You know what they say - when you're right 52% of the time, you're wrong 48%. Groundballs are good. No strikeouts are bad. No line drives and no homeruns are good. More good than bad. Next up are the Phillies so I'll hold off backtracking until then.
Quietly the Nats have crawled back into 4th place in the NL East (or more accurately the Nats have stood still while the Marlins fell right past them). If you are looking for something to care about, here it is. Mock if you'd like but this team has only been "not-last" once since coming here and it wasn't even in 2005 (2007 - 73 wins, Marlins has 71) For the Nats to finish out of the basement and show serious improvement in the wins column (on a 78-79 win pace currently) is meaningful. That would be their second highest win total as well. It may not drive fans to the park, but it's something.
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I've been saying since 2009 year that my goal for the Nats in 2011 is to be not in last place.
Next year, I hope they'll be more competitive in the division, and maybe even be a dark horse in the wild card race.
By 2013, we'd better be looking at legitimate playoff contention, and I'd better be able to talk smack to all those damned Phillies fans.
I'll hold off on my very inappropriate comment on the title of this thread.
Anyways....
The Nat's next three weeks is the toughest part of their remaining schedule. Phi(6 games), Cinn (6), Ari (4), and Atl (3). If they somehow win 9 or 10 of those games, I really like their chances for a 80+ win season. If not, a 75 win season is one hell of an improvement and I look forward to 2012.
Wang will make a great story line for 2012 if he is "real".
And Rizzo will look like a genius for picking him up.
KBToys - I think that's everyone's goals. I think the internal improvement will likely be there (barring injury) to make it possible but how that improved team competes with the Phillies and Braves of the world is going to be the difference.
cal - what?! Well I never!
Right now the Nats should be on a "avoid a crash" plan so fasn can sit back at year's end and go, "hey 76 wins. Not bad"!
Dread - Will he look like a genius if for paying him for 2 years to do nothing if he signs for a non-discount in DC?
Harper: The Wang price is ok if he pitches really well the last third. Then he's a bargain for the 1/3rd at his few million right?
Otherwise, it looks like the Nats freighted the bill for his recovery and could get left holding the bag if Wang goes elsewhere.
I would hope that Wang gives the Nats a discount. At same time, he has to wonder how many new contracts are left in his career.
I think there are no new contracts from washington for wang. After a 2 year rehab project and a handful starts to show for his time in DC, I can't expect they would resign him, even with a discount. If they don't feel comfortable with their starting rotation going into next season there are more reliable options out there. Marquis could always be pursued and signed again, maybe someone like CJ Wilson, Edwin Jackson, or not likely but a possible mark buehrle. Even with a few good games to finish the season, I see no reason to resign Wang. If either Peacock or Millone are ready, and strasburg coming back, I can't help but feel like a rotation of SS, JZ, Lannan, and fill in the final spots with Detwiler, Peacock, Millone, Gorzelanny, maybe Maya, despite the fact that I think he's terrible. Maybe one of their other prospects figure it out, like Stammen, Martis, or Atilano. (I really like that guy, by the way, I hope he ends up in the bigs) Maybe they make another deal, or resign Marquis. But I highly doubt Wang is the answer at the backend of the rotation
As for this season. Sure, let Wang run wild. He couldn't be any worse then he has been. And hopefully the offense continued to hit like it has recently and maybe they will finish around 76 wins. I've watched on average around 120 games a year sense they came to DC. This years team is the best product they've ever fielded. And doing it with a lot of youth really gives you hope. I'm very pleased with this season. It's a stepping stone. Now they just gotta make the step to the next stone. Then maybe into the post-season. I'm really not expecting 100 wins ever. But a team that is competitive, everyday; that has a chance of winning on any given day, that's what I'm excited about. If they never win a world series in my lifetime, yeah, that would suck, but I think I'll enjoy watching them try to get there more than when/if it ever happens. I love the game, first and foremost, and I love how this team has approached trying to win. they've done it the right way. Sorry to you Yankees fans, but you guys do it wrong. You forgot about the journey, and only cared about the destination.
JDB - It's going to all be about cost. Stras, ZNN, Lannan and two more. If Wang comes cheaply, and assuming they don't go big in FA (which I don't think they will - again 2013 is a MUCH better class. Game changers there) again why not throw him in the back with Maya, Detwiler, etc. If they like one of the AAA guys though I wouldn't bother. Not enough room in the majors for everyone.
As for "Sorry to you Yankees fans, but you guys do it wrong. You forgot about the journey, and only cared about the destination."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
There was a journey. Smart trade for O'Neill. Bernie coming up, Pettite and Jeter. Working Posada into a starting catcher. Mariano into a reliever. Smart signing in Wells. It's just that when they reached their destination around 98... well it was a destination. They didn't want to go anywhere. So the cyclic rise, win, fall repeat, has been broken. Most fans would be ok with skipping the fall, even if it meant missing out on the rist, don't you think?
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