According to eyewitness accounts and this post by The Washington Post's Dan Steinberg, the Washington Nationals have installed poles along the fences down each base line at Nats Park to hold up what a team spokesperson described to Steinberg as safety netting during batting practice.  The poles appear to be a good 20 feet high and run from the corners of the camera wells at the far end of the dugout to at least 3/4 of the way down the fence.

According to Steinberg in a follow-up tweet, the poles and netting will all be removed before the games.

From a Nats team spokesperson to Steinberg:

“The Nationals are constantly looking for ways to make sure that our fans have a safe and enjoyable experience while at Nationals Park,” a team spokewoman e-mailed me. “This is in part due to the event that happened in Texas and our ever-vigilant quest to find safe solutions for any potential ballpark hazards.”

The "event... in Texas" the spokesperson refers to was a fan that died falling from the outfield stands over a 20-foot high wall onto a concrete walkway, after reaching for a ball specifically tossed in his direction by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.  The incident, while tragic, was completely avoidable and did not involve a batted ball.  The area the Nats are putting up the fencing has a three foot wall, at most.

I'm all for safety, and if the number of incidents of fans getting injured during BP around Major League Baseball warrants this type of reaction, then MLB should mandate it across baseball and not leave it up to the discretion of individual teams. 

 

But it seems to me more players are injured during BP than fans.  Earlier this year, Detroit Tiger reliever Al Alburquerque was hit with a line drive and suffered a concussion, and just last homestand, Houston Astros reliever Sergio Escalona severely sprained his ankle when he stepped on a teammate's glove chasing after a ball.

One thing "safety netting" during batting practice will certainly prevent is fan interaction.  If these nets are up during batting practice, as a by-product the time honored tradition of getting an autograph before the game will now be severely limited at Nats Park.

So, how was your afternoon?

If you're reading this blog, you know by now that Jim Riggleman resigned as manager of the Washington Nationals Thursday, following the team's 11th win in in its last 12 games, another stunning walk-off. 

The announcement came -- as all news does these days -- on Twitter.  MLB.com's Bill Ladson (@washingnats) -- who wasn't even at the park for the game -- tweeted the bizarre news as the rest of the Nats press corps were waiting for Riggleman in the Nationals Park media room for his post-game press conference.

One of the reporters saw Ladson's tweet and immediately everyone thought one of two things: Bill misplaced a hyphen and he meant re-signed, as in signed an extension of his contract, or someone hacked into Ladson's account and was playing a cruel joke.

THAT'S how big a surprise this was to those of us that cover this team on a daily basis.

But when GM Mike Rizzo came into the room with a "major announcement", everyone realized the gravity of the situation.  When Rizzo said the words, "Following the game, manager Jim Riggleman has resigned as manager of the Washington Nationals effective immediately," there were audible gasps that came from fans gathered in the President's Club to watch the press conference through the big windows down there that make the media room feel like a fish bowl sometimes.

Rizzo then went on in some length with his side of the proceedings, relating how Riggleman gave him an ultimatum to pick up his option for next year or he wouldn't get on the team bus to the airport for the road trip.  A half hour later from the clubhouse, Riggleman said it wasn't like that, that he simply wanted a meeting to discuss the possibility of the option, but that Rizzo declined the request, thus making the decision for him.

As in everything else in life, there are three side to every story: yours, mine and the truth.  We may never know the complete truth on how things went down leading up to Thursday's announcement, but we have a pretty good handle on the big picture.

What we know is this:  Rizzo had no reason to pick up the option or even discuss it.  Doing so would give away the only option he had in the managerial structure for next year's team.  2011 isn't about wins, despite the outrageous hot streak that have the Nats at 37-36 at play's end today.  It's about evaluation, of players -- both major and minor league -- and the managerial and coaching staff.  Picking up Riggleman's option was simply not something Rizzo needed or wanted to do.

We also know this: Riggleman is as "old-school" as it gets, and he's a man's man.  He comes from an era when a manager was the most respected man in the organization, even more than the general manager, and as such, still subscribes to the notion that a manager on a one-year deal can't command his clubhouse anymore.  In effect, he felt like he was a lame duck.   

"I made it very clear that, you know, I can't say no to this, but this is a bad contract for a manager," he said. "There's no option for Jim Riggleman. It's a one-year option that the club decides on. That's not a good way to do business. I made it very clear that I didn't like that. But you know I can't say no to it. So there I am. And two years later, I'm realizing: You know what? I was right. It's not a good way to do business."

In his exit interview from the clubhouse -- where according to several published reports he was not allowed to address the team on his way out -- Riggleman even stated that there were probably several players on the Nats that would not be sad to see him go.  You can read into that what you will.

Riggleman felt like the organization -- and Rizzo -- disrespected him by not even giving him a meeting to discuss the possibility of the option.  Rizzo felt like Riggleman committed the biggest baseball sin: walking out of an uncompleted job by putting personal gain ahead of team goals.

Both are right. 

Riggleman picked the absolute worst time to drop this bomb, when this team was playing its best all season.  Perhaps by continuing that great play, Riggleman could have actually forced Rizzo's hand by earning the job, or at least putting himself in a good position to secure a manger's job somewhere else after his contract expired.  But Rizzo was ham-handed in not even entertaining his manager, who has done nothing but do his job professionally through some of the worst baseball conditions possible, with respect and dignity.

I don't subscribe to Riggleman's managerial philosophy, but he's hard-working, decent, and a solid baseball man that had to put up with his share of knuckleheads on this team during his tenure.  The least he could have gotten in the end was a conversation.

One more thing I know:  this wouldn't have happened on Stan Kasten's watch, not the way it went down today and when the Nats finally had started to garner attention nationally for, get this, playing baseball, instead of for something stupid or dysfunctional.  Kasten certainly had his share of problems here, but at the first whiff of this this morning, Kasten would have had both men in a room and made sure that this wouldn't come to a head until the all-star break anyway, when a proper resignation/dismissal could be arranged.

As it is, it's just another embarrassing moment to the organization and its fans, who only want one thing: to cheer for a winning baseball team.

Going forward, John McLaren will manage the team over the weekend while Rizzo decides who will actually be the lame-duck manager for the rest of the season.  Several names are being thrown about, including Special Advisor Davey Johnson, third base coach Bo Porter, and exiled showman Bobby Valentine.  I have a hard time envisioning any of the three being serious candidates.

