My Team - A Look Back At The Nationals' Season

Some team stats, courtesy of MLB.com:

OPS: .709, 16th of 30 teams
Runs scored: 656, 15th of 30 teams
WHIP: 1.23, 4th of 30 teams
Bases on Balls: 405, fewest of 30 teams
Fielding Percentage: .982, 24th of 30 teams
Defensive Efficiency Ratio: .691, 19th of 30 teams
Total Errors: 107, tied for 7th most of 30 teams

Welcome to the cherry-picking portion of my work. I watched quite a few (but not every) Nationals' game this year, and saw some good things and some not-so-good things. First, the good:

a) Young pitching from the farm showed lots of potential. Roark, Jordan, Krol, Davis and Abad all showed promise & a willingness to challenge hitters. If a healthy Detwiler or Ohlendorf can hold down the #4 slot in the starting rotation, there is gonna be enough depth to minimize flat spots in the rotation. Next year, Washington's starters are good enough to keep the team in nearly every game.

b) The bench was tweaked. Lombardozzi has a knack for contributing as a pinch-hitter. Hairston has power off the bench, but will he get enough ABs to stay sharp? There is room for OFs Brown and Kobernus to possibly make the club from the start. After Moore's demotion and recall, he showed the power he possesses. Next year's bench should be younger. Hopefully, it will be as productive as 2012's bench.

c) Guys like Rendon and Ramos showed they belong. Rendon gained more confidence at the plate as he got more ABs. He has potentially 15-homer power, but maybe that means he isn't destined to play 3B. He was nimble enough to play 2B, but had occasional lapses of concentration. Next year is crucial to show he can be a consistent major league ballplayer.

Ramos handled the pitching staff well after Suzuki was traded to Oakland. He also showed plus power as he got everyday ABs. Now, he has to stay healthy and catch approximately 140 games next year.

Overall, the team is in pretty good shape. Fielding was shaky the first two months of the season, and the fielding percentage was doomed from that point forward. The offense was shaky as well, with that not warming up until August.

What do the Nationals need for 2014? Not much, actually. A steady start to the season would make a huge difference. If the regulars play up to their capabilities, 92 or so wins is definitely reachable. That total will have them squarely in the hunt for at least a wild card slot. Good health for Zimmerman and Harper (for two examples) will go a long way towards the team getting off to a good start.

One concern I see is the back end of the bullpen. Soriano had a decent year overall, but his mid-season shakiness hurt the team. Storen has the stuff & experience to close for a pennant contender, but he too has to keep challenging hitters & not succumb to the wildness.

2013 was a disappointing season, but the team won 86 games while playing numerous rookies. I think this team is set for 2014, and potentially can be fun to watch. I can't wait.