One thing that has been noticeable this spring is that Blake Butera wants his players to be versatile. A number of Nats players have been playing multiple positions this spring. Between James Wood playing right field and Nasim Nunez playing third base, players are being exposed to new spots.
Blake Butera admitted that the team is still working out how they will align their plethora of outfielders. However, he said that “I don’t see ourselves pigeon-holing either guy. That is the goal, to have flexibility on the roster”. The Nats want their players to be able to play multiple spots. We may have to view James Wood as just a corner outfielder, rather than a right or left fielder.
I like this idea, and think it will be important this season. Having positional flexibility allows managers to build the best possible lineups. For the Nats to over-achieve this year, they will have to win on the margins. Having guys who can play at multiple different spots is a way to do that.
The outfield is not the only place where we are seeing this push for versatility. Nasim Nunez and Luis Garcia Jr. are examples of infielders who have played multiple spots this spring. Garcia has played first and second base, while Nunez has played shortstop, second base and third base.
Before this spring, Nunez had never played third base. While Nunez is a great defensive infielder, third base has its own nuances. Blake Butera mentioned that Nunez was working with Victor Estevez on his positioning. As a utility man off the bench, the more positions Nunez can play, the better.
Despite being a smaller guy, Nunez easily has the arm strength to play at the hot corner. He has a comfortably plus arm, and that is part of what makes him such a good defender at shortstop. I like that Nunez can be an option at third. While Brady House has been red hot this spring, he is unproven. Jose Tena is also more comfortable at second base than third. That makes Nunez a strong candidate to get some reps at third this season.
However, it is not just the hitters that will be versatile this season. The pitching staff will have more fluid roles as well, especially in the bullpen. Butera did point out that it is “Important for a handful of our guys to have some clarity about what they are going to do every night”.
However, I would not expect the Nats to have a true closer. Butera said he likes to view bullpen roles as “Leverage vs non-leverage rather than having specific innings for guys”. This is a very modern view, and it has some merit. There are times where the highest pressure spot comes in the 7th or 8th against the heart of a lineup, rather than the 9th inning.
The Nats relievers will have roles, but it will be more about leverage rather than innings. For the non-leverage relievers, it will be important for them to go multiple innings. The Nats have guys who can do that, most notably Brad Lord. One great thing about Lord though is that he has the stuff to slide into higher leverage spots if needed.
Versatility will be something that is a big theme this year. Whether that is where you play on the field, or what inning you pitch, roles are going to be more fluid this year. This is not a huge surprise given Blake Butera’s background. The Tampa Bay Rays have been on the cutting edge of all this stuff, and that is where Butera got his baseball education.
Some of the mixing and matching may seem whacky at first, but I think there is a method behind the madness. The Nats are going to have to find every small edge they can this season, and this is one way to do it. Blake Butera is going to mix things up, and Nats fans are going to have to be prepared for that.