The first winning season in franchise history didn’t thrill Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnsonwhen he was reminded of it. “I guess,” Johnson said and paused. “I wasn’t real concerned about it.” The Nationals, who moved to Washington for the 2005 season, had never won more than 81 games. After their 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Monday, they have their 82nd victory, a 6½-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East and the best record in the majors.

It’s not all champagne and roses for the Nationals though. Amidst their best season as a franchise the turmoil surrounding the Strasburg Shut Down Plan is inescapable. Me personally, I guess I kind of get it, but I hate it. Stephen Strasburg is a stud. He could be one of the best pitchers in the big leagues for years, so I get it. Play it safe, you kind of have to do it. I also get that the team is young, they seem like they’ll be around for a while…..buuuuuuuut you’ve got the best record in baseball, you’re in the zone. Isn’t it now? Isn’t this the year? Don’t we just go for it!? I don’t know I think it sucks. I think it sucks because if you think about all the Hall of Fame pitchers we seen in our life time… they didn’t involve a shut down plan. What happens if he tears his elbow up in April next year – nothing’s for sure McGoo.