It is official. Harper is signed. Sigh of relief, right? Harper is sure to be an impact player in this league, and as team officials say, a cornerstone, but limiting your excitement to the signing of Harper alone is missing the major accomplishments the Nationals have achieved in the draft over the last handful of years.

While teams in the past spent their resources on free agents, many teams like the Nationals now are investing big money in draft picks and player development.  While big budget teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers are still competitive, lower-revenue teams like the Rays and Marlins have made runs, while mid-level conservative teams, like the Twins, Braves and Phillies have built strong, young, competitive teams as a model to follow.

Looking at the Nationals youth movement over the past few years, there are a handful of players who have either reached the majors or on the precipice. The list below takes a look at the players who have made it to the show, while also looking at what players from the 2009 draft and 2010 draft have accomplished.  Also included is 2010 propsect trades:

• Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
• Jordan Zimmermann, SP
• John Lannan, SP
• Craig Stammen, SP/RP
• Ross Detwiler, SP
• Ian Desmond, SS
• Roger Bernadina, OF
• Danny Espinosa, SS/2B

• Wilson Ramos – C (#58 overall prospect, acquired for Matt Capps, RAKING at AAA)
• Tanner Roark - SP (young pitcher acquired for Christian Guzman)
• Ryan Tatusko - SP (young pitcher acquired for Christian Guzman)
• Bryce Harper – RF*
• Sammy Solis – SP*
• AJ Cole – SP*
• Rick Hague – SS (.306 BA in 21 games @ Hagerstown)
• David Freitas – C (.327 BA and .905 OPS in 45 games in Vermont)
• Randolph Oduber – OF (.376 BA, 1.050 OPS in 30 games in Vermont)
• 7 position players playing in Vermont

• Stephen Strasburg – SP (5-3 with 2.97 ERA and 12.2 K/9 in 11 starts; 7-1 with 1.30 ERA and 10.6 K/9 in minors)
• Drew Storen – CP (36 games, 2 saves, 3-2, 2.61 ERA; 41 games, 28 finished, 2-1, 15 saves, 1.68 ERA in minors)
• Daniel Rosenbaum – SP (8-7, 2.19 ERA in 30 starts).
• Justin Bloxom – RF (.309 BA, 11 HR, 70 RBI @ Hagerstown)
• Jeffrey Kobernus – 2B (.279 BA, 21 SB’s @ Hagerstown)
• Trevor Holder and AJ Morris – pitching at A ball with sub 4.00 ERA. 

The Nationals system has already produced some solid homegrown talent that has allowed them to play competitively in 2010 for the first time in a few years. With the emergence of the 2009 and 2010 class, the Nationals core talent could look like this compared to these dominant teams of the past few years:

• Nationals (Zimmerman, Strasburg, Harper, Zimmermann, Desmond, Espinosa, Storen, Ramos)
• Yankees – (Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Pettitte, Hughes, Chamberlain, Gardner, Cano)
• Phillies – (Howard, Utley, Hamels, Rollins)
• Rays – (Longoria, Crawford, Upton, Shields, Price)
• Twins –(Mauer, Morneau, Michael Cuddyer, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Nick Blackburn)
• Braves - (Heyward, Hanson, Medlen, McCann)

Where the Nationals need to be careful is an over reliance on the youth movement.  All of the teams listed here have balanced their young players with solid, if not spectaculuar free agents and crafty veterans.  Players like Adam Dunn or a Carl Crawford fit the bill nicely, and with the Nationals spending wisely on prospects, they have cash left over to fill in the gaps with free agents, rather than fill the team with free agents.  The next few years should be interesting.

      

Many prognosticators viewed the 2010 season as one where the Nationals would begin to “turn it around.” With the arrival of Strasburg and the signings of Pudge, Jason Marquis, and Adam Kennedy, may felt the Nationals added the requisite veteran presence that this team needed. Yes, there were still question marks ahead, as there is with any team, but many felt that this could be the start of something.

At 49-63, the Nationals are not in contention and have suffered through some rough outings, but many around the league will tell you that this team is more competitive this year. Sure, Strasburg’s 5-2 record and overall demeanor gives the team a solid #1; Zimmerman, Dunn and Willingham have turned into a legit 3-4-5; and Livan Hernandez’s trip to the Fountain of Youth has stabilized a rotation wracked by injuries; however, the biggest change from 2009 to 2010 has been the play of the bullpen, and their ability to keep the Nationals competitive.

