Washington Nationals: Joe Nathan Experiment Must End

After five rocky games, the Washington Nationals and Joe Nathan are not a good fit. Washington is a championship team, while Nathan has no role.

When the Washington Nationals signed Joe Nathan before the start of Spring Training, they hoped he could help the younger relievers on the team while carving a role for himself. After five rocky appearances, the chances of him making team are slim.

Despite one Nats staffer telling FanRag’s Jon Heyman Nathan looks “fantastic,” the reliever has been anything but in games.

Spring statistics are tricky to measure. For relievers, most appearances this time of year find pitchers facing a mix of major- and minor-league talent. You might face a team’s best hitter to start an inning followed by one hoping to earn a promotion in the minors.

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As Nathan continues to rehab from his second Tommy John surgery, the command shown in games is underwhelming. Too many pitches either miss the strike zone or get hit.

In five innings, he has surrendered seven hits and three earned runs. Add two walks to the pair of strikeouts and the 1.800 WHIP to the mix and it is hard to swallow how anyone considers that fantastic.

When you constantly get behind in the count, you push. With a fastball topping out around 92, according to the few times Nathan has pitched with a radar gun, he depends on sliders and breaking pitches to help. So far, he has fooled no one.

As pitchers age, they learn how to pitch instead of throw. You get to where it is impossible to blow away batters. Nathan understands this but cannot establish an effective fastball to work his other pitches in. Batters are waiting for a mistake and pouncing.

Yes, a limited sample size does not tell us everything. As the two runs allowed against the Miami Marlins Thursday suggests, Nathan continues to scuffle with his own pitches. Once, as with Stephen Strasburg Wednesday, can be written off as a bad day.

Four of five games is different. Nathan does not have “swing and miss” stuff. At 42, it is admirable he feels he has something to offer. With so much expected this year from the Nationals, this is not the best team to be experimenting with.

Some thought Nathan would compete for the open closer job. Instead, it is hard to see what role Washington would use him in. Unable to shut down batters, you cannot put him in any true leverage situation. As a one-inning arm, he will not be a long reliever.

With seven spots in the pen, the only role he could fill is pitching in blowout games the Nats are destined to lose. Even then, there are other and younger arms—A.J. Cole comes to mind—who are a better fit.

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Washington has bullpen depth—remember, we have yet to see Joe Blanton—and should pass on Nathan making the club. There are other teams who could find a role for him but, based on the numbers and eye test, the Nationals are not a good fit.

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