Since we last left the Nationals, the team has gone 4-3 and pulled itself out of last place in the NL East. They are one win away from 63, and thus avoiding the humiliation of triple digit loses this year. They are also nine wins from tying last year’s total. These are the metrics we have to use to judge a team that wasn’t really competing for the post-season anyway (during the pre-season, Vegas had the over/under on Nats wins set at 66). Nineteen of their last 23 games are against either the Mets, Braves, or Phillies. With each of the those teams still vying for the post-season, nine wins would be an accomplishment.

Walk-Off
Ryan Zimmerman’s walk-off hit on Sunday gives him six game-winning hits and one game-winning walk in the last two years. That gives Zimmerman more game-winning hits over the last two years than David Ortiz, Derek “Mr. Clutch” Jeter, and everyone else in the league. This phenomena happens frequently enough that the team has established a tradition of congratulating Ryan after these hits by punching him. According to Austin Kearns, “They’re not love pats.”

Following in Ryan’s footsteps, Jesus Flores hit a game winning walk-off two out double last night to give the Nats their fourth straight win and raise them to two games out of last place in the NL East. It is unclear how much physical abuse Flores took as a result of his hit.

Photo by Flickr user dcJohn