Bryce Harper was sent home from Miami to receive further
tests on an injured hip, the latest injury on a laundry list of ailments he has
suffered in 2013. With only 20 games remaining in the Nationals’ season, should
the Nationals sit Harper for the remainder of the season?
Many analysts are asking that question today, but it strikes
me as a bit hasty. The mere fact that Harper was sent home shows that the
injury is not nothing, but we still do not know exactly how serious it is. It
would be a mistake for the team to prematurely shut him down only for a doctor
to declare that there is nothing significantly wrong.
Being the competitor that he is, Harper obviously will not
like being shut down for any period of time. He will take issue if he feels he
can play but is forced to sit.
The Nationals also want to be careful about developing a
reputation. With last year’s shutdown of Stephen Strasburg, if the team were to
shutdown Harper they may start to be seen around the league as overprotective.
The fact that the Nationals want to protect their players is
great, but being overprotective could be detrimental. Older players could be hesitant to sign if
they have an injury history and eager young players could worry about being
held back for a title run that may never come.
The Nationals may not be mathematically eliminated from the
playoffs, but they trail Cincinnati by eight games with only 20 remaining.
There will be no postseason baseball in DC. Playing it safe with Harper is
smart, but only if he risks further injury.
Let’s wait to see what the doctors say before we start
screaming for Harper to sit. No point in angering one of the team’s young stars
or developing a reputation before we even know how serious this injury is.
For the latest DC sports news, check out CSNWashington.com and follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Showing posts with label Bryce Harper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bryce Harper. Show all posts
Monday, September 9, 2013
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Nats' bats going silent
Tell me if you’ve heard this one before. The Nationals get great pitching from their starter, hold the opposing team to two or three runs, and still lose.
Sound familiar?
The Nationals have been unable to replicate their offensive success from last season, despite the addition of Denard Span and continued development of Bryce Harper. Last season, the Nationals had the ninth best batting average in the MLB. This year, they are currently ranked 28th. They are also 28th in runs scored, 29th in hits, and 23rd in home runs.
The fact that the Nationals have a .500 record is a testament to how good the pitching (except from poor Dan Haren) has been. With that sort of offensive futility, their record could easily be worse.
Obviously the team's injuries have taken their toll on the offense. Harper is still recovering from running into the wall in Los Angeles and Werth has returned to the lineup only recently.
Danny Espinosa was pretty much a guaranteed out every time he stepped up to the plate. He has been dealing with a torn rotator cuff and fractured wrist, though he stated neither injury was contributing to his struggles at the plate. With a .158 batting average, however, I think you can safely assume it was affecting him more than he was letting on.
The Nationals also continue to struggle with leadoff hitting. Span teased fans with what he could contribute at the start the season, but he has since struggled to get on base. He currently has an OBP of only .307. Not only is that low among other leadoff hitters, its low among the Nationals. He’s behind Harper, Werth, Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche, and Ian Desmond. It is hard to score runs if your leadoff hitter cannot even get on base.
Pinch-hitting is an often-overlooked aspect of the game unless you are not getting any production. Clearly that is the case for the Nationals. Steve Lombardozzi leads the reserve corps with a .227 batting average. Chad Tracy was a major weapon last season and he is hitting only .149 with 5 RBIs. Tyler Moore struggled so much that he was optioned to AAA Syracuse. There just has not been enough production to help out the starting nine.
There is still hope for the Nationals. Harper is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday or Thursday and will likely return one or two weeks after that. Desmond has returned to all-star form as well and has been unstoppable of late and Rendon has played very well in place of Espinosa. Harper’s return will make this lineup much deeper than it has been all season.
As of now, the Nationals are one game over .500 despite being one of the worst offensive teams in the league. They currently sit five games behind the Braves, by no means an insurmountable hole. Even if they get average offensive production for the rest of the season, they should shoot up the standings.
There is still time for the Nationals to wake up some offense and plenty of reasons to expect them to do so.
For the latests sports news, check out CSNWashington.com or follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Sound familiar?
The Nationals have been unable to replicate their offensive success from last season, despite the addition of Denard Span and continued development of Bryce Harper. Last season, the Nationals had the ninth best batting average in the MLB. This year, they are currently ranked 28th. They are also 28th in runs scored, 29th in hits, and 23rd in home runs.
The fact that the Nationals have a .500 record is a testament to how good the pitching (except from poor Dan Haren) has been. With that sort of offensive futility, their record could easily be worse.
Obviously the team's injuries have taken their toll on the offense. Harper is still recovering from running into the wall in Los Angeles and Werth has returned to the lineup only recently.
Danny Espinosa was pretty much a guaranteed out every time he stepped up to the plate. He has been dealing with a torn rotator cuff and fractured wrist, though he stated neither injury was contributing to his struggles at the plate. With a .158 batting average, however, I think you can safely assume it was affecting him more than he was letting on.
The Nationals also continue to struggle with leadoff hitting. Span teased fans with what he could contribute at the start the season, but he has since struggled to get on base. He currently has an OBP of only .307. Not only is that low among other leadoff hitters, its low among the Nationals. He’s behind Harper, Werth, Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche, and Ian Desmond. It is hard to score runs if your leadoff hitter cannot even get on base.
