It's clear that Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo puts a premium on quality pitching, and the Nats are becoming a team that's increasingly difficult to ignore because of it.  The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels have incredible pitching rotations, but what about the entirety of their pitching staffs?  Can anyone compare to the Nats?

It hasn't taken long for the Nats pitching staff to shape itself into something pretty remarkable.  On Opening Day 2011, the Nationals starting rotation was Livan Hernandez (36), John Lannan (26), Jordan Zimmermann (25), Jason Marquis (32), and Tom Gorzelanny (29).  The average age of that rotation was 30 years old.  Livan won't be tendered a contract with the Nats this season, Marquis was traded, and Gorzelanny flopped as a starter.  On Opening Day 2012, the starting rotation will likely be some combination of Stephen Strasburg (23), Gio Gonzalez (26), Jordan Zimmerman (26), Chien-Ming Wang (32), and either John Lannan (27) or Ross Detwiler (26).  This rotation's average age would be just under 27 years old.  The youth movement is in full swing.

Stephen Strasburg is widely regarded as the best young pitcher in baseball, and he is surrounded by incredibly talented pitchers that are all slotted at or below their projected rotation spots because of Strasburg's solidified ace status.  Zimmermann could easily be a #2, but he'll be facing #3 talent, Wang could be a #2 or #3 if healthy, but he projects to face #4 talent, and both Lannan and Detwiler would look great in the #4 and #5 slots.  This is certainly the type of rotation that you can feel good on a day in, day out basis.

Somewhat quietly, though, the Nationals bullpen has become a force to be reckoned with and bolstered the quality of the Nats pitching staff.  Drew Storen is one of the most talented closers in baseball, and earned 43 saves last year while blowing just 5 in his first full season as the team's lockdown guy.  He has a devastating slider, and a fastball with serious late giddy up.  Tyler Clippard is the best setup man in baseball, which earned him an All-Star spot (and win) while posting a 1.83 ERA and a knee buckling change up.  Henry Rodriguez is the Nats very own Wild Thing, but he reigned in his control issues at the end of last year and can regularly light up the gun in the triple-digits.  Sean Burnett struggled early last year, but got his 2010 swagger back toward the end of the season.  He has the unique ability to be a lefty specialist and a set up guy who can pitch a whole inning.  Adding Brad Lidge to the mix will add veteran presence and proven success to the bullpen.

Lidge has been injury prone in recent years, but he won't be subject to the same high pressure situations that were required of him as the Phillies closer.  He will be a set up guy, and Clippard and Storen have a lock on the 8th and 9th innings, respectively, for the majority of games when the Nats have the lead.  Further, Lidge's friendly $1 million, one-year deal means that if he has a good first half and the Nats aren't competitive, he could be traded.  It would be similar to the deal the Nats made with Matt Capps for Wilson Ramos in 2010, though they probably can't expect such a generous reward for the trade.

All in all, there are no gaping holes that should cause concern from NatsTown faithful.  The team has quality young starters and a good mix of veterans and up-and-comers in the bullpen.  The combination of Storen, Clippard, Lidge, Rodriguez, and Burnett allows the workload to be more evenly distributed throughout the season, which will keep the right guys fresh for those long summer months.  It's certainly a good time for pitching coach Steve McCatty and Nats fans everywhere.

The Washington Nationals have signed RHP Brad Lidge for the 2012 season, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com.  It is a one-year deal according to the Nationals PR Twitter account.  The former Philadelphia Phillies closer was a free agent after a disappointing 2011 season, where he missed 97 games with a rotator cuff injury.  He posted a 1.40 ERA, but had an inflated 1.500 WHIP.  He is entering his age 35 season.

Lidge was the closer for the Phillies in their 2008 World Championship season, where went a perfect 41 for 41 in save opportunities.  He finished 4th in Cy Young voting that year.  In his career, Lidge posted a 3.44 ERA, a 1.273 WHIP, and 12 K/9.  Brad Lidge is an interesting veteran asset to the Nationals bullpen, but his history of injury is concerning.  He has missed significant time during the last five seasons and has missed 143 games over the last two years.  If he can stay healthy, he could help add some depth to the young, talented Nationals bullpen that includes Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard, Henry Rodriguez, and Sean Burnett.  Just another "tweak" for GM Mike Rizzo before pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.

