Kuzul

The Cincinnati Reds are prepping their Goodyear, Ariz. practice facility for another season of spring training, and five non-roster invitees are looking to carve out their path to the team’s 25-man roster.

In analyzing the team’s depth chart and active roster, it becomes clear that there’s only one spot where a non-roster invitee has a clear-cut path to roster inclusion. The team lacks a backup shortstop, and with no player on the 40-man roster ready to assume that responsibility, it looks as though one of the team’s non-roster invitees will get the opportunity to win that role.

The position battle there will come down to the two infielders with the most big league experience: Ramon Santiago and Chris Nelson. After that, players will likely have to rely on injuries to others to make the active roster.

The positions most likely to see an injury this spring look to be the outfield and the starting rotation.

Heading into the 2014 season, there are some significant concerns surrounding Johnny Cueto and his long-term stability. On top of that, both Tony Cingrani and Mat Latos experienced soreness in their throwing arms by the end of the 2013 season.

Should one of these players go down, then Jeff Francis and Chien-Ming Wang are the two non-roster invitees with the best chance to secure a spot in the starting rotation.

In the outfield, Ryan Ludwick’s health is a major question mark. Although he’s almost a year removed from a devastating shoulder injury that cost him nearly the entire 2013 season, another injury to his shoulder could pave the way for Roger Bernadina to make the 25-man roster.

So, of these five players—Santiago, Nelson, Francis, Wang and Bernadina—which one has the best odds to make the 25-man roster as a non-roster invitee? Let’s find out.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and Fangraphs.com unless otherwise noted.

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“Unbelievable!”

That is the only word to describe Roger Bernadina‘s catch in the fifth inning last night against the Florida Marlins.

Tied 4-4 in the top of the fifth, Florida’s Mike Stanton drives a ball deep into center field only to see the Washington outfielder take flight with his glove outstretched.

Bernadina snags the ball at the top of his glove like a “snow cone” and holds on through the landing.

As this catch is going on, the only thing I can think of is Matthew McConaughey being flown by “angels” to make a catch in the movie Angels in the Outfield.

Bernadina made this play all by himself.

Unfortunately, the Nationals couldn’t hold onto the game the way Bernadina held onto the ball.

Washington lost 6-5 in extra innings in what was their third straight extra innings ball game.

It’ll be tough for Bernadina to top that catch for the rest of the season, but he’ll get the opportunity again today against the Marlins.

The Nationals hope the next time one of their players makes a “catch of the season” type play, they can actually do so in a game that they win.

With not a lot to be excited about, this could easily be their highlight of the year until Stephen Strasburg finds his way back to the mound.

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There is a great deal of consternation right now about the Washington Nationals and their offensive struggles.

Writers, commentators, bloggers and fans think the team’s offense is just not good enough to keep the team around .500—maybe a little better—until Stephen Strasburg finally arrives and saves the day.

But that is simply not the case.

Below is the Nationals’ most-used lineup for 2010. Take a look at the player’s offensive production when projected over the complete season.

CF—Nyjer Morgan:                 .242/.316/.339            24 2B—15 3B—0 HR—24 RBI

2B—Cristian Guzman:               .321/.347/.403            21 2B—9 3B—0 HR—48 RBI

3B—Ryan Zimmerman:          .299/.374/.571            38 2B—0 3B—32 HR—86 RBI

1B—Adam Dunn:                    .270/.379/.546            44 2B—6 3B—32 HR—80 RBI

LF—Josh Willingham:             .275/.429/.529            22 2B—3 3B—32 HR—107 RBI

SS—Ian Desmond:                   .263/.314/.410            22 2B—6 3B—14 HR—80 RBI

C—Ivan Rodriguez:                 .325/.351/.439            27 2B—3 3B—3 HR—51 RBI

RF—Roger Bernadina:              .241/.289/.410            14 2B—7 3B—6 HR—39 RBI

Nyjer Morgan has a career average of .291/.353/.381. There is no way he will finish the season this poorly. Expect him to have a sizzling summer and approach his career numbers by September.

Pudge Rodriguez is 38 and will no doubt end the season somewhere in the neighborhood of .260/.330/.440. Even though he will cool off, Rodriguez should still hit well enough to make him an offensive asset.

The only hole in the lineup is in right field where Justin Maxwell flunked terribly. Willie Harris hasn’t hit well since 2008. Roger Bernadina, after a remarkable five-game span, is returning to the real world.

Kevin Mench, who is Triple-A Syracuse’s every-day right fielder, is currently hitting .303/.373/.379 for the Chiefs with eight doubles, a home run, and 21 RBI.

Mench, 31, played seven seasons in the major leagues and has a 162-game career average of .269/.326/.460 with 21 homers and 76 RBI.

A right-handed batter, Mench hits lefties well. He, and perhaps Willie Harris, are the best options for the Nationals can right now unless they make a trade for a veteran right-fielder.

Six of the eight position players are providing the Nationals with satisfactory to above-average offense. A seventh (Morgan) will eventually hit to his potential, and sooner or later, the Nationals will fix the problem in right field.

From what I can tell, the Nationals struggle offensively because the team lacks timely hitting with runners in scoring position —and especially with two out.

I think the offense—with the exception of right-field—is certainly strong enough and the team’s middle-of-the-lineup sluggers (Zimmerman, Dunn, and Willingham) might be the best in the league right now.

A proven right fielder and the addition of Stephen Strasburg and Chien-Ming Wang to the starting rotation—and the reintroduction of Jason Marquis—make the Nationals a team that could contend for the National League wild card, at least from the periphery, until late into the season.

Let’s wait until John Lannan, Stephen Strasburg, Chien-Ming Wang, and Jason Marquis anchor the Nationals’ rotation before we worry about the team’s offense.

The Nationals would then find their fifth starter from a group that includes Livan Hernandez, Scott Olsen, Luis Atilano, Craig Stammen, and J.D. Martin and could use one or more of the remaining starters to nab a pretty good right fielder on the trade market.

This Nationals’ team will win 77-82 games in 2010, perhaps 85-88 if they find that veteran right fielder with a potent bat.

Man, this has been a fun season. Can you imagine how much more fun it will be once the final pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place?

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