10/26/15

Mack - The 2016 Washington Nationals



Projected free agent losses from their 2016 squad will be SP Jordan Zimmerman, 2B Dan Uggla, SP Doug Fister, SS Ian Desmond, CF Denard Span, RP Matt Thornton, and OF Reed Johnson.



There’s a good chance that the following players will be on the National’s 25-man squad next season:

SP     Max Scherzer        $22.143mil     
SP     Gio Gonzalez     $12.1mil
SP     Stephen Strasburg  (2015: ARB-2, $7.4mil) -
SP     Joe Ross - $508,700
SP     Tanner Roark  -  $529,600
RP     Sammy Sollis       $508,700  
RP     AJ Cole - $507,800
RP     Drew Storen – (2015: ARB-3, $5.7mil) –
RP     Felipe Rivero                 $508,900
RP     Blake Treinen      $508,900
1B     Ryan Zimmerman         $14mil
2B     Yunel Escobar     $7mil -
SS      Trea Turner  -  $508,700
3B     Anthony Rendon – (2015 - $2.5mil) – 2016 – ARB1 -
LF      Bryce Harper – (2016: $5mil – ARB-2) -
UT-OF           Matt den Dekker - $508,700
RF     Jayson Werth      $21.57mil
C       Wilson Ramos – (2015: ARB-2, $3.55mil) –

Other top prospects that are projected to be a factor at some point in the 2016 season include SP Lucas Giolito, C Pedro Severino, SP Austin Voth, and 1B/3B Matt Skole.

The Nats did lose a considerable amount of talent in the off season; however, more than enough remains.

I expect the 5-man rotation I listed above will not be enough to satisfy them, so look for a new top free agent ‘name’ to be added here.

Den Dekker has filled in well while Denard Span was down, but my guess is we will see a premier centerfielder join the Nationals also before the season starts.

And lastly, what do you do with closer Jonathan Papelbon, who has one year left on his contract? I look for him to be dealt off to whoever will tolerate the head case.

Prediction: The Nationals, whether the Mets sign Yoenis Cespedes or not, remain the most talented team in the NL East. 

I love what the Mets did in 2015, but Washington did nothing to win this division, especially late in the season when the Mets seem to be doing everything they could to hand it back to the Nats.

They won’t throw it away next year and will win the division in a tight race against the Mets.

8 comments:

Reese Kaplan said...

Will the Nationals make a run at Cespedes?

Tom Brennan said...

They already have a lot of $ committed. Must have lost a lot of $ this year.

Hard to picture them spending huge bucks to fix both the rotation and CF.

I think the Mets' pitching (full season Matz, return of Wheeler) will make them not just better than the Nats, but the best team in baseball, if they sign Cespedes.

Giolito is considered to be another SYNDERGAARD and will by 2017 be a beast for them, as long as he stays healthy.

Mack Ade said...

Reese/Tom -

I think every team potentially is considering a run on Cespedes.

As for Washington, what a perfect replacement for Span.

Tom, the secret in what your comment said about the Mets being better than the Nats is 'if they sign Cespedes'. My analysis on all teams are based on the current players under contract. IMO, on paper, Washington still comes out on top.

Oh, and they have never been afraid of spending money to imrove their position.

Ernest Dove said...

I believe the Mets can and will be favored to win division again next year because they have the best rotation in baseball and at least a top three closer in baseball.
And if Conforto and d'Arnaud avoid the DL they can do DAMAGE in the lineup on a nightly basis........

Stubby said...

The games aren't played on paper. With our rotation, I'd still pick the Mets over the Nats.

Michael S. said...

The Nats weren't the most talented team in the division this year. They may have started off that way and their lack of cohesion let the Mets take it. But, the Mets swept them TWICE when it counted and the team post July 25 would have been a 100+ game winner had they been together all season....not to mention how the Mets were playing before the injuries hit.

Mets Part 2 > Nats > Mets Part 1

Mack Ade said...

Bad week to post anti-Mets posts.

Still... 'on paper'... and I know where they are played... both teams starters cancel each out and Zimmerman. Rendon, Harper, Wearth, and Turner are...ON PAPER... A BETTER TEAM THAN THE mETS CURRENTLY HAVE SIGNED FOR 2016

Unknown said...

Knife in the heart if they sign YC and we lose Murph so BIG decisions for the FO. The thought of Ces roaming CF in Washington gives me an ill feeling. Although the word chemistry is overused it certainly applied to the Nats so the question is can they correct it. Throwing $210 mil. to bolster the "best rotation in baseball" last year didn't work. So Sandy will have his work cut out for him this off season and the FO is now in a position where no excuse will work for the fan base.