If your kids have been clamoring for one of those real nice replica Nationals’ jerseys, tell ‘em to hold their horses for a few more weeks. The prices for several with specific names on the back may be marked down considerably by then.
It’s safe to say the Nats will be open for business between now and the trading deadline, and outside of a few names – very few – there will likely be a revolving door in the home clubhouse at RFK.
This team, as presently constituted, is going nowhere this year. That’s obvious. A 90-loss season will be difficult to avoid, but is no cause for despair. With solid ownership soon to be in place – dedicated to building a winner – and a charismatic, get-it-done type of club president, this elevator is on its way up.
So, who stays?
Long term, it’s a pretty short list that begins with the third baseman. Ryan Zimmerman is primed to become the face of the Nationals for the next decade or longer. Cut from the same mold as Cal Ripken, Jr., Zimmerman has the skills, poise, and work ethic to quickly become a household name.
First baseman Nick Johnson is the real deal. Signed to a new multi-year contract last winter, he’s becoming the most popular Johnson since Walter with his hustle and solid all-around game. A definite keeper.
Second baseman Jose Vidro once again looks like the All-Star he was in Montreal. Granted, he’ll be 32 in August. But he’s a legitimate .300 hitter and while his playing skills may – repeat, may – erode slightly over the next few years, his leadership skills will endure.
Chad Cordero hasn’t been the automatic, lights-out kind of closer he was last year. But at 24, he’s still learning, and hey, nobody’s perfect. He’ll be around a long time.
It’s fortunate the club didn’t bail on righthander Tony Armas Jr. Still just 28, he’s been their most effective starter this year. The great potential is still evident.
That’s just five guys, but, in my opinion, the ones that form the nucleus of the team that will open the new stadium in 2008.
Conspicuous by his absence — and by the fact that regular readers know I’m a big fan of this guy — is catcher Brian Schneider. I see Schneider as the kind of receiver who can be the difference between winning and losing. But recently I’ve learned from some big league scouts that Schneider’s been shopped around. I don’t get it, particularly since the Nats aren’t exactly blessed with great organizational depth behind the plate. These discussions took place prior to Bud Selig’s call to Ted Lerner, so perhaps it’s a moot point now. I hope that’s the case, but Schneider’s hamstring injury may preclude a deal anyway. If so, he’s number six.
Don’t let this season’s struggles impact your passion for the game. The Nationals are a work in progress. The payoff will be worth the wait.
Phil Wood has covered sports in the Washington-Baltimore market for more than 30 years.
