As my good friend blogger Mike Barber so poetically phrases it, "Nats are hot baby!" He speaks the truth, the Nats are indeed hot. They're young, talented, gritty, etc, you know the deal. The Nats have risen to such national prominence this season, even Teddy's race woes are a nation-wide concern at this point.
However a deadline lures in the not-to-distant future for the Nats, one that could potentially cool down DC's first legitimate chance at happiness since the JaVale McGee/Swaggy P tandem was broken up. (I was not in favor of it. They provided me countless highlights.) Steven Strasburg is running out of innings. GM Mike Rizzo has always been adamant about shutting Strasburg down at the 160 innings mark. While the Nats have a superb rotation, there is no question that Strasburg is the ace, as well the man on the bump in what could potentially be DC's first playoff game since a long time ago. The shutdown of Strasburg has been often debated, with legitimate arguments on both sides. There are the people who say it is in the best interest of both Strasburg and the Nat's future, while there are others who disagree with shutting down the team's ace when a World Series is a definite possibility.
I would have to agree with the latter, I think shutting him down would ruin the Nats, not only this year, but in the future as well. There is no guarantee in sports, and assuming the Nats are going to be in contention for World Series titles going forward is a foolish assumption. Shit happens. Players leave, players get hurt. The Nats can seriously contend this year, so why shouldn't they? Any Nats fan that tells me they are just as confident without Strasburg is crazy. Yes Gonzalez is good, and Jordan Zimmerman has turned into a nice 3rd option, but there is no way in hell the Nats can roar into the playoffs, confident as ever, when their most important and talented player is sitting on the bench in sweats. More importantly, the next 4 years of Strasburg's salary are decided by arbitration, a process that has a reputation of ruining the player-team relationship. If the Nats want to resign Strasburg, they're going to want to have the strongest relationship possible with him, obviously. Going into arbitration after being shut down against Strasburg's will has all the makings of a very messy break-up.
Now lets get hypothetical here for a moment or two. Say the Nats DO win the World Series with Strasburg riding the pine. 1. NATS ARE HOT!!! 2. This would be bad news bears. Doesn't winning without Strasburg show the Nats that he's not really needed? He's needed in the way that I need pizza. It's something I want around for the rest of my life, but if I can't have it, cheeseburgers will do just fine. How in the world could Strasburg resign if the team can win without him? Is that not the ultimate slap in the face?
The Nats have a huge decision to make here. In a season that has ultimately defined the direction this team is headed for the next 5-10 years, they need to make a statement and keep Strasburg in the rotation. The Nats need to come out and show Strasburg and the Washington fanbase that they are committed to winning immediately, in a year where winning is very possible. Whether the Nats like it or not, the future is now in DC. Teams never stay the same, and the Nats are no exception. The team has a bevy of young stars, and the likelihood that they all take a pay cut to stay in DC is an unlikely one. Locking up the important ones like Strasburg (and eventually Harper, but that will be MUCH tougher) is crucial to keeping the excitement in the nation's capital.
Keep Strasburg in the rotation, and the Nats stay hot. Take him out, the Nats are not. (Rhyming!)
Tune:
RIP Jerry Garcia
And then there is this:
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