Health of players is a concern for Washington Nationals’ Davey Johnson going in to October-MLB News
As October nears, the Washington Nationals are preparing rigorously for the challenges ahead. They know that the time has come to make the most of the success they enjoyed in the season.
Qualifying for the post-season does not mean that the Nationals are going to give up the pursuit of winning the World Series on the premise that they have already achieved something enviable. Manager Davey Johnson is conscious of the effort needed from the
players to stay ahead of the challenges in the crucial games down the line.
Johnson has no illusion about the level of fitness and the form required to beating the opponents in the post-season. For the same reason he has decided to rest his starters for as long as the regular season continues after the Division title has been clinched.
He aims to see all the players fully fit and in a position to be aggressive on the field.
The fact Michael Morse and Ryan Zimmerman are prone to sustaining an injury is not lost on Johnson as he has expressed his apprehensions regarding them.
These two batters have been the cornerstone of the offensive success of the Nationals in the season. Undoubtedly their absence in October can be damaging for the team.
Morse earlier had issues with his left wrist but he recovered quickly. Although he plays the games regularly now, there is an underlying concern that the pain in his wrist may reappear again.
Similarly Zimmerman was administered a cortisone shot as he suffered shoulder inflammation the other day to make sure he keeps playing throughout the season smoothly.
"My biggest concern is always health," Johnson said. "Michael is a big offensive cog and an offensive weapon. He has been fighting some nagging injuries. We need to get him going. Other than that, I like the way this ballclub is, top to bottom. [With the
exception of injuries], there is nothing that I see as pressing other than 'Let's go through it boys. Let's do battle and enjoy it. This is what it is all about.'"
Johnson has worked really hard both during the season and in Spring Training with the Nationals. He will be extremely happy as his effort has borne fruit so far.
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