Do the Nats Really Stink this Bad?

Yes.
Last year the Nationals could at least rely on a stable bullpen is nothing else. This year — the bullpen plains stinks. Anopther loss, another blown loss, another bullpen implosion. Yesterday was just another example. A fine, quality start from P Jason Bergmann, laid to waste by the bullpen and a sleepy offense.
This is how bad it is. The Nationals have clearly struggled to find that solid fifth starter. Jason Bergmann lost it early, Matt Chico lost it, Mike “O’Connor lasted one game, then Jason Bergmann returned. Doesn’t seem like the Nationals have that problem anymore. Bergmann has started three games since his return to the majors on May 15. He has NOT ALLOWED a single run! Not even 1 run. He has pitched in three starts 18.2 scoreless innings. Yet, he also has ZERO decisions. Yesterday Bergmann tossed 5.2 scoreless innings while striking out 8, and gain, yielding nothing, a run or a win.
Currently, the bullpen, minus Chad Cordero (who has barely played) and Jon Rauch (essentially, talking about Saul Rivera, Luis Ayala, Joel Hanrahan, and Jesus Colome) are 1 win, 7 losses, with 6 blown saves. Far cry from last season.

But, the bullpen is solely to blame. The offense hasn’t been anything to write home about. Evidenced in even a win, in which the Nationals beat the Pirate 5-1, the Nationals offense still managed to only produce 3 hits. The Nationals have three batters over .300, none of which are actually considered the long term starting solution for this season (Aaron Boone, Jesus Flores, and Will Nieves). Christian Guzman is hitting .298, after that, the next best average is Ryan Zimmerman at .257. The Nationals do not have a single player in double digits in home runs, and do not have one player that has driven in more than 30 runs.
The offense was expected to be much better with explosive bats of Wily Mo Pena, Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes joining the team. The fact these three would be in DC all season brought alot of excitement to Nationals fans about the possibilities. Here is what we have gotten.
Lastings Milledge is hitting .242 with 14 doubles and only 2 home runs. He has knocked in 19 runs and a low slugging percentage of .349.
Elijah Dukes has played in 16 games an is off to a horrendous .119 start. In 16 games, Dukes has not homered and has knocked in 1 measley run.
Wily Mo Pena expected to be a big power hitter is hitting 219 in 101 at bats with 1 homer,. He hasn’t even broke into double digits in RBIs, with 8 on the year.
Combine that with an injured Austin Kearns that was hitting .187 with 3 homers and 16 RBIs and you can see why the Nationals are once again holding up the bottom of the National League East.
Again yesterday, this team finds away to blow away quality starts on the mound. The Nationals have two starters under 4.00 ERA and 4 under 4.50, yet wins are not something that come easily despite quality starts.
Last year it was the strong bullpen. This year it is a strong rotation. Notice what is never mentioned — a strong offense. In essence, it is just more disappointment and a team that again, in new digs and a new city, just can’t excite baseball in a town so desperately awaiting good baseball.
The Minor League Affiliate Report:
Columbus Clippers (AAA) dropped a close decision to Louisville 2-1. Much like the Nats, the Clippers blew away a 5 scoreless inning performance by starter Bobby Brownlie. Brownlie struck out 4 and scattered just 2 hits in those 5 innings. Steve Shell (2-2) suffered his first blown save and took the loss. Offensively, the Clippers managed just 6 hits, 4 coming from Ranier Olmedo and Ed Rogers, both had two hits apiece. Larry Broadway drove int he Clippers only run.
Harrisburg Senators (AA) lost their third straight to Connecticut, and lost 3 of 4 in a 4 game series. Despite a strong performance by starter Shairon Martis, who pitched 6 innings of 1 run ball, the Senators fell 5-3. Michael Daniel was 2 for 4 with a double, his third of the year. The rest of the nationals offense was dormant, must run in the system. They managed a total of five hits the whole game.
Potomac Nationals (A) jump started their 4 games series with Lynchburg with a 12-4 bombing. Unlike Columbus and Harrisburg, the Senator pounded Lynchburg pitcher for 17 hits. Mike Martinez and Edgar Baez were each 4 for 5. Baez hit his 6th homer of the year and drive in 4 runs. Chris Marrero continues to heat up, going 2 for 3, hitting his 7th homer, doubling, and driving in 3 runs. Matt Rogelstad was 3 for 5 with his 7th homer and 4 RBIs. On the mound, Craig Stammen pitched 8 strong innings, scattering 6 hits and 2 runs while striking out 10. Stammen is now 1-1 with an ERA of 2.03.
Hagerstown Suns (A) crushed Kannapolis 10-3 yesterday. Hagerstown pounded out 15 hits for 10 runs. Bill Rhinehart was 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Rhinehart is hitting .335. Aaron Suess was 3 for 5 with 3 doubles and an RBI, raising his average to .289. Stephen King continues to swing one of the hottest bats in the Nationals minor league system, he was 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs and lifted his average to .341. Michael Burgess was 2 for 5 and raised his average to .258. Jake Smolinski continued his resurgence going 2 for 4. Pitching wise, after getting a few beatings, Col;ton Willems pitched 6 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits to improve to 4-3 with an ERA of 4.53.