What? Me Worry? Here's Why It's Too Soon To Panic In Washington

If you are a typical Washington sports fan, then you have already thrown your hands up and given up on the Washington Nationals' 2013 season. 

The Nats are 10-11 and have simply sucked eggs in their past two home series. They have been swept by a combined score of 27-9, first at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, and then by their NLDS nemesis the Saint Louis Cardinals.  I don't see how this could have played out worse for Washington.

After 3 weeks of baseball, the reigning National League East Champions are chasing the New York Mets for the runner-up spot behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division. 

The Mets feature "Captain America" (David Wright) and absolutely no one else.   

Wait a second Metalbrain, Matt Harvey is the best pitcher in baseball....ever!

I don't even know how to respond to that.  Harvey has made four starts this season and won each of them, but only improving his career record to 7-5.  If he wins 20 more by the end of the season, we can talk about where he ranks.  But not just yet.

Here's what I know about pitchers in general; once batters have faced them a few times, the field levels off exponentially.  Give it some time, Harvey will show that he is fallible. 

I'm not saying that Matt Harvey isn't a formidable opponent, but I expect Matt Harvey's season to follow a story line more similar to the 1950 Mary Chase film Harvey, and less like the R.A. Dickey, Cy Young performance from a year ago.

The Washington Nationals were universally hyped in the off-season for the first time in their brief history. 

When the baseball world considers a team to be the odds on favorite to win it all, naturally a lot of pressure is placed on that team, and that pressure can become oppressive, especially when the group of players is so young.   The Washington Nationals are the 5th youngest team in the Major Leagues, second youngest in the NL and they have responded in kind. 

The Nationals currently rank 23rd in MLB in batting, 19th in MLB in team ERA, and they rank 30th in MLB in fielding.  (30th is dead last for those of you keeping score at home)  

The Nationals have committed a league high 19 errors in 21 games, 11 of which belong to Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman.  In fact, Desi has committed more errors, by himself, than each of the following teams; D-Backs, BoSox, and Tigers.  Defense is about confidence and this ball club has been rocked by expectation.  The good news is that confidence is very salvageable.

The only real bright spot for the Nationals has been Bryce Harper.  "Bam-Bam" is hitting .351 with 7 dingers and 15 RBI.  (oh! my bad, you already know this, all that information is right above this posting) His OPS (on base percentage plus slugging average)  of 1.118 ranks 5th in the Majors and 3rd in the National League, not too shabby for a guy who won't turn 21 years of age until next October.

So what happens now?  Do Washington fans throw in the towel as they have been trained to do over decades of failing seasons in multiple sports?  No! Not just yet.

Keep the last four years in mind:

• In 2009 the New York Yankees won the World Series after starting the season 15-17.  
• In 2010, San Francisco was 41-40 at the halfway point after beginning their campaign 22-21, before eventually winning it all.  
• The 2011 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals began 17-14. 
• The 2012 San Fransisco Giants kicked off their road to the Championship with a 15-17 record.

No one would listen to Manny Acta in Cleveland

In fact, only two teams who led their division on May 1, 2012 even made the play-offs, (Washington was one of them, St. Louis was the other) further proving that a fast start is not that important. 

Ask Manny Acta (former manager of the Washington Nationals and the Cleveland Indians) how important a fast start was to his career. 

On May 24, 2012 the Indians were 26-18, holding on to a 3.5 game lead in the AL Central and for once the city of Cleveland rejoiced.  The Indians went 42 and 76 the rest of the way, finishing 20 games back and of course, they sent Acta packing. 

In football, offense sells tickets but defense wins championships.  In baseball, champions are crowned when talent, experience and chemistry collide at exactly the right time. 

The Nationals have the talent, that much is obvious, and experience is no longer a huge issue as it grows with every passing day. So the team's chemistry is what we are all waiting to see evolve and evolution, simply by its nature, takes time. 

