Saturday, May 22, 2010

Nothing to worry about?

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER
Scott Olsen was pulled after three innings and faces an uncertain future.
They all insisted afterward -- after this 5-3 loss to the worst team in baseball, after the left-hander who had been so good for the last month departed with shoulder tightness, after they dropped their seventh game in seven days (don't forget that doubleheader in Colorado) -- everything will be fine. There's nothing to be worried about.

Jim Riggleman: "Not the least bit."

Willie Harris: "We're on a little skid, but I don't think it's serious."

Miguel Batista: "It's not a big deal."

OK, so clearly the Nationals clubhouse isn't concerned. But are you? Are you concerned that this team has scored a total of 25 runs over its last eight games? Are you concerned that its once-promising record now stands at 21-22, below .500 for the first time since April 15? Are you concerned that Scott Olsen, 10 months removed from surgery to repair a torn labrum, felt his shoulder tighten up while warming in the bullpen before tonight's game?

And this: Are you concerned that the high point of the 2010 season came and went last Thursday in Denver, when the Nats were 20-15 and leading the NL wild-card race?

OK, maybe that last point is a bit extreme. There's far too much baseball left to be played, and there's a certain young right-hander getting ready to make his big-league debut, to declare everything downhill from this moment on.

But for the first time in a while, all is not sunny in NatsTown. And it begins with Olsen, who went from the Nationals' most-dominant starter to a major question mark in the span of 64 pitches.

Pitching coach Steve McCatty knew something wasn't right when he stood behind Olsen in the bullpen about 20 minutes before gametime and didn't see the kind of command and life on his pitches as had become commonplace.

"We just watched him and how he's throwing, just wasn't sure if he was completely loose," McCatty said. "The kid's a tough kid, and he wouldn't say anything. He went out there and battled, and it bothered him."

Based on the way Olsen had been pitching -- pounding the strike zone, keeping the ball down in the zone, breaking opposing hitters' backs with a biting slider -- it was clear he wasn't in top form tonight. Adam Jones blasted a two-run homer on a high fastball in the second to put the Orioles on top, the first home run surrendered by Olsen in six starts. Worse, the left-hander issued three walks in a span of four batters in the third. He had walked a total of three batters over his last three starts.

"We looked at him and we knew something was wrong," said Batista, who wound up replacing Olsen in the fourth and keeping the game manageable with four shutout innings of relief. "When you see a guy like Olsen, who's very aggressive with his fastball, and he's throwing the ball and he's not putting that attitude behind it, you know something's wrong."

Both Riggleman and McCatty said it's too early to know whether Olsen will be able to make his next start or will need to go on the disabled list. The Nats will wait to see how he feels tomorrow and how he throws during his normal between-starts bullpen session Sunday before making any decision.

But let's be honest: Given Olsen's history of shoulder trouble, are you confident at all he'll be back on the mound next week in San Diego? If John Lannan, with no history of arm trouble, had to miss one start with elbow tightness, it's a safe bet Olsen won't be back out there the next time his turn comes up in the rotation.

So Olsen is a legitimate concern right now. So, too, is a Nationals lineup that seemed to be coming together only a week ago but has been silenced since by the likes of Jason Hammel, Kyle Lohse, Raul Valdes and David Hernandez. They've scored a total of eight runs against those four stalwarts.

"I don't think we're in a rut," Willie Harris said. "We're just not scoring big runs when we need to."

Throughout this season, these Nationals have shown a resiliency when faced with any sliver of adversity. This last week constitutes the first real downward swing to date, and four of these seven losses have come by two or fewer runs. So it's not like they're getting trounced or blowing games like the 2009 Nats.

"We played a great ballgame tonight," Riggleman said. "We just got beat. We played good baseball. ... I'm in a much better mood tonight than I was after that last loss, I'll tell you that."

For now, you have to take the Nats at their word. But the clock is ticking for these guys. If the trend doesn't turn back upward by the time this interleague series is over, even Riggleman and Co. may have to admit for the first time they're worried.

26 comments:

PDowdy83 said...

Ummm, Willie, wouldn't that be the definition of a rut?

natscan reduxit said...

... according to Goessling over at MASN, I-Rod said after the game, "I was just screaming at him in the bullpen, 'Are you OK? Are you OK?' He didn't say anything to me. ... "I knew there was something wrong with him."

... come on Ivan. You're a veteran, you're a pro. If you had your suspicions, why did't you go tell Riggs before the game started? Just asking ...

Go Nats!!

Bote Man said...

Another page in the chapter "Manly Men Do Not Cry Out In Pain", and look where that got us. Thanks for playing!

At least Wee Willie got it half right: the Nats are not in a rut so much as they were playing above their abilities for a time. Now they might very well be reverting to their mean. Ivan's fall to Earth was expected. Bernadina's sudden power surge might not have been, but could be as much a product of luck as ability; too soon to tell with him.

I see Zimmerman horked another of his patented off-line throws to 1B last night. Silver Slugger, Golden Glove, but Awful Arm.

While this team is fun to watch with its triple plays, ItPHRs, and all, I seriously doubt anybody will be talking the Nationals' Wild Card chances come September. And yes, I know that the Great Savior is coming. Still...

JayB said...

Olsen is a major head case. Just a very long list of things to not like about his make up. Chain smoking to fan baiting. He will not be in a Rizzo clubhouse too long after this year.

RIGGS is out managing himself lately. Mike Morse get NO AB in that game but LIVO DOES!?!?! That is just plain stupid. A run in the 3rd inning is just as important as one in the 9th.

