Runs have been scarce so far this spring for Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If you have been paying attention to the Grapefruit League scoreboard - and, truth be told, you probably shouldn't be paying that much attention to it - you've no doubt noticed the Nationals exhibition season isn't off to a rousing start.

The Nats have played six games to date, going 1-4-1 overall. (Ties are allowed in the spring, cause who really wants to watch extra innings in February and March?) They've also scored only 17 runs, and nine of those came in Sunday's win over the Braves.

That means the Nationals have scored eight total runs in their five other games, which isn't a whole lot.

As a team, the Nats are batting .226 (26th in the majors). They're slugging .280 (last in the majors). They have only six extra-base hits (easily the fewest in the majors).

So is it fair to be concerned about any of this? No, says the manager.

"I don't worry about that," Davey Martinez said. "We just want to see them work good at-bats and see pitches. Early in spring training, you want to see as many pitches as you can and work on your timing. They'll start getting a feel. I still believe the pitchers are ahead of the game right now. Look, top to bottom we've got a really good lineup. Once we get going and they start seeing more pitches, they'll be fine."

It has to be noted here that the Nationals' lineup regulars have seen precious little playing time so far. Adam Eaton, Daniel Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman have yet to take the field for a game. Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Matt Wieters and Michael A. Taylor have totaled only 26 at-bats. Everybody else on the spring training roster has compiled 160 at-bats.

And it's worth noting that the few times the regulars have played, they've been successful. Those guys are 8-for-26 (a .307 batting average). Everybody else is 34-for-160 (a .213 batting average).

So it's not fair to evaluate this team offensively until its offensive regulars start playing a lot more. When will that happen?

Well, Zimmerman should be making his spring debut any day now, having been held out through the first week of games. Harper, who was scratched from yesterday's lineup with an ingrown toenail, could be back Friday to play the Mets. Eaton is inching closer to his first game action since tearing his ACL last April. And Murphy ... well, he's got a longer road to returning from his microfracture knee surgery.

Don't expect an offensive resurgence today, with only a handful of big league bench players even making the 2 1/2-hour bus ride to Braves camp at Walt Disney World. But with a host of games either in West Palm Beach or nearby Jupiter and Port St. Lucie coming up, there should be a lot more opportunities for the regulars to get at-bats.

And that (hopefully) should result in some more runs.