Max Scherzer has been one of the best pitchers in all of Major League Baseball the past couple of seasons with the Detroit Tigers. As a free agent this past off-season, the Washington Nationals rewarded his strong pitching by offering him a huge contract salary of over $200 million. The signing of the Cy Young Award winner is working out so far for the Nationals, with Scherzer performing towards the top of a star-studded rotation in a new league.
It's hard to live up to the hype that comes along with a contract such as his, but Max's new manager has seen what makes Scherzer worth the money. After another great performance, Manager Matt Williams exclaimed to SB Nation Federal Baseball about his new additions intangibles:
"He's got a real good plan for everybody that he faces. He's diligent about it. He takes time to work on it. He's got extra gears that a lot of people don't have. We saw that tonight. He threw one fastball at 98 [mph] for crying out loud. So, when he needs to reach back he can do it. Pretty good pitcher."
Not only is Scherzer impressing his coaches, but he is also leaving an impression on his teammates as well. Young hotshot outfielder Bryce Harper has started to understand the mindset of his grinder of a teammate. Harper told The Washington Post some of what having Scherzer does for the World Series-seeking team:
"He's always fighting, always scratching and trying to do what he can do to help this team win, if that's in the box or if that's on the mound. He's unbelievable out there, and it's fun to watch."
Will Scherzer continue mowing down the National League on his way to another Cy Young? How will the Nationals perform this season? Does Scherzer ever live up to that monster contract? We want to hear from you. Tell us your thoughts below.