In 2009, the bullpen was called upon to shoulder a heavy load, pitching 36.7% of all the innings played. In 2010, with a young staff and many emergency spot-starts (JD Martin, Luis Atilano) that percentage has been roughly the same, as this staff has handled 36.3% of the innings. Seeing that utilization, or rather over-utilization, was not what doomed last year’s ‘pen, let’s take a look at some of the glaring differences between the two years:

When looking at the reasons for the change, one has to look at the personnel and their new roles in 2010. While Tyler Clippard and Sean Burnett were utilized in 2009, it is more fitting to compare them as closely as possible with their contemporaries from last year’s bullpen, Jason Bergmann and Ron Villone. Villone and Bergmann lead the Nationals in pitching appearances in 2009, just as Clipp and Burnett lead this year, and both represent a righty/lefty combination. When comparing closers, this analysis will go with the two who left the team mid-way through in Matt Capps vs. Joel Hanrahan. While Hanrahan lost his place as a closer, his statistics were emblematic of the problem in 2009.

Tyler Clippard vs. Jason Bergmann

  Sean Burnett vs. Ron Villone

  Matt Capps vs. Joel Hanrahan

The Nationals' bullpen in 2010 has shown greater levels of efficiency by leaps and bounds over 2009, with the most utilized pitchers cutting down siginifantly on the number of baserunners allowed per inning. With a young team that struggles defensively, the Nationals cannot give competitive teams extra base-runners at the end of games. In 2009, the bullpen consistently gave competitive teams extra chances, and as the numbers indicate, the trio of pitchers in 2009 did not have the stuff to put these hitters away. 

The 2010 bullpen, though not perfect, has shown they have better pitches, better control, and can shoulder the load of a young staff that cannot work deep into innings. This bears out not only in the numbers above, but in the Nationals record against the NL East (20-19). As the starting rotation gets stronger into 2011, the Nationals bullpen can now be counted on to be a stronger anchor moving forward. 

      

In case you live on Mars, the Nationals arrived in a very big way last week.  While the week began with the Bryce Harper draft, that became almost a footnote after Hurricane Strasburg destroyed every Pirate and Indian en route to the NL Player of the Week award. While Strasburg won a great individual acheivement, the award and the wins (2-0) marked the arrival of an important era in Washington--the era of respectability.

At 31-33 going into Tuesday night's game, the Nationals were on the precipice before Strasburg arrived.  Mike Rizzo's overhaul of this team is evident not only in the quality of play, but in the hustle and quality of people.  While National fans have seen this and talked about it for awhile, the current play and growth of this team has caught the attention of Jayson Stark and other writers from outside the DC area, and all are in agreement: The "plan" is no longer a far away thing.  The Nationals are built to compete, and to compete right now. 

The Nationals have an unreal core that includes future (and current) stars at the MLB level: Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond, Drew Storen, Jordan Zimmermann, and Tyler Clippard.  As far as players in the minors 1-2 years away? Power hitting catcher Derek Norris; strong glove play at second from Danny Espinosa; rehabbing pitching (mentally and physically) in Ross Detwiler and Craig Stammen.  The elephant in the room? Bryce Harper.  If they sign him, he is 2 years away with that bat.  That is an amazing core of talent on par with some of the best young core in baseball (Rays). 

That amazing core of talent does not even include pending free agent Adam Dunn, who has expressed his desire to finish his career in DC; Josh Willingham, signed through 2011 and hitting at career levels; Pudge Rodriguez, a revelation at and behind the plate and signed through 2011; Nyjer Morgan, the energetic center fielder who is having an off year, but who captivated the team in 2009; and Roger Bernadina and Mike Morse, both solid outfielders whose rotation of good defense and timely hitting have helped make that platoon work.

