History to determine soundness of Scherzer investment

The Nationals took a flying leap into uncharted waters on Sunday night, when they agreed to a seven-year, $210 million contract with free-agent right-hander Max Scherzer. It’s the first big-money, long-term deal for a pitcher in team history, dwarfing the five-year, $42 million extension lefty Gio Gonzalez signed before the 2012 season. And while it’s impossible to predict how any individual player will fare in the future, history can provide some clues.