Washington Nationals - The Covid-19 Years (2020-2029)

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2020

Decade

107

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Titles:

Top Nationals Players of the Twenty Twenties

None

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Kyle Finnegan (3.3) - 23

Nationals Park

Patrick Corbin (-2.5) - 20

McKenzie Gore (2.8) - 12

Team Name:

Max Scherzer (5.43) - 10

Nationals

Josiah Gray (3.6) - 10

Jake Irvin (3) - 10

Owner:

Erick Fedde (-0.25) - 7

Mark Lerner

Tanner Rainey (0.19) - 5

Brad Hand (0.27 - 5

General Managers:

Mike Rizzo

Catchers:

Keibert Ruiz (3.39) - 10

Managers:

Yan Gomes (2.87) - 6

Dave Martinez

Riley Adams (1.83) - 4

Hall of Famers:

First Basemen:

None

Josh Bell (6.47) - 16

Joey Meneses (1.49) - 7

Rookie of the Year:

None

Second Basemen:

Luis Garcia (2.8) - 13

MVP

Josh Harrison (3.01) - 5

None

ShortStop:

No Hitters:

CJ Abrams (6.83) - 24

None

Trea Turner (6.76) - 21

Third Base:

Jeimer Candelario (2.9) - 8

Cy Young:

None

Outfield:

Juan Soto (13.28) - 25

Lane Thomas (6.64) - 21

Notable Events:

Jacob Young (3.2) - 10

Jesse Winker (1.9) - 6

2020 - After an eight year run where the Nationals were ranked, year in, year out,

Alex Call (2.75) - 6

amongst the top teams in baseball, they plummeted to a 26-34 record in '20.

Victor Robles (1.38) - 5

In the previous eight seasons, they had topped ninety wins five times, and were

over .500 the other three, they won four Division titles and in their fifth ninety

Notable Events:

win season, they won the World Series from the Wild Card position. That was

in '19. 2019 also broke the streak of four out of four post season series losses

2024 - The Nationals were 71-91 last year and actually overachieved their runs

by the Nats as they won four series all in one post season.

totals which indicated a 67-95 mark. The hitting was bad, 48 runs scored less

than the league average. But the pitching was twice as bad, 97 runs given up

□ Ted Lerner officially bought the franchise in '06 a year and a half after it had

more than the league average. There was no attempt over the off season to

been moved to Washington from Montreal. The National League had owned

improve the team either thru free agency or trades. Ownership is looking to

the franchise since '02 when it bought out the club from then owner Jeffrey

sell and has no interest in winning at the moment. GM Rizzo is building up the

Loria and gave him the Florida Marlins franchise in a complex and not

farm system, but we're talking years here before we see anything come of it.

particularly transparent set of transactions. Somewhere between '02 and '06,

probably '02, Lerner had expressed interest in purchasing the franchise, but

Offense:

only if it were moved to Washington. Four years and several resolved lawsuits

□ C Keibert Ruiz, 25, '21 trade from Dodgers, 18 67 .260

later that happened and Lerner was now owner of the Washington Nationals

□ 2B Luis Garcia, 24, '16 IFA, 9 50 .266

ballclub. Lerner had deep pockets and was a lucrative prospective owner for

□ SS CJ Abrams, 24, '22 trade from San Diego, 18 64 .245

the franchise and he didn't disappoint. Washington has been a well funded

□ OF Lane Thomas, 28, '21 trade from St Louis, 28 86 .268

and well run organization. Lerner's son Mark took over running the

□ OF Dylan Crows, 22, '23 2nd overall pick, primo prospect

franchise in '18. He's dropped the ball, so to speak. The odds are against him

□ OF James Wood, 21, '23 trade from San Diego, 6'7" power and speed

as most inheritors don't have nearly what it takes to match what their fathers

□ 3B Brady House, 20, '21 1st round pick, battling back problems

have done.

Mark got off to a horrific start letting go of both Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon

Pitching:

and has shown no propensity for being able to recover from that.

Most everybody is back, not a good thing.

□ LHP Patrick Corbin, 34, '19 FA from Arizona, 10-15 5.20

□ Mike Rizzo has been GM since '10 and obviously has done an excellent job.

□ RHP Josiah Gray, 26, '21 trade from Dodgers, 8-13 3.91

A potential knock on Rizzo is that he was clearly excellent when the owner's

□ LHP MacKenzie Gore, 25, '22 trade from San Diego, 7-10 4.42

pockets were deep, but he's been floundering when the pockets got shallow.

□ RHP Trevor Williams, 32, '23 FA from Mets, 6-10 5.55

□ RHP Dylan Floro, 33, '24 FA from Twins, 5-6 4.76

□ Dave Martinez has been Washington's field manager since '18. That breaks the

□ RHP Jake Irvin, 27, '18 4th round pick, 3-7 4.71

longevity record for Nationals managers. If there was to be a knock put on Rizzo

□ Righty Reliever Kyle Finnegan, 32, '20 FA from A's, 7-5 3.76 28 saves

it's that he changed managers as often as he changed his laundry. This lead to a

□ Righty Reliever Hunter Harvey, 29, '22 waivers from Giants, 4-4 2.82 10 saves

lack of continuity and long term vision from the field manager's end.

□ Righty Reliever Jordan Weems, 31, '22 FA from A's, 5-1 3.62

Interesting that the less success the team has had, the more Rizzo has held

onto his manager - usually it's the other way around.

2025 - Another year, another useless season from an organization that has

lost interest in competing. That being said, it may be that they have only lost

2020 - The drop from World Series champs to last place is not an aberration.

interest into competing for the next couple of years as GM Mike Rizzo is

This is now who the Nationals are - a last place club.

developing a core that he hopes will be in contention by say 2027-28.

It started in '19 when the Nationals let superstar twenty five year old outfielder

The core of that team would look something like this to the best of our knowledge

slip thru their fingers and escape in free agency to the Phillies.

C-Kelbert Ruiz, 1B-?, 2B-Luis Garcia, SS-CJ Abrams, 3B-Brady House,

Despite the loss, there was a temporary stay of execution as Washington

OF-Dylan Crews, OF-James Wood, OF-?

finally won the world series.

LHP-Mackenzie Gore (the ace), LHP-Mitchell Parker, LHP-DJ Herz,

In '20, Anthony Rendon, 29, superstar 3B was the next not to be re-signed.

RHP-Travis Sykora, RHP-Cade Cavelli (if healthy), RHP-Jake Irvin (maybe),

The Nats couldn't recover from this one. There were other factors like ace righthander

Stephen Strasburg, 30, missing the season with injury and closer

They are not there yet. The team may improve towards .500 this year but,

Sean Doolittle, 32, losing his effectiveness. But the ending of the mini-empire

more importantly for GM Rizzo and Manager Dave Martinez, is to get the

was the loss of Harper and then Rendon.

youngsters to continue moving in the right direction.

2021 - Washington finishes last at 65-97. There is no replenishment of lost talent.

A weak farm system combined with a reluctance to spend.

2021 - It keeps getting worse. Ace righthander Max Scherzer, 36, and superstar

SS Trea Turner, 28, are dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline. This was bad.

2022 - Superstar outfielder Juan Soto, only 23, is dealt to San Diego at the

trade deadline. This was the final nail in the coffin. The cupboard was now bare.

2023 - Rumor has it that the Nationals are up for sale. Not surprising seeing

that Mark Lerner couldn't have less interest in running the club or trying

to put a winning team on the field. The Nats finish 71-91.