MEDIA ROUND UP! Probably the worst set of predictions for the Nats since 2012.
ESPN
NL East Champ : 3 of 37 (+3 WC)
NLDS winner : n/a
NLCS winner : 0
WS Champ : 0
YAHOO
NL East Champ : 0 of 5 (+0 WC)
NLDS winner : 0
NLCS winner : 0
WS Champ : 0
CBS SPORTS
NL East Champ : 0 of 5 (+0 WC)
NLDS winner : 0
NLCS winner : 0
WS Champ : 0
USA TODAY
NLDS winner : 0
NLCS winner : 0
WS Champ : 0
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
NL East Champ : 0 (staff pick)
NLDS winner : 0
NLCS winner : 0
WS Champ : 0
You know this NLCS and WS is really looking pointless here
NY POST : 0 of 5 titles, 0 series
538 : 37% playoffs, 20% division, 3% Champs
Ringer : 0 of 4 titles, 0 of 4 playoffs
There's a couple more no more playoffs guys on MLB.com so the totals would be something like
3 out of 65 titles, 3 out of 65 wild cards, 0 series appearances
The consensus is mostly that the Nats are good but not good enough to beat out the Mets and the Braves. A handful like the Phillies better though I'm not sure any pick them for the title or the WC either. I don't think anyone would be surprised here if the Nats snuck into a WC spot.
Also Juan Soto gets a fair amount of MVP predictions
Me?
The pitching looks more solid than I would have hoped at the beginning of Spring so I'm going to go high end for my feelings about the Nats. Until the Big 4 get hurt they are going to be in a lot of games and their offense is good. It's not great unless they hit on these FA long shots, but it's good. Good offense, good to great starting pitching, and... ok look the bullpen should be better but with Harris out and everyone looking bad... I think we'll have another failure despite setting it up for success. Hand will be great but no one else can be depended on to meet their goals except for the underrated Suero who's a good arm to have around so far.
The Nats had their season with everything going wrong. That was last year. You didn't notice because it was a garbage season. Corbin had a very off year, Strasburg didn't pitch, Sanchez was terrible, Hudson was terrible, Thames was a bust, Garcia and Kieboom did not hit, Eaton was bad, Robles was BAD, Kendrick didn't hit, no bench guys surprised with good years (got a couple average ones). Outside of Turner and a couple pen arms - there wasn't much surprisingly good. These seasons happen once in a while. Let's assume 2020 was the once.
Anyway good offense, good to great starting pitching, acceptable but infuriating bullpen, no bad luck season, inferior manager (look it'll be three seasons which will be 1 championship and three missed playoffs) that's a combination for being good but missing the playoffs like everyone thinks. I can't see the Phillies passing the Nats, and I also think the Nats will hang around in the area where they COULD make it if things break exactly right, but they never quite do.
88 wins sounds about right to me. Is that good enough for the playoffs? Depends on the Braves and the Mets. If they are as expected - no it won't be. If one collapses? Maybe we'll see another WC.
20 comments:
Has it been announced which Nats are out of tonights's game with the virus? Also, will they only miss tonight or are they quarantined for longer?
Yes - all of them now. Game postponed
For the quarantine question... I'll check on the rules. my guess is waiting on an confirmatory second test. If it comes back there is some sort of set number of days... 5? 10? for quarantine and probably 2 weeks for the actual person
Just heard the news - so disappointed!!
Just wondering if this puts the opening series in jeopardy. Any word on which player or players tested positive?
The predictions feel about right to me. The Braves and Mets are clearly superior teams. The Nats will most likely need good health, some luck and some help to sneak into a WC. It's not inconceivable that both WCs come out of the NL East.
Seems like a slightly optimistic projection which is exactly the kind of projection I want to read on the best damn Nationals blog.
Now comes news that they aren't going to play Friday out of an "abundance of caution". Here we go again - seriously!!!
Chas R -- I think it's not inconceivable but it is likely improbable just given that the Padres and Dodgers cannot both win the NL West. It's probably more likely from a probability standpoint that neither Wild Card comes from the NL East as having both Wild Cards come from the NL East. I think it will be the Padres and the 2nd best team in the NL East.
I do miss the expanded playoffs. I know some folks were pretty ambivalent or even opposed to the idea, but I really enjoyed it.
I’ll go with 85 wins, an no playoffs
Gotta agree with JW, I just don't see how the Nats can pull off a wild card with this offense and the fact that one of those WCs pretty much automatically goes to the NL West. The Nats will be a 90 win team by Pythag, but they're going to lose a lot of close games with this offense
Prediction: 80 wins
I'm sorry -- I have a really hard time taking the Mets seriously.
Nats projected for 83 wins by fangraphs zips. Mets/Braves both got 91.
@Anon
Stop it. We all wanted to see the game played on Thursday. They were scheduled off on Friday. So waiting to get some test results back before resuming play over the weekend is absolutely the correct move. Regardless of how YOU feel about the threat to someone’s health, you have to respect the fact that these players may not share your views. They may not want to be put at risk simply so you have something to watch on TV. Regardless of where you stand on an issue you have to respect the fact that others may disagree with you, and that their views must be taken into account. We are a society. This is how you prosper in a society: by respecting others beliefs even when they run contrary to your own.
We are all disappointed by not being able to watch the game Thursday. But complaining about postponing the game due to this is the same as complained about postponing the game due to rain. It is what it is.
MAT moves to the Royals, throws out two runners from CF and hits a home run in his first game. Rooting for the guy.
@JDBrew
My point is that MLB knew this was a possibility going into the season. Why is the game postponed when both the Nats & Mets have players in triple A ready to go? The Ravens lost Jackson to this in big game against the Steelers and still played. Shows the difference between how the NFL & MLB are run.
And by the way, how to YOU feel about your health as ten of thousands of illegal immigrants continue to stream across our southern border with no regard to whether or not they are carrying the virus? I just hope they don't get bused to your neighborhood!!!
Alright Anon, cut the politics. Immigration has literally nothing to do with baseball (unless we want to talk about Cuban defections I guess?).
As for the COVID pause, they HAD to do this. The people that tested positive on Monday all got on a plane to DC on Wednesday. They exposed everybody on that plane. So while they might not be positive now, the whole team could end up testing positive 3-4 days from then (so today or Saturday). It would be irresponsible to play anybody on that flight
Homer #2 for Taylor! Boy, we could use a second outfielder with an OPS over 1.000......oh right, we're not playing. Feh.
Eventually, the AL pitchers will remember how to throw a curve to him......
80 wins, and (obviously) no playoffs. Additionally, despite all the glowing preseason chatter, the Mets are their usual dumpster-fire selves and finish behind Washington.
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