8
2012
Pitching Is A National Treasure In Washington
An article by 
It’s amazing what that Gio Gozalez trade has done for the Washington Nationals. A lot of those who squawked that the Nats gave up too much are eating crow these days. Damn, I wanted the Mets to go after him so bad last Winter.
The Nationals were smart in locking him up to a five-year, $42 million dollar contract extension which essentially buys out all of Gio’s arbitration years plus one year of free agency and also includes options for 2017 and 2018. Gonzalez, 26, has a 1.72 ERA in six starts and is among the league leaders in several pitching categories.
And what about pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg? Have you ever seen a better and quicker recovery from Tommy John Surgery than this one? It’s amazing… After Clayton Kershaw, Strasburg might be the best pitcher in the league – hands down.
Read it and weep:
This rotation is the best in baseball. They are young, under team control for many years, and will be a lot more to contend with than anything the Phillies can throw at us.
Ross Detwiler has been a revelation for the Nats, looking even better than he did last season when he joined the rotation and gave the Nats ten effective starts. The young southpaw is oozing with potential.
Much has always been expected from Jordan Zimmerman and after his first full season last year, Zimm ishowed up to Spring Camp in February more confident than ever before, and now he is finally delivering on all that promise scouts have raved about for years.
At 28, Edwin Jackson is the veteran of the group. He was signed to a one-year deal this Winter – a signing that now looks largely unnecessary in hindsight. But hey, who knew?
When you look at the top of the standings and see the Nationals in first place with an 18-12 record, don’t snicker and don’t laugh. This team is legit. And if pitching is everything, than the Nats could dominate the NL East for a long, long time.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
21 Comments + Add Comment
Recent Comments
- Metsie: on Sandy Disappointed With Some Of His Moves And The Team’s Performance: Did they save the finances? Here is a...
- taskmaster4450: on Is Ike Davis Really Mike Jacobs Reincarnated?: Maybe its time for Ike to go...
- Mr North Jersey: on MLB Denies Mets Appeal On Harvey Run: That they even appealed this regardless of...
- Mr North Jersey: on Reds vs Mets: Harvey Looks For Sixth Win, Hawkins Unavailable Today, Red Hot Byrd Batting Fifth: Again I only can speak for myself...
- Dave In Spain: on Sandy Disappointed With Some Of His Moves And The Team’s Performance: When you said ¨hawking as an 8th...
MMO Mets Chat
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5381 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
Rizzo has done a good job. Been admiring his work for a few years now.
Well I think for the Mets to have even matched the value of those specs it would have essentially emptied the cupboard. I don’t think anybody here would have wanted to deal Harvey or Familia right? And that probably would have just started it.
I think Gio is good. He is on a ridiculous pace though, so I am expecting his numbers to calm down a bit.
If he threw 202 innings (2011) his pace is to allow 112 hits, 72 Walks, 230 K. He’s not going to keep that pace.
He’s good though, but I think the Nats were in a different spot than the Mets were this winter. We can’t pretend they were.
I will say, I still believe Strasburg will have a short career. I think that is 1 reason why Wash is in “go for it now” mode.
They are a nice team though. They are playing with a chip on their shoulder and frankly, if the Mets cannot win the division, I’ll be happy to look at the top and see Washington’s name in lights over Miami, Phil, Atl.
Familia, absolutely. But I honestly can’t recall what else the Nats gave up, and what it would have translated to Met-wise.
They gave up 3 pitchers and a young catcher
They ranked 3rd, 4th, 9th on the Nats Top 10 list.
So you’re talking about Familia, Mejia, and a catching prospect they don’t have and another arm.
You could maybe say Familia, Mejia, Flores and an arm.
Hi Jessep,
I agree with your suspicions about Strasburg possibly having a short career. Might have mentioned my own inkling came when watching a discussion by of his pitching motion on MLB Network. As he goes into his windup he bends his pitching arm across his back instead of keeping it in level with the shoulder. I believe this shot-put delivery gives him that extra forward momentum to really let lose with a hard whip to fire that ball in but, at the same time, what gives him that devastating fastball and curve could also build up tremendous strain on his muscles, elbow and shoulder which could also be the source of limiting his career.
