Life In Purgatory
This is the final team preview of this spring, and I'm not going to mince words: this is a really bad team. Part of it is beyond team management's control; since MLB bought out the Expos franchise, the team has been a ward of the state, holding out the bowl hoping for one more refill of gruel which never comes. But lots more damage has been accomplished under the watch of Jim Bowden, one of the most incompetent general managers of all time. The latest, the Alfonso Soriano fiasco, is just another example.
Projected 2006 Lineup:
LF? Alfonso Soriano
2B Jose Vidro
1B Nick Johnson
RF Jose Guillen
3B Ryan Zimmerman
CF Ryan Church
C Brian Schneider
SS Christian Guzman
The Nationals in 2005 scored the pitiful total of 639 runs, worst in the major leagues. Seeking improvement, Bowden traded Brad Wilkerson, one of his best hitters, and two others to Texas for the wildly overrated Soriano, who immediately staged a public tantrum about being asked to shift to left field. Guzman was one of the worst offensive players in recent memory a year ago; to light a fire under him Bowden brought in Royce Clayton. Wow, there's an upgrade.
Guillen has been a very productive hitter the past few years; he has complained of a sore wrist this spring, a big concern for a power hitter. Johnson spends half the year as a very fine hitter and half on the DL. I love Zimmerman, but at this time he doesn't have the power for a middle of the order hitter, moving him to leadoff or second would be much better. I'd also move him to shortstop and bring in someone else who can hit to play third, but I'm not Jim Bowden or Frank Robinson, so what do I know?
Projected 2006 Rotation and Bullpen:
SP Livan Hernandez
SP John Patterson
SP Ramon Ortiz
SP Tony Armas
SP Ryan Drese
CL Chad Cordero
RP Gary Majewski
RP Luis Ayala
RP Joey Eischen
RP Travis Hughes
Hernandez has turned into the exact antithesis of his brother El Duque; he's a reliable innings-eating workhorse. He did undergo knee surgery during the offseason and has had a slow start this spring, so be careful in your fantasy draft. Patterson, finally healthy and finally given a chance, developed into one of the league's best and least-known starters. The rest of the rotation is filler, and not very good filler.
A large chunk of the credit for the Nats playing .500 ball last year goes to the bullpen. I don't see a repeat. Cordero is very good, but the rest are journeymen of the type who will have one good year followed by two or three not so good.
The fire sale in Florida might keep this team out of the NL East cellar, but it's a tossup whether the Nationals or the Bush Administration will have a worse summer. Bowden would fit right into the administration, truth to tell; not only is he incompetent but he's egotistical as well.
That wraps up the 2006 team previews, thus fullfilling Bob and Jim's plea bargain with the good people of Hell. How did we do? Ask in October. Until then, enjoy the season.
Projected 2006 Lineup:
LF? Alfonso Soriano
2B Jose Vidro
1B Nick Johnson
RF Jose Guillen
3B Ryan Zimmerman
CF Ryan Church
C Brian Schneider
SS Christian Guzman
The Nationals in 2005 scored the pitiful total of 639 runs, worst in the major leagues. Seeking improvement, Bowden traded Brad Wilkerson, one of his best hitters, and two others to Texas for the wildly overrated Soriano, who immediately staged a public tantrum about being asked to shift to left field. Guzman was one of the worst offensive players in recent memory a year ago; to light a fire under him Bowden brought in Royce Clayton. Wow, there's an upgrade.
Guillen has been a very productive hitter the past few years; he has complained of a sore wrist this spring, a big concern for a power hitter. Johnson spends half the year as a very fine hitter and half on the DL. I love Zimmerman, but at this time he doesn't have the power for a middle of the order hitter, moving him to leadoff or second would be much better. I'd also move him to shortstop and bring in someone else who can hit to play third, but I'm not Jim Bowden or Frank Robinson, so what do I know?
Projected 2006 Rotation and Bullpen:
SP Livan Hernandez
SP John Patterson
SP Ramon Ortiz
SP Tony Armas
SP Ryan Drese
CL Chad Cordero
RP Gary Majewski
RP Luis Ayala
RP Joey Eischen
RP Travis Hughes
Hernandez has turned into the exact antithesis of his brother El Duque; he's a reliable innings-eating workhorse. He did undergo knee surgery during the offseason and has had a slow start this spring, so be careful in your fantasy draft. Patterson, finally healthy and finally given a chance, developed into one of the league's best and least-known starters. The rest of the rotation is filler, and not very good filler.
A large chunk of the credit for the Nats playing .500 ball last year goes to the bullpen. I don't see a repeat. Cordero is very good, but the rest are journeymen of the type who will have one good year followed by two or three not so good.
The fire sale in Florida might keep this team out of the NL East cellar, but it's a tossup whether the Nationals or the Bush Administration will have a worse summer. Bowden would fit right into the administration, truth to tell; not only is he incompetent but he's egotistical as well.
That wraps up the 2006 team previews, thus fullfilling Bob and Jim's plea bargain with the good people of Hell. How did we do? Ask in October. Until then, enjoy the season.
posted by Jim at
6:35 PM
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