It's called improvement.
By going 17-10 in September, the Nationals finished the 2011 season at 80-81. That meant they had improved by 11 games from the season before. They had also improved by 10 games from 2009 to 2010. Adam Kilgore, the Nationals beat writer for the Washington Post, figured out that the Nationals were only the eighth team since the start of division play in 1969 to have a double-digit victory improvement in consecutive seasons.
None of the previous seven teams continued an upward climb in the third season, but the Nationals believe they can end that trend. They also think their strong 2011 finish can carry over into a strong 2012 start, which could set up an exciting series with the Phillies in early May. One thing that could help the Nationals is a friendly early schedule. They play only one team in April that had a winning record last season.
"Yeah, I do to a point [think it can carry over]," said Jayson Werth, the former Phillies rightfielder who received $126 million to join the Nationals last season. "I think it always goes back to talent, and I think talent-wise we might have as much talent or more than anybody. It's young talent, it's unproven talent, but it's there."
It is young and it is there.
The Nationals had the first overall pick in 2009 and 2010 and came away with Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper.
Strasburg, 23, returned from Tommy John surgery late last season and still looked like the most electrifying young pitcher in baseball. Harper, only 19 years old, is making a rapid climb through the minor leagues and will likely be in the Nationals' lineup at some point this season.
Washington's young talent goes well beyond the oft-hyped duo of Strasburg and Harper.
