Can Nats Right Ship In Choppy Mississippi?
.500 has been a number that most of us serious Nationals fans take very seriously. There is, in fact, an algebraic equation that sums up the Nats and their hopes for 2005: ta + b - i = 1/2gp.
I'll translate: talent available + breaks - injuries = a .500 season. There is enough talent that the team should end up somewhere near .500 come September.
For the past 10 games or so, the talent available has just not produced. The breaks that were coming our way aren't right now. Injuries have become excessive and finishing around .500 is looking a little iffy. Talk about breaks. The series that came closest to a "do or die" senario this early in the season came against the Cardinals in St. Louis as the entire Cardinal team was heating up.
Tonight, Esteban Loiaza goes against one of the few mortal Cardinal pitchers, Jeff Suppan. For the year, Suppan is 3-5 with an ERA of 4.38. this is a matchup that is certainly winnable for the Nationals, who need these next two games very badly. However, remember that it's the bad pitchers that the Nats seem to have the most problems with.
No, it's not the end of the world if Washington leaves St. Louis 24-26. But imagine the mental affect of so many injuries, so many slumps, and now, so many losses. They need to come up with some magic tonight, and again tomorrow. Take two out of three against the mighty Cardinals, and the pain of being swept by the lowly Reds, while not forgotten, will be lessened.
C'mon boys. Tighten your belts and roll up your sleeves. Don't blame the manager and forget the injuries. Do your best and we'll be happy.
I'll translate: talent available + breaks - injuries = a .500 season. There is enough talent that the team should end up somewhere near .500 come September.
For the past 10 games or so, the talent available has just not produced. The breaks that were coming our way aren't right now. Injuries have become excessive and finishing around .500 is looking a little iffy. Talk about breaks. The series that came closest to a "do or die" senario this early in the season came against the Cardinals in St. Louis as the entire Cardinal team was heating up.
Tonight, Esteban Loiaza goes against one of the few mortal Cardinal pitchers, Jeff Suppan. For the year, Suppan is 3-5 with an ERA of 4.38. this is a matchup that is certainly winnable for the Nationals, who need these next two games very badly. However, remember that it's the bad pitchers that the Nats seem to have the most problems with.
No, it's not the end of the world if Washington leaves St. Louis 24-26. But imagine the mental affect of so many injuries, so many slumps, and now, so many losses. They need to come up with some magic tonight, and again tomorrow. Take two out of three against the mighty Cardinals, and the pain of being swept by the lowly Reds, while not forgotten, will be lessened.
C'mon boys. Tighten your belts and roll up your sleeves. Don't blame the manager and forget the injuries. Do your best and we'll be happy.
# posted by Farid Rushdi @ 2:06 PM 
