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Max Scherzer

Once World Series favorites, Nationals have one option: 'Shock the world'

Bob Nightengale
USA TODAY Sports
“We got a whole month of the season left to get rolling, and hopefully get in contention," says Bryce Harper, the likely NL MVP.

ST. LOUIS - Washington Nationals stars Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth, their jerseys and undershirts ripped off and uniform pants still on, sat side-by-side on the visiting clubhouse couch at Busch Stadium, staring vacantly ahead.

There were dazed looks in every crevice of the clubhouse, from the manager's office to the trainer's room to the dining room,It was the look of a season of despair, trying to wrap their heads around the idea that their hopes of a playoff berth, let alone Washington's first World Series title in 91 years, could be over before Labor Day.

"That was a tough one," Nationals manager Matt Williams said after their loss Monday.

He repeated it three times for emphasis.

When starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez was asked how crushing their 8-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals was, after blowing a two-run, seventh-inning lead, he said softly, "You can't win them all," and walked away.

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The trouble is that the Nationals have spent this season losing almost as much as they're winning. It happened again Tuesday, when they coughed up a two-run eighth-inning lead and suffered an 8-5 walk-off loss to the Cardinals.

That dropped their record to 66-65 entering Wednesday, and mediocrity won't get you anywhere in baseball except a one-way trip home after the first weekend of October.

"We just haven't gotten a flow to our lineup or any kind of synergy to the ballclub," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said, "and that's what's been so frustrating."

The Nationals entered Wednesday 6 ½ games behind the New York Mets in the National League East and nine games out of the wild-card race with a month remaining. It might not be mathematically impossible, particularly with six games left against the Mets, but only two teams since the advent of divisional play in 1969 have overcome a deficit of at least 6 1/2 games on Sept. 1 - the 1978 New York Yankees and the 1995 Seattle Mariners.

Considering the Mets have 21 of their final 30 games remaining against the woeful Philadelphia Phillies, Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds, a collapse in Queens hardly seems inevitable.

And if the Nationals stay home in October, there's plenty of speculation that Williams could lose his job one season after winning the National League manager of the year award.

"It's the expectations, you know," Williams said, "and when you don't meet expectations ...

"But who wouldn't want those expectations?"

Williams understands the scrutiny, yet when the everyday lineup is together for only two games, and Stephen Strasburg makes only 18 starts and is questionable for his next one with back tightness, Rizzo says Williams and his coaches deserve praise, not condemnation.

"We know we have an uphill battle, but I'm so proud of Matt and this coaching staff," Rizzo said. "They haven't given up, and they think that they're in it, and that's a credit to the guys out there."

If the Nationals are going to save their season and spare themselves the embarrassment of sitting home after being the preseason favorite to win the World Series, they need to go on a historic run. They had a 21-6 stretch three months ago, but these days, they've lost 25 of their last 42 games.

"We just need to focus on ourselves," Nationals ace Max Scherzer said. "We can't worry about the Mets or anybody else. You just got to go out and play your best baseball.

"You play your best baseball, and anything can happen."

Maybe the Nationals simply are not capable of having another hot streak. Maybe Harper's MVP-caliber season will be absolutely wasted. Maybe the Nationals will forever be haunted by the decision to shut down Strasburg in 2012.

"You can't do anything about (the past) now," said first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who has 15 RBI in his past eight games, "unless we want to sit and pout about it."

The Nationals refuse to do that, and after spending the last few years as the heavy favorite in the NL East, it's kind of nice, they insist, to play the underdog.

"We got a whole month of the season left to get rolling, and hopefully get in contention," Harper told USA TODAY Sports, "and if we do that, then maybe we can shock the world."

Certainly, one man who could make a difference down the stretch, beginning Wednesday against his hometown team, is Scherzer, their $210 million crown jewel of the offseason.

Scherzer, who two months ago was pitching as if he was going to win another Cy Young Award, feels as responsible as anyone for flat-lining in August.

He started five games in August and went winless, 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA, while allowing opponents a .881 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and seven home runs in 28 innings.

Nationals ace Max Scherzer bottomed out in a rough start against the Giants in San Francisco, but he predicts a strong September.

It was the worst month of his career; Rizzo said the same about himself, as his club went 12-17.

"I never like to judge myself over a few starts, or a month," said Scherzer, 11-11 with a 2.88 ERA, "it's what you do over a whole year. You're going to have ups. You're going to have downs. But I won't judge myself until the end.

"Now, when the (season) is over, then you can judge me all you want, and I'll be more than happy to comment."

Scherzer has thrown three complete games this year, two more than in his five-year career with the Detroit Tigers, to go along with two shutouts and a no-hitter. He's 22 innings shy of reaching 200 for the third consecutive season, and his 8.04 strikeout-to-walk rate is easily the best of his career.

Yet, as well as Scherzer pitched in a four-game stretch from June 14 to July 2 - 34 1/3 innings, 11 hits, four runs, three complete games, two shutouts, a no-hitter and a 1.05 ERA - he has pitched just as poorly during his latest four-game stretch. Take a deep breath, and look: 22 innings, 29 hits, 17 earned runs, seven homers and a 6.96 ERA.

"When I got hit, like I did against the Giants (seven hits and six earned runs in three innings), it was a good thing," Scherzer said. "It allowed me to know that my arm slot is off. It let me know there are things I'm doing mechanically that are wrong. It gave me a chance to really reflect about how I'm actually throwing the ball, to get myself right."

The adjustments have been made, Scherzer has changed his arm action, and he sees no reason why this won't be a September to remember.

"I feel very confident that I'm capable of having some success in my next start," Scherzer said. "This is a great test for us. If we want to go to the playoffs and win the World Series, we've got to beat playoffs teams. It's as simple as that."

Once the Nationals leave St. Louis after Scherzer's start and return to Washington for a seven-game homestand, the schedule is quite favorable. The only team left on their schedule with a winning record is the Mets; there are 20 games against the Braves, Marlins, and Phillies.

"We think we have the talent on this team when we put it together to win a championship," Rizzo said. "We are the defending National League East champions. We won it two of the last three years, so these players know how to win.

"They really think they can do something crazy and win this thing.

"Who am I to say no?"

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