You can call me a Homer, but I think it is clear that the 2008 Florida Marlins are the greatest baseball team ever. I can’t think of any other explanation for the Nationals’ 1-8 record against them. One may think that a team with a batting average of .235 (15th in the NL), .353 Slugging (15th in the NL), .315 OBP (15th in the NL) and 166 runs scored (14th in the NL) is a bad team. No, the Nats have just had too many games against the greatest baseball team ever. The Nats are 17-24, but if you remove the Marlins from their record they are 16-16, .500! Fortunately, the Nationals won’t play Florida again until June 30th. Hopefully, by then the Marlins will remember that they are supposed to be bad this year.
Cheer Squad
During the May 13 game against the Mets, some of the Nationals started cheering in the dugout. Led by Elijah Dukes, the team started a series of group cheers to encourage their hitters. Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa said that the Nats were cheering “like a bunch of softball girls,” and added that “if that’s what a last-place team needs to do to fire themselves up, so be it.” After the game, Figueroa was designated for assignment, so it is easy to understand his frustration. Some Nationals have called the cheering bush league. The only thing I will add is that the Nationals scored a season high 10 runs that night.
Nick Johnson Schedules Annual Trip to the Doctor
It wouldn’t be a Nationals season if Nick Johnson didn’t get hurt. Johnson left the team on Wednesday to return to Washington to have an MRI on his wrist. He strained a tendon in his right wrist on Tuesday in his last at bat, and is listed as day to day. While Nick is only batting .220 so far this year, he still has an OBP of .415 and is third in the Major Leagues with 33 walks. This is his 9th straight season with an injury. While this one doesn’t seem that serious, it is still unclear when he will return to the lineup.
UPDATE: The MRI revealed a tear of the tendon sheath in his right wrist and he will be out 4-6 weeks.
Game of the Week
While there are a lot of interesting games this week, including a three game series against the Orioles and another at home against the Phillies, the game of the week is today against the Mets. The Nationals have sent Mike O’Connor down to the minors and called up starter Jason Bergman, who will start this afternoon’s game. Bergman posted the best ERA of the team in spring training, but struggled in the first month of the season, posting an ERA of 11.68, including 7 runs yielded to the dominant Marlins in 5 innings on April 9. He has pitched well for Columbus, but with all of the young pitching in the farm system, he is running out of chances to earn a place in this team’s future.
Briefly Noted
Rob Mackowiak is batting .364 with an OBP of .429 and Slugging .636 in the month of May, making me look like an idiot… Matt Chico is in the bullpen, and not doing that bad… Spoilsport Paul Lo Duca has a broken bone on his right wrist and has been placed on the DL… Get discounted tickets for the May 24 game through the Partnership for Public Service.
Meaningless Statistic of the Week: Austin Kearns is leading the National League in number of pitches seen by a right handed right fielder when facing a right handed pitcher.
Photo by mosley.brian.
