The Washington Nationals' struggles can be partially attributed to their underperforming players, particularly in the bullpen and key positions. Replacing their six worst performers with league-average players could ostensibly improve their record to 21-17. Despite established reputations, players like Nelson Cruz have failed to deliver on expectations, highlighting the disconnect between past performance and current results. The bullpen is notorious for its poor statistics, including the worst ERA in baseball history for the franchise, which impacts team performance significantly. Inherited runs also skew the perceptions of pitcher effectiveness, revealing deeper issues within the roster.
If only you could replace your six worst players with league average players. If you could do that, the math says the Nats would be 21-17.
Talent alone does not always cut it. Reputation matters until you cannot perform.
The Nats bullpen leads in wild pitches with 18 - but a lot of that has to be shared with the catchers.
If the Nats had last year's bullpen for this year, without even accounting for the inherited runners scored, the Nats would h...
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