The Marlins will be playing the Washington Nationals for the second time early this season. The Marlins main goal in this series will be to win a game, as the Nationals swept the Marlins in the season opening series. The team gets a huge break, as they miss Stephen Strasburg and Miami native Gio Gonzalez.

Apr 14, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez (47) wipes his brow as catcher Kurt Suzuki (24) talks after giving up three runs to the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Nationals have gone just 4-5 since they swept the Nationals, including getting swept by the red hot Justin Upton and Atlanta Braves. They will also be looking for a bounce back series in Miami.

To preview the series between the Marlins and Nationals, I had an email chat with Andrew Flax, the editor of  District on Deck, the Fansided Washington Nationals site. Andrew and his staff do an excellent job of covering everything Nationals related. Be sure to check out the questions I answered for Andrew on his site as well.

Andrew and I chatted about everything from the recent struggles of the Nationals to the potential killing of “the wave” at Major League baseball games.

Without any further ado, here is my chat with Justin:

Ehsan Kassim: The Nationals started the season by sweeping the Marlins, but have gone just 4-5 since. What has been the issue with the Nationals as of late?

Andrew Flax: I honestly don’t know what to say for this one. It’s been every part of the team. We got blown out 15-0 in Cincinnati, being outplayed in every phase of the game. We beat the Reds in extras, but lost to them again 6-3 when Stephen Strasburg struggled. Against Atlanta, everything went wrong. We blew a 4-1 lead in the first game when the bullpen coughed up five runs in three innings. Then we lost 3-1 thanks to Tim Hudson and two unearned runs on a Ryan Zimmerman error. Then they beat us up 9-0 when Gio Gonzalez struggled and the offense couldn’t get anything going. Every phase of the game was a struggle, but I’m confident the team can turn it around.

Ehsan: With Wilson Ramos headed to the disabled list, who is getting the call to the majors and what is the situation behind the plate for the Nats?

Andrew: Ramos and Kurt Suzuki had been splitting time behind the plate, which means Suzuki will be taking over on a full-time basis. As our backup, we’re calling up Jhonatan Solano from AAA. Fun fact: Solano’s nickname is Onion because he rode an onion truck to his MLB tryout.

Ehsan: Saw a Nationals fan is trying to kill “the wave” at baseball games. What are your thoughts on this and how soon can we get rid of it?

Andrew: I love the “Kill The Wave” campaign, and I love the national traction the movement has gained. These fans have been vocal about it for a while, but getting a flyer together was obviously big for its attention. Apparently the movement has been brought to the attention of the Nat Pack, aka our in-stadium cheerleaders, and I have yet to see the Wave at any Nats game this year. It looks like the Nats are having a lot of success in killing it, and it’s up to other teams to take up the initiative to end it once and for all.

Apr 12, 2013; Washington, D.C., USA; Washington Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper (34) hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Ehsan: Bryce Harper is a monster, plain and simple. Do you think he can get much better than he already is?

Andrew: I absolutely think he can get better. His arm and glove might be as good as they’ll ever be, and his speed will probably decline as he gets bigger and older, but if he works on his contact skills, he’ll be unstoppable. He has had some trouble making solid contact consistently, but he annihilates the ball when he does. His average can improve, but the raw power you’re seeing is what he has to offer.

Ehsan: Ryan Zimmerman has struggled at the plate and on the field in 2013, any idea what his issues are this season? Can they be resolved quick enough for the Nats to start playing well again?

Andrew: I’m not particularly concerned about his batting. He has yet to hit a home run, but a .243 average isn’t a major problem given how early it is in the season. His fielding is a different story, however. He reformed his throwing motion after offseason surgery and hasn’t had the same accuracy since. His error was critical in the second loss to Atlanta, and it’s as clear as ever that he has a serious problem. I think he can fix it, given that he’s a veteran who’s smart enough to fix a problem he has. Even if he’s a tad less accurate than usual, though he’s worse than that right now, I think the Nationals can play well despite his fielding. If, down the road, he still struggles with defense, it’s possible that he’ll be moved over to first base when Adam LaRoche‘s contract expires in two years and top prospect Anthony Rendon will be plugged in at third. That plan is a bit drastic, but could be in play if Zimmerman can’t improve.

Ehsan: Make a bold prediction for this series, can the Marlins crack the three run barrier this series?

