Unless something miraculous happens between now and the end of the regular season, this will be my last blog post about the Washington Nationals. After a promising 20-15 start, the Nats have limped to a 13-28 record in their last 41 games. Unlike last season, it isn't really their pitching that is killing them. The problem with this year's Nats team is they are ranked last in most offensive categories. Outside of Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, and Ryan Zimmerman, the Nats bats are as silent as a comedy club audience hearing Michael Richards' N-word tirade. Poor Stephen Strasburg, the phenomenal rookie starting pitcher, has been pitching lights out in his first four starts. However, the last two games in which he has pitched, he has had next to no run support. What good is having a pitcher of Strasburg's caliber, if the lineup on his team can't score any runs for him. This is why I half-expect Strasburg to sign with another team, like the effing Yankees, when his rookie contract is up. If the Nats don't get some more legitimate hitters, and soon, Strasburg won't stick around to see the rebuilding process come to fruition.
In addition to the poor hitting, the Nats' defense is starting to make more frequent errors, the ones that plagued them all last season. This gave the Orioles (who have only won 23 games all season) the momentum they needed to sweep the Nats this weekend, all wins in which the Orioles trailed by at least 4 runs in each game, and came back and one, because the Nats extended the Orioles' side of the inning by committing errors.
So, I am conceding defeat. That pipe dream I had of the Nats competing for the Wild Card spot is dead like Vanilla Ice's career. Unless Strasburg throws a no-hitter in the rest of the season, you won't hear a peep from me about the Nats until next season. I have two months until the football season starts! Then this blog will get some action!!
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