Photo by rsmdc

Ryan Zimmerman’s hitting streak ended the same day as the Capitals season, leaving the Nationals without any positive story lines right when people are going to start paying attention to them. To those local sports fans, let us implore you to turn your eyes towards D.C. United. They are tied for first in the East, with three wins, one loss, and six ties.

The Nationals, on the other hand, are 1-6 over the last week, and 11-25 overall. After briefly looking like they might be able claw their way out of last place, they’re firmly buried at the bottom of the league. This weekend, the Nats were swept in four games by the Phillies. While those games may have occurred in Washington, the place certainly looked and felt like Citizens Bank Park South. At least someone is paying to go to the stadium. At least the Nats’ second baseman proved that he could be a formidable dodgeball opponent.

The Nationals have seven more games at home on this home stand. Four are against the Pirates, and three against the Orioles. If the Nationals have any chance of redeeming this season, and probably Manny Acta’s job, they need to win at least four of these seven games. After playing their game against the Orioles on May 24, they won’t play another team that is currently under .500 until they play last year’s AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays. In a practical sense, they won’t play another bad team until they play the Orioles again, at Baltimore, on June 26. That is over a month – or 27 games – of games against good opponents. We are going to start the over under for the Nats’ record on June 26 at 20-50.

Daniel Cabrera: Despite giving up seven runs in five innings in his last start, Daniel Cabrera is still on the team and scheduled to start on Thursday, May 21. So far this season, Cabrera has no wins, twice as many walks as strike outs, nine wild pitches, and presumably compromising pictures of Manny Acta and Mike Rizzo.

Game of the Week: The game of the week is tonight, when the Nationals face the Pirates. Due to the doubleheader, and Scott Olson’s injury, the Nats have called up Ross Detwiler. Detwiler was the team’s first pick in the 2007 draft, and has been pitching in Double-A in Harrisburg. He is 0-3 this year, but with a 2.96 ERA, and 28 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings. All of this won’t really matter, because at some point the Nats bullpen will take over.

Briefly Noted: The Nationals’ ground crew is as disgraceful as the Nats’ fielders … The team may not be able to pitch or field, but they do have a great third base coach… The Bullpen, the first bar near Nationals Park, is open … The Nationals are offering half price tickets to Teddy fans.

Meaningless Statistic of the Week: Nick Johnson is leading the National League in number of times a left handed first baseman who was born during the Carter administration has been hit by a pitch while playing at home, with 3.