This season in the NL East is going to be exciting for everyone, except for the New York Mets.  The Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, and Philadelphia Phillies all made significant moves this offseason to improve their teams chances of making the post-season.  Today, we're going to judge the teams offseasons and count down the roster standings to give you an idea where the teams should end up in this year's race for the NL East pennant.

5. New York Mets - The only significant move the Mets made this offseason was losing their star player, Jose Reyes.  David Wright's health is questionable going forward, and despite the number of injuries the team had last season, it's hard to imagine any improvements from last season.  I think it's safe to assume the Mets will come in under 77 wins (their total from last season) and be the cellar dwellers of the NL East in 2012.

4. Miami Marlins - With all the talk of the Marlins improvements this offseason and their new ballpark, it's easy to just assume they'd make huge strides coming into this season.  They acquired Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Heath Bell in free agency and traded for the volatile Carlos Zambrano.  Assuming Hanley Ramirez is with the team at third base on Opening Day, and their star pitcher Josh Johnson is healthy, the Marlins could make significant improvements from their 72-win, last place finish from 2011.  But those are big ifs.  Now, after looking at the WAR (wins above replacement) that each of those players would bring to the Marlins, it's not outrageous to think the Fish could make it all the way up to 84 wins or so this year, which would be a remarkable 12 game improvement.  But it doesn't make them even close to contenders for the NL East pennant, and it's hard to see how it gets them above 4th place in the division.

3. Washington Nationals - It was tempting to move the Nationals into the #2 spot in the NL East for a whole lot of reasons.  They picked up Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg will be a factor for most of the season.  On paper, those two alone should add somewhere between 6-10 wins to the Nats in their first season with Strasburg pitching on an innings limit.  Include a healthy Ryan Zimmerman and his 5+ WAR, and you have one hell of a baseball team.  The Nationals bested their 2010 record by 11 games in 2011, and they improved their 2009 record by 10 games in 2010.  Improving their record by 10 or more wins for a third season in a row would be incredible, but not impossible.

If every person on the Nationals roster met their expectations, if Jayson Werth went back to the 2010 version of himself, if Ryan Zimmerman played 150 games, if Gio Gonzalez had another All-Star season, the Nationals would, and could, end up above the Braves.  Unfortunately, those things don't tend to happen.  Someone will get hurt; someone will underperform in a big way.  I am confident that the Nationals will not end the season 9 games out of second place like they did last year, and I am even more confident that the team will be part of the Wild Card talk as the calendar flips to September.  I just can't in good conscience put the Nationals above the Braves… this year.

2. Atlanta Braves - The Braves did absolutely nothing this offseason.  Seriously.  And yet, it's hard to imagine them slipping out of second place.  They could, in theory, have a hangover from their historic collapse at the end of last season, but I don't think so.  It's easy to forget, since they've been so stagnant this offseason, but the Braves consistently put out one of the best teams in baseball.  Their young talent in Freddie Freeman, Jayson Hayward, and Craig Kimbrel rivals the best young teams in baseball.  Their pitching rotation, if it can stay healthy, features some of the best young pitchers in the game, and they're supported by Brian McCann, who might be the most underrated catcher in baseball.  Their bullpen, with Jonny Venters, Eric O'Flaherty, Cristhian Martinez, and Kimbrel is among the best in the NL, too.  The Braves won 89 games last year, and I'd expect them to be around there, if not just a bit higher with a healthy Jair Jurrjens and Jason Heyward.

1. Philadelphia Phillies - Despite gradual increase of their team's average age, the Philadelphia Phillies are still the model NL baseball team, whether Nats fans like it or not.  They have the best rotation in all of baseball.  Ryan Howard will likely miss the first half of the season with that torn Achilles tendon that he got on the last play of their season, but GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. has done a remarkable job making up for his loss.  He was able to pick up Jim Thome, Ty Wigginton, and Laynce Nix to make up for some of the pop.  He replaced Brad Lidge/Ryan Madson with Jonathan Papelbon at the back end of the bullpen, and added Dontrelle Willis as an extremely talented lefty specialist out of the bullpen.  It's hard to see the Phillies anywhere but hovering around 100 wins again this year.

