Washington Nationals
2010 Record: 69-93
655 RS, 742 RA, Pythagorean Record: 71-91
Manager: Jim Riggleman
GM: Mike Rizzo
Free Agents:
Rick Ankiel, OF (1, $1.5MM); Jerry Hariston, OF (1, $2MM); Adam LaRoche, 1B (2O, $15MM; $10MM Mutual Option); Jayson Werth, OF (7, $126MM).
Minor League FA:
Matt Antonelli, 2B; Luis Atilano, P; Michael Aubrey, 1B; Joel Barrientos, P; Jimmy Barthmaier, P; Joe Bisenius, P; Brian Bixler, SS; Sam Brown, P; Matt Chico, P; Buck Coats, OF; Alex Cora, 2B; Juan de los Santos, OF; Brian Escolastico, P; Diomedes Eusebio, 3B; Robinson Fabian, P; Adam Fox, 2B; Jeff Frazier, OF; Harvey Garcia, P; Chad Gaudin, P; Archie Gilbert, OF; Yewri Guillen, SS; Devin Ivany, C; Carlos Maldonado, C; Anderson Martinez, P; Carlos Martinez, P; Sharon Martis, P; Ryan Mattheus, P; Chris McConnell, SS; Gilberto Mendez, P; Felix Moscat, P; Scott Mueller, P; Laynce Nix, OF; Arialdi Peguero, 1B; Miguel Perez, C; Oliver Perez, P; Wilman Rodriguez, OF; Dioncio Rosario, OF; Pedro Severino, C; Hector Silvestre, P; Matt Stairs, OF; Jorge Tillero, C; Jonathan Tucker, OF; Alex Valdez, 3B; Jesus Valdez, OF; Jonathan Van Every, OF: Ron Villone, P; Chien-Ming Wang, P; Tim Wood, P.
Rule V Pick:
Brian Broderick, P (Cardinals); Elvin Ramirez, P (Mets).
Trades:
Received Corey Brown (OF) and Henry Rodriguez (P) from the Athletics for Josh Willingham (OF); Received Tom Gorzelanny (SP) from the Cubs for Michael Burgess (OF), Graham Hicks (P), and A.J. Morris (P); Received Adam Olbrychowski (P) from the Yankees for Justin Maxwell (OF).
Waiver Claims:
Lee Hyde, P (from the Braves).
Players Lost:
Edgardo Baez, OF; Kevin Barker, 1B; Miguel Bautista, P; Marty Beno, P; Jason Bergmann, P; Jason Botts, OF; Nolan Brannon, C; Jamie Burke, C; Ofilio Castro, 3B; Brad Coon, OF; Dustin Crane, P; Leonard Davis, OF; Zach Dials, P; Chris Duncan, OF; Adam Dunn, 1B; Tim Dupuis, P; Jesse English, P; Mike Gallo, P; Victor Garate, P; Luis Garcia, P; Zach Gerler, P; Willie Harris, OF; Livan Hernandez, P; Chuck James, P; Juan Jaime, P; Jason Jones, P; Marcus Jones, OF; Adam Kennedy, 2B; Andrew Kown, P; Chase Lambin, 2B; Dan Leatherman, P; Pedro Lopez, SS; Marvin Lowrance, OF: J.D. Martin, P; Michael Martinez, IF; Kevin Mench, OF; Garrett Mock, P; Nick Moresi, OF; Randy Mower, P; Wil Nieves, C; Scott Olsen, P; Pete Orr, 3B; Wilberto Ortiz, 3B; Billy Ott, P; Jerry Owens, OF; Joel Peralta, P; Lou Santangelo, C; John Santiago, P; Atahualpa Severino, P; Aaron Thompson, P;Wanel Vasquez, P; Tyler Walker, P; Jamar Walton, OF; Shane Zellers, P.
