“People keep asking me, ‘What’s wrong?’ I’m going to have my numbers. People shouldn’t worry about Jose Guillen.”
Somewhere, Gilbert Arenas is smiling. He would definitely appreciate the third-person proclamations Jose Guillen made in Monday’s Post. Especially since Guillen had previously struggled so badly – through Saturday he had two homers on the year, was batting a paltry .227, and recently was dropped from cleanup to the fifth spot in the order. But Guillen emphatically backed up the talk in Cincinnati last night, with two homers and three RBI. In the last two games, he has three homers and five RBI, and is suddenly spraying the ball to all fields.
Tuesday night had plenty of other good signs for the team. Tony Armas made another solid start and pitched into the 7th. Somehow, he has become the most dependable starter in the rotation. Alfonso Soriano hit a titanic 492-foot shot to center, giving him ten on the year, and Ryan Zimmerman and Matt LeCroy went deep as well in the cozy confines of the Great American Ballpark. Marlon Byrd had two hits in the leadoff spot, which is critical to keeping Soriano’s bat in the middle of the lineup, driving in runs.
Tonight, Livan Hernandez will try to avoid the early-inning trouble that has plagued him so far this year. The Nats look to win their third straight, and fourth out of five.
