Washington Nationals News: Max Scherzer seeks consistent approach in ’16, Bryce Harper earns another accolade
By Pablo Roa
Today’s District Daily features stories on Max Scherzer‘s goals for 2016 and yet another accolade for Washington Nationals outfielder and NL MVP Bryce Harper.
Good afternoon DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.
In today’s Daily, David Driver of Pressbox D.C. discusses Nationals ace Max Scherzer’s goals for the 2016 season. As Driver writes in his article, Scherzer looks to stay consistent in 2016 after struggling in the second half of last season.
Scherzer was one of the few bright spots of the 2015 season for the Nationals, who signed the right-hander to a 7-year, $210 million deal last winter. While Scherzer finished the year with 14 wins, two no-hitters and an impressive 2.79 ERA, he struggled at times in the second half.
As driver notes, Scherzer was one of the best pitchers in baseball during the first half of the season. The right-hander went 10-7 with a 2.11 ERA and 150 strikeouts prior to the All-Star game. Had he maintained that pace throughout the remainder of the season, he likely would’ve been a strong contender for the NL Cy Young Award — which would’ve been the second of his career.
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But Scherzer wasn’t able to carry his pre-All Star break production into the second half, and like the Nationals’ playoff hopes, his chances of winning the Cy Young Award all but disappeared in August — when he went 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA.
If the Nationals want to contend in 2016, they’ll not only need to improve in almost every aspect of the game, but they’ll also need their best players to stay consistent all season long. Scherzer was phenomenal in 2015 for the Nationals, but given his struggles in the second half of last season, there’s reason to believe he can be even better in 2016.
Also in today’s Daily, ESPN’s Eddie Matz discusses Bryce Harper’s latest recognition for his dominance in 2015. As Matz writes, Harper was named ESPN’s MLB “Player of the Year” — one of many impressive accolades that the 23-year-old slugger has earned this offseason.
Be sure to check out both articles below, they’re definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.
Nationals’ Max Scherzer seeks consistent approach in 2016
Washington, D.C. — It may hard to believe that between June 20 and Oct. 3 of last season, Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer posted a 5-7 record as a starter.
What makes it hard to fathom is that on each of those dates, Scherzer threw a no-hitter. One at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates June 20, and the other against the Mets in New York Oct. 3 during his last start of the season.
He became just the sixth pitcher in major league history to throw two no-hitters during one season. Read full article here.
Bryce Harper is our MLB ‘Person of the Year’ for 2015
When it comes to baseball, 2015 will be remembered as the year of Bryce Harper. Sure, you could make an argument for Jake Arrieta or Alex Anthopoulos or a handful of other names, but you’d be wrong. Nothing against his royal Cy-ness or the recently crowned Exec of the Year, but from spring training all the way through October and beyond, both with his actions on the field and his words off it, no individual consistently dominated the baseball conversation the way Harper did. In the process, Harper proved that, in a sport starving for transcendent superstars as it struggles to stay relevant to young America, he’s both the present and the future of the game.
“Where’s my ring?” That’s how the Year of Bryce began. It wasn’t a clown question, bro, but rather a rhetorical one. Uttered by Harper on the very same day he reported to spring training back in February, the quip — a reference to how stacked the Washington Nationals were following the offseason addition of $210 million ace Max Scherzer — thrust Harper into the headlines, where it seemed like he stayed for the next nine months. Read full article here.