July Deadline Fire Sale Trades Kill Washington

 OH BOY! The Nationals had a Trade Deadline Fire Sale for a bunch of Prospects. Included in the Trades are Max Scherzer AND Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Another two Nats I really liked were traded to the Oakland Athletics Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison. The other players who are now ExNats are Kyle Schwarber to Boston Red Sox, Daniel Hudson to San Diego Padres, and Brad Hand to Toronto Blue Jays. Each and every one of these trades disappoint me. I like all of them, especially Trea and Max. Sending Trea to LA royally ticks me off.

Max Scherzer and Trea Turner were the big event traded for four players: Catcher Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray RHP, Donovan Casey Outfield, and Gerardo Carillo RHP. The Dodgers have two more Nats Killers and now a second named "Turner". Josiah Gray has been showing to be OK, but he hasn't gotten a win as a Nat yet.

Image of Josh Harrison 2021 Topps card from tcdb.com

Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison were sent to Oakland for RHP Richard Guasch, RHP Seth Shuman and catcher Drew Millas

Kyle Schwarber goes to Boston for RHP Aldo Ramirez

Daniel Hudson to San Diego for RHP Mason Thompson and Short Stop/ 2nd Baseman Jordy Barley

card image from tcdb.com

Finally Brad Hand goes to Canada for catcher Riley Adams. Riley is showing to be pretty good offensively. 

Sadly the Nats will probably still have a losing season this year. Each year all I ask is for the Nats to at least go .500. Some years that is way too much to ask.

The images of Nats cards are from my collection except for the Josh Harrison card (I have it but didn't scan it) from tradingcarddatabase dot com. and Brad Hand Indians card also from tcdb.com

Treacycle Turner Ties Record On Birthday

 WOW! What a birthday present to give yourself; tying a Major League Baseball record. Well The Nats Shortstop Trea Turner did just that on Wednesday 30 June 2021 on the evening of his 28th Birthday. Trea hit for The Cycle vs the Tampa Bay Rays. The THIRD of his career making him the Fifth MLB player to do so. He joins Adrian Beltre (who had all three in the same park), Babe Herman, Bob Meusel and John Reilly in this rare feat. Currently Three is the most cycles any player has hit. Perhaps one day Trea will hit cycle number 4. That would be amazing. Trea's previous cycles were hit in 2017, and 2019. Trea has hit 3 of the 5 cycles in Nationals History. The only other Nationals to Hit for The Cycle are: Cristian Guzman in 2008 and Brad Wilkerson in 2005 in the Nat's 2nd game. Wilkerson was the first Nat to hit for the cycle he also hit for the cycle for the Montreal Expos in 2003.

2021 Topps Now Baseball: 433 Trea Turner Washington Nationals

The Treacycle

Cycle Number 1

Cycles 2 and 3

Related Link:

ESPN.com Washington National's Trea Turner becomes first player to hit for cycle on birthday in modern era

TRADE UPDATE:

UGH: While procrastinating on scanning this record tying card of Trea news broke of him being Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Max Scherzer for the July Trade Deadline. While news of Max getting traded was not a surprise and in the long run might be better for the Nats; Trea getting traded was a surprise and really ticked me off royally. 

New Skipper: Dave Martinez

Well here we go again. As of the World Series Dusty Baker is out as the Nats Skipper. In his place is Dave Martinez Fresh from the Cubs as their bench coach from 2015 to 2017. He was part of that goat curse breaking 2016 Championship team. As far as NatsPos connections he played for Montreal from 1988 to 1991. Martinez started his playing career with the Cubs before being traded to the Expos then played for the Reds, Giants, White Sox, Devil Rays. Then back to Cubs to Rangers to Blue Jays all in 2000 then finished in 2001 with the Braves. His coaching career began in 2008 with the now Rays (they dropped the Devil) til 2014 then went to the Cubs December of 2014.

Dave Martinez suiting up as Nats new skipper w/ GM Mike Rizzo

Photo from WTOP.com article Nationals introduce new manager Dave Martinez

I didn't think I had any of Dave's cards, but in checking The Trading Card DataBase I noticed his RC was this card (good old 1987 Topps Traded) which I have since I have all the 1980s Topps Traded Sets in/with their boxes. I might have some more of his cards from his playing days but I'm not sure. At this time I'm not going to check. I'm going to be lazy and use an online image of the card since it is a very common card. Not using a scan of "my" card may turn off some readers, but hey I like being honest. Oh interesting what looks like a huge sweat stain on his jersey is the shadow of his gloved arm.

1987 Topps Traded 73T - Dave Martinez RC
Images from Trading Card DataBase

Suzuki Shock Shift

Thursday 22 August 2013: Chicago: Kurt Suzuki and Drew Storen celebrate 5-4 win vs Cubs after 13 innings in what would be Kurt's final game as a National.

Say What? The day after beating the Cubs 5-4 in a 13 inning game the last of a four game series that Nats took 3-1, The Nats Trade catcher Kurt Suzuki BACK to the Oakland Athletics, the team they got him from last year. I am shocked. Kurt helped the Nats with his hitting and excellent catching last year for their fantastic season that got them a small taste of what the Playoffs are like. I know that super Suzuki fan and blogger Fuji of The Chronicles of Fuji is overjoyed with the trade. The Nats get some minor league right handed pitcher I have NEVER heard of Dakota Bacus. The way he's been pitching lately I would rather that the Nats had traded their closer Rafael Soriano than Kurt. Soriano has been lazy of late, he seems to not really care about the game(s) at all. He has a tendency to loose a large lead blowing the save and often walking the winning runs. I am not pleased with this deal.

2012 Topps Baseball Opening Day 132 Kurt Suzuki Athletics

Nationals mentioned in this post:

Dakota Bacus (Minor League)

Rafael Soriano

Drew Storen

Kurt Suzuki