(Ross Detwiler reacts to one of the four home runs he coughed up against the Phillies B-Team Wednesday night. Picture of TV/MASN by Nationals Enquirer staff.)

"There is always a risk with pitchers more so than position players, but if you are going to take a risk, take it on a left-hander that has a frame and that throws 95. We think we picked the right guy, given all those circumstances, where we selected."
(Jim Bowden, via Nationals.com, 6/7/2007)

Phillies win Nationals lose 2010 home finale.

Phillies 7, Nationals 1: Blame it on his hip? Or is sixth overall pick of the 2007 draft simply a bust? Perhaps Ross Detwiler thought Fan Appreciation Night was for all the Phillies fans in attendance at Nationals Park? It was Stan Kasten's last night at home with the Nationals, afterall.

This much we know: Ben Francisco (2 HRs) would like face Ross Detwiler again.

Ross was terrible: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 4 HR.

Good thing Mike Rizzo's top priority this offseason is a #1 starter:

"I think as we've been saying for a while now, starting pitching is our biggest need. We need a guy to head the rotation, a front-of-the-rotation guy to put everybody in what we feel is their proper place in the rotation. That's the No. 1 priority going into the offseason."
(Mike Rizzo, via Nationals Journal, 9/29/2010)

Wait, isn't that the exact same thing Mike Rizzo said same time, last year?

Nats drop home finale, but finish home portion of the 2010 schedule 41-40.

Adam Dunn says goodbye to NatsTown with an 0-4, 4 K night: probably wishing his Nationals Park parting shot was on Tuesday night.

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Comments

[Roberto]

I think he's a bust but to be fair everyone thought that he was a superb prospect when he was drafted. Baseball America raved about the Nationals' 2007 draft.

[The Nationals Enquirer]

Well, Roberto, BA have probably been wrong about a draft or two over time...

To be fair: picking players is a crapshoot.

And we're not ready to call Ross a bust -- still too soon to call...but it's hard not to be discouraged.