My Team - Nationals versus Tigers

Starting pitchers -

Tuesday: Jordan Zimmerman versus Sanchez
Wednesday: Haren versus Fister

With all their struggles, the Nationals are only 2.5 games behind Atlanta for the lead in the National League East. One would suspect as the weather warms, Washington will start to execute better at the plate, in the field and on the mound.

A quick two-game home interleague series against Detroit is a great test for Washington. Sanchez struck out 26 batters in his last 14 innings.  Nobody talks about Fister, but he's a) 4-0, 2.48 ERA & 1.13 WHIP; and b) in his two no-decisions he's given up 2 earned runs in 13 innings.

Oh, by the way, the Tigers can hit as well. Between Cabrera, Fielder, Hunter (who still has life in his game) and Peralta, they will score. When Victor Martinez warms up, yikes. This team looks to be the best in the American League (I know Boston has a great record). Maybe Detroit is the best in baseball so far.

For the Nationals, Span's OBP is starting to decline. They need him back at .400 or so, drawing more walks and scoring more runs. Ryan Zimmerman is back at third base, so the lineup is starting to get healthy again.

My guess is Zimmermann matches Sanchez out-for-out (maybe not strikeouts, but outs), in a great pitchers' duel. The next night, hide the women & children because Detroit is gonna go off against Haren (who has pitched well his last two starts). A split of these two games isn't a bad result.