Johnson has gone on record saying his managing days are over.  I can't see him going on the road to finish this job out as he certainly would not be a long-term solution.  Bobby Valentine is a side-show act, perfect for his gig on TV.  But he'd be bigger than the message at manager again and I can't see Rizzo putting up with his personality.

As for Porter, he'd be the most likely candidate, now and for the future.  But by bringing on Porter, Rizzo would have his hands tied again.  Much  like the scenario could have played out for Riggleman, if Porter has success as the season progresses Rizzo would have to hire him long term, prohibiting Rizzo from going out on the market to procure the man he thinks will lead this team to its first playoff appearance over the next three years. 

Does Rizzo think Porter is that man?  I guess we'll see by Monday, the deadline Rizzo announced that he would have the interim manager's job sorted out.

No, there were no winners today at Nats Park, despite the final score of 1-0 that lingered on the high-definition scoreboard as they broadcast live Riggleman's impromptu press conference from the middle of the clubhouse.

Moments after the Washington Nationals stunning 1-0 walk-off win over the Seattle Mariners, NatsTown was stunned again:  Jim Riggleman resigned as manager, effective immediately.

The news (via MLB.com's Bill Ladson's tweet) came mere seconds before GM Mike Rizzo entered the main press conference room at Nats Park instead of Riggleman for the standard manager's press conference.

"Following the game, manager Jim Riggleman has resigned as manager of the Washington Nationals effective immediately," Rizzo explained. "Jim and I had a discussion before the game today and he told me of his displeasure of his contract situation and told me that if there wasn't something done about the contract he was going to resign after the game."

"We accepted his resignation."

Rizzo expressed the quick nature of the proceedings.  "As you can see, it's taken us a little by surprise.  We don't have immediate plans for a successor as manager.  By Monday, we will have an answer."

When asked about the mood of the organization about the sudden resignation, Rizzo said, "Very disappointing.  Disappointing to the players in the clubhouse, to the fan base of Washington, to the city of Washington, D.C., and personally, to myself.  But we will move on."

Riggleman was managing in the final year of his contract, with the team having an option to retain his services for next season.  According to Rizzo, Riggleman made the team an ultimatum to pick up that option or he would resign.

"We have discussed his option being picked up several times during the season," Rizzo said.  "I felt like the time wasn't right for me to pick up the option as of this time, and certainly today's conversation -- put to me in the way it was put to me -- you certainly can't make that decision in a knee-jerk reaction.  It's too big of a decision to be put into that position, and it was a decision I was -- [with ]Jim's timetable -- was prepared to make and I was not."

Asked if it really was that dire of an ultimatum, Rizzo responded: "Jim told me pre-game today that if we wouldn't pick up his option that he wouldn't get on the team bus today."

Rizzo explained that the reasons he did not acquiesce to Riggleman's demands had not changed since spring training; that this entire team is in an evaluative process with the young players and having not even reached the all-star break yet, he needed more time for the evaluative process.

The players were unaware that these discussions took place before the game, and Rizzo made the announcement to the players following the game.  Rizzo described the clubhouse mood as "somber" following the announcement.

Considering the way the Nationals have played in the last two weeks, winning 11 of their last 12 games, the timing of this decision by Riggleman is curious at best.  Rizzo actually said of Riggleman's decision that "It's not thinking of team first; it's thinking of personal goals first," something that Rizzo said "disappoints me most."

Riggleman addressed reporters from the Nats clubhouse, which was carried on MASNSports.com.

"I didn't feel like I should continue on with such a short leash, where every little hill and valley is life and death in the game," Riggleman said. "The game's not fun that way. I just wanted to have a conversation when we got to Chicago about it, and Mike said he's not ready to have that conversation. I respect his decision, and I said, 'Well, I've got to give it up, then. I'm obviously not the person you all want to go down the road with.' And I get that. That's OK. But I love it here, and I'll miss it."

Riggleman was asked about his original contract status and accepting the provision for the option.  "I made it very clear that, 'You know I can't say no to this, but this is a bad contract for a manager. There's no option for Jim Riggleman - it's a one-year option that the club decides on. That's not a good way to do business.' I made it very clear that I didn't like that, but you know I can't say no to it. So there I am, and two years later, I'm realizing, 'You know what? I was right. That's not a good way to do business.'"

"It's just the way the ballclub wants to do business. Maybe I'll never get [another] opportunity, but I'll never do it on a one-year deal again," Riggleman said.

This situation will now serve as a distraction for at least the next few days as the team travels to Chicago to start a three-game series with the White Sox, then to Anaheim to face the Los Angeles Angels the beginning of next week.

On a day when the organization, players, coaches and fans should be celebrating an 8-1 homestand and breaking the elusive .500 mark to embark on the road trip with a winning record, this will definitely go down as one of the most bizarre days in the history of this franchise.

So much for a quiet off-day in spring training.

By now, you've all read the reports.  Rick Ankiel has won the centerfielder job.  Matt Stairs has a place on the bench.  Jayson Nix could very well be a backup outfielder. 

And now, for the coup de grace, the Washington Nationals have signed LHP Oliver Perez to a minor league deal.

It's enough to make one wonder about the decision-making process in NatsTown.

To be polite, Ankiel's best days (not that they were all that great to begin with) are in the past.  In 2008, the then 28 year old Ankiel completed a remarkable transition from left-handed fireball pitcher to Major League outfielder, hitting .262/.337/.506 with 25 home runs and 71 RBIs for the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The tragic story of a pitcher that lost the ability to throw strikes had its happy ending.

Since then though, Ankiel, 32 in July, hasn't come close to replicating those numbers.  He hasn't hit 25 homers combined in the last two seasons and his career .248/.312/.441 over eight seasons describes a journeyman struggling to hang on.

Nix, 30, is the very definition of journeyman, working on his fourth organization.  His slash line (.243/.286/.425) is even worse than Ankiel's in his eight big league seasons.

At least both Ankiel and Nix play a decent outfield and are capable of manning center, though both are more suited for left field.

Matt Stairs, however, is a pinch-hitter.  Only.  He's 43 years old and can no longer play the field with any acumen.  He is the Major League record holder for career pinch-hit home runs, and is seems like extending that record is the only thing that keeps him hanging on. 

In the last two seasons, his 240 plate appearances have netted 11 home runs, but with a slash line of .213/.333/.426, suggesting his approach is homer or bust in every appearance.  21 of his 43 hits the last two years resulted in doubles or home runs.

