Boswell on Nationals future

[redsmetz]

Another interesting piece about what may be coming over the next couple of seasons for the Nationals (or not, as he notes). I continue to like their GM and the job he's doing.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...011904149.html

Early on, he notes:

When you're close to Washington, it's easy to underestimate the huge impact of a small number of people on a team's whole future. Fans notice that Adam LaRoche and Tom Gorzelanny just arrived. That's nice, but it's noise. When baseball people gather, at a World Series or in spring training, they look at a bigger picture. In that context, the Nats look like they are just a couple of years and a couple of "ifs" - albeit big ones - from joining the sport's adult conversation. That last happened in the 1930s.

[westofyou]

Last place again for them, their rotation is middling at best

[redsmetz]

Last place again for them, their rotation is middling at best

I didn't read it as Boswell suggesting that this will change their fortunes this season. He was saying, if some caveats included, that they could be seeing good fortunes sooner rather than later.

[cumberlandreds]

I still can't get past the fact they signed Jayson Werth to a 7 year $126 million contract. Way too much $$ and too many years. They will be regretting that one in a couple of years.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Well, if you're the Nats, you're going to have to overpay to get someone like Werth. And from what I hear, despite their suckitude, they have plenty of money to pass out. Basically they were going to give big money to a hitter and they decided it wouldn't be Adam Dunn. Then they went and surprised everyone by landing Werth, but that's better than doing nothing IMO. They have a new stadium and couldn't just stand pat.

The Strasburg injury just killed any momentum they had going as an organization. He was going to sell tickets all by himself. Plus they have some other good young talent in the hopper, like by Bryce Harper. Zimmerman is a nice building block as a "young veteran" so to speak at 3B. If not for the Strasburg injury, people in DC would be fired up about them this year.

[Ghosts of 1990]

In a few years, I think this team is going to be very, very good. They're going to be fun for the casual baseball fan to watch. I think they should have kept Dunner, but whatever. IF Strasburg comes back healthy and if Bryce Harper can come along in a year or two; they've stockpiled good young players. Now I think their division is a very good one but I think they're going to really be strong in 2013ish (if there is a 2013, haha).

[redsmetz]

Well, if you're the Nats, you're going to have to overpay to get someone like Werth. And from what I hear, despite their suckitude, they have plenty of money to pass out. Basically they were going to give big money to a hitter and they decided it wouldn't be Adam Dunn. Then they went and surprised everyone by landing Werth, but that's better than doing nothing IMO. They have a new stadium and couldn't just stand pat.

The Strasburg injury just killed any momentum they had going as an organization. He was going to sell tickets all by himself. Plus they have some other good young talent in the hopper, like by Bryce Harper. Zimmerman is a nice building block as a "young veteran" so to speak at 3B. If not for the Strasburg injury, people in DC would be fired up about them this year.

I posted a link to another Boswell column in the thread about the Werth signing. Basically that's the point Boswell too.