Agree or disagree?  Let us know in the comments, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter @TheNatsBlog or @TheNatsBlogJoe.

When the Detroit Tigers came out of nowhere and stunned the baseball world yesterday afternoon by signing Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million deal, a sea of Nationals fans breathed a sigh of relief. For many, like myself, that sigh came a surprise, but never the less the overwhelming majority of Nats fans I polled on Twitter felt that Washington dodged a bullet by not investing long-term in the stout slugger.

The obvious question that followed, however, was what do we do now?

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports had an interesting post this morning that suggested that some within the Nationals ownership group wanted to avoid signing fielder and instead focus on bringing in a center fielder next offseason. Currently, Adam LaRoche is under contract in Washington for the 2012 season, and according to Rosenthal, the faction of owners believe that once his his contract is up the Nats should move Mike Morse from left field back to first base.

Such a move would open up two outfield spots for 2013. One of those spots would almost certainly go to Bryce Harper, who by that time should have already had a cup-of-coffee in Washington and be ready to produce full time as a corner outfielder. The other spot would be for a potential starting center fielder, a final piece of the puzzle which Washington has desperately been trying to attain over the past several years.

Here are a few outfielders who are expected to be free-agents following this season.

Shane Victorino, 31 - .279/.355/.491, 95 R, 4.4 UZR: Victorino is the oldest player on this list, but it seems the Hawaiian native has gotten better with age. In 2011 he posted a 5.9 fWar, the highest of his career. While he may not be the stolen base threat he once was (just 19 stolen bases in 2011), his bat and his glove have both improved. This could be a great fit for Washington if they sign him to a deal no longer than three-years.

B.J. Upton, 27 - .243/.331/.429, 23 HR, 82 R, 1.4 UZR: Upton has been associated with the Nationals in more trade rumors than arguably any other player in the franchises history. Year-in, and year-out, the Nats have attempted to acquire this slugger via trade, but a deal has never been close. Now, with Upton as a free-agent, it may be the perfect time for Washington to swoop in and claim the talented outfielder. While his stock has dropped in recent years, at just 27-years-old he coudl certainly still turn it around and be an elite level outfielder again.

Josh Hamilton, 30 - .298/.346/.536, 25 HR, 94 RBI, 3.4 UZR: Hamilton is obviously the biggest name on this list, unfortunately he’s also the least likely. Not only would I be surprised if he left Texas, his injury history is one that I believe Mike Rizzo would ultimately avoid. Perhaps though, he could be a good mentor to Bryce Harper, as he was the Bryce Harper of the 1990’s.

Michael Bourn, 29 - .294/.349/.386, 94 R, -6.4 UZR: I think this is the Nats most likely target in free-agency next year. While he’ll be 30 by the start of 2013, he hits for average, gets on base, and prior to last year, played the field very efficiently. To me, he’s a more consistent Nyjer Morgan, without the attitude issues. I think he is the perfect fit in center field in Mike Rizzo’s eye.

The Washington Nationals were the favorite to sign Prince Fielder for the last month, all the way up to the point that they didn't sign him.  As you know by now, Fielder has signed a 9-year, $214 million deal with the Detroit Tigers. 

It was just another amazing development in the offseason of "The Mystery Team." Where does that leave the Washington Nationals, though?  In all honestly, they're in pretty good shape.  Prince Fielder may have been the transformational player that could have pushed the Nats towards playoff relevance this season.  Before Nats fans get greedy, though, it's important to remember three key points.

1. The Nationals are already pretty good.  If you really look at how the Nationals finished their season last year, and look at where they are today, it's still easy to get excited.  The team has one of the best young rotations in the National League.  They will be adding Bryce Harper to the mix early, perhaps very early, this coming season.  Sure, Fielder would have made a more immediately positive effect, but remember where you were as fans as recently as two seasons ago.  The fact that one player could have made such a difference is a positive in itself.

2. The Tigers paid Prince a lot of money for a lot of years.  While all of us wanted to see Prince in the Curly W, I'm not sure many would be ok with giving him him 9 years and more than $200 million.  Fielder has been a durable player, but many still worry about his large frame and the affect it will have on his future career.  In the American League, the Tigers can move him to the DH slot as his body ages and those bumps and bruises don't heal so quickly.  The Nationals would have never had that opportunity.  He almost certainly would have become a liability at first base well before a contract of that length ended.

