Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Nationals have started this 2013 season much slower than a lot of people would have expected. Washington was just 10-8 going into Monday’s play and will be without Ryan Zimmerman for the next two weeks. This is the time for one player in particular to play much older than his age. This team needs leadership from Bryce Harper until Zimmerman’s return. It may seem shocking to expect Harper to be a team leader at his age but this is necessary with his hot start.
Harper is hitting .369 with seven home runs and 14 RBIs over his first 17 games for Washington this season and he has already had two games with two home runs. Harper may only be 20 years old still but he is playing like a guy who has been in MLB for the last decade. Zimmerman’s injury puts more pressure on a Washington offense that is averaging less than four runs a game. Harper can only do so much obviously but in a division where the Atlanta Braves are going to be right up there all season long, the Nationals can’t afford a long slump.
I really thought Washington would finish the season with around 95 wins. The rate that the Nationals are winning right now won’t get them to that point obviously. The key to the next two weeks is Harper and if he can keep hitting the way he has to begin the season. If Harper can’t pull that off, this could turn into a very disappointing season for the Nationals and their fans.
Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.
