Gio Gonzalez: Taking A Different Look At Nationals New Rotation

Newest National Gio Gonzalez

Gio Gonzalez is now a National and the Washington Nationals are now contenders. 

Just like that.

The American League all-star cost the Nationals Brian Peacock, Tommy Milone, Derek Norris and A.J. Cole, a rich haul to be sure. But none of those players were in the team's plans for 2012 and now a good rotation is close enough to great that it's no longer a long-distance call. 

Gonzalez joins Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann, giving the team as good a top-of-the-rotation as you'll find in the league. Add John Lannan and Chien-Ming Wang and there isn't a breather for the opposing team.

Take a look at these stats. Strasburg, Zimmermann and Wang's numbers are based on last year's numbers based on 30 starts. Lannan's and Gio's are their actual stats:

1--Strasburg: 12-8, 2.54 (6.9/1.9/11.3)

2--Zimmermann: 10-11, 3.18 (8.6/1.7/6.9)

Ross Detwiler

3--Gio Gonzalez: 16-12, 3.12 (7.8/4.1/8.8)

4--John Lannan: 10-13, 3.70 (9.5/3.7/5.2)

5--Chien-Ming Wang: 12-9, 4.04 (9.7/1.9/3.6)

And if one of them gets hurt, here are Ross Detwiler's numbers from last year, based on 30 starts:

6--Ross Detwiler: 12-15, 3.00 (8.6/2.7/5.6)

The four National League playoff teams from last season averaged 65 wins from their top five starters. The Nationals' top five listed above would have won 60 games. 

They are close, really really close.