Since opening the season 4-0, it's been ugly. Really ugly. The Nationals came into the season heavily favored to win their 3rd straight National League East title, but now find themselves 3.5 games out of first place and 1 game below .500 following a 3 game sweep at home at the hands of the New York Mets. Early April isn't the time to worry about how far back in the division you are (unless you dig yourself a 10 game hole), but there's still reason to worry.
This Nationals team is far from healthy at the moment, with a less than 100% Adam Eaton, no Daniel Murphy and no Matt Wieters (although Pedro Severino has looked very good in his place). That's the odd part though, even without those 3 bats not in the lineup, or at less than 100%, the issue hasn't been putting runs on the board. The Nationals are averaging 5 runs per game over their first 9 games. Granted, they averaged 3 runs per game in this last Mets series and they had multiple opportunities to win that game last night (hello 9th inning, bases loaded and one out). Aside from Thursday's game though, each of the next two games were decided by 1 run. The Nationals lead the National League in home runs and are sixth in batting average. It may not seem like it, but they're hitting the ball well, especially for a team that's played 6 of their 9 games in below 50 degree weather and is without one of it's best hitters.
As a complete side note, the Victor Robles watch is officially on. Michael Taylor's 5 for 30 (with 11 strikeouts) start to the season can only continue on for so long. With a chance to walk off the Mets last night, he struck out with the bases loaded and one out against a guy who doesn't strike many batters out. Right now, we're seeing the Michael Taylor of 2015-2016, not the Michael Taylor of 2017. Robles is off to a 5 for 12 start in AAA, he's ready, the question is, where can he play everyday? Taylor's trade value peaked during the offseason coming off his red-hot NLDS against the Cubs, but you have to wonder if the Nats could package Taylor and AJ Cole for a starter (Danny Duffy of the Royals or Sean Manaea of the Athletics - somebody with some team control past this year).
Speaking of pitching, that's where the majority of the problem lies for the Nationals. Specifically, the starting pitching. The last 5 starts from Nationals starting pitchers are - 3 2/3 IP, 10 ER/ 5 IP, 2 ER (5 runs)/ 6 IP, 4 ER/ 5 1/3 IP 1 ER/ 5 IP, 5 ER - so cumulatively over the past 5 games, that's 0 quality starts, 25 innings pitched, 22 earned runs and 25 runs scored. That comes out to a run an inning. Oh, and that 5 1/3 innings with 1 earned run, no, that wasn't Max Scherzer, that was Gio Gonzalez.
Over in the bullpen, something that is just as worrisome, if not more worrisome, is that Brandon Kintzler apparently forgot how to pitch during the offseason. Kintzler is now 0-2 with a 15.75 ERA in the 4 games he's appeared in. Did Brandon Kintzler and Shawn Kelley switch bodies? Shawn Kelley is looking a lot like his old self while Kintzler is serving up meatballs a lot like Kelley was doing in 2017. If we can get Kintzler back on track and keep Kelley and Sammy Solis throwing the way they are throwing, this has the making of a very good bullpen. If Kintzler can't get back on track, then the starters, who are already off to a rocky start, are going to have a lot more weight on their shoulders.
Again, this is all a very small sample size that's under a gigantic microscope because it's all we have right now. The Nationals (and most teams) go on a couple of 4-6 ten game stretches per year. This, however, seems like a squandered opportunity. Opening the season against 3 teams that lost 90+ games last year and going 4-5 in that stretch just isn't going to cut it. The schedule gets tougher to end the month, with the Rockies coming to town, then the Nats hit the road to play the Mets, Dodgers and Giants before ending the month back at home against the Diamondbacks.
It's surely not panic time yet, but you don't want to be 6-7 games behind a red hot Mets team, who's schedule is more than generous the rest of the month, at the beginning of May. So, in a season where most of us expected a cake walk to a division title, it's time to go back to the basics. Baby steps. Let's win the series against Atlanta and at least split with the Rockies this weekend (although, 3 of 4 would be ideal).
No comments:
Post a Comment