With the christening of their new ballpark only weeks away, the Nationals finally look like they're beginning to take root in D.C. Long gone are the days of contraction talks and chartered flights from Montreal to San Juan back when it was the shame of the league to call yourself an Expo and the organization's motto was "Anywhere else or bust."
And although the pall of mediocrity has haunted the team since its move to the nation's capital in 2005, they kept their heads held high, employing one of the game's most revered legends, Frank Robinson, as manager for their first two years in D.C. before bringing upstart manager, Manny Acta into the fold last year to help move the organization toward a positive future.
Acknowledging that the team still has a long way to go in one of the most competitive and cut-throat divisions in baseball, the NL East, the Nats made three relatively minor trades this past off-season that illustrate the organization's willingness to go where others will not and ability to act upon creative baseball thinking.
TRADE #1—November 30, 2007
- Nationals receive Lastings Milledge from Mets for Brian Schneider and Ryan Church
In the first of their "jail break" trades, the Nationals acquired Mets' problem child, outfielder Lastings Milledge, who had fallen out of good graces in Queens due to his reputation as the resident punk in the Mets' mostly-veteran clubhouse.
Add to that Milledge's lackadaisical approach in the outfield, which made even Manny Ramírez look like Roberto Clemente, as well as his inability to provide immediate potency to the Mets' lineup, and it became clear that his days in Flushing were numbered.
Recognizing a good opportunity when they saw one, the Nats struck while the iron was hot and claimed the once top prospect in exchange for a lifetime .252 catcher, Schneider, and a 29-year old outfielder, Church, who in his first shot at a starting job in 2007 demonstrated the ability to post mid-level power numbers.
In what I would call a win-win trade for both teams, the Nationals fortified their long-term outfield situation with the soon-to-be 23-year old Milledge, who, although often stigmatized by New York fans and media, made strides last year in improving his OBP and SLG.
With a likely starting job lined up for him in center field, Milledge should continue to steadily improve while gaining a year to mature on a club removed from the glare and criticism of New York City.
Also, trading Schneider allowed the Nationals to slightly upgrade at catcher with the off-season signing of Paul LoDuca.
TRADE #2—December 3, 2007
- Nationals receive Elijah Dukes from Devil Rays for Glenn Gibson
A few days after adding Milledge, the thrill of trading for another bad boy was too much to resist, and the second of the Nationals' "jail break" trades brought Elijah Dukes north from Tampa Bay.
1 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Michael Taylor about 1 year ago
I live in Columbus, home of the Nationals AAA squad and saw Albaladejo pitch last year. I was impressed with him. He had a quality slider and a hard fastball. I think the yankees may make out on this one, but I hope for the Nationals that Clippard fits in. I'm sure I'll see him at sometime this season with the CLippers.
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