My Team - Nationals versus Reds

Scheduled starters

Thursday: Gonzalez vs. Arroyo
Friday: Zimmerman vs. Bailey
Saturday: Haren vs. Leake
Sunday: Detwiler vs. Cingrani

(Starting pitchers subject to change)

The Cardinals are a good team. No dispute there. The Reds and a good team, and have already beaten up on the Nationals. The Atlanta Braves are yet another good team. The Nationals are reeling, with no relief in sight. This weekend, they host Cincinnati, then head off to Atlanta next week.

As of the morning of 25 April, the Nationals are 10-11. For a team that was a popular pick for World Series champion, this is distressing. I know "it's still early", but the team is listless. They've scored 4 runs in the last four games. They have 4 errors in the last four games (although three were in the 21 April, 2-0 loss against the Mets).

You don't need sabermetrics to see a) the team isn't hitting, b) the fielding is erratic at times, and c) the pitching hasn't been as consistent as needed.

The skipper, Davey Johnson, is getting perturbed. The team is frustrated. So many leaks have sprung (no pun intended), that it's hard to determine which thing needs to be fixed first. It's not gonna be "early" much longer. Then, what do you say? Saying "they just need to play better" may be true, but it's also nebulous. It's gonna take more than tweaking the batting order to get out of this slump.

My guess: they split with the Reds this weekend. The Nationals get to Arroyo and scratch across just enough runs to win on Thursday. Bailey shuts down Washington on Friday, like he did earlier this season. The Nationals take advantage of some wildness by Leake to scratch across a close win on Saturday. Washington struggles on Sunday against the unfamiliar (but talented) rookie Cingrani, losing late.