Rock(ie) Bottom

• Rockies 3, Nationals 2

This has to be what absolute zero looks like, right? It just has to not be able to get any worse than this. Handing Colorado their first road series win of the season. Surrendering 6 earned runs in 3 games and losing 2 out of 3? No wonder our pitchers are contemplating a work stoppage. If Livan wants to have surgery, and sit out the rest of this season, who can really blame him? If Stretch and Stubby discovered mysterious injuries and went with him, that'd be understandable too. (Armas and Drese are on their own.)

Personally, I think Livan was just venting, after another outstanding outing playing injured. But let's not forget that his older brother, El Duque is generally considered to be crazier than a shithouse rat, so maybe there's a little something genetic going on there as well. But there have also been hints that Patterson and Loaiza are disgruntled with their on-going and criminal lack of run support. The Nats team ERA has declined every month this season, and offensive production has gone right along with it.

This is no longer a case of hitting a slump in the middle of a long season. This team has serious, systemic offensive issues. When scoring 4 runs is considered an offensive explosion, there's more at work here than Christian Guzman's cold bat. Being as in the tank for Goooz as I am, I'm almost happy for him right now. He's safely on the bench, parked next to Kenny Kelly, so he can't be considered even a little at fault for the accelerating offensive slide.

Perhaps, in the late July heat, Nats hitters have mistaken Washington, DC for Arlington, Texas and are under the misapprehension that they're hitting in the Ranger's home Ballpark. No fewer than 3 Nats hitters crushed balls to the warning track between the power alleys last night. We just aren't going to win that way, and the sooner our boys get on board with the idea of pulling the ball or going the other way into the corners, the better off we'll be. If they can't make that adjustment, no amount of bouncing in the left field stands will give the Nats a home field advantage.