The three outfielders still need to get in sync, the bull pen needs to gel a little bit, and the starters just need to trust their arms a little more.  Make no mistake that Mike Morse and Sean Burnett are missed, they each added immeasurably to the elements that brought this group of young men out of the shadows and into the limelight, but please, do not second guess the off-season roster moves just because this team hasn't clicked yet.  Time will effectively put the method behind the madness on display.

Mike Rizzo has brought us this far and I expect him to continue to deliver.  It is gonna take a few defensive plays to shake the newness off of this team and once they get to know each other just a little bit better, and allow their confidence in each other to mature, you better hold on tight.

Since it seems that the Braves are who will be chased, keep in perspective that Atlanta has 8 starting players who have combined to play in a total of 55 play-off games. (36 of those come from players with the name Upton on his back and none of those games were for Atlanta). 

The Washington Nationals by contrast have 3 players on their current roster who have not played in the play-offs at all (this includes Rendon who will certainly be removed when Ryan Zimmerman returns) and the Nationals starting 13 (position players and pitchers) have amassed a total of 105 play-off appearances. 

It is in no way shape or form time to dismiss this team or even start looking forward to the Redskins picks this weekend. (The Skins won't pick until tomorrow, they traded picks for RGIII) There is much work left to do at Nationals Park and the fan base will be required to participate.

Washington Senator great Walter Johnson

To put it in perspective, on May 30th 1924, the Washington Senators played a double header against the Boston Red Sox.  After dropping the first game and falling to 15-19, (this left them 6 games back of the very team that they were playing) the Senators turned it around. 

The Senators stormed Fenway for the night cap, sending their ace Walter Johnson to the mound and flexed their baseball muscles as their offense plated 10 runs in front of the shocked Boston crowd.  The Senators won their next three en route to finishing 92-62 culminating their season  by winning Washington's only World Series Championship to date.


What would have happened had they given up after the 15-19 start?  We will never know, because they didn't, neither should the Washington Nationals nor their fans give up on this year. 

In 1924 the up-start Boston Red Sox, who had at one time led the Senators by 6 games, finished 67-87, 25 games behind Washington and just .5 games out of the cellar. 

Parallels? 

Washington heads to Atlanta next week and the Braves are sure to still be in first.  I can think of no better place, to turn it around.  Can you?

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Some Florida Sun: Just What The Doctor Ordered To Get The Nats Back On Track

Denard Span reacts to striking out during the recent homestand

After a long, dreary, dark, and draining Winter, many young people flock to Florida for Spring Break.  The sun seems to work wonders for a knackered mind.

For the 2013 Washington Nationals, a break from the pressure of being the pre-season World Series favorite, is just what is necessary, and like the many young adults before them, Florida is where the Nationals went to take their Spring Break.

As they lick their wounds from the lessons in humility delivered by the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park over last weekend, the Washington Nationals aim to take their frustration out on the Miami Marlins and began that quest and clearly stated their intentions on Monday night.

Washington got the series started by scoring 6 runs in the first 3 innings last night to commence the healing process and Jordan Zimmermann was electric as he became the first National to pitch a complete game in 2013 en route to a 10-3 drubbing of the fishcakes.   Zimmermann improved to a league leading 3-0 while keeping his ERA at a respectable 2.45.

If it is the Nationals pitching that concerns you, please find comfort in this fact.  The Nationals #3 and #5 starters are a combined 5-0 to date, which simply indicates that when Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, and new acquisition, Dan Haren get going, ........look out!  Once the bullpen settles down and everyone has some at bats under his belt, this team should resemble the picture that is being painted of them.

Dan Haren shows off his arm to the home fans against the White Sox at Nats Park

Baseball is 50% pitching, 50% fielding and 130% mental.  If you take a long look at this team on paper, then
it becomes unimaginable that they can lose even a single game.  The names read off the page like an All-Star roster, Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez, Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth, Adam LaRoche, Dan Haren, Ian Desmond, Rafael Soliano, etc. but what the names and numbers can't tell is just how this team will respond, as a unit, under the pressure of being the favorite.

