For the first time in what seems like forever, it’s May, and that Washington Nationals aren’t in first place in the National League East.
Why? Well, the bullpen hasn’t helped.
Continue Reading Do More Or Doolittle: On The Nats’ Late Inning Struggles
Tag Archives: Bullpen
Which Relievers Could The Nats Target: Part Two
A few months ago, I wrote about some relievers the Nationals could pursue in a trade. In the intervening months, during which the Nats’ bullpen has only festered further, more rumors have sprung up about who the Nats may be interested in. As such, I’ll break down a few of those names using the same system I used last time — rating each player’s ability and acquisition price.
Continue Reading Which Relievers Could The Nats Target: Part Two
The Hidden Costs of Not Fixing the Nationals Bullpen
Look: I’m sick of talking about the bullpen, you are sick of reading about the bullpen, but we really don’t have a choice. The Nationals have an elite offense (even more so if they get healthy) and an elite rotation, but have been treading water for the last couple months because of a ‘pen that cannot keep runs off the board. Fortunately, the stiffest competition has a bullpen that is nearly as useless, leading to a massive lead in the division all the same. The resulting popular rhetoric has been “the Nats have time” and “why rush into a move, maybe they can figure things out before the last week of July.” I am here to challenge that notion with some thoughts on the hidden costs of the 2017 Nationals bullpen.
Continue Reading The Hidden Costs of Not Fixing the Nationals Bullpen
The Nationals Have Time to Fix the Bullpen
The Nats bullpen is a dumpster fire with no end in sight. Blowing late inning leads is not what World Series dreams are made of. The question is: How much longer can they realistically afford to survive on the strength of their offense and starters?