Controlling young talent is a key to keeping a team competitive, but the other side of the coin is that they have to be productive. No position is harder to groom than pitching. Ross Detwiler (#6 overall pick) and Craig Stammen have struggled early in their tenure, but the hope is they can ease into more of a permanent back-end of the rotation role with less pressure.  On the other hand, young pitchers like Clippard and Storen have helped solidify the bullpen and turned a weakness into an area of strength relatively quickly.  With that foundation in the later innings, young pitching can hopefully settle down.  Rizzo has also built quite a stable of available arms who, while not to be counted on for 30 starts, have helped spell some pitchers as they develop.  Recent draft picks Sammy Solis and AJ Cole (if they sign), would add to that stable and challenge to join the rotation in 2-3 years.

On the offensive side of the ball, young talent like Ian Desmond,  Roger Bernadina have shown that they can play everyday and contribute.  With a 8.9 VORP and 1.3 WAR, Desmond has proved to be the shortstop of the future.  Bernadina's numbers are much more modest, but with a 4.2 VORP and 0.4 WAR as a replacement player, he has done his job and then some.  Both have shown the ability to grow in future years and provide more for this team.

With solid production from their core 3-4-5 hitters, timely production from their 6-7 hitters (Pudge and Desmond are crushing with RISP), a solid relief core holding leads and getting saves, an elite starting pitching option (Strasburg) that can rival anyone in the league in two years, plus a solid sidekick (Zimmermann) whose pitching rates as a rookie were better than Clayton Kershaw and Tommy Hanson, the Nationals now seem 1-2 pieces away from contending for a playoff spot on an annual basis. 

Scary, isn't it?

      

Drew Storen is a success story for the Washington Nationals, and his meteroic rise through the system has generated attention from all corners of the baseball world.  Keith Law from ESPN pegged Storen as the #92 prospect in his Top 100 list coming into the season, and the #3 prospect in the Nationals system, and fantasy baseball publications consistently tab Storen as "One to Watch" when it comes to acquiring saves on the cheap for prospective owners. Yes, Drew Storen has been a success, but his meteroic rise is not just due to his talent, it is also due to the holes in the Nationals bullpen prior to the 2010 season.

Not many teams spend Top Ten picks on a "future closer", especially if one subscribes to the Billy Beane theory, or views the career ascensions of players like Mariano Rivera (converted starter), Joe Nathan (6th round pick by SF, then traded to MIN), or 2009 ROY Andrew Bailey (6th round).  For the Nationals however, signability was the key issue since this pick was reimbursement for Aaron Crow's failure to sign.  If the player chosen did not sign, the Nationals were out another pick, with no reimbursement pick.  As a result, Drew Storen was chosen, signed and sent to the minors almost the next day.  A sound management decision, a sound fiscal decision, and a good baseball decision.  The stars aligned.

Storen's rise is due to many factors, and to pick one as the reason is to not recognize the role of other, uncontrollable factors in sports. Was signing early, getting to work and putting in the time a big reason in his ascension? Absolutely.  Storen gave the Nats FO a chance to see him at multiple levels of the game, and to feel comfortable to assign him to the Arizona Fall League, where he worked well. Was another reason his immense talent, drive and work ethic? You betcha.  Storen attacked hitters like a bulldog and showed everyone why the Nats felt he was worthy of a top ten pick. Was another reason that Storen is completely unblocked in the system? Absolutely.

Storen's road to the majors is unlike some other players in that he does not have an established player in the minors or in the majors blocking his path.  Players like Chris Marerro, Danny Espinosa and Derek Norris are all future MLB players, but currently have players such as Dunn, Guzman/Kennedy and Pudge/Flores in their way.  With the struggles of the bullpen in the prior year, and the need to always have a spare arm, Storen's call up to the show will be sooner than most.

This is not meant to diminish Storen's success by any means.  Players still need to adapt to the rigors of the system while showing they can deliver consistent, competitive performances.  Storen has excelled at that in his young career, and that is difficult to do no matter if you have 0 or 15 players ahead of you in line. The Nationals have a strong faith in Storen's abilities and his performance on the field has borne that out.  Fortunately for him, they also have a strong need for his abilities too. 

Looking forward to seeing you at the park Drew!

