Going down the Shore the day of the trade deadline is curious timing for someone who blogs about the Washington Nationals as much as I do, but I am not complaining. It is the one week of the year that I am never online. In fact, the television at the house we rented in Avalon was not turned on once. So, the only way I kept up with the Nats was through newspapers, including The Inky, paper of record for that weekend’s opponent, the Philadelphia Phillies. I was not getting scores until two mornings after a game happened. Among other things I noticed — the Nats are best last place team in the majors. Um, yay?

I am pleased the Nats took 2 or 3 from the Phillies. The season series now stands at 4-5 — the Nats would have been leading if they had pulled out that extra inning win last Sunday. At least John Lannan faced the Fleas without getting shelled. As for the Inky, the dead tree version does a great job covering the home team — 2 stories above the fold daily, plus another story inside and maybe a column. The Post could learn a thing or three about baseball coverage from The Inky.

By the way, how did that Phillies invasion go? I guess a win for the home team must have helped matters.

Getting back to the original subject the one thing I wanted to blog about more than anything else was the departure of infielder Guzman. More than every other player, Guzman is a microcosm of what is wrong with the franchise. He signed for 4 years, $16 million before the 2005 season which was a catastrophe — Mendoza line hitting, some terrible fielding and playing hurt. Guzman had an undiagnosed shoulder injury that cost him the 2006 season. He came back in 2007 and to his credit, used his corrected vision and repaired shoulder to hit for a decent average before getting hurt. In 2008, he was the team’s token All-Star. That seemed to help Guzman get a second contract from then Jim Bowden for $16 million, but over 2 years instead of 4. Ugh. I am half-convinced that even as his batting average went over .300 for most of the last 3 seasons, his on-base percentage was actually lower.

Maybe I’m just picking on him because his play in 2005 cost the Nats a winning record, if not a playoff spot, but I just did not like having the guy around. Had you told me that Guzman would be the longest lasting everyday player from Opening Day 2005, I would not have believed you. Now, when you think about it, that kind of says everything about the state of the franchise doesn’t it? Oh well, at least they brought back Livan Hernandez so that the likely last original National will be someone likable.

Also, I am glad to see that Adam Dunn is still in a Washington uniform. I would be more encouraged if he had signed an extension, but for all I know, it has yet to be offered. If the team is as close as Stan Kasten says it is, they need him in the lineup for a few more years. Oh and apparently, he’s been homering an average of every other game since I have been gone.

One bright side of being off-line last week — the Nats were out West and I would not be watching those games anyway. They split the series 4-game at the Arizona Diamondbacks. I’ll admit that I will be listening to Vin Scully for a few innings today — I love Charlie & Dave, but Scully is the master and the Nats only get him when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers.