(Entry written by DCist contributor Chris Kelly)
So it’s a fact that the banged-up Nationals need a breather, after playing .500 ball over their last 10 games leading up to the all-star break and losing 2 in a row. And it’s a fact that at 52-36, tied for the 3rd best record in the majors, the Nationals are the best story of the 2005 season (so far), improbably leading the NL East by 2.5 games over the Braves. And it’s a fact that on Thursday, the Nats will head to Milwaukee for a four game series with the Brewers to begin the 2nd half of the season.
But the facts get a little harder to discern from there when you consider Jose Guillen’s comments in the aftermath of the Nats 5-4 loss to the Phillies on Sunday. Guillen’s comments are open to interpretation; one interpretation has him completely throwing Nick Johnson, Ryan Church, and Cristian Guzman under the bus: “You know we need Nick. We need some of those guys to learn how to play in pain. They need to step it up and have to understand, right now, in the second half, there’s no baby-sitting anyone.” On the heels of Guillen’s comments, the Post reports that Johnson suffered a setback and won’t be back right away after the All-Star break.
