Beat Up: Injuries, Not Runs, Pile Up

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IT'S NOT TRUE THAT the Washington Nationals' new promotion is to give a free bat, a glove and a spot in the starting lineup to the 20,000th fan through the gate each night.

It just seems like it.

The Nats' roster has been in constant flux most of the season with injuries and ineffectiveness leaving the team with a disappointing record and a spot on the National League East's bottom rung. Nowhere has it been more apparent than in the team's offensive performance, the one area where an improvement was expected.

But you only have to scan the training room to understand.

"I'm not here to make excuses, but when you lose your third, fourth, fifth and sixth hitters in the lineup, it doesn't matter what team you are; you're going to scuffle a little bit," manager Manny Acta said.

Granted, the early season outputs of Ryan Zimmerman (.257), Nick Johnson (.220), Austin Kearns (.187) and Paul Lo Duca (.200) didn't have the team on pace for a pennant run. But the four were supposed to be the veteran influences that would keep an otherwise young team from straying.

Instead, the club has asked a collection of unproven youngsters and retread vets to carry the load.

Some have not panned out. Left fielder Wily Mo Pena is batting .201 and lately has found a regular spot on the bench.

On the other hand, catcher Jesus Flores has excelled, and center fielder Lastings Milledge seems to have been buoyed by the increased responsibility.

"He's been having better at-bats, making better contact," Acta said. "We didn't want to put all that pressure on the kid, but ... in the future, we think he can develop into a middle-of-the-order type of guy."

But now, on the depleted Nationals, he's already a middle-of-the-order guy. With few other options, the Nationals at this point are resigned to simply ride out the storm.

"Do I want to win every single day? Yes, I do. I think everybody knows that," Acta said. "But you've got to take it as it comes for now."

Written by Express contributor Derek Turner
Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post