With less than a month to play, you may be thinking the Nationals are just playing out the string, since post-season participation is not especially likely.
Think again. There are at least three reasons why the ballclub is bearing down extra hard with just a couple of dozen games left on the schedule.
Reason Number One: Avoid losing 100 games. When so many notable baseball writers predicted “historical” badness in March, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that the Nats would lose in excess of 100 games. Once they hit 63 victories — which could happen this week — that threat is off the table. Despite the recent losing streak, they’re still displaying that no-quit attitude on the field.
Reason Number Two: Avoid finishing last in the NL East. With the Marlins in town, the Nats can put some space between the basement and fourth place with a series win. Last year’s Florida squad won 78 games after similar dire pre-season forecasts, winning the since-departed Joe Girardi NL Manager-of-the-Year. Manny Acta had less to work with and unless this year’s balloting is rigged, should receive similar support. The schedule doesn’t favor the Nats, with every game here on out against divisional opponents. At the very least, the Nats can play a huge role in determining who makes it to the post-season from the Eastern Division.
Reason Number Three: Finish with a better record than the Baltimore Orioles. The Birds started the year with high hopes after spending $40 million-plus on bullpen upgrades. Their $93 million payroll is more than double Washington’s, and despite a temporary uptick following a managerial change, the Orioles have reverted to their ways of the past several years. I firmly believe that franchise is on much sturdier footing with Andy MacPhail in charge, but the turnaround is still a few seasons away. The Oriole roster is loaded with players whose contracts make them nearly impossible to move, but MacPhail has displayed some creativity in the past. However, if you were handicapping which team would show up in post-season play the soonest, the smart money is going to be on D.C.
There’s another reason I considered, but it’s one that most readers would perceive as a personal goal, rather than a team goal. Given the personality involved, however, I’ll throw it out there.
Reason Number 3.5: Dmitri Young winning the NL batting title. Young has hung in there for months, making consistent contact at the plate, producing offense, doing an adequate job in the field, but most importantly, perhaps, taking charge of the clubhouse. During the first two seasons of Nats’ baseball, there was really no front-and-center clubhouse leader. Not so this year with the arrival of Dmitri. It’s a role he seems to relish, and coming from where he was a year ago at this precise time, his run at the silver bat and overall demeanor has played a huge role in the club’s overachievement on the field. His teammates clearly love him, and to a man, were thrilled the Nats re-signed him. A batting title would punctuate his comeback with one giant exclamation point.
Hear Phil Wood Saturdays at 10 a.m. on SportsTalk 980 AM and weekly on Comcast SportsNet’s WPL through the World Series.
