Roark's glove work and leg strength contribute to potential Gold Glove season

Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark, who starts tonight in Atlanta, has put together another outstanding season as he finally gets to be a starter again.

Roark's pitching has been incredible. But one aspect of his game that is a major strength is his defense and his fielding ability. In his last start, he threw home in the first inning to nab a runner coming from third base, making a barehanded play. Roark can also start double plays with his glove.

This week, he described the play against the Braves where he nabbed a runner at home to prevent Atlanta from scoring the first run of the game.

"I knew the situation. I knew it was hit softly," Roark said. "I knew it wasn't enough to get a double play. I don't know, I just reacted. I saw it and I just looked over there. I knew if I threw it to second, he's fast and he'll probably go home and Kemp would be safe at first. Reacted and saw him go and just threw it home."

Many pitchers might have just conceded that early run and get the easier out at first base. But Roark values every run and believes his glove work can make any play coming back at him.

"You give yourself a better opportunity to get out of the inning," Roark said. "Then there were two outs with a runner on first and second? I feel a lot more comfortable in that situation."

Bending down to field the ball and making the play also demonstrates Roark's core strength and his powerful leg muscles. He works on that part of his body and says it's actually more important than his arm strength to make good pitches and good defense. The lower body strength is key.

"Yes, very much so because it all starts from your feet up," Roark said. "It's not what everybody thinks it is that your arm makes you throw hard, it's your midsection and your legs. (Your arm) just holds the ball and throws it."

Squats, dead lifts, leg extensions, leg curls. All apart of his legwork that he makes sure is done early each week prior to his next start.

"I work very hard in the offseason and still during the season to maintain it, and we got such a great staff. (I do) deadlifts and squats the day after a start," Roark said.

Then days two and three are more cardiovascular focused.

"I'll run. I'll get here at 1 p.m. for the 6:40 p.m. game," Roark said of his workouts this week in Denver. "Run and go in and lift. On the fourth day before a start, I don't lift. All I do is run a couple of sprints just be ready for the upcoming game."

But Roark says fielding the ball is also about quick decisions and hand-eye-glove coordination.

"It's a lot of reaction because if a line drive is hit at you, you got to be cat-like reflexes," Roark said. "I'm not the best at those ones unless it's right at my glove down here. You definitely got to work on all aspects of the game to make yourself be dominant. You can't just go out there and hope for the best. You got to put in work before you can be the best."

Roark may seem to be underrated around the league, but in his own clubhouse, his teammates know how good he is. And they believe his defense is so good, he should garner postseason honors.

"Tanner is a very good athlete," said right-hander Shawn Kelley. "I think he for sure should win the Gold Glove for a pitcher, like not even close."

"I think all of us are biased on this team because we've seen over the last few years," said right-hander Blake Treinen. "Yes, 100 percent he should be (a Gold Glove Award winner)."

Kelley said Roark sets himself up in a good position to make a quality defensive play. It is different than what Kelley himself does after a pitch.

"I think some of it, too, is priding yourself in the way you finish to become a fielder," Kelley said. "For me, I put a lot of torque and a lot of energy in every pitch, coming in for short spurt, and I fall off to the side. I'm just not in a real good position for a pitcher. It's good for covering first on a ground ball, but I'm not in a good position for balls back at me unless they hit me and I pick them up.

"So for a guy like him as a starter when you're out there for six, seven, eight innings, you do really need to be the ninth fielder out there. When you focus on your follow through and being in an athletic ready position to field your position, you've seen how many runs he's saved or big double plays he's turned because he's another fielder out there."

Treinen is known himself for being able to induce double plays, so he knows the importance of a pitcher who can generate infield outs like Roark can. A lot of times it is because he is so good with his glove after contact.

"Tanner always has been the guy that makes the spectacular play," Treinen said. "The plays he makes wow me every time. It's just unbelievable all the different plays he makes. It just doesn't seem to bother him, his confidence every time. He's an athlete, he's smart and he takes pride in his defense."

Roark probably doesn't get as much recognition on this club because he pitches in the same rotation as Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.

"There's a lot of teams where he's probably their No. 1," Kelley said. "He's their workhorse. He's been our workhorse really. He's in that third spot just 'cause he's got two more Cy Young-caliber guys ahead of him. I would consider all three the front end."