Better, worse or the same in 2019: Position players

At this point, we have a pretty good idea what the 2019 Nationals are going to look like (with one obvious unknown still lingering out there). We can't wait forever for Bryce Harper to make his decision, though, so we're going to have to proceed around here as though the big guy isn't coming back to Washington. (If he does, well, we'll deal with that when it happens.)

So the real question that must be asked is this: Are the 2019 Nationals going to be better than the 2018 Nationals?

There are all kinds of factors that can change the answer to this question. It's impossible to know who will suffer injuries along the way, what roster tweaks will be made, who might have a career year and who might fall flat on his face. But for now let's try to make some reasoned predictions for each position in the lineup. (We'll do the pitching staff tomorrow.)

It's time to play "Better, Worse or the Same?" ...

CATCHER: Better
This was a significant problem area for the Nationals each of the last two years. Nats catchers had the lowest OPS in the majors (.594) in 2017 and ranked 25th (.624) in 2018. So Mike Rizzo made it a point to upgrade here, and not simply by acquiring a frontline catcher to take over the starting job. Instead he acquired two proven producers in Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki, intending for the duo to split the assignment and collectively deliver what this team needs. What might that look like? Well, if you combine Gomes' and Suzuki's 2018 numbers, you get a .769 OPS. That would've ranked fourth out of 30 major league teams' catching corps. Even if they don't reach that level, it feels like a safe bet to say this will be a significant improvement from last year.

FIRST BASE: Same
Did you know Nationals first basemen combined for 38 homers, 122 RBIs and an .830 OPS last season? Seriously, that's what you get when you add up the production they got from Ryan Zimmerman, Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds (with a few other guys sprinkled in on occasion). Reynolds isn't back, at least not yet, but Zimmerman and Adams both are back. I know it's popular in some circles to trash Zimmerman, but the guy has been an above average hitter (in other words, an OPS+ over 100) in 12 of his 13 full big league seasons. He was productive last year, when he was healthy. Unfortunately, he was only healthy enough to play in 85 games. But with Adams ready to step in if that happens again, the Nats are well positioned to remain productive at first base. It's perfectly reasonable to expect the same kind of collective numbers in 2019.

SECOND BASE: Better
This one's kind of tricky, because we have to ask if we're comparing the 2019 second basemen to Daniel Murphy or Wilmer Difo? And then, which version or Murphy: the healthy "A-swing" version or the diminished version with a gimpy knee? Here's what we do know: Nationals second basemen combined for only 15 homers and 67 RBIs last season. Brian Dozier should be able to top that, even if he doesn't return to his elite power form. A .270 batting average and .320 on-base percentage might be tougher to duplicate. But the defensive improvement should make a real difference, as well. All in all, this looks like a net positive from 2018 to 2019.

SHORTSTOP: Same
For the first time, we saw a full big league season of Trea Turner. And the result was pretty good. Maybe not elite, not certainly above average. Turner played in all 162 games, hit 19 homers, stole 43 bases and batted .271 with a .344 on-base percentage. He was solid in the field. So, is that who we can expect him to be year in and year out, or is there something more in there waiting to come out? I do believe there's more there, and he'll continue to make small improvements with more experience. But I don't think it's fair to expect major improvement from 2018 to 2019. More of the same seems reasonable.

THIRD BASE: Same
If there's one sure thing on this roster, it's gotta be Anthony Rendon, right? The guy is a model of consistency, posting nearly identical numbers in 2018 (.308/.374/.535, 24 homers, 44 doubles, 92 RBIs) as he did in 2017 (.301/.403/.533, 25 homers, 41 doubles, 100 RBIs). Yes, there will be added pressure on Rendon in a contract year, but does he really seem like the type who's going to be bothered much by that kind of pressure? Mark him down for another season of consistent production at the plate and at third base, then hope he and the Nats find a way to keep him around for many more years.

LEFT FIELD: Better
Is this a crazy prediction? How could Juan Soto be even better in his second season than he was his rookie year? Well, consider how smart a hitter he is, and the adjustments he made as a 19-year-old. Now imagine what just a little bit of experience might do for him. Yeah, he could be even better. Here's the biggest reason why it's OK to predict improvement from 2018: Instead of 4 1/2 months of Soto, we're going to get six months of Soto. Think of the possibilities here. But try not to drool too much on the table.

CENTER FIELD: Who knows?
As has often been the case for this franchise over the years, center field is once again the biggest question mark in the lineup. First of all, who's going to be the center fielder? Is Victor Robles going to get the job out of spring training? If so, will he live up to the potential? If not, which version of Michael A. Taylor are the Nationals going to get? The only safe assumption is that the Nats will get excellent defense in center field. Offense? This really could go either way. It might be spectacular, with Robles making a run at Rookie of the Year honors. Or it might be a real problem, with Robles not ready for prime time and Taylor unable to find the consistent hitting approach so many have wanted him to find for years now.

RIGHT FIELD: Worse
As stated at the outset, we have to assume for these purposes that Harper is gone. Obviously, if he re-signs with the Nationals, the outlook in right field is much, much better. But even if Bryce goes elsewhere, this position isn't going to be a black hole. Adam Eaton is a very good ballplayer when healthy, and the hope is that he'll be 100 percent back to his old self now that he's farther removed from knee and ankle surgery. He's not going to hit 40 homers, but he's going to be a pest at the plate and a very effective leadoff man. In the field, he's not going to have Harper's arm but he should have better range. The net result of all that is probably diminished production from 2018, but quality production nonetheless, especially in aspects of the game where the Nats could use some improvement.