Pinch-hitting is an often-overlooked aspect of the game unless you are not getting any production. Clearly that is the case for the Nationals. Steve Lombardozzi leads the reserve corps with a .227 batting average. Chad Tracy was a major weapon last season and he is hitting only .149 with 5 RBIs. Tyler Moore struggled so much that he was optioned to AAA Syracuse. There just has not been enough production to help out the starting nine.
There is still hope for the Nationals. Harper is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday or Thursday and will likely return one or two weeks after that. Desmond has returned to all-star form as well and has been unstoppable of late and Rendon has played very well in place of Espinosa. Harper’s return will make this lineup much deeper than it has been all season.
As of now, the Nationals are one game over .500 despite being one of the worst offensive teams in the league. They currently sit five games behind the Braves, by no means an insurmountable hole. Even if they get average offensive production for the rest of the season, they should shoot up the standings.
There is still time for the Nationals to wake up some offense and plenty of reasons to expect them to do so.
For the latests sports news, check out CSNWashington.com or follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Nationals’ injuries hampering their championship hopes
It has been a rough year for the
Nationals. The days when they were declaring “world series or bust” now seem
like a lifetime ago. The Nationals currently ‘boast’ a record of 29-29, 7.5
games behind Atlanta for the division lead.
Not the start most people had in
mind.
Bad fielding and a weak bullpen have
unquestionably played a role in the team’s struggles, but the biggest reason is
the laundry list of injuries they have suffered.
Danny Espinosa was added to the DL
on Tuesday, joining Bryce Harper, Wilson Ramos, Ross Detwiler, and Ryan
Mattheus. Stephen Strasburg was placed on the DL today after the team initially
hoped he would not have to miss a start.
With all these injuries, the
Nationals have held players out a day or two in the hopes that they would not
have to be put on the DL. That, more than anything else, is what makes these
injuries so troubling. Every team gets hit with injuries; some teams get hit
harder than others. The Nationals have had their share of injuries, but have
they made things worse on themselves by not shutting down players immediately?
Harper was placed on the DL due to
knee bursitis. The Washington Post reports he first injured it in Atlanta about
a month ago. Of course, running full speed into the wall in Los Angeles likely
made things worse. Harper was not placed on the DL after that game, however. In
fact, he appeared in nine more games before he was finally shutdown.
Detwiler was not expected to go on
the DL after being pulled May 15 against the Dodgers. The team decided to hold
him out of his next start, but he continued throwing and ended up aggravating
the injury.
Do you see a pattern developing
here?
Espinosa came into the season
declaring he had a torn rotator cuff, but that he would be able to play through
it. Guess what happened. He did not allow himself to heal by continuing to play
and has looked awful all season long.
Why are players being allowed to talk
their way out of the DL only to end up on it later?
When players do not allow injuries
to heal, they can often get worse or at least fail to get better. That is
especially true in a sport like baseball with so many games almost every day.
It is up to the manager and training staff to determine when a player needs to
sit.
The Nationals had no problem with this
last year when they sat a seemingly healthy Strasburg once he reached his
innings limit. Yet, this season they have not exercised the same amount of
discretion.
Harper pinch-hit two days after
running into the wall in Los Angeles. Where was the caution? Why not sit him a few
more days? He may have said he was fine, but that’s what players do. Heck, Harper
tried to convince Johnson he could stay in that game in Los Angeles. Why not
give arguably your best player a couple extra days off to make sure he is ok or
immediately place him on the DL?
The Nationals mercifully put
Espinosa out of his misery Tuesday by placing him on the DL. His season has
been a disaster from the word go. He announced before the season that he had a
torn rotator cuff, but that he would play through it. He was terrible. Then it
came out on May 24 that he was also dealing with a fractured right wrist.
Espinosa has insisted his injuries
were not affecting his play. I sure hope they were because it would explain why
he has been one of the worst hitters in the league. That’s no exaggeration; he
has literally been one of the worst hitters in MLB this season with a .158
average and a .193 OBP.
Why the Nationals allowed this
train-wreck to continue for as long as they did is baffling. The highest
Espinosa’s average has been this season is .200. He reached it once on April 10
and again on May 8. His average has been below .200 for the rest of the season.
Even if you argue that Espinosa is
one of the best defensive players on the team, which both Johnson and Rizzo
believe, you cannot afford to carry this hole in your lineup for over two
months. How could they not see that Espinosa trying to play through his
injuries just wasn’t working? How could the Nationals have made this same
mistake multiple times this season?
The only reason I can think of is
desperation. This team has pushed all the chips into the middle and gone all-in.
They declared openly this spring that they were the team to beat. With the team
already struggling they suddenly faced decisions on whether to put Harper,
Epsinosa, Ramos, Detwiler, and Strasburg on the DL. Hoping everyone just ‘plays
through it’ and then deciding whether to put them on the DL is a terrible
strategy. Had the Nationals been cautious with their star players from the
start, had they listened to the doctors and trainers instead of the players and
the standings, then I think we would be a lot closer to seeing the full lineup
than we are right now.
