The Nats Blog

Starting tomorrow, I will be writing weekly posts for The Nats Blog.  Will Yoder runs a great site over there and the site is apart of the Bloguin network.  There are some good quality posts and a diverse amount of content.  Most recently he has run a Bryce Harper Watch with videos of Harper HRs and 2Bs.  I will be continuing to post on this blog, but am grateful to Will for the opportunity to enter his endeavor with him.

Here is the article and here are some follow-up thoughts that did not make the cut:

-  Not surprisingly, the Nationals bullpen was also last in FIP last year with 5.00
-  Out of 25 blown saves by the pen last year, 3 guys (Hanrahan, Beimel, Villone) accounted for one half
-  I look at the combined totals of the projected top seven guys from the bullpen for this upcoming season, but what about the top seven guys from last season?  Here is what that seven (based off IP) would have looked like and their combined totals:



1.  Tyler Clippard
2.  Mike MacDougal
3.  Ron Villone
4.  Jason Bergmann
5.  Joe Beimel
6.  Saul Rivera
7.  Julian Tavarez

This group made up 61% of the bullpen innings pitched by the Nats last season.  Based off of last year's numbers, this group had combined totals of 4.06 ERA, 4.85 BB/9, and 1.49 WHIP.  Compare that to what the totals would have been for this year's projected bullpen of 3.86 ERA, 4.12 BB/9, 1.38 WHIP.
- While I was hoping they would completely revamp the bullpen this season, I would not be disappointed in seeing Clippard get another year.  He has an excellent changeup, but really needs to cut down the walks.  The Nats resigned Villone yesterday to a minor league contract.  It seems unfathomable that he will make the cut with this year's crop of guys and more than anything this was just a gesture on the part of Rizzo for his work last year (yeah, that sounded funny as I typed it).