Just a few thoughts on the recent Nats @ Fish series.
Nolasco wasn't his at his best, but still threw over 72% strikes, and the Nats scored 6 runs (5 earned now that Bonifacio's error became a 2B for Zimmerman) in his 6 innings. If the Nats pitched like they had seen the Marlins at least 1 time before in their lives, this should have been a Nats win. Compounding it was questionable coaching that didn't realize that there was a 24 mph wind blowing out to right-center.
Johnson was sharp in game 2 - it was going to be tough for anyone to beat him. But once he was gone, the Nats put up 3 runs in 2.1 IP against the pen. Again, though, it was the Nats pitching looking like it had never even heard of the Marlins, and the coaching getting burned twice more by not realizing there was a 26 mph wind blowing to right-center.
When the opponent gives up 10 BB and commits 2 errors, it should be a W. As bad as Cabrera was, the Marlins pitchng was worse. But, instead of taking the W, St. Claire put on the knee pads for Uggla, a crucial pinch hitting move was questionable, and Fredi making a good move by yanking Hermida in a double switch (if that was intentional rather than a fluke, Fredi may yet someday turn into a manager). If Hermida had been in LF in the 9th, Kearn's would be King of DC. As it turned out, Andrew Miller sucking and needing to get pulled so somebody else could go 1.2 IP and necessitating the double switch right after Hermida had made the last out in the bottom of the previous inning is what hurt the Nats the most. Luck spun the wrong way for the Nats on that one. Once again, the leadoff guy, in this case Guzman, reached once in 5 PAs - and this time with a hit. In the first 2 games, Milledge reached once, a BB, in 9 PA. A combined .143 OBP from the leadoff spot is a killer. From a Nats viewpoint, I was disappointed in Willingham's K in the 9th. I had resigned myself that if the Marlins were going to lose, at least they'd lose due to a Willingham hit. At the very worst, I expected a SF and to get within one.
