OK, the John Patterson era is over. It’s time to look seriously at what the Nats are going to do about their pathetic pitching staff.
Here are some of the options –

1) Sign someone off the junk heap. Candidates include:
- Rag-arm Jeff Weaver
- Human dough-boy David Wells
- Meatball specialist Rodrigo Lopez

Not a pretty picture.

2) Suck it up with Odalis Perez and Tim Redding

3) Make a deal.

Let’s not kid ourselves. As much as we’d like to unload the anemic Felipe Lopez, we don’t have much to offer. As much as I loath to suggest this, my friend Mark makes a good case for dealing our most valuable pitcher – the Chief.