For a team that wasn’t supposed to be very good in 2006 MLB betting season, the Nationals weren’t
However, the team did get off to a hot start and for a file teased the rest of the online baseball betting league into thinking they might be a wild card contender. But that lasted only until about and then the MLB betting team went into a nose dive.
The team reached as high as second in the division before the lofty heights became too much for the inexperienced team to handle and it came crashing back to reality and the last place in their MLB betting division. But what can you expect from an online baseball betting team that until very recently was an orphan, a ward of the state, run by Bud Selig and his genius brain trust with no owner and no GM. When you examine it in that light, it’s a wonder that this team even won any online baseball betting games in 2006 MLB betting season.
The once promising team really fell off the radar in the second half of the MLB betting season, basically exploding at the seams. It’s over all record of 71-91 was far from the worst record in the MLB betting league but was 15 games back of the powerhouse New York Mets who clinched the division title in about June it seemed like. And again the .436 win percentage was still a lot better than a few teams, but just didn’t cut the mustard in the NL East. At home, or at least the rented, decaying ball park they rent (RFK), the notched 41 wins and 40 losses for a MLB betting winning record. But an awful road record of 30-51 cancelled out the home wins. The team split the last ten online baseball betting games of the MLB betting season at 5-5, which wasn’t too bad but they ended the MLB betting season on a low note by losing three in a row.
When you break down the Nationals’ 2006 MLB betting campaign there are a few things that stick out. One of them was the fact that the pitching staff ace was injured most of the MLB betting season and that greatly affected the starting rotation and likely cost the online baseball betting team some wins. Number one pitcher John Patterson had a pretty serious forearm injury that limited his innings. However, even if he had been healthy it’s questionable just how many wins he would have racked up as he’s more a legitimate 2 or 3 in the rotation, not an ace. And believe it or not that was more or less the good news from the starting rotation. One bright spot was the arrival of Shawn Hill, a right hander who had a pretty good showing in limited opportunities. He pitched six good MLB betting games and in a rotation as thin as the Nationals’ that probably qualifies him as the 4 or 5 spot on this staff.
Closer Chad Cordero was anything if unimpressive. He just couldn’t get the job done and didn’t rack up nearly as many saves as he did in 2005 MLB betting season. Not having a reliable stopper certainly hurt the Nationals last MLB betting year and when you combine that with the fact that the starting rotation stunk too and its miracle that they won 70 online baseball betting games. Jon Rauch was very solid in his middle relief work last MLB betting season and he might actually get a shot to try and challenge Cordero in the coming MLB betting season.
At the position spots there was lots of drama. And most of it emanated from Alphonso Soriano. In an attempt to appease the MLB betting fans, as the foster parent of the erstwhile Expos cum Nationals, dropped some coin and brought in free agent Alphonso Soriano. I think it would be safe to call the Soriano experience a failure. His bat was still full of pop and his power numbers were great, but what a distraction this guy turned out to be. At the beginning of the 2006 MLB betting season he threatened not to play if he had to be in the outfield and created a very ugly scene for himself, the MLB betting team and management. Fortunately he backed down from the ledge played very well, probably one of the lone bright spots in this batting lineup.
Another bright spot was the stellar play of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. He had an outstanding MLB betting year and probably should have won the rookie of the year award that went to the Marlins’ Hanley Ramirez. He hit .287 with 20 homers and 110 RBIs and could become the face of this franchise for MLB betting years to come if he keeps improving.