Top 15 Prospects
1. Bryce Harper, OF
2. Derek Norris, C
3. A.J. Cole, RHP
4. Danny Espinosa, SS
5. Sammy Solis, LHP
6. Wilson Ramos, C
7. Robbie Ray, LHP
8. Eury Perez, OF
9. Cole Kimball, RHP
10. Chris Marrero, 1B
11. J.P. Ramirez, OF
12. Destin Hood, OF
13. Rick Hague, SS
14. Brad Peacock, RHP
15. Steve Lombardozzi, 2B
Any system with Bryce Harper at the top will look strong; he’s the real deal and the National Brass were very happy with him during big league camp. They were also impressed with Wilson Ramos enough to send Jesus Flores to the minors. It must be rough having such catcher depth; they also have Derek Norris, who would be the top prospect in a lot of other systems. Along with Harper, the 2010 draft class boasts A.J. Cole, Sammy Solis, and Rick Hague as top prospects; Cole and Solis project to be in the rotation. I think Hague could be a sleeper candidate.
2010 Review:
2010 for the Nationals was all about Stephen Strasburg – the anointed savior for Washington Baseball. Unfortunately he went down to a torn elbow ligament and will miss all of 2011.
Even with Strasburg down, the team saw positives from a few individuals. The lack of exposure hasn’t hurt Ryan Zimmerman at all; he’s right there with Evan Longoria as the top young third basemen.
Another heralded first rounder from 2009 also made his MLB debut – reliever Drew Storen; Storen never got the hype Strasburg got, but he made an immediate impact and took over the closer role when the team traded Matt Capps.
The main negative for the team was Nyjer Morgan; it wasn’t so much his playing as it was his poor attitude and lack of thinking. Morgan received a couple of suspensions through out the season for bone headed plays that could have injured players. Luckily for the rest of the league, Morgan is really in the dog house with the Front Office Brass and his days in Washington are numbered.
2011 Preview:
The Nationals started the off-season with a splash by signing Jayson Werth to a huge contract; many are calling it the worst deal of the off-season. Werth will bring the team protection for Zimmerman, which they’ve really been lacking. They also added Rick Ankiel and Adam LaRoche to help boost the offense.
On the pitching side, they got shut out. They kicked the tires on Cliff Lee and fought pretty hard for Carl Pavano. They also check on acquiring Zach Greinke, but he declined a deal there. Instead, they’ll be content to wait a year to get Strasburg back and hope they can lure someone to join him.
The team is getting better, but are still behind the top of the division. The good news is they should be better than the Marlins.
From the Bloggers:
thecardboardcritic, 85% Sports: The Lerner family has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to pay big bucks for big name free agents. The acquisition this offseason of Jayson Werth will compound an already-strong Nationals offense into something that could surprise a lot of people. If Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, I-Rod, Nyjer Morgan, and the rest of the crew can stay healthy, the Nationals might just have a reasonably good year. Indeed, it’s hard not to draw parallels between the 2011 Nats and 2008 Rays. This team is very youthful, very talented, and I think poised to exceed expectations. However, their offense is not by any means among the league’s best, nor is their pitching. Even if every player on the Nationals has a career year, I don’t foresee them being a playoff threat. Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals’ highly-touted, $15 million dollar man, likely won’t factor in to the equation at all this year, after having Tommy John surgery last September. Additionally, the Nats’ rotation and bullpen are not clearly enough defined. Spring Training IS about figuring your team’s roster and rotation out, but regardless of how the Nats do that, they will have some serious holes. Nearly all of the Nationals pitchers, save for Livo, Marquis, and Gorzelanny, are woefully unexperienced. It looks like Drew Storen is the team’s de facto closer — this is a guy less than two years out of college with practically no MLB closing experience under his belt. I think the team would have been wise to hold on to Matt Capps. In any case, this season is bound to be an interesting one for the Nats. Their rebuilding process is sure to come to a head one of these years. Perhaps this year, if things go their way, they will finish higher than last in the NL East for just the second time.
Prediction:
4th Place