Nationals Looking Good Going into the All-Star Break

We have reached the midway point of another MLB season, but things feel remarkably different in DC.  The Nationals have the best record in the National League and is sending three players to the all-star game.  The team has not been in this position since 2005, but while most felt that team was destined to fall, now the team has its sights on a strong finish and their first playoff berth in the Nation’s Capital.

“I mean, we should make the playoffs. There’s no doubt in my mind,” said manager Davey Johnson.  With a four game lead in the division, the Nationals are not looking at merely being a wild card team, but division champions; no small feat for a team that has never finished with a winning record.  But the Nationals currently find themselves atop the standings with a four game lead in a division that includes perennial powerhouse Philadelphia, consistently formidable Atlanta, the surprisingly resilient Mets, and the high-spending Florida Marlins.  So far, against the stiff NL East competition, the Nationals are the only team surpassing their own expectations.

How have the Nationals managed such an impressive turnaround?  One need look no further than the team’s all-star representatives for the answer:  homegrown young talent, and formidable pitching.  Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper were both drafted by the Nationals and are making a splash in the majors.  Strasburg is quickly becoming one of the best pitchers in the MLB and Harper the most electrifying.  Gio Gonzalez was brought in during the offseason, as well as Edwin Jackson, to help the rotation along, but it’s hard to deny how well the Nationals have drafted.

Amid all the losing seasons, the Nationals did their homework and brought in the best prospects out there.  Now, we are beginning to see the results.  The Nationals drafted Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, and Ross Detwiler, all currently part of the Nationals’ dominant rotation.  In addition, the Nationals drafted position players Harper, Jesus Flores, Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa, Tyler Moore, Ryan Zimmerman, and Stephen Lombardozzi.  Any of these guys sound familiar?  They should, they all play on DC’s NL-leading roster and only one, Desmond, was drafted before the team moved to DC.  The Nationals have built this team into a contender with young talent, meaning they are only going to get better.

This year, while watching the all-star game in Kansas City, you will see the Nationals’ players in the spotlight with the other stars, rather than dismissed as merely token representatives of their struggling franchise.  Even with Strasburg’s looming innings count, there is a lot to be optimistic about.  Will this team finish better than the 2005 team that yielded first place and fell to a .500?

That’s a clown question, bro.