Nationals manager Manny Acta could only shake his head. Relief pitcher Garrett Mock did his best to field questions about why the bullpen endured yet another meltdown — but really didn’t have any answers at all. His best try?
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“Just look at the line score. That’s what happened,” Mock said, a touch of shock on his face.
That’s about what it comes down to for the Nats, whose much-maligned bullpen — already revamped once this season — has sabotaged what could have at least been a decent start thanks to the National League’s third-ranked offense.
“I’ve been in the game for a while and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Acta said.
After Monday night’s 12-7 loss to the Pirates — when four different relievers combined to allow nine earned runs in 3 2/3 innings — the Nats’ somber locker room resembled a tomb. A few players ambled out to address the media — Mock among them. But there are only so many ways to answer the same question and several players came and went quickly, hushed tones passing between them on the way out the door. Outfielder Adam Dunn addressed the subject at length the day before. With no real reason to say more, he was dressed and outside in the main corridor in the basement of Nationals Park 20 minutes after the final pitch. Teammate Anderson Hernandez was right behind. They have become a team that expects any lead built to disappear — and that thinking takes a toll.
“It’s real aggravating, I’ll tell you that,” Mock said.
Catcher Josh Bard took a shot at what ails his club’s relief pitchers.
“I think this league is about counts. When you’re pitching 2-1, 3-1 all the time you’re going to get hurt,” Bard said. “We have guys out there that have great stuff. They’re trying their stinking best. But this isn’t a try-good league. It’s a do-good league and that’s the direction we’ve got to start heading. But we’re all in this together.”
Not exactly. Some of them will be gone if this continues. Where the Nats find more help is another story. But they will continue to look. The ‘pen has given them no choice.