John Matthews
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) They have the Natitude covered. But do they have the Batitude?
The Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing out their best arms for game one of the National League Divisional Series, which gets underway at Nationals Park Friday afternoon.
Max Scherzer, the National League’s only 20-game winner in 2016 against 7 losses, will take the mound for Washington. Mad Max, who won a Cy Young award as a Detroit Tiger in 2013, is a favorite to pick up the award again this year, and he would be a strong favorite to win game one in almost any circumstance.
But the Dodgers aren’t just bringing any old number one starter to the mound. They have Clayton Kershaw. The THREE-time Cy Young award winner, who comes into the game with a 12-4 record and a gaudy 1.69 earned run average on the season, is the consensus best pitcher in baseball.
One could make the case for the Nationals being underdogs against L.A.. The Dodgers won the teams’ regular season series, 5 – 1, and they didn’t even face Kershaw.
With Scherzer and Kershaw on the mound, both teams will be scrambling to manufacture runs any way they can. Fortunately for the Nationals, their leadoff hitter is a veritable run-making machine.
Trea Turner, who just picked up the NL Rookie of the Month honor for the second consecutive time, is a threat to score any time he gets on base. His speed and base-stealing ability keeps opponents nervous, and forces them to account for him on the bases, leading to errors that often lead to runs. Look for Turner to try and bunt his way on base if he can, and create opportunities for his teammates to help him advance.
The Nats are going to need some bats that have been slumbering as of late to wake up and deliver.
Second baseman and MVP candidate Daniel Murphy will be starting for the first time since September 17th, when he strained his buttocks. His .346 season average drove the Nats to the post-season, and his bat will be needed to keep on delivering.
Bryce Harper needs to put aside his regular season self, which had a .243 average and 24 homers – far short of his own 2015 MVP season – and conjure up the Harper of 2014, who hit three homers and drove in four runs in the post-season.
Ryan Zimmerman, who spent the season on and off the disabled list, needs to find his stroke after a disappointing year, batting .218 in 115 games. Zimmerman still has some pop in his bat – he hit 15 home runs – but he needs be more consistent if he wants to stay off the bench.
The Nationals have a potentially potent offense, with starters Anthony Rendon, Danny Espinosa and Jayson Werth all in the 20-home run club this season, along with Murphy and Harper, but in the playoffs, with situational pitching at a premium, the long ball may be hard to come by, so speed and guile on the bases will be crucial.
On the mound, look for the Nats to look to the left. The bullpen has been stocked with southpaws for the NLDS, because the Dodgers are, by far, the worst-hitting team against left-handers in baseball. Sean Burnett, Marc Rzepczynski, Sammy Solis and Oliver Perez should see a lot of work in the next week.
The Nationals’ only left-handed starter, Gio Gonzalez (11-11), has been inconsistent all season, and the club may have him take advantage of home cooking and start game 2 in DC, leaving number two starter Tanner Roark (16-10) to take game 3 at Chavez Ravine.
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