Washington Nationals Difficult Season Continues
Nationals' Woeful First Half Performance Difficulties
Jul 9, 2009
As the Washington Nationals head towards the Major League Baseball All-Star Game break on July 14, 2009, they find themselves with the potential of equaling or perhaps breaking, the major league baseball loss record. As most baseball fans know, the New York Mets are the standard for modern-era (1900-present) futility, posting a 40-120 record in 1962. “The Amazin’s” were of course, a first-year franchise team, while the Nationals are now in their fourth year in Washington.
As of today the Nationals are mired in last place in the National League East with a major league worst 24-58 record. Their on-field difficulties are spread across the spectrum of baseball requisites: timely hitting, solid defense and strong pitching. A look at some of the numbers within these categories helps to explain why they may be headed towards the record books.
Washington Nationals Offense
The highlight for the Nationals is an offense that ranks 18th in the Major Leagues in hitting. Indeed, the team features four players in the top 50 in hitting, and one, in Adam Dunn, near the top of the league in home runs. However the numbers are deceiving. Only one player, Christian Guzman, is above .300. Even Ryan Zimmerman, who began the season with a 30 game hit-streak during which he hit .382, is now under the mark.
Dunn, acquired by the Nationals as a free agent before the 2009 season, gives the Nationals a legitimate long ball threat, but not the type of clutch hitter needed for wins. Dunn has struck out a club-leading 95 times, including 28 times with runners in scoring position, and 29 times with two outs. Of his 74 at-bats with RISP, 28 have resulted in strikeouts.
Washington Nationals Defense
The Nationals defense is statistically the worst in the Major Leagues albeit by only a percentage point above the Arizona Diamondbacks. (Ironically, current interim Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo was the Director of Scouting for the Diamondbacks). The Nationals infield has been particularly ineffective, committing 59 errors in total, of which 31 come from the left side, 18 from the shortstop position alone. The net result of the defensive inefficiency is 46 unearned runs for the season, worst in the major leagues.
Washington Nationals Pitching
Much of the Nationals problems have been attributed to a weak bullpen, and there is merit to the argument. However, Nationals picthcing has been fairly ineffective across the board. Washington’s starting pitchers have a 5.20 ERA, with John Lannan at a staff best 3.45; no other starter is below a 4.52 ERA for the season.
As for the bullpen, the Nationals have 12 pitchers with 10+ appearances for the season, all of whom combine for a 5.84 ERA.
With little support in the field, the Nationals pitching staff has a very slim margin for error. The pitching staff doesn’t help themselves in that category either, as they’ve committed nine errors as a staff. Overall, National pitching leads the major leagues in walks, and only the Pittsburgh Pirates have fewer staff strikeouts.
The Nationals will in all likelihood avoid the ignominy of finishing with only 40 wins, as only 17 wins for the remainder of the season will get them to 41. Assuming a similar or slightly better mark for the second half of the season, they may squeeze out perhaps 50-55 wins. It will be interesting to see what Washington management attempts to do over the off-season to improve the team’s chances of cracking the 60 win mark next year.
