The State Of DC Sports

[SkinsHokieFan]

The Caps are down 1 game in a 7 game series and are the 2 seed in the East, they are an extremely young team that isnt going to even be in its collective prime for another 2 years, they have locked up the best and most exciting players in the sport for the next 10 years, have one of the best defensemen in the league, have a ton of other young talent and HOPEFULLY just found themselves an awesome young goalie.

Its obvious that as of today the Capitals have the brightest future

Hopefully you'll see a core of Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, Green, Laich, Alzner and Varlamov for the next 10 years. Fill in role players and other guys around them

The Redskins just keep shooting themselves in the foot.

The Wizards are cursed, and we'll see about the Nationals

[Thinking Skins]

With the Phillies winning a few years back, Philly finally got on the map. But they've still got some catching up to do.

We're still way ahead of Cleveland though.

[hockeysc23]

It stems back to the owners. Both the Nats, Skins and Wizards have owners that are not dedicated to winning and doing it the right way.

I think Wilbon had it right. DC is an event town not a sports town.

As for the Nationals I really hope they give up on them and send them back to Montreal. What a joke of a franchise and a waste of good people's money.

[DCranon21]

I'm not ready to give up on the Nats. They are a young team, but I think with the lack of ownership in the beginning and not really having the money to keep Soriano here or bringing in a marquee player like Texeria(sp) is going to hinder the team. I'm glad they locked up Zimm for 5 years. I'm waiting to see what they do with this pitching staff. They have the bats with Dukes, Dunn, and Zimmerman. The relief gives up runs like it's no tomorrow. They coulda swept the Marlins this weekend.

[CrypticVillain]

As for the Nationals I really hope they give up on them and send them back to Montreal. What a joke of a franchise and a waste of good people's money.

The moment they built that stadium was the moment I realized they are her to stay.

Honestly if I had to rate the teams in order of who has the brightest future:

1.Caps

2.Redskins

3.Wizards

4.Nats

After this year I wouldn't not be surprised if the Wizards went from 3 to 1.

[TheGoodBits]

The moment they built that stadium was the moment I realized they are her to stay.

Honestly if I had to rate the teams in order of who has the brightest future:

1.Caps

2.Redskins

3.Wizards

4.Nats

After this year I wouldn't not be surprised if the Wizards went from 3 to 1.

Hmm... I've got:

1. Caps

2. Nats

3. Redskins

4. Wizards

[Thinking Skins]

The moment they built that stadium was the moment I realized they are her to stay.

Honestly if I had to rate the teams in order of who has the brightest future:

1.Caps

2.Redskins

3.Wizards

4.Nats

After this year I wouldn't not be surprised if the Wizards went from 3 to 1.

If we can get Blake Griffin, I'd say

1.Caps

2.Wizards

3. Redskins

4.Nats

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I know its easy to pick on the Nats right now, but 1) they are not as bad as their record; and 2) they are starting to see the young pitching make a difference.

Also, IF they draft and sign Strasburg, they will have what should be a dominant rotation for the next 5 years with Strasburg, Zimmermann, Martis, and Lannan.

also, if I had to rate:

Caps

Wizards

Nats

Skins.

I am done believing the Skins hype. They stink. I've accepted it and wept.

[hockeysc23]

I know its easy to pick on the Nats right now, but 1) they are not as bad as their record; and 2) they are starting to see the young pitching make a difference.

Also, IF they draft and sign Strasburg, they will have what should be a dominant rotation for the next 5 years with Strasburg, Zimmermann, Martis, and Lannan.

also, if I had to rate:

Caps

Wizards

Nats

Skins.

I am done believing the Skins hype. They stink. I've accepted it and wept.

I pick on the Nats because:

1. They are baseball and steroid era ruined a game I use to love

2. There commercials are awful. Stop forcing this awful team down our throats. They are not MY NATS.

3. The organization seems so dysfunctional.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I pick on the Nats because:

1. They are baseball and steroid era ruined a game I use to love

2. There commercials are awful. Stop forcing this awful team down our throats. They are not MY NATS.

3. The organization seems so dysfunctional.

I didn't mean you specifically... certainly, you are in the majority and have some good points.

I will say this though, 18 months ago, the Caps were every bit the disaster the Nats are now.

[Larry Brown #43]

I think the Natinals are the worst team in the history of baseball. I'll take a look again in a month or two to see if my thoughts still hold true.

No way. This year's Nats team is far superior than last year's version. It hasn't shown in the standings yet, but it's very early. If not for blowing saves in three straight games, the Nats would basically be a .500 team.

A healthy Nick Johnson, a healthy Elijah Dukes, Adam Dunn, and Willingham make this a much more potent lineup than the one that featured Lastings Milledge (who's now in AAA) in the 5-spot in the order last year. It's just not even close.

