The Nationals Best Pitcher

The Nationals Best Pitcher Isn’t Named Strasburg or Gonzalez

The Washington Nationals are blessed with having four really good, young pitchers in their starting lineup. They have a pair of “aces” in Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez, two guys who have all the hype and Cy Young finishes on their resume. Strasburg last season was shut down after 159 innings as he was coming off Tommy John Surgery the year before. There was a lot of furor over shutting him down given the team’s position in the playoff race and the likelihood that they would finish with the best record in baseball and be on the fast track to the World Series. The Nationals responded to that criticism by saying that the plan was in place from the beginning and they wouldn’t budge on it despite their record because they wouldn’t put Strasburg in future danger.

Another factor in the reasoning of the Nationals was that they had Gio Gonzalez, who was in the process of matching R.A. Dickey in stats and wins in the Cy Young race. Having a guy in the middle of such a great season (21-8, 2.89 ERA, 199.1IP, and 207 strikeouts) gave the Nationals some rope to play with and eased their decision making. Also, the Nationals had one of the best bullpens in the majors last season, so the pressure on the starters was minimal knowing they had capable arms behind them to hold leads or keep them in games. Unfortunately for the Nats their season ended with a game 5 loss in the division series to the St. Louis Cardinals, where Strasburg pitching could’ve made a difference but we’ll never know.

Despite all this talk of Strasburg and Gonzalez, the Nationals have another pitcher who had a quality year last year and is following it up so far this season with another fantastic start. When all is said and done this pitcher will go on to show that not only is he severely underrated but will also show that he is not only better than Gonzalez, but Strasburg too. That pitcher’s name is Jordan Zimmermann.

In 2012 Zimmermann ended the year with a 12-8 record. Most will look at that and say that isn’t a good record but when you consider the fact that his ERA was 2.94, he pitched 195.2 innings, and had 153 strikeouts you see a guy who was a victim of circumstance. That circumstance being that he got no backup from his team in the form of run support. Despite the lack of run support, a 12-8 record is quite the feat.

This season however, Zimmermann is on a tear and shows no signs of slowing down. He has a 5-1 record with an ERA of 1.64 and has pitched two complete games, one being a shutout. He has surrendered only eight runs in two starts and is showing a strong command and pinpoint control over all his pitches.

Strasburg this year has had his problems, whether they be mechanical or due to injury, and Gonzalez is pitching nowhere near the level he did last year, begging the question of whether he was a one hit wonder. Zimmermann, at 26, is showing consistency and durability, qualities his counterparts in the rotation have lacked thus far. So while the other guys may have gotten the headlines in the past, Zimmermann is doing his part to get the recognition he rightfully deserves.

How Good is Martin Prado?

How Good is Martin Prado?

I was going to title this article “Is Martin Prado the Most Underrated Player in Baseball?” However, when a longtime teammate (Eric Hinske) calls you the best player in baseball, you’re on the radar not under it. So the question to be asked is this, just how good is Martin Prado? Casual baseball fans probably don’t know who he is and would then not be able to tell you what team he plays for. Can someone who is that good really be an unknown to the casual fan? Everyone knows the Pujols’, Braun’s, and A-Rod’s of the world because of the stats they put up, but baseball isn’t always about the stats.

Martin Prado, in seven seasons, not including 2013, has hit only 52 home runs so he isn’t exactly on the list of derby invitees but he excels at the little things and the mental aspect of the game. Since comparisons are always the way to go when talking sports, you can’t help but evoke the name of Derek Jeter when discussing Prado because of the many similarities between them and their style of play.

Prado gets the edge over Jeter defensively for his ability to play Gold Glove caliber defense at three different positions, and Jeter gets the edge offensively for his ability to hit for more power, but other than that the two may as well be mirror images. Both are right handed with an uncanny ability to hit the ball the opposite way, both are guys you would want up at bat with the game on the line or have the ball hit to with a chance to end it, they both make other players around them better by forcing them to work harder, and mentally both are going to make the right play or the right throw at all times. No two players are better at understanding in game situations. Whether it’s knowing when the double play can be turned or if it’s better to just get out the runner at first, or throwing behind a runner and not allowing a second guy to tag up as opposed to trying to gun down a lead runner, they save their team by using their head by making the right judgment call in that split second.

So getting back to the question at hand of just how good is Martin Prado? Well, the answer is he’s very good. Grit and intangibles cannot be measured accurately but if they could Prado would be among the league leaders every year. He’s a guy that everyone would want to play with and every skipper would want to be able to manage. He may not win the popular vote, but that needs to change quickly. Your worth shouldn’t be measured in home runs and RBI but in the commitment you make to your teammates to do whatever is necessary to win. With Prado’s willingness to already play three different positions in this young season because of injuries and matchups he’s showing just how valuable he is.

Don't Mess With Texas

Don’t Mess With Texas: Why the Rangers May be Better Than Ever

The Texas Rangers entered 2013 with a lot of questions. Will they overcome the loss of players in the offseason? Will the players signed live up to their predecessors? Will the offense be anywhere near as potent? So far, in the first month of the season, the answer to all those questions is a resounding yes. They haven’t lost a step and look to again be one of the frontrunners to make the World Series. Consider the fact that the Rangers have the best ERA in all of baseball, rank 5^th in strikeouts, and 3^rd in batting average against. Offensively, they have the 2^nd best run differential, rank 6^th in home runs, 6^th in RBIs, 7^th in average, and 6^th in on base percentage. Taking into account the guys this team lost and the fact that their Opening Day starters the last two years have two starts combined this season, both coming from Matt Harrison, is astounding.

