About Roger Bernadina being safe at home

 

(Roger Bernadina beat Jose Guillen's throw in the sixth inning on Strasmas. He was called out. Grainy photo of TV/MASN by Nationals Enquirer staff.)

"I was shocked."
(Roger Bernadina, via Washington Post, 6/24/2010)

Yes, no matter what angle you watch the replay from, Roger Bernadina beat Jose Guillen's throw to the plate in the sixth inning Wednesday. Should've been a 1-1 tie. Strasburg off the hook. But Hunter Wendlestedt blew the call. The Nats seem to be on the receiving end like that far too often this season.

But the fact that we're still agonizing over a single run in the sixth inning against Brian Bannister and the Royals just amplifies the Nats' offensive woes. The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore points out that they've scored four runs or less in nine straight games, hitting .203 with a .248 OBP. Chances are if Wendlestedt got the call right and the Nationals tie that game yesterday, we'd probably find ourselves here this morning complaining about a 2-1 loss and a no-decision for Strasburg.

And let's say that run scored and the floodgates opened and the Nationals exploded for, like, another run or two, it's possible we would have been deprived of the Great Ray Knight v. Rob Dibble Catfight of 2010. Score another one for Ray, by the way.

So what's the answer to the Nats' offensive woes? Continue to mix and match and move the deck chairs around until the bats come around? Josh Willingham sort of threw Nyjer Morgan under the bus after the game in his postgame comments. There might be something to it:

"We have a good offense on paper. We've got to start from the top. When Nyjer plays well, it helps our offense. We've just been really inconsistent."
(Josh Willingham, via Nats Insider, 6/23/2010)

We have the answer:

Make Strasburg hit leadoff.

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Comments

[WFY]

He was safe from section 314.

[The Nationals Enquirer]

Yeah, he was also safe from section 219...

[bdrube]

He was safe from section 213. But ya know what? When you are peeing and moaning over a single run robbed from you against a pitcher with an ERA north of five and a half you probably deserved to lose the game anyway.

My biggest regret is the SS had to take a very undeserved loss. But hey, Walter Johnson lost 26 complete games by a score of 1-0 in his career so that puts it in perspective.

[Z-pack11]

He was safe from my living room here in Los Angeles.

Can Strasburg play short on his off days? At least he can hit and probably wouldn't make 2 errors per game.

[The Nationals Enquirer]

@bdrube: agree on all points. They made Bannister look like a f%!$ing Cy Young candidate.

@Z-pack11: we're thinking CF rather than short on his off days. Hit him leadoff...

[finestsounds]

He was safe from the red top patio looking straight in from center field.

[Kirk S]

Safe from section 311 and everywhere else. Raise your hand if you want replay review in baseball.

Love the Strasburg swing. That's how you swing a bat. I knew he could hit the ball prior to that basehit... to the LEFT side no less.

That 0-2 pitch on which KC got the run scored is the only real mistake SS made. Did he deserve a loss over that alone? C'mon batters, support your pitcher!

[marcus]

Close call from Sec 401. Wendlestedt at least had an excuse if he was sitting up there with me.

[WFY]

Wendlestedt -- that explains it.