The Washington Nationals’ 5 Most Criticized Players of Spring Training

Ross Detwiler missed most of last season with a back injury and is in a battle for the fifth pitching spot this year. I think he’ll win the job, but he won’t be out of the doghouse at the end of Spring Training. He’ll still have to prove that he’s worth that spot.

After having a Silver Slugger caliber year in 2012, Adam LaRoche’s power numbers dropped considerably in 2013. He’s in his contract year, so all eyes will be on LaRoche to perform and earn a new contract.

Rafael Soriano was an up and down pitcher last year for the Nationals. He had his moments of dominance, but he also had moments that just made you shake your head. Soriano is in his contract year and he’s still got some left to secure a new deal.

Drew Storen has plenty of potential, but we haven’t seen much of it since his 2012 postseason collapse. In 2013, he sunk as low as the minors, but now finds himself in a position to be a setup man. It should be interesting to see which Storen we get each night and how well he adjusts to his new role.

Ryan Zimmerman’s career has gotten a little more interesting as he ventures into his 10th year in MLB. His shoulder has been an area of interest in the past couple seasons and he has missed time this spring because of it. There’s also talk of him moving to first base, so there are plenty of storylines regarding the face of the franchise.