Hopefully the Nationals did not
gamble their season along with the health of their players.
For the latest DC sports news, check out CSNWashington.com and follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Monday, May 20, 2013
Does Bryce Harper need to change the way he plays?
Last Monday at Dodger Stadium, Bryce Harper showed just how hard he plays the game when he collided full-speed into the outfield wall while chasing a fly ball. Luckily he did not suffer a concussion, but the violent hit left him hurting in many other areas.
"Both legs, (left) shoulder, ribs, hand, wrist, chin of course," Harper told the media. He has been day-to-day since then, missing a few games over the course of the week.
While it appears Harper will be none the worse for wear, the incident has sparked an interesting debate over whether Harper will have to change the way he plays or risk serious injuries that could potentially shorten his career.
Since the injury, people have described Harper as ‘negligent’, a ‘daredevil’, ‘irresponsible’, etc. The vast majority of this criticism is overblown. I took much greater issue when Harper hit the wall with a bat and it bounced back and hit him in the head. In that case, he let his emotions get the best of him and it led to an easily avoidable injury. In LA, Harper was just trying to make a play.
With a 162 game season and 27 outs per game, is it smart for Harper to play so hard for each and every out? Perhaps not, but determining when making a play is not worth it is a very grey area as a manager cannot tell his players in the outfield not to play hard to make every catch. Let’s not forget what it was like to watch Barry Bonds in the outfield. When he was not sleeping in the grass or picking flowers, he was trotting after balls like he was just playing catch in his backyard. Nobody wants to see that.
I feel with all this ‘daredevil’rhetoric, people are missing the problem with what happened in LA; Harper misplayed the ball.
When playing the outfield, players need to realize when they can and cannot make a catch so they can position themselves to quickly grab the ball when it hits the ground or the wall. Harper was close to the ball, but as it began to fall he needed to realize he was too close to the wall and would not make the catch. What he should have done was stop and position himself to grab the ball off the wall.
Harper is not being irresponsible in his play. It would be more irrseponsible for him to not try and put himself before the team. What he is guilty of is not knowing where he was on the field. Yes, there is a warning track, but remember that the setup of every MLB field is different. Even with the warning track, it is easy to understand how a 20 year-old can get lost in an unfamiliar park. Field awareness is something Harper will continue to learn.
Harper plays the game hard and he should be commended for that, not criticized. The incident in LA is the result of him playing at 100% and losing track of where he was on the field. Harper is not a daredevil or irresponsible, he’s a young competitor who is still learning to play the outfield. And if you remain unconvinced and still think Harper needs to do more to protect himself, that’s an easy fix. All Davey Johnson needs to do is sit him down and point out the time he misses when he does get injured. If playing means so much to you, don’t hit yourself in the head with a bat or you’ll miss time. Don’t hit the wall or you’ll miss time. With how much Harper loves to play each and every night, he’ll get the message.
For the latest DC sports news, check out csnwashington.com or follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
"Both legs, (left) shoulder, ribs, hand, wrist, chin of course," Harper told the media. He has been day-to-day since then, missing a few games over the course of the week.
While it appears Harper will be none the worse for wear, the incident has sparked an interesting debate over whether Harper will have to change the way he plays or risk serious injuries that could potentially shorten his career.
Since the injury, people have described Harper as ‘negligent’, a ‘daredevil’, ‘irresponsible’, etc. The vast majority of this criticism is overblown. I took much greater issue when Harper hit the wall with a bat and it bounced back and hit him in the head. In that case, he let his emotions get the best of him and it led to an easily avoidable injury. In LA, Harper was just trying to make a play.
With a 162 game season and 27 outs per game, is it smart for Harper to play so hard for each and every out? Perhaps not, but determining when making a play is not worth it is a very grey area as a manager cannot tell his players in the outfield not to play hard to make every catch. Let’s not forget what it was like to watch Barry Bonds in the outfield. When he was not sleeping in the grass or picking flowers, he was trotting after balls like he was just playing catch in his backyard. Nobody wants to see that.
I feel with all this ‘daredevil’rhetoric, people are missing the problem with what happened in LA; Harper misplayed the ball.
When playing the outfield, players need to realize when they can and cannot make a catch so they can position themselves to quickly grab the ball when it hits the ground or the wall. Harper was close to the ball, but as it began to fall he needed to realize he was too close to the wall and would not make the catch. What he should have done was stop and position himself to grab the ball off the wall.
Harper is not being irresponsible in his play. It would be more irrseponsible for him to not try and put himself before the team. What he is guilty of is not knowing where he was on the field. Yes, there is a warning track, but remember that the setup of every MLB field is different. Even with the warning track, it is easy to understand how a 20 year-old can get lost in an unfamiliar park. Field awareness is something Harper will continue to learn.