3. No more excuses: extend Ryan Zimmerman.  Now that over $200 million has been freed up by not signing Fielder, the team has to offer Zimmerman a contract extension.  There is still an outside possibility that this may not happen until next offseason, but the Nationals may have to convince fans they're still willing to sign the big guy.  Shoring up their franchise player could go a long way in placating the NatsTown masses.  It will be an important step in filling the seats this season.

So be disappointed, Nats fans.  Let yourself stew in the frustration of being that close to signing a top free agent.  Then, get excited for the 2012 baseball season and remember that you'll be watching Stephen Strasburg on Opening Day at Wrigley Field in front of some of the best young talent in baseball.  That should make you feel a whole lot better.

The Nats Blog's Joe Drugan and Capitol Baseball's Craig MacHenry talk about the Washington Nationals on Nats Talk On The Go.

In this week's podcast, we talk about Prince Fielder for the last time ever.  Seriously.  Plus, how his signing with the Tigers affects the Nats future.

Subscribe to and rate our podcast on iTunes or download it if you don't use iTunes.

Let us know how you feel about our podcast on Twitter @TheNatsBlog or @CapitolBaseball and on Facebook.

The long nightmare in the Nation's Capital is over, and Prince Fielder did not sign with the Washington Nationals.  Reports from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com and Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports indicated that Fielder, one of baseball's top free agents this offseason, has signed with the Detroit Tigers.  It is reportedly a 9-year deal worth $214 million.

Nationals fans will have to take the next few days to unwind from the nearly endless rumor mill that has tied Fielder to their team for the last month.  There will undoubtedly be many emotions for the average Nats fan, including frustration and anger.  The team lost out on a player who missed 1 game in the past 3 seasons and has never played fewer than 157 games in the past 6 MLB seasons.

However, we believe that most Nats fans will end up relieved once all is said and done.  If the Nationals had taken this deal with Fielder, the team would have been hamstrung with a massive contract for the next 9 seasons, and it may have eliminated the possibility of re-signing the teams franchise player, Ryan Zimmerman.  With the money free, the team should be able to extend Zimmerman's contract and have money left over to complete for a center fielder next offseason, which is their real need.

We'll have more in the coming days about the implications of this deal, but for now, lick your wounds, Nats fans.  It's still going to be a fun season in NatsTown.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, a "surprising" number of baseball executives privately believe that when it's all said and done, the Los Angeles Dodgers may be major players for free-agent slugger Prince Fielder.

Could this be what Prince Fielder and agent Scott Boras are waiting for?

Stuff I heard and learned at BBWAA dinner: 1) surprising number of execs think #Dodgers will ultimately be in play for Prince Fielder (cont)

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 22, 2012

We all know that the team will have a new ownership prior to next season, and it is widely believed that not only will that ownership want to win but they will also be willing to spend serious money to do it. As part of Frank McCourt's settlement with Major League Baseball, Fox Sports will have exclusive negotiating rights for a mega-television contract following the 2012 season, which could infuse the new Dodgers regime with massive amounts of spending cash right off the bat. Of course the timeline plays an issue here. The Dodgers must be sold by April 1, but as of the latest reports there is nothing immediate on the table. While a new ownership group likely wouldn't be in control in time to land Fielder themselves, it's more than reasonable to assume that if the bidding groups were interested in Fielder, the current regime wouldn't hesitate to go out and attemp to get him to sweeten the pot.

That being said, the Dodgers are already in a competitive hole that a new ownership group would unquestionably want to attempt to cut down immediately. The Los Angeles Angels made a major play this offseason to capture the hearts of the Los Angeles baseball market by acquiring both Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson. What better way to match the Angels' moves than with the acquisition of Prince Fielder and a new ownership group to infuse a stale fan base?

This could be bad news for the Nats who have, until now, seemed the most logical fit for Fielder. No other team has as big a hole (no pun intended) at first base, and no other team seems to be willing and able to spend the type of money to acquire the All-Star slugger. Yet here we are, inching closer and closer to February and still they have not been able to lock Fielder down. You would think that if both the club and the player were actually intent on making a deal, it would be done already.

