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Taking stock of the Nats’ progress
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The 2007 season for the Washington Nationals ends Sunday in Philadelphia, after a three-game sweep of the Mets in New York. The team showed Washington their character and heart. Watching a young team develop is exciting.
Here is a recap of some of our progress this season:
Manny Acta » Hiring the youngest manager in baseball paid immediate dividends as he is considered a serious candidate for National League Manager of the Year. The long-term solution for Nationals manager was solved.
Ryan Zimmerman, 23 » He should win the Gold Glove Award for National League third basemen this year and also proved he can hit in the clutch as he leads all major league players in game-winning RBI the last two years.
Young starting pitchers » Four starters showed future potential in Shawn Hill, Jason Bergmann, John Lannan and Matt Chico. With a season of experience now under their belt, all four have really had a positive learning year and should improve in 2008.
Austin Kearns, 26 » He showed how being a complete player can win more games than just offensive statistics. Throwing to the cut-off man and the right base, throwing runners out, moving runners, breaking up the double play and preventing a double play by just hustling, going first to third, were just some of the ways he helped the Nats win besides his 70 RBI. Manny also feels he should win the Gold Glove Award for right field.
Jesus Flores, 22 » Our Rule V draft pick was a success. Making the jump from A ball and wanting to learn from baseball minds like bench coach Pat Corrales, he has suddenly become our long-term solution at catcher. His listening, learning and studying the game with Brian Schneider will speed his development.
Wily Mo Pena, 25 » After he was acquired in a three-way deal with Boston and Arizona, he quickly added power, demonstrated his speed and arm strength. With the counsel of hitting coach Lenny Harris, he’s learning to drive the ball the other way and is starting to understand that producing runs is more important than home runs. Since the trade, the Nats have averaged over a run more a game.
Farm system » A stellar draft led by Mike Rizzo and Dana Brown resulted in three left-handed top starting pitching prospects in Ross Detwiler, Josh Smoker and Jack McGeary. The draft also netted potential major league bats in Michael Burgess and Jacob Smolinski.
The 2007 season is over. Going from fifth place to fourth was a baby step; but the development of young players with heart and character was a giant step forward.
As told to The Examiner’s John Keim.
Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden provides an exclusive column to The Examiner each week, ranging on topics from the Nats to the state of Major League Baseball.
Comments from Examiner Readers
9:52 PM MST on Wed., Jul. 11, 2007 re: "Why not bring the All-Star Game to the Nation’s Capital?"
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10:29 AM MST on Thu., May. 24, 2007
re: "Love him or hate him, Bonds is the best"
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Roger Cryan said:
JB's All-Star Ideas: a couple good, most bad 1. His boss may not appreciate losing a weekend's revenue. 2. How does GM's voting improve the All-Star game, except for GM's like JB. 3. Of course each team should have an All-Star; I enjoyed Dmitri Young's cheap hit most of all. 4. DH is a good idea. 5. Denying the pennant winning managers sucks. (Don't let the GM's vote on this, too.) 6. See #1. 7. Bigger roster, is a good idea; set some pitchers aside for extra innings. 8. HOF first pitch is a good idea. 9. Trades at midnight before the All-Star game could be embarassing for traded All-Stars, and would only attract attention to GM's (see the pattern here?) 10. I'm all for All-Star games in DC. Final count: 4 good ideas, 6 stinkers.
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Examiner Reader said:
Appreciated JBs column today on Bonds. Contained some of the more frank remarks I've seen in the media on the subject from a baseball insider. I'm not much of a Bonds fan and really dislike what steroids have done to pro sports, esp baseball. I tend to concur that a low key approach to his 756th is the way to go. But all sports greats must be ranked against their contemporaries and if you suppose most of Bonds' peers are also on steroids then he deserves some credit for being the best slugger of the fouled-up bunch.
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