Upcoming Schedule: Favorable?

Well with exactly two weeks to go until the assumed half-way point to the regular season, the Nats have FINALLY started playing a bit better winning seven of their last 12 games including a three game sweep against the Yankees in New York and taking two-of-three from a very good Toronto team.

What they need now though is to keep on playing that way. Unfortunately they take on the team that just seems to have their number: The Florida Marlins – and they play them in Miami.

After that they’re looking at a three game set at home against the Braves then they wrap up their first half with three in Colorado and “five” in Houston (a scheduled four game series plus the rain-suspended game from earlier in which the Nats will be the “home” team despite the game being played in Houston).

After dropping their first three in Houston to start the month of June, the Rockies have gone on a tear winning 20 out of their last 23 games to pull five games over .500 and only five games back of the NL West leading LA Dodgers (I can’t help but notice this streak coincides with the firing of their manager Clint Hurlde).

The Astros are currently only 3 games under .500 and only four games behind the NL Central co-leaders Milwaukee and St. Louis. A five game set against the worst team in the majors could really help boost their confidence going into the All-Star break.

And despite being five games under .500, the Braves are only five games behind the NL East leading Phillies.

So while the Nats play some teams that are historically beatable, they do face opponents in desperate need of some wins to stay in contention and probably licking their collective chops seeing the Nats on their schedules.

The Fish just got swept by Tampa Bay and need the games to keep pace with the Phillies, the Braves have a really tough schedule: three with the Phillies, then three with the Nats, three at Chicago to play the Cubs and then a four game set in Colorado to face the previously noted streaking Rockies.

The Rockies have a tough series with the Dodgers starting tonight then they get the Diamondbacks, Nats and Atlanta to finish up. They could literally be in first place by the All-Star break and, as such, are not likely to take the Nats lightly.

The Astros have a relatively easy schedule leading up to the break as well which could help vault them to the top of their division: they start tonight with a four-game set against San Diego, then they play a tough three game set at San Francisco before wrapping up with eight games in Houston against the Pirates and Nationals.

Despite the fact that the Nats play their remaining games against teams who are either under .500 or teams less than six games over .500, they all have a sense of purpose in every game they play. In this economy, at this time of year, a losing streak to a team like the Nats can drastically alter plans and turn buyers into sellers in the trade market. Since none of these teams want to give up on their seasons, they are probably looking to take advantage of the Nats as they continue slugging through a forgettable season.

However, as I opened with: the Nats are playing better lately and have played the tough American League eastern division and played them well. Perhaps they too can take advantage of their upcoming schedule and spoil some seasons early in July? Who knows?

But despite the relative ease of schedule, I’m guessing the Nats are going to have to bring their “A-game” every night against these teams hungry for wins anywhere they can find them.