      

Okay, I do not have the fancy tool of PECOTA like the folks at BP have, but I am going to gaze into my rose-colored crystal ball and lay out my projections for the Nationals in 2010.  I do think this year will be a great leap forward, even if the record does not go above .500, and that the gains made this year will reap huge dividends over the next couple of years.  Without further adieu:

• Ryan Zimmerman will be right around last year's totals with another .285, 30 HR, 100 RBI season.
• Ian Desmond will struggle at times, hitting around .255-.260, but he will show flashes of power and will end the season with 14 HR and 55 RBIs.
• Nyjer Morgan will come down to earth, hitting around .280, but his 55 stolen bases and 100+ runs will make people talk about he and Jacoby Ellsbury in the same tone.
• The Nats will miss Guzman's bat in the #2 hole at times.
• Pudge will do a great job of managing the pitchers, but will have a tough year at the plate, hitting around .250.
• Josh Willingham will continue to amaze and the Nationals will only trade him for a legit piece.  Wherever he ends up, his totals will be 25 HR, 75 RBI.
• Though it will be hard to tell bullpen statistics, Tyler Clippard will be one of the most important Nationals pitchers, and will mask Matt "The Cardiac Closer" Capps' play. 
• Lannan will finally have a wining record as an ace (13-11), and Marquis will get a lot of decisions (12-12), but it will be the performances of 2 mid-summer call ups and a youngster (Strasburg, Wang, Stammen) that will have fans buzzing (combined record of 29-17).
• Garret Mock will get sent down (1-4 record) and Drew Storen wil get called up later in the year.
• Craig Stammen will be John Lannan, Jr. (8-8 record)
• Adam Dunn will re-sign with the team.
• The rotation the last day of the year will be Lannan, Marquis, Strasburg, Wang, Zimmermann, and the Nats will be a trendy pick for the 2011 Wild Card.
• The final record will be 71-91, a +12 from 2009, but they will lose the first game of the year.

      

We heard about the "plan" a couple of years ago, and in 2010, I think we are squarely in the manifestation of the best parts of that plan.  The story all spring has been Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen, but in between the "Daily Strasburg" updates has been the developing storyline of Ian Desmond and his pursuit of a starting job. 

At 24 years old and 8 years Guzman's junior, Desmond represents change in the middle infield and hopes to be a fixture in the Nationals roster for some time.  Both Desmond and Zimmerman, 25, stand to hold down the left side of the infield for some time, and both showcase the youth in position players that the Nationals seem to be lacking. 

Many felt Desmond could play, but needed a chance to show it, and this decision by the Nats FO makes a statement of, "Let's move forward and start giving these guys a chance."  The good thing for Nats fans is that the Nationals can make this move while at the same time staying competitive. 

At present, Guzman is only going to the bench, not another team.  If Desmond fails, Guz will be there.  If Desmond gets hurt, Guz will be there.  If Adam Kennedy falls apart, Guz will be there.  This is the type of risk that is only possible when you add depth to your team, something MIke Rizzo has prided himself on, and is starting to bear fruit. Another example of depth? If Desmond doesn't work out, Danny Espinosa will be fielding and hitting at AA this year, but that article is for another day....

      

Try writing a non-Stephen Strasburg story for tomorrow and see if anyone reads it.  Well, not to fan the flames of expectations, but Strasburg's outing could not come at a better time, as the Nationals pitching has looked suspect at best so far.  So far in Spring Training, the Nats pitching has given up 67 runs on 91 hits.  That is horrible. Is it the end of the world? No, it is just exhibition, but here are some causes for concern:

1. With the WAPO story on mechanics and his rough outing yesterday, fans have to be worried about Olsen, but remember, he had not pitched in a year. He was happy with his performance but did acknowledge he needs to build up arm strength.
2. Jason Marquis struggled, but I am not worried.  Same with John Lannan.  Still would be nice to see an effortless outing, you know, a little something for the effort.
3. Shawn Estes and Tyler Walker = "former Nationals spring training invitees".
4. Matt Capps.  Let's hope he does not equal Joel Hanrahan.  Has not looked good yet.
5. Colin Balester.  Sorry Bally, you are having a rough go of things right now, which has to mean you are not making the club....how many options does he have left?

The good news? Not much, but simply:

1. Drew Storen.  Flat out awesome. 2 games. 2 innings. 1 K. 0 Hits.
2. Matt Chico - 2 great innings in a recovery game.
3. Strasburg's buzz.  Let's hope the debut tomorrow stays in this "good" column and not the bad.

