MLB SHOWDOWN 2019 SET -- Washington Nationals

So guys… WE DID IT!  The release of the 2019 set is here! The entire Showdown creator team has been looking forward to this date for a great deal of time now. There are loads of changes and new things this season, so stay tuned for a break down of the new changes to the 2019 set in a later blog post. For now, here are the World Series Champions…

THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS

So here they are, standing at an impressive 6,640 points.. They may have only won 93 games and a Wild Card spot, but they sure did deserve everything they won with the team they had. After last year’s dud of a season for the Nats, most fans thought they would see this team fall to the middle of the division standings behind the Braves and possibly the Phillies or Mets with their new acquisitions, however, the Nationals played just well enough to take the N.L. Wild Card to Nationals Park. Once again, the Nationals were definitely doubted in the playoffs because … they’re the Nationals and they hadn’t won a single series in their four franchise postseason appearances. Despite the odds, the Nationals were resilient and edged their way past the Brewers, Dodgers, and eventually the Astros to make history as the first championship to be brought home to Washington

Lineup

This is one STACKED lineup! Only 3 OB 10 guys as opposed by last year’s 4, but these cards offer much more extra-base hits and power.  Leading off is Trea Turner and he’s a great card, but personally I would like to see him hit second behind Eaton or maybe even 5th in the order. The “power three” (as I like to call them) of the three foil hitters on the Nationals: Rendon, Soto, and Kendrick is a unit and is sure to drive in a couple runs a game. The back half of the lineup doesn’t see too much of a fall off; the cards are really solid and still offer some good opportunities to snag some extra bags while not suffering on the on-base side of things. 

Bench

The bench makes this team quite versatile and it’s easy to swap some of these guys in to fit whatever style of lineup you prefer. Unfortunately, each of these players in only eligible for 1 position which definitely limits flexibility, but it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. 

Rotation

This rotation dangerous and was so clutch in the postseason. Scherzer and Strasburg both earned foil cards with their incredible control 5. Corbin and Sanchez are two powerful control 4s and will not disappoint. With the high controls mixed with the 3 IP 6s will allow these cards to go deep into games and avoid relying too much on the bullpen.

Bullpen

Going into the playoffs, many fans thought this bullpen would be the downfall of this team. So how did the Nationals overcome this adversity? Well, they didn’t use them that much. Although, when the bullpen did pitch, they were pretty solid. They are by no means a great bullpen, but they can definitely get through some innings. I think, when you have a rotation as good as the Nationals’, you really don’t need too many stars in the bullpen.

Mr. National

Here’s Ryan Zimmerman’s final card before becoming a free agent. He didn’t even qualify for a cards, but because he has put up such a great career in D.C., he had to be a late addition to the checklist. He’s not too flashy of a card, but here he is. Enjoy!

That’s all for the Nationals. Stay tuned for more teams coming very soon. We hope you enjoyed. Thank you!