Ours Over Theirs

Jason Bergmann, even Jesus Colome, over Logan Kensing.

Alberto Gonzalez, even Pete Orr, over Alex Cintron.

Little moves that will not decide whether Our Washington Nationals become a contender, but just might make a difference in whether Washington is a last place team or not.

In the week or so since Logan Kensing has been donning a Nationals Jersey, he's hasn't exactly been very good. In fact, fairly awful. He's not the answer to our pitching woes. But the underlying question is why has Baseball Management seemingly given up on Bergmann? Told during the off-season and in early spring training, he would not be a starter anymore, but a reliever--Jason took the demotion well--worked hard--and really hasn't done anything that outwardly seems to diminish his value or talent. Yet, for 2009, Jason Bergmann has become the Yo-Yo Man. Like My Main Main!! Ryan Church, when he played for Washington, never getting enough respect to make headway after being sent down.

Granted, Bergmann had a poor 2008 in the starting rotation, but clearly he has the pitching assortment to be a lights out reliever. Talent which isn't abundantly available in the higher levels of our current Farm System. So, what's holding him back? Why is Jason Bergmann being left behind?

An afterthought--which Alex Cintron must be considered. Why exactly is Alex Cintron on Our 25-Man Roster and being given key pinch hitting roles and spot starts in the field at shortstop? Not only is Cintron hitless, but he swings the weakest bat from the left hand side of the plate not seen from a field player in some time. Although Sohna and I didn't watch Sunday's Series Finale against The Arizona Diamondbacks (Mother's Day Commitments)--when we watched portions of the replay--why did Our Manager Manny Acta keep Cintron in the game, at the plate, with one out in the 9th, down two (after Josh Willingham had just homered off Chad Qualls) with Willie Harris on first base? "The Guz" was available off the bench--getting a Sunday break. Manny was going to send him up next anyway to bat for the pitcher. Austin Kearns, Ronnie Belliard and a hurting Jesus Flores were still sitting on the bench.

All three far better choices to get back into the game--for like the 4th time yesterday.

Having Cintron bat again made no sense. And even less that Alex is still on the active roster? What exactly has Alex Cintron done to keep his utility role? Honestly, we don't see it and can't understand why Alberto Gonzalez or even Pete Orr are still playing at AAA Syracuse? Neither are All-Stars, but better choices to possibly give Our Washington Nationals more chances to win right now.

When you need all hands on deck for every single game, because no lead is ever safe, why not take advantage of every last piece of scrap talent you have in your system--to make ends meet--while the longer term responsibilities of the upcoming draft and possible trade scenarios to improve Our Franchise play out? These little decisions can add up to better results on the field of play--in the near term.

If Jason Bergmann and Alberto Gonzalez were even directly responsible for 8 wins out of 162 games on The Major League Level in 2009, that would be surprising. But the Over & Under on the number of Curly "W's" being put in the books would be a whole lot greater with these two guys wearing a Nationals Jersey. Sometimes you have to trust what Bergmann and Gonzalez CAN provide, not worry about what they can't--while wishing upon the Fallen Stardom of someone else's castoffs just to get by.

Six weeks into the 2009 Season--Jason Bergmann and Alberto Gonzalez for what they can do, OVER what Logan Kensing and Alex Cintron clearly have not provided for Our Washington Nationals so far.

Ours Over Theirs

InGame Photo--Ross D. Franklin (AP)