Harper plays the game hard and he should be commended for that, not criticized. The incident in LA is the result of him playing at 100% and losing track of where he was on the field. Harper is not a daredevil or irresponsible, he’s a young competitor who is still learning to play the outfield. And if you remain unconvinced and still think Harper needs to do more to protect himself, that’s an easy fix. All Davey Johnson needs to do is sit him down and point out the time he misses when he does get injured. If playing means so much to you, don’t hit yourself in the head with a bat or you’ll miss time. Don’t hit the wall or you’ll miss time. With how much Harper loves to play each and every night, he’ll get the message.
For the latest DC sports news, check out csnwashington.com or follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Monday, April 1, 2013
Nationals Preview: Can the Nationals handle the expectations?
The Nationals came into last season declaring that
the rebuild was over, that they were going to raise eyebrows around the league.
Few expected them to be the best team in baseball.
Despite all their success however, their season came to an end in devastating fashion as they gave up a massive lead to St. Louis to lose in game five. This year, they are a little older, a little wiser, and a lot better. They boast what many believe to be the best roster in the MLB. Given last season’s success and the players acquired in the offseason, the expectations for this team have skyrocketed.
The Nationals will open the season Monday against the Miami Marlins. Here are the questions facing this team headed into what many believe could be a World Series season.
Will the Nationals’ rotation remain as dominant on the mound?
The Nationals are returning four of their five starters from last season’s rotation with Edwin Jackson the only defector. Jackson was the weakest link in what was arguably the best rotation in baseball. Dan Haren was brought in to replace him, but he has struggled this spring giving up an ERA of 6.39 in only six games. You cannot read too much into spring training, but his inability to control his pitches and his injury history definitely are causes for concern.
Still, Haren is expected to be the team’s fifth starter so even if he does not play well he will not drag the team down too far. The team’s plan last year was for Chien Ming-Wang to be the team’s fifth starter and it would be hard for Haren to do much worse. If Haren can return to form, he can be an upgrade from Jackson.
There is no reason to doubt that Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, and Ross Detwieler will not be able to pick up where they left off last season. Strasburg will also be entering this season with no limitations. As unbelievable as it may seem, this rotation could actually be better than last year.
The wildcard of course is injuries. The rotation was remarkably healthy last year as none of their five starters missed a single start due to injury. Statistically speaking, that is not likely to happen again, but if they can stay healthy they will continue to frustrate batters around the league.
How will the new additions fit into the team?
In addition to Haren, the Nationals also added OF Denard Span and closer Rafael Soriano. Span will be the leadoff hitter the team desperately missed last season. While his acquisition ultimately led to the trade of Michael Morse, the Nationals needed a leadoff hitter more than they needed Morse’s power. Span fills one of the few holes that still remained from last season’s team.
Soriano was an unexpected, but welcome addition. The Nationals did not have a single designated closer last season choosing instead to have more of a closer by committee approach and as a result were sent packing when they needed a save the most. Drew Storen is a good pitcher, but it will take a long time for Nationals’ fans to forget last season’s game five collapse.
It was with that game in mind no doubt that led Rizzo to sign Soriano.
Soriano has 132 career saves, while Storen has only 52. He is an established closer who can finish games in pressure situations. With a deep playoff run being the goal, a strong closer could be an invaluable addition to the team.
How good will Bryce Harper be?
It is important to remember that Spring Training stats do not matter and do not always indicate what will happen in the regular season. Having said that, if Harper hits anything close to what he’s done this spring, he will be one of the most dangerous hitters in the MLB.
Harper has a .478 AVG, .500 OBP, .716 SLG, and 1.216 OPS this spring. Those are some impressive numbers, especially when you consider the fact that he is still 20 years old.
It will be interesting to see how pitchers pitch to him this year. The normal progression for young batters is that pitchers through a lot of fast balls at them to start. Once they adjust to the speed of the majors, pitchers begin using off-speed pitches instead. Once they adjust to that, pitchers usually will have a blueprint of where batters struggle the most.
Harper has already gone through this progression with pitchers and he’s still getting better. I’ve heard a lot of analysts say he should be an MVP candidate this season and why not? Mike Trout was a legitimate MVP candidate last year when he was 20. Harper certainly has the skill set to be a dynamic player.
Perhaps that is expecting a bit too much from Harper and not giving enough credit to Trout’s remarkable season, but I think it would be a disappointment to both fans and Harper himself if he was not the Nationals’ best player this season.
Is the lack of left-handed relievers a cause for concern?
The Nationals have said they are comfortable with their relievers’ abilities against left-handed batters, but I am skeptical.
Teams are going to throw every lefty pinch hitter they have in the dugout in every tight, late game situation and force the Nationals to justify their faith in their bullpen.
The good news is that we will know in a month or so whether there’s a problem. If the team has struggled against lefties, Rizzo will undoubtedly seek out a trade. He has shown that he is all in on this season and will do what he can to make this team playoff-ready.
Even with the bullpen the team has, they will remain the best team in the league. The problem is what happens in the playoffs when the stakes are higher, and the Nationals have no left-handed relievers?
This is the only real weakness I see on this team and I hope it does not end of hurting them when it matters most.
Predictions?
The Nationals were the best team in baseball last season and they got even better in the offseason. The Braves improved considerably as well, but the Nationals are still the front-runners in the NL East leading into the season.
