Photo by afagen.

August 21, 2010, for purposes of sheer dramatics, is that the date that it happened: The “Forearm Twinge Heard ‘Round the World.” Games don’t get canceled because your stud prospect gets a boo-boo, but the Nationals seemed to forget that in the four games afterward, getting outscored 24-5 and looking about as qualified to play professional baseball as I am.

First came denial, in which the Nats were rocked 6-0 by the Phils and 9-1 by the Cubs, despite the Cubs coming to D.C. with a new manager and no offense. Then the Nats got angry, and the stage was set for an epic walk-off by Zimmerman, only to come up just short in a 5-4 loss to the Cubs. Jason Marquis productively turned the anger into his strongest start of the year on Wednesday, only to come away with the realization a shutout offense can only beat a team that scores negative runs.

Once the Cardinals arrived in town, the mood began to improve. The Nats bargained with some higher power, who alternately punished them for their insolence (Storen blowing a save in the top of the 9th by allowing four runs) and rewarded them for their persistence (Bernadina’s game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth and Desmond’s walk-off single). Depression follows the bargaining, however, and the Nats slumbered against rookie pitcher Jaime Garcia and limply battled back late, only to fall 4-2.