'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
It was a nightmarish 10 day stretch for Harper, starting with the moment he landed on the warning track at Dodger Stadium, writhing in pain. But Wednesday he rose above. Again.
Sunday afternoon, Espinosa was 0-for-4. It was his sixth hitless game in the last seven, a stretch that has now featured only one hit in his last 28 at-bats with 13 strikeouts and no walks.
Forty-four games into the 2013 campaign, the Nationals have never overcome more than a two-run deficit. As the Padres' assault continued to mount on Sunday, the Nationals needed plenty more than two.
The untuck thing is a celebration that is a lot like Soriano. It's understated, easy to miss. It's also effective. And cool. Most important, for all its simplicity, it's fun. Sports are supposed to be fun, remember?
The Nationals' victory over the Tigers on Thursday was their sixth in the past seven games as they improved to 19-15.
The Nationals' slow offensive start has been concerning to some, worrisome to others and downright nerve-fraying to certain factions of the fanbase. For plenty, it's been maddening to watch them strike out, swinging or looking, so often. To see them come up small in large situations. To hit the ball on the screws, and right at a waiting fielder.
Stephen Strasburg struck out eight in seven innings and the Washington Nationals won a game he started for the first time since Opening Day by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 Saturday.
Most agree that a long future at this level awaits Rendon, who was summoned from Double-A on April 20 when Ryan Zimmerman was placed on the DL with a hamstring strain. After his first taste those opinions haven't changed a lick.
The impetus behind a lineup switch, manager Davey Johnson said, came back to the idea that the Nationals are still searching for a lineup that works and has someone who can get on base in front of Bryce Harper in the No. 3 spot. Steve Lombardozzi may be the guy who can do that
The lineup changes Johnson made weren't drastic. They simply placed Steve Lombardozzi, one of the Nationals' highest on-base percentage players near the top spot in the order, and added Jayson Werth, another right-handed bat to the middle of an order that has been missing Ryan Zimmerman since last week.
Tuesday's loss was Washington's fifth straight at home and the team that started the season 7-2 is now 10-10. Yes, indeed, it remains very early in the season. But early is about half done and the Nats are in a funk.
If the season ended Thursday, the Nationals even with all their "problems" would qualify for the playoffs. Which sounds just as stupid to say now as it does to say the season is already off the rails.
Late Tuesday night, Zimmerman said that he was frustrated with the fact that he'd made four throwing errors in the Nationals' previous five games. His surgically repaired shoulder felt great, he said, and he could not pinpoint the reason why some of his throws were not precisely hitting the target Adam LaRoche was giving him at first base.
Over the course of the three-game sweep, the Nationals were outscored 18-5. In the series' final 26 innings, they mustered a single, solitary run.
At least Washington came out of Friday's disappointment in good physical health. Not so Saturday, as catcher Wilson Ramos injured his left hamstring trying to beat out a ground ball in the eighth.
"We've got guys, including myself, who are still learning," Zimmerman said.
Danny Espinosa trying everything to break out of batting slump →