Oh, and all three are left-handed hitters.  It would make sense for the Nats to carry one older, more experienced part-time outfielder bench player on their roster.  But three?

If all three make the roster, it spells doom for others in the system, namely Nyjer Morgan and especially Roger Bernadina -- two younger, more athletic left-handed hitters.

Nyjer Morgan, 30, has his fans -- and detractors -- in the organization.  There are those that feel he really is the player that was showcased for ten weeks in 2009 after the trade that brought him over from the Pirates, when he hit .312/.373/.401 with 34 steals.  There are an equal number that have grown tired of him misplay balls in the outfield, get thrown out on the bases and generally sulk his way to a .253/.319/.314 slash line last season.

His maturity issues add a whole another level of complexity to his rosterability.

But the real victim in all of this rush to add big league experience to a roster that should be in a full-blown youth movement is Roger Bernadina.

The Shark may never be anything more than a fourth outfielder.  But he has an intriguing combination of pop and speed -- 11 HR, 16 SB/2 CS in 461 plate appearances in 2010, his first full season in the majors.  And he is entering the prime of his career, turning 27 in July. 

He's a guy that virtually screams "breakout player", yet it seems like the Nats are going to allow him to languish in Triple-A instead of finding out if they actually have a big leaguer on their hands.

Ankiel, Nix and Stairs almost certainly will not be on this team next season, and definitely not in 2013, when the bulk of the Nats talent should be mature enough to actually compete in the National League East.  Bernadina, on the other hand, could be a contributing member of that squad in the prime of his career.

But the Nats, in their desperation to win as many games as they can in 2011 to justify Jayson Werth's horrible contract, won't know what they have with Bernadina, if they retain his services at all. 

This Nationals team is EXACTLY the type of team that should be playing its youngsters.  They threw Ian Desmond to the wolves last year and he responded, and Danny Espinosa will be given the same treatment this year.

Bernadina showed some promise last season before running out of gas in the longest season of his professional career.  He apparently lost a share of the left field position due to Michael Morse's hot spring, and since he has an option remaining on his contract, will in all likelihood be sent down to make room for a couple of re-treads trying to hang on in the name on "professionalism" and "Major League experience".

As for the signing of Perez?  Heaven help the Nationals if he actually steps foot in Nats Park.  Too many things have to go abysmally wrong for Perez to be an option.  The organization is already touting his relationship with Spin Williams, their minor league pitching coordinator, with whom Perez worked in Pittsburgh. 

But there's no covering up the fact that Perez has walked six batters per nine innings the last two season, nor the fact that his very public complaining about being relegated to the bullpen with the Mets led to his release.

But Perez is a Scott Boras client, and Mike Rizzo has yet to meet a Boras client he wasn't willing to sign, as the Nats now have 11 on the roster.

Seems like the more things change around NatsTown, the more they stay the same.

In the second inning of Saturday loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, Adam Dunn -- who was not in the game -- left the bench and the clubhouse, and went up to the Brewers radio booth to visit with legendary announcer Bob Uecker, who made his return Friday to the airwaves after missing time recovering from heart surgery. 

Dunn even appeared live on Milwaukee radio.

I'm all for Dunn paying his respect to a friend and one of the venerable voices of the game.

However, the second inning of Major League baseball game on live radio is not the time or place.

There is plenty of time pre-game or post-game for Dunn to have caught up with Uecker.  Before he reports, during batting practice, after the game.  On HIS time.  Dunn's personal time.

At game time, Dunn belongs on the bench, or the clubhouse, or the batting cage below the stands.  Period.  No exception.  It's game time.

No wonder Dunn is so emphatic about not playing in the American League as a designated hitter.  If he can't stay on the bench in a game where he didn't start, imagine the places he'll go if he knows he only has to hit every other inning.

He might go up on the concourse for a bratwurst and a beer.  He could visit the family lounge to check in on the kids.  Maybe he could give the color guy a break every other inning if he likes going in the broadcast booth so much.

Leaving the clubhouse during a game, riding an elevator up to the press box level, and going on a live radio broadast is simply inexcusable.  It shows utter disregard for process, his manager and his teammates.

This is a simple case of a player that does not respect the situation he's in.  If he isn't punished by the team I will be disappointed.  Not that Dunn will get away with his brazen act, but that the organization has that little regard for process.

"I'll pay my fine," Dunn told reporters when confronted about the incident on Sunday.

Disrepectful in the least, insubordinate at worst.

"I wish you hadn't told me that," Manager Jim Riggleman said when he was told -- by reporters -- what had happened.

Riggleman obviously doesn't want to have to discipline one of his team's "leaders". 

But somebody should.

THE RESULT:  Jair Jurrjens came off the disabled list, after getting hit around in three minor league rehab starts, and shut down the Washington Nationals for five innings.  He also collected an RBI-single in the fourth inning to give his team an insurance run -- which it did not need.

The end result was a 4-1 win for the Atlanta Braves before 20,091 Turner Field.

One night after the Nationals appeared to awaken from their month-long slump, they went right back to the form that ruined their June, making outs with runners in scoring position like it was the intended result.

Jurrjens (1-3) gave up one earned run on six hits and two walks.  He struck out six in the effort.  Four relievers pitched two-hit ball for the final four innings.

The Nationals went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.  That's really all that can be said.  But the Nats tried to explain afterwards.

"Our hitters said [Jurrjens'] ball was really just rushing up on them," Manager Jim Riggleman said after the game.

"[Jurrjens] was just really sharp for his first start back up in the big leagues," Dunn said on the post-game.  "Seems like every night we run into a guy that's pitching real well."

J.D. Martin (0-4) struggled a bit, but kept his team in the game for the most part.  He went five innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks.  He struck out just two.

In the sixth, the Nats loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn, and a Josh Willingham walk.  Unfortunately, Ivan Rodriguez ground into a double play on the first pitch from reliever Peter Moylan. 

Cristian Guzman followed with a walk to put runners on the corners, but Alberto Gonzalez couldn't duplicate his magic from last night and struck out to end the inning.

When a team is going this bad it can't afford to miss on its few opportunities, but that's exactly what the Nats did repeatedly tonight, and the entire month it seems.

The Braves, however, got their fourth run of the game in seventh inning without registering a base hit, courtesy of two hit batters and a pair of walks, the last by Miguel Batista forcing in a run.

Batista then struck out Yunel Escobar to end the frame, and as he left the mound he inexplicably pumped his fist in triumph.

