League Leading Nats

While the Washington Nationals locked up the best record and home field advantage in the National League, some other players topped the charts in other categories. Let's take a look!

Most Wins (NL/MLB): Gio Gonzalez
Gio Gonzalez had a season certainly worthy of a Cy Young. The Nationals ace won 21 games and lost just eight. He finished the regular season with an ERA of 2.18 and fanned 207 batters. In 199.1 innings pitched, Gonzalez finished with a Walks, Hits per Innings Pitched (WHIP) rating of 1.13. Opposing batters struggled mightily against him and had an average of just .206.

Least Amount Of Hits Allowed (NL): Gio Gonzalez
Yet another impressive stat that aids his candidacy for the Cy Young Award, Gonzalez allowed just 149 hits over 199.1 innings. He allowed 11 hits less than Edison Volquez.

Least Runs Allowed (NL): Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann
Zimmermann and Gonzalez both tied for tops in this category with 69 runs given up. Of those 69 runs, 64 of the runs were earned. That ties them for first in that category with Clayton Kershaw, as well.

Most Strikeouts (NL): Danny Espinosa
Poor Danny had a rough year at the plate. It started off well, however, as he was near the top of the charts in walks drawn to start the season. However, the old Danny returned as we moved through the season and he finished the season with an NL high 189 strikeouts.

Most Runs Scored by Rookie (NL): Bryce Harper
Who else but the run generating man himself? Harper scored 98 runs for the Nationals this season to lead all rookies in the National League by at least 15. Harper is most certainly in the running for Rookie of the Year after the sensational season that he had.

Most Triples by Rookie (NL/MLB): Bryce Harper
It could have been an infield hit and Harper would have tried to stretch it into a double. If he hit a bloop double into right field he would then try to stretch it into a triple. Harper led all rookies this season with nine triples.

Most Strikeouts by Rookie (NL): Bryce Harper
With great power comes great responsibility. Harper is going to have to learn when to take pitches and when to swing at them. He led all rookies with 120 strikeouts. Toward the end of the season, he started to get more patient in his at-bats, but he will still need to work on that in order to improve for next season.

The Nationals had a lot of great things happen this regular season. Adam LaRoche broke the 100 RBI barrier and Gio Gonzalez led the MLB in wins. As the Nationals head into the post-season, the Nationals will look to continue their winnings ways all the way to the World Series.

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Stat Source: ESPN.com

Nats Draft Profile: Austin Chubb

(Photo: fcsmocs.com)

This past weekend Major League Baseball held its annual entry level player draft. The draft consisted of 40 rounds in which each team got one pick each round.

With the 654th pick in this years draft, the Nationals selected Austin Chubb. Chubb is a 6'1" 220 pound catcher from Lake Mary, Florida.

What is your favorite memory you have of playing in college?
"My favorite college memory would have to be winning the Florida Junior College State Championship and playing at the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado in 2010 for the State College of Florida Manatees. (Bryce Harper was actually there as well with his Junior College Team.)"

Where were you when you got the call saying you were being drafted by the Nationals?
"I was sitting with my family in our living room at my home in Lake Mary, Florida."

How did it feel when you were officially drafted?
"It was the most unbelievable feeling I've ever experienced. This has been my lifelong dream, and it is hard to believe it has finally come true. My brother actually saw my name pop up on the computer before I did and he started screaming we all hugged and there were many tears of joy."

What sets you apart from the rest of the catchers in this years draft?
"This was a solid year for catchers. I feel that I can contribute offensively, as well as defensively. Also, I will bring an unmatched work ethic to the field each day. I also feel that I bring a number of intangibles, such as leadership, and have a knack for getting the most out of my pitchers when I catch."

How are you going to prepare yourself for the minor leagues and progressing through the Nationals farm system?
"Professional baseball is a grind. I plan to work as hard as I possibly can to maximize my potential. I feel that I'm well prepared because of the great college programs that I played for, State  College of Florida, and then Florida Southern. However, I also realize that learning is a coninual process, and I will always be a student of the game. I am excited about being able to pick the brains of the great coaches in the Nationals organization, and plan on learning as much from them as I can. Being able to play everyday, producing, and finding ways to help my team win will ultimately help me advance within the system."

What expectations do you have for yourself now that you have been drafted?
"The sky is the limit. I want to help the Nationals win a World Series Championship. Whether that is contributing at the minor league level, or hopefully playing a key role with the Big League club one day, winning the ultimate goal. If you prepare and play to win, everything else will fall into place."

Who do you try to model yourself after as a player?
"I always loved the way Jason Varitek was the leader and captain of his team. I also loved his defense mentality. But I also know that I am my own player, and I want to do things that I do best to help my team."

What excites you the most about being drafted by the Nationals?
"The Nationals are a first class organization. Mike Rizzo and Davey Johnson are doing an outstanding job and have put the Nationals in a position to win, and to win now. I am extremely excited to represent one of the most professional and promising organizations in the game."