The only thing that makes me nervous is that history tells you the best team on paper frequently does not turn out to be the best team on the field. Injuries could pop up as the Nationals remained remarkably healthy last year and the strength of the bullpen is a question mark.
Sometimes, good teams just do not live up to expectations. The mental strain of being the best team may get the best of the Nats, but that’s why having Davey Johnson at the helm for one more year is crucial. If anyone can keep tabs on the Nationals’ mentality, it’s him.
The Braves will be good, but not as good as the Nationals who will end up winning the division. If they do not, it will be a huge disappointment.
But this season will not be about regular season accolades, it will be about the playoffs. The Nationals appear to be capable of winning the World Series and probably anything short of an NL pennant will be looked at as a failure.
The only weakness this team may potentially have is the bullpen, but the addition of Soriano allows for greater flexibility and if need be, Rizzo will add a left-handed reliever some time during the season. I believe the Nationals will win the division and the NL pennant, but will come up short in the World Series.
For the latest sports news follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Despite all their success however, their season came to an end in devastating fashion as they gave up a massive lead to St. Louis to lose in game five. This year, they are a little older, a little wiser, and a lot better. They boast what many believe to be the best roster in the MLB. Given last season’s success and the players acquired in the offseason, the expectations for this team have skyrocketed.
The Nationals will open the season Monday against the Miami Marlins. Here are the questions facing this team headed into what many believe could be a World Series season.
Will the Nationals’ rotation remain as dominant on the mound?
The Nationals are returning four of their five starters from last season’s rotation with Edwin Jackson the only defector. Jackson was the weakest link in what was arguably the best rotation in baseball. Dan Haren was brought in to replace him, but he has struggled this spring giving up an ERA of 6.39 in only six games. You cannot read too much into spring training, but his inability to control his pitches and his injury history definitely are causes for concern.
Still, Haren is expected to be the team’s fifth starter so even if he does not play well he will not drag the team down too far. The team’s plan last year was for Chien Ming-Wang to be the team’s fifth starter and it would be hard for Haren to do much worse. If Haren can return to form, he can be an upgrade from Jackson.
There is no reason to doubt that Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, and Ross Detwieler will not be able to pick up where they left off last season. Strasburg will also be entering this season with no limitations. As unbelievable as it may seem, this rotation could actually be better than last year.
The wildcard of course is injuries. The rotation was remarkably healthy last year as none of their five starters missed a single start due to injury. Statistically speaking, that is not likely to happen again, but if they can stay healthy they will continue to frustrate batters around the league.
How will the new additions fit into the team?
In addition to Haren, the Nationals also added OF Denard Span and closer Rafael Soriano. Span will be the leadoff hitter the team desperately missed last season. While his acquisition ultimately led to the trade of Michael Morse, the Nationals needed a leadoff hitter more than they needed Morse’s power. Span fills one of the few holes that still remained from last season’s team.
Soriano was an unexpected, but welcome addition. The Nationals did not have a single designated closer last season choosing instead to have more of a closer by committee approach and as a result were sent packing when they needed a save the most. Drew Storen is a good pitcher, but it will take a long time for Nationals’ fans to forget last season’s game five collapse.
It was with that game in mind no doubt that led Rizzo to sign Soriano.
Soriano has 132 career saves, while Storen has only 52. He is an established closer who can finish games in pressure situations. With a deep playoff run being the goal, a strong closer could be an invaluable addition to the team.
How good will Bryce Harper be?
It is important to remember that Spring Training stats do not matter and do not always indicate what will happen in the regular season. Having said that, if Harper hits anything close to what he’s done this spring, he will be one of the most dangerous hitters in the MLB.
Harper has a .478 AVG, .500 OBP, .716 SLG, and 1.216 OPS this spring. Those are some impressive numbers, especially when you consider the fact that he is still 20 years old.
It will be interesting to see how pitchers pitch to him this year. The normal progression for young batters is that pitchers through a lot of fast balls at them to start. Once they adjust to the speed of the majors, pitchers begin using off-speed pitches instead. Once they adjust to that, pitchers usually will have a blueprint of where batters struggle the most.
Harper has already gone through this progression with pitchers and he’s still getting better. I’ve heard a lot of analysts say he should be an MVP candidate this season and why not? Mike Trout was a legitimate MVP candidate last year when he was 20. Harper certainly has the skill set to be a dynamic player.
Perhaps that is expecting a bit too much from Harper and not giving enough credit to Trout’s remarkable season, but I think it would be a disappointment to both fans and Harper himself if he was not the Nationals’ best player this season.
Is the lack of left-handed relievers a cause for concern?
The Nationals have said they are comfortable with their relievers’ abilities against left-handed batters, but I am skeptical.
Teams are going to throw every lefty pinch hitter they have in the dugout in every tight, late game situation and force the Nationals to justify their faith in their bullpen.
The good news is that we will know in a month or so whether there’s a problem. If the team has struggled against lefties, Rizzo will undoubtedly seek out a trade. He has shown that he is all in on this season and will do what he can to make this team playoff-ready.
Even with the bullpen the team has, they will remain the best team in the league. The problem is what happens in the playoffs when the stakes are higher, and the Nationals have no left-handed relievers?