And the starting pitching is better this year too.

By the way, speaking of "worst teams in history"...the 1988 O's started 0-21 and lost 106 games. Even last year's Nats were better than that.

[DjTj]

I know its easy to pick on the Nats right now, but 1) they are not as bad as their record; and 2) they are starting to see the young pitching make a difference.

Also, IF they draft and sign Strasburg, they will have what should be a dominant rotation for the next 5 years with Strasburg, Zimmermann, Martis, and Lannan.

also, if I had to rate:

Caps

Wizards

Nats

Skins.

I am done believing the Skins hype. They stink. I've accepted it and wept.

There's no conceivable way you can put the Nats ahead of the Redskins. The Wizards (barring injury) are a perennial playoff team and the Caps can legitimately contend for a championship. They are at the top with no question. The Redskins are mediocre ... but you HAVE to put the Nats on the bottom.

The best season in Nats history was a .500 season. In the 40-year history of the Expos-Nats, the franchise has never made it to a World Series. Sure, they have some good young pitching pitching talent, but every team in MLB (especially the struggling teams) say that now. If they're going to make it anywhere, that pitching has to hold up over an entire season and into the playoffs, and there's no reason to expect that will happen anytime soon.

Since the Nats have come to DC, the Redskins have made the playoffs twice. Both teams have some dysfunctional ownership problems, but at least the Redskins' problem is that they spend too much money.

I would like to see the Nats succeed, but I really don't see that happening. Can you honestly say that it's more likely that the Nats make the playoffs this year than the Redskins?

[Larry Brown #43]

They are still just about as good as last season... which isn't very good. Now they can score runs, which is plus. They just don't have decent pitching any more.

Huh? Last year's Nats didn't have anyone nearly as talented as Shairon Martis or Jordan Zimmermann in the rotation. The bullpen was dreadful last year, and appears to be again this year, but Odalis Perez was our opening day starter last year. 'nuff said.

You'd expect more from a team that is in the second season of a new stadium.

Not sure at all what this is supposed to mean. A bad team in a new stadium is still a bad team.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

There's no conceivable way you can put the Nats ahead of the Redskins. The Wizards (barring injury) are a perennial playoff team and the Caps can legitimately contend for a championship. They are at the top with no question. The Redskins are mediocre ... but you HAVE to put the Nats on the bottom.

The best season in Nats history was a .500 season. In the 40-year history of the Expos-Nats, the franchise has never made it to a World Series. Sure, they have some good young pitching pitching talent, but every team in MLB (especially the struggling teams) say that now. If they're going to make it anywhere, that pitching has to hold up over an entire season and into the playoffs, and there's no reason to expect that will happen anytime soon.

Since the Nats have come to DC, the Redskins have made the playoffs twice. Both teams have some dysfunctional ownership problems, but at least the Redskins' problem is that they spend too much money.

I would like to see the Nats succeed, but I really don't see that happening. Can you honestly say that it's more likely that the Nats make the playoffs this year than the Redskins?

I was ranking the future of the teams. Not what they've accomplished.

By April 2010, the Nats should have a rotation of Strasburg, Jay-Z, Lannan, and Martis, which is a playoff contending rotation, in 2010.

They also have The RZa (Ryan Zimmerman) locked up now... Dukes, Flores, and a few bats in the minors that are really developing: Espinosa, Marrero, Desmond. They can trade guys like Guzman and Johnson this year and get good return too. Same for Willingham.

Anyway, in the future years, I think the Nats will have far more success than the Skins. Who love to be 8-8.

[JMS]

The Nats are singing that old battle cry already - "Wait until next year".

The Nats have reached a new low in DC sports... Mispelling the name of your own franchise on openning day... "Natinals" indeed..... PaaaThetic.

Again the President opting out of throwing out the first pitch because he can't be ripped away from an easter egg roll for 20 minutes... Pathetic.

Overall DC sports are as week as they've been at anytime in our history. Traditionally we have had fewer teams and at least one was average. Currently we have more teams and they all universally suck.

[Big Weirdo]

You'll have to be patient with the Nationals. It takes some time to build up a respectable baseball team. It took the Devil Rays 10 years.

[Larry Brown #43]

After teams build a new stadium, they usually have a huge influx of money and thus more money to spend on more talented players. It's what happens to almost every team. It certainly explains how the Tigers got so good.

That hasn't happened for the Pirates, Mariners or Padres...that's just three off the top of my head. The Nats are building with youth and will be players for a key free agent or two once the team has developed into a contender.

And that's not really true about the Tigers...outside of Magglio Ordonez, the Tigers of '06 and '07 were largely built through homegrown talent and value free agents.

