Tracking the Nats’ historic chase of the ’62 Mets

Current Record: 6-13 (.315, 6.5 GB—-back in last place!)

Projected Record: 51-111

“Brain Cramps” Suffered by Backup Catcher Robert Fick Over the Weekend: 1

“Shin Splints” Ryan Church Partly Blamed for the Leisurely Trot to First Base That Got Him Benched: 1

Parsing the Loss: Florida 12, Nats 6. Church is pitcher Jerome Williams’ best friend, hogging all the ink today following the “message” sent to him by Manny Acta: “If you can’t throw strikes or [commit] physical or mental errors, those sometimes you can’t control,” said the Nats’ manager. “But when it comes down to effort or playing hard, I don’t have patience for that.” He’s showing plenty of patience with Williams, who’s largely responsible for yesterday’s smiting (10 R, 9 H, 7.77 ERA), which the pitcher described as an event he wishes he could “flush…down the toilet.”

Barry Svrluga Metaphor of the Day: “public flogging”