PHILADELPHIA — Every day in baseball is a balancing act.
Over the course of a 162-game season, players must approach every game seriously, but not too seriously. They must take innings, at-bats and pitches one at a time, but also step back and acknowledge the marathon. Every game is a small slice of a very large pie.
The Washington Nationals understand this mindset as well as any team, which is why they’re not worried about their slow start to 2015. Though they are 2-4 after the first week of the season and have scored only 13 runs in six games, they left Citizens Bank Park on Sunday afternoon with rap music blaring in the visiting clubhouse and a multicolored disco ball spinning and shining around the room.
The Nationals avoided a series sweep with a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in 10 innings, then boarded a flight to Boston for a three-game set against the Red Sox. A season that began with World Series aspirations hasn’t gone according to plan through the first six games — so it’s a good thing the Nationals will play 156 more of them over the next 175 days.
“It’s a very fickle game, as you all know,” reserve outfielder Clint Robinson said. “Sometimes you go through the lows and it seems like you never come out of them, and you’ve got to ride the highs as long as you can. Hopefully today, it gets us pointed in the right direction and gets us some momentum headed into Boston.”
Since the beginning of the season, the Nationals have been stuck in an offensive rut, relying primarily on home runs and dominant pitching performances to squeak out wins. Including Sunday’s win, they are hitting .194 as a team and 7-for-39 (.179) with runners in scoring position.
Pitching lapses have played a role, too. On Friday night, Gio Gonzalez wilted in the seventh inning, the lineup struggled and the Nationals lost, 4-1. On Saturday night, Blake Treinen squandered a two-run lead in the eighth inning and Tanner Roark gave up the game-winning base hit in the 10th. They lost again, 3-2.
After Saturday’s loss, manager Matt Williams and his players were unanimously calm and optimistic when asked about the rough start to the season, but many spoke with audible frustration. Williams was stern when asked about the ways in which the Nationals most need to improve.
“I think we’ll be fine. That’s all I’m going to say about it,” he said. “I think we’ll be just fine. Guys are busting their fannies all the way around the clubhouse and we’ll be just fine.”
The atmosphere was noticeably lighter Sunday afternoon, due in part to the win and in part to the sight of Jayson Werth walking through the clubhouse. The left fielder rejoined the team before it flew to Boston and is expected to play Monday, barring any unforeseen setbacks. His return from injury will be the first of many over the next several months.
Third baseman Anthony Rendon is now taking light swings off a tee at the team’s minor league complex in Viera, Florida, a significant step in his recovery from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Center fielder Denard Span, who had abdominal surgery March 9, has been taking at-bats in simulated games, and right-handed reliever Casey Janssen recently resumed his throwing program.
“When those guys get back, which is going to be soon, there’s going to be a whole lot of season left,” reserve outfielder Reed Johnson said Saturday. “If we were going to miss those guys for three to four months, you can dig yourself into a big hole. But it looks like it’s going to be a short stint with those guys till they get back. And we’ll have a lot of baseball left for them to do some damage.”
Before Sunday’s game, Johnson walked over to the entrance of the clubhouse, where bench coach Randy Knorr had just written the day’s lineup. The 38-year-old stared at the white board, looking over the batting order.
“I have a good feeling,” Johnsons said. When asked why, he pointed at the last line, where right-hander Max Scherzer’s name was printed. Scherzer, making his second start, allowed six hits and one earned run on Sunday while striking out eight batters over six innings.
Should the Nationals continue to struggle, they feel like they can always lean on their starting rotation, which has posted a 1.91 ERA in six games. They believe the offense will come around. The bullpen will improve. It’s a long, long season, and there’s still a lot of it left.
• Tom Schad can be reached at tschad@washingtontimes.com.
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