Washington Nationals: Daniel Murphy Our Player Of The Week

A monster opening week for the Washington Nationals earns Daniel Murphy District on Deck’s Player of the Week. Here is why.

Supposedly rusty after riding the bench during the World Baseball Classic, Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy is our player of the week.

Over the first five games of the season, Murphy has stormed out of the gate going 11-for-21 with three doubles, a homer while driving in four. With an opening week slash line of .524/.525/.810, last season’s National League MVP runner-up is gunning to win it this year.

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Whatever hamstring issues that plagued him last year are gone. Murphy’s swing is fluid and free. He leads the Nats in total bases with 17 and his Adjusted OPS+ of 256 is 156 percent above league average. An incredible start.

There was a valid concerned when Murphy did not crack Jim Leyland’s lineup for the victorious Team USA in the WBC that his bat would not be ready for the season. Although it is pitchers who need those five or six starts in Spring Training, batters need roughly 30-50 live at-bats to knock off the rust and get their timing back.

When games count, a lack of playing time against amped up pitchers lead to bad at-bats. Watch how much Matt Wieters bat speed has improved over the weekend in Philadelphia or Jayson Werth’s. Getting the timing correct is crucial.

In all five games so far, not only has Murphy reached base, he has multi-hit games in every game. Saturday’s clunker in Philadelphia was not for him. His 3-for-4 game with two doubles was one of the few bright spots on a dark and cruddy night.

Because he is productive at the plate, Murphy has five runs on the board to his credit, including two of Saturday’s three. He now has 50 doubles as a National, sporting an OPS of .999 and an OPS+ of 160. A future coach—working with Tim Tebow and others last offseason—his approach to hitting garners notice.

Early in the Grapefruit League, the Nats offense clicked, showing the damage it can do over a full year. When Murphy left for Team USA, the productivity dropped and Washington looked mediocre at the plate.

As Trea Turner adjusts to a full year and nurses his hamstring injury, Murphy’s production is critical. We know Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman are off to flying starts, but Murphy is the glue binding the offense together.

Although hitting .524 is rare, as the bullpen issues sort themselves out—like Friday’s near collapse against the Phillies—Murphy and his mates must keep the run machine cranked.

Next: Eaton Gets Leadoff Chance With Turner's Injury

The rewards in October are worth it.

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