That leads me to one of two conclusions. Either the Nationals aren't willing to truly play ball and give Fielder the type of contract he and his agent wants, or Fielder isn't earnestly interested in joining the Nationals, and he's just playing the market until a potential golden ticket to Los Angeles presents itself. 

When you break it down, it would be hard to blame anyone for at least considering to join he Dodgers over the Nationals. Los Angeles is a sexy city, and you would be joining not only the man who should have won the NL MVP, Matt Kemp, but also the best starting pitcher in the league, Calyton Kershaw. Both teams look to rebuild through their incredibly talented youth...but the Dodgers have at least some of that talent locked up over the long term, and Los Angeles has a much longer history of competition than Washington. 

As late as today several journalists have named the Nationals as the reigning favorites to sign Fielder. But each day that passes, I think it's less and less likely that it is going to happen. 

The Washington Nationals franchise third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has apparently told the team's front office exactly what it would take to sign him long-term, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.com.  Rosenthal indicates that negotiations are "fluid" but "within reach."  This is a significant development, because as Rosenthal notes, Zimmerman has said he doesn't want to prevent the Nats from making other signings key to the team's success.

This is an unique situation from what we're seeing with the Prince Fielder saga as it contiues to develop.  Ryan Zimmerman seems willing to lock himself down early in his career to remain with the Nationals for his entire professional career.  Meanwhile, Prince Fielder has chosen to remain on the market nearly 3 months into free agency, letting other chips fall into place to increase his financial value.  Zimmerman and Fielder are both 27 years old, which further reiterates their differences in personality.

The Zimmerman-Fielder combination could make a dynamic duo at the corner infield spots while solidifying the third and fourth spots in the lineup for many years.  However, the team would take a significant public relations hit if they were unable to extend Ryan Zimmerman past the 2013 season.  Zimmerman is the Face of the Franchise for the Nats, and many fans have struggled to deal with the thought of losing the star third baseman.  Some are concerned about his fragility in recent seasons.  He missed 60 games in 2011 and has missed more than 140 games in the last four seasons.

However you feel, the Nationals have some interesting possibilities in the next few weeks before Spring Training beings.  Stay tuned...

Here's a countdown of the best seasons any Washington Nationals player has had in the team's 7 year history.  We'd love to hear your responses.  Hit up the comments.

5. Tyler Clippard’s 2011 Season

After leading the Nationals in wins in 2010 as a relief pitcher, Tyler Clippard put together the second best performance in Washington Nationals’ history as a reliever in 2011. As the only Nationals All-Star, he struck out 104 batters in 88.1 innings pitched creating 10.6 strikeouts per 9 innings. With a 1.83 ERA and a .838 WHIP, he was arguably the best set-up man in the majors.  He even led the league with 38 holds, 2 shy of the MLB record of 40.  Without Clippard, the Nationals may have never come close to their almost .500 record since the next best choice would have been the wild Henry Rodriguez, who had a 3.56 ERA and 45 walks.

4. Michael Morse’s 2011 Season

In a year where every Nationals player was struggling, Michael Morse became a star in the eyes of Nationals fans. It all began in Spring Training, when he showed his potential by hitting 9 home runs with a .364 BA.  This hot start did not transfer over to the start of the regular season, but when Adam LaRoche went down for the season and Morse received a definite starting spot, the kindling was ignited.  Hitting 31 home runs and bringing home 95 runners, he hit for a .303 batting average and a .550 slugging percentage.  He also provided the Nationals with great defense in the wake of losing a potential Gold Glover.  Although he was not awarded an All-Star position because of his slow start, he received enough votes to come in 19^th in the MVP voting at the end of the season.  Morse sparked the Nationals’ offense and led them to the best season since 2005.

