Defense is trending

It was a spectacular defensive play by New England rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler that secured the Lombardi Trophy for the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. On the other side, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is dealing with second-guessing from the media and others for not giving punishing running back Marshawn Lynch the ball at the 1-yard line as the game clock was winding down. So the NFL season ends with coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady winning the Patriots' fourth title, and we now begin to turn our attention to baseball, with Nationals pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in just 17 days.

The Nats have dealt with their fair share of second-guessing over the past few years. In 2012, there was the debate about the decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg in his first full season after returning from Tommy John surgery. And last October, plenty scrutinized Nationals manager Matt Williams' decision to remove Jordan Zimmermann while holding a one-run lead with two out in the top of the ninth of Game 2 of the National League Division Series. I don't need to remind you of what happened next.

Right now, the oddsmakers say the Nationals are the favorites to win the World Series. So what potential questions might we be asking if new Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred isn't handing a champagne-soaked Commissioner's Trophy to owner Theodore Lerner late next October (or Nov. 1, if the Fall Classic goes seven games)?

Will this Nats team be better or worse defensively this upcoming season? There will be some familiar faces occupying new positions when they take the field on opening day against the New York Mets. Moving Ryan Zimmerman from third base to first base had been discussed for the past two years. The 30-year-old battled shoulder injuries and throwing issues the past few seasons at third and the six-year, $100 million dollar contract extension he signed three years ago runs through the 2019 season. This made it a fairly easy decision for Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo to not re-sign former first baseman Adam LaRoche when he became a free agent after last season. LaRoche's 79 home runs and 254 RBIs over the past three years will be missed in the Nats lineup. But don't overlook LaRoche's stellar play in the field, where he committed just 25 errors over the same time frame and won the Gold Glove in 2012. This certainly promises to be one of the storylines to watch throughout the season, with Zimmerman entering the campaign with only 18 total innings of experience playing first base in the major leagues.

It was also no secret that Rizzo coveted a second baseman with better offensive abilities. Danny Espinosa's struggles at the plate continued in 2014 and Asdrubal Cabrera didn't bring much of a bat with him when he was acquired at the trade deadline. Cabrera became a free agent after the season and signed with Tampa Bay in late December. So on Jan. 14, Rizzo made a bold trade with the Oakland A's, acquiring infielder Yunel Escobar in exchange for reliable relief pitcher Tyler Clippard.

After the trade, Rizzo made it clear that Escobar was brought to Washington to be the Nationals' full-time second baseman despite not appearing in a game at that position since his rookie season in 2007. The 32-year-old Escobar has played 1,016 games at shortstop over the past seven seasons. Certainly, he's also in Washington as insurance if the Nats aren't able to reach an agreement with shortstop Ian Desmond when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. Escobar, like Zimmerman, will spend all of spring training getting acclimated to his new position. He holds just 21 games under his belt as a second baseman in the major leagues.

At the Winter Meetings in December, Rizzo confirmed that Jayson Werth would swap positions with Bryce Harper in the outfield for the upcoming season, with Werth playing left field and Harper shifting to right field. Left field is considered a less demanding position, which should benefit the 35-year-old Werth. His availability for opening day is still unknown as he continues rehabilitation after Jan. 9 surgery on his right shoulder. He injured the shoulder last August crashing into the right field wall at Nationals Park while making a catch against the Phillies. Harper, 22, brings more speed and a powerful arm to right field, where he's already played in 91 games.

The absence of Clippard may stand out if the Nats bullpen struggles to protect leads and finish games in 2015, but pay attention to any potential defensive setbacks as Zimmerman and Escobar get acquainted to their new positions. Then again, this Nats defense may have fewer chances than any other team considering the strikeout power Washington's starting rotation possesses.

So maybe this Nationals defense will perform like the Patriots' did in the crunch, so there won't be any second-guessing in October. That would be good. Just ask Pete Carroll.

By the way, I hope my prediction of a 24-20 Patriots victory made you some lunch money today.