The most interesting part of the game came in the bottom of the seventh. 

Riggleman pinch-hit Ian Desmond for the pitcher spot in the top of the inning, then sent the shortstop out to right field for defense.  After the first batter, he switched Desmond and Alberto Gonzalez, who started the game at short.

It was a bizarre sequence in an otherwise forgettable game.

THE GOOD:  Adam Dunn.  He went 2-for-4.

 

THE BAD:  Roger Bernadina went 0-for-3 and left four runners on base.

THE UGLY:  Batista.  What a total lack of awareness to pump his fist on the strikeout after walking a run in. 

NEXT GAME:  The Nationals return home Thursday to face the New York Mets in a four-game series.  Livan Hernandez (6-4) takes on Johan Santana (5-5) at 7:05 pm. 

NOTES:  John Lannan made his second AA start for Harrisburg and was roughed up for six earned runs, 10 hits and three walks in five innings.

It was one of those nights at Citizen's Bank Park.

Neither starting pitcher made it out of the second inning.  Six Nats relievers gave up seven runs.

Manager Jim Riggleman pinch-hit for reliever Jesse English in the fifth inning--with starting pitcher Jason Marquis.

Like I said, one of those nights.

Washington's starter tonight, right-hander Craig Stammen, was in a word, terrible.  Staked to a three-run lead in the first inning, Stammen could not benefit from the prosperity.  He gave up four in the first, and another three in the second, before being lifted with just one out in the second inning.

Stammen's line:  1.1 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR.

English came in and did some good work, keeping the Nats in the game for a couple innings.  He went two and two-thirds innings, allowing four hits and no walks, striking out two.

English finds himself in a group of relievers that might be sent down when the Nats have to activate Scott Olsen for tomorrow's start. 

It would be hard to fathom how the rookie left-hander could be sent down after tonight's performance, but given that he has all his options, and a couple of the other candidates are out of options, he may still be the choice to get sent out.

The pitchers that followed English threw gas on the fire that was lit by Stammen.

Jason Bergmann (L, 0-1, 15.43) gave up two runs on one hit (a Shane Victorino home run) and a walk.  Sean Burnett got one out and gave up a Chase Utley home run.

Brian Bruney walked three and all three scored.

Tyler Clippard, brought in to relieve Bruney, allowed all three of Bruney's walks to score and gave up one of his own.

Only Miguel Batista escaped unscathed, pitching a clean eighth inning.

The Nats got seven runs in the first three innings, but were then shut down, going four innings without a hit.

Adam Kennedy had a three-run double and Cristian Guzman knocked in two.  Nyjer Morgan reached base three out of four plate appearances.  And Alberto Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a walk.

But after the third inning, the Nats bats could not keep up, and the Phils cruised the rest of the way, beating up the meatballs the Nats pitchers were heaving up there the rest of the night.

But the biggest indictment of the Nationals plight came in the fifth inning, with the Nats down 7-5, still easily in the game.

With English at the end of his appearance, the Nats needed a pinch-hitter to bat for the pitcher with a runner on second and two outs.  Manager Jim Riggleman, his bench already short with Ryan Zimmerman nursing a sore hamstring, decided his best option to pinch-hit was starting pitcher Jason Marquis.

Now Marquis is a Silver Slugger Award winner as the best batter at the pitcher position.  But he's still a pitcher.  Marquis lined softly to the shortstop to end the inning.

Because the starting pitching on this team is so suspect that they have to carry eight releivers, it comes at the expense of the bench.  Coupled with the fact that there is no power on the bench as it's currently configured, Riggleman came to the decision his best hope for a hit in that situation was to send up a pitcher.

Anyway, the Phillies scored two in the bottom of the frame, making a two-run game a four-run game, and the competitive portion of the game was over.

The Nats and Phillies complete the three-game set tomorrow at 3:05 pm.  Scott Olsen makes his 2010 debut against J. A. Happ (1-0).

NATS NOTES:  Zimmerman took batting practice and fielder grounders before the game and was available to pinch-hit, but missed his third straight game.

Adam Dunn had his first extra-base hit of the season, a lead-off double in the sixth inning.  He would be stranded at second.

Willy Taveras is .262/.309/.326 lifetime against lefties. 

Last season he was .219/.245/.257 in 113 plate appearances.

That's what the Nats are going to be trotting out to right field against Cole Hamels?

The more things change...

The Washington Nationals brought Mike MacDougal, he of the 20 saves but 1.666 WHIP, back into the fold today, just a day after the Florida Marlins decided they couldn't live with all his walks.

What does that mean to the tenuous constitution of the bullpen?

Here's the guess:  they didn't bring him back to be the commissioner of their fantasy football league.  MacDougal, despite all his flaws, had success last season--he's the devil they know.

They brought in Tyler Walker on a major league contract, and he's been the worst reliever in camp.  Miguel Batista really isn't a short guy, and Matt Capps and Brian Bruney each have had their struggles this spring as well.

So, even though Big Mac is as wild as a spring breaker in Cancun, he's back in a Washington uniform.

The more things change...

THIS Shawn Estes.

I kid, but here are the facts:

He didn't pitch last year. 

He pitched nine games in 2008. 

He didn't pitch in 2007. 

He pitched one game in 2006.

Before that, when he did pitch, he hadn't had a sub-4.80 ERA since 2001.

I understand stockpiling pitchers.  I do.  But if this guy ever takes the mound for the Nationals this year, they should have gone through so many pitchers that 100 losses would be inevitable.  If he leaves camp with the team?  Oy vey!

More than likely, he doesn't show anything in Spring Training and gets cut.  But there are so many young starters in camp, why bring in another used up, injury-riddled arm to take innings from guys that you might, um, actually use someday.

No.  Please, no.

"Who do you do it against? Do you do it against the Phillies? I think we would be insulting the Marlins and the Braves, who are chasing the Phillies." -- Jim Riggleman, on playing September call-ups, Sept. 9, 2009.

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT: The Washington Nationals were pushed around by the neighborhood bully again last night, as the Philadelphia Phillies hit two solo home runs off Tyler "Peaches" Clippard in the eighth inning to take a 6-5 decision before 16,818 at Nationals Park.

The Nationals are 2-12 against Philly this season, and are 47-92 overall. They have lost 13 of their last 16 games.

THE TAKEAWAY: Rather than discuss yet another mind-numbing loss, in the last two days the interim manager has done -- and said -- some interesting and disturbing things that would lead anyone capable of critical thought to believe that Riggleman just doesn't get it.

