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Those who frown upon National League baseball often point to the pitcher hitting as a reason why the game isn’t as appealing as its American League counterpart.

The pitcher batting ninth tends to be an automatic out. With little ability (or interest, as it sometimes appears) to make any sort of contribution at the plate, pitchers are usually asked to bunt. If pitchers are going to make an out anyway, managers figure they may as well move along a baserunner. 

But some pitchers take the responsibility of hitting seriously and are quite good at it. Miami Marlins pitcher Carlos Zambrano has hit respectably in the past. In three of his 12 seasons, he’s actually hit .300. Dontrelle Willis hit so well with the Marlins and Cincinnati Reds that whenever he struggled as a pitcher, many suggested that he should be moved to the outfield. 

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg has become a threat with the bat as well. This season, the Nats’ ace is hitting .348/.375/.652 with four doubles, one home run and two RBI in 25 plate appearances. Those four doubles are more than some players with eight times the number of at-bats, including Orlando Hudson, Justin Smoak and Marlon Byrd. 

With Strasburg pitching through his first full season since undergoing Tommy John surgery, it’s been generally understood that the Nationals will impose an innings limit on their ace.

According to Kevin Kaduk of Yahoo! Sports, general manager Mike Rizzo disputes reports that Strasburg’s season will be capped at 160 innings. But that number may have been considered without a division title run in mind. With the Nats leading the NL East, that innings limit may get pushed up a bit, depending on how Strasburg looks as his workload increases. 

But considering how Strasburg has been hitting, should the Nationals still try to make use of him once he’s reached his innings limit and is shut down for the season?

Not too many teams can bring a bat off the bench with a .348 batting average and .652 slugging percentage. Strasburg could be a valuable pinch-hitter at the end of the season, or maybe even during the postseason. 

Even better for manager Davey Johnson, Strasburg could be especially effective against left-handed pitching. Yes, we’re talking about a sample size of only eight plate appearances. But Strasburg is hitting .571 (4-for-7) against lefties this season. He hit his home run off Baltimore Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. 

Would Johnson consider bringing in Strasburg to face, say, Aroldis Chapman in the late innings of a playoff game between the Nationals and Reds? Maybe the stakes are too high there. And Johnson would probably opt for a veteran like Mark DeRosa, or perhaps someone with some pop like Tyler Moore if a pinch-hitter were needed in such a situation. That’s the safer move. 

It’s probably worth mentioning that Strasburg began his major league career batting 1-for-30 with 12 strikeouts. Did something just click for him at the plate or is Strasburg’s true ability as a hitter somewhere in between that terrible beginning and his current success?

But if there were no better options than Strasburg, why not use him off the bench? If he keeps hitting the way he has, he might be the best option.

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On Friday, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel dominated the Washington Nationals in a 2-1 Orioles victory at Camden Yards.

Saturday, Washington hurler Edwin Jackson returned the favor.

Jackson tossed 6 1/3 strong innings, as the Nationals beat the Orioles 3-1.

Jackson surrendered just one earned run on four hits, while striking out five on the night. With the victory, Jackson goes to 4-4 on the season and his ERA shrinks to 2.91.

Tyler Clippard picked up the save for the Nationals—his 11th.

Wei-Yin Chen took the loss for the Orioles. The rookie left-hander pitched five innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits.

With the loss, Chen is now 7-3 with a 3.38 ERA.  

Offensively, the Nationals got on the board first in the top of the second inning when Xavier Nady singled home Michael Morse. A throwing error by third baseman Wilson Betemit allowed Washington’s first baseman Adam LaRoche to score from second base.

LaRoche tacked on another run for the Nationals in the top of the fourth inning with a solo shot over the right center field wall—his 13th of the season.

Baltimore’s lone run came in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Orioles center fielder Adam Jones deposited a laser just right of the foul pole over the left field wall. Jones’ homer was his 19th of the season.

A bright spot for the Orioles, the team’s bullpen pitched four more scoreless innings in what has become one of the most reliable bullpens in baseball.

But on this night, Washington’s bullpen did not blink either, holding Baltimore scoreless in 2 2/3 innings of work.

