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Nationals aim to improve
Date published: 10/6/2009
BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON --After a second consecutive 100-loss season that featured plenty of missteps, and not just in terms of Ws and Ls--remember the "Natinals" jersey fiasco? remember Jim Bowden?--the Washington Nationals are ready to put a timetable on a turnaround."It was a difficult year on the field, obviously, but an important and productive year in terms of the building of the franchise," team president Stan Kasten said. "We expect 2010 to be a breakthrough year. And we think that in 2011, we're going to get an influx of guys coming through our minor league system." The very best thing about finishing with the worst record in the major leagues two years in a row--going 59-103 in '09, after going 59-102 in '08--is that the Nationals "earned" the No. 1 overall pick in baseball's amateur draft twice in a row. So they chose hard-throwing San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg, widely considered a once-in-a-generation talent, in June. The sides agreed to a record-breaking $15.1 million deal. And next June, Washington again will get to choose whatever player it wants, perhaps Sports Illustrated cover boy Bryce Harper. Strasburg made his pitching debut as a member of the Nationals organization yesterday, giving up one run in two innings during an Instructional League game at Washington's spring training stadium in Viera, Fla. The Nationals intend to have Strasburg back there in February, possibly with a shot to earn a spot in what was an inexperienced and, at times, overmatched rotation this season. There was a stretch in 2009 when Washington's five-man starting staff featured four rookies and one second-year player, John Lannan (9-13, 3.88 ERA, 206 innings). Strasburg is "a young pitcher right now, who has no professional experience. So we're going to take it as it comes," general manager Mike Rizzo said. "He's going to have to pitch his way into the rotation." The offense seems relatively OK, with Adam Dunn (38 HRs, 105 RBIs) signed for one more year--and, he says, not opposed to listening to contract extension offers--and Ryan Zimmerman (career highs of a .292 average, 33 HRs and 110 runs, along with a team-leading 106 RBIs) locked up through 2013. Other bright spots: Josh Willingham (24 HRs) and Nyjer Morgan, a prototypical leadoff hitter (.307, 42 steals for Pittsburgh and Washington). More pressing issues are pitching and defense.
Date published: 10/6/2009
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