Young. Deep. And Balanced. The 2014 Washington Nationals are all those things. And when you’re all those things, you’re going to be one of the best.
That is what I fully expect the Nats to be this year.
And to me, it all starts with the top of this team’s rotation. When you roll out Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez, (all aces by the way) Doug Fister - once he gets healthy, then Tanner Roark or Taylor Jordan, who are both very good options no matter who wins the job. The Nationals bullpen is not only deep, but it’s quality depth from top to bottom. And there is a difference between having depth (see New York Mets), and having quality depth.
Jordan Zimmermann is almost an unknown for the Nationals at this point in his career. Fantasy baseball players will say they know him because his numbers are simply stellar. Zimmermann has worked his way from being a Division III pitcher in college, to one of the National League’s best right handers. A 19-game winner last season, Zimmermann is one of three starters in this rotation that can be a 20-game winner. Zimmermann’s 3.25 ERA in 2013 was a bit of a shock after posting a 2.94 ERA in 2012. Simply put, of all the stars in Washington that get attention, I think Zimmermann should, and will quickly become one recognizable and household name this season.
A year removed from Tommy John Surgery, Strasburg’s 8-9 record in 2013 was a far cry from what Washington fans were expecting from him. But when you look at the early part of the season, the Nationals really struggled. And Strasburg was certainly a part of those struggles. His starts were fine. He’d start strong, but you could see he wasn’t fully back from the old Stephen Strasburg. In 2013, I expect Strasburg to return to pre-TJS and go back to dominating.
What’s so impressive about Washington, is they play to their ballpark. The Nats have a very pitcher friendly park, and when you can roll out three aces, you’re not going to find yourself in too many major losing slumps. You’re also going to find those pitchers with very favorable stats. Stats though don’t always translate into wins. And that was the case last year for guys like Strasburg, and Gio Gonzalez. For 2013, I think the “Big Three” in Washington, return to being 15-18 game winners, if not more.
Despite starting the season on the Disabled List, I think the Nationals acquisition of Doug Fister is going to be absolutely tremendous. Fister was a straight steal for Washington from the Tigers this winter. He comes over at 30 years, but make no mistake about it, he has plenty to offer the Nationals. Having one of his best professional seasons last year, Fister won 14 games and made just about every one of his starts and lasted for 200 innings. I love Fister in Washington, where likely he’ll be the fourth starter, and once he returns from the DL, he should draw many favorable matchups, which I think will up his win total. He’ll also be playing in several favorable ballparks throughout the year, making him a very valuable, and excellent acquisition.
I also like the young arm of Taylor Jordan (left). While Fister starts the season on the DL, Jordan and Roark will likely compete for that final rotation spot in the regular season, when games actually count. I like what I’ve seen from Jordan last year in his limited time with the big club. Jordan, who completely skipped Triple-A, was nothing short of what I like to call, studly in the minors. After his first year in Rookie ball, Jordan never stayed at one level for an entire year, which tells me he quickly proved himself every where he went. Jordan has great stuff. It’s not overpowering, it’s a lot like Zimmermann and Fister, it is effective. I think Jordan has the makeup to quickly prove his worth in Washington I think will ultimately be the guy to fill that fifth starter role after the return of Fister.
But the starting pitching isn’t where this all ends. The Nationals have one of the game’s top closers in Rafael Soriano. Soriano has a true closers mentality, and was nothing short of stellar in his first year in Washington. But the Nationals bullpen also features very quality young arms. This bullpen gives you the feeling if you can’t score early on in games, you’re going to be hard pressed to mount a comeback in the late innings. The bullpen is just one of the many things about Washington that is so stellar.
And while Washington might just feature one of the game’s elite rotations, the bats Matt Williams will get to fill into the lineup card every day are excellent as well.
Highlighted by of course, the young phenom Bryce Harper, the Nationals have as balanced of an offense as there just might be in baseball. The Nationals are slightly right handed heavy, but with lefty bats off the bench include Nate McLouth and switch hitters Danny Espinosa and Jose Lebaton, Washington will give opposing pitchers fits all year. Last year was a slight, very slight step back for Bryce Harper. Mostly due to battling injuries throughout the year, Harper’s numbers in most categories were incredibly close to his 2012, first year totals. If Harper can play in 150 games or more, which I think he does, he could be in for a big time year. He may not ever be as complete a player as his fellow third year, and former top prospect buddy Mike Trout, but the impact I think Harper has this year is great for Washington. I think Harper has such a good year, he makes a push for National League Most Valuable Player.
