We Are Young: Broken Pieces Coming Together

===========================================

Baseball analysis from a 16 year old girl ranging from actual statistical analysis to opinions on topics concerning the Nationals to how dreamy certain players may or may not be.  You never know what you are going to get.  Written by Sandra (@NatsGirl19)

=============================================

I think by now everyone believes that the Nationals are for real. In fact, if you haven't figured that out yet, you must not watch much baseball. This team is more alive than it has ever been, and they aren't going to stop anytime soon.

Even with the injuries we've dealth with, our Nationals have been blazing through the NL with huge success, and even sweeping two of the better AL teams. Though we have lost key parts of our lineup, such as Wilson Ramos and Jayson Werth, the team has powered through and stomped all over the NL East.

In my opinion, the most critical blow dealt to the Nationals this year was the loss of Wilson Ramos, who had been our best catcher. Thankfully, the team has major depth, and was able to call up three more catchers in addition to the already-stationed Jesus Flores.

While one of those catchers, Jhonatan Solano, is now on the DL (left oblique strain), we still have Flores and Sandy Leon, as well as Carlos Maldonado in Triple-A. This team has no shortage in catchers. (Editor's note, none of the catchers can throw out a baserunner)

A more recent injury that everyone was, and still is, worried about is Ian Desmond. On July 23rd, Desmond was placed on the 15-day DL, with a torn left oblique. Now, I'm no doctor, but I'm going to say that's pretty bad. I don't know the extent of the tear but I certainly hope it's not as bad as I've been hearing.

Desmond is a crucial part of the lineup, with his seventeen home runs and fifty-three runs batted in.  Fortunately, he shouldn't be out for long, according to Davey Johnson.

Finally I'd like to talk about Jayson Werth and Chad Tracy. The other day I visited the Potomac Nationals in Woodbridge, VA, hoping to get Werth's autograph, only to discover that he was pushed back a day on his rehab assignment.

While that was quite disappointing, Chad Tracy was still there, and I had the opportunity to speak to him and receive an autograph. When asked how he was doing, he said, and I quote, "Much better than last time I tried to play."

Tracy is now back on the big squad and is a great pinch hitter, and an integral part of the "Goon Squad", which on many occasions were the reasons why the Nats won or tied a game.

And now that Jayson Werth is back at one hundred percent, we'll be absolutely unstoppable. Watch your backs, Braves. (editor's note: you mean your fronts...?)  I predict that the Nationals will pull even further ahead and continue to surprise just about everyone. When the DL is finally empty, there will be no one that can conquer this team!