[DjTj]

I was ranking the future of the teams. Not what they've accomplished.

By April 2010, the Nats should have a rotation of Strasburg, Jay-Z, Lannan, and Martis, which is a playoff contending rotation, in 2010.

They also have The RZa (Ryan Zimmerman) locked up now... Dukes, Flores, and a few bats in the minors that are really developing: Espinosa, Marrero, Desmond. They can trade guys like Guzman and Johnson this year and get good return too. Same for Willingham.

Anyway, in the future years, I think the Nats will have far more success than the Skins. Who love to be 8-8.

Well, I'll believe it when I see it ... have you noticed that the rest of the NL has some pretty good talent too? We've gotten a close look at the Marlins over the past two weeks, and they look like they're just as young, and more talented, than the Nats.

The Phillies and Mets have superstars. The Braves ... well somehow or another even they are better than the Nats.

Do you really see the playoffs anywhere in the Nats' future? Because I just don't. The Orioles (with their own young pitching coming up and a much more potent lineup) have a better chance than the Nats.

You're hanging your expectations on some pretty unproven commodities. The odds of Strasburg, Zimm 2, Lannan, and Martis all staying healthy and productive in 2010 is no higher than the odds of Jason Campbell turning the corner and either Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas becoming a top WR by 2010.

It's a lot easier to turn around a football team in the salary-capped NFL than a baseball team in one of the richest divisions in the MLB where you have a whole farm system to worry about ... I just really don't see it with the Nats.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Well, I'll believe it when I see it ... have you noticed that the rest of the NL has some pretty good talent too? We've gotten a close look at the Marlins over the past two weeks, and they look like they're just as young, and more talented, than the Nats.

The Phillies and Mets have superstars. The Braves ... well somehow or another even they are better than the Nats.

Do you really see the playoffs anywhere in the Nats' future? Because I just don't. The Orioles (with their own young pitching coming up and a much more potent lineup) have a better chance than the Nats.

You're hanging your expectations on some pretty unproven commodities. The odds of Strasburg, Zimm 2, Lannan, and Martis all staying healthy and productive in 2010 is no higher than the odds of Jason Campbell turning the corner and either Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas becoming a top WR by 2010.

It's a lot easier to turn around a football team in the salary-capped NFL than a baseball team in one of the richest divisions in the MLB where you have a whole farm system to worry about ... I just really don't see it with the Nats.

Well, the Marlins will have another fire sale after 2010.

The Phillies are a disaster right now. Rollins and Utley are studs. Howard is falling off a cliff.

The idea that the O's have a better lineup than the Nats right now is laughable too. And for the record, I really like some of the O's prospects, especially Tillman, but comparing lineups RIGHT NOW is not really comparable.

Lannan proved last year what he is. He's a solid third guy. Zimmermann dominated the minors last year, and he has ace stuff. Strasburg is a phenom.

Can they get hurt? Sure. What team can't say that though? You really telling me if any team had four guys on their staff get hurt they could compete?

[Heisenberg]

MLSKINS - you do realize that the Nationals don't play in the AL East, right?

As for the future of DC sports franchises - without a doubt the Caps have the brightest future as it looks today.

I'd also rank the Redskins in last place, or at least close to it - I have absolutely 0 confidence in Dan Snyder or Vinny Cerrato to run a successful football franchise. They prove me right every year it seems.

[DjTj]

Well, the Marlins will have another fire sale after 2010.

It's sad that we need to plan our expectations around the Marlins.

The Phillies are a disaster right now. Rollins and Utley are studs. Howard is falling off a cliff.

You are basing the end of Howard's career on the first two weeks of the season? But we should ignore the Nats' first two weeks?

The idea that the O's have a better lineup than the Nats right now is laughable too.

The O's unquestionably have a better lineup. Not a better pitching staff, but Markakis/Jones/Wieters is a better set of young hitters than the Nats have, and Roberts/Huff/Mora is more productive than the vets on the Nats.

And for the record, I really like some of the O's prospects, especially Tillman, but comparing lineups RIGHT NOW is not really comparable.

The Nats have superior pitching, but I just don't see it as something to get so excited about. Both these teams are bad, and will be bad for the next couple years.

Lannan proved last year what he is. He's a solid third guy. Zimmermann dominated the minors last year, and he has ace stuff. Strasburg is a phenom.

Guys dominate the minors all the time; you never really know until they have to play a full major league season.

Can they get hurt? Sure. What team can't say that though? You really telling me if any team had four guys on their staff get hurt they could compete?

I'm not talking about all four guys getting hurt. One of those guys getting hurt could kill the Nats chances in a division like the NL East. If the Nats are going to make a run anytime soon, everything is going to have to go perfectly. The Redskins have a much bigger margin for error because there is just a lot more parity in the NFL (and the rosters are much bigger).

