Rock Bottom?

The stink at the ballpark wasn't coming from the Anacostia for once. It was coming from the bats. It was coming from the gloves. It was coming from the cleats. And it was coming from the dugout.

If there was something the Washington Nationals could screw up, they did it. And then they screwed it up a second time.

The result? Another one-run loss, this one to the worst road team in baseball. It can't get much worse than this.

Consider:

Typically ineffective starter Tony Armas only pitched two innings, leaving the game with dizziness and dehydration. The nasty part of me assumes that's codeword for hung over, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Brad Wilkerson went 0-5, leaving five runners on base. He was also unable to scoop out a wild throw at first -- a tough, but makeable play.

Vinny Castilla had a rough night. He went just 0-4, but he committed two errors. One was a diving stop to his left. He knocked the ball down, scrambled for it, picked it up and fired wildly past first (the play Wilkerson should've made).

The second was the critical play in the 9th inning. He simply let a ball get through him. I don't know if it was a tough hop, or if he just missed it, but it slid right through like Taco Ball would.

I'm not going to get all over Vinny for that one. He IS playing on a knee that resembles hamburger, but I will get over Frank for continuing to run him out there when he's that badly hurt, so much so that he can't make a routine play.

Jose Vidro was alright, but you could see him get frustrated in the 9th inning. He was desparately trying to get on base, and thought he had a walk on a 3-1 pitch. The ump missed the call, as the ball was slightly low and outside. On the 3-2 pitch, Fuentes went to the same area, but much closer for a borderline strike. Vidro started walking towards first, thinking it was a ball. When he was called out by the ump, he threw a tantrum and his helmet, earning an immediate ejection. Somewhere, Paul O'Neill wiped a tear from his eye.

Vidro's ejection led Frank to one of the single stupidist decisions he's made all year. When I compile all the WTF Frank Senior Moments, this is a definite top-3.

Down by just 1 in the 9th inning, the Nationals had two runners on. Ryan Church, who's already had at least three game-winning hits this season, was due to bat against Fuentes, who's a lefty. In the GameDay chat, we were speculating whether Frank would let Church bat or hit for him with Byrd.

The answer, as it usually is with Frank, is neither.

Up to the plate stepped Captain Chaste himself, Jamey Carroll. Now Jamey Carroll's a fine human being and a pretty good backup middle infielder. But as we discussed yesterday, he's not all that far removed from Guzmanian territory.

And, true to Nationals form, the first pitch went 6. Then it went to 4. Then it went to 3. And we all screamed obscenities.

WHY, FRANK, WHY??? [feel free to insert obscenity where you feel appropriate]

Carroll had to come into the game at some point, because of Vidro's ejection, but there's no reason he had to hit for Church. Robinson has picked fights with plenty of his players and if he thinks you're not tough enough, he'll turn on you. It seems like Church is in that category, and maybe we're to the point where we need to consider what we could get for Church in a trade.

Personally, from what I've seen, and from things I've heard behind the scenes, I'd prefer them to promote Frank to the front office and get a manager who trusts his players, knows in-game strategy, and doesn't run down anyone he dislikes.

But if that wasn't enough to get your blood boiling, consider the Lame Duck winner: Cristian Guzman. It's his second award in as many nights.

There were three, maybe four, separate plays that, on an ordinary night, would've earned him the award.

The party line on him is that he catches everything hit to him and that his glove is valuable, blah blah blah.

Consider the ground ball that could've been an inning-ending DP, but instead went through him.

Or consider his 'play' on the Castilla error in the 9th inning. With a runner on second, Guzman tried making a play on the ball so that he could throw out the runner. What he should've done was knock the ball down and keep it on the infield. If he does that, there are runners on the corners and two outs. Instead, the run came in to score.

The party line is that he's a .260 career hitter and that he can do the small things with the bat.

Consider his first bunt attempt of the evening. As the ball came in, low in the zone, Guzman swung the bat down, low in the zone in a small arc. When he connected with the ball, he was on the upswing. The result was a perfect chip shot, one that'd make Tiger envious. Unfortunately, all Byung-Hyun Kim had to do was watch it fall, pick it up, fire to second, and wait for the return throw to first. Guzman was out easily, in part, because he decided he'd watch his masterwork. (Guillenitis, I guess)

Or consider his second bunt attempt. With one strike already on him, he 'bunted' at a pitch that would've been a wonderful shot in bocce. With two strikes he bunted/waved at a pitch over his head and off the plate AWAY! He got the end of the bat on it, tipping it back behind the plate for the dreaded K/bunt. (How many of those freakin' things has this team had?)

Guzman needs to go. The fans were booing him pretty loudly.

I'm not a big fan of booing a player, but I'm happy the fans are finally booing him.

The way I view it is that it isn't so much for Guzman, but for Frank Robinson for writing his freakin' name in the lineup card every game, and for Jim Bowden, who refuses to do anything other than blow in Barry Larkin's ear.

Today's Post indicates they're going after Wife Beatin' Julio Lugo of the Devil Rays. He'd be a good option, but it's unrealistic. The Devil Rays are a hard team to pull off trades with. They're like the one team in your roto league who thinks that every one of their players is an MVP, and refuses to trade unless you ship them Barry Bonds AND Johann Santana.

For the sake of the team, and their craptastic play, they better hope that Bodes has other plans.

The lead in the division is down to .5 games. Today could be the last time we see first place all season.

But they still have two games with the Rockies.

And as I always say, you're never as bad as you look when you're losing.

After last night's stinkfest, that damn well better be true.