This is from the Nationals Website:
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WASHINGTON -- The Nationals could find themselves in serious trouble. After they were edged by the Rockies, 3-2, in front of 32,381 at RFK Stadium on Wednesday night, right-hander Livan Hernandez revealed that he could be lost for the season in more ways than one.
Hernandez said that he is 99 percent sure that he will have season-ending surgery on his right knee, which has been bothering him since mid-May. He also expressed anger at some aspect of the Nationals organization, preferring to keep his thoughts to himself for the time being.
"There is no decision right now. I'm going to make it tomorrow," said Hernandez. "I'm going to sleep tonight. I'm going to think about it, and we'll see. I'm not going to have any more MRIs. I'm not going to do nothing. I'm going to go straight to the point and that's it. It's only one percent that I will not [have surgery]. It's not easy to make that decision. I love this team. You know I never quit."
Both interim general manager Jim Bowden and manager Frank Robinson were caught off-guard when told what Hernandez said about the season-ending surgery. In fact, Bowden said that he is usually told immediately about injuries and operations.
"As far as we are concerned, the knee hasn't gotten any worse," said Robinson. "I'm not going to comment [on Hernandez having surgery] because I didn't hear it. He chose to talk to [the media] about it."
Hernandez being unhappy with the Nationals comes as a complete surprise. He has often expressed how much he has enjoyed playing for the organization. In fact, he said that the 2003 season, his first year with the Expos, was his happiest in baseball -- this from a player who was the World Series MVP in 1997 with the Marlins and a Fall Classic participant with the Giants in 2002. He often talked about how the Nationals/Expos have left him alone and allowed him to pitch in peace.
Regarding his anger, Hernandez said, "I've been happy [with this franchise] for three years. This is the best organization. After the season, I'm going to tell you something. Don't worry, I'm going to tell you."
Hernandez pitched in Wednesday's game against the Rockies and didn't appear to be in any serious pain. He gave up three runs in seven innings en route to losing his fourth game of the season. He also set a franchise record by hitting four batters in a game. Hernandez said that he lost control of his slider.
"The slider was running inside too much. The hitters think it was a fastball, and they were moving in too quick. I hit four people, and that has never happened to me before," he said.
Hernandez gave up the game-winning home run in the top of the sixth inning.
Going into that inning, the Nationals had a 2-1 lead, but that evaporated quickly. After Desi Relaford was hit by a pitch with no outs, catcher JD Closser followed and hit Hernandez's 1-1 fastball over the right-field wall for a two-run homer to give the Rockies the 3-2 lead.
"I pitched good. The guy hit a good pitch and hit a home run. It wasn't a bad pitch," said Hernandez. "The ball was inside, and the guy was looking for that pitch, and he hit it good."
It's the fourth consecutive series in which the Nationals lost to a mediocre team -- the Mets, the Phillies, the Brewers and, now, the Rockies.
The Nationals have now lost 10 out of their last 14 games and seen their lead over the Braves in the National League East dwindle to a half-game.
The winning pitcher was Jason Jennings, who pitched five innings and gave up two runs on four hits.
The Nationals had a chance to break it open in the first inning, but they only scored one run. With no outs, Jose Vidro gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead when he doubled to score Jamey Carroll. Unfortunately, Vidro was thrown out trying to go to third base on the play.
The next hitter, Brad Wilkerson, singled, but he was doubled off first base after Jose Guillen popped up to shallow right field.
In the third inning, Carroll gave the Nationals a 2-0 lead when he drove in Carlos Baerga with a sacrifice fly
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This isnt exactly what I wanted to read. It seems to me like things were not quite as pretty in the clubhouse as we might have liked to belive?
I hope that Bowden does sit down with Hernandez and gets to the bottom of this. Right now it looks as tho as this could turn into a pissing contest between management and Hernandez. Hes already pissed off at something, and FR/ management arent acknowledging anything because Hernandez went to the media first. This concerens me deeply. Where is the communication that such a "happy" and good clubhouse is suposed to have? What would make Hernandez want to circumvent the entier organisation and drop this bomb straight to the media and fans first?
The bottom line is somethings gotta be done, and done very fast to fix THIS, and the other problems with this franchise, or things are going to get VERY VERY UGLY, very quickly, and that will be the WORST thing to happen, as I suspect it would very quickly turn off a large number of the still new and fragile fan base they are in the process of building.
We dont need a public meltdown, attitude, pissing contest, etc... at least not an INTERNAL one. BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD. BAD timing, BAD way for this to get handled, BAD everything all around.
I hope FR has the restraint to really bite his tongue with Hernandez because the last thing we need is for him to shoot off his big mouth and make this situation even worse than it already is. I love FR, but sometimes the man just is alittle over the top and does more harm to his own teams situation than good. Hernandez is someone the Nationals wan to go to EVERY LENGTH POSSIBLE and bend over backwards to KEEP.
