Will Strasburg and Wang make the Nationals a contender in 2010?
With today’s acquistion of Chien Ming-Wang, the Washington Nationals could potentially have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball in this upcoming season. Yes, I said it. The Washington Nationals!
Even though that opinion is being based on only two pitchers, I still believe that the Nationals could be very dangerous when it comes to pitching in 2010.
Of course, prior to getting Wang, the Nats signed the highly-touted prospect Stephen Strasburg, who is supposed to be a very special pitcher, according to many of baseball’s finest analysts and scouts. If Strasburg is indeed as good as advertised, he might be one of the toughest pitchers to face in 2010, especially because hitters have not yet faced the young right-hander.
When you add that potential with Chien Ming-Wang, who, in my opinion, was the Yankees’ best pitcher from 2006-08, there is definitely something to be excited about in Washington. But even though the potential is there, that does not guarantee anything.
Wang is coming off of a serious injury, which has really slowed down his career, and Strasburg has not attempted a pitch in the Majors just yet. It wouldn’t be shocking if both of these guys did relatively nothing this season because there is still so much left to prove for each of them. However, if they both pan out to about 75% of their potential, this team could be a real contender for a playoff spot. (Sorry, Nats, but the Phillies are still going to take the division).
All in all, at least there is some positive buzz to be talking about for the Washington Nationals. That has rarely been the case over this franchise’s short existence.
Filed under: MLB Tagged: | Chien Ming-Wang, Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
