Washington Nationals' offence declines even as they hold top position on table - MLB Update
Everything goes well for the Washington Nationals. However, what the Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson cannot be happy about is the way the offence has fared in the season.
A line-up which has not scored as many runs in the season can easily hide behind a shadow of infallible pitchers available in rotation. This cannot be the case forever. A luxury that the offence enjoyed throughout the season, in the form of dominant performances
by pitchers, has started to fade.
It is only a matter of time, if the offence’s decline is not arrested, impact on results will begin. This can derail the Nationals and can put them down on table. Given a shaky top position they hold, inability of offence to supply enough hits in the upcoming
games can make the Nationals realise the actual cost of having a weak offence.
Even since the season has started, only handful of players has stepped up. Every game witnesses either Ian Desmond making hits or Bryce Harper showing some power, while the rest of the hitters have failed miserably.
Steve Lombardozzi has more often than not disappointed. Similarly Danny Espinosa has not supplied the kind of hits needed in start of the innings.
Worse part is hitters who somehow managed better batting averages have struggled in getting to the bases and making most of the chances.
Ryan Zimmerman despite having strong credentials for lifting the charge halfway through the innings has been fairly ordinary.
Earlier he had issues with shoulder inflammation and that kept him out for some games. By the time he returned, he could not pick up momentum from where he had left and ended up wasting numerous at-bats.
For who long the Nationals can sustain without solid offence is a question that has started to haunt the manager more than ever before. With Gio Gonzalez and ace Stephen Strasburg showing fatigue, it is just natural that pitchers are not going to be same
throughout the season.
That calls for a balancing force. Unless hitters play to their potential and begin supplying home runs consistently, a bitter reality awaits the Nationals. It is something fans do not prefer even bringing to mind, at the moment, let alone getting worried
about it.
Thus, before the situation aggravates any further, the manager will be taking appropriate actions and make sure things remain on track.
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