The most easily scrutinized strategic backfire from last night's game came right there in the bottom of the ninth. With the Nats down by one, Justin Maxwell led off with a single. The only time bunting a runner over makes sense is when you're the home team, down by one run, in the bottom of the ninth with no outs.

To this point, Riggleman has shown he's not afraid to start his runners, largely to the detriment of his team. He's already attempted four suicide squeezes. Anyway, convention calls for the next batter, Cristian Guzman, to sacrifice himself to move Maxwell up 90 feet.

With Dunn and Zimmerman, the team's two most prolific RBI-man following, there would be no more perfect time to sacrifice, though Riggleman does it all the time regardless. He'd already commanded Guzman to sacrifice earlier in the game...IN THE THIRD INNING!

Yup, you know what happens. Guz swings away on the first pitch. Then takes a ball. No bunt order given.

Maxwell then steals second base! I'm going to overlook the fact that attempting a steal with a rookie player in the bottom of the ninth is a horrible decision in-and-of itself.

So, with no outs, man on second and a 1-1 count, surely Riggleman would put the sac play on to get Maxwell to third with less than two outs, right?

Um, wrong.

Guzman looks at strike two, fouls one off, then struck out...LOOKING!

Everyone knows what happened next, as Ryan Madson coaxed a line drive from Adam Dunn to second base, where the the aforementioned rookie was then caught off base for the game-ending double play.

Simply horrible baseball.

To compound his actions on the field, the interim manager has also decided that shortstop Ian Desmond will rot on the big league bench for his September call-up.

My Internet writing brethren have already chimed in on the subject, some a bit more eloquently than others. Here are Riggleman's words, though:

"I'll get him some games, but as long as Guzman is healthy he'll be playing. If his foot flares up on him that will be an opportunity to get Desmond in there, but we also have Gonzalez and Orr who will be playing up the middle. I love to see young players play, but I don't ever want to take away the opportunity from the veterans who have been here all year... and disregard their efforts all year by planting them on the bench. Like I said, the at bats might be inconsistent."

-snip-

"If I send a message to the ballclub that we're gonna put our Class AAA call-ups out there on a daily basis to see what they can do, first of all, as I said, it's not a good time to evaluate talent. Who do you do it against? Do you do it against the Phillies? I think we would be insulting the Marlins and the Braves, who are chasing the Phillies. Do you do it just against the Braves but not against the Phillies?"

-snip-

"The competition throughout the league indicates that, for the fairness of who is the best team in the division, you've got to put your best people out there to play against those guys. You know, if you get a couple games where you're playing a non-contender you might experiment a little bit more and get some guys some games. But I think that until the division is won and the wild card is won, we have an obligation to contenders to put our best players out there."

I'm going to be as sensitive as possible with my next comment.

WHO GIVES A DAMN about insulting the Phillies, Marlins and Braves??? The major league manager has two jobs: Winning; and making HIS TEAM BETTER. What he cares about the opposition is immaterial. The only obligation he has is to HIS organization.

Continuing to play Alberto Gonzalez, Pete Orr, and yes, Cristian Guzman, at the expense of looking at Ian Desmond in the big leagues for three weeks is absolutely irresponsible. The ONLY reason for Desmond to be here in September is to find out if he'll be able to play in the majors in the spring.

All Desmond does sitting on the bench is eat a month of major league salary and per diem. Why on earth would you call up Desmond, or Detwiler, Estrada, Kensing or Segovia (NONE of whom have made it into a game this week) if you aren't going to play them?

From Riggleman's comments and actions, the only time we'll see any of them is in a blowout.

It's pretty transparent that Riggleman is managing for his future. At 1-10 his last 11 games, he may want to re-think his strategy.

Mike Rizzo, at spring training days after becoming "acting" general manager.

Photo 2009 © Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

According to this Yahoo Sports story, "acting" GM Mike Rizzo may soon be looking for work. Gordon Edes cites multiple sources that the Washington Nationals may be very close to announcing a permanent general manager, speculating that person is Jerry DiPoto, Arizona Diamondbacks V.P. of Baseball Operations.

CBS Sports's Danny Knobler already has DiPoto telling friends he plans to accept the job.

I am not surprised about this in the slightest; not the idea of it or the way it’s going down.

Rizzo has done a good job with the responsibilities thrust upon him since March, when Jim Bowden fell on his sword in his last self-serving act to baseball. The then-assistant general manager oversaw the closing of Jose Rijo's training center and move of the Dominican baseball operations to a new facility.

Since, he's overhauled the bullpen (twice), obtained a true center fielder, trimmed fat from the roster, conducted a draft, participated in the firing of a well-respected manager, and was part of the signing of the savior.

Fans want to know, what more could Mike Rizzo do to prove he's worthy of the full-time gig.

Regardless of how it was presented in the media, Rizzo probably had very little to do with the Strasburg signing. The Strasburg negotiations were always between the ownership group and Scott Boras. Rizzo's involvement was as conduit. But it helped that Rizzo has a nice relationship with Boras.

What would be a shame is if the Nats were using Rizzo for his relationship with Boras to grease the skids, then send him packing.

There is an organizational house-cleaning coming. Hiring a permanent GM is the first step. Maybe it will be easier to clean house with someone fresh coming in.

Since moving to D.C., this organization has never had a chance to work properly. No one in a position of authority has been able to hire the people that work for them. Kasten was stuck with Bowden. Bowden was stuck with Rizzo. Everyone was stuck with scouting director Dana Brown.

Even the managers weren’t able to hire their own coaches.

I suspect that the new GM will come in and clean house and hire his “own people”. For once. The way it’s supposed to be done.

It sounds more and more like Mike Rizzo won't be that guy though. It's too bad.

Photo courtesy of AP.

Rob Dibble doesn't know it. Ray Knight either. And certainly Pat Listach doesn't have the first idea, since he made the same ridiculous mistake, TWICE, in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros.

Two times in last night's one-run game, third base coach Pat Listach sent a runner home with only one out on a base hit to center field. In the fourth inning, Nick Johnson, who still runs with a noticeable limp as a result of his horrific collision in 2006, was thrown out by center fielder Michael Bourn trying to score on a single by Adam Dunn.

In the top of the ninth, game tied at four, Willie Harris led off with a single and took second on a sacrifice by Anderson Hernandez. Nyjer Morgan then delivered a line drive up the middle that Harris had to freeze on for fear of the pitcher -- or shortstop -- snaring it. Once clear of fielders, Harris took off.