I mean seriously. We are talking about the Nats here right? The worst team in MLB last year? Currently the worst team in MLB? Can't spell their own name right? Fined Elijah Dukes for going to a charity event? I just can't see how anyone can rationally expect more out of them than the Redskins.

[Larry Brown #43]

From today's Nats Journal (WP)

A Scout's Take on Zimmermann, Nats

Just got off the phone with a scout for a National League team who was on hand Monday night for Jordan Zimmermann's long-awaited big league debut for the Nationals, and thought his impressions of the kid would interest some folks here. Let me just say: This particular scout is not prone to over-hyping anyone, and he certainly has never spoken this glowingly about any Nationals player, as best I can recall:

"I really like him. Everybody talks about his velocity, but I like the potential for both of his breaking balls. His slider is very good. Once he finds his true velocity, I think he'll eventually pitch at 92 [mph] wth two very good breaking balls. His change up is his worst pitch, but he has the potential to be a true four-pitch pitcher.

"I had him topped out at 95, but he was really comfortable at 92, 93, and I think that's where he's going to settle in. The one thing that bothers me in his delivery is [that] he flies open a little bit. And his command in the strike zone -- he throws a lot of strikes, but they weren't all necessarily quality strikes. He was getting hit hardest on his fastballs. His fastball command was a little less consistent than I'm sure he would've liked.

"I think he's going to be a solid rotation guy -- or maybe better than that. He has the potential to be a [number] 1 or 2. If I had to pencil him right now, I'd call him a 2. But I tell you, if they draft [stephen] Strasburg and get him signed, and if this kid [Zimmermann] does what he's supposed to do, that's a hell of a back-to-back. If they come up with a third pitcher, they're the Florida Marlins. They could really have something here."

-----------------------

My commentary-- I think they already have that third guy in Shairon Martis, not to mention Lannan.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

DjTj, I can't say I agree with any of your analysis between the Nats and O's. (Disagreeing is part of the joy of baseball though).

As for Howard, he has been declining steadily since he won the MVP two years ago. He is actually putting up good numbers to start this year. However, in 2007 his ba dropped to .268, and last year to .258. More disturbing is that in 2008 he posted an OBP of .339, which is not gonna get it done for him. He also struck out 199 times in both 2007 and 2008.

Bottom line, Howard cannot hit lefties, at all. He's an easy out when you need him to be. In 2008, he hit .224 and posted a diminutive .294 obp... for the season! That stinks. Stinks stinks. He's also turning 30 in November, and is clearly showing a downward trend.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

From today's Nats Journal (WP)

A Scout's Take on Zimmermann, Nats

Just got off the phone with a scout for a National League team who was on hand Monday night for Jordan Zimmermann's long-awaited big league debut for the Nationals, and thought his impressions of the kid would interest some folks here. Let me just say: This particular scout is not prone to over-hyping anyone, and he certainly has never spoken this glowingly about any Nationals player, as best I can recall:

"I really like him. Everybody talks about his velocity, but I like the potential for both of his breaking balls. His slider is very good. Once he finds his true velocity, I think he'll eventually pitch at 92 [mph] wth two very good breaking balls. His change up is his worst pitch, but he has the potential to be a true four-pitch pitcher.

"I had him topped out at 95, but he was really comfortable at 92, 93, and I think that's where he's going to settle in. The one thing that bothers me in his delivery is [that] he flies open a little bit. And his command in the strike zone -- he throws a lot of strikes, but they weren't all necessarily quality strikes. He was getting hit hardest on his fastballs. His fastball command was a little less consistent than I'm sure he would've liked.

"I think he's going to be a solid rotation guy -- or maybe better than that. He has the potential to be a [number] 1 or 2. If I had to pencil him right now, I'd call him a 2. But I tell you, if they draft [stephen] Strasburg and get him signed, and if this kid [Zimmermann] does what he's supposed to do, that's a hell of a back-to-back. If they come up with a third pitcher, they're the Florida Marlins. They could really have something here."

-----------------------

My commentary-- I think they already have that third guy in Shairon Martis.

That's basically what I see in the future.

[ACW]

The Nats have reached a new low in DC sports... Mispelling the name of your own franchise on openning day... "Natinals" indeed..... PaaaThetic.

Again the President opting out of throwing out the first pitch because he can't be ripped away from an easter egg roll for 20 minutes... Pathetic.

Overall DC sports are as week as they've been at anytime in our history. Traditionally we have had fewer teams and at least one was average. Currently we have more teams and they all universally suck.

:secret: 2nd seed in your conference and making the playoffs for a 2nd straight season isn't sucking.