This is the only real weakness I see on this team and I hope it does not end of hurting them when it matters most.
Predictions?
The Nationals were the best team in baseball last season and they got even better in the offseason. The Braves improved considerably as well, but the Nationals are still the front-runners in the NL East leading into the season.
The only thing that makes me nervous is that history tells you the best team on paper frequently does not turn out to be the best team on the field. Injuries could pop up as the Nationals remained remarkably healthy last year and the strength of the bullpen is a question mark.
Sometimes, good teams just do not live up to expectations. The mental strain of being the best team may get the best of the Nats, but that’s why having Davey Johnson at the helm for one more year is crucial. If anyone can keep tabs on the Nationals’ mentality, it’s him.
The Braves will be good, but not as good as the Nationals who will end up winning the division. If they do not, it will be a huge disappointment.
But this season will not be about regular season accolades, it will be about the playoffs. The Nationals appear to be capable of winning the World Series and probably anything short of an NL pennant will be looked at as a failure.
The only weakness this team may potentially have is the bullpen, but the addition of Soriano allows for greater flexibility and if need be, Rizzo will add a left-handed reliever some time during the season. I believe the Nationals will win the division and the NL pennant, but will come up short in the World Series.
For the latest sports news follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
DC Sports 2012 Year in Review
For
the Redskins, 2012 was the year of RG3. In
March, the team decided to go all-in on Robert Griffin III, trading three first
round picks and a second round pick to St. Louis in order to move up to number
two in the draft.
Additionally, the NFL fined the Redskins $36 million in cap space because of contract structures during the uncapped season. With less cap space and no top draft picks for the next two seasons, Griffin’s success became paramount for the Redskins to become competitive in the near future.
He did not disappoint.
Griffin finished with 3,200 yards, a 65.6 completion percentage, and 27 total touchdowns. He also threw for only five interceptions, displaying accuracy and decision making capabilities well beyond his years. Both he and surprise running back Alfred Morris transformed the offense this season and everyone bought in on the feeling that this team had the makings of something special.
The season did not start out as many had hoped, as the team dropped to 3-6 heading into the bye week. Mike Shanahan then made his now famous comments about how it was time to evaluate his players to determine who would remain in the years to come, making everyone believe he had given up hope on the season.
The team, however, did not. They returned from the bye and proceeded to win the remaining seven games on the schedule, including a 28-18 win over Dallas in the season finale to earn their first NFC East division championship since 1999.
The Redskins now prepare for a wildcard matchup with Seattle as they hope to extend their storybook season.
New Year’s Resolution: Keep RG3 healthy and get defensive personnel to match the talent on offense.
The Nationals also saw their team carried into the postseason by their young talent. After a much improved 2011 season in which the team finished with a 80-81 record, the Nationals compiled a roster with the expectations of competing for the division in 2012.
In addition to the return of ace Stephen Strasburg, the team also debuted a rotation featuring Gio Gonzalez, mainstay Jordan Zimmermann, Edwin Jackson, and the surprising Ross Detwiler. The rotation quickly became the most dominant in the MLB.
Though the Nationals were hoping to further develop Bryce Harper in AAA, injuries forced him into the lineup and he made his MLB debut on April 28 against the Dodgers. Did he prove he belonged in the majors? “That’s a clown question, bro.”
The Nationals compiled a record of 98-64, finishing with their first ever NL East division title. In addition, Davey Johnson was named NL manager of the year and Harper was named NL rookie of the year. Strasburg, Gonzalez, Harper, and Ian Desmond were all named NL All-Stars, the most since the team moved to DC.
The Nationals met the St. Louis Cardinals in the divisional series, where Jayson Werth provided perhaps the biggest moment in the history of the Nationals, a walk-off homerun in game four to force a decisive game five.
Game five of course had a very different outcome. After jumping out to a 6-0 lead, the Nationals watched as the Cardinals chipped away until finally taking the lead with a four-run ninth inning. It was a bitter end to a fantastic season.
Perhaps the biggest story of all for the Nationals did not even take place on the field. General Manager Mike Rizzo adamantly declared that Strasburg would be kept on an innings limit after returning from Tommy John surgery. Rizzo was mostly ignored as no one expected the Nationals to be a legitimate World Series contender, but his decision sparked weeks of debate as the shutdown approached and the team sat atop the standings. In the end, Rizzo stuck to his guns and Strasburg was pulled.
Clearly hoping for another postseason run, the Nationals brought in Denard Span and Dan Haren. They are also continuing their negotiations with Adam LaRoche in the hopes of retaining him.
New Year’s Resolution: Sign LaRoche, repeat as NL East champs, play Strasburg for a full season including postseason, and make a deep playoff run.
While 2012 featured dream seasons for the Redskins and Nationals, the Wizards year has been a nightmare.
The end of the 2011-2012 season saw the Wizards in yet another lottery season, but Ernie Grunfeld decided not to wait until the offseason to address some of the team’s problems. In a three team trade, Grunfeld sent off locker room headaches JaVale McGee and Nick Young and brought in Nene and Brian Cook. The move seemed to work as the Wizards finished the season winning six straight.
