It’s not often a team 16 games under .500 exceeds expectations, but the Washington Nationals enter the All-Star break feeling pretty good about their half season.
The Nats are 36-52, which stinks but isn’t historically bad. Some crazy baseball “experts” once projected 125 losses, but the Nats must finish 1-73 to do that.
So much for the hopes of idiots who said if the team was going to be losers, let them be misfits that lost a record amount. That’s like saying if you can’t marry Miss America, get the ugliest witch in town so everyone will still remember you. (Fortunately, I got a Miss America.)
But when the Nats return on Friday at Florida, do they start trading players for prospects once again and endure 100-plus losses or keep a semblance of a major league team?
Everything has been about 2008 when the new stadium opens and 2010 when some of these kids are ready for the majors. The team has horded its money for next year to buy free agents that fill seats in the expensive new venue. No sense wasting dough on talent at RFK where tickets are still reasonable and parking plentiful.
Nats fans are being patient. They’re even enduring another losing year with some glee given the team has been surprisingly competitive outside a couple bad streaks. That 1,066,401 have already seen games keeps Washington on pace to match last year’s 2.1 million attendance figure — so no one is giving up yet.
But will the Nats hit the July 31 trade deadline seeking prospects once more and tank the final two months? Will Dimitri Young be swapped for another Double-A pitcher and outfielder? Are Ronnie Belliard and Jon Rauch on the block? And most of all, could someone pry away Chad Cordero?
Normally, I disdain trading proven players for unknowns, but the Nats might as well keep doing it and pray they’re right. This season is an obvious loser. Now that the team is on the cusp of moving to the new ballpark, it might as well start playing for 2008.
Trading Young is a no-brainer. The All-Star’s value will never be higher than now. Go get another pitching prospect. Last year’s Livan Hernandez for Matt Chico deal sure looks like a good one now. Young could bring another good hurler.
Belliard and Rauch are also at maximum trade value while not expected to be long-term Nats. However, Cordero only goes if bringing an everyday starter and a couple fair prospects.
Nats GM “Trader Jim” Bowden has pulled a few steals over the last year. Let’s see if he has a couple more left. The Nats get the rest of this season to remain mediocre, but starting next year, fans paying big money will expect a winning team. If that means surrendering the rest of this year to do it, then do it.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
