Just a few days ago, the crowds shook RFK Stadium once again, bouncing and celebrating Nationals wins. Just a few days ago, fans pondered the question: Should they trade their veterans or let them compete for a pennant.
Just a few days ago the Nationals dreamed – realistically – of reaching .500 someday soon.
Ha.
Now look at them. The manager ripped them in a closed-door meeting; the bullpen coach was fired and .500 is a fading dream.
The Rockies completed a four-game sweep Thursday afternoon with an 8-1 win over Washington. They outscored Washington, 31-11, in the final three games.
At 30-38 and with six games upcoming against the Yankees and Red Sox, the Nationals could soon be buried in a double-digit mess.
Which is why manager Frank Robinson unloaded on the players, letting them know the past four days was unacceptable. And letting them know he saw nothing that resembled the team that had gone 17-7 in the previous 24 games.
“They kept pushing and we kept going back,” Robinson said. “We didn’t look like the team that had been playing for the past three and a half weeks.”
No players spoke in the meeting and the clubhouse was testier than usual. Starting pitcher Livan Hernandez (5-7), who allowed six runs in 6 2/3 innings, snapped at questions about the closed-door session. Others offered no comments about bullpen coach John Wetteland’s situation.
But it was a good session, others said.
“Everything he’s said sofar since I’ve been here has been right to the point and 100-percent right,” shortstop Royce Clayton said. “It needed to be done.”
Said reserve utility player Robert Fick, “The only thing I can say is Frank should have said it a couple days ago. We didn’t look good the whole series. Hopefully he can fire us up and get it going.”
As for Wetteland, Robinson said that had been building since spring training. The two clashed over philosophy.
“He didn’t conform with the way I wanted things done,” Robinson said. “I talked to him about it on a couple occasions. I’ve never talked to a bullpen coach as much as I talked to him. I just had enough. We weren’t getting the best out of those guys. [He was more worried] about practical jokes in the bullpen instead of keeping their minds focused on what they needed to do. I couldn’t put up with it anymore.”
