A Capital City Resurgance
Posted by Jason G. on Thursday, June 30, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Our nation’s capital needs some help. No, I’m not talking about whatever is going on with Obama and the White House. I’m talking about their professional sports teams, all of whom have spent the last decade or so at the bottom of their respective standings. The Wizards are in a rebuilding phase at the moment, having blown up the team following the Arenas-Crittenton High Noon duel. Even before the John Wall era begun, the Jamison/Butler-led Wizards were nothing more than an 8th seed at best, a team that would play just enough mediocre basketball to make the playoffs only to fall apart soon after. The Redskins have been trapped in the Daniel Snyder prison cell. Their outspoken owner loves to spend money, but the problem is he has no idea who to spend it on. Mike Shanahan may very well turn around the franchise, but if 2010 is any indication this transformation may take quite some time.
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Since the Washington Nationals came into the league, their combined record is a whopping 452-598. Their best season came in 2005, when they finished 81-81, good for last in the NL East. This is a team who had no identity, no star players and no glimmers of hope for D.C. sports fans. Well, with last place finishes come high draft picks, and in 2009 the Nationals selected Stephen Strasburg first overall. Strasburg’s debut was a 14 strikeout masterpiece and the first legitmate thing that Nats fans had to be excited for in the history of the franchise. Unfortunately, Strasburg would only make eleven more starts in 2010 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the entire 2011 season as well.
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Going into this season, the loss of Strasburg and the overpaying of outfielder Jayson Werth were the two most talked about topics amongst Nationals’ fans. However, with the team currently sitting just above .500, there’s plenty of reason for enthusiasm. This has the look of a team on the rise. Jordan Zimmerman is looking like the clear cut ace of the staff, continuing the promise he displayed briefly before undergoing Tommy John a few years back. Setup man Tyler Clippard had 11 wins in relief last year and leads the league with 20 holds this season. Drew Storen has lived up to the hype of being the Nats’ closer of the present and future. The infield has been the core of the team. Wilson Ramos has impressed as a rookie catcher. Michael Morse has stepped in for the injured (and awful) Adam LaRoche and is on pace for a 30 home run season. Danny Espinosa is in his rookie season and not only has 25-15 potential but he’s one of the best fielding second basemen in the game. He has also proven to be extremely clutch; since June 12, he has five home runs and 11 RBI’s from the 7th inning on. Ian Desmond is probably the weak link of the group but he’s made big strides as a shortstop and provides some speed at the back of the order. Ryan Zimmerman is the heart of the team, a Gold Glover and 25-100 lock each season. The outfield isn’t the team’s strong point, with Werth struggling and the Bernadina/Ankiel/Nix combo not providing anything special to the mix. That being said, Werth is too good of a player to keep hitting sub-.225 all season and should pick up his game to provide the team with the additional heart of the order, power-speed combo that they paid $126 million for in the offseason.
Jordan Zimmerman is one of the many reasons Nats fans have to be excited about the future.
The great thing about this team is that the future looks extremely bright. Strasburg should be back to full speed by the beginning of 2012 and will pair with Zimmerman to form one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball. Super-prospect and 2010 1st overall pick Bryce Harper is breezing through the minor leagues and will be with the team sooner than later, especially considering the current outfield situation. Anthony Rendon, the team’s 1st round pick in 2011, is a Gold Glove caliber 3rd baseman who Nats fans are very excited about. It is unclear what the plan is regarding the Zimmerman-Rendon 3rd base situation, but whether they move Rendon elsewhere or decide to part ways with Zimmerman when his contract expires in 2013, the Nationals are set at the hot corner. So outside of the prospects Strasburg, Harper and Rendon, the Nationals have Ramos (23), Espinosa (24), Morse (29), Desmond (25), Werth (32), Jordan Zimmerman (25), Clippard (26) and Storen (23) all ready to come together to save D.C. sports. This is easily the most intriguing young team in baseball and a group that baseball fans all around can rally behind. The Phillies and Braves should take notice; the Nationals are here to stay.
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