What A Rush!

The season is winding down, and we're running out of time to make the case against the current management of the Nats. Fortunately, tonight's game against the Marlins gives us a perfect opportunity: how are we supposed to dig ourselves out of last place when we're out of starting pitchers? Again? Tonight it's Cy Young candidate Dontrelle Willis going up against . . . um . . . John Halama and Joey Eischen? Giant Jon Rauch? Pee Wee Majewski? Frank and Bodes are a veritable Legion of Doom, an unstoppable tag team that destroys everything in its way. And the Nationals were in their way.

A tattooed man representing the Nationals pitching staff is attacked by Frank "Animal" Robinson (left) and Jim "Hawk" Bowden in this commemorative trading card.

UPDATE! Jon Rauch gets the start. Good move, but I bet he gets yanked the first time he walks someone.

Meanwhile, the injuries continue to mount. It hardly matters any more, but there a couple of Nats whose grit and determination have gotten them unfair abuse from certain quarters. Brad Wilkerson has had a down year. Last year he hit 32 homers, posted a .374 OBP, and looked like he was ready to break out into . . . well, not stardom exactly, but something. 2005, however, has seen B-Wilk's power collapse (11 homers) and his OBP drop (.351). Some of this is due to the dimensions of RFK, but don't forget that Bluegrass has been dealing with an arm injury for most of the year.

Injuries have played a role in Wilkerson's inconsistency this year, as he has been playing with sore shoulders and a sore right forearm. . . .This year the injuries have forced him to swing one-handed. His left hand is often off the bat during his follow-through.

¡Livan!, formerly the official pitcher of Distinguished Senators, is in the same situation. His right knee has been hurting since May, and, according to Dr. Needham, has been drained of gooey frosting on more than one occasion. Two of our best players have had their production hurt by injuries. Rather than complaining about them, we should be praising both men for playing through the pain even at the cost of their stats.

Last week, I defended Barry Bonds. While I don't approve of cheating, I take satisfaction from Bonds' stiff-necked resolution in the face of pretty much everyone hating him. There are certain arguments I did not employ in my defense, however, because I'm not that idiot Will Carroll.

Once we get past the statistical racism and chemical McCarthyism that surrounds Bonds . . .

Yeah, that's right, Will. Anyone who disapproves of Bonds is a racist and a McCarthyite. Those aren't even arguments -- they're just what you say when you want the other person to shut up. It's nice that Will's layoff from blogging hasn't dulled his razor-sharp jackassery.