Andrew: Boldly, I will predict that the Marlins will indeed break that barrier. After getting smacked around by Atlanta, the Nationals will be looking for vengeance, and Miami will look like a suitable punching bag, but you’ll face our 3-4-5 starters. Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler have been stellar thus far, so don’t expect much off them, but Dan Haren has struggled. Between him and the bullpen, I expect a few runs for Miami, just maybe not enough to win.

A big thank you to Andrew for taking his timeout to talk to us. We at Marlin Maniac wish all Nationals fans the best of luck in the upcoming series. If you get a chance, please check out District on Deck for some of the best Nationals content on the internet. Also, check out All Over the Hill, the Fansided site for all Washington sports related news.

Juan Pierre opened the season with a single.
Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

The Marlins had no answer for Strasburg, who needed only 80 pitches to get through 7.0 innings. His only scare came in the seventh, after a Giancarlo Stanton and Placido Polanco single put runners on the corners with one out. Miami promptly fumbled this opportunity away after sloppy base running led the the classic, 7-2-3-4-2 double play.

Overlooked in the loss, was a solid effort from Miami’s pitching staff. Ricky Nolasco took the loss, lasting 6.0 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks. Two of the three hits were back-to-back Bryce Harper solo shots, the only two runs of the game. Chad Qualls and Mike Dunn both worked scoreless innings in relief of Nolasco.

Nationals closer Rafael Soriano picked up his first save of the season, striking out two in the 9^th inning, sitting down Giancarlo Stanton looking for the final out.

The Marlins continue the series Wednesday, with Kevin Slowey matching up with Gio Gonzalez. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 ET in Washington.

If you want more details on all the pitching matchups and some analysis, along with predictions for the series, please check out the series preview I posted earlier today.

To further preview the opening series of the season, I had an email chat with Michael Natelli, the editor of All over the Hill. All over the Hill is the Fansided site for all Washington sports related news. You can find the best Nationals content on there, or you can check out District on Deck. Both sites are great for Washington Nationals coverage.

Without any further ado, here is a look at the chat I had with Michael:

March 22, 2013; Viera, FL, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) delivers a pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the spring training game at Space Coast Stadium. Detroit defeated Washington 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Ehsan Kassim: After being shutdown last season, what are your expectations for Stephen Strasburg this season?

Michael Natelli: Well we’ve never seen him go this deep into a season before, but based on last season I expect that he’ll pick up where he left of. That final game last season against the Marlins was absolutely atrocious  and he started to deteriorate down the stretch, but I think that was more mental than physical. I believe he lost that drive as he knew his season was coming to a close, which only made it more difficult to work through a tough stretch. This year, having that peace of mind knowing he has nothing stopping him from being great will be huge, and while my gut tells me he won’t win a Cy Young, he’ll certainly be one of the elite pitchers in baseball. Strasburg won 15 games on last year’s team in a short season, so look for him to go after 17 or 18 this season.

EK: Bryce Harper developed a bad rep last season, but I love seeing him play. What kind of numbers do you see him having this season?

MN: You always fear the sophomore slump when your team has one of those breakout rookies, but Harper looks poised to build on last year’s success. I don’t think he’ll be one of these 35-40 home run players yet, but he’s added some muscle this offseason and his bat speed looked absolutely violent in Spring Training. One of Harper’s most underrated talents is his ability to identify pitches that are just out of the strike zone, and I think that’s because it comes and goes. If Harper can work on being more consistent in identifying quality strikes, I see no reason he can’t hit at least .280 this year with an improved walk rate. The power will still be there, probably in the 25-30 home run range, and the additions of Denard Span and (hopefully) a full season of a healthy Ryan Zimmerman should create some RBI opportunities regardless of where he ends up in the lineup.

EK: Besides Strasburg, which Nationals pitcher do you think will impress the most?

MN: Aside from Strasburg, I think Gio Gonzalez will have the best season statistically speaking. But people already know about Gio, and I think most casual fans haven’t heard nearly as much about Jordan Zimmermann, who is due for a breakout year. Zimmermann went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA last year, and would probably be a #1 or #2 in 95% of big league rotations this year. I think that as the media-favorite Nats get more national attention (no pun intended) this year, Zimmermann will continue to impress as he has for his fan base, and be recognized as an elite pitcher amongst the national fanbase.

