As bold and premature predictions go, this may be the ultimate. In the world of baseball prognostication, it is nearly heresy to even consider what I am about to propose.
As I cast my eyes across the National League, however, I am left with no alternative. It simply must be noted: the Washington Nationals have a very real chance of making the postseason in 2010.
In what has been a very active offseason, Washington has already added catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who will back up young Jesus Flores at catcher once Flores returns from shoulder surgery; he should be ready by mid-April.
Washington also traded for Yankees right-handed relief pitcher Brian Bruney during the Winter Meetings, thereby beginning to address a bullpen that pitched woefully for much of 2009. On Monday, Washington punctuated these additions by bringing aboard free-agent starter Jason Marquis. Marquis signed a very reasonable two-year, $15 million deal with the Nationals.
Nor is Washington GM Mike Rizzo done with his work. The Nats reportedly rank among the potential suitors for free-agent southpaw Aroldis Chapman, second baseman Orlando Hudson and erstwhile Pittsburgh closer Matt Capps.
It seems likely that Washington will watch bigger-market clubs in New York, Boston and Chicago bid Chapman out of its range. Hudson and Capps, however, are both very legitimate rumors. In fact, multiple reports list the Nats as being near an agreement with Capps.
If Rizzo can reel in both Capps and Hudson, Washington will have a nucleus of talent capable of matching up with anyone else in the National League East, save the vaunted Phillies.
In particular, their slugging offense and improving defense make them very dangerous. Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham and Ryan Zimmerman make up a trio of power hitters few teams in the league can match, and Zimmerman provides Gold-Glove defense. Mid-season acquisition Nyjer Morgan and young (24 years old) shortstop Ian Desmond provide a good deal about which to get excited atop the lineup.
With healthy campaigns from Flores, who posted remarkable numbers from the catcher position in a season cut very short by injury, and enigmatic outfielder Elijah Dukes, Washington would have the league's third-best offense. Bringing aboard Hudson, winner of four Gold Gloves in the last five seasons at second base, would help make the defense respectable; Morgan and Desmond are also steps forward in that department, relative to their predecessors.
That only leaves question marks dotted across the pitching staff. To be sure, there are plenty of those: no team allowed more runs in the National League in 2009, and the bullpen converted a league-worst 57 percent of its save opportunities. Adding Marquis begins to shore up a rotation that featured John Lannan, Jordan Zimmerman and little else, and Stephen Strasburg could well be ready to contribute to the big-league club by midseason, if not right away.
Still, Washington's official Web site lists just four arms on its bullpen depth chart, with the newly-acquired Bruney at the top. Capps would be the obvious choice as closer, if he does sign. The Nats would still need a number of young arms, like Shairon Martis and Garrett Mock, to step up and make positive progress after frustrating 2009 campaigns.
All in all, though, Washington has no more warts than Colorado, Chicago or Milwaukee. They look to be as good as San Francisco, unless and until the latter acquires the impact bat for which they have been vying all winter.
In the murky world of the National League's second-tier teams, all things are possible, and with Washington's youth movement ready to find its next gear in 2010, they have as good a chance as any other borderline contender. That may not sound like much, but for a town and franchise that have seen nothing but losers for decades, it feels like a coup.
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