Nationals’ Max Scherzer: Big Contract with Big Expectations

When you think of the best starting rotations in baseball, the first that come to mind are the five pitchers Washington can throw out on any given day. Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez are all top tier pitching talents who have had strong starts in the early goings of 2015.

Scherzer, coming into 2015, was the hot ticket item that seemingly everyone in baseball was talking about. Once he landed in D.C., Washington jettisoned into being the favorite to win the World Series. Now $210 million and an offseason in the books, Scherzer has thus far lived up to the hype. While the nine figure deal may look to be a behemoth of a contract; the former Detroit Tiger and his camp essentially locked the Nats into paying him for 14 years. This has lessened the luxury tax hit the Nats could have received for the same offer with less deferred money by about $3-$4 million.

The only issue with this kind of deferred money is that the Nats could be paying Scherzer big money long after he is useful… think former outfielder Bobby Bonilla or NHL goalie Rick DiPietro. Both of these “great” deals of the past have left the New York Mets and Islanders, respectively, paying athletes who are not on the roster. Amazingly, $105 million in deferred money will be paid out through 2028.

While Scherzer is certainly no Bonilla or DiPietro, worry still lingers in the minds of Washington fans about leveraging their future to avoid luxury taxes in the present. That being said, in his first three starts Scherzer has dazzled, pitching into the eighth inning twice; the first National to do so in franchise history.

Building on his dominant pedigree, the pitcher has amassed a 0.83 ERA, given up 14 hits, four walks and only surrendered five total runs this season. He has faced 86 total batters and has struck out 25, while allowing only a .171 BAA. Of the starting five in Washington, Scherzer currently averages the least amount of pitches per inning at 13.80, which is great for his longevity. The next closest starter is Fister with 15.00. Further, Scherzer is averaging just 3.48 pitches per at bat.

The one thing Scherzer brings to the mound night-in and night-out that can’t be quantified is confidence. Every time Scherzer takes the rubber, he knows he has the ability to go lights out and mow down the opposing lineup. Since debuting in 2008 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Scherzer has seen his wins total grow year by year; before peaking in 2013 with Detroit.

At the current clip, Scherzer is averaging 10.38 strikeouts per nine-innings-pitched while surrendering 1.66 walks per nine-innings-pitched. Throwing in the zone has been a staple for him. This season, Scherzer has thrown a first pitch strike 67.4 percent and he manages to get batters into a 0-2 count 26.7 percent in his first three starts.

No punches are pulled when Scherzer takes the hill. He’s going to give you something to swing at but, 22 times this season; batters have missed, striking out swinging. Of his 25 strikeouts thus far in 2015, seven have been three-pitch K’s; further bolstering his sub-four pitches per at-bat.

Scherzer’s best year to date came in the summer of 2013 when he went 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 32 starts for the Tigers. He ran away with the Cy Young Award that season, garnering 28 of the 30 first-place votes for the honor.

Winning that award is more than just wins and losses to the Baseball Writers Association. Scherzer was dominant in all facets of the game in 2013; finishing in the Top Five in strikeouts (240), hits per nine innings (6.383), WAR (6.7) and WHIP (0.97).