ATLANTA -- When it comes to the Washington Nationals, there's little that hasn't gone right for the Atlanta Braves this season. The runaway NL East leaders (and soon-to-be winners) have taken 12 of the two teams' 16 meetings thus far. Riding a streak of a seven-consecutive series wins, Atlanta holds onto a 14 1/2-game lead, the widest margin of any division in baseball, and shows no signs of slowing down.
But despite the substantial -- some would say insurmountable -- gap between the two preseason favorites, relations remain contentious. In the three-game set at Turner Field this past weekend, players were pegged, tempers flared and visitors were ejected as PlunkFest 2013 continued.
After hitting Bryce Harper a couple more times (and buzzing him once more), the Nationals responded in kind on Saturday, hitting Justin Upton and … well, who knows what happened in the second inning with Stephen Strasburg.
Looking back now on rivals' 16 meetings, 11 plunkings have occurred, including Julio Teheran's NL-leading 13th HBP on Sunday (apparently accidental). Is that a problem? Should, as both teams said it was, that be the end of it?
The Chopcast team -- Zach Dillard, Cory McCartney and Jay Clemons -- weigh in on beanballs, the Braves rotation, the center field spot and more in the latest podcast. Here are the highlights:
-- Have we seen the last of the Braves-Nationals HBP-related tension? What is there to make of Stephen Strasburg's strange second inning in Game Two?
-- Where do the Nationals (60-63) go from here? Assuming they do not make the playoffs, what were the problems that plagued the team throughout the season?
-- The Jordan Schafer-B.J. Upton situation is making headlines. How should Fredi Gonzalez and the organization handle the center field spot? Has Schafer earned more playing time or is Upton still the guy?
-- Mike Minor, the Braves best and most consistent starter in 2013, is having a rough month of August. Is there any chance he does not start Game One of the Braves' first playoff series, i.e. would the team ride their hottest hands going into the postseason?
