"Here's a positive Nationals-related thought to start your morning: On Friday night, Jason Marquis will take the mound at Baltimore knowing that, on average, he receives more run support than any other Washington starting pitcher.

In fact, according to Elias Sports Bureau, only 16 other starting pitchers in all of baseball own a higher run support average* than does Marquis (7.59).

* Elias Sports Bureau defines run support average as a team's runs scored (on average, per nine innings) while said player is the pitcher of record.

This is relevant because, as you might have heard, the Nationals are in a bit of an offensive rut. They've been shut out in each of their past two games. Their batting average and on-base percentage are among baseball's worst. Their frustration level may well be at a season high.

So perhaps it's a good time to hand the ball to Marquis. After all, the Nationals seem to hit (and score) when it's his turn in the rotation.

Livan Hernandez is not so fortunate. Only three starting pitchers** in the major leagues have garnered a worse run support average than Hernandez (3.22) this season.

** Those three unfortunate starters are San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner (3.19), Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie (2.89) and Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm (2.24).

Washington has not scored a run in either of Hernandez's past two outings, during which he threw a combined 14 innings and allowed a combined two earned runs. The Nationals have tallied one run combined in Hernandez's past four outings."