Washington Nationals odds – Nationals still among worst teams in baseball
Washington Nationals odds are porous again. The team made some aesthetic changes to the ball club in the offseason and, while some of the moves are a step in the right direction, they aren’t enough to make them competitive.
Sports betting's Nationals lines for the World Series are the longest in baseball, which is why a lot of Nationals betting fans are merely hoping for progress.
Washington Nationals Odds: Nationals +60000
- Adam Dunn should improve Nationals’ power
- Banking on Zimmerman to become superstar
- Starting pitching, bullpen still very weak
Nationals odds improved slightly when they signed 40-home run man Adam Dunn in the offseason but Dunn alone isn’t enough for the Nats. While he’ll fit right into the heart of the order, the player that the Nationals will be counting on the most will be Ryan Zimmerman. For a few years now, Zimmerman has been bandied about as a potential superstar, but Nationals betting fans have watched him deal with injuries and underachieving for years.
The rest of the Nationals order is very mediocre as the team will rely on veterans Austin Kearns, Josh Willingham, Christian Guzman and Nick Johnson to produce at a high level. Also, Washington hopes for some serious growth from prospects Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes, as that tandem could be the cornerstones in the outfield for years to come—or they could also turn out to be busts.
If you’re going to bet on the Nationals, be prepared for some unreliable starting pitching. The group is the second-youngest rotation in all of baseball, with an average age is 24-years-old, second only to the Oakland Athletics. Nationals betting fans know that if the rotation is weak, they might have to rely more on the bullpen, which is not advisable given the lineup of suspects.
Joel Hanrahan is the team’s closer—almost by default—and he likely wouldn’t be closing for any other team in the Majors. Relievers like Jason Bergmann, Kip Wells and Saul Rivera don’t exactly inspire confidence either.
Nationals betting fans know that their team won’t be in the mix on MLB odds in 2008 but, if they can see some progress from the young rotation and start to build a foundation for the future, some optimism will start to surround the franchise.
Right now, there isn’t even much of that in Washington.
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Before his arm flamed out, Dale “Skip” Lalonde was famous for his high-90s heat and power at the plate. He retired young but never turned his back on baseball, earning the nickname “Skip” for his high-school coaching prowess. A true student of the game, he loves crunching the numbers when he handicaps baseball. Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