With the win, Washington moves to 41-28. They hold a 3.5 game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East.

The Orioles fall to 40-31, and are now 2.5 games behind the AL East leading New York Yankees.

Baltimore and Washington will battle once again Sunday at 1:35 p.m.

Ross Detwiler (4-3, 3.34 ERA) will square off against Jake Arrieta (3-9, 5.83 ERA) in the grudge match of this three game series.

James Morisette is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. You can see his full archive here.

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Since bursting onto the scene on April 28^th, Bryce Harper has taken the baseball world by storm with his all-out style, rocket arm and most importantly, willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Still only 19 years old, Harper is undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in all of baseball, capable of making a highlight reel in a multitude of ways on a nightly basis.

It’d be tough to argue that the phenom hasn’t lived up to the absurd expectations that began when he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old, and has since followed his rapid ascent to the major leagues.

In fact, one could even make the case that if the season ended today, Harper’s outstanding numbers and role in reversing the Washington Nationals’ fate would garner National League Rookie of the Year honors.

Playing in 44 games this season, Harper is batting .294/.370/.524 in 192 plate appearances with seven home runs, four stolen bases and 19 RBI. More importantly, Harper has registered a 1.5 fWAR (FanGraphs WAR), which is tied for second in the National League with the Mets’ Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and trails only the Reds’ Zack Cozart (1.8).

Still, it’s important to note that Harper has posted such marks in nearly 20 games less than both players. And oh yeah, he’s five years younger than Nieuwenhuis (24) and seven years younger than Cozart (26).

Here’s a statistical look at how Harper compares to other notable rookies in the National League:

As you can see, Harper is leading all National League rookies in nearly every offensive statistic, a true testament to the impact that he has made in his first 44 games with the Nats.

But while Harper may be tearing it up at the plate, the race for N.L. Rookie of the Year becomes a bit more complicated when considering the performances of Wade Miley (Diamondbacks) and Lance Lynn (Cardinals).

Miley, a left-hander, has arguably been the Diamondbacks’ top pitcher over the last month, as he currently owns an 8-3 record, 2.30 ERA and 3.72 xFIP over 82.1 innings pitched. Overall, Miley’s outstanding season thus far has resulted in a 2.3 fWAR.

And then there’s Lance Lynn, the savior of the Cardinals’ rotation who may very well be headed to his first All-Star Game in July. Making 13 starts this season, the 6’5″ 250-pound right-hander has posted a 10-2 record, 2.42 ERA, 3.24 xFIP and 9.48 K/9 over 81.2 innings. Lynn’s dominance thus far has resulted in a 2.0 fWAR.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the two:

While an argument can be made for either Lynn or Miley to be the National League Rookie of the Year (if the season ended today, that is), I firmly believe that the award should still go to Harper. What he’s done at 19 years old both on a statistical level, as well as the impact his performance has had on the Nationals as a whole, is almost unprecedented.

Furthermore, a position player who is able to contribute at a high level for 130-140 games in a given season needs to be considered significantly more valuable than a pitcher who takes the mound every five days and tallies roughly 30 starts per season—assuming that they stay healthy.

The same philosophy should be translated in a similar manner for the present argument, as 44 games played must be considered far more valuable than a starter who has made 10-15 starts thus far.

Would Harper be the N.L. Rookie of the Year if the season ended today? Please. That’s a clown question, bro.

Bryce Harper is a generational talent performing at a high level on baseball’s biggest stage. Who knows? If the Nationals ultimately make the playoffs, we may be having the same discussion regarding the phenom’s MVP candidacy.

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Bryce Harper continues to improve with every game that he plays, as does every one of the Washington Nationals.

After the Nats were swept in Miami at the hands of the Marlins, they have won eight of their last ten and the last five in a row.

Harper got the Nationals on the board in their latest victory over the Toronto Blue Jays with a mammoth blast in the third inning to give the Nats a 1-0 lead. They never looked back and won the game 4-2.

Many though that the Nats would have issues going against American League teams on the road, but they have proved that that is not an issue. They are coming off a sweep of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park and are on the verge of sweeping the Blue Jays in Toronto. 