In July, the team also released Andray Blatche and brought in Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza in a trade for Rashard Lewis. The organization declared loudly that they were no longer a lottery team, largely based on the team’s assumption that Wall would be playing.
In September, the team announced that Wall had suffered a stress injury to his knee and he would not be able to start the season. Without the key player the team had been built around, the Wizards didn’t stand a chance and finished out 2012 with the worst record in the NBA at 4-24.
New Year’s Resolution: Get Wall back, avoid the worst record in NBA history, bring in talent in the offseason.
The Wizards might not be having a good season, but the Capitals haven’t had any season at all. The NHL lockout has now stretched on at ridiculous length, forcing the cancellation of all games from October through December and into January.
As slow as things may be now, the beginning of 2012 was very eventful. The Caps found themselves struggling to transition from an offensive mentality to a defensive one under new coach Dale Hunter. The team did manage to claw its way to a seventh place finish and a matchup with Boston. Thanks to the emergence of young Braden Holtby in goal, the Caps and Bruins played the closest playoff series in NHL history. Game seven went to overtime where Joel Ward knocked in a rebound in one of the most exciting games in the history of the organization.
The Caps met an even tougher matchup in round two against the New York Rangers and Ward went from hero to goat. In game five with the series tied at two and the Caps holding onto a two-goal lead, Ward was called for a double-minor high sticking penalty. The Rangers scored on both, including the game-tying goal with 6.1 seconds left, and won in overtime. The Caps forced a game seven yet again, but fell in Madison Square Garden.
At the end of the season, Hunter decided to return to Ontario, so the reins were passed to another former Caps’ captain, Adam Oates, who by now must be dying to prove himself.
New Year’s Resolution: PLAY!!!
In another mad dash to the playoffs, DC United suddenly found themselves in dire straits as leading scorer Dwayne De Rosario went down with a knee injury. United led by head coach Ben Olsen, however, did not lose again for the rest of the season and clinched their first playoff berth in five years. After a thrilling victory over rival New York, United’s season came to an end in the conference finals against Houston.
New Year’s Resolution: Find consistency and return to the playoffs.
For the latest DC sports news, follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Additionally, the NFL fined the Redskins $36 million in cap space because of contract structures during the uncapped season. With less cap space and no top draft picks for the next two seasons, Griffin’s success became paramount for the Redskins to become competitive in the near future.
He did not disappoint.
Griffin finished with 3,200 yards, a 65.6 completion percentage, and 27 total touchdowns. He also threw for only five interceptions, displaying accuracy and decision making capabilities well beyond his years. Both he and surprise running back Alfred Morris transformed the offense this season and everyone bought in on the feeling that this team had the makings of something special.
The season did not start out as many had hoped, as the team dropped to 3-6 heading into the bye week. Mike Shanahan then made his now famous comments about how it was time to evaluate his players to determine who would remain in the years to come, making everyone believe he had given up hope on the season.
The team, however, did not. They returned from the bye and proceeded to win the remaining seven games on the schedule, including a 28-18 win over Dallas in the season finale to earn their first NFC East division championship since 1999.
The Redskins now prepare for a wildcard matchup with Seattle as they hope to extend their storybook season.
New Year’s Resolution: Keep RG3 healthy and get defensive personnel to match the talent on offense.
The Nationals also saw their team carried into the postseason by their young talent. After a much improved 2011 season in which the team finished with a 80-81 record, the Nationals compiled a roster with the expectations of competing for the division in 2012.
In addition to the return of ace Stephen Strasburg, the team also debuted a rotation featuring Gio Gonzalez, mainstay Jordan Zimmermann, Edwin Jackson, and the surprising Ross Detwiler. The rotation quickly became the most dominant in the MLB.
Though the Nationals were hoping to further develop Bryce Harper in AAA, injuries forced him into the lineup and he made his MLB debut on April 28 against the Dodgers. Did he prove he belonged in the majors? “That’s a clown question, bro.”
The Nationals compiled a record of 98-64, finishing with their first ever NL East division title. In addition, Davey Johnson was named NL manager of the year and Harper was named NL rookie of the year. Strasburg, Gonzalez, Harper, and Ian Desmond were all named NL All-Stars, the most since the team moved to DC.
The Nationals met the St. Louis Cardinals in the divisional series, where Jayson Werth provided perhaps the biggest moment in the history of the Nationals, a walk-off homerun in game four to force a decisive game five.
Game five of course had a very different outcome. After jumping out to a 6-0 lead, the Nationals watched as the Cardinals chipped away until finally taking the lead with a four-run ninth inning. It was a bitter end to a fantastic season.
Perhaps the biggest story of all for the Nationals did not even take place on the field. General Manager Mike Rizzo adamantly declared that Strasburg would be kept on an innings limit after returning from Tommy John surgery. Rizzo was mostly ignored as no one expected the Nationals to be a legitimate World Series contender, but his decision sparked weeks of debate as the shutdown approached and the team sat atop the standings. In the end, Rizzo stuck to his guns and Strasburg was pulled.
