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Rank: Dead last in the Majors, last in the NL East - 32.5 games back
Home Park: Nationals Park
2008 Regular Season Record: 59-102

Confirmed Members in DC:
C- Javier Valentin* (Free Agent from Reds)
IF - Alex Cintron* (Free Agent from Orioles)
1B/OF - Adam Dunn (Free Agent from Diamondbacks)
OF - Josh Willingham (trade from Marlins)
OF - Corey Patterson* (Free Agent from Reds)
LHP - Scott Olsen (trade from Marlins)
LHP - Wil Ledezma* (Free Agent from D’Backs)
RHP - Josh Towers* (Free Agent from Rockies)
RHP - Daniel Cabrera (Free Agent from Orioles)
RHP - Terrell Young (Rule V selection from Reds) 

Voted Out:
IF - Aaron Boone (Free Agent signed with Astros)
2B - Emilio Bonifacio (trade to Marlins)
LHP - Charlie Manning (Claimed off waivers by Cards)
RHP - Tim Redding (Non tendered free agent signed with Mets)
RHP - Chad Cordero (Free Agent, unsigned) 

*Signed minor league contract. 

The Skinny: This team is still recovering from MLB’s ownership (and Jeffery Loria’s non-ownership) of the Expos and the stripping of the farm system that ensued during those final years.   New ownership has stabilized things, and this new administration is willing to spend money to steer this team in the right direction. The Nationals actually made some significant moves this offseason and could be better than anyone really anticipates.  That doesn’t mean they’ll come close to contending, but they’ve improved enough that winning 75 games isn’t out of the question. That improvement will be thanks to the bats of Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham as well as the arms of Scott Olsen and Daniel Cabrera both of who’ll give the team some quality starts. 

Strengths: Youth and Offense 

The Nats are a young, potentially explosive team who’ll largely win games based upon the streaky prowess of their bats.  Those bats, before new additions were the least productive in all of baseball, but considering how much raw talent the team has 2008 was expected to be a growing year and 2009 will be another one. Adding veterans Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham should give the offense some stability and cut deeply into the playing times of both 1B Nick Johnson and OFs Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena. 

Weaknesses: It all boils down to pitching and maturity 

The pitching, even with the addition of Scott Olsen, is rather questionable especially in terms of the starting rotation where only the lefties Olsen and John Lannan are assured spots.  That should make things very interesting in the spring, but projecting that Daniel Cabrera will take the third spot is probably a safe bet.  After that it likely will end up with a competition with Odalis Perez, Shawn Hill, Josh Towers, Collin Balester, Jordan Zimmermann and Jason Bergmann. The team is poised to improve its division worst (and 14th of 16 in the NL) ERA, which should help to a degree, but the Nats are likely to still have the worst pitching in the division unless Cabrera suddenly regains the poise and skill he was once projected to have. 

Potential Lineup
SS Christian Guzman
CF Lastings Milledge
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B/LF Adam Dunn
LF Josh Willingham
RF Elijah Dukes
1B Nick Johnson/LF Austin Kearns
2B Anderson Hernandez
C Jesus Flores 

Rotation
SP1 – Scott Olsen
SP2 – John Lannan
SP3 – Daniel Cabrera
SP4 – Odalis Perez
SP5 – Shawn Hill 

Bullpen
CL – Joel Hanrahan 

One question that need answering

What are the Nats going to do with all these outfielders?  At the moment they’ve got six guys who should be playing somewhere (Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns, Josh Willingham, Elijah Dukes, Lastings Milledge and Wily Mo Pena).  Odds are Pena and Kearns are odd men out and might be dealt. 

Prediction

The Nationals are not assured of the cellar this year and while a fourth place finish is certainly possible, a third place finish, if the Braves young pitchers struggle, is possible but unlikely. For this season the goal is a 10+ game improvement on last year’s dismal record.  That’s something that should already be in the bag.

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