss that in the second segment of today's show. Let's start off here, discussing yesterday's game. It was a wild one to say the least, gave you some flashbacks of the 2014 NLDS, the infamous six hour long game at Nationals Park when it started as a 75 degree day, and then it has a 48 degree, kind of a freezing cold game, an 18 inning long affair. Remind you of that a little bit? Well, for me, it did. This episode is brought to you by prize picks. The easiest, most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports, go to prize picks dot com slash locked on MLB in use code all lowercase, locked on MLB for a first deposit match up to $100. So we get into it today, discussing yesterday's loss. Now, if you were to kind of really reach down in the back of this one, the Nationals did not play all that bad. But at the end of the day, they did lose, and it wasn't really the best of games from the San Francisco Giants, but also wasn't the worst. The San Francisco Giants have a very good starting pitching staff, and also a very good bullpen. We all know the headline of the game, Luis Garcia, bottom of the ninth, two strikes, two on, two outs, it's the game tying home run, when it felt like the Nationals were down and out, but no, they were not. Luis Garcia, sweet Luigi, kept that game going, but there's more to this game, in my opinion. First and foremost, after the first Randalite, Davey Martinez, I was stunned to see this, by the way. He let DJ hers go back out there to start after the Randalite. Typically, especially with young pitchers, you have seen Davey Martinez in the past kind of just go to the bullpen. In fact, you see a lot of Major League managers just go to the bullpen in that scenario. But Davey did it. He went to DJ hers, and then what happened thereafter, a few pitches later, was stunning to me. With multiple guys on the DJ hers, allowed on obviously, he pulled DJ hers in that third inning. What is the thinking process behind that? DJ hers, here's the thing, he clearly didn't have his ace stuff yesterday. He wasn't on point. He had four walks for the first two innings. He walked the bases loaded, walked the guy in. It was not his best start. We knew he didn't have his ace stuff yesterday. We knew he wasn't pounding the strike zone, but also when you look at it from this perspective here. DJ hers, healing through 34 strikes, again, 34 strikes, or 39 strikes rather, had 74 pitches. This was not his best stuff yesterday. But the fact that Davey Martinez let him go back out there after the rain delay and then to pull him right thereafter was ridiculous in my opinion. I don't think that's the smart managerial decision there, and I'm not here to challenge him. I'm not here to go out and say, well, he should have done a better job. No, that's not the case here. I don't know what I would have done there, but I can tell you this. After a rain delay, if you're going to put DJ hers back out there, then let him finish a third inning, let him get through three, let him work through that jam. I know what the Nationals were trying to do. What a ball game I guess you could say, but at the end of the day, the Nationals, you were in a position to keep piling on against the San Francisco Giants team. And again, then that's they had to play catch up. They had a lot to catch up with as we know, but also it was a one one game after the first inning, DJ hers got out of that jam in the first inning, allow him the opportunity to get out of that third inning. Now is the time to make mistakes. This point in August, when you are out of the wildcard race, you're not winning. You're not playing for a postseason spot. Now is the time to see what you can do with your younger players. I would have liked to see Davey Martinez go out there and challenge DJ hers. And on the other side of the coin here, I'd like to see DJ hers challenge Davey Martinez in that scenario. Now is that really possible? Does DJ hers have that kind of leash with this team already that he can say, I want to say in the game, maybe not. But I also like, I would have liked to seen that. One thing about DJ hers is, again, we talked about it on yesterday's show. He has been one of the nationals better, better starting pitchers. So far in the second half of this season, and it's not even close to pull him in that scenario to number one, let him go back out there and then pull him after a few pitches is ridiculous. Davey Martinez should have handled that better in my opinion. Save your bullpen. You know, in a four game series that you just played against the Giants, you knew the rain was going to be coming. You knew that there would be a rain delay at some point yet again, because I'm assuming someone has to be in his ear saying, it's going to be raining a lot today, man. We got to get this thing back. You got to preserve the bullpen a little bit. You also got a pretty big series coming up, but that was not the case. Luckily for him, though, the storyline of yesterday's game was not Davey Martinez. I hate to harp on him, but still it's Luis Garcia, the career year just continues for him. And if you look at this moment in time across qualified national centers as CJ rooms is in another slump, you look at it at this point in time. He's got the highest batting average on the team as far as qualified hitters go, and he's got your highest OPS also. Luis Garcia, Jr. has been your best national hitter. It may not seem like that because CJ Abrams was your all star. CJ Abrams has been your best hitter for most of this season. James Wood is hitting the ball. Wanya Pez has been killing the baseball too, but Luis Garcia, Jr. is quietly having a career year, batting 290 with a 787 OPS. And while we're at it, why is he batting eighth in any given lineup? Make that make sense. Alex Cole, fine player. He's a 4A player. He's not quite really a major league player, but he's also better than a triple A player. He should not be batting second when you have Luis Garcia batting eighth. Never, not in a million years. I can tell you this, I don't know who's making the lineups, I don't know who's messing around with them. But the fact that you have Luis Garcia, Jr. having your best hitter on this team for the entire season, putting up the best numbers on this hot streak, one of the hottest streaks we have seen since CJ Abrams earlier on this summer, he's batting eighth. Make that make sense. So I can tell you this, it does not make sense. But luckily, Luis Garcia, Jr., it's time to start thinking about a breakout form and how good he can be over at second base. He's going to make a lot of decisions for this national team with the way that he has played, and he's going to make them a lot tougher, I can tell you that much. If you all make a lockdown, that's your first list in every single day as we are free and available. Wherever you get your podcast and of course, Anthony Rendon returns tonight against your Washington national. So we'll discuss that in the later segment of today's show. While we're at it though, let me tell you guys about some Nat Stock reports, who has been up, who has been down again, someone that we just acquired via trade. He's been pretty damn good over his last few games in Rochester. I'll tell you about that before, I'm going to tell you about our friends over at Liquid IV and guys, you know that I like to work out and I love going to baseball games and what I'm taking in America's pastime, don't forget to hydrate with Liquid IVs and of course, you can get hydrated with electrolytes, essential vitamins and clinically tested nutrients from the number one powdered hydration brand in America because baseball and summer go together like Liquid IV and indulgent hydration. 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I can start up with a stock up as we always do, we start off with the good and we end with the good, start up with a stock up for Jose Taina, one of the nationals, marquee prospects they got back in the lane, Thomas trade from the Cleveland Guardians and he has lost his prospects status technically, but this kid is still really good. And so far on the season, you really may not know all too much about him, but let me just read you out his slash line real quick. He's batting 289, a 343 OBP, a 484 slug in an 827 OPS, has 18 home runs, 67 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 99 games across both AAA levels with the Guardians and now with Rochester as well. But over his last four games in Rochester, he has played a little bit above, he's played around eight games so far, but let's just look at his last four because that's really when he's getting acclimated to that in Rochester. He's got three doubles in his last four games, he's got a home run, he's got two RBIs, he's got two walks, only four strikeouts and is 16 at bats, he's batting 313, a 389 OBP, a 688 slug and a 1076 OPS, 364 batting average on balls in play. Jose Taina is one of those guys where he is a very solid hitter in my opinion. I don't know how much he's going to translate up to the big league level, but this is one of those guys where I so desperately want to see up in the majors already. There are holes. Travis Blankenhorn, he's fine. Jose Taina is an infielder, but still, I would imagine you can stick this guy on left field at this point. You're not going to move off of Luis Garcia at second base. You could put Taina over a third base, in my opinion, maybe Trey Lipscomb out in left field. We have seen the Nationals kind of tinker with that just a little bit. So Jose Taina has been really good so far, he has shown his power, he has shown that he has the ability to hit at the triple A level. I would love to see what he can do over the last month and a half or so of the 2024 season and see where he aligns for the Nationals in the future. Because again, this guy, he's got some talent with them. I would just like to see the Nationals kind of cook with that a little bit more and see what they can do with him in a major league lineup. So stock up for Jose Taina, and of course, they stock up, you have to follow with a stock down for the Nationals former top prospects, Christian Vicaro. I've been very wrong about Christian Vicaro from the get go. I thought this would be someone who would kind of take over and be one of the Nationals better prospects and he still has the potential to be. He's 19 years old, but he has not put up a good season