Washington nationals
This is a team that is still starting Christian Guzman at short. Let’s face it the best thing the Nationals have going for them is the new ballpark. Anything has to be better than RFK, but I am excited to see what the new park looks like. My guess is it will be a hitters park (most new parks are), and that should add to this team’s struggles.
Win Total Over/Under is 71.5. I’ll go with the under. I know there is that old axiom in baseball that no matter the talent level, a team will win 60 games and lose 60 games, it is what they do with the remaining 42 that determines their fate. I think the Nats will go 5-37 in those games.
Player most likely to have a Home Run Break Out Season: Elijah Dukes. Similar argument to my Delmon Young pick yesterday. Dukes is a significant talent that has struggled with maturity. He has decent power hitting 45 Home Runs in just under 1500 minor league at bats, while slugging .454 and had an OPS of .818. Last year in Tampa, he hit 10 Home Runs in 184 at bats, but struck out an astounding 44 times.
I believe that Young is the better bet among the two, but Dukes will be given a chance to show what he has on this team. This of course, leads me right to my next prediction.
Austin KearnsPlayer most likely to have a disappointing Home Run Season: Austin Kearns. It’s not that I am down on Kearns’ talent, he is a decent to good player. His problem will be getting at bats this season. Well at least as long as he is on the team. I think he is a logical choice trade given the Nationals would be stupid to play him over either Dukes or Lastings Milledge. I guess Wily Mo Pena is more likely to go to the bench. Regardless, Kearns will probably have to platoon at best, taking away about 200 at bats this year.
Bold Statement: The Nationals will go 0-fer against the NY Mets this year (0-18).
Best Case Scenario for the Team: The win the inagural game at the new stadium on March 30th against the Braves.
Best Chance for Hardware (League Awards): Let me reuse my joke from the Royals post. The only way this team gets any hardware is if the team bus stops at Home Depot (different store, same lame joke!).
There will be no roundtable for this team as Sky and I could not find an interested blogger for the Nationals. Just another reason this team will struggle this year. Next Victim: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Orange County of the State of California of the United States of America of the North American Continent of the Pacific Continental Tectonic Plate (Anaheim is west of the San Andreas fault) of the Planet Earth.