Inexplicably, Listach waived Harris home although the ball was just in short center and Bourn had already reached the ball. Bourn then delivered a throw that was up the third baseline a bit, but catcher Pudge Rodriguez had plenty of time to make the catch and slide back over to the plate to tag out Harris, who was trying to contort his way around the tag instead of sliding.

The play was lauded by booth announcers Bob Carpenter and Rob Dibble, and later on the post-game show by analyst Ray Knight. And I hate to continue harping on these guys, but I guess I have to until they get it right.

Both plays of "aggression" were just plain stupid. There was absolutely NO REASON to send either Johnson or Harris with just one out. This team is plenty bad on it's own to have the third base coach making mistakes as well, getting runners thrown out at home.

Manager Manny Acta defended his coach after the game, as he should have. Hanging Listach out to dry in the media would have been a spectacularly bad thing to do, especially coming into the all-star break. But Acta's words here shouldn't confuse baseball fans about the original plays.

"You have to be aggressive. If the throw would have been one foot to either side we wouldn't even be discussing this, and I never second-guess my third base coach because we have scored over 300-something runs, and on every one of them he has waved the runner home. So I'm not going to second-guess him when one guy gets thrown out."

True enough Manny, had the throw been worse, Harris might have scored. But you cannot count on major league players to make a bad play in order to try to force in a run, which is what Listach did...TWICE.

It's normal for players to try to be more aggressive to get out of a slump. It's the only way they know how. If you're failing, try harder. It's the complete opposite as a coach. You're supposed to be the voice of reason and restraint, reigning players in to do their jobs, not to do too much.

Put it this way: If Listach puts up the stop sign on either play, and either runner ran through the stop sign and were out, it would have been a terrible case of the player trying to do too much, right? In these cases, it was the coach that was trying to do too much.

It was the wrong call. Twice.

---------

I have two more comments about last night's game.

First, Nick Johnson is broken. It is plainly obvious that he is afraid to go backwards to chase pop-ups. I suppose I would be too after what happened to him. The fielders around him are going to have to be more assertive in helping Johnson play those types of balls.

Hernandez clearly should have called Johnson off on the pop foul that went untouched, giving Geoff Blum new life, then doubling to put runners in scoring position and allowing Jeff Keppinger to hit a sac fly to plate Rodriguez with the tying run.

Second, I still don't understand the double-switch in the ninth inning. Acta brought in Austin Kearns and Mike MacDougal at the same time, moving Willingham to left and Harris into center field. I get that the pitcher's spot was coming up, but why wouldn't he just have Kearns pinch-hit, instead of removing his best defensive outfielder (Morgan) to accommodate a double-switch.

Would Tejada been able to take second on Carlos Lee's fly out to center if Morgan were still in the game? It was pretty close play on Harris' throw.

If anyone has ideas on that, I'd love to hear them in the comments.

OK, I'll be honest. I started to write a long, drawn-out column about the state of the team, why they are so bad and how to keep perspective. But honestly, it felt like a repeat.

Instead, like most of my internet writing brethren (and sisthren) and blog commenters out there today, I'm just going to spout off some random (and possibly radical) ideas about how to fix things to see if anything sticks (or stinks).

Desperate times, my friends...

1) Call up Martis, Mock, Martin, Balestar; go with starter by committee. Look, it's not about wins and losses anymore, so why try to pretend. The team already announced they want to limit the number of innings of some of these guys. So call up the other starters, waive some of the crappy relievers, and let them share games.

That's right, Detwiler gets five innings and Mock gets the next four. Martin starts for five and Zimmermann closes with four. Rotate. There's no pressure on any one guy since they know how much they're going to pitch. Stick with the plan unless someone is REALLY getting rocked. Let them pitch through their mistakes without fear of getting yanked.

Oh, and maybe start calling some pitches from the dugout. Yesterday, with Detwiler abandoning the curveball? Unacceptable.

2) Flip-flop Guzman and Zimmerman. Yeah, I said it. What is Zimm's biggest problem at third? Making the standing throw. Plays on the run or diving he's one of the best in the league. But the grounder right to him? He throws it away.

Slide him over 40 feet where so many more plays are made on the move. He's already shown he can handle the pivot making double plays when the shift is employed. And his range CAN'T be any smaller than Guzie's.

It worked pretty well for this guy...

Guzman showed during the all-star game last season he can handle the hot corner. He doesn't have the best arm in the majors, but that isn't his problem -- it's range and desire. Playing third will make you pay attention or you'll lose your cajones.

3) DFA Belliard and call up D'Meathook. Belliard is absolutely useless to this team. He can't hit, isn't the first or second option as a defensive replacement, and what's worse, is becoming increasingly difficult in the locker room.

According to an article in the Times today, Young is in obviously better shape than he's been in a long while, and claims he's been game-ready since the end of April. He's still an asset. Get him up here for a couple weeks of pinch-hitting and see if someone will give the Nats a "C" prospect for him.

Either way, the guy can hit falling out of bed, so he'd be a legit switch-hitting pinch-hitter off the bench.

4) Trade Dunn to an American League team. For all of our sakes. Ask for middle-of-the-diamond prospects. I know the guy is trying, and it's obvious the losing is killing him. That's what so refreshing about Dunn, he'll tell you what he's thinking.

Mike Rizzo (unfairly by the interviewer, I might add) let himself get put in a corner the other day on the radio, saying "We are not trading Adam Dunn." But it's foolish to think that the team wouldn't listen to an offer if it were the right offer. It's not like Dunn is Mickey Mantle. For all his great skill, he's also an equally flawed player.

It's painfully obvious that his worth is as a hitter, and that worth would skyrocket if a team didn't have to worry about him costing that team runs in the field. It's not just the errors either, it's the balls he can't track down in the outfield that lets runners take extra bases. Or the lollipop throws that look like he's dogging it, when folks don't realize that's all he's got out there.

5) After you trade Dunn, move Willingham back to left and call up Dukes for right field. Where he's belonged all along. He OBP'd .386 last season in 334 plate appearances. After June 1 last season, he OBP'd .406 in 271 plate appearances. Give him a shot to replicate that.

If he doesn't, then ship him out. But it's foolhardy to let a 25-year old with obvious talent flounder in Triple-A when your big league roster is full of older players that are performing worse than he is.