Clearly hoping for another postseason run, the Nationals brought in Denard Span and Dan Haren. They are also continuing their negotiations with Adam LaRoche in the hopes of retaining him.
New Year’s Resolution: Sign LaRoche, repeat as NL East champs, play Strasburg for a full season including postseason, and make a deep playoff run.
While 2012 featured dream seasons for the Redskins and Nationals, the Wizards year has been a nightmare.
The end of the 2011-2012 season saw the Wizards in yet another lottery season, but Ernie Grunfeld decided not to wait until the offseason to address some of the team’s problems. In a three team trade, Grunfeld sent off locker room headaches JaVale McGee and Nick Young and brought in Nene and Brian Cook. The move seemed to work as the Wizards finished the season winning six straight.
In July, the team also released Andray Blatche and brought in Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza in a trade for Rashard Lewis. The organization declared loudly that they were no longer a lottery team, largely based on the team’s assumption that Wall would be playing.
In September, the team announced that Wall had suffered a stress injury to his knee and he would not be able to start the season. Without the key player the team had been built around, the Wizards didn’t stand a chance and finished out 2012 with the worst record in the NBA at 4-24.
New Year’s Resolution: Get Wall back, avoid the worst record in NBA history, bring in talent in the offseason.
The Wizards might not be having a good season, but the Capitals haven’t had any season at all. The NHL lockout has now stretched on at ridiculous length, forcing the cancellation of all games from October through December and into January.
As slow as things may be now, the beginning of 2012 was very eventful. The Caps found themselves struggling to transition from an offensive mentality to a defensive one under new coach Dale Hunter. The team did manage to claw its way to a seventh place finish and a matchup with Boston. Thanks to the emergence of young Braden Holtby in goal, the Caps and Bruins played the closest playoff series in NHL history. Game seven went to overtime where Joel Ward knocked in a rebound in one of the most exciting games in the history of the organization.
The Caps met an even tougher matchup in round two against the New York Rangers and Ward went from hero to goat. In game five with the series tied at two and the Caps holding onto a two-goal lead, Ward was called for a double-minor high sticking penalty. The Rangers scored on both, including the game-tying goal with 6.1 seconds left, and won in overtime. The Caps forced a game seven yet again, but fell in Madison Square Garden.
At the end of the season, Hunter decided to return to Ontario, so the reins were passed to another former Caps’ captain, Adam Oates, who by now must be dying to prove himself.
New Year’s Resolution: PLAY!!!
In another mad dash to the playoffs, DC United suddenly found themselves in dire straits as leading scorer Dwayne De Rosario went down with a knee injury. United led by head coach Ben Olsen, however, did not lose again for the rest of the season and clinched their first playoff berth in five years. After a thrilling victory over rival New York, United’s season came to an end in the conference finals against Houston.
New Year’s Resolution: Find consistency and return to the playoffs.
For the latest DC sports news, follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
Monday, July 9, 2012
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.
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.
“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.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Bryce Harper Here to Stay?
Bryce Harper was expected to make an impact, just not in
DC. Not yet. Though he impressed in spring training,
manager Davey Johnson sent him to AAA Syracuse and GM Mike Rizzo was adamant
that he would remain in the minors for the majority of the season. Yet, Harper was called up on April 27 and on
the next day, he made his major league debut against the Los Angeles
Dodgers. Since then, Harper has been one
of the few consistent bats on a lineup desperate for some offense.
Harper was brought up because the Nationals have been
plagued by injuries all season. When
Ryan Zimmerman went down, the Nationals had little choice but to bring in the
young star and hope he could manage the major leagues for a few games. Thirty-two games later, Harper is still
here. Again, perhaps the team would have
sent him back to the minors if the injuries did not continue to decimate the
roster. Michael Morse has played only
two games, Zimmerman has lingering shoulder issues, and Jayson Werth and Mark
DeRosa are both on the disabled list. Right
now, the team just cannot afford to send Harper back down to the minors.
Even if they had the depth, I’m not sure the team would want
to send him back. Harper has made the most
of his time in the majors with a .288 batting average, .380 on base percentage,
and a .542 slugging percentage, all of which are among the team’s best. He has also hit five home runs and has two stolen
bases, including a home plate steal in the infamous Cole Hamels game. Perhaps most importantly, he has shown
maturity not common of a 19 year old.
With his sometimes checkered past, maturity was a major concern, but he
has handled himself well.
So is Bryce Harper here to stay? It certainly would be hard to send him back,
even with a full roster. While the
Nationals have one of the most formidable pitching lineups in the league, they
have struggled at the plate. The team
ranks 24th in the league in batting average and 26th in
runs scored. Harper is one of the team’s
best hitters. While the team
traditionally does not like rushing players into the majors, they would have a
hard time justifying sending him back to Syracuse. Perhaps Rizzo believes he would benefit from
more time in the minors, but he’s shown he’s ready for major league
pitchers. No doubt he will have his
struggles when pitchers learn how to pitch to him and then we’ll see what kind
of player he is. For now, I’m just
thankful the Nationals have found someone
who can hit to make sure all of that great pitching doesn’t go to waste.
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