Not even the most optimistic preseason forecast saw this coming. The Nationals hoped Michael Morse could establish himself as a regular starter in 2011, provide some nice power in the back half of the lineup and stay healthy enough to play 120 or 130 games. Instead, they might have a batting champion on their hands.
Morse is batting .324. Only Jose Reyes (New York Mets) at .336 and Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers) at .326 have a higher batting average in the National League, and Reyes left his game Sunday in the second inning with stiffness in his left hamstring.
It appeared Morse was finally slowing down in early July, with his average dropping under .300 for the first time since May 30. But since July 6 Morse is playing the best baseball of his career, batting 42-for-109 (.385). He terrorized the Colorado Rockies this weekend in Denver with nine hits in 18 at-bats, including a double and a home run.
Not bad for a guy who started the season as a left fielder — and one who was going to have to fight off Roger Bernadina and Laynce Nix, among others, to hold that job. Morse had a dynamite spring training but was awful in April with a .267 on-base percentage. His playing time plummeted as a result. It was only when first baseman Adam LaRoche went down for the season with a serious shoulder injury that Morse was given another opportunity. He has taken full advantage. Since the beginning of the 2010 season Morse has 629 at-bats — a full season for someone playing every day. During that time he has 34 home runs, a .307 batting average, a .555 slugging percentage and a .901 OPS.
That leaves the Nats with a bit of a conundrum entering the 2012 season. Presumably, LaRoche will be ready to play by then. With $8?million owed to LaRoche plus a mutual option for 2013, that could push Morse back to left field, where his lack of mobility and overall shaky defense take away some of his value. But for Washington that’s a unique and welcome problem — too many good players.