Pitching is the key, and right now, I am a little freaked out.

      

As noted across the spectrum, Riggleman has been named manager of the Nats.  In Mike's piece, I think he hit the nail right on the head by saying the Nats played it safe, but I want to point out why that is not a bad move.  Very rarely do rebuilding teams look to proven winners early in their building process.  As noted in my piece on the Phillies, growing teams can go through many iterations before they get it right, and no team in the last 15 years has personified this more than the Detroit Tigers. 

Detroit Tigers: 1995-2006.  Managers: Sparky Anderson, Buddy Bell, Phil Garner, Alan Trammell, Jim Leyland

At the end of the Sparky Anderson era, the Tigers were abyssmal, finishing with a .461 and a .417 winning percentage each year.  As Sparky moved on, the Tigers brought in Buddy Bell in 1996. Buddy at the time was a 45 year old former player and this was his first managing gig (Acta anyone), and after two and a half horrific seasons, the Tigers and Bell parted ways with Bell's record at 184-277 for a winning percentage of .399.  In the interim, the Tigers brought in Larry Parrish to finish out the season and then Larry got the vote of confidence for the following year after righting the ship over the last 25 games with a 13-12 record.  Larry's first season turned out to be his only in Detroit as the team's 69-92 record got him the ax (Riggleman?).

The Tigers choice of Phil Garner as next manager was odd and typical of a bad team not wanting to spend money on a manager.  Garner had one winning season in 8 years as the Brewers manager, and came to Detroit hamstrung by the same challenges he had in Milwaukee (low payroll, marginal talent).  The result? A .439 winning percentage and the saddling of a 100 loss season to his repalcement Luis Pujols. 

When the Tigers decided to move on, they made a very smart move as an organization, and brought Dave Dombrowski in as the new architect of the rebuild efforts.  Dombrowski became permanent GM in 2003, and brought in one of their own--one of their legends, Alan Trammell. The result in year one could not have been worse.  119 losses, 43 wins, and one of the worst seasons ever put together by a team in baseball history.  However, Dombrowski's efforts rebuilding the team and shedding bad contracts/talent had an immediate impact.  The next few years would be different.

The Tigers were able to bring in a collection of free agents (Kenny Rogers, Troy Percival, Pudge Rodriguez, Carlos Guillen), bolster the team through the draft (Justin Verlander, Cameron Maybin, Curtis Granderson, Andrew Miller) and give their young players a competitive environment to grow.  WIth all of this the Tigers went 70-92, 71-91 in 2004 and 2005, and then realized as a team they were ready.  The result: Jim Leyland. Leyland, a winner and great manager, gelled that team and got them to the World Series with a 95-67 record.  We should be so lucky .

The Nationals

The paralells to the Tigers are strong and its hard to identify where along the line Riggleman fits in.  Is he a Garner or a Larry Parrish, or an Alan Trammell?  Either way, Riggleman is NOT a Jim Leyland.  While building a competitive team is a complete group effort (front office, managers, players), it takes a special manager to have a competitive team grind out those tough wins and go from a .500 team to one that can compete for the division. 

As has been stated a lot this year, the Nats appear to be back to the "plan".   With the selection of some franchise arms (Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Drew Storen), a permanent GM, and now a manager, the Nats have pulled off, as Mark calls it, the Triple Play.  This has put them closer to being competitive than all those false starts the Tigers endured in the late 90's and early 00's. 

So Nats fans, as you reflect on the Riggleman hire, take it fo what it is.  The Riggleman hire is a good and cautious move for an organization that still needs to move forward.

      

In the history of baseball, there has been no team that has emodied failure and ridicule as much as the Philadelphia Phillies, as evidenced by their historic 10,000th loss a couple of years back.  As much as they are trashed, cajoled and mocked, they have become a symbol of success in the National League, as well as in all of baseball.  As a resident of the Washington DC area, I am left to ponder, "If they can do it, why not the Nats?"  So how did they do it?