I’m not sure but I think it was Larry Bowa presenting this observation.
Great job Joe, They’re pitching has been insane… Of course, it will come back to earth soon, but in the meantime they are pitching very well, specially at home, where they’re 12-4, overall they lead the league in ERA, Quality starts, Whip and BAA… Amazing job by the nats so far…
No doubt, I guess the good news is that even with that start they have not pulled away and as you said unless they are going to shatter team pitching records then they have to come back down.
Nice research, I knew they were doing good but when you see how good it’s pretty remarkable. Like someone else mentioned I’m not sure they can sustain a run like this, it would end up being historic if they did. But their accomplishment thus far is well worth noting.
They don’t really need to sustain the pace they are on. If they hold this on for a little while longer, they should be able to ride their pitching into the playoffs, where they’d be very tough in a short series.
It’s May 8th.
It’s a shame the situation in Oakland forces Billy Beane to ship out proven young talent as they begin approaching arbitration and free agency.
We don’t know if any of the four players he got in return for Gonzalez in the long term will make this trade appear good for both sides. Two keys, of course, are A.J. Coles and Tommy Milone.
Some considered Coles Washington’s top pitching prospect. So far he is being rocked in A+ but it will still take two years in the minors to really access him.
Tommy Milone, who made his debut pitching against the Mets last September, is with the big club now and though he has a fine 1.118 whip he also sports a 4.42 ERA pitching with all that foul territory that batters hate at Oakland. Part of that has to be due to giving up five home runs in his first six starts (36 innngs or an average six innings per start).
The other two seem like throw ins.
Derek Norris is starting his sixth year in the minors and even though he is hitting .297, five seasons in the minors makes one wonder if he doesn’t have the mechanics for the big leagues. Brad Peacock is 3-1 with a .3.24 ERA in triple A, but like Norris, he is also starting his sixth year in the minors.
Just heard that the Mets will annouce Thole will be put on the seven day concussion disabled list.
Certainly the odds are they have to even out eventually. Hard to believe they can all keep up this pace!
Plus, isn’t Stras on some kind of team-imposed innings limit this year? Could swear I saw someplace that he is ony going to be allowed to throw something like 150 maybe?
“Damn, I wanted the Mets to go after him so bad last Winter.”
Were you willing to give up Harvey & Niese?
He said “Go After Him” Not “Get Him” LOL
I know, but I hate reading stuff like that. I wanted Roy Halladay a few years ago, but after he denied the Mets, I stopped caring.
Hopefully in a few years people will talk about our rotation the same way…
Niese, Gee, Mejia, Harvey, Wheeler…Our time is coming….
Nothing like good, young pitcher under team control for years to come.
the ideal way to do it. Build the bulk of the rotation in your system, so you get them while young/cheap. And have enough depth to then trade extra arms for an established guy (Gio). And if there is a spot left, get a ST veteran guy to fill the spot for a year.
And with his knuckleball, who knows how many more years we have left with the young at heart R.A. Dickey to add to that rotation?
The jury will be out on Straussberg because of his pitching motion but only time will tell but Aug and Sep will tell how far this staff goes this year, next year maybe.
Jackson, Gio and I think Zimm have pitches quite a few innings but Strassberg and Detweiller will be the difference but they do have Laman, I think that is his name, in minors if not traded.
I think Nats will shut down Strassberg when he hits his pitching limit cause they are planning for future.
Anyway enough with the niceties, I have a dislike for Nats cause their announcers, along with Dibbs before he left, are so homer’s, as bad as Marlins that it’s like scratching the chalk board with your nails.
Hopefully down the road Harvey, Wheeler, Groski and Familia will be our mother loade to allow us to compete pitching wise.
Well according to O’Leary Strausburg, Zimmerman, and Gonzalez have problomatic mechanics with an inverted-w and timing problem. Zimmerman already had Tommy John surgery as did Strasburg. He feels that 2012 should be the years as all 3 pitchers may fall apart in the future as what happened to Wood and Prior in Chicago. So while all three are young neither of them may be durable from year to year.
With the exception of Hudson Oaland pitchers don’t do as well and break down once they leave Oakland usualy because to begin with their mechanics were not good.