Saturday, March 16, 2013

Rotation order coming into focus

Associated Press
Ross Detwiler rejoined the Nationals today after pitching in the WBC.
VIERA, Fla. -- With Gio Gonzalez and Ross Detwiler set to rejoin the club following Team USA's elimination from the World Baseball Classic, the Nationals are able to begin setting their starting rotation for the regular season.

Without fully confirming the order his five starters will pitch to open the season, manager Davey Johnson essentially revealed Stephen Strasburg will be followed by Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmerman, Dan Haren and Ross Detwiler.

The only moderate surprise there is the use of Haren in the No. 4 spot and Detwiler in the No. 5 spot. The two hurlers had been aligned the opposite way earlier this spring, fully breaking up the Nationals' two left-handed starters.

Johnson, though, seems to be deferring to Haren's veteran status in starting him ahead of Detwiler.

"It's just basically we have him a little ahead of Det in experience," the manager said.
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9 comments:

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

I would reverse 4 & 5

Positively Half St. said...

Forgive me for being happy to see Rick Ankiel get a homer.

Holden Baroque said...

Det-Haren or Haren-Det, you are going to get 2 rightys back-to-back regardless.

D'Gourds said...

Does it really matter? As long as we have both pitching well, what difference could it make who pitches 4th and who 5th? Or 1 -3 for that matter. Never made sense to me.

D'Gourds said...

I guess alternating righties anf lefties and heat vs. junk could help. But it's mostly much ado about nothing.

SonnyG10 said...

Our lefties were great in the WBC. Nice to have them back home.

baseballswami said...

The lefties looked ready, Stras looked ready. 2 more to go. Relievers a mixed bag at this point, but Stammen looked really good tonight. 2 weeks and 2 days.

SonnyG10 said...

Still haven't received an email regarding my game access card. May have to break down and call my ticket rep on Monday.

Unknown said...

Davey manages to PC for my taste. Det is the obvious #4 choice. What's more, he's earned it; Haren has not. Davey is also wrong with Werth in Rf and harper in lf - you always put your best arm in Rf -- always. Werth is just an average of to boot -- but it's all about being PC -- PC is what got us trading Morse for light hitting Span -- a decision they will also regret here shortly.

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