Section 222 said...

I can kind of see him wanting to save his bench until later in the game, but did they bring up Morse to replace Taveras as the only guy who doesn't really play? Come on Riggs. At least pinch hit him for 1-5 Harris (ok, the 1 was a homer, but still) the last time around.

320R2S15 said...

I agree completely, Livo instead of a real hitter. If I were an Orioles fan, that move would be considered an insult. Maybe it was, but if not, it is the first dumb move I've seen Riggs make this year. Reminds me of Frank allowing the pitcher hit, then replacing him in the next half. I think Frank did that 4 or 5 times in his last year.

JayB said...

Riggs has a major flaw. He is just too loyal to vet players. It will be his undoing here at some point down the road. Right now he is soooo much better on most every measure of a manager than Acta this Achilles heel is not an issue. In a year or two he is gone because he just can not bring himself to give new talent major roles. That is still years given the state of our minor league position prospects.

K.D. said...

It's okay for the fans to worry, not okay for the players to worry. So much of baseball is confidence, do you want them pressing? If Pudge's batting .322, calling great games, being solid defensively is considered falling I'll take it in a heartbeat. I'm also a Tigers fan and Detroit fans are worrying over pitching, men left on base, etc. Nobody is ever totally happy with their ball club, just ask the Red Sox fans:)

yankish2 said...

If Riggs "won't give new talent major roles" then who was the manager that put Desmond at short and moved a vet to 2nd base and even right field? And what is the status of the guy playing right field regularly the last 3 weeks or so? All managers want to play veterans since you know what they can do at the major league level. Rookies are potential. The run Storen gave up last night in the 8th was huge. At AAA, he probably would have pitched that inning 1-2-3.
But Riggs pitched the rookie.

JayB said...

Rizzo is making those decisions not Riggs....Every Chance Riggs gets he plays the vet over a rookie unless Rizzo tells him he has to....in the case of Ian and Storen....Rizzo is running the show.....Riggs plays Harris when ever he can get away with it....Not a big issue now really because Riggs is just SO much better about getting the Defense and Fundamentals to a place of priority. Down the road....we shall see how Rizzo likes him giving Willie Harris all the time he can get him.

Anonymous said...

Can someone help me understand why they allow Zim to keep making the underhanded sling to first? Hey hotshot, set up and throw the ball the way you learned it in Little League.

320R2S15 said...

Again, i agree, the side arm throw works fine from short (CR8) but how many third basemen use it. Zimm needs to talk to the guy who really understands how important footwork is, the guy who needs no coach, IR7.

Oh and one more thing, Desmond's glove is too big.

Chris said...

@JayB

You are absolutely clueless regarding Rizzo's involvement with the lineup. You really are. Keep on posting though, makes for good reading.

Anonymous said...

i love it when blog commenters tell gold glove fielders how to play their positions!

320R2S15 said...

Hey there Mr no name, get your head out of the sand. Are you telling me that 7 can't teach 11 about footwork and the throw? And, where do you think the blog world would be without opinion? Do you have one? Do you think that because 11 has major league physical skills that he has a major league brain? I'm not saying he don't, it's just an example.

Mark Zuckerman said...

Regarding Zimmerman's sidearm throwing: That started last summer, after he went through a rough stretch of wild throws on routine plays. Coaches felt he was better off just slinging every throw over to first sidearm, as though he was making a difficult play, because he had less time to think about it and throw off his mechanics.

JayB said...

@Chris,

Well in a way you are correct. I have not talked to Rizzo or Riggs about this, but they have said plenty and actions speak for them selves. Go Back to Spring training (where I was twice this Spring and did talk with a few coaches about this) and read how Riggs would say that Ian would be a Willie Harris type sub and Rizzo would say an hour later, "no Ian will play SS everyday somewhere".....If you think Rizzo is going to let his one and only chance at attaining his life long dream of being a winning GM ride on Riggs your a fool. Riggs has a one year contract for a reason. Following your logic when SS comes up Rizzo will have no say in how and when he pitches and for how long......Right, sure you know what your talking about and I don't.....dream on.

Chris said...

You went to Spring Training? Jeez JayB, why didn't you tell me? If I would have known you were the ultimate Nats Insider (sorry Mark, you've been replaced) I would have never questioned your authority on all things Nats.

Seriously, aren't the interwebs great? It gives every Tom, Dick, Harry and JayB the chance to let their opinions (even as ignorant and uniformed as 99% of them are) be heard.

I for one, feel like a more enlightened person because of it. Thanks Al Gore. And thank you JayB.

JayB said...

@ Chris,

Your welcome....you have a lot to learn keep at it.

Chris said...

My welcome? No comprende, senor.

JayB said...

You are welcome...I will keep trying to learn English spelling if you make a good faith attempt to learn baseball. Deal?

Anonymous said...

Ha! Well played JayB. Chris just got crushed.

Anonymous said...

Give JayB credit, he is learning. He's even picked up a new word in his vocabulary - bromance. He's still dumb as a stump, though. Pay him no mind.

Chris said...

Crushed? Wow, is it possible that the IQ of the average poster on this board is lower than I originally thought?

Anonymous said...

There is no crying in baseball Chris.

Slidell said...

Olsen is not the first player to put his personal interest above that of his team. I wonder why though, when Pudge, Batista and McCatty all felt that something wasn't right, that Olsen was not only allowed to start, but then permitted to struggle for 3 innings, possibly doing more damage to himself? Who's in charge in these situations? It certainly shouldn't be the player who has a vested interest to hide the truth.

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