Because I Can

I've focused a lot on the Dodgers, my primary favorite team, but what of the Washington Nationals? They have problems. I address what I would take care of here.

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The Washington Nationals, after operating on a $27 million operating income, expanded their payroll from $48 million to $63 million. There is no reason for their payroll to be below $70 million, as they have the fan base to support them from the vast DC metro area. Attendance last year was the most in franchise history - more than quadruple the previous year's attendance - and with an acutal owner, things should look up for the Nats. Washington is a much different town than it was in 1972, and the local counties happen to be among the wealthiest in the nation. RFK Stadium still has plenty of empty seats remaining, should Washington attract more fans.

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Frank Robinson has made it standard practice that the big screen in the clubhouse stays blank before the game to give the players focus. Grady Little clearly had a better idea with looping video from the starting pitcher. A blank screen does not create focus, just a void. It still leaves the players to talking, playing cards, or whatever before the game begins, and there is no guarantee of unity in purpose. Little's concept is not only more positive, but more proactive, as it presents a common image for the players, so that they would have a common focus. While the bullpen could benefit from watching the other team bat, it does focus everyone on the common objective of beating the other team's pitcher, and thus the other team. This is only part of the problem.

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The Nats absolutely botched the Soriano deal. Jim Bowden should be immediately fired for his complete lack of gracefulness in handling the situation, including his threat to put Soriano on the DQ list, which would bar Soriano from playing in the majors for the Nats or any other team, although a DUI conviction would certainly help put the point across.

Soriano should stay, as should Guillen. While Jose Guillen is off to a slow start, he is a quality player. Jose Vidro is a good second baseman, and should stay. Nick Johnson is playing excellent ball, and Zimmerman gives hope to the future of the organization. Byrd and Church both have excellent plate discipline, with on-base percentages that show the power of walks in comparison to their batting averages (Byrd .258 BA / .410 OBP; Church .239 BA / .386 OBP). Either one of these guys would be good at the top of the order, as they will not only get on with high likelihood, but they can make a pitcher throw a few extra pitches, which makes the whole opposing pitching staff more accessible.

Livan Hernandez is a quality starting pitcher, as is John Patterson, and rookie Michael O'Connor is promising too. Tony Armas needs to prove he can last 6 innings in his starts - basically go 180 innings - or he should be converted to a long reliever. The Nationals pitching is better once healed, given that Brian Lawrence and John Patterson will return eventually. That leaves

Hernandez
Patterson
Lawrence
O'Connor
Armas

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The bullpen, incidentally, is the Nationals' biggest worry. The untold story of the World Baseball Classic is that the Nationals lost their setup man, Luis Ayala, to the WBC; he's got to undergo Tommy John, and apparently the team couldn't stop him from participating. Good for a 2.75 ERA over 232 innings, with 149 K and 42 walks over that time period. Losing 80 innings from Ayala will cost the Nationals dearly, as only closer Chad Cordero, John Rauch, and near-39-year-old Mike Stanton have ERA under 4 in the bullpen. With starters that can pitch deep into games, Washington can get by with this bullpen, but otherwise can consider themselves in trouble. The Nationals need to get one more quality relieve, which can be achieved easily enough by calming down the young Gary Majewski, and returning him to his career ERA of 3.31. This will keep Washington in control of games.

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Aside from patience in waiting for the starting pitching situation to get better, the Nationals need to upgrade their shortstop position, likely in the offseason, since they do not really have an extra player to give. I don't know what the free agent market has up for grabs, but the Lerners should show that they care by getting the best free agent shortstop available, as I'm sure there will be someone for the taking.

If finding a free agent shortstop is a problem, the answer is simple enough - ask Jose Vidro to move to the other side of the middle of the infield. Then, instead of looking for a quality middle infielder, the Nationals can get a power-hitting left fielder, and put Soriano back at 2nd base where he belongs. Chipper Jones demonstrated that it is entirely possible to go from the infield to the outfield back to the infield.

Defenders of the Nationals would suggest that Soriano's defense was a liability, and that he does less harm in the outfield. While that may be, there is also to consider that power hitting left fielders are far more common than power hitting left fielders. If Ken Griffey Jr ever gets off the DL, Cody Ross will be up for grabs, and would be a worthwhile pickup for the Nationals. He has potential and can hit for power. He is also young enough that he Nationals can get him to a long term contract rather cheaply now. Once their new stadium opens, their players can demonstrate their hidden power. The point is it makes more sense to put Soriano back at second after giving him experience as a good defensive player. Then, the Nats can focus on upgrading starting pitching, so that Tony Armas can be a long reliever. If they are serious, they'll offer big bucks for 2 years to Greg Maddux.

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The biggest changes the new ownership should make are the firings of Jim Bowden and Frank Robinson. Bowden missed the oppurtunity to get Cody Ross (come on, a player to be named later?), and has produced miserable results for Washington lately.

Frank, while a hall of famer, is frankly too old and senile to contribute anything positive to the team. It would be best for the team if he were to simply retire after this season, remarking that he is ready to retire, because it would not look ugly. It's hard to fire a hall of famer who was also the first black manager in the majors. In 1976, Robinson batted .224 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI, those homers his only extra-base hits. At that point he realized it was time to step down, and now that he cannot be pleased with his current team, it is once again that time.

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The Nationals do not have a whole lot of a farm system left, so extending the quality of their current team will gradually get more expensive (making extending Soriano and acquiring Cody Ross good moves). Paul Depodesta, despite his infatuation with Hee Seop Choi, was a defender of the farm system, and could be effective for a team with more payroll limitations. Otherwise, I would love the job.

As for a manager, that will be the most difficult decision for the Nationals to make. It would need to be someone with a good work ethic, someone to motivate and inspire confidence in his team, and to bring out the best in his players. Again, I would love the job, but I think the best person available I can think of for this job would be Orel Hershiser.

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So my dream scenario would be, I am the GM, Hershiser manages, and the Nats post the following lineup

Byrd/Church - CF
Vidro - SS
Soriano - 2B
Johnson - 1B
Guillen - RF
Ross - LF
Zimmerman - 3B
Schneider - C
pitcher

and rotation

Hernandez
Maddux
Patterson
Lawrence
O'Connor

and then I'd spend some money on some guys that can be reserves so that the rookies can come up slowly. As for draft picks, I would take college players only if they fill more immediate needs for the next two years and if they are among the best in the NCAA. Otherwise, I'd take high schoolers that are coachable and talented for the long range.

Now let's see if Washington can do that.

Labels: Nationals