Best season in Washington provides hope
The Nationals ended the 2011 season feeling pretty good about the progress they made this season. They closed with an 80-81 record, a double-digit improvement in victories for the second consecutive year, and were third in the National League East, their best finish since they moved to Washington in 2005.But the team's improvement came in spite of some disappointing individual performances, and as players departed for the offseason, many of them said the Nationals could have been even better.Outfielder Jayson Werth, who signed a seven-year, 126 million deal with the team in December, had a disappointing first season with the Nationals, hitting just .232 with 20 homers and 58 RBI in 150 games. His dropoff from 2010 was one of the big stories in baseball early this season, and it characterized an offense that struggled all season.The Nationals had the fourth-worst batting average in the National League and ranked 12th in the NL with 624 runs. That kept them below .500 for the sixth consecutive season despite an overachieving pitching staff that had the sixth-best ERA in the league.With plenty of young players having rounded into form in 2011, though, the Nationals have plenty of reasons to be optimistic for 2012. They have two players, in catcher Wilson Ramos and second baseman Danny Espinosa, who probably will get Rookie of the Year votes. First-year closer Drew Storen saved 42 games, and shortstop Ian Desmond hit over .300 in the final month of the season while batting leadoff.The Nationals' biggest reasons for optimism stem from what they'll have at the front of their pitching staff to start next season. Stephen Strasburg is back from Tommy John surgery, having pitched five games in September. He struck out nine batters in his final start of the season.Strasburg will be joined by Jordan Zimmermann, who had a breakout year in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. Zimmermann, who had a 3.18 ERA in 26 starts, led the team with 124 strikeouts and will pair with Strasburg to give the team a formidable top two in the rotation.The Nationals still could use help for their two young aces in the rotation, especially considering Strasburg will likely be on the same kind of innings limit Zimmermann had this year. They'll also likely pursue a center fielder who can hit at or near the top of their lineup.But having solved a number of questions in their lineup and rotation, the Nationals can head into 2012 with plenty of confidence.
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