Tidbits to ponder as Nationals head on tough, 10-game road trip

12:15 PM ET

Everybody knows that April showers bring May flowers. The question for the Washington Nationals is, should their April power make teams cower?

The Nats have spent the entire first month of the season atop the National League East. Of course, they’ve also spent the entire first month of the season playing a schedule that’s softer than a Charmin-wrapped marshmallow. So far, Washington has played the Braves, Marlins, and Phillies six times each and the Twins three times. Not exactly what you’d call a gauntlet. Add it all up, and the combined winning percentage of their opponents is .462, which ranks as the third-cushiest calendar in the majors.

On top of that, the Phillies, with a 12-10 record against the league’s third-hardest schedule, appear to be better than expected. And Washington is just 2-4 against them, including a three-game sweep by Philly that ended with the Nats offense at 22 straight scoreless innings and counting.

In other words, it’s easy to understand why folks around baseball are a little hesitant to accept Washington’s 14-7 record as the real deal. But that’s why God created litmus tests. And what better litmus test than a three-city, 10-game road trip against the Cardinals, Royals and Cubs?

Gulp.

If you’re keeping score at home, that’s three teams that made the playoffs last year, including the reigning world champs. Three teams that have combined for a .625 winning percentage and a run differential of plus-122. That’s a whopping 210 runs better than the minus-88 of Washington’s first four foes.

Double gulp.

The schedule gets a lot tougher in the next week and a half for Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman and the Nationals. Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

But this is the big leagues, where the big boys put on their big-boy pants and play ball, no matter the opponent. With that in mind, here are 10 tasty tidbits — one for each day of Washington’s wandering — to keep in mind as the Nationals embark on their magical midwestern mystery tour.

1. Marathon road trips don’t always spell doom. During the last four years, which is pretty much since the Nationals have been good, they’ve taken a three-city road trip on 15 occasions. On those trips, they’re a combined 78-67 (.538). Not too shabby.

2. Not …

continue reading in source espn.go.com