So there's been a lot of moaning and groaning about the Nats of late, mixed with the occasional cheer or VOTE FOR ZIM call.  When we lose, people talk like we're doing '09 and '08 all over again.  When we win, people either cheer briefly, or pessimistically predict another losing streak, both groups hoping not to jinx the Cinderella comeback we all want but really don't expect.

Guys.  It's not that bad.  Going into this season we were hoping to finish over .400 for a change, as opposed to the .364 of last year and the .366 the year before.  The fact that for the first couple of months we were over .500 almost the entire time shouldn't -- and doesn't -- change that.

Let's look at the hard numbers.  As it stands right now, after 84 games, we're 37-47.  Not so great, I admit.  But you know what?  We're on pace to go 71-91 for the season, or .438.  So no, we're not having the breakout amazing year we thought we were back at the end of April or the middle of May.  But we are meeting our goals for the year.  We're teaching Strasburg and Storen how to be big leaguers (and Atilano in the process for a bonus).  We're letting Ian Desmond get his rookie Year of teh Errarz out of his system.  We're working out the kinks in the teamwork.

In essence, we're not trying to contend this year.  We're doing a test run this year so that we can fix it up and be contenders next year and maybe even successful contenders the year after that.  So stop moaning that we're as bad as last year.  We aren't.  We're not bad at all.  We're just not good yet.