The Phillies success did not happen overnight, and it would be too simplistic to just say, "Howard, Utley, Rollins, Hamels".  The Phillies have won 80+ games EVERY year sine 2001, and have won less than 86 games only once, yet in that same time period have had 3 managers (Francona, Bowa, Charlie Manuel) and 3 GM's (Ed Wade, Pat Gillick, Ruben Amaro, Jr.).  What is more telling, and eye opening for Nationals fans, is how a move towards championship first starts with respectability before it can become the team you see today.  In order to build, there are three key pieces a team must focus on:

1. The Draft
2. Player Development
3. Team Identity

The Draft

While much has been made (book, movie) about Billy Beane's draft strategy, no one has pointed out that the Phillies have probably had the best return on investment of any team in the draft. In order to build that impressive team, the following shows the Phillies successful picks for a straight decade:

• 1993: Scott Rolen, 2nd round
• 1994: nothing good
• 1995: Marlon Anderson, 2nd round; Dave Coggin, 1st round
• 1996: Jimmy Rollins, 2nd round
• 1997: JD Drew (didnt sign, more on that); Randy Wolf
• 1998: Pat Burrell, #1 overall; Jason Michaels, 4th round, Ryan Madson, 9th round; Geoff Geary, 15th round
• 1999: Brett Myers, 1st round; Marlon Byrd, 10th round
• 2000: Chase Utley, 1st round
• 2001: Gavin Floyd, 1st round; Ryan Howard, 5th round
• 2002: Cole Hamels, 1st round
• 2003: Michael Bourn; Kyle Kendrick...Bourn became Brad Lidge in a 2007 trade
• 2004: JA Happ, 3rd round 

That return on invesment is amazing.  Think, when you watch the Phillies tonight, 7 of these players may have played (Rollins, Myers, Madson, Utley, Howard, Hamels, Kendrick, Happ) with another player (Lidge) having come to this team via a draft pick (Bourn).  While the Phillies have shown an unreal eye for talent, the key to getting them to the field is player development, and the Phillies are equally impressive there. 

Player Development

What is missing from this list of draftees are the marginal prospects the Phillies got from other teams that have become contributing players.  Rule 5 picks like Shane Victorino or former prospects bordering on washout status like Jayson Werth have solidified this team and filled the gaps where the Phillies need help. In those 8 years of drafting and building the franchise, it is the player development that served as the mortar to this foundation. 

Player Development is a critical component of a budding franchise, and one that requires the long view of the organization's future as well as extreme patience.  It is in the area of player development where so many struggling teams fail, due to a myriad of issues such as flagging attendance, waning interest, and lack of supporting talent on the major league roster.  

It is this lesson that the Nationals need to take to heart the most. With top picks like Zimmerman, Detwiler, Zimmermann, Marerro, Strasburg, Storen, Ian Desmond and Derek Norris, the Nationals NEED to have an infrastructure at every level of the organization where these kids are taught the fundamentals of the game, and move on with improved performance.   It is through this rigorous process that the team will truly equip these players with the skills and maturity they need in high-pressure situations. 

Team Identity

As the Nationals move into the Mike Rizzo era and the search for a manager intensifies, the Nationals have an opportunity to define what type of team they want to be.  While this may sound academic, it is a critical component in building a competitive, respectable team. 

The Phillies lack of mental errors (they are one of the best defensive teams in baseball) is not something they acquired via the draft.  While players like Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard were immense talents, it was the dedication to fundamental baseball throughout the organization and a commitment that they would be a grinding, defensively-minded team that allows them to focus on those tenets at all level. On offense, their ability to grind out at-bats and see multiple pitches per at bat is something that is taught and reinforced by the Phillies coaching staff.

This last piece is something that has evaded the Nationals since their move to DC, and I would argue is just as important as the other 2 components.  When the A's were competing in the AL West for the last decade, Billy Beane used to demand that all his players in all levels of the organization had to see multiple pitches per at bat.  The idea of OBP was central to their identity.  While you can argue that hinders a player, the A's had an organizational identity that was modeled at alll levels of the organization, and the result was a decade of respectability.

The Nationals have a long way to go to gain that competitive respectability, and the sad reality is that some of our current stars may not be here to enjoy the fruits of that dedication.  Just like Scott Rolen in Philly, Ryan Zimmerman may miss out on the Nationals Renaissance, and while that would be disappointing, his role on this team will be central to this team advancing towards respectability. 

