For some time now, manager Davey Johnson and pitching coach Steve McCatty have been trying to get Nationals pitchers to throw more fastballs.
Work off that pitch, they say. Establish the fastball, throw it for strikes, get ahead in counts and then mix in your off-speed stuff.
It's a tried-and-true formula, one that forces hitters to put the ball in play, keeps pitch counts low and, when executed properly, gets the pitcher and his teammates off the mound quickly and back on offense.
For...
