OK, the Nats are in first place. But they are not going to go deep into the off-season unless
they improve with the bat. They currently rank 20th in MLB in batting average and 17th in runs scored.

In all other major parts of the game they are ranked higher than that. One of the current bright spots (in team hitting) is Wilson Ramos, who now has a 14-game hitting streak going. But the team has been dismal recently in “situational hitting.” Opposing pitchers have been exploiting some team “habits”, such as the tendency of several of the right-handed guys, such as Werth, Zimmerman, Rendon, Desmond and also Ramos who like to hit to the opposite side of the diamond. I’ve watched several pitchers (like AJ Burnett last night) tempt them with a pitch just off the outside corner of the plate and then a succession of offerings that move even further off the plate. Last night I even laughed as Werth flailed at one of Burnett’s pitchers where he would have needed a 40-inch bat to reach!