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<\/a>You have to love MLB debut stories like Grace’s … photo AP\/Nick Wass via wp.com<\/p><\/div>\n
When I checked the box score<\/a> this morning from last night’s 7-5 loss, I was pleasantly surprised to see Matt Grace<\/strong>‘s debut in the majors.\u00a0 His debut was relatively clean; his walk was by all accounts a non-intentional intentional walk and he otherwise handled the side.\u00a0 WP’s Chelsea James<\/strong> wrote a great story about Grace’s debut<\/a>, which sounds as hectic and crazy as a lot of players’ emergency call-ups … I’m guessing Grace’s family didn’t get enough warning to get to Washington to see him pitch.<\/p>\n Most of us thought Grace was the next guy in line for a loogy spot in the pen, after his excellent 2014 in AAA.\u00a0 But Felipe Rivero<\/strong> jumped over him earlier this off-season … and suddenly came down with what’s being described as a “gastro-intestinal issue” and is headed to the 15 day D\/L<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rafael Martin<\/strong> continues his excellent work, having now struck out 8 of the 12 batters<\/a> he’s faced.\u00a0 Yeah, i’ll take that.\u00a0 Even given last night’s homer to Matt Adams<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, i’m starting to worry about Blake Treinen<\/strong> in the pen, especially being thrust into such an important role.\u00a0 But in his six appearances this year<\/a>, he now has two blown saves and two losses … and another outing where he gave up the demoralizing “put the game out of reach” run in the top of the 9th.\u00a0 That’s not a very good start to the season.\u00a0 Yeah yeah its April and all, but April games count just as much as September games, and I wonder if the team isn’t thinking about finding another alternative.<\/p>\n Of course, it goes without saying that in the first 20 days of the season, the team has now used ten (10) relievers … and used just twelve<\/a> (12) all of last season.\u00a0 And not one of 2015’s set of reliever appearances actually includes the team’s major off-season bullpen acquisition Casey Janssen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And it is worth noting that, as of today, the Nats have zero (0) remaining relievers in the minors on the 40-man roster (unless you’re squinting and calling Sammy Solis<\/strong> a reliever now … which he very well may be since he’s in AA and isn’t in their rotation … but he has exactly 37 1\/3 professional innings since the middle of 2013 and is no where near a MLB call-up).\u00a0 It seems to me that the next move the team makes may very well be giving a shot to some longer-serving minor league vet (someone like a Mitch Lively<\/strong>) or to give one of the several MLB-experienced guys in Syracuse a shot (Rich Hill<\/strong>, Evan Meek<\/strong> or Eric Fornataro<\/strong>).\u00a0 Its why you have a AAA “spare parts” team, right?<\/p>\n