Baker's knee locks up during game, will get checked out: "I'm fine"

Injuries to the offense continue to mount up for the first place Nationals. Manager Dusty Baker confirmed that second baseman Daniel Murphy did not start Tuesday's 7-3 loss to the Marlins because of a sore hip.

Left fielder Howie Kendrick already missed the game because of a tender back.

The club has also been playing without starters Trea Turner, Jayson Werth and Michael A. Taylor.

Then Tuesday night watching right-hander A.J. Cole battle the Marlins, Baker deferred to pitching coach Mike Maddux to go out to the mound for meetings with his starter during the game.

Baker confirmed after the game that he had trouble making it up the dugout steps because of his knee.

"I'm fine," Baker said. "My knee, I don't know what happened. My knee locked up on me so I'm going to get it checked out. I'll be fine tomorrow."

Center fielder Brian Goodwin, who went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, said it was scary to see his skipper struggling in the dugout.

"Yeah, it was," Goodwin said. "It's never good to see him hobbling, he's such a lively guy all over the clubhouse. That's kind of what you get used to seeing."

Without Taylor and Kendrick, not to mention Adam Eaton and Werth, the outfield has been banged up for most of the season, which has allowed Goodwin plenty of playing time. Does he get weary of playing every day?

"Not really, I'll take as much as I can get," Goodwin said. "You come from playing every day down there in the minors so it's really not too big an adjustment."

The team is still rolling at 66-45 and has a huge lead in the National League East, but Baker's leadership and ability to manage this team is crucial because his players watch his every move. Knowing he is over there manning and managing the dugout is important to their drive each game as well. Hopefully, Baker's knee is OK and he won't have to land on the heavily populated Nats disabled list. If so, bench coach and top lieutenant Chris Speier would be available on an interim basis as he did early this season with Baker's son Darren graduated from school earlier in the summer.

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Interesting to see the Nats record against the Marlins has fallen to 5-6 with Tuesday's loss. More intriguing is the Nats record against teams in playoff contention right now: they are 14-8 (.636) against the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Brewers and Cubs.