[April 7th] -- You just get that feeling, don't you? As badly as we want the Nationals to do well this year, as much as we've tried to un-earth every conceivable scenario where they might make another run to 81, the Nats look lost as they continue to lose.

I'm not saying that the boys aren't doing their best; they are. And that's the problem. The Nationals are like a little economy car whose only hope of reaching interstate speed is to have every engine part finely tuned and working in unison. If one piston is mis-firing, if one tire is a little bald, they'll never get above 50 mph. The Astros (like many other teams) are more like a luxury car, built with top-of-the-line parts that'll cruise down the interstate at 75 mph regardless of how many parts are out of tune.

Right now, Brandon Watson and Brian Schneider are killing the Nationals. Add Ryan Zimmerman's sudden problem with strikeouts (seven in a row at one point), and the remaining players just aren't strong enough to carry the load. If Nick Johnson was Carlos Delgado, if Royce Clayton was Miguel Tejada, than the "one swing" principle would allow the team to cheat out enough wins to end the season with a respectable record. But these Nats don't have those kind of players.

It's not time to get worried. Yet. The Phillies, with more stars and $35 million more in payroll, have started the season 0-4. But it's going to get worse before it gets better. After facing Tom Glavine and Pedro Martinez, the Nationals will go up against Roy Oswalt and Andy Petite this weekend. Six games, four star pitchers.

Tony Armas pitched very well, giving up two earned runs in five innings while striking out three. Jason Bergman looked out of sync, and Gary Majewski looked lost. And what of poor Alfonso Soriano? He hit a ball half way up Tal's Hill in the deepest part of centerfield, only to be caught by Willie Taveras. And we thought RFK would rob him of his power.

NATS NOTES: Jose Vidro continues to impress, hitting a homer for the Nats' only run of the game ..... Ryan Zimmerman looked horrible striking out (three times) -- the worst I've ever seen a major league player look swinging a bat ..... Royce Clayton made a great defensive play, diving to his left to come up with the ball and throw the runner out ..... Does Nick Johnson look slower this year? He b-a-r-e-l-y made to second on a ball hit to the wall in right center field ..... Brandon Watson got his second hit of the season and promptly got picked off of first by Brandon Bracke ..... Preston Wilson didn't look like the 'old' outfielder the Nationals traded for last summer .... Jose Guillen got hit again, the third time in three days. X-rays were negative and he is day-to-day.

# posted by Farid Rushdi @ 7:51 PM