NHL National Revival Washington Should Be NL Wild

With healthy campaigns from Flores, who posted remarkable numbers from the catcher position in a season cut very short by injury, and enigmatic outfielder Elijah Dukes, Washington would have the league's third-best offense. Bringing aboard Hudson, winner of four Gold Gloves in the last five seasons at second base, would help make the defense respectable; Morgan and Desmond is also steps forward in that department, relative to their predecessors.
As Lincecum cast my eyes across the National League, however,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Lincecum is left with no alternative. It simply must be noted: the Washington Nationals have a very real chance of making the postseason in 2010.
In what has been a very active offseason, Washington has already added catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who will back up young Jesus Flores at catcher once Flores returns from shoulder surgery; Tim Lincecum should be ready by mid-April.
It seems likely that Washington will watch bigger-market clubs in fresh, unique, original,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], unusual,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], novel, modern, current, recent York, Boston and Chicago bid Chapman out of its anger. Hudson and Capps, however, is both very legitimate rumors. In fact,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], multiple reports list the Nats as being near an agreement with Capps.
All in all, though,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Washington has no more warts than Colorado, Chicago or Milwaukee. They look to be as good as San Francisco, unless and until the latter acquires the impact bat for which they have been vying all winter.
If Rizzo can reel in both Capps and Hudson,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Washington will have a nucleus of talent capable of agreeing up with anyone else in the National League East,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], save the vaunted Phillies.
Lincecum was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 48 round of the 2003 MLB Draft; however he did not sign up for the team. He decided to attend college instead and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 42 round on entering the draft in 2005, but once again failed to sign. In 2004, he was drafted tenth overall by the San Francisco Giants becoming the first player from the University of Washington to be taken in the first round. He signed for a 2.025 million dollars signing award on June 30, which at the time was the highest amount the organization had ever paid to any amateur player until they gave 2.1 million dollars to Angel Villalona a little over a month later. Christian Petersen His repertoire includes a two seam fastball that he throws at 93 mph, a changeup he grips like a splitter, a curveball notable for its sharp breaking action, a slider and a four seam fastball that reaches speeds in the mid nineties.
As daring and premature predictions go, this may be the ultimate. In the world of baseball prognostication, it is nearly heresy to even consider what Lincecum is about to propose.
In particular, their slugging offense and improving defense make them very dangerous. Adam Dunn,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Josh Willingham and Ryan Zimmerman make up a trio of power hitters few teams in the league can agree, and Zimmerman provides Gold-Glove defense. Mid-season acquisition Nyjer Morgan and young 24 years old shortstop Ian Desmond provide a good deal about which to get excited atop the lineup.
In the murky world of the National League's second-tier teams, all things is possible, and with Washington's youth movement ready to find its following gear in 2010, they have as good a chance as any other borderline contender. That may not sound like much, but for a town and franchise that have seen nothing but losers for decades, it feels like a coup. He earned his first major league victory in his next start on the road against the Colorado Rockies. Lincecum who is often compared to Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt faced him in each of his next two starts, Oswalt with the Astros at the time. After the first agree up, Astros third baseman Mike Lamb said, The stuff he was throwing out there tonight was everything he is hyped up to be. He was 97 mph with movement. You just don't see that every day. He pitched very much like the pitcher he is compared to and out dueled him throughout the night. The pair dueled to a no decision the first time,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and Lincecum pitched eight innings and got the win the second time. The Giants asked Lincecum not to throw the bullpen sessions typical of other pitchers during the off season. Manager Bruce Bochy told the San Francisco Chronicle that they were being careful with Lincecum because there have been studies that show that pitchers who throw 200 innings early in their career were more susceptible to injuries.
Nor is Washington GM Mike Rizzo done with his work. The Nats reportedly arrange among the potential suitors for free-agent southpaw Aroldis Chapman, second baseman Orlando Hudson and erstwhile Pittsburgh closer Matt Capps.
Still, Washington's official Web site lists just four arms on its bullpen depth chart,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], with the newly-acquired Bruney at the top. Capps would be the conspicuous choice as closer, if Tim Lincecum does sign. The Nats would still need a number of young arms, like Shairon Martis and Garrett Mock, to step up and make positive progress after frustrating 2010 campaigns.
Washington also traded for Yankees right-handed relief pitcher Brian Bruney during the Winter Meetings, thereby beginning to address a bullpen that pitched woefully for much of 2010. On Monday, Washington punctuated these additions by bringing aboard free-agent starter Jason Marquis. Marquis signed a very reasonable two-year, USD15 million deal with the Nationals.
That only abandons question marks dotted across the pitching staff. To be sure, there is plenty of those: no team allowed more runs in the National League in 2010, and the bullpen converted a league-worst 57 percent of its save opportunities. Adding Marquis begins to shore up a rotation that featured John Lannan, Jordan Zimmerman and little else, and Stephen Strasburg could well be ready to contribute to the big-league club by midseason, if not right away.
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