This team is better than the 1-10 start

I wasn't here last year, so I didn't get to see all 102 losses; but I would guess many of those could have gone the Nationals' way if the players were ready on every play and every pitch. All baseball players and professional athletes are not that much different when it comes to natural talent; but when it comes to winning close games, it's the player who's mentally stronger that usually comes away with the victories. A team is not measured by its best players, but by its 23rd and 24th and 25th men on the roster. There is no telling when you might have to call upon them to help win a game or a championship. At this level players should never be taken by surprise by ANY moment any time in a game. You can't take one pitch off, or one out off the record. I'll go back to last year and the NL East. The Phillies won the East and finished 27-23 in one-run games. The NY Mets finished 16-19 in one-run games and 2nd in the NL East to The World Champion Phillies by three games - three games - You can look back over a season and pick dozens of mistakes for why you finished three games back; but in my experience, you can pick those moments when a player thinks he doesn't make a difference as to why you lost a game, a pitch or an out. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a player go 0-5 at the plate and make a great defensive play to save a game. I can't tell you how many times I've seen the last pitcher out of the bullpen win a game. But I can tell you, the players who never take a play off, who never miss a chance to make a play, are the ones hoisting the trophy at the end of the season.