When talking about the Texas Rangers you have to begin with their pitching. It is well documented this team has an assembly line of arms at their disposal and this year that theory is proving true. Young, power arms are everywhere you look with this team; the best of all being Japanese import Yu Darvish. Darvish is in his second season with the Rangers and while he had a good year last year, 16-9 record with a 3.90 ERA and 221 strikeouts, his game has taken a step up this season.

Darvish is currently 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA and leads the league in strikeouts with 58. Watching him pitch is an experience unlike many others. The guy has at least 6 pitches he can count on at any time to get outs and when his fastball isn’t working, unlike many other pitchers, he doesn’t panic because there’s so many more bullets in the chamber. The rest of the rotation isn’t exactly setting the world on fire but they are making quality starts and doing just enough to hold down the fort until the reinforcements arrive. It also doesn’t hurt them that they have one of the best and deepest lineups tacking on runs left and right for them.

Given a choice, there aren’t too many people who would choose Lance Berkman, AJ Pierzynski, and Leonys Martin over Michael Young, Mike Napoli, and Josh Hamilton, but for the Rangers the tradeoff is working in spades. Lance Berkman seems to be rejuvenated playing in Texas again batting .319 which is a step up from Young last season who looked like age and experience were starting to catch up to him. Pierzynski may not be as good an offensive player as Napoli, who is one of the league leaders in RBI thus far, but defensively they are worlds apart. Pierzynski is a championship catcher who knows how to handle a staff and is doing great with the team. It also helps that he is a brash hard-nosed grinder who will hold guys accountable and make them play hard. For all the success Texas has had lately and as good as they are they seemed to lack that vocal leader like Pierzynski so his effect can be felt just as much in the clubhouse as it is on the field. And finally as far as new additions there’s no bigger gap than the one between Josh Hamilton and Leonys Martin. However, Martin is 25 years old and is a faster, much fresher option in the outfield. Being that he is surrounded by such quality in the lineup, Martin doesn’t need to be Hamilton. He just needs to play good defense and cause havoc on the basepath when he gets on. He makes the Rangers a more well-rounded offense.

The rest of the crew like Kinsler, Andrus, Beltre, Nelson, Ross, and Nathan are all performing up to their typical standards. They are hitting for power, for average, stealing bases, and shutting down opposing hitters with great pitching and great defense. The Rangers could arguably be the deepest team in baseball and that’s before even mentioning guys like Mike Olt and Jurickson Profar, who are top ranked prospects in the system. They could be used as trade bait to bring back a superstar type player or as great bench options when guys need some rest, but either way, there may be no team better suited for the long march to October.

What's Going on With the Pittsburgh Pirates?

What’s Going on With the Pittsburgh Pirates?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a 15-10 record and are in first place in the NL Central. This is a good thing. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games. This is also a good thing. Andrew McCutchen, the team’s best player is currently batting .216 with only 2 home runs and 13 runs batted in. This is not a good thing. So how exactly does one explain the results of their season so far? There’s a little bit of luck involved and a lot of skill as well. First off, not everyone on the roster is teetering along the Mendoza Line like McCutchen. Garrett Jones is batting .324 while Starling Marte, the leadoff hitter and table setter for the lineup is batting .323. Russell Martin, signed this offseason to bolster production from the catcher position, is heating up over his last few games and is leading the team with 5 home runs. A.J. Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez have pitched well thus far, with Burnett leading the National League in strikeouts and Rodriguez posting a 1.66 ERA.

Two more big reasons are factoring into the start for this team and they are factors the Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t always been known for. Those factors are defense and bullpen production. Marte and McCutchen have unlimited outfield range. Clint Barmes, who might be the worst hitter in all of baseball, makes up for it with his swift glove at shortstop. Martin is as capable with the glove as he is with the bat, if not more so. Neil Walker completes the up the middle defensive prowess with an above average glove at second base. When you can’t score many runs it helps that your defense can prevent them so well.

Now comes the time where we talk about the bullpen. Both the setup man and the closer for the Pirates are guys who most teams would shy away from even signing never mind putting into such high pressure situations. Let’s start with Mark Melancon. Last season for the Red Sox at the beginning of the year, Melancon performed so horribly it was at the point you felt sympathetic and had compassion for a guy unable to do his job. This year, he has turned that around and pitched nothing like that guy in Boston. Odds are Melancon, like many others before him, just can’t pitch in a big market but goes on to thrive in a smaller one. There’s no shame in that, like I stated before, he’s not the first guy and certainly won’t be the last. He’s been an eighth inning anchor for this team thus far. Then we get to the closer position. Jason “Grilled Cheese” Grilli was never a guy that struck fear into the hearts of batters and didn’t even put up otherworldly numbers for the Pirates last season. However, this offseason something clicked for him and turned his career around. Joel Hanrahan, the previous closer for the Pirates was traded, opening up the closing spot in the bullpen. Grilli then went on to pitch for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic putting up outstanding numbers in his appearances. That may have given him the confidence boost he needed as not only did he carry that over into the remainder of spring training but into the regular season as well. He currently has 10 saves and is a strikeout machine.

We’ve all seen this song and dance from the Pirates before where they start off strong, hang around for a while making some noise, and then do a complete nosedive in the standings making you forget they were even good at points during the season. However, this season just might be a little different. The NL Central isn’t as strong as it has been in years past, young guys are showing they are capable of producing for the long haul, and their star players aren’t performing to expectations yet. Also, if you believe in karma and being due, they have to have a season soon where everything comes together and they grab a postseason berth. Maybe, just maybe this is that year and the Jolly Roger will be setting sail for October with clear skies ahead.