One of the drawbacks of finishing last in the majors is that people not familiar with the situation tend to think that you are doomed to be dismal in perpetuity.  For example, I got a chuckle from the guys at Fangraphs who, in their "appraisal" of organizations and their prospects of winning a World Series in the near future, ranked the Nationals 31st, behind the UNC Tarheels.  The punchline was that they thought the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles were a position so much better despite the fact that they were only a few winning percentage points better than the Nationals last year but with no where near the injuries the Nationals had.  The kicker is that they actually ranked those two teams ahead of teams that have recently won the World Series like the White Sox and Cardinals.  What's more they didn't really take into account, in the Orioles example, that they play in the toughest division in baseball with three teams that have better farm systems, more excellent young players and once the Rays get their new park built, more money to spend than the Orioles.  Ah, to be so optimistic.

I've already written at some length that the Nationals are headed in the right direction, particularly with their offense.  I'm not prepared to say that they will be among the league leaders in scoring, partly because they play in a pitchers park and partly because their line-up is still relatively young and still has a couple of pieces to find.  That said, they won't be doormats when it comes to putting runs on the board any more.

And they do seem to have some pretty good potential when it comes to pitching in the near future.  The Nats have pushed a lot of names that could develop but the four I like to be the core of the rotation no later than 2011 are Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, Jake McGeary and Shairon Martis. I think Ross Detwiler could probably be in that mix but from what I've seen in albeit limited exposure, he seems destined for a relief role.  Colin Balester has flashes of potential and John Lannan is serviceable, but the first four are the ones I think will push Scott Olsen and, if he finally realizes his enormous potential, Daniel Cabrera.  But we'll get to them in a second. 

What about position players?   I see two sure-fire difference makers on the horizon and two others who need a little work who could fit mold. 


Chris Marrero

Derek Norris

Destin Hood

Michael Burgess


Shairon Martis

Jake McGeary

McGeary	Jack	2007	Wan	NYPL	A-	0.68	4.41	4.76	4.76	4.76	1.33	18	0	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	2.2	2.67	3	0	5	4	5		4	1		13.50	10.13	0.00	16.88	13.50	3.0000	3/19/1989	L

Jordan Zimmerman

Stephen Strasburg