Spring Training 2011: Washington Nationals Beat Mets, Off to 2-0 Start

The Washington Nationals are off to a good start to their exhibition season. On Tuesday, the Nationals took care of the Mets for the second straight day, winning 5-3.

While it's hard—and probably not wise—to get excited about a 2-0 start in games that don't matter, it is surely better than the team's 0-11 start last spring.

One thing is clear: The Nats haven't had this much talent on its roster since coming to Washington in 2005.

Jim Riggleman told The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore that "this would be the first year since he arrived in 2009 that the Nationals would have to cut a full-fledged major leaguer before opening day."

The depth is already playing dividends. The Nationals are playing sharp, intelligent baseball to start the spring—something they have been unable to do late in August the past five years, much less early in March.

Thus far, the Nationals have cut down on the things that have plagued them. Pitchers have walked only two batters through 18 innings. The defense has committed only two errors in that same time. The offense is averaging 12.5 hits per game.

On Tuesday, Livan Hernandez picked up right where he left off in 2010, giving up one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts in three innings of work. That is exactly the type of production the Nats need from their Opening Day starter.

Even more encouraging was the two innings of work Ross Detwiler put in to get the win: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 SO. Coming off a hip injury, Detwiler changed his mechanics, and the changes have been paying off, as the Nationals' first-round pick in the 2007 draft has looked like the best pitcher in camp thus far.

But all has not been good through the first two games.

Nyjer Morgan is off to an unsettling 0-for-6 start to the spring. Morgan has been handed the starting job, but don't be surprised if he finds himself in a battle for the spot if he continues to struggle. It's still early, but Morgan struggled from the get-go in 2010 and went on to have a disappointing season.

The Nationals need Morgan to have good season if they expect to improve in 2011.

As Nyjer Morgan goes, so go the Washington Nationals.

Drew Storen's spring got off to a rocky start Tuesday. The Nationals' second-year man gave up two runs on three hits in an inning of work. But this is probably an aberration; pitchers use the spring—especially early spring—to work on new things.

Quick Notes

* Bryce Harper got his first hit of the spring Tuesday—an opposite-field knock off righty Pedro Beato.

* Cla Meredith will undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2011 season before it got going.

* Henry Rodriguez finally made it to Nationals camp. The Nats acquired the fireballer from Oakland in a trade for Josh Willingham.

* John Lannan will make his first start of the spring against Josh Johnson and the Florida Marlins on Wednesday.