March 18, 2013; Viera, FL, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Bryce Harper (34) at bat against the Detroit Tigers during the spring training game at Space Coast Stadium. Detroit beat Washington 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

EK: The Nationals are pegged by many to win the WS this season, do you see any major weaknesses for this season that could become their Achilles heel?

MN: When you look at the depth chart, there’s no clear weaknesses when you’re talking about the caliber of the players at each positions. The durability of each player, however, is certainly in question. Danny Espinosa is the Opening Day second baseman, but he will play through a torn rotator cuff this year. He looked good in spring, so it doesn’t appear to be a concern, but it’ll be worth watching whether he can hit and play defense at the level he’s capable of for a full season on that shoulder. Ryan Zimmerman’s right shoulder has always been somewhat of an issue as well, Christian Garcia enters the year battling some small injuries, and obviously Dan Haren has health concerns surrounding him. He pitched through a back injury last season, and the Red Sox refrained from signing him due to concerns about his velocity and the health of his hip.

The Nationals have the potential to be something really special, and Mike Rizzo and company have done an outstanding job with their depth signings to account for the injury risk on this roster. The Nats’ bench and their Triple A roster both have the pieces to get Washington through an injury or two, and their farm system has the pieces that would allow them to make a trade in July if necessary. So, they have the medicine if they’re sick with the injury bug, but that’d be the only foreseeable bump in the road.

August 5, 2012;Washington D. C., USA; Miami Marlins pitcher

A rough second inning set the stage for a win for the Nationals today, despite a six-inning effort by Ricky Nolasco.  Yielding a two-run base hit to Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the second inning of the game proved to be the undoing of the Marlins in the matinee matchup.

Greg Dobbs put the only Miami run on the scoreboard, doubling to put Carlos Lee across the plate from second base.  While Lee has established a respectable streak in his own right, the distance from second to home looked daunting for the plus-sized first baseman. All ended well, as Lee was able to galumph his way to a standup RBI.

On the defensive side of the game, In a night of fours, Nolasco threw four strikeouts, four walks, and four earned runs in an unremarkable, yet thankfully long 6-inning appearance.

Chad Gaudin and Steve Cishek came out of the bullpen to hold the Nationals scoreless outside of the awful second inning.

Offensively, base hits by Jose Reyes and Carlos Lee continued streaks.  In Reyes’ case, it’s a streak that is gaining national attention, as it’s the longest streak in baseball, and one game shy of Kevin Millar’s third place 2002 25-hit streak for Marlins club history. Carlos Lee is up to 11 games in a row, and continues to deliver the goods necessary for the Marlins to break above the 3-run limit that has plagued the team for the first three months of the season.

Tomorrow is a day off as the Marlins take a train to Flushing for Matt LeBlanc to face Jon Niece’s Mets.  Personally, I’m good with the day off, as I’m out of town on vacation, visiting my brother in the wilds of Tarheel country. The beer is running like the tides at Scapa Flow, and I’m catching the worst of the debate as my Marlins continue to struggle.

August 4, 2012;Washington D. C., USA;Miami Marlins second baseman

So…it looked like we were on our way to the second win in a row against one of the top three teams in baseball.  We had ‘em on the ropes, as a matter of fact.  But then… Reliever Mike Dunn flat-out blundered. On a crappy, basic PFP-drill flip from Carlos Lee to the covering pitcher, Dunn opened the door to a brutal six-run eighth inning that deflated, demoralized, and discombobulated what looked like a nice win for the Fish.

In a year where five of the starters fell far short of even modest expectations, tonight’s game was simply another nail in the coffin of what has turned into a season of difficult to swallow disappointments.

And yet, the Marlins still have promise, just maybe not for this year.  Rumors have been circulating around the possibility of a trade of Heath Bell and John Buck for the Mets’ Jason Bay.  The deal would be a benefit for both clubs, and both Bell and Buck are thought to be likely to clear waivers. It remains to be seen if Beinfest and Alderson can come to terms.

Jose Reyes extended his streak to 23 games, and Giancarlo Stanton is still slated to return from the DL on Tuesday.  It appears that as the starting rotation heads into a slump, the slumping bats are waking up and delivering the base hits that have thus far been AWOL.

Sunday’s matinee game features Ricky Nolasco facing Stephen Strasburg.  This will be the third time the Marlins have faced Strasburg this season, and we have yet to score a run on him.  Let’s hope today breaks that streak.

Prediction: Marlins by two in an upset.