Washington Nationals are in for a World Series victory-Part 1
Even if the Washington Nationals did not introduce changes on the roster during offseason, they would still be a strong World Series win contender for the 2013 Major League season.
Their exclusion in the playoffs from the season during 2012 was more due to their inability to deal with pressure than the lack of talent in the team.
If the talent was the reason, then they would have never got through the regular season. Winning 98 games was a stupendous achievement, which more often than not results into the bagging of the glory in the post-season by that team.
By the way, the Nationals could have gone on to surpass the figure of 100 wins, had they not got a little carried away by the thumping success they had since the start of the season.
Regardless, the Nationals are ideally poised to finish the unfinished business next year. They have the rotation, which is arguably the best in the Major League, especially after the entry of Dan Haren in it.
As regard to the offence, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper are all set to unleash splendours next year. Unlike the last season, Werth will play the whole year, provided he stays healthy. We all know how damaging he can be for the oppositions, once he is fit
and excited.
The indication of it can be taken from the mammoth home run that he struck against the St. Louis Cardinals during Game 4 of the National League Division Series.
From the very day he resumed his expedition after returning from injury in the last season, he was horribly outstanding at the plate.
Assuming that he carries the sublime form to the next year, he guarantees a consistent run-support for the pitchers of the team.
Then, there is Bryce Harper, who, if history is any indicator of the talented rookies’ future performances, is going to pound the hurlers all through the season during 2013.
Harper stumbled for some time during 2012 and had a slump affecting his otherwise a successful campaign. It was mainly due to his newness in the Major League, as opposed to having a faulty technique at the plate.
This means, naturally, Harper has learned some lessons and thus improvements are bound to come off from him.
As far as the pitchers are concerned, there is a little cause of worry for the team.
Off-course, there is hardly any doubt that they will shine during the regular season but the fact they are vulnerable to pressure cooker situations makes them less than ideal for the playoffs.
For example, no one can complain the existence of Gio Gonzalez in the rotation right now and rightly so, but the problem with him is that he struggles immensely during the high profile games.
Against the Cardinals in the post-season, he was looking like a mediocre hurler, despite the fact he was exceptional until the conclusion of the regular season.
His outings in the playoffs were the epic reflection of the toll the pressure had taken on his head.
If he does not look back at those subpar shows and tries to change his approach for big games a bit, he can seriously become the weak-link. The cost can be as horrific as the exit from the playoffs, just as it happened with Washington during 2012.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
To be Continued in Part 2....
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