Will Washington Nationals qualify for 2012 play-offs? - MLB Feature
As the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season nears, debate about which team will make it to the play-offs and which will lag behind has taken a new turn. With some experts pointing at Washington Nationals’ powerful arms and an innovative manager they
have, whether their opinion is based on sound reasons is interesting to explore.
As many believe, the moment a club qualifies for the play-offs and moves toward post-season, role of arm power of pitchers becomes decisive. Analysed from this angle, Nationals certainly possess arms capable of running through line-ups and throwing shut-out
innings.
Gio Gonzalez, Nationals’ starter although was roughed up in his last game, his ability to horrify batters with fastballs is not hidden to any. Throwing at a massive pace of 92-95 mph and then mixing up change-ups, along with two-seam fastball are a kind
of skills that play a pivotal role during final round of the season.
Although Davey Johnson met with a setback to his plans when likely season star performer Chien-Ming Wang got injured, replacement he has announced is equally reliable. John Lannan has been declared a fifth starter and since he has been impressive in Spring
Training, he has what it takes to sparkle in the Big League.
The way Jordan Zimmermann went on to hoodwink batters yesterday in a game against New York Mets goes to prove that Nationals’ pitching strength is by far better than most of the teams in the season. Imagine if he along with Stephen Strasburg, another starter
with Nationals who holds a tremendous career record of .98 WHIP and an equally impressive ERA of 2.54, step up together in crucial games, how far they can take Nationals should not be lost on their opponents.
Resources are so much with the Nationals that even if somebody is injured during the season or has a bad day, they will still have much to count on.
A rather enigmatic factor that gives Nationals an edge is the fact that the talent their pitchers possess are complementary rather than competitive.
For example, if Gonzalez is good at fastball, Strasburg boasts mastery in circle changeups and two-seam fastballs. Together they can be a nightmare for opponents. Imagine a hitter having a command over sending fastball far-offs confronts Strasburg’s curve
and got struck-out, provided he is the most dependable for his side and has potentially to be the match winner, Nationals will certainly be able to turn him off with the mysterious pitching strength they will have.
Moving on, as Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond have restored their confidence on the plate and is actually making big connections, Nationals cannot ask for more going into the 2012 season.
One downside as one may report that why then Nationals have fared poor in Spring Training relative to other sides in their National League East category.
The fact many times in the past have proven that it is not Spring Training performance, it is what your strength in particular areas of the play that matters in regular season negates this criteria.
Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson has exhorted players to never lose sight of what the purpose of Spring Training is for and therefore he believes anything done merely to fetch post match praise will only be short-lived.
Mindset perhaps this may have created may have permitted players to resort to experimentation and start exploring new areas and thus desire to win more games may have lost in the process. No way however does this suggest that they will enter regular season
with the same mindset, in-fact they will take field prepared and all set to launch the best of their talent.
Whatever the results are going to be, as far as resources are concerned, Nationals have their house full and only think they have to guard against is complacency.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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