The Nats biggest challenge might come when the red-hot New York Yankees make their way into Nationals Park this weekend.

The Nationals are quickly becoming one of the best teams in the league and their dominance over the American League helps the Nats in the argument of who the best team in the MLB is.

The pure brilliance of Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez give the Nats two Cy Young candidates in the front end of their rotation. It is hard to find a starting five that can contend with the Nationals’ five.

Their lineup continues to surprise, even with Michael Morse still getting back in the swing of things since returning from his season-long DL stint. 

The one person in the lineup who has been a sure thing has been Harper and he is crucial to the success of this team. He is hitting .307 with seven home runs this season and provided the spark that this team needed.

It might be too early to tell, but thus far the Nats are passing every test in their pursuit to show the rest of the baseball world that they are the best team in the league.

Follow @NargOnSports

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Voting for the 2012 All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City is under way, with the first results being released this past Tuesday.

One name missing from the ballot is Bryce Harper‘s, and many are probably wondering the same thing I am—does he deserve to partake in the weekend’s events?

Let’s just take a look at his numbers.

Nothing really jumps out at you when you look at Harper’s stat line—maybe his four triples surprised you, but that stat alone won’t be enough for him to make the squad.

He’s been solid all around in his rookie season. With six home runs, 17 RBI and a line of .288/.367/.532, he has put himself in the running for the NL Rookie of the Year award.

For me, the most impressive stat I see on Harper’s line is his .367 OBP. For a 19-year-old playing in the majors, that’s very impressive.

Again, that won’t help him to make the All-Star team, though.

At this point, it seems as if the only way that Harper will participate in the All-Star festivities is if fans write him in. That’s not exactly a bad situation, as there’s no doubt that most fans would love to see Harper in the game.

Major League Baseball would greatly benefit from having Harper in Kansas City for the game. They could very easily market his personality, and the fact that he’s in the game could even draw more fans to the contest.

Harper has already done great things for the game of baseball, which will likely be enough (in the fans’ eyes) to warrant an All-Star nod.

Whether or not his achievements within the game of baseball are enough remains to be seen.

In the end, I see Harper making the team as a write-in.

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Fleet-footed center fielder Michael Bourn could possibly be a trade target for the Washington Nationals according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

On the surface, this move really doesn’t make that much sense. After all, the Washington Nationals have Bryce Harper to hold down center field, and the Atlanta Braves would probably not be that interested in trading a potentially dangerous leadoff hitter to a division rival.

However, this move does make a little bit more sense if you look a little bit deeper.

According to Jayson Stark of ESPN, the Washington Nationals have essentially said that Bryce Harper is not going to be their center fielder.

With that statement, the Washington Nationals insinuated that they need to find another center fielder.

Now, why would the Atlanta Braves trade Michael Bourn within the division?

Jayson Stark mentioned in the same article that the Atlanta Braves are most likely to pursue pitchers at the trade deadline since their offense seems to be running smoothly.

Who would possibly be a better trade partner than the Washington Nationals if the Braves want pitching and to also get some return on Bourn, who will be a free agent at the end of the season?

The Washington Nationals are obviously not wanting for any type of pitching right now with an overall team ERA of 2.95. They have plenty of depth already, and they might actually have even more if Chien-Ming Wang makes a strong return.

When you look at it from that angle, a trade kind of makes sense. Both teams would be trading from their strengths to patch up their shortcomings.

However, the fact that the Braves and Nationals are probably going to be locked in a battle at the top of the National League East could very well put a hold on this trade.

It is a very interesting thought, and you would think that both teams would be interested in becoming better. However, the fact of the matter is that this is a major risk for both teams even if it should be a perfect match.

Imagine the repercussions if one team came out far ahead on this type of trade. What if Michael Bourn, all of a sudden, became an MVP caliber outfielder? His presumed dominance would clearly and directly hurt the Atlanta Braves’ postseason aspirations.

With the threat of a double disappointment, it is very unlikely that either team would pull this type of trade.

So, to answer the question in the title, it seems as if Michael Bourn would fill the void that the Washington Nationals believe they have in center field, but this type of trade would not fit in this situation.

