Nats Lose, but Begin to See Signs of Swing – The Post
No need to be perfect – The Wash. Times
Hudson returns to form in Braves’ win – AJC
P Matt Chico was awful, giving up 6 runs in the first three innings. The bullpen was solid and the Nats even got some hits, but it didn’t matter because few were timely; eleven baserunners were stranded.

L. Harris not feeling stress from slump – The Wash. Times
Is it just me who thinks it is unfair Lenny Harris doesn’t feel stress about the Nationals .219 batting average? I feel stress about it, so why does the fecking hitting coach get a free pass?!

I want him and Jim Bowden on the next Greyhound out of here.

PHIL WOOD – Don’t panic yet – The Wash. Examiner
Wood blames the problems on the offense and suggests the pitching isn’t that bad:

A year ago around this time the Nats were leaving Florida 6-13, having just lost 2-of-3. Sound familiar? Their starters at that point — John Patterson, Shawn Hill, Jason Bergmann, Jerome Williams and Matt Chico — were a combined 2-12. Williams was 0-4, Patterson 0-3. The only pitcher with multiple victories on the staff was reliever Jesus Colome with 2. After 19 games in 2007, those five starters had pitched 87-plus innings and allowed 54 earned runs, for an ERA of 5.56. After 19 games this season, Washington starters have given up 60 runs over 106 innings, for an ERA of 5.09. Better by almost a half-run — but take the now-departed Bergmann and his 16 earned runs over 12 innings out of the mix, and the rotation ERA drops to 4.21. Not spectacular and with the Nats averaging just 3.5 runs per game on offense, not nearly good enough to result in more wins than losses.

Good points — nearly mediocre pitching is being wasted by the horrible offense. Fire Lenny! Fire Jimbo!

Cordero Closes In on His Old Role – The Post
Chad Cordero must be lazy — he wants to be the team’s closer again. Silly Cordero, you won’t get much work that way!

Bruce Benedict excited for Smoltz’s milestone – AJC
Tonight’s starter for Atlanta, John Smoltz, is four strikeouts away from 3,000. If the Nats make through three innings without 4 Ks, I think you have to call it a moral victory.

Washington Nationals, Nats, Atlanta Braves, Lenny Harris, John Smoltz