I know I’ve said it before, but I really expected to see Chico Harlan’s byline for the gamer in The Post this morning awful Washington Nationals series in Oakland. The last time D.C. won a baseball game there — August 2, 1970 (Baseball Reference), the first game of a doubleheader. The Swingin’ A’s took the nightcap on a walk-off, 1-0. Rollie Fingers pitched 8 shutout inning. Joe Coleman went 6 for D.C., but Horacio Pina lost with 2 outs in the 9th.

SOOOOOOOO…

We’re about a Nats loss away from a team meeting, right?

My microcosm of the series:

Nats give up 3 HR to player they traded for Gio and Manny Acta is on gas pump TV. I'm being trolled.

— William F. Yurasko (@doubleuefwhy) May 11, 2014

Another one:

Video of Gio Gonzalez flipping out on teammates in the dugout between innings on Sunday. Not good… #Nats http://t.co/sJP3kYwvX8

— Nats Enquirer (@NatsEnquirer) May 12, 2014

Small sample size, but Gio single-handedly beaten by a game by the guy he was traded for (Derek Norris, 2 3-run homers) doesn’t feel good. Also, Robbie Ray has won his first two starts while the Nats have one start and a loss by Doug Fister. D’oh!

So, this is going to be the week that DC MSM’ers start questioning why Cal Ripken, Jr. wasn’t hired as Nats manager, isn’t it?

Hey, there is a Tom Boswell chat today!

HOW DID THAT WORK OUT?

The Nats were the DC sports gods sacrifice to give the Wizards strength.

— David Huzzard (@DavidHuzzard) May 12, 2014

Having about four innings with the Opening Day lineup this season to date isn’t optimal, but mental errors are preventable. They haven’t played crisp since September 2012 it seems.

No Arizona Diamondbacks guest prognosticator unless I get inspired and ask John McCain and he agrees to do it. Matt Williams lives in Phoenix though, so I guess we’re really talking about MATTSTOWN now. Also, MATTITUDE is really just is Rigglemantude with a better pedigree and less boring media appearances

Ian Desmond isn’t contributing much on the field right now, though Barry Svrluga’s article on his family and how it deals with baseball season is good reading.

The Nats are the 14th smartest spender in MLB over the last five years according to Bloomberg Business Week. Take that Barves!

This has nothing to do with the Nats, but Weezer’s Blue Album is 20 years old as of Saturday.

Of course, a good series in ‘zona would make this trip look a bit different.