in a low way of Fredericksburg. Over his last eight games, batting 185, a 267 OBP, a 296 slug and a 563 ops. This guy is very good defensively out in center field and right field. Wherever you put him in the outfield, very good. But where Christian Vicaro is going to really kind of see his stock fall is at the plate. He was nicknamed the phenomenon. We talked about Vicaro a lot, the prospect that you may not have heard of, but someone who would be an impact in this system. He has not been an impact. He has been very, very bad in low way so far. I'm not giving up on him. He's 19 years old, but I don't think I've given him a stock up yet so far this season. It has not been a good ride, batting sub 200 on the season. That just kind of goes to show you and again, not hitting for power, switching power, by the way, you have not seen that at this point. So stock down for Christian Vicaro, but there's a stock up. Good news for Marquis Grissom Jr. The son of former big leader Marquis Grissom. He is a relief pitcher out of Georgia Tech was drafted back in 2022 in the later rounds. He has been very good so far in 2024. I saw the other day baseball America recognize him as one of the better changeups in minor league baseball as far as prospects go and then made me look at his stats so far in double A's. He just got the call up a handful of weeks ago might be asking over his last 11 games in double A Harrisburg. He has 13 innings pitch, 11 strikeouts, zero walks, seven hits allowed only one extra base hit as well as a zero ERA over his last 11 games. He has a 0.95 ERA in double A, even better than what he was doing in a high A Wilmington, which some people were saying, well, it's a pitcher friendly ballpark in Wilmington. Maybe that's just it. No. This is someone who, in my opinion, should be flying up the Nationals radar board, get him up to the majors relatively soon. If yesterday wasn't a tell that you need bullpen help, I don't know what is. Marquis Grissom Jr. has been a name for quite some time now, in my opinion. This is someone who I think could be an effective arm in the bullpen. Now you might be thinking, well, whatever happened to Matt Cronin and people were talking about him being an effective arm and what has he done? This is a much different situation here. Marquis Grissom Jr. is a very good arm active, very good control. Obviously, he's got zero walks over his last 13 innings pitch. He's starting to be on a lot of people's radars and I think he should be on your radar as well. Stock down, one of another former top prospects from the Nationals, Jeremy De La Rosa. So far in 14 games in double A since coming off injury, again, coming off injury, but he is now healthy. He's batting 208, a 276 OBP and 321 slug over his last 14 games in double A. He's got 12 strikeouts mixed in there. De La Rosa used to be someone where the Nationals were really thinking about him for potentially kind of being that next breakout prospect. Two years ago in Fredericksburg, he had a tremendous season, was flying up prospect radars and since then, he just has not been able to play consistent and has not been able to produce consistently as well. He has been injured and unfortunately for him, when you have an influx of talent with the Nationals have had in their outfield with Dylan Cruz, Robert Hassell, James Wood, guys like that, you're going to get forgotten about. Unfortunately for De La Rosa, he kind of has been forgotten about, but at this time with his opportunities, he has not taken advantage of them. And even also guys we didn't even mention Elijah Green is in that scenario. And Dylan Lyle is someone who's pushing him and playing really well at double A right now, by the way, so it's unfortunate for De La Rosa. Finally our last stock up, Brenner Cox, 2022 fourth round pick out of high school in Texas. He has been really struggling over the last few seasons, but over his last 14 games, I've noticed a take in his production and really you're starting to see this over the course of this entire season. This is a toolsie kin, six foot three, roughly 200 pounds, decent pop for his size, can run the bases, play solid in the outfield. Over his last 14 games, he's batting 283, they 924 OPS, he's got six RBI's, he's got 14 walks in there as well over his last 14 games. All these tools might be coming together for the kid, although I will say he's still in low way, he's been in low way for since last season, and even then last year was a big struggle for him as he got sent back down a rookie ball, and he was fine there, but nothing special. But I think he's starting to click. I would not be surprised to see him kind of be the next guy moved up, and he is a top 30 prospect in the system, but again, it is a loaded outfield in this national's farm system right now. We'll see where he fits in the future, but keep an eye on Brenner Cox as some people, including myself, may have forgotten about that kid, so keep an eye out for him, as we certainly will here, unlocked on nationals, but now let's talk about Anthony Rendon. He makes his return tonight against the Washington Nationals his first time back in DC, healthy, playing, and can the Nationals give him a nice little ovation, a nice little video tribute? We'll discuss it after I tell you guys about our friends over at prize picks and guys, you might ask what prize picks is, while prize picks is America's number one daily fantasy sports app with over 5 million active members, prize picks is the easiest, most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports, unlike other apps on prize picks, it's just you against the numbers. 