A lot of people, myself included, questioned if Redskins owner Daniel Snyder had also bought the Nationals when it was announced that the Nats signed soon-to-be-32-year-old outfielder Jayson Werth to a seven year, $126 million contract. While the contract is terrible in many ways, what it represents should make D.C. baseball fans very happy.
Since the Lerner family bought the Nationals in 2006, Nationals fans have been treated to names like Ronnie Belliard, Lastings Milledge, Tim Redding and Chad Cordero. Clearly, we’re not talking about the Big Red Machine here. Every year, the Nationals have filled out the lineup card on Opening Day with two or three above average players and a bunch of guys who I wouldn’t let play on my little league team.
But you can’t blame ownership for not spending money at the time. The team was not ready to compete, and of millions of dollars would have been wasted.
With a crop of young players on the team or waiting to be called up, the Nats are not as far away from competing for an NL East title as they were a few years ago. Instead of Belliard, Milledge, Redding and Cordero, fans will soon see a team with guys named Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Drew Storen and Ryan Zimmerman.
Harper, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2010 draft, will most likely not be ready to play in the majors for at least two years. By that time, the NL East will not be as strong as it is today.
Three-fourths of the Phillies’ big four starters are 32 or older, and Cole Hamels is a free agent after the 2012 season. They already have an old and often injured lineup. By the start of the 2013 season, the Phillies could very well be a borderline playoff team instead of a World Series favorite.
The Marlins are in the same situation as the Nats but as we’ve seen in the past, the Marlins are more likely to trade their own great players than sign high priced players that can take them to the next level.
The Braves are always in contention as they are always among the best at drafting underrated players. Brian McCann anyone? Probably the best catcher in the NL, he was drafted with the 64th pick in the 2002 draft.
And the New York Knicks, excuse me, the New York Mets are not worth discussing.
In two years, if all goes right, the Nationals could very well be competitive in their division. They probably won’t win it, but at this point in the team’s history, finishing anywhere outside of dead last would be a victory.
The Nationals are close. Assuming Strasburg comes back from Tommy John surgery and picks up where he left off, and Jordan Zimmermann continues to develop into a solid No. 2 starter, they have the makings of a very good, if not great, starting rotation. With Harper and Zimmerman anchoring the lineup, the team can add another bat or two via free agency or the minors and be one that opposing pitchers fear.
Werth’s contract is an absolute disgrace and with past knee injuries, the Nats will be lucky if he’s still an above average player halfway through the deal. But what it does show is that the Lerners are willing to spend money. Whether they will spend that money wisely is another question entirely.
blasky@theeagleonline.com