Whether you think I know everything or nothing about Major League Baseball, you should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook and keep in touch. I love hearing what you all have to say!

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According to government data, the average American male stands 5’9” tall. The average MLB pitcher is considerably taller, at over 6’2“.

Yet, as with many things, there are notable exceptions to the rule. Some of MLB’s top starters and closers this season are not much taller than the rest of us average American males.

Turn the page for five of 2012’s best pitchers who are listed at 5’11” or shorter.

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“He has the best stuff, the best repertoire of pitches that I’ve seen on any one single pitcher,” Chipper Jones said about Stephen Strasburg Friday, as reported by Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Who are we to question him?

I mean, none of us has ever faced Jones’ teammates Greg Maddux, John Smoltz or Tom Glavine. Neither has Jones, but he has seen enough of each to compare them to Strasburg.

Jones batted against Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana, Randy Johnson and possibly the greatest of them all, Roger Clemens.

Don’t conclude that Jones has said that Strasburg is or can be greater than any of the above-mentioned future Hall of Famers: He said Strasburg “…has the best stuff, the best repertoire of pitches…”

Maddux and Glavine relied on their assortment of pitches.

Smoltz, Santana, Johnson and Clemens had unbelievable fastballs that they complemented with either cutters, curves or split-fingered fastballs. Their two pitches made them more effective than Strasburg’s repertoire might ever make him.

Jones is an old man by baseball standards. He is hanging on, which is, in some ways, admirable. This season, despite injuries, he is batting .307 with five home runs in 101 at-bats.

One question is, how would Chipper Jones at his peak—which is when he observed Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine—have ranked Strasburg?

At the age of 23, Strasburg has started 26 major league games. He has pitched 145 innings.

It is impossible to know what kind of a career Strasburg will have. In 2010, he tore his ulnar collateral ligament, which resulted in Tommy John surgery.

A long time ago, there was a pitcher named Karl Spooner that had as good a fastball as anyone had ever seen—or at least it seemed that way to opposing batters in Spooner’s first two starts.

Karl Spooner made his major league debut  on Sept. 22, 1954, shutting out the soon-to-be World Champion New York Giants.

The Brooklyn Dodgers‘ young left-hander struck out 15 Giants to set the strikeout record for a major league pitching debut, which J.R. Richard equaled a few years later.

In his next and final start of the 1954 season, Spooner shut out the Pirates, striking out 12, to set the record of 27 strikeouts by a pitcher in his first two games.

Brooklyn fans shouted, “Spooner should have come up sooner.”

Pitching at Fort Worth in June 1954, Spooner had hurt his knee while playing pepper. He eventually needed surgery.

He changed his motion because of the bad knee, and he was finished at the age of 24.

Chipper Jones isn’t alone in his evaluation of Strasburg. We can only hope that the Nationals ace fulfills his potential.

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The Washington Nationals called up Chien-Ming Wang earlier this week with intentions of using him out of the bullpen and keeping him on a starter’s schedule.

Although he is not starting games right now for the Nats, he was able to record his first win of the year in his first game that he has pitched in this season.

After taking over for Ross Detwiler in the fifth inning, Wang pitched three innings of one-run ball and was on the winning end of the decision. 

The Nationals scored four runs in the first and held off the Atlanta Braves as they chipped away the rest of the game. 

Leading 4-3 in the seventh, the Nats broke out for three more runs to give them some breathing room.

They held on to win the game 7-4 to keep their division foes at bay in the NL East and give Wang his first win of the season.

Wang can certainly be valuable to this team down the road. 

If Stephen Strasburg truly does get shut down around 160 innings, then Wang can fill in for him or if the man he took over for on Friday, Detwiler, struggles, then it will be Wang who gets the call to replace him in the rotation.

The Nats are lucky to have a quality arm coming out of the pen right now to eat up innings and pick up their starters.

Follow @NargOnSports

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Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are the future of the Washington Nationals. 

Strasburg will be the ace of a formidable starting rotation for years to come, and Bryce Harper will anchor the outfield and the lineup with his five-tool talent. The future is in good hands. 

Here are seven reasons why the Washington Nationals need to quickly sign both players to long-term contracts to ensure the successful future of the franchise.

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