We're running on fumes, limping towards the finish line and the final month of a lost season, but still, for the people, The Nationals Enquirer answers the latest installment of the Nationals dot com Mail Bag! The correct answers are available on Nationals dot com; now we'll give it a shot.
Keep those e-mails coming to Nationals beat writer Bill Ladson, and we'll keep copying and pasting them over here and giving our half-assed answers. Thanks a bunch.
Comparing Ryan Zimmerman to Brooks Robinson needs to stop immediately. How on earth can you compare 16 Gold Gloves to a rookie year in the bigs? You can't, I can't and even as much as I respect manager Frank Robinson, he can't. Just stop it for goodness sakes. Don't get me wrong, Zimmerman may prove to be the long-term cornerstone but he isn't even the best third baseman in the National League East. Can you say, David Wright?
-- V.S., Washington, D.C.
Ok, ok, you got it - we'll stop immediately.
I noticed that Zimmerman was pulled from a weekend game and did not play in Wednesday night's loss in Florida. Although he has slumped a bit lately, his bat could have been the difference in both games. Has Robinson decided to rest him given the grueling schedule? What are your thoughts on that?
-- J.H. Vienna, Va.
To answer your first question: No. As to your second question: We have no thoughts on it.
Do you see any of the relief pitchers being put into the starting rotation the rest of the season?
-- B.G., Laurel, Md.
No.
At first, I thought your mailbag feature was funny. The last few months though, it seems like you just rehash the same answers every week. The results are lukewarm, unfunny, and uninformed. What happened?
-- Bill L., Washington, D.C.
You're on to us, that's for sure.
Will there be any repercussion for what happened between Jeff Francoeur and Nick Johnson on Saturday?
-- J.H., Falls Church, Va.
The only repercussion will be Nick J. landing on the 15-day DL sometime this week, retroactive to Saturday. We've been waiting all season for Nick's annual trip to the DL. Ladson cursed him back on Aug. 17th: "First baseman has avoided the injury bug in his best season."
Do you agree with Robinson being voted the worst manager in baseball?
-- A.C., Montreal
No.
Given the lack of strength in the Nationals' rotation this year, do you think that it will undergo a major overhaul in the offseason?
-- M.P., Canberra, Australia
Crikey! Let's hope so!
In 2004 and '05, you kept on talking about Brad Wilkerson's strikeouts. I understand Wilkerson is no Alfonso Soriano, but I have yet to hear you bark about Soriano's 121 strikeouts -- far too much for a leadoff guy as you once put it.
-- P.P. Washington, D.C.
Here we go again! What's wrong, still have your Brad Wilkerson Underoos all twisted in knots over the trade? Do us all a favor and go F yourself.
Do you think that the Nats are playing up to their potential?
-- M.Y., Potomac, Md.
Yes.
What ever happened with Soriano going on waivers? The last I heard was they put him on waivers. Did he clear waivers or did he get blocked, and if so, by who? And is there any chance of the Nats working out a deal with this team?
-- T.O., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
No.