With just one win in their last five home games, 3 wins in their last 12 overall, there is something seriously not right with this team. I think the so called chemistry was gone long before Preston Wilson got here. Maybe what that Nats needed was a GUT transplant. The players are leaning too much on injuries as their excuse, they need to stand up and show some gumption...
I dunno. I'm still leaning to that most common of phenomena: THE SLUMP.
When you're going bad, everything falls apart and you question everything. Its rare for a team to get thru a season without at least one; Nats had a mini slump earlier on the TOR-CIN-STL road trip but not quite the full blown variety.
I think if you're looking for a cause you might look just at the relentless pressure of winning in the first half. Especially with all the injuries, Nats players are physically and mentally drained and look like it. They played MAY-JUN like it was September and are paying the price.
Trouble is, there is no science to breaking out of these. After the fact, analysts always point to one game, one AB, one defensive play but I am never sure if that's just looking for an explanation.
One thing I DO know. When they are gone its like you got a different team on the field and, assuming the season is not destroyed, you look back on them as a strange memory.
However the one thing that won't go away is:
Vinnie needs rest,
Guillen needs rest,
Vidro could probably use the odd off day as he's really in post Spring training mode tight now,
Ayalla and several others need rest.
Trouble is, hard to see how any of this happens, at least B4 Johnson returns (assuming he actually picks up somewhere near where he left off).
