How about a hand for McCatty?

by Phil Wood

Do you think maybe the time has come to give a little credit to Steve McCatty?

The recent losses to Philadelphia notwithstanding, the Nationals' string of consecutive five-inning-or-greater efforts by their starting pitchers continues, and the club ERA is still in the top 10 of Major League Baseball. C'mon, you've got to give it up to McCatty, who's obviously played some role in the success of the entire staff so far.

So many observers wrote the Washington staff off for 2011 when Stephen Strasburg went in for Tommy John surgery last year. In a year where the goal was to take another step toward respectability, pitching has carried this team, while the bats have stayed ice cold.

We all know this team isn't as complete as Philadelphia, and in the absence of any semblance of an offense, you have to hope your pitching can keep you from embarrassing yourself. That, they've accomplished.

When things go wrong, pitching coaches are frequently the targets of fan discontent. McCatty deserves a pat on the back - and then some - for his labors thus far. Sooner or later someone's going to get lit up in the early innings, but for now - especially given how pitching has evolved in just the last decade - it's an intriguing little streak.