30 Teams in 30 Days: Washington Nationals

The Nationals replaced Jim Riggleman with Davey Johnson in 2011. Since then, the Nationals have been one of the best teams in MLB. They focused on player development and developed most of the roster, particularly uber-prospects Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. GM Mike Rizzo has been instrumental in building the roster, signing the right free agents and making extremely good trades, bringing in Wilson Ramos, Denard Span and Gio Gonzalez. Now, with Span in hand, the Nationals have found their lead-off hitter. This team has been called the best in baseball and it is easy to see why: they have a solid line-up of both young studs and veterans, a young rotation with high strikeout rates who eat innings and a solid bullpen. They won the NL East for the first time since coming to DC and had the best record in baseball, so let's see if they repeat.

Starting Line-up
CF Denard Span
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
C   Wilson Ramos

This is one of the most complete line-ups in the league. Span brings them the legitimate CF/lead-off type the team has been looking for, well, for years. Harper is clearly athletic enough to play CF but is a better fit in LF. The Nationals are expecting big things from Harper who should continue to shine. 3-5 are a great group of solid veterans. Desmond really broke through last year and he should continue to produce as a solid offensive SS. Espinosa provides pop, as does Ramos. The biggest concern is the amount of strikeouts this offense piles up - each guy outside of Span can K 100+ times this year, but this team has great depth with Steve Lombardozzi in the IF and Tyler Moore in the OF.

Starting Rotation
SP Stephen Strasburg
SP Gio Gonzalez
SP Jordan Zimmermann
SP Dan Haren
SP Ross Detwiler

Not much you have to say here. A whole year of Strasburg will be extremely beneficial. He and Gonzalez are perennial Cy Young types. Zimmermann (with 2 N's) was fantastic in a full year after Tommy John surgery. Haren gives them another front-line starter at the back-end convenience. Detwiler will be an underrated #5 - very underrated. A great rotation through and through.

Bullpen
CL Rafael Soriano
SU Drew Storen
SU Tyler Clippard
SU Ryan Mattheus
SU Zach Duke
SU Henry Rodriguez
SU Bill Bray

The team snuck in to sign Soriano, who only enhances bullpen depth. Closers Storen and Clippard move into set-up roles. Mattheus and Rodriguez gives them flame-throwers in the early innings. Duke and I am presuming Bray will be the lefty specialists. Another solid group - I think Atlanta slightly edges them, but it's splitting hairs. This team will be the team to beat in the NL and the playoff experience should only help this young team. Full years of Harper and Strasburg and a healthy Haren will make this team very tough to beat. They win the NL East with a record close to last years and approach 100 wins.