I happen to think this is true. There's a lot of young talent there, enough pitching prospects to weather the inevitable injuries/regression to them, and the major cause of this year's record, the bullpen, is the easiest thing to turn around.

Repoz knows Paul Dickson? The guy wouldn't answer my e-mail.

A year from now they'll have Strasburg and Harper (who will go straight to the majors and hit 2 homeruns in his first at bat).

The young pitching needs experience, and better defensive support. The current defense looks like Tampa Bay 2007. How could they turn it around?

1B Dunn does less damage here
2B ? Maybe Guzman moves over if they can upgrade SS
SS Guzman seems about average, OK to leave him there if they can upgrade elsewhere
RF Elijah Dukes - just get him out of center
CF ?
LF ?

Placido Polanco could be a 2B option if they think they're ready in 2010. Getting a pair of outfielders who can catch the ball looks to be a big challenge.

Despite his success at Atlanta and his confidence in the Nationals’ future, Kasten acknowledged that “right now, I’m [regarded as] the village idiot.”

That's actually several steps above where most Nationals fans place him.

“We are on course.”

An interesting course you charted there, Mr. Magoo.

Maddux.

echoed the rosy remarks he made in a previous NPC Luncheon appearance

Well, his comments would be understandable talking to NPCs, the dialog options were probably scripted that way.

Well, his comments would be understandable talking to NPCs, the dialog options were probably scripted that way.

NPC: *sigh* Times are tough.
Kasten: I continue to be optimistic about where we’re headed.
NPC: *sigh* Times are tough.
Kasten: We are on course.
NPC: *sigh* Times are tough.

Just thinking of those Braves reminds me of Ed Olwine. He was freakin awesome. Thanks for the memory.

He recalled that young pitchers on those Braves teams – Greg Maddox, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz—struggled early but went on to careers that likely will lead them to baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Greg Maddux came to the Braves at age 27 and the reigning NL Cy Young winner. He did struggle early, but it was in 1987, with the Cubs.

Smoltz looked fully formed in 1989 at 22. He did struggle as a rookie.

Glavine actually struggled early in the sense that the author intends.

Lets face it, the guy is working hard to make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t.

I give the Nationals about a 20% chance of repeating what the Braves of the late 80's early 90's did. too many things can go wrong versus all their ducks falling into a tidy row.

A lot of what he says is wishful thinking; were I in his shoes I'd probably do/say the same.

That said, Manny Acta, the manager, does get his guys to play hard for him; they haven't given up yet.
But there are a lot of holes in the daily lineup and not much talent outside of young starting pitching in the minors to fill those holes.

Hell, Willie Harris has been their best hitter/fielder combo guy in the entire outfield.

Guys like Dunn who can hit, cannot field and guys who can field, like Austin Kearns, cant hit.

Willingham and Dukes hopefully have an upside I have yet to see, either with the bat or the glove, that would make them acceptable as day-to-day players which neither is today.

Good Nationals prospects as far as I can tell are quite few.

Strasburg (but only if he signs)
Ian Desmond
J.D. Martin?
Garret Mock?
Marvin Lowrance?
Leonard Davis?
Detwiler?

I really don't see where Kasten is coming from. The only position player who is likely to still be in his prime when the Nationals might have a reasonable shot (via the next couple drafts) is Zimmerman. I can see a rotation of Zimmermann, Lannan, Detwiler, and possibly Martis, being decent to good, but they don't have position player prospects who should be seen as anything but question marks.

I give the Nationals about a 20% chance of repeating what the Braves of the late 80's early 90's did.

20% chance of winning 14 division titles in a row? You're not pessimistic, you're optimistic.

Willingham and Dukes hopefully have an upside I have yet to see, either with the bat or the glove, that would make them acceptable as day-to-day players which neither is today.

Willingham has a career OPS+ of 119 and is sitting at 136 so far this year. He's not going to the Hall of Fame, but that's an acceptable everyday bat.

I'd agree that Dukes has yet to really show anything.

Good point; I was mentally comparing the two based on a couple of WS appearances and a WS title, not 14 division titles.
Ok, I give them 0% chance of duplicating the Braves run.
Does that read better?

They are going to have to open the coffers to get a complete corner outfielder. The one guy for center who looks good for a few games at a time is Justin Maxwell, but he's been too fragile to get the experience progress as a hitter.

I thought about Maxwell, but he's really going to have to fix his whiff issues, fast.

Burgess probably belongs on that list of Nats prospects.

Burgess probably belongs on that list of Nats prospects.

Probably, although he's really only acquitting himself well this year in terms of his age.

Repoz knows Paul Dickson? The guy wouldn't answer my e-mail.

Repoz probably exchanges emails with Barack Obama.

Repoz probably exchanges emails with Barack Obama.

Too mainstream. (You can't get much more Establishment than the President.)

The other names most mentioned among prospects are:

1B Chris Marrero (seems more likely a DH of the future)
CA Derek Norris (if he can be marginally adequate defensively, his bat is promising)

They also have a litany of arms who could develop into back of the rotation guys (Brad Meyers in Potomac to name one).

After that it's a series of Bowden specials, toolsy younger hitters (Destin Hood/JP Ramirez) and unpredictable HS arms (Smoker/Willems/McGeary)

This time last year all we heard in the local press was that Marrero was the answer to the question "who plays 1B for the nat's from 2010 on".
haven't heard boo about him this year; maybe the answer has become a question.

Juan Pierre for Adam Dunn.

Never say never ...

but I'm certainly happy to say "no way in 2010". Well, barring some huge "buy all the FAs" movement.

And after 2010, you're talking Flores, Zimmerman and Dukes on offense. That might be a decent core (if Dukes can learn to either hit or field) but will require 7 or 8 more decent pieces to put in around them and that's what the Nats really seem to lack. Dunn will be gone, Guzman will be 33 (and probably gone anyway), useful guys like Willingham and Harris will be on the wrong side of 30 (and probably gone anyway).

And while they have a reasonable amount of pitching prospects, do they have enough of them? 2-3 of these guys are bound to get hurt or not develop.

Sure, if enough goes right, you can see the 2012 Nats looking like the 2007 Devil Rays -- but the 2012 Nats are gonna need to pony up some pretty good dough to keep Zimmerman, Flores, Lannan around plus fill in with some vets plus arb for the other Zimmerman and whatever Strasburg is making. Given their market, really no reason they shouldn't be able to afford all that but I wouldn't count on them spending all that.

[regarded as]

Too mainstream. (You can't get much more Establishment than the President.)

Repoz knew him when he was cool.

It takes a village...wait, does D.C. qualify?