6) DFA Kearns. It's time. The Blue Jays just ate B.J. Ryan's contract, and it's twice as much as Kearns'. Think of it this way, if you DFA him, you'll save the $1 million you'd have to buy him out with next season.

"We haven't played the way we were expected to play. We're all accountable for what's going on." --Manny Acta, June 14, 2009.

THE RESULT: A ball that hit the third base bag and caromed into left center field turned into a run-scoring double as the Washington Nationals lost their 45th game of the season, getting swept by defending A.L. champion Tampa Bay Rays, 5-4, before 25,841 at Tropicana Field.

With one out in the eighth inning, third baseman Willie Harris was in position to field the bouncing ball. It was hit too slowly to get an inning-ending double play, but he surely would have thrown out the less-than-speedy Willie Aybar, who hit the grounder against Ron Villone (L, 3-3, 0.96).

Instead, the play is added to the long list of unusual circumstances contributing to the Nationals now record-setting losing pace, and perhaps to the firing of manager Manny Acta.

There was no new news as of this writing about the status of the embattled manager. But after having to tell the team about the death of Josh Willingham's brother, the added scrutiny from the Fox Sports and Sports Illustrated reports of his imminent demise, and losing the 15th of 18 games, Acta looked visibly tired in the visiting dugout this afternoon.

As they have all weekend, the Nationals jumped out to an early lead. The Rays spotted Washington a 4-0 lead Sunday, paced by Alberto Gonzalez' three RBIs.

But Nats starter Ross Detwiler had a very uneven day. He gave up four earned runs on six hits and a career high five walks. Three of the walks ended up scoring against the rookie stater. Detwiler did not strike out a batter today. He needed 95 pitches to get though five innings, and only threw 48 for strikes.

THE TAKEAWAY: The Nats turned three double plays today, or it would have been worse. Rookie pitchers will have days like this, especially for Detwiler. The lefty pitches across his body, and as such will have days where he loses his release point and lose control of his fastball. He was not sharp, but gutted out a performance that kept his team in the game.

However, the bats once again went silent after the initial salvo. It's almost like they collectively figure that four runs were going to get the job done today.

Adam Dunn struck out twice, including looking at strike three in the seventh inning with runners on first and third.

THE GOOD: Alberto Gonzalez. He went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBIs. He's hitting .319 on the season.

THE BAD: Corey Patterson. Making his first start of the season, he went 0-for-4 in the six-spot, leaving three runners on.

THE UGLY: The play eventually did not matter, but late in the game Willie Harris, giving Ryan Zimmerman the day off from defense, drifted toward the stands to chase a foul pop-up. However, the bullpens at Tropicana Field are in foul territory, and no one warned bullpen catcher Nelson Robledo that Harris was making tracks right toward him.

Just as Harris was getting ready to lift his arms to catch the pop-up, he collided with Robledo, both men tumbling, and the ball fell harmlessly to the artificial turf.

NEXT GAME: The Nationals are off Monday, which is widely expected to be the day Manny Acta is relieved of his managing duties. At this point, it would be shocking if it did not go down later tonight or sometime tomorrow. Nationals Journal reported that Acta did indeed get on the plane to New York though.

Washington continues its interleague road trip in New York against the Yankees on Tuesday at 7:05 pm. Shairon Martis (5-1, 5.04) takes on C.C. Sabathia (5-4, 3.68).

"I didn't think that there was any way possible that the ball could have been a homer." Adam Dunn, May 27, 2009.

THE RESULT: Another disputed home run call went against the Washington Nationals, and the New York Mets completed a three-game sweep, winning 7-4, before 40,171 replay-loving fans at Citi Field.

The game was tied at three in the bottom of the sixth inning. Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann walked Gary Sheffield on four pitches, which brought up first baseman Daniel Murphy. Murphy launched a 1-2 pitch to deep left field, and what really happened is still undecided.

As the play unfolded, right fielder Adam Dunn turned and watch it sail over his head, reacting much as if it were a sure home run. However, the ball landed on the warning track and bounced toward the fence. Dunn lumbered over, picked it up, and threw to cut-off man Ronnie Belliard, who fired to catcher Wil Nieves to nail Gary Sheffield at the plate for the first out of the inning.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel came out to argue and the umpires convened, then went into their locker room to review the play. As they did Monday night, they emerged and signalled "home run", and awarded the Mets two runs on the play.

New York scored twice more in the seventh to seal the deal.

Zimmermann went five-plus innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits and two walks. He struck out eight, throwing 66 of his 100 pitches for strikes. He got six ground outs and no fly ball outs on the evening.

Adam Dunn his 16th home run of the season, a mammoth two-run shot off Mets winning pitcher Johan Santana (W, 7-2, 1.77), a blast estimated at 465 feet.

THE TAKEAWAY: There's absolutely NO WAY the replays showed enough evidence to overturn the way the play unfolded on the field. None of the replays shown on MASN or SNY showed conclusively that the ball hit the facing of the upper deck, which overhangs the warning track in right field.

What is clear from watching the play live and the replays, is that once the ball landed on the warning track, it bounced toward the outfield fence. The laws of physics would dictate that if the ball hit the facing of the upper deck, the ball would have travelled toward the infield after hitting the ground.

P.S. It was the same umpire that blew the call Monday that failed to hustle out to the outfield to see the play again.

THE GOOD: Adam Dunn. He seems to be in a groove again. Nick Johnson was 3-for-5.

THE BAD: It wasn't scored an error because he got an out on the play, but Ryan Zimmerman bobbled a tailor-made inning-ending double play ball in the third, regrouping just in time to get only the force at second base. The next batter (Murphy) poked a single to right, scoring the Mets third run.

Also, Ronnie Belliard failed to cover first base on what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt by Luis Castillo earlier in the inning.

Two plays, no errors scored on the plays. But more evidence of lousy and lackadaisical play on defense.

THE UGLY: Kip Wells. Seen enough of him yet? Two earned runs on a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning when the game was still in doubt.

NEXT GAME: Mercifully, off tonight. The Nats resume losing Friday night at 7:05 pm in Philadelphia against Phillies. Ross Detwiler (0-0, 2.45) will face J.A. Happ (2-0, 2.60).

THE RESULT: Garrett Mock and Joel Hanrahan conspired to allow six earned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Nats waste 11 runs and lose the opener to the Philadelphia Phillies, 13-11.

The Nationals hit five home runs and pounded out 12 hits against six Phillies pitchers, but it was to no avail.

