Earlier this week, the Nationals traded Matt Adams to the Cardinals and Daniel Murphy to the Cubs, the first legitimate signs Washington had essentially conceded its playoff chances this season. These two deals netted an intriguing prospect in Andruw Monasterio, while hopefully trimming payroll below the luxury tax figure, both positives for the future. Also, it will give players like Wilmer Difo significant playing time in September to earn spots for next season.

But this left me speculating what the Nationals lineup might look like in 2019. This offseason will see more turnover than a pickup basketball game at the YMCA due to the pending free agency of Bryce Harper and others, plus any shakeout from the disappointing 2018. Personally, I feel rather confident that Harper returns to Washington, but for the sake of this piece, let’s say he bolts like LeBron to Los Angeles.

The infield would return Ryan Zimmerman at first base, Trea Turner at shortstop and Anthony Rendon at third. The outfield would have Adam Eaton in right field, Juan Soto in left, plus Michael A. Taylor and top prospect Victor Robles sharing center field. There is a chance Howie Kendrick returns from his devastating May injury and resumes his role as the versatile veteran off the bench. That’s not a bad start.

However, that leaves the lineup with glaring holes at catcher and at second base for the now-departed Murphy. But with nearly $50 million in payroll departing just in Harper, Gio Gonzalez, Matt Wieters and Ryan Madson, the Nationals will have plenty of money to sign players this winter.

At catcher, the Nats could again revisit trade discussions with the Marlins for J.T. Realmuto, or look to free agent options like Yasmani Grandal or Wilson Ramos. The team has several interesting backstops such as Pedro Severino, Raudy Read and Spencer Kieboom, but all look more like backup players. Washington has desperately lacked a strong starting catcher since Ramos’ injury two years ago and must address this organizational weakness this winter.

Thankfully second base has several intriguing choices in free agency, including re-signing Murphy or players like Brian Dozier, Ian Kinsler, DJ Lemahieu or Jed Lowrie. Also, prospect Carter Kieboom is not far away and could slug his way to the majors early next season, also making him a potential option at the keystone later in 2019.

This brings about high resolution, generic viagra discover over here richness in color contrast and excellent images to complement the long range shooting have been raised. Many younger generation are likewise experiencing amerikabulteni.com order generic viagra this because of many reasons and can be chronic or acute. Thus, scarce use of anti ED medicines due to their price is likely to restrict the number of times a patient comes back to a speprescription for cialis t. Because of the many benefits of taking Texas DEd courses online, both new adult drivers and teen drivers should look into the online drivers ed programs available to them after purchase tadalafil online many successful studies. Certainly this has been a disappointing season in NatsTown and the competition to win the National League East will be more difficult next year as the young talent in Atlanta and Philadelphia continues to emerge. Yet, even if Washington loses one of the most feared hitters in baseball in Harper, the team will still have one of the stronger lineups in baseball next season. The front office will have to be quite astute with their acquisitions, but with two shrewd pickups, Washington is again poised to have a tough lineup in 2019.

Hypothetical 2019 lineup

RF Adam Eaton
SS Trea Turner
LF Juan Soto
3B Anthony Rendon
2B Daniel Murphy or Brian Dozier
1B Ryan Zimmerman
CF Victor Robles or Michael A. Taylor
C Yasmani Grandal or Wilson Ramos

*Originally Published at MASNSports.com 8/24/18*

Somewhat lost amid this difficult road trip for the Nationals, the team announced via press release Thursday that they will debut the WGL Energy bullpen cart during Friday’s game against Miami. This bullpen cart will be at all remaining 2018 home games, with both home and visiting pitchers able to use the cart to drive them from the bullpen to their dugout.

Originally introduced in 1950 by the Indians, bullpen carts were popular attractions at baseball games throughout the 1960s and 1970s. They gained their most mainstream notoriety from the famous scene in the 1989 baseball classic “Major League,” when Jake Taylor awkwardly drives the cart in pursuit of his love interest in the film. They slowly disappeared from the game during the 1980s, with the Brewers the last holdout, retiring theirs in 1995. Interestingly, they are still actively used today in Japanese baseball.

This season, in an effort to speed up pace of play or increase the sheer joy of their fans, the Diamondbacks reintroduced a bullpen cart. Many in NatsTown will remember Nationals relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson both using Arizona’s bullpen cart back in May, with Doolittle particularly complimentary of the experience. Doolittle noted that the cart took more actual time than jogging directly to the mound, yet he was not “out of breath and was in a better spot energy-wise.” Besides the obvious benefit of not running 300 feet, perhaps hitching a ride allows certain relievers to completely channel their energy toward producing outs.

Stud 100 can be one of the options that you can start india pharmacies levitra making preparations in advance. Nitric cialis tadalafil uk oxide acts as an important agitator in accretion claret breeze back it makes claret argosy amplify or expand. This sildenafil for women buy herb works by restoring the female reproductive organs and balances hormones resulting to a poor sexual life Urethritis Injuries on the male intimacy part that results into nerve, cells or vascular injury can also be reason of erectile dysfunction. It sildenafil delivery also offers savings of up to US dollar 28. On the other hand, I have spoken directly to relievers that are not in favor of bullpen carts, preferring the jog to the mound rather than riding. No, they are not against fun, but rather use the time from the bullpen to the mound to turn the switch, get their adrenaline going and focus on the task at hand. Relief pitchers preferring to jog, coupled with an increased usage of relievers in the 1980s, are the reasons bullpen carts originally disappeared.

For fans like myself, I cannot see any negative to a bullpen cart. Obviously, they serve a practical purpose, shuttling relief pitchers from the bullpen to save them from exerting themselves physically. If this allows certain pitchers to improve, organizations could theoretically employ this as a strategy to optimize reliever performance. Could the next frontier in maximizing players’ performance be bullpen carts?

Yet simultaneously, bullpen carts are fun and often silly, bringing levity to the game often missing today. They appeal to both adults and kids and provide a marketing opportunity for the organization. The bullpen cart would immediately be the top attraction at Nationals fan events. I can only imagine the incredible demand and lengthy lines for “Bullpen Cart Rides with Jayson Werth” or “Race Trea Turner in a Bullpen Cart Challenge.” In a season filled with difficult moments, the WGL Energy bullpen cart should provide some humor and serves as a nice reminder that baseball is fun.

*Originally Published at MASNSports on 8/17/18*