Washington Nationals: 3 early takeaways from Florida

SPEED KILLS

Before the arrival of Martinez as skipper, the Nats understood they needed a roster which could create runs and power them.

Adam Eaton came to Washington because of his baserunning abilities. Trea Turner can swipe bags with the best of them. With the pitching as strong as it is, taking pressure off them saves arms for important games.

But, at least early on, Martinez has removed the restrictions and told the Nats to run. He plans on batting Turner second in front of Bryce Harper. Victor Robles and Michael Taylor have the green light. Once real baseball hits, the added speed game will cause opposing pitchers to think.

Advantage Washington as thinking leads to mistakes.

Any running blunders now are good. Having runners picked off first in February improves chances for success when games count. Remember, aside from getting timing at the plate, it takes a few games for a batter to read pitcher’s deliveries. Especially in these early games when they may see seven or eight.

Martinez will hone the approach as we get into March, but expect the Nats to use their intelligence to create runs. The right roster pieces are there. This squad is fast.