Washington Nationals: Top Predictions For 2017

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

We have turned the calendar and found the crystal ball. What does 2017 hold in store for the Washington Nationals? We know you want to find out.

The calendar has turned to 2017, and we have tracked down the old cracked crystal ball to make predictions for the Washington Nationals.

After last season, anything is possible. Then again, you can say about any year. The big difference heading into 2017 is the Nats have expectations. If you believe the front office, they are real and the bar is set high.

Can they reach them? Well, although we will try to predict the future here, as you know there is a fair amount of luck that goes into a marathon regular season and surviving the sprint of the playoffs. The one thing we can know for sure is we have no idea how the next 12 months will play out.

Here are a few things that might happen. Some are things we wish for and others, not so much.

Whatever happens in the upcoming season, we know it will not be boring and the chance of having a healthy and full set of fingernails next October are non-existent.

Without further ado, here are a handful of predictions guaranteed to be long forgotten for 2016. As with the old preseason magazine predictions from those old enough to remember, they are all void by Opening Day and should not be flaunted next Autumn on Twitter as proof of what an idiot the author is.

(Some of you probably will anyway.)

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

GIO GONZALEZ LOSES STARTING ROTATION SPOT

Before the trade of Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the Chicago White Sox for Adam Eaton, Gio Gonzalez was told he was earning his spot in the rotation in 2017.

Even with those two gone, Gonzalez will battle A.J. Cole and Austin Voth for the spot in West Palm Beach. It will come down to the last week of Spring Training before Gonzalez has a bad game and Cole puts together a solid five-inning stint to take the job up north.

Now, injuries and a couple bad performances gets Gonzalez back into the rotation, but watch for this storyline to develop going forward.

With Max Scherzer pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, there will be room for the younger starters to get the innings Scherzer would normally have, as long as the US team survives.

One question asked of Gonzalez last year was his mental fortitude once he slumped last year. If not for the injury to Stephen Strasburg before the playoffs, you could make the argument Gonzalez would have pitched from the bullpen in the NL Divisional Series and Joe Ross would start Game 4.

In one of the rare roster battles the Nats face this year, Gonzalez might be the odd man out. How he handles it tells us plenty on the direction of 2017.

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HARPER, EATON SWAP OUTFIELD POSITIONS

This may seem likely, but the plan at the moment is to use Bryce Harper in right field and Adam Eaton in center.

Eaton is an outstanding right fielder and a slightly below-average one in center. Watch for Dusty Baker to experiment with them switching in Spring Training and Harper signing off on the switch.

In the rush to move Trea Turner to his native shortstop, they traded the above-average glove in Danny Espinosa away to make everyone happy. When Eaton came from the ChiSox, the writing was on the wall for Espinosa. Once he expressed his displeasure, he left for Los Angeles to help the Angels rebuilding effort.

Although the upgrade to the offense is immediate, to get the better part of the defensive equation in place, Eaton needs to be in right. There might be a few angry words to the press at the start, but both outfielders will dazzle the beat writers early.

By the time we see meaningful baseball, they will be comfortable in their new positions and we will wonder why we had this conversation.

It should not take long with Turner at short and Eaton in right for those who questioned the Giolito deal to like it. Especially if Turner’s glove is as hot as the bat.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

BLAKE TREINEN WINS THE CLOSER’S JOB

With Mark Melancon leaving for the San Francisco Giants and Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen not pitching in the home whites of Washington, the Nats need a closer.

Although the veteran Shawn Kelley is favored to win the job this spring, if the Nats do not sign a free agent, he faces a three-way audition with Blake Treinen and Koda Glover.

With Glover throwing the best stuff, his age and experience work against him. Treinen’s ability to produce ground balls and get needed strikeouts works in his favor. Treinen comes north with the role.

How long he holds the job is another story. Pressure will be immense on whoever gets the ninth inning and a couple early blown games will see the role shift to another pitcher or force a mid-season trade.

Watch who pitches the fourth inning multiple times over the first couple weeks in the Grapefruit League. He is the closer going forward. Although Glover will be groomed for the role in time, Treinen’s upside is as high.

The other advantage Treinen has is he is not an old recipient of Tommy John surgery as Kelley is. If they need someone for pressure pitching three games in a row, Treinen is in the best position to do it.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

STRASBURG EARNS CY YOUNG

It is safe to say Stephen Strasburg enters the first year of his new seven-year contract with a major chip on his shoulder.

After a flexor mass strain sidelined him before the playoffs, questions over his durability and why the Nats sunk so much into his extension have left the ace itching to prove everyone wrong. Before his first injury last year, he was 13-0 and looking the best in his career.

Expect that Strasburg to take the National League by storm in 2017. He will pitch with a massive chip on his shoulder and give Scherzer and the bullpen some relief.

This will be the year he passes 200 innings and post a high-two ERA. As with Matt Harvey with the New York Mets, Strasburg goes into the 2017 campaign understanding his legacy is on the line. He will get it done.

Daniel Murphy will contend for a batting title and Bryce Harper regains his confidence at the plate, but the resurgence of Strasburg as a dominant pitcher becomes the story.

Along with Trea Turner and Scherzer, those six players represent the Nats down in Miami for the All-Star Game, although Strasburg will not pitch in the actual game.

Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

NATS ADVANCE!

When all’s said and done, the Washington Nationals will outlast the Mets and finally repeat as NL Eastern Division Champions.