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If rebounding from a loss as tough as Tuesday night's is a sign of character, today's win deserves some neon highlight pen around it.
Roger Bernadina's first two big league home runs - including the game-winner - may indicate that whatever was said to him after last night's game paid dividends right away. Scouts throughout the league have been saying that Frankie Rodriguez' velocity is down from his Angels' days, but he still has that knee-buckling breaking ball and a plus change, so to connect off that guy in that situation is one for Roger's scrapbook. For the guy they call Bernie, I'm going to guess two longballs in one game represents a new experience. His career high for a season is 12, in low A ball in 2005.
You also have to wonder if the recent story regarding lack of production from the rightfield position got passed around the clubhouse.
Nonetheless, the Nationals now head to Colorado for a 4-game set with the Rockies. I know you're thinking "Hey, didn't they just play a 4-game series against the Rox a couple of weeks ago?." Indeed they did, and they split that series. Why another quartet of games is one of the vagaries of the schedule maker.
At what point will the cynics take a step back and admit the Nats are a pretty good ballclub? Not a great team, mind you, but a team that competes day in, day out. Everytime they win, I sense a lot of their cybercritics are disappointed, so many of them having predicted a 90+ loss season.
To quote the Bard of Dartford, Kent, Sir Mick, you can't always get what you want. So far, the Nationals seem to be getting what they need, and from some unexpected sources
