Nats have fielding concerns as opening day nears

TAMPA - Spring training statistics are fairly ridiculous to dissect given the amount of minor leaguers that participate and the inconsistent lineups. But one category the Nationals didn't want to lead during the exhibition season was errors committed.

Their 34 errors are tied with the Giants for the most this spring, although the Nats have reached their total in three fewer games. Ironically, the two teams tied for 100 errors last season, leaving them sitting right in the middle of the pack of the 30 major league teams.

"I think there's major room for improvement," Nationals manager Matt Williams said after Sunday's two-error performance. "It's one of the things that sticks in my craw a little bit because we work so hard at it. But nonetheless, we just keep going, keep improving, keep working. We work on it every single day. We just keep at it. It's all we can do. Guys want to play good defense. They want to be good at the other side of the ball as well. So we'll keep working."

Injuries to starters have piled up throughout the spring for the Nationals, adding to the fielding concerns heading into the start of the season. When the Nationals face the Mets on Monday, only shortstop Ian Desmond and catcher Wilson Ramos will start at the same position as when the two teams met last year on opening day.

Desmond struggled with his arm at times this spring, committing four errors in just 18 games. His 24 errors last season led the team, and it was his second-highest total in his six big league seasons.

It appears that infielder Yunel Escobar will start the season at third base for Anthony Rendon, who's dealing with a sprained left MCL. The Nats traded valuable right-hander Tyler Clippard to the A's to get Escobar to play second base. After dealing with an oblique strain that sidelined him for much of the spring, Escobar finally began his exhibition season and played a handful of games at second. Now Williams has asked him to move over to third base, where the eight-year veteran has only played 22 games, all back in his rookie season in 2007. Escobar may be more comfortable at third than second considering the angles are more similar to shortstop, where he's primarily played throughout his career.

On the other side of the diamond, 30-year-old Ryan Zimmerman prepares to begin the next chapter of his career at first base. Injuries, throwing issues and the emergence of Rendon led to the decision. Zimmerman got a crash course last season, playing 18 innings at the position. He put in plenty of extra work before spring training started, and it's shown throughout the spring. Zimmerman has made diving stops and over-the-shoulder catches in foul territory, turned double plays and saved his teammates from many additional errors by scooping bad throws out of the dirt.

At first considered a longshot to make the roster, now 35-year-old Dan Uggla may be the Nats' starting second baseman on opening day.

The three-time All-Star's bat came back to life this spring to the tune of a .286 average with two homers, three doubles and six RBIs in 42 at-bats. But despite having historic numbers at the plate for his position, Uggla has mainly been considered a below-average fielding second baseman who's dealt with throwing issues throughout his career. Last season, he had a staggering 11 errors in just 39 games with the Braves and Giants. Those throwing issues showed themselves a few times this spring.

In the winter, Williams announced that outfielders Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth would flip positions this upcoming season. So Harper's played exclusively in right field this spring, where he provides speed, athletic ability and a cannon for an arm. His aggressive nature, though, can lead to teams taking extra bases on him when he overplays balls in the corner or attempts to make the heroic throw.

Werth ended up having shoulder surgery in January, leaving his availability for the season in doubt. Tyler Moore will most likely get the opening day start for Werth after crushing the ball throughout the spring. He's got plenty of experience in left, having played 73 games there for the Nats over the past three seasons. But Moore is still a first baseman by nature and not the most athletic outfielder.

Center fielder Denard Span's abdominal muscle surgery puts the Nats' best outfielder and back-to-back Gold Glove finalist on the shelf for at least the first month of the season. This thrusts 23-year-old Michael A. Taylor into the spotlight. Scouts rave about Taylor's speed and athletic ability. It has been on display all spring as the 6-foot-3 Taylor glides to the alleys, turning extra base hits into outs. There's no question the talent is there, but the lack of experience could show up for Taylor and the Nats.

All of this coupled with a fairly anemic offense this spring could mean even more of the load needs to be shouldered by the starting rotation. But it's supposed to be a "historic" rotation anyway.