Mostly, you should ignore Spring Training. The only results that matter is how a player is progressing toward getting ready for the season. That’s much more important than their stats or a team’s Win-Loss record. However, I do admit there is one aspect of Spring Training that has me troubled. 

Things have been very quiet in Washington. 

Last year, Bryce Harper went from asking where his World Series ring was to getting choked by Jonathan Papelbon in the dugout. Ian Desmond rejected a contract extension worth over $100 million, and he was entering a contract year. The pressure of which was too much, and he faltered last year. The Nationals opened the year with big players like Anthony Rendon, Denard Span, and Jayson Werth on the Disabled List. Each would play less than 90 games. Stephen Strasburg struggled out of the gate, and he would miss some time with a shoulder injury. 

This all proved to be too much for the 2015 World Series favorites. It’s a lot for a good manager to handle. It’s a disaster when your manager is terrible. That’s what the Nationals’ 2015 season was – a disaster. 

Well, the Nationals cleaned house. They brought in three time NL Manager of the Year Dusty Baker. They added character guys like Daniel Murphy. They sured up a weak bullpen with guys like Oliver Perez and Yusmeiro Petit. They spent an offseason getting healthy and getting ready for the 2016 season. They came to Spring Training ready to work. While Spring Training records do not matter, they currently have the best Spring Training record in all of baseball. Note, the Mets had the best record last year, and they went to the World Series (still, Spring Training records really mean nothing). 

This all amounts to the Nationals doing a better job of getting ready for the season. This is a team that will be ready to jump out of the gates and start winning ball games. 

The Nationals are going to have some early season help too. In April, they play 12 games against the Braves and Phillies. They have another seven against the Marlins. In fact, 19 of their first 24 games are against teams that were under .500 last year. With a better manager, a weak schedule, and a much healthier roster, the Nationals could have a huge April.  A huge April could give a really good team a huge confidence boost for the rest of the season. 

Right now, I will still be calm about Jacob deGrom and his diminished velocity. I will look the other way when the subject of the Mets’ relievers’ dead arms is discussed. I’ll roll my eyes at the Mets’ current winless streak. 

deGrom still has time to regain velocity. Dead arms are a part of Spring Training. These games don’t count.  The only thing that really matters is the Mets are ready for Opening Day. They have to be ready to jump out of the gate and start winning some games. The Mets are going to have a fight on their hands for the NL East crown. 

Unlike 2015, the Washington Nationals are not taking anything for granted.  They’re going to be ready to reclaim the NL East. Their going to challenge the Mets every step of the way in 2016.