Washington Nationals’ deserted bullpen to be packed soon as relievers recover from injuries - MLB
With Drew Storen, Brad Lidge and Ryan Mattheus out, dearth of relievers is visible in the Washington Nationals’ bullpen. Languishing with injuries, these players have shortened options, late in the innings for the club. However, once currently missing relievers
come back, the bullpen will be overcrowded.
At the moment, the Nationals suffer paucity of relievers. Whenever a starter is roughed up and matter comes to the bullpen, not just the pitching coach thinks over who to send first, but also he gives fair consideration to the number of pitchers available
as reserve.
This kind of steals freedom from them. At-times, it forces them to let those pitchers go there, to whom they will not find appropriate for the situation otherwise.
Injuries to the main relievers have put the Nationals in an uncomfortable position. While in the rest of the areas their roster nears perfection, bullpen is a cause of their concern.
For example, starters are doing tremendous job. Similarly, their offence possesses hitters like Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse, who can change map of the game in a matter of moments.
However, once injured players are back, the Nationals will be boasting one of the most reliable bullpens in National League. If Storen, Lidge and Mattheus return together, it will strengthen the bullpen to an extent that decision-making for selecting best
options will become complicated.
Limited options will then turn into an abundance of pitchers. Picking out a better hurler when all of them belong to more or less same pedigree will not be easier.
Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson admits the difficulty of overlooking one pitcher in favour of other, by the time the bullpen is filled with quality hurlers.
Understanding the eventual reality panning out, Johnson will be making due planning to respond to the issue appropriately.
“It’s probably something I’m going to have to address before we leave town,” Johnson said. “Maybe as soon as I get through with this conversation.”
Leading the National League East Division table, the Nationals are in search of working out, all the potentials areas that can become the undoing. By the time bullpen is joined by reliable relievers, maintaining top position on table will become easier for
the Nationals.
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