What to do with Guzman?

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Cristian Guzman is hitting .313 but he's also killing the Nats in the field.

It's not fair to blame the Nationals' crushing loss in Houston yesterday entirely on Cristian Guzman, because plenty of other things played a role in the outc... oh, who are we kidding, it was entirely Guzman's fault. Lost in the lights or not, if he catches that line drive with two outs in the ninth inning, the Nats win the game and come home feeling good about themselves. Instead, they limp home on a three-game losing streak, having lost seven of 10 on the road trip, now having to face a very good Reds club over the weekend.

The question on everyone's mind, of course, is this: What was Guzman doing in right field in the ninth inning of a one-run game in the first place? Jim Riggleman, who made a few double switches over the final few innings, cited the fact Guzman has actually played more innings in right field this season than Michael Morse. Well, technically speaking, yes. But Morse was supposed to be one of the primary right fielders when the season began, before he landed on the DL and turned into nothing more than an occasional pinch-hitter.

Guzman, you'll remember, was actually supposed to be a bench player when this season began. That was the plan when Riggleman named Ian Desmond his starting shortstop. Guzman would get some occasional at-bats filling in both at shortstop and second base, but he wouldn't be out there every day.

Turns out Guzman is one of the Nats' regulars once again. He's started 40 of 55 games overall, and 16 of the club's last 19. Riggleman's rationale for this is simple: He believes Guzman is one of his team's best offensive players.

That perhaps has been true at times, though Guzman's offensive value has diminished some in the last two weeks. When the Nationals left town way back on May 25, he was batting .345 with a .373

Game 55: Nats at Astros

Photo courtesy Houston Astros

The Nats need a win today at Minute Maid Park to avoid a 3-7 road trip.

Who knew the toughest leg of this 10-game trip for the Nationals would be a four-game set in Houston, home of the NL's worst team? The Nats certainly haven't taken care of business at Minute Maid Park, blowing out the Astros Monday but blowing a ninth-inning lead Tuesday and then laying an egg last night in a 5-1 loss.

So it'll take a victory in today's finale to salvage a series split, not to mention a 4-6 record on the road trip. A loss turns this into a legitimately disappointing trip and leaves the Nationals three games under .500 heading back to town for the biggest homestand in the club's brief history.

As this is all playing out, Stephen Strasburg makes his final start for Class AAA Syracuse at Buffalo, a game that will be televised all over the place. Versus is showing the game live at 1 p.m., then both MASN and Comcast SportsNet will show the game on tape delay at 7 p.m. (Nice to see people aren't making too big a deal out of this young man. Sheesh.)

As you know by now, I'm not in Houston with the club. But I will be watching both the Syracuse game and the big-league game this afternoon, so I'll share some thoughts along the way before returning to full-time duties tomorrow at Nationals Park...

NATIONALS at ASTROS
Where: Minute Maid Park
Gametime: 2:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2-HD
Radio: WFED-1500 AM, WWFD-820 AM
Weather: Cloudy, 82 degrees, Wind 2 mph out to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (26-28)
SS Cristian Guzman
CF Nyjer Morgan
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam Dunn

Weekly minor-league report

Here is this week's official minor-league report, sent out by Nationals PR man Bill Gluvna...

This Week’s Top Headline
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF: In 10 combined starts with Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg, RHP Stephen Strasburg is 6-2 with a 1.43 ERA...Strasburg's stingy .157 batting average against is the 2nd lowest in minor league baseball among starting pitchers...with 60 strikeouts and 12 walks in 50.1 innings pitched, Strasburg owns a 5.0/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and averages 10.7 strikeouts per 9.0 innings...in 5 Triple-A starts with Syracuse, he is 3-1 with a 1.27 ERA (4 ER/28.1 IP)...prior to joining Syracuse, Strasburg went 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA (4 ER/22.0 IP) in 5 starting assignments with Harrisburg...Strasburg is scheduled to make his final Triple-A start today at Buffalo (Mets).

Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs
International League North Division
30-21, 2nd Place, 0.5 Game Back

SAVE-A-LOT: RHP Joel Peralta's 16 saves in as many opportunities rank 2nd in the International League and 3rd in minor league baseball...in 21 appearances, he is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA (2 ER/24.0 IP)...Peralta last allowed an earned run on April 30 at Toledo (Tigers), or 33 days ago...the Bonao, Dominican Republic native has fanned 30 in 24.0 innings, an average of 11.25 strikeouts per 9.0 innings...Peralta was signed by Washington as a minor-league free agent, December 15, 2009.

START ME UP: RHP Jeff Mandel is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA (5 ER/23.1 IP) in 4 starts with Syracuse...Mandel began the season in Harrisburg, where he posted a 3.83 ERA (17 ER/40.0 IP) in 7 outings...Mandel, 25, was a 2009 Single-A Carolina League All-Star last season with Potomac...following the season, Mandel played with the Phoenix

Game 54: Nats at Astros

Photo courtesy Houston Astros

The Nats look to shake off last night's tough loss at Minute Maid Park.

What a tough way to lose last night. After falling behind early, the Nationals rallied to take a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth, only to watch as the Astros stole the game back and won 8-7 on Lance Berkman's two-out, two-strike, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth.

A couple of thoughts about the way the game ended: 1) Yes, Berkman went around on that check swing and should have been called out, ending the game. 2) You can't blame it all on that missed call, because the Nats had plenty of other chances to win the game without that play. 3) Matt Capps really only made one mistake the entire inning, on the double by Cory Sullivan. He was done in by Ryan Zimmerman's error, an intentional walk and a very nice piece of hitting by Berkman on that final pitch (which was low and out of the strike zone). 4) The Nats had some golden opportunities to pad their lead in the eighth and ninth but got some poor at-bats from Adam Kennedy, Cristian Guzman, Josh Willingham and Alberto Gonzalez.

So instead of going for their third straight tonight, the Nationals will look to bounce back from yet another tough, one-run loss. John Lannan faces Wandy Rodriguez in a matchup of left-handers.

I didn't make the trip to Houston with the club, so there will be no in-game updates. As always, please feel free to converse with each other throughout...

NATIONALS at ASTROS
Where: Minute Maid Park
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2-HD
Radio: WFED-1500 AM, WWFD-820 AM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 86 degrees, Wind 8 mph out to CF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (26-27)
CF Nyjer Morgan
2B Cristian Guzman
1B Adam Dunn
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Game 53: Nats at Astros

Photo courtesy Houston Astros

The Nats go for two in a row tonight at Minute Maid Park.

Well, that was quite the offensive explosion from the Nationals yesterday, wasn't it? A lineup that averaged 3.6 runs per game during the first two legs of this road trip ran roughshod over the Astros to the tune of 14 runs on 14 hits.

No sense tinkering with perfection, so Jim Riggleman is sticking with his reconfigured lineup tonight. Cristian Guzman (3-for-6, three runs) again bats leadoff with Nyjer Morgan (3-for-4, walk, four runs) staying in the 2-hole.

Craig Stammen, who put together a solid start his last time out in San Francisco, is on the mound for the Nats. Former Phillie Brett Myers (career 10-9 with a 4.18 ERA in 33 appearances against the Nationals franchise) starts for the Astros.

I didn't make the trip to Houston with the club, so there will be no in-game updates. As always, please feel free to converse with each other throughout...

NATIONALS at ASTROS
Where: Minute Maid Park
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2-HD
Radio: WFED-1500 AM, WWFD-820 AM
Weather: Sunny, 86 degrees, Wind 12 mph out to LF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (26-26)
2B Cristian Guzman
CF Nyjer Morgan
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam Dunn