Come on, we're not THAT BAD, take a look for yourself...

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

Seriously guys, we've won 10 of our last 14 games, and 4 of our last 5.

We're 20-29, and our % has risen from the mid .350's, to .408.
We are 7-3 in our last 10.

We're 14-14 vs. the NL East, Philadelphia in comparison is 10-15 and in 3rd place.

We have allowed 231 runs to this point, which is not dead last like many thought. The Phils have allowed 232 and we don't have a guy like Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer or Adam Eaton.
The Marlins have allowed 248, and they have the D-Train, Sergio Mitre's panning out. The Reds (249), Texas (272), Kansas City (257), and Tampa Bay (284) all have allowed more runs than us.
And they have guys like Aaron Harang, Kevin Millwood, Gil Meche, Scott Kazmir, we don't even have one of those!

Our Achilles' heel remains offense, we have yet to crack the 200-run plateau and we sit paltrily at 178, the last in the majors, the closest to us is Colorado with only 192, and that's kinda unbelievable, seeing they play in Coors Field.
The way that Harris has turned our hitting around is simply remarkable, Zimmerman and Schneider have both rediscovered their power, Dmitri Young (just as we thought all was lost) has rung his average back to .294 and has glued Ryan Langerhans to the bench, he's driving in runs like he did at the beginning of the season and is making a push to be a starter (likely in LF) when (and if) Nick Johnson returns.

We are in the top 5 in 1 run games, with a decent 10-7 mark.
Only LA Dodgers (10-4), Arizona (12-6), and Detroit (11-6) are better, and they're good contenders.

And on top of it all, we have 1 more win than the Cards, the WS Champs, and we don't yet have a pitcher with 8 losses or more (Anthony Reyes).

:D

[NationalsFan]

I don't think it is that bad, I am in for the long run. Even if they don't win another game this season, I will still be watching and attending games. I have always wanted a professional baseball team in town, can't complain now that it is here about the record of a team in a rebuild mode. I am excited about next year and the new ball park.

Plus, Nick Johnson should be back in June I believe and the bats should pick up. Nook was great last night, Lopez and Kearns both are doing fine.

[Peorgie T]

They are doing better than most expected, and we have the pitchers to thank for that. Even in most of the games they lose, they aren't getting blown out like early in the season. If NJ can come back before the break (a long shot from the sound of it), and Hill and Bergman can come back and pitch like they did before, they even have an outside chance of getting to .500.

The bats have started to wake up in the last several weeks, and while nobody on the team wants to talk about it, that happened at the same time Mitchell Page went on leave and Lenny Harris took over as batting coach. He even has Nook batting .277.

[natsnsoxfan]

I attribute it mostly to Manny Acta. Hes the perfect type of manager for this team. I just hope they keep him for the long run and don't dump him during the bad years before we become a major contender. They need to keep him through it like the Brewers have done with Yost.

[d33ps]

We were playing great ball before this 10-0 romping LA just put on us, we really need Hill and Bergmann to come back soon, but word is neither will be back at least for 1-2 more weeks.

[natsnsoxfan]

I don't think they have the staying power to keep it up but it sure is nice to win consistently for a few weeks though!

[-Kyle-]

And on top of it all, we have 1 more win than the Cards, the WS Champs, and we don't yet have a pitcher with 8 losses or more (Anthony Reyes).

:D
Not like that is so great...many teams are better than the Cards right now. :think:

[Aa3rt]

I had the same feeling as the rest of you-the Nats really aren't that bad! That was until watching the past two games against the Dodgers. No runs, 9 hits in 18 innings. Why do I torture myself? I almost feel like I'm watching the Senators all over again.

EDIT:Oops, forgot that we have another game against the Dodgers tonight, hope they've been saving up those hits for a romp over the LA team this evening.

Oh well, hope springs eternal. The Padres are next, hopefully those stifled bats will come to life during this next series.

[Peorgie T]

As it turned out, they were saving up the runs for tonight, winning 11-4. The starting pitching is still a ticking time bomb, and their inability to pitch past the fifth inning is taking its toll on the bullpen.

[NationalsFan]

I don't know if you watched the whole game, but they were talking about JP and Hill coming back soon, how soon they didn't say. I am just wondering when is Nick Johnson coming back.

[Aa3rt]

As it turned out, they were saving up the runs for tonight, winning 11-4. The starting pitching is still a ticking time bomb, and their inability to pitch past the fifth inning is taking its toll on the bullpen.

Did you happen to catch the film clip of Frank Howard hitting a home run in his Washington Senators uniform? It was GREAT to see that old film, and almost as great to see the Nationals bats finally get untracked.

I hope they'll dig up some more of those old clips, maybe that was the good luck charm the Nats needed.

[Peorgie T]

I don't know if you watched the whole game, but they were talking about JP and Hill coming back soon, how soon they didn't say. I am just wondering when is Nick Johnson coming back.

Good news about JP and Hill. I hope they can stay healthy going forward. What wasn't discussed in that article was Bergman's status.

There was an article about Johnson the other day which essentially said that there is no timetable for his return, which suggests that he may be done for the year.

[Aa3rt]

There was an article about Johnson the other day which essentially said that there is no timetable for his return, which suggests that he may be done for the year.

Nick Johnson took batting practice last (Saturday, June 2nd) evening. He did admit to being "weak and wobbly" and his return to the lineup is still more than a month or more away. Story here:Nick Johnson takes batting practice (http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070601&content_id=1999047&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was)

With Dimitri Young finally getting untracked and hitting consistently who gets the nod once Nick is back on the roster?

[Peorgie T]

Nick Johnson took batting practice last (Saturday, June 2nd) evening. He did admit to being "weak and wobbly" and his return to the lineup is still more than a month or more away. Story here:Nick Johnson takes batting practice (http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070601&content_id=1999047&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was)

With Dimitri Young finally getting untracked and hitting consistently who gets the nod once Nick is back on the roster?

If Nick comes back before the end of July, it's likely Dimitri will be traded.

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

If Nick comes back before the end of July, it's likely Dimitri will be traded.

I hear he'll move to LF.

[Peorgie T]

I hear he'll move to LF.

You've seen his range at first, right?

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

You've seen his range at first, right?

I guess that hasn't registered in the Nationals' organisation minds, Bill Ladson says he'll probably be the LF, and besides, he already was a LF back in his younger days, so, he is familiar with that position.

Either that, or you move Nick Johnson to LF...

Hmmm, I wonder how that would work out.

[stonesean]

I posed this same thing on the Detroit Tigers thread...

I am a transplanted Detroiter serving in the military who has gone to about 6 Nats games since arriving here last year.... 3 vs. other opponents and the 3 Tigers games.

It's uncanny how much being in RFK to watch the Nats in 2007 is like being in Tiger Stadium to watch Detroit in 1997.

A team that, though full of "prospects" and "future players" just can't seem to get it done, and a stadium that was once great, but it's inevitable demolition has caused it's city government owners to just not care about it's upkeep, and home games that, depending on the opponent seem just like road games.

I guess what I am saying is that you should remain patient, because any MLB team can turn around almost literally overnight....

Keep the faith, and I will cheer for my new adopted National Leage team.