ANALYSIS/OPINION:
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — What is truly stunning this spring for the Washington Nationals is to step back and realize how bad last year’s team was. It’s actually remarkable that they were able to finish second in the National League East with 82 wins.
Last spring, they had their starting second baseman and their starting center fielder – Daniel Murphy and Adam Eaton — running around the fields on West Palm Beach on one leg, still far from recovered from their respective surgeries. And, let’s face it, Murphy, while a hitting machine, was a defensive liability even on two legs.