So as you begin to assess this franchise, and where they should be in regards to the players, it is essential to take the long view, and see how they Nationals are building their minor league operations, assess how their prospects are maturing (are they developing skill sets beyond what they were touted for), and have patience in how long those players spend in the minors.  The reality is that is the only way for us to get better.

So, here is to 2015 and the first of many NL East championships!

      

Okay, the season has been over for awhile, and it seems that the audition for 2010 began in July, but unfortunately, after a half of season of auditions, the picture for 2010 is still murky.  Whether it be through injury (Zimmermann, Stammen, Flores) performance (Detwiler, Martis, Dukes) or organizational questions (um, Manager?) the Nationals do not go into the 2010 season feeling any sense of confidence in their direction.  Let's take a cloer look at where things stand right now:

1. The Corners are Set, but the middle is iffy: Dunn and Zimmerman are as locked as you can get, but questions are emerging over the role of Christian Guzman and the emergence of youngster Ian Desmond.  Desmond, a 3rd round pick in 2004, has finally put it together and is showing some of those flashes that Bowden promised.  The problem is that neither Guz or Desmond is a natural second basemen--Question #1: Do the Nationals look into acquiring Orlando Hudson?
2. Outfield: The Centerfield position has been set for the first time in Nationals history with Nyjer Morgan playing great defense and also being a sparkplug at the leadoff spot. Josh Willingham has secured a spot in left, yet the question remains regarding right field.  Elijah Dukes has tantalized personnel for years with his talent and frustrated with his antics, so as you try to put a consistent team on the field, is he your right fielder?  The Nationals have some depth with Justin Maxwell (crappy) and Roger Bernadina (I am a big fan actually), and with the eventual release of Austin Kearns, they can move past that experiment at least. Question #2: Do the Nationals turn to free agency or give the kids a shot in right field?
3. Catcher: Holy Moley.  So Jesus Flores may not be ready for spring training, Josh Bard stinks, Wil Nieves (Who?, Wil Nieves) is a career backup, and Derek Norris is still in Low A ball (though he is awesome).  The signing of Jamie Burke gives them a body, but the reality is this is a wait and see with Flores.  Question 3: Will Flores be ready?
4. Bullpen - it will be better, and Rizzo will make sure of it.  With guys like Burnett and Clippard, Rizzo has the foundation of two good bullpen arms.  Couple that with a permanent role for Jason Bergmann and the development of Drew Storen and Clint Everts , and I firmly believe this bullpen will be strong in 2010.  If only we had a closer.
5. Starting Pitching:  Ah, the crux of the discussion. This team will always struggle if this remains a question, and unfortunately for the Nats, injuries really robbed this team of progress in this area, notably the surgery to Jordan Zimmermann.  Zimmermann's peripherals were the strongest of any rookie pitcher, and could have seen progression similar to top young pichers (Matt Cain, for example) in 2010.  Coupled with Lannan and Strasburg, this would have been a nice top 3.  Now, with JZ out, more pressure falls on the young kid, something the Nats will not want to be the gameplan.  So what does 2010 look like on pitching

• Free Agent #1 - The Nats could go after a cheap option via free agency, but that will not mean someone like Harden or Lackey, but more like Garland or Doug Davis.
• Livan or Staying? - Livan is auditioning for a spot on the team, and while he has had struggles, his ability to eat 200 innings is awesome for a team with young arms.
• Lannan - another good season with a losing record.  With an ERA right around 4.00, Lannan gives the Nats a chance every time he is on the mound
• Strasburg - he will get every chance to succeed, though there is fear of giving him those opportunities.
• Ross Detwiler - Its time.  He has got to put it together.  He again will be given every chance to succeed.
• Craig Stammen  - he looked good in bunches this year, and i think another shot is what he needs.

The waters that are murky in 2010 are due to inexperience.  2009 was suposed to be the year that a 100+ loss season was coupled with young pitchers throwing 150 meaningful innings and clearing the confusion about what to expect in 2010.  Instead, what we have is a copycat of 2008, just with better people vying for spots that are up in the air. 

While I think it is on he way to getting better, this confusion needs to go away and be replaced by a sense of clarity. Since that does not seem to be on the menu, where can we pencil in Bryce Harper?