Mock started the eighth by striking out catcher Lou Marson. It went downhill quickly. Pedro Feliz singled, Jimmy Rollins doubled and Shane Victorino hit a sacrifice fly to plate Feliz.

With two outs, Mock gave up a single to Chase Utley, driving in Rollins, and manager Manny Acta went to Hanrahan. Hanrahan then walked Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth.

The first pitch to Raul Ibanez was a fastball right down the middle of the plate from Hanrahan, and the veteran outfielder made no mistake, clearing the bases with a grand slam.

THE TAKEAWAY: You can't lose scoring 11 runs in a game. You. Just. Can't. Someone has to lose his job over this, and it's probably going to be Hanrahan. How can Acta give him the ball in a high-leverage situation right now? He was completely incapable of throwing strikes tonight.

Hanrahan has talent, but he needs to get his head on straight, because a team with shaky starters and cruddy defense CAN'T have a closer giving games away.

In the post game press conference, Acta said they would have to "think it through" whether Hanrahan was still his closer.

THE GOOD: Ryan Zimmerman, et al. Zim went 2-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs. Nick Johnson, Adam Dunn and Elijah Dukes all homered as well.

THE BAD: Shairon Martis. The rookie gave up seven earned on eight hits and four walks with three strikeouts in five innings. The Phillies have some hitters, and they took advantage of a rookie finding his way tonight.

THE UGLY: Joel Hanrahan. He was flat-out terrible. He walked Howard on five pitches, including a wild pitch. He walked Jayson Werth on five pitches. And he wasn't even close. This wasn't pitching too fine; he had zero control. Acta can't go to him in a high-leverage situation until he gets straightened out.

NEXT GAME: Tomorrow against these same Phillies. John Lannan (0-2, 4.43) against Cole Hamels (0-2, 9.69).

After 14 games played, we're 11.57% through the baseball regular season. Let's take a look at how your Washington Nationals stack up with the rest of the National League!

OFFENSE

Let's start with the most basic of statistics: batting average. The Nats are hitting .265 as a team, which means they get a base hit 26.5 times out of 100 plate appearances that don't end in a walk, hit batsman or sacrifice. In other words, an almost useless statistic. They rank seventh in the NL in average.

The team on base percentage is .352, good for fifth in the league. The team's OBP is bolstered by Adam Dunn's .476, Nick Johnson's .446 and Cristian Guzman's .515. Of course, Guzman's OBP is propped up by his ridiculous and unsustainable BABIP (batting average on balls in play). He hasn't walked in 34 plate appearances.

The team is slugging .393, which is 13th in the NL. Slugging Percentage, for the uninitiated, is a measure of total bases divided by at bats. It represents power. League average is .416.

OPS is on base plus slugging, giving a pretty good overall idea of how good a hitter (or team) is as it combines the on base skills plus power skills. The Nats have been quite good getting on base, but lousy driving folks in once they reached base. The combined OPS is .745, good for 11th in the league.

The lack of power drags the excellent on base numbers down to a below league average OPS.

The team has hit 12 home runs, 13th in the NL and 25 doubles, ninth in the league. They are fourth in the league in walks, but ninth in runs scored, so they aren't taking advantage of their advantage.

So for people that want to tell you that the hitting is "fine"; that the team just needs some pitching? Well, they might be getting you to buy a ticket package, as the numbers aren't quite bearing that out yet.

DEFENSE

Again, using the most basic of fielding metrics, the Nationals fielding percentage (% of fielding plays that didn't end in an ruled error) is .974--dead last in the National League. Not surprisingly, they have the most ruled errors in the league, at 14.

They have recorded the sixth most double plays, a product of having a lot of ground ball pitchers.

They have thrown out just one of nine stolen base attempts, last in the league, and the three passed balls are most in the NL. Only one other team, Atlanta, has had more than one. Of course, the now-departed Josh Bard had two of those passed balls in one game.

UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) is a metric which evaluates a player's overall defensive performance. It take into consideration not just chances, put outs, assists and errors, but factors in range (how many balls a player gets to), arm, and other evaluations compared to the "average" player at that position.

The number arrived at is how many runs plus or minus that player is compared to the average.

The Nationals UZR as a team is -7.2, last in the NL and next to last in MLB, ahead of only the Orioles. Of players that have played more than seven games this season, only three (Elijah Dukes in CF, Ryan Zimemrman at 3B and Cristian Guzman at SS) are above the average.

Guz is only on that list because he's failed to make an error so far. His range factor is quite low, meaning he doesn't get to balls that the average shortstop does.

PITCHING

Ah, the team's Achilles heel (if you don't count defense, which most casual fans don't). Again, the basic: 5.36 ERA, 14th in the league. Homers allowed, 18, fourth most in the league. Walks? Fifth most with 58 free passes. Strikeouts? Next to last with just 82.

Want to know why Pittsburgh's current league-leading 3.33 ERA is unsustainable? They are the only team with fewer strikeouts than the Nats.

The Nats are second worst in the league in hit batsman, worst in wild pitches, and third worst in runners per inning.

The pitching has been as bad as advertised. But wait! The homestand prompted a momentary bout of compentence: six straight quality starts! If they can only get the bullpen straightened out...

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that a 3-11 team stinks. But a look at the stats paints a very ugly picture. What's worse is that this particularly odorous stint was at the start of the season, when you can't hide 3-11. If this two-week stretch was buried in July, casual folks wouldn't even bother to notice.

But it is at the start of the season. Starting off 0-7, then going 3-11 is a very obvious thing. It's what drives casual fans even further away from the team. Who wants to go see a lousy baseball team? They can't even spell the names on their jerseys right!

Apparently, the answer to the question is: only a couple thousand diehard want to see a lousy baseball team play in even lousier weather.

Except for opening day, there's been just as many fans of the other team in the stands as there are Nats fans. I know. I've been there. And, as Gilbert Gottfried might say: That's not good.

This post wasn't meant to depress, cause if you're reading this you're probably depressed about the Nats to begin with, one of the couple thousand. And the starting pitching performances the last couple of nights have given some hope.

Let's just hope the Nats got their worst baseball out of the way early on, and as the summer arrives the team will play better and more folks will want to come out and see the "resurgent" Washington Nationals.

And you can say, "I've been here all along, where were you in April?"

Please visit Dan Steinberg's bog for Stan Kasten's comments today on Philadelphia sports talk radio (ESPN 950).

I'll let you make up your own opinions. I'm having a hard enough time keeping my composure as it is.