2012 Game 32

Highest Leverage PA:         3.1, PA #73, Heisey F5 vs Mattheus, Reds' 8th.
Highest Clutch Value:        .172, PA #2, Bernadina HR vs Leake, Nationals' 1st.
Lowest Opp. Clutch Value:   -.081, PA #73, Heisey F5 vs Mattheus, Reds' 8th.
QMAX rating:                 (4,5) for Gonzalez.
Bullpen Award:               None.

Batters' Leveraged Win Values:

Bernadina      0.190
LaRoche        0.104
Zimmerman      0.052
Desmond        0.036
Espinosa       0.015
Ramos          0.005
Stammen       -0.003
Ankiel        -0.016
Gonzalez      -0.025
Harper        -0.069

You remember those games earlier in the season, where the Nationals would squeeze out a victory through some timely hitting? This is a through-the-looking-glass version, in which some timely pitching squeezed out a victory. The Nationals did not have a good performance from Gio Gonzalez, but a mediocre one, and Craig Stammen managed to pitch his way into a jam in his third inning of work, following two solid innings. Stammen might have got a Hero's Palm had he not needed to be rescued by Ryan Mattheus. In other words, the pitching did just enough for the victory, in a situation that could easily have turned ugly twice over, in the 5th and again in the 8th.

2012 Game 25

Highest Leverage PA:         2.9, PA #59, Upton F8 vs Rodriguez, D'backs' 9th.
Highest Clutch Value:        .139, PA #43, Harper 2B vs Kennedy, Nationals' 6th.
Lowest Clutch Value:        -.114, PA #31, Pollock GDP vs Detilwer, D'backs' 5th.
QMAX rating:                 Success Square (2,4) for Detwiler.
Bullpen Award:               Hero's Palm for Rodriguez.

Batters' Leveraged Win Values:

Harper         0.105
Desmond        0.061
Ankiel         0.027
Werth          0.013
Tracy         -0.013
Bernadina     -0.016
Detwiler      -0.053
Espinosa      -0.094
Ramos         -0.094
Lombardozzi   -0.096

This game was a pitching victory. Not only did Ross Detwiler put in another above-average start for a FIFTH STARTER (who normally are the dregs of the starting rotation), but three successive pitchers came out of the bullpen in highish-leverage situations and navigated to successful conclusions. Ryan Mattheus broke new ground by being brought in with the Leverage Index registering 2.3. this is his highest reading of the season so far, and suggests that Davey Johnson has developed a lot of confidence in him. Henry Rodriguez faced the highest leverage of any reliever, and acquitted himself nicely.

Will Rodriguez get an outing if a save situation arises tonight? He has pitched two days in a row.

2012 Game 20

Highest Leverage PA:         2.9, PA #67, DeRosa F8 vs Jansen, Nationals' 9th.
                             2.9, PA #70 Flores' K vs Jansen, Nationals' 9th
Highest Leveraged Win Value: .209, PA #43, LaRoche HR vs Kershaw, Nationals' 6th.
QMAX rating:                 Success Square (3,3) for Detwiler.
Bullpen Award:               None.

Batters' Leveraged Win Values:

LaRoche        0.209
Tracy          0.044
Detwiler       0.027
Bernadina     -0.035
Lombardozzi   -0.067
Espinosa      -0.071
Werth         -0.072
Nady          -0.074
Desmond       -0.118
Flores        -0.125
DeRosa        -0.172

Let's start with a bold, optimistic statement: the Nationals are half of a playoff team. That half is the pitching. Think about this — the club's designated FIFTH STARTER held his own against one of the BEST PITCHERS IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. Ross Detwiler has pitched nothing like a typical fifth starter so far this season, and he has kept his team in the game in almost every outing. Take a moment to give him a pat on the back.

Ryan Mattheus did well, although not enough to earn a Hero's Palm. The reason is down to the batters. I'm not going to dwell on that. I'm sure they are working hard at making adjustments. They got fairly close last night, just fell a bit short. Against a player of the calibre of Clayton Kershaw, that's what can happen. However, against lesser mortals they need to get it done, and then we can all look forward to games in September that are not just meaningful opportunities to play the role of spoiler.