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I kind of, here's the thing with Anthony Rendon. There is just two different Anthony Rendon's out there. There's the Washington Nationals version of Anthony Rendon, who was an all star, a Gold glove caliber guy, a silver slugger winner for the nationals. And then there's the L.A. Angels version of Anthony Rendon, someone who got into a fight with fans, not into a fight, but you what we all remember in Oakland where he had the fan, the collar of his shirt, yelling at him, calling him a punk and I think that was not verbatim by the way, like he said another P word, whatever, but Anthony Rendon is at a tough time, man. Do I feel bad for him? No, but he has been hurt and the Angels are a disaster of an organization. So to see Anthony Rendon kind of get booed every now and then L.A. people don't really like him, he's kind of been made a villain and we all kind of know that Anthony Rendon doesn't really like baseball. He likes baseball because it pays his checks, he enjoys the game, but I think he would even tell you he's not a baseball fan. The guy just does it because he's good at it. Anthony Rendon has had a very tough time over the last few years. I'm not here to tell you all I feel bad for Anthony Rendon, the guy makes millions out there to play a game. You should not feel bad for him. But there is a small part that does. There's the human nature of sports where we're just fans. We go there, we cheer for our team, you cheer for former guys or you cheer against guys like Bryce Harper who come in here, Anthony Rendon is not one of those guys. He should have a nice video tribute to him towards Nationals winning 2019. You don't win that World Series without him, especially what that guy did in the World Series, the big home run, game seven to kind of get that thing started and for which how he Kendrick ultimately took the top off Houston Stadium there. Anthony Rendon is a Nationals legend. Is he going to have his number retired someday, I don't think so, but he will absolutely be in the ring of honor and be someone who will be honored like tonight. I want to see a very cool video for Anthony Rendon honoring him for what he has done for this organization here and yes, we are pretty far away from that 2019 team. Anthony Rendon meant a lot to this organization, to the fan base into the teams really even past 2019 with teams like in 2017, 2016, 2018 when the Nationals were all too good. Anthony Rendon was a very valuable prospect back in the day in which the Nationals developed right here, drafted a number six overall and out of Rice University, out of Houston, Texas and he came to DC and he changed things around. He was a very good offensive piece for us and the Nets, I hope to God, the fans out there tonight. Even if there won't be too many fans there because the way the rain is and the rain might rain out tonight by the way, but it would be really cool to see what the Nationals can do because this guy deserves it. He deserves to get some praise. He has been beaten up, dragged in the mud over the last few seasons in LA. The contract they signed hasn't been as bad as Steven Strasburg, but it's up there as one of the bad ones in baseball. You see it with Anthony Rendon, it sucks for him. I feel for the guy, but I think it'll be a very cool moment tonight as he makes his return to Nationals Park. And tomorrow he's going to go against one of his former buddies, 2019 World Champ, Patrick Corbin, someone who you don't win the World Series without Patrick Corbin and you don't win it without Anthony Rendon. I'm telling you this right now, I'm calling it, if you're on FanDuel, place a few dollars on Anthony Rendon to go yard against Patrick Corbin tomorrow. Maybe that's a low hanging fruit, but I'm calling it right now. But real quick preview tonight, Jose Soriano, one of the Angels, brighter young pitchers does pitch against the Nationals, against Mitchell Parker, who has been kind of scuffling a little bit here and there. Then tomorrow, Griffin Canning, right handed pitcher for the LA Angels is like their version of Patrick Corbin. And then of course he goes against Patrick Corbin in tomorrow's game as well. Take the over on the run total. It's going to be like 15, 16 runs scored in my opinion, and then Sunday you've got Mackenzie Gorr on the bump. Will he get back on track? Who knows at this point in time, and the Angels have yet to announce a starter than it could be a bullpen game, but we'll see what the Angels do. Anthony Rendon returns tonight though, will be a very cool moment for him, for the fanbase. He deserves to be honored. If you're there, give him a big standing go. We'll catch you on the other side of this show, maybe. 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