Washington Nationals: Why They Chase Another Starter
By Ron Juckett
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
The good news is whatever internal autopsy the front office did leads them to believe another veteran starter is the missing championship piece.
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How they do that without paying too high of a prospect price and fill their closer and catcher holes is tricky. As high as the Nationals are on Severino at catcher, Mike Maddux called his pitches in the playoffs.
Unless he has a monster spring, Severino is not leaving Florida as the everyday catcher. The future is his whether that reality is 2017 remains to be seen.
The problem with playing down a name closer is, what if we get into mid-season in a tight race with no one Dusty Baker can trust to lock down games? There is a reason the Nats went out and got Melancon when Jonathan Papelbon’s tank hit empty. We saw how important and flexible closer’s were in the playoffs.
A long winter means rumors, most being feints or messages to players we will read about in future books. The Washington Nationals have the prospects and payroll to make any reasonable deal they want to happen.
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If starting pitching is the big hole, they can fill it. Whatever happens between now and when Spring Training rolls around, be prepared to be stunned. The Nats front office feels they can win now, and will do what they can.