3. Chad Cordero’s 2005 Season

In the first full season as the Washington Nationals, no young player performed better than closer Chad Cordero.  In arguably the hardest position a player could play, he was the best.  He led the league with 47 saves while blowing only seven games.  He also tied the MLB record with 15 saves in one month.  With these achievements came a 1.82 ERA as well as a .969 WHIP in his 74 appearances.  He was the first Nationals player ever to be selected to the NL All-Star team.  In addition, he won the NL Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year and earned votes in both the Cy Young voting and the MVP voting.  Although he never produced a season quite like the one in 2005, and his career trailed off due to injury, Cordero will always be known for shutting down opponents and that flat brim cap.

2. Ryan Zimmerman’s 2009 Season 

Coming off what was the Nationals’ worst season ever in 2008, the only hope for the 2009 season was a completely healthy season from a young Ryan Zimmerman.  Mr. Walkoff did not disappoint.  In what is now considered the worst season in Nationals’ history, Zimmerman put together a career year.  He hit .292 with a .364 OBP and a .525 slugging percentage while driving in 106 RBIs, which gave him his first Sliver Slugger.  He also hit 33 home runs, 37 doubles, and three triples.  Defensively he was the best third baseman in the majors with a .963 fielding average at third base.  This earned him the team’s first Gold Glove.  He was also named to the All-Star team and came in 25^th in the MVP race.  This season solidified Zimmerman as one of the top third basemen in all of baseball.

1. Alfonso Soriano’s 2006 Season

When it comes to Nationals history, nothing can compare to Alfonso Soriano’s only season with the Nationals in 2006.  Despite a modest .277 batting average, .351 on base percentage, and 95 RBIs, nothing else was average.  Soriano finished the year with 46 home runs and stole 41 bases, which made him the fourth player in the history of baseball to hit at least 40 home runs and steal at least 40 bases in the same season.  He was also the first player ever to hit 40 doubles in the same season he entered the 40-40 Club.  With this spectacular performance, he became the 1^st player in Nationals history to earn a Silver Slugger and became the 2^nd National to get an All-Star nomination.  His defense was also a little above average despite his past history.  Adding to his offensive prowess, he recorded 22 outfield assists, which is the most of any player in the 40-40 Club.  Ultimately, he finished 6^th in the MVP voting, the best in Nationals’ history.  Many believe he was only that low in MVP voting because he played for the Nationals.  This great season will be hard to surpass, but hopefully in the future, fans will look back and see numerous others with better seasons than this.

Honorable Mentions:

Stephen Strasburg’s 2010 Season

One of the most anticipated debuts in Nationals history occurred on June 8^th, 2010 when Stephen Strasburg took the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  In seven exciting innings, he stuck out 14 batters while only giving up two runs on a home run. In his first three MLB starts, he set the record for most strikeouts in a pitcher’s first three starts with 32.  While his season was cut short to only 12 games because of a torn ulnar collateral ligament requiring Tommy John surgery, he made his presence known.  In 68 innings pitched, he struck out 92 batters resulting in an amazing 12.2 strikeouts per 9 innings and 5.41 strikeouts per batters walked.  He finished the season with 5 wins, 3 losses, and a low 2.91 ERA.

Cristian Guzman’s 2008 Season

Not many fans remember but during a very disappointing 2008 season, Cristian Guzman actually put together a terrific All-Star season.  This season can be summed up in one simple word: hits. In only 138 games, Guzman gathered 183 hits leading to a .316/.345/.440 slash line.  In addition, he hit 35 doubles and 5 triples.

Ryan Zimmerman’s 2010 Season

In 2010, Zimmerman continued his young career with another consistent season despite slight injury problems, which led to him missing 20 games.  During this season he hit .307 with a .388 OBP, earning him his second consecutive Silver Slugger award.  He also hit 25 home runs with 85 RBIs.  This all led to him coming in 16^th in the MVP voting.

Adam Dunn’s 2009 and 2010 Season

In two years with the Nationals, Adam Dunn put together two strangely similar but efficient seasons.  In both 2009 and 2010, he hit 38 home runs with 105 RBIs in 2010 and 103 RBIs in 2009.  His slash lines were also close at .267/.398/.529 in 2009 and .260/.356/.536 in 2010.  Despite putting up slightly better numbers in 2009, he actually received MVP votes in 2010 to place 21^st in the MVP race.  Dunn’s production made the Nationals a tough competitor but the huge number of strikeouts (376 in two seasons) that he collected hurt his chances of making the top five best seasons.