Desi takes time to sign some souvenirs for some young fans

Add caption

Star power is something that is suddenly abundant in Washington as was evident last Thursday when John Wall, of the Washington Wizards, delivered the opening pitch right into the waiting glove of Gio Gonzalez.

Wizards, John Wall throws the first pitch

With Robert Griffin III and Alex Ovechkin rounding out the field, Washington has entrenched and legitimate stars in each of the four major sports.

These teams are not only full of extraordinary talent, but are littered with players who have dynamic personalities and hold strong bonds to the community.

On Thursday, Ian Desmond stopped his warm up to run over to, and jump up on,  the rolled up tarp abutted behind First Base just to sign autographs for some young fans who had assembled there.  He didn't charge a single on of them as hes signed hats, balls and programs for about five minutes.

So what happens next?  How will the Washington Nationals respond?  If their sister sports teams are any indication then there is still hope for the season.

Ryan Zimmerman has some sage words for the kid!

The Capitals began the 2012-2013 season with a 2 win and 9 loss record and they now sit as their division leader and hold the #3 spot for the playoffs.  The Wizards began their season with a stunning 12 consecutive losses and fell all the way to 4 wins and 28 losses before turning it around. The Wizards went on to beat every division leader in the NBA and actually got mentioned in the playoff conversation before the injury bug bit them.  And, don't forget that the Redskins began last season 3 wins and 6 losses before making a run by winning their final seven games to capture the Divsion Championship.

So, the stars will continue to descend on Nationals Park and the ball club will have to follow suit by rebounding after a disappointing 8-5 start.  If the Nationals can show improvement in any way that resembles their counterparts from Washington, they will still be playing well into Autumn and team jackets will fly off of the shelves for the home games in November.

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Tracking Mike Trout and Bryce Harper: How Last Years' ROY Winners Fare In Their Respective Sophomore Seasons

Throughout the 2013 I will track the progress of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper as each attempts to build on his Rookie of the Year and All-Star season from 2012.

Trout and Harper are forever linked by their respective accomplishments with Mike winning the award by an astonishing 77 point margin in the American League and when Bryce collected the hardware he was the youngest player ever to do so.

I will update their stats daily at the top of the page so that we can track their progress together.

Will they do better than last year?  Will either of them suffer from the sophomore jinx?  Which superstar is having a better year?

Let the debate begin.

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Waking Up The Beast: Morse has Banner Opening Day For Mariners

If you are anything like me, you woke up this morning planning to view the highlight of Yu Darvish watching the ball slip between his legs and squeak into center field past the diving glove of Elvis Andrus, thus robbing him of a perfect outing.

That highlight was, of course, played repeatedly but what followed is what really peaked my interest.

Former National, Mike Morse went 2 for 4 with 2 HR and 4 RBI in a Mariners win late Tuesday night and I couldn't help but think that Adam LaRoche o-fered on Monday.

When the Nats re-signed LaRoche, Morse became expendable and National's GM, Mike Rizzo shipped him off to Seattle in a three team deal that brought some much needed pitching to our farm system.

The most notable acquisition for Washington from the trade was RHP A.J. Cole.  Cole was originally drafted by Washington in the fourth round of the 2010 draft.  He was then packaged as part of the deal with Oakland that brought Gio Gonzalez to the nation's capital.  Currently Cole is ranked as the 4th best prospect in the organizeation behind Anthony Rendon, Brian Goodwin, and Lucas Giolito.

Blake Treinen and Ian Krol are the other players who Washington acquired for Mike Morse with Krol being added to the franchise on March 19th as the player to be named later from thel deal. 