For Harper, Only One Thing Left

Michael Morse, 38, gives Bryce Harper a Gatorade bath following his walk-off single. (Photo: cbsimg.net)

First career major league at bat: check. First career major league hit: check. First career major league RBI: check. First career major league home run: check. First career major league walk-off: check. First career All-Star game:.....

Ever since Bryce Harper entered the major leagues back in April, he has been one of the Nationals most electric players. His love for the game has been apparent since he first hit the on-deck circle in L.A.

His constant effort has been contagious throughout the Nationals clubhouse. For him, a should be ground-out turns into an infield single. A bloop single into left can easily become a bloop double.

When Harper leaves the batters box after making contact, he's already thinking about rounding first and heading for second. He's running so fast that usually his helmet is long behind him by the time he gets to first base. He plays with the kind of enthusiasm that has been long forgotten in professional sports.

His play in the outfield has been outstanding. Just because a batter hit a flyout to the warning track with a man on third does not mean that he hit an RBI sac fly. Harper's got an absolute cannon and when he throws, he uses his whole body to put maximum velocity on the ball.

The bloop single is never a sure thing when hit into right field. Harper has flown in seemingly out of nowhere a number of times this season to catch a ball that would normally drop in front of any other outfielder.

Simply put, he makes the team better on the field.

How about off the field?

Long forgotten of the days of Harper's immature tweets. He no longer blows a kiss at the pitcher while rounding third base after hitting a home run. Quite the opposite, really. Harper doesn't take his time after hitting a home run. He hustles around the bases, scores the home run, and heads back to the dugout.

He doesn't make snide remarks to the media about a stupid question or brag after a game in which he made an incredible play. He acknowledges his performance, commends his team on the teams win, and continues on his merry way. Never will you catch him pointing the finger at another teammate following a loss. He's grown up off the field.

On the field, he's that kid you see playing little league ball that is having a great time simply because he's getting the chance to play baseball. He's the professional athlete role model that parents dream about (with the exception of not going to college).

Bryce Harper has pretty much done it all. First major league hit, RBI, home run, and now walk-off. He hustles through every play and is a stand-up guy off the field. He's got the make of a superstar role model for this league. He doesn't take steroids. He is a legitimate superstar in the world of professional sports.

Up to this point in his rookie year, he has done just about everything and he has proven that his attitude has improved dramatically.

For Bryce Harper, there's only one thing left on his rookie year check list. Come on Major League Baseball fans and voters, send the kid to the All-Star game.

Nationals Have All-Stars

Via the teams Twitter page yesterday morning, the Hagerstown Suns, the Nationals Class A affiliate, announced that four of their players are heading to the Minor League All-Star game.

Third baseman Matt Skole, outfielder Caleb Ramsey, catcher Adrian Nieto, and right hander Aaron Barrett were all selected. Suns Manager Brian Daubach was selected as a coach for the Northern Division, as well.

Skole, a 2011 fifth round draft pick, is batting .294 this season with 12 home runs and 53 RBI. He has also stolen four bases. He has hit 11 doubles and has been walked 51 times this season. He has a slugging percentage of .545.

Ramsey, a 2011 eleventh round draft pick, is batting .299 with five home runs and 32 RBI. He has successfully stolen a base 7 times. He has hit four doubles, four triples, and has reached base on balls 20 times in 184 at bats.

Nieto, a 2008 fifth round draft pick, is batting .261 with four home runs and 25 RBI. He has eight doubles with an on base percentage of .333. He also has a slugging percentage of .406.

Barrett, a 2010 ninth round draft pick, has been an exceptional closer for the Suns this season. He has a 3-1 record to go along with six saves. His era is at 3.05 and he has given up just 15 hits over 20.2 innings. He has walked just eight batters and has struckout 33. Teams are batting just .203 against him.

The Suns sit in second place of the South Atlantic League Northern division. They are 6.5 games back of the Greensboro Grasshoppers who are an affiliate of the Miami Marlins.

This is just another testament to the quality of the Nationals farm system. This is just another season in which they have sent minor leaguers to their respective all-star games. Another notable minor leaguer that went the minor league all-star game was Bryce Harper.

Harper, Gonzalez Earn MLB Honors

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez and outfielder Bryce Harper earned All-MLB honors due to their performance last month.

Throughout the month of May, Gonzalez was dominant. He went 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA with an NL best 45 strikeouts. Gonzalez is the second Nationals pitcher to win the award after Strasburg won for the month of April.

Bryce Harper was named NL Rookie of the Month for the month of May. In 107 at-bats, Harper batted .271 with four home runs and ten RBI.

Both players can this to their already impressive All-Star resumes. Following May, Gonzalez and Harper should both be seriously considered for the All-Star game.