Washington Nationals: 4 Dave Martinez goals this off-season
By Ron Juckett
CHANNEL HIS INNER AGATHA CHRISTIE
Martinez’s greatest challenge is finding the missing playoff piece.
Until he gets the Nats on the field, Martinez can pour over the volumes of data from the last two years and watch endless game video. His ability to understand analytics is important, but whatever he can glean from numbers must be reinforced with his eyes and instincts.
Because Washington is a successful regular season club, there is little to change. Perhaps, Martinez can spot subtle changes we cannot and work them into shape in West Palm Beach.
It is a task that will remain a mystery until next October, but the reason Martinez is here is solving the playoff problem. With the NL East figuring to remain weak, whatever he learns will get limited practice over the regular season.
Watch what he says as the off-season moves along. If he gets to specific changes in interviews, then he has done his homework.
As with the other managers, pinpointing the problem is difficult. Baker and Matt Williams approached the game in different ways, but got the same results. Although impossible to guess at what those changes are, they will come.
Martinez’s words carry tremendous impact. Read them carefully.