Here are the scouting reports on the newest Nats:

AJ Cole's Arsenal 

RHP (Potomac Nationals)

From: Bleacher Report
Cole boasts a fastball that has been known to touch 95 mph to go with a devastating curve. 
Because of this lethal combination, the youngster has been compared to Justin Verlander, according to Scouting Book.
Scouting Book also writes of a decent changeup by Cole that can be developed into a solid weapon with the right coaching.
Profile
Birth Date: January 5, 1992 (21 years old)
Birthplace: Winter Springs, Fla.
Experience: Two years (minor league: A- to A+)
College: None: Oviedo High School
Height, weight: 6'4", 180 lbs

Blake Treinen's Arsenal

RHP  (Harrisburg Senators)

From: Bleacher Report

Despite dealing with arm issues in his past, according to Oakland Clubhouse, Treinen has a fastball that can hit 97 mph.

His throwing power is illustrated by his 92 strikeouts in just 103 innings in Stockton last season. Treinen's command is fairly good as well, as he only issued 23 walks in 2012.

Profile

Birth Date: June 30, 1988 (24 years old)

Birth Place: Ossage City, Kan.

Experience: Two years (Rookie to A+)

College: South Dakota State University

Ht/Wt: 6'4", 215 pounds

Ian Krol

LHP  (Harrisburg Senators)

From Washington Times’ Amanda Comack

Krol is a 21-year-old left-hander who has toggled between starting and relieving in the minor leagues for the A’s. He has not pitched above Double-A, where he had a 5.06 ERA in eight appearances in 2012.

He was the A’s 2010 minor league Pitcher of the Year, however, after he went 10-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 28 games (27 starts) across low Single-A and high Single-A. 

It is always a little disheartening to witness a former player, specifically one who was so adored by the fans, perform exceptionally after they leave, but we have three young guns to watch and as Washingtonian's we are certainly no stranger to having people walk in and out of our lives with some regularity.

Even though there is no guarantee that any of the new arms in the farm system will pan out, the Nationals will always have the memory of Mike "the beast" Morse lingering in the lights.   Morse's famous walk out to AH HA'S "Take on Me!" has been incorporated to the seventh inning stretch, not necessarily to honor the slugger, but to reward the participation and excitement of a growing fan base.

All I ask, for Mike Morse, is to please, ..........stay on pitch.

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Opening Day: Facts, Photos and Fun: Oh! And A Nationals Win

Have you ever been somewhere and witnessed an event that you thought, "Well if that were a movie, I wouldn't believe it!"?  There is no other way to describe what happened at Nationals Park on Monday afternoon.

Over 45,000 fans poured into the ball park to view, nothing short of a storybook beginning, for a sequel that will inspire a city and draw envy from the rest on MLB for what hopes to be very long time.

The red clad faithful watched a story unfold exactly the way that it was hyped.  Teddy and Bill officially began their rivalry with the 26th President finding the wall when the newest mascot forced him out of the race and into a huddled mass along the first base line.  So much for the winning streak!

La Roche, Desi, Harp, Skip, Rizzo, and Stras (accepted by Knorr) recieve their 2012 tophies

The fireworks were well under way, however, by the time Thomas Jefferson crossed the finish line.  James Brown was once again on hand to emcee the festivities and the hardware piled up as all of the year end awards were presented to the Nationals from their outstanding 2012 breakout season.

A New Banner was unveiled before the game.  Looks good up there!

There were tributes to military and an inspirational first pitch, player introductions and extremely long lines for the vending, (Papa Johns actually ran out of Pizza by the 3rd inning) and then finally, the game started.

Stras hurls the season's first pitch!  Strike!

The rest of the story you probably already know by now.  Bryce homered in his first two at bats and had a run saving throw from left field, Stras displayed shut down stuff while throwing 80 pitches in 7 innings of work and surrendered a mere 3 hits while striking out 3.  Zimmerman got the game started by making a diving play in the hole to end the Marlins 1st, and Rafael Soriano closed it out for his first save as a National while icing it with a strikeout of Gioncarlo Stanton (perhaps the Marlin that you ever heard of, he used to Mike Stanton if you are confused).

The feel was dynamic and fun.  To leave the ballpark after a standing ovation sure was a great pick me up after the shocked glare that was in everyone's eyes when left the last time.  It was only the Marlins, I'll give you that, but a win is a win and the magic number is quickly approaching the 150s.

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Your 2013 Washington Nationals, Preview and Predictions

It doesn't seem all that long ago that we were lined up outside portable trailers in the shadows of hallowed Robert F. Kennedy stadium, waiting to purchase tickets to witness the worst team in baseball play a game that was only meaningful to their opponent.  That was seven years ago, and as it turns out, those games were not as meaningless as we thought.

After the hype and newness had worn to a dull rust and our new home baseball team clutched white knuckled to their rightful place in the cellar, I could be found in section 535 at RFK looking down on the field in a manner with which a deity watches his creations pitifully blunder about on the manicured lawn.

In section 535 there were no rules.  Fans smoked in their seats, gambled openly and I even witnessed a young couple emerge from behind the scoreboard smiling wickedly while adjusting their clothing.  These  were the dark times, but they were not without merit, for the Nationals' monumental failures on the diamond brought a bounty without measure.

Ramon Ortiz (P), Tim Redding (P), Austin Kerns (RF), Saul Rivera (RP) and Nook Logan (CF) have all effectively been replaced by draft picks earned for poor performance. 

Delivered to the nations capital were three #1 draft picks; Ross Detweiler, Stephen Strasburg, and Bryce Harper,
and additional first rounders, Drew Storen and Alex Meyer (traded to Twins for Denard Span) followed.

Everyone knows about the huge impact of the #1 overall draft picks but it is equally important to understand how the two drafts leading up to the 2009 Strasburg pick were also  very integral.

In 2007 the Nationals selected Detweiler in the first round and Jordan Zimmermann in the second and in 2008 they selected Danny Espinosa, Tommy Milone (traded to Oakland for Gio Gonzalez), Tyler Moore and Steve Lombardozzi.

These men not only have made it to the Big Leagues, but are the cornerstone of a team that is picked by many to win the World Series in 2013.

The Division:

Atlanta has added some bulk in the off-season and arguably has the best bullpen in the game today, but they have far too many starters whose last name begins with the letter "M". They finish second and possibly slip to third if the Phillies can resurrect their late season run from 2012. (Philly went 35-24 in August and September to finish 81-81)

Philadelphia is always a team to be reckoned with.  Their starting rotation, on paper, is formidable and big names and a hefty payroll support a historically sound franchise, but age is their enemy and the long summer should take it's toll.  I actually believe that they will battle Atlanta down the stretch for second place.

Hollywood's version of the 2013 Marlins

New York just named Colin Cowgil as their starting Center Fielder.  If you don't know who he is, you're not alone, he was a fifth round pick by Arizona in 2008.  By the way, some announcer has already dubbed him "more cowgil", so save your breath.

After being nicknamed "Captain America" during the World Baseball Classic, David Wright will have to use all of his powers to make the Mets competitive.  After all, he can only bat every nine times and unless he goes to the "Hall of Justice" to get some recruits, a fourth place finish is expected.

Miami sucks.  I can't name five of them.

The rest of the NL

The Dodgers, Reds and Cardinals will all be worthy opponents this year, and it would be foolish to overlook the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, as they always find a way to compete.  Look for an improved Cubs team in Chicago and Houston.....oh yeah, they are in the AL now.  (Good Luck to Bo Porter)

So here it is.  My prediction for 2013.  Unless you live in a cave, or have been watching "House of Cards" for the last two months, the Washington Nationals are the very best team in baseball.

On Monday the line-up card will look something like this:

CF Denard Span
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
C  Kurt Suzuki
P  Stephen Strasburg

Last year I declared 87 wins and had to fight my way out of the straight jacket provided by the many who thought that my prediction was too ambitious.  I was actually 11 wins shy.  So this year I am tempted to shout out a number like 109 but I am not that crazy.

Predictions:

Bryce Harper will not suffer a sophomore slump.  He will hit .291/27/91 (BA/HR/RBI) and earn his second consecutive all-star appearance.  He will have some adventures in left field but he will learn quickly and Bryce will utilize the cannon that is attached to his shoulder to create some excitement at home plate.

Ross Detweiler will win 15 games.

Adam LaRoche will slump and talk of his two year contract and having Tyler Moore replace him will be all the rage by July.

Anthony Rendon will get called up for good at some point this season, possibly before September.

The Washington Nationals will win 96 games this year and will win the NL East.

Harper and Trout at the 2012 All Star Game

I am afraid that a trip to the World Series is going to have to be enough.  They will face the Los Angeles
Angels and will loose in 5.  Harper v. Trout will be showcased and baseball will take on a whole new persona anchored by these two young superstars.

These predictions are for entertainment purposes only and do not suggest any wagering data or information. 

Folks, let's be real, after all what do I know?

I only had the Nats at 87 wins last year.

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With Two Games In The Books, There is Still A Ton To Watch

The Nationals are 0-1-1 so far in this Spring.  Not much of a rack on which to hang your hat just yet, but we are still watching some interesting stories.  Last time, we discussed Micah Owings and his conversion to first base from the rubber (he is 1 for 4 in one game so far), the return and impact of Cole Kimball (who pitched well yesterday; facing 4 batters, walking one in the 8th while retiring the other three), and some of the possible scenarios that will impact the creation of the starting line-up. But wait! There's more to watch!

Here are three more stories for you to chew on:

Is it "do or die" time for Tanner Roark?

Under any other set of circumstances, we would be talking about Tanner Roark's adjustment to the Major Leagues, but the 26 year old starting pitcher, who came to the Nationals from Texas with Ryan Tatusko in a trade for Christian Guzman, has a mighty large mound to climb.

Last year Roark posted a pretty poor 6-17 record at Syracuse but showed flashes of the greatness en route to striking out 130 batters over 147.2 innings.  Roark shows plenty of command, specifically with his 4 seam fastball, and despite the losses, Tanner carried a strike out to walk ratio of 2.77 and punched out 7.9 batters per nine innings pitched in 2012.

Typically the sixth year is a litmus for a big league pitcher and if given an opportunity, this young man could rise to the occasion.  Realistically, however, there is no way that he will unseat any of the established starters this spring, but look for him to make the 40 man roster out of camp.  If he does that, he will be able to play in September when the Big Leagues expand their rosters affording Tanner the opportunity to display his skills not only the Nationals, but to the rest of Major League Baseball as well.  (Don't forget that Tommy Milone was brought up in September of 2011 and was showcased by the Nationals.  Milone was so impressive, that the Oakland Athletics traded Gio Gonzalez for him and another young pitcher, Brad Peacock.)

Roark is no stranger to adversity and is comfortable overcoming it with good old fashioned hard work.  Tanner was a 25th round pick in 2008 out of Wilmington, Illinois (a former Illini) and last year he started 26 AAA games, completing one, while collecting a AAA International player of the week honor.  Watch for Tanner to add four pitches to his four seam fastball and if he can throw them all consistently, look for him in September high-fiving Screech.


How long until Anthony Rendon is with the Big League club?

He is one injury away.

Rendon's fate will be determined by either an injury to one of the starting infielders, specifically Ryan Zimmerman, or fated by an injury that he sustains all by himself.

Anthony Rendon is the "other first rounder", taken sixth overall in 2011. Rendon has been fighting out of the looming shadows cast by his draft predecessors; Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper and to follow suit, (lead by Stras and followed by Harp) Rendon would have to be up (on the Nats active 25 man roster) for good at some point this season.

Anthony has a sparkling glove and a power bat.  He hit .388 with 20 HR as a true freshman at Rice University in 2009 and would later carry the titles of;  Baseball America's College Player of the Year, Rawlings Sporting Goods National Player of the Year, Conference USA Male Athlete of the Year, and First Team All-American, to name few.

Rendon is taking this year very seriously!

Rendon is currently the number one prospect in the Nationals organization is is rated as the 28th ranked prospect in all of baseball.  So what's the problem you ask?  Well, there are two very big problems.

Problem #1-- Anthony Rendon plays third base.  Last time I looked Ryan Zimmerman usually stands over there.
Problem #2-- since being drafted in June of 2011, Anthony Rendon has played in exactly 43 minor league games.  Rendon hurt his ankle twice while at Rice University, both requiring surgery, he later hurt his throwing shoulder and finally in his second professional game as a Potomac National, Rendon sustained yet another ankle injury.  He is the Humpty Dumpty of the Nationals organization.

Rendon put together an excellent Arizona Fall League and he blasted a two run rocket off of Ryan Webb today at Space Coast Stadium.  If he can stay healthy Rendon could put a lot of pressure on the front office.

Anthony will probably start in Harrisburg and then move to Syracuse where he will stay for the majority of the summer while preparing for a potential Nats' Park appearance in September.  Here's and idea for you....
What if Ryan Zimmerman learned to play first base as he advances in age?  He is 28 years old already and not getting any younger.


Speaking of injuries, how healthy are the Nationals..........Really?

Actually pretty healthy.  There are four injuries that need to be monitored as the Spring turns its eye northward.   (This does not mean that there won't be more injuries as the Spring wears on, but as of right now watch these four.)

Ryan Zimmerman had off-season arthroscopic surgery on the AC joint in his throwing shoulder to correct the injury that caused him so much difficulty prior to receiving a cortisone shot in June of last season.  Ryan is expected to be completely healed and ready to go, that is unless he re-injures his shoulder while taking out the garbage.  Ryan also married his sweetheart Heather this off-season.

At least Espi is well groomed!

Danny Espinosa tore the rotator cuff in his left shoulder diving for a ball last September and has opted to play through the pain and will forgo the World Baseball Championships (MEXICO) attempting to ensure that he is healthy to begin the season.  Watch this carefully.  Danny realizes that Steve Lombardozzi is a more than adequate replacement both in the field and at the plate, and it is no secret that Anthony Rendon has been periodically taking balls at second base.  Danny didn't hit very well from the left side of the plate (.233) in 2012 and I don't see how playing through an injury is going to help those numbers improve.

Had Danny undergone off-season surgery, he would have been ready to go by early June.  Not for nuthin, but having talented players (Danny Espinosa finished 6th in the 2011 NL Rookie of the Year voting) who play through injuries to ensure that they retain their jobs means that the pool of talent is pretty deep.

Christian Garcia has "ligament damage" in his throwing forearm and is listed as day to day.  No one is indicating just what the damage is but I am sure that it is worth watching.  Garcia appeared in 13 games last year, all as a reliever, and posted a respectable 2.13 ERA as a September call up.

Christian was so effective that Davey Johnson made room for him on the post season roster.  This injury is probably "not a whole lot to worry about until it's something to worry about" but, there is plenty of competition for bullpen spots, especially for righties. 

Don't let the Game 4 walk-off home run fool you, Jayson Werth was never 100% last year and he still isn't.  After returning from a broken forearm, Jayson Werth played in 54 regular season games and his power numbers were atrocious.  Werth hit only 2 HR and collected a mere 19 RBI after returning from the injury, but was able to find other ways to help the team.  Werth's power numbers organically suffered due to Davey's placement of him at the top of the order but that's not what the $126 million is supposed to pay for.  Werth is going to have to gain strength in the forearm and hands as he will be slated to hit in the heart of the order along side Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche, and Ian Desmond.  Denard Span is in town to lead off and that's just what he will do.  Keep a clear eye on Jayson's power numbers this Spring as they will tell the tale.


Still to come...... Who will be the lefty specialist in the bullpen, is Eury Perez fast enough to make this team, and what does the future hold for Henry Rodriguez?  .....Next Time!

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