Tagged: UZR/150

Keys To Success/Failure: Washington Nationals

I am starting a new feature, Keys To Success/Failure, it will be
a sidebar link.  For the first
installment of this feature, I will look at a failure, a team that can’t even
spell their name correctly…


The Washington Natinals National


Keys To Failure

Everything!  Alright, in all seriousness, the Keys
To Failure (Hitting, Starters, Bullpen or Fielding) for the Nationals.


And the Keys are…






Why Fielding?

The Nationals rank last in
the majors in Defensive Effiency, at .669.  Over the course of 150 games, (according to UZR/150), the
Nationals defense will cost their team 72 runs!  The only starter on the team who has a positive UZR/150 is
3B Ryan Zimmerman, who has a highly respectable 16.6 UZR/150.  The main defensive culprit for the
Nationals has been Adam Dunn, at first base he is a lawn ornament, and owner of
a -48.6 UZR/150, and in left field, his primary posistion, he owns a -36.7
UZR/150!  The Nats won’t be able to
do anything about this however, Dunn is the best hitter on a suprisingly good
hitting team, and only a madman would keep him out of the lineup.  (Note: A player’s UZR/150 shows how
many runs he will cost or save his team over 150 games, an approximate season.


Why the Bullpen?

The Nationals have overhauled
their bullpen twice this season. 
They do not have a closer, they were recently spotted using Kip Wells,
Garrett Mock, and Joel Hanrahan in a closer by committee.  Injuries, journeymen, the castoffs of
others, the Nats bullpen is an unsolvable mess.


A Solution?

There isn’t one, they need
their poor defenders in their lineup for their bats, and there is no way to fix
the bullpen.