Washington Nationals Trade Deadline Preview
By Ron Juckett
PITCHING
The backbone of the Nationals is their starting pitching. Yet, there is a potential hole on the back end.
Anyone who watches Max Scherzer or Stephen Strasburg regularly enjoys them unless you are hitting. Scherzer’s stuff is so filthy, he can mix sliders in the 80s and fastballs at 96 with such precision you would think he is tossing a yo-yo out there. Pull the string and watch batters swing and miss.
Strasburg is undefeated at 10-0, showing such control he has a K-to-BB ratio of 4.78. Scherzer’s is 4.72.
The best ERA, however, belongs to Tanner Roark. If you wonder why won-loss records are considered a weak stat, consider Roark is 5-4 with an ERA of 2.93. For the record, Strasburg’s is 3.03.
If there is a concern with the front three and Joe Ross—holding his own at 5-4 with an ERA of 3.01—is the long ball, particularly Scherzer. Allowing 17 homers in 13 starts, a lot of good work come October can be done with one hanging pitch. No one else is allowing more than 1.0-per-9, but with a staff of hard throwers ball thrown hard and hit land farther than expected.
Another thing to watch for, no Nats starter has missed his turn in the rotation. Like with the offense, they are not needing to bolster the rotation unless injuries hit.
Next: Closing The Door