A guy I think goes primarily unnoticed by those not as familiar with this Washington group, is Ian Desmond. Going into his fifth full season in Washington, Desmond burst on the scene with a huge year in 2012, and followed it up with an equally as impressive 2013 campaign. Desmond can hit for power, he puts up a great average for his style of play, and has sneaky good speed which has allowed him to steal better than 20 bases in three straight years. I love Ian Desmond. I think his value to Washington is very underrated. And I think his place among elite shortstops in baseball is very underrated. I look for Desmond to continue this 20 homer, 20 stolen base numbers in 2014, and I think the year Washington is in store for starts to bring him a little more attention, and the great start to his career he’s off too.
After so many terrible years in Washington, Ryan Zimmerman stuck it all out. Signing a big contract just a few winters ago, Zimmerman could have walked and seen what the free agent market had to offer. Instead his patience and dedication to the franchise paid off as Washington went to the National League Division Series in 2012. A lot of people are predicting a continued digression in the career of this 29 year old third basemen. Definitely fair, but I think the “regression” talk is going a little too far. Zimmerman’s average has definitely declined in recent year, but his power numbers have done the opposite. Zimmerman has maintained his home run totals between 25-35 every year the past five years but one. Zimmerman’s RBI totals have remained very good his entire career except one, the same year his home run totals were down. If Zimmerman continues to “regress”, it shouldn’t be by much. I think he’s still a threat to hit 20 to 30 home runs, with 75-90 RBIs, if not more in this lineup, and can still hit between .270-.300. Is he still an elite offensive third basemen? Likely not, but he’s still one an offensive force that must be respected.
Since his arrival in Washington, Jayson Werth has been terrific. I’ve never been a big Werth guy, mainly because he came from a rival school to my high school (though he was graduated well before I was in high school), and of course his years in Philadelphia. But one thing I cannot ignore is his value to the Nationals. A slow first year after a big contract signing did not help his case of being worth the money he signed for, then an injury-plagued 2012 kept him from being worth the investment, though he had some incredibly clutch hits down the stretch in 2012 and then in the postseason. In 2013 though, Werth was the one guy who’s production did not fall off. In fact, it jumped. Werth returned to the 20-homer plateau, and in the process hit a career best .318. Does the big-bearded righty have it in him to repeat last year’s performance? I think he does. Werth’s problems so far in Washington have been because of his inability to stay healthy, and a lot of his injuries are not chronic. I think he can stay healthy, and in a lineup where he shouldn’t bear a lot of the responsibility to be the only guy to produce, I think his numbers shouldn’t drop much, if at all. I will admit, I do think there is a bit of a decline in the batting average. I think the power numbers are going to be matched. I think Jayson Werth, even at age 35, is still a great hitter.
Just a couple quick bullet points on the Nationals offense. I was disappointed in the way Denard Span played in his first year in Washington. I thought he was a great addition to this team and would help them move forward. In year two, I think Span is on a bit of a shorter leash, and if he can’t get it done, I can’t say I’d be surprised is Nate McLouth passes him on the depth chart.
One other guy I think is poised for a big year is Anthony Rendon. Rendon was a terrific hitter at the college ranks, and again referencing my adoration of college players in the pros, he quickly climbed through the Washington system. In his first full year of at bats, I think Rendon is poised for a breakout year. A Rendon breakout year probably looks like a .300 batting average with 15-20 homers. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being an Ian Desmond type of hitter, with a little less speed. I like Rendon a lot in Washington this year.
I know I didn’t get to every single player on this team, otherwise, it may have been a novel like preview. But my take on the 2014 Washington Nationals is they are, and should be, a heavy favorite in the National League. They are deep at just about every position. Their pitching is second to none. Their bullpen is going to be lights out. And this offense may just be the league’s best. We’ll see. The division they play in certainly is favorable, but that take away from anything this franchise has going on, and with more still in the minor leagues.
The Washington Nationals should be one fun club to follow and watch this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment