Experts express optimism in Washington Nationals making the play-offs - MLB Update
Washington Nationals' roster inspires experts to talk of them as a hot contender for the play-offs. Even some believe that the kind of strong arm they possess in the form of Gio Gonzalez and others, they are going to be formidable during post-season and
thus their chances for World Championship are much higher this season.
Former Phillies’ closer, Mitch Williams, considers them as being fairly poised for the wild-card. His prediction comes as a surprise to many because Nationals are not going through best of times in Spring Training. Although in last two games, much better
performance they managed to put up, their overall tally of losses is way more than most of the teams in National League East category.
“They’re gonna take second in the East and they’re gonna be one of the wild-card teams this year,” Williams said.
Many believe that Spring Training can hardly predict the actual strength of teams. On many occasions in the past, teams started off poor in Training, but as soon as they entered regular season, they slowly got things going for them. Just as when some teams
walk in the post-season, they actually see their best coming through.
Nationals’ infielder, Mark DeRosa, has a tale to describe. As he recalls his time with San Francisco and explains how he saw his club propelling to heights after going through a humbling start earlier in their season.
Elaborating that just the way San Francisco’s pitchers got them through in last half of their season, Nationals with one of the most powerful arms they have in their rotation, even if they tumble a bit at the start, they will still be favourite in the post-season.
“I think this is a team, if we can last the marathon and find a way to get in there, no team is going to want to play us,” DeRosa said.
Hamstring injury by one of their prospects, Chien-Ming Wang, has somehow pushed Washington back a little. The fact that manager Davey Johnson has announced John Lannan as a replacement, it is not clear whether experts who are airing their opinions on “MLB
Network” have accounted for this development.
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