So far this year, the Nationals have lived up to their reputation.
The Nats are dead last in the National League East. In fact, they have the worst record in baseball. There does not appear to be much hope for the Nationals to be a playoff contender, which should not surprise anyone who has followed this team over the last few years. But there is one good thing that can come from the Nationals abysmal play last year: the number one pick in the First-Year Player Draft.
The Nationals selected right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg this year with the number one overall pick. There has not been a first round selection with so much buzz since the Mariners selected a shortstop named Alex Rodriguez in 1993. Strasburg, who pitched this season for San Diego State University, put up unbelievable numbers. In 109 innings Strasburg struck out 195 batters, averaging two strikeouts an inning, and that is not something you see from your everyday starting pitcher. He also went 13-1 with an ERA of 1.32. Strasburg has also had his fastball clocked at speeds up to 103 miles per hour. It might be a no-brainer, but the Nationals front office was drooling over this guy.
Before the Nats' faithful start dreaming dreams of October baseball, they should remember that it takes more than one great starter to take a team to the playoffs; Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays, Tim Lincecum of the Giants are perfect examples. Even if Strasburg goes straight to the Majors after being drafted, he will have to make many adjustments. First, he has only faced college hitters and never any with the skill sets of a Major League hitter. He no-hit Air Force and struck out 23 hitters against Utah, but how can he deal with facing Albert Pujols? It would not be surprising if the Nationals sent him to AAA to start, just so he can get a feel for pitching to a more talented group of hitters.
Another issue that may arise with the selection of Strasburg is his contract. His agent is Scott Boras, the most infamous agent in the game, known for demanding outrageous contracts for his clients. Boras knows the type of talent Strasburg has, and he will make the Nats pay as much as possible for it. The team is in a situation where they almost have to sign him no matter what, because there has been so much hype around him that it would look like a major step in the wrong direction if he were not to sign.
It is important for Nationals fans to have hope for the future but be realistic about the current standing of the team. Strasburg will not get them to the playoffs this year, next year or likely the year after that. But it is certainly the beginning of a new era for the team. This could be the turning point where years from now people will look back and see that this as where the Nationals began to change for the better. Who knows, Strasburg could one day bring a World Series to D.C.
You can reach this staff writer at slindauer@theeagleonline.com.
