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Atlanta Braves vs. the NL East in 2017: Washington Nationals.

By Alan Carpenter

Oct 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) prepares to pitch during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball game at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) prepares to pitch during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball game at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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They Try Really Hard

It’s kind of funny that we look at the Nationals and lampoon their inability to win a playoff series.  Gotta admit, though, it’s been a bit since the Braves have gone deep in the playoffs, either.

That said, it’s uncanny that the Nats have trouble getting “their guy” in the off-season races, either.

  • Last season, they offered the most money for Ben Zobrist and fell short.
  • They were likewise rebuffed by Jason Heyward.
  • This year, they can’t lure a closer … period.
  • They finished in a virtual tie for second place in the Chris Sale sweepstakes, and were unable to pry David Robertson from the White Sox, even in the Eaton deal.

Now this writing may be premature, they are now suddenly being strongly linked to Matt Wieters (despite having already signed Derek Norris) but even closer Brad Ziegler has also declined their overtures – going with the Marlins instead.  And Ziegler was already 4th or 5th on their shopping list.

The only real contest they’ve won so far has been for Adam Eaton, which most observers agree was after an overpay – though he will certainly be another impactful offensive threat for a team that suddenly has quite a few of them:

* He’s a free agent in 2019. If the Nats don’t win it all in 2017, where do you think the Nats might see more benefits:  waiting until he walks, or trading him after next season?  Yeah…. exactly.

Mile Wide, Inch Deep

But it’s the pitching staff that will have the concern of this club for 2017.  The depth in the starting rotation is all but gone now, and the bullpen is entirely suspect at this point.

Max Scherzer is still there, but he’s really the only reliable arm.  Stephen Strasburg had an excellent start to 2016, but then couldn’t finish and only recorded 147 innings.  Gio Gonzalez didn’t pitch well, and the rest… are a big concern for Washington.

This is where the Eaton deal will cause future headaches for the Nationals:  regardless of what you think about Lucas Giolito, he was still a future rotation arm for them at some level.  But Reynaldo Lopez was almost ready to hit the majors as well, and that leaves them with maybe Austin Voth, A.J. Cole, and Koda Glover as the depth of the organization, save for signing some make-do veterans.

That is actually starting to happen:  Jacob Turner was inked on the 13th and invited to Spring Training.  But they could probably use another arm or two in the upper levels of the organization, whether it’s a Bud Norris of Jhoulys Chacin type of arm… depth is the entire need here… and the Braves managed to snatch away the innings-eaters the Nationals now need.

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