Baker says deciding bullpen usage "the most difficult part of the job"

ATLANTA -- The bullpen quandary might force even Nationals' starters to try to push too far.

So would the likes of Max Scherzer or Stephen Strasburg try to attempt complete games because the bullpen has not been consistent in the late innings?

Manager Dusty Baker said they look to not try to push the innings with starters from start to start.

"Invariably after they have a tremendous workload that we always shorten them up the next time," Baker said. "But as I keep telling you, somebody has to pick up nine innings. And what if they are all overworked, and then what do you do? There's only so many moves you can make. There's only so many people that are qualified to be called up. We hope that they can minimize their pitches.

"Sometimes your workload on one start is different than another start. You don't feel the same every start. We are very conscious of it. What do you think we're doing over there in the dugout not paying attention? I know what the pitch count is every inning. Mike (Maddux) knows what the pitch count is every inning."

But the bullpen still must find a way to get better. It has had trouble establishing a closer, staying healthy and having guys underperform for parts of the first two months of the season.

"With our bullpen situation, you tell me what to do," Baker said. "The bullpen situation the way they are overworked and overtasked, you bring in somebody else tired and then the game gets out of reach. A guy is not called a starter for nothing. You only have so many guys on your team. Try to put guys in position where you can succeed. We are still seven games up."

Can the bullpen difficulties start to shake the clubhouse?

"Oh yeah, it wears on you. Heck yeah. But who knows," Baker said. "You go through periods, you go streaks. It wears on me. You guys wear on me. Ask me these questions that I don't have answers to. Wears on everybody."

Baker said trying to decide who is available and who will not pitch from game to game is his biggest challenge.

"It is the most difficult part of the job," Baker said. "You don't hear me complaining. It comes with the territory. I do the best that I can do. And I've been doing the best I can do for quite a while. You deal with what you have. You don't make complaints, you try to figure a way out. You know some of the shortcomings when the season started and you hope that they would've filled in by now.

"You wish you had some of the guys healthy during that period of time. You wish you had Sammy Solís, but you don't have them so you got to figure out another way out."

Solís is not throwing yet, Baker confirmed. The left-hander has been on the disabled list since April 19 with left elbow inflammation. He has missed 29 games.