Fastball Fans

(co-written with David Nichols)

For fans of the Washington Nationals, the next few weeks will definitely serve to be the start of an exciting year, with the opening of the new ballpark and an infusion of talent onto the roster.

The Nationals in 2007 served as sort of a surprise for fans, as they won 73 games and also beat many analysts’ dire predictions as to how bad the team would be. Despite crafting a team of youngsters, journeymen and veterans, Washington defied all expectations and was a source of pride in the community. In turn, Manny Acta earned the respect not only of fans, but also the national press for taking a team that many thought had no chance and making them into a respectable unit.

The Nationals’ front office, led by team President Stan Kasten and General Manager Jim Bowden, have a plan in place to rebuild from within via draft picks, heavy scouting in Latin America and other countries, selective free agent signings and resourceful trading than rather than investing heavily in high-priced free agents. The team was able to acquire young talent via off-season trades and had a superb 2007 draft; thus, the Nationals rebuilding plan is going better than expected.

As Opening Day approaches, the Nationals will finally be able to see the progress they have made on the field, and start evaluating how the plan is working. They spent off the off-season not splurging in the free agent market as some might have chosen, but selectively putting pieces together that they hope will build a bright, competitive future.

However, fans were concerned by some of players the Nationals selected, due to the questionable nature of their history.

First, the Nationals traded away two fan favorites, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider for Lastings Milledge from the Mets. Milledge is a true talent to be sure, and he’s penciled in as the starting center fielder. But his short time with the Mets was filled with whispers of immaturity, from high-fiving fans after his first big league home run, to cutting a rap album with sentiments demeaning to women.

Paul LoDuca, signed in December to a one-year, $5M deal to mentor young catcher Jesus Flores, appeared in the Mitchell Report on Performance Enhancing Drugs just two days after. In January, LoDuca injured his left knee in a workout, had surgery, and will miss most of spring training. An inauspicious debut to be sure.

However, the most controversial deal came about when troubled Elijah Dukes was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Glenn Gibson. Dukes has restraining orders against him by two different women, including the mother of his child. He has been accused of threatening his former wife and child’s life, going so far as to text message a picture of a gun to her after one altercation. He’s also been suspended in every level of baseball he’s played, including as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays last year.

Despite the fans’ concerns, the Nationals are in much better shape baseball-wise than they were last season, and they hope that the success of Dmitri Young’s comeback last year spurs the same success with their newly acquired talent.

The lineup and bench are much improved; however, the Nats are still missing that one true power in the middle of the lineup. Rising star Ryan Zimmerman, first baseman Dmitri Young, left fielder Wily Mo Pena and right fielder Austin Kearns provide most of the pop in the order. With newcomers Johnny Estrada, Paul LoDuca, Milledge and Dukes filling things out, things are looking up for Washington offensively. The return of Nick Johnson is also anxiously awaited, as he has proclaimed himself fit and ready to play. His inclusion will certainly bolster the batting order.

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