Sidwell Friends Horizon Newspaper
The End Point
With Bryan Stabbe ‘09
October 17, 2008
Well, so much for that.
As the book is closed on the 2008 Washington Nationals season, fans can at least rejoice in knowing that the nightmare is over. The Nationals 102 losses this season were not only the most they have incurred since the team moved to DC, but are also the most losses the franchise has suffered since the Montreal Expos dropped 107 games in 1976. In a year marked by lackluster pitching, feeble hitting, and uninspired coaching, the hope and enthusiasm that marked the opening of the season now feels like a distant memory.
Travel back to March 30th when the Nats, in the nationally televised season opener played their NL East division rival, the Atlanta Braves to christen the opening of Nationals Park. After several years of political maneuvering and bickering between the Council of the District of Columbia and Major League Baseball, DC finally had its diamond. The Nationals kicked off their season in grand fashion, with President George W. Bush tossing out the ceremonial first pitch, and face of the franchise, Ryan Zimmerman belting a walk-off home run. With a 1-0 record, the Nationals season had reached its peak. The ball club went on to lose 16 of their next 22 games, putting themselves in a hole they never came close to digging their way out of.
The failure of the Nationals this season is made even worse by the promise they showed in the offseason that was marked by a number of seemingly savvy roster moves. Management acquired a mix established veterans and young players with high ceilings that under the right circumstances could flourish. Additions included outfielders Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge, both of whom had fallen out of favor with their former clubs less for their performance on the field, but rather for their transgressions off it. The team also brought in four-time all-star catcher, Paul Lo Duca, and innings-eating starting pitcher Odalis Perez. These players were added to a roster to supplement the pieces they already fielded, including first baseman Dmitri Young who had hit .320 the year before, and up-and-comer Austin Kearns ranging the outfield. But as the season progressed, and the team began to fall woefully short of expectations, these players began to show their true colors.
Milledge showed a complete lack of discipline at the plate, bafflingly hacking away at pitches that were well out of the strike zone with alarming regularity. Dukes, whose character was questioned prior to his arrival in DC, and had very publicly been issued a restraining order from his wife, was often injured and never responded to his opportunity at a second chance in a change of scenery. In fact, the team felt compelled to hire an ex-police officer in the role of "Special Assistant: Player Concerns" to shadow Dukes and ensure he stayed out of trouble. It was telling enough that the Nationals felt it necessary to include on the payroll an adult babysitter that perhaps expectations should not have been nearly as high for the 24-year-old. Lo Duca, who agreed to a five million dollar deal prior to the season, had such a disastrous first half (.230 batting average and 12 RBI, in only 46 games played) that his trade value plummeted to the point that the Nationals released him from the roster after being unable to move him at the deadline. In a Nationals uniform Perez was profoundly mediocre, turning in a 4.34 ERA, a 7-12 record, and is unlikely to make a return to the pitching staff next season.
Adding to the disappointment was Dmitri Young, who spent several stints on the disabled list, and just a year after being named Comeback Player of the Year, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and saw his weight balloon to over 300 pounds. Austin Kearns, who was acquired in 2006 in a trade for five players, played in only 86 games and struggled to stay above the Mendoza Line hitting .217, leaving many to question not only his ability, but the capacity of the front office to evaluate talent at all.
Despite the failures of the 2008 season, there are still signs of hope for the not too future. The team has a farm system full of young prospects that offer signs of potential. Pitchers Jordan Zimmermann, Ross Detwiler, John Lannan, and Collin Balester all had flashes of brilliance late in the season. In addition, they have position players that include Ian Desmond, Chris Marrero, Roger Bernadina, and Justin Maxwell who are waiting in the wings for their opportunity to shine at the Major League level. Furthermore, due to their league-worst record, they now hold the first pick in next year's draft, with all signs pointing to them selecting San Diego State's right-handed fire-baller, Stephen Strasburg. Even though the team dismissed al but one of manager Manny Acta's staff, Acta himself is staying on in hopes of nurturing and leading their young talent for the future.
For the Nationals, their 29,000 average attendance notwithstanding, the new stadium offers a much more fan-friendly environment than their previous home in RFK Stadium, and could be filled nightly by fans who are hungry for a winning squad. Ultimately, though their performance this season fell short of expectations, the Nationals suffered through what should be the worst of their growing pains, and have plenty to look forward to on the horizon.