The Washington Nationals have been wallowing at the bottom of the NL East for years and things are not looking much brighter at the start of the 2010 season. But this offseason, the Nats have made some changes that may keep them from dropping 100 games or, if they’re lucky, finish in fourth in the East.
One of the biggest decisions the Nationals made during spring training was to Ian Desmond at shortstop instead of former All-Star, Cristian Guzman. The decision surprised some, but there were some questions as to whether Guzman’s throwing arm would be sufficient for playing at short. What made the decision easier is that Desmond, at 24, is young and in his short time up in the big leagues last year displayed some power and an ability to make tough plays in the field. What Desmond has going for him is also what he has going against him-his youth. Sometimes Desmond is perceptible to having some miscues with the glove, but with experience he should only improve. If Desmond is able to continue to improve, the left side of the Nationals’ infield should be a constant source of production for years to come.
There is another young player the Nats had to make a decision about this offseason, and he’s a bit more popular than Desmond without ever playing a game. Of course, this player is none other than Stephen Strasburg, the number one overall pick in last year’s draft. After dazzling baseball fans with other-worldly stats with his college team, many thought it was a give that Strasburg would jump right to the top of the Nationals’ rotation. After all, he is probably the best starter in the organization. But the Nationals are making fans wait (perhaps only until this summer) for the would-be savior to take the mound in the big leagues. The argument for bringing up Strasburg to start the season is pragmatic. Not only does it make sense to have the best pitcher actually playing games that matter in the big leagues, but the money the Nats would make off of this would be astronomical. Strasburg jerseys would fly off the racks as every Washington, D.C. sports fan knows this pitcher. In fact, every baseball fan in the country likely knows about him. In addition to sales of Strasburg merchandise, which one can safely assume would outsell Craig Stammen jerseys, the Nationals would fill their seats. So why would they not bring him up? The rationale for putting him in the minors is two-fold. First, Strasburg has not faced professional hitters in his life. A trip to AA would help him prepare to face the best hitters on the planet. Second, the team will better be able to manage his pitch count without it hurting the team in any adverse way. The last thing the Nationals want is their future ace damaging his arm.
Besides drafting Strasburg, the Nationals were able to add a few players through free agency who can help the team move closer to respectability. To help bolster their starting rotation, they added veteran starting pitcher Jason Marquis, who had previously pitched for the Colorado Rockies. Last season he won an impressive 15 games with an average 4.04 ERA. Marquis is currently slotted as the number two starter and should help the rotation which is incredibly inexperienced.
Moving to the bullpen, the Nationals signed closer Matt Capps in order to solidify the ninth inning. Sure, Capps will not have as many save opportunities as Jonathan Papelbon or Mariano Rivera, but he proved last year with the Pirates that he is an adequate option, as he saved 27 games in 32 opportunities. Capps had a rough spring training, but a player’s performance in March is not always the best indicator. As of April 10, Capps has already saved each of the Nationals two wins in this young season. The importance of having a great closer cannot be underestimated and Capps is hoping to prove to fans that spring training was just a fluke.
Keeping with the theme of signing seasoned veterans to compliment the young players, the team signed on Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. It’s hard to believe, but Pudge has been in the majors for 20 seasons and, while he no longer is the powerhouse type player he once was, he gives the team a solid option to start every game until Jesus Flores is healthy. Manager Jim Riggleman said that he was brought here to produce, not to be a teacher, though if he works with some of the younger players that would certainly be a bonus for the team. With the addition of Rodriguez and the other veterans, the Nationals have definitely improved, but don’t expect a serious playoff run for at least a few more years.
You can reach this columnist at slindauer@theeagleonline.com.
