The flowers are blooming, the air is turning
warmer, and the Redskins are making blockbuster trades. Yes, truly spring is in
the air and with it comes a new baseball season. But, unlike in most seasons,
Nationals fans can look at this season with a true sense of optimism thanks to
the team GM Mike Rizzo has assembled.
The biggest improvement for this team is their
rotation. For the past four seasons, John Lannan has been a regular starter and
this year he is not even in the bullpen. What does that tell you about the
strength of this lineup? Instead, Lannan was optioned to AAA thanks to the
Nats' pitching upgrades. After a successful return at the end of last season,
it was no surprise when manager Davey Johnson named Stephen Strasburg the
team's ace. Scouts report that he has tweaked his technique in order to become
a more efficient pitcher this year. We may not see him throw the heat as much,
but if he can retire more batters with fewer pitches it will ease some of the
fears people may have about his durability after Tommy John surgery. The team
will also have Edwin Jackson and Gio Gonzalez, both of whom were traded for in
the offseason. Add them to the mix with a healthy Strasburg and Jordan
Zimmerman and the team boasts a surprisingly strong top 4. Chien-Ming Wang is
expected back soon from yet another injury, so the Nationals' rotation will
make them incredibly formidable. The pitching, however, doesn't stop there.
With the season only three games old, the
Nationals have already called upon their bullpen for support and they have
delivered. Tyler Clippard looks to build upon his all-star season and earned
the win on opening day. The Nationals also acquired Brad Lidge in the offseason
as their closer and he impressed early throwing his first save for the team in
the opener. Ross Detweiler is right now the team's fifth starter, but he'll
return to the bullpen once Wang is healthy. Pitching will not be a problem for
this team.
Pitching, however, was not the real problem for
them last year either. The Nationals hit only .242 last year and already they
seem incapable of hitting anything in the first 7 innings. They have had to
rely on late comebacks in order to keep things close. They really did not
upgrade their offense in the offseason at all. Prospect Bryce Harper carries a
large bat with him, and while most scouts believe he will be called up at some
point this season, we're still probably a few months away from that happening.
Still, the Nationals played without the help of Adam LaRoche for much of last
season and so far we have seen the kind of impact he can have on this team. In
the team's second game, LaRoche went 4 for 5 with 2 RBIs and a home run and he
followed that up with another home run the next day. If he can remain healthy
and keep playing at this level, he can give the Nationals some desperately
needed hits. Ryan Zimmerman looks to rebound from an injury riddled year as
well. And don't forget about John Lannan. No, he's not likely to get a call up
for his batting skills, but Rizzo's reluctance to trade him after he was
optioned may end up helping the team out down the line. Lannan comes with a
high price tag that is keeping him here for the moment, but as the season
progresses and injuries mount or teams find out their pitching isn't as strong
as they perhaps thought, GMs will come calling. Don't be surprised if the
Nationals pick up a bat in exchange for Lannan.
Last year the Nationals went 80-81 even with
key injuries to Adam LaRoche, Stephen Strasburg, and Ryan Zimmerman. The team
managed to avoid a collapse after the drama of Jim Riggleman's hasty exit and
now look poised to finish with their first winning record in DC. And with the
added wild card spot, it's not outlandish to think the Nationals could
challenge for the playoffs this season. There's finally reason for some
optimism for Nationals' fans this spring.
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