The 2010 Washington Nationals

[MrEndshiftresign]

First round of 2013 draft:

1. DET - Takumi "The Old Perfesser" Kondo (SP), Kamiak HS (WA)
2. LAA - Matt "Mailman" Henderson (SP), Hartford
3. CHS - Antonio Jimenez (RF), Bement-Atwood HS (IL)
4. PIT - Jesus Fuentes (SP), Texas
5. TOR - Salvador Hernandez (SP), Kent State
6. WAS - Arturo Carmona (SP), Cedarville
7. FLA - Rod "Stooping Jack" McIntosh (SP), Portland
8. PHI - Luis "Silverback" Fierra (SP), USC
9. SD - Woodrow Johnson (RF), Fresno State
10. MIL - Danny Stanbridge (3B), St. Peter's
11. ARI - Michael McDermott (SP), Hackleburg HS (AL)
12. CHC - Vicente Casillas (C), Lewis-Clark State
13. HOU - Rocky Carpenter (SS), Garfield HS (WA)
14. CLE - Ralph Ovitz (SS), Caroline HS (VA)
15. TEX - Clayton Graves (SP), Kennedale HS (TX)
16. OAK - Eric Leonard (CF), Illinois-Chicago
17. KC - Kazuki Morita (CF), Dale HS (VA)
18. CLE - Kazushige Hayashi (CF), Mississippi
19. NYM - Eugenio Kondsmann (CF), Texas A&M
20. BAL - Javier Sanchez (C), Jay HS (ME)
21. MIN - Carson King (SP), Cleveland State
22. CHC - Angelo Rivera (SP), Kentucky
23. LAD - Johnny Gaulton (CF), Central HS (MI)
24. SL - Martin Gomez (SP), Linganore HS (MD)
25. SF - Anthony Crutcher (SP), Ballard HS (IA)
26. SL - Arturo Padilla (1B), Baylor
27. MIN - Manny Guerrero (SS), Washington
28. CIN - Jose Romero (SP), Hinckley-Finlayson HS (MN)
29. COL - Shizue Ohayashi (2B), Prince of Peace HS (TX)
30. CHS - Jose De La Hoya (3B), Northeastern HS (OH)

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Log - 10/15/13

79-83, .488, 24 GB

I would say this year was a banner year for the Nationals.

We may have fallen two games short of the 2010 record, but given all the chaos that transpired in 2011 and 2012, we have all learned from our mistakes and given Billionaire Ted (Lerner) a season he can be proud of. Unfortunately, my overspending has led Ted to sell the Nationals, and Felipe Torres will be taking over in 2014. Ted gave me a solid mark for 2013, but hopes I can do much better with Felipe in charge.

A concussion may not sound like something that would take you out of the game for most of the year. But that's what happened to our Glue Guy, 2B Aaron Hill, who missed all but 44 games, mostly due to a concussion he suffered in July. It's been a long road back for Aaron, but we're confident he'll be back in form by 2014 - after all, he's only 31 going on 32. That's not ancient at all by my standards.

In the meantime, I'm pleased with how my young guns have fared in 2013. Bryce Harper may not have won the ROY plum as many thought he would, but he still banged in 28 homers and showed off his cannon arm to those who cared to watch. (Attendance is still a problem, unfortunately.) He's sure to improve on his .246 batting average in years to come. Mike Burgess did well straying away from the Mendoza Line, as he hit .242 (believe me, that's a great improvement) with 23 homers. And Eury Perez (24 SB) Wally Pipp-ed Nyjer Morgan with a solid rookie performance. Franck Boone was just barely over the Mendoza Line after we called him up for the rest of the season, but he hit 41 homers in Triple A. Watch out for him in 2014.

In the "young-by-Homer-Jay's-Standards" department, Ryan Zimmerman had a career year - 30 home runs with a .302 batting average. Denying him an All-Star berth and Gold Glove consideration is a by-product of all the negative criticism against me, but he'll show 'em next year. Ian Desmond's production was a bit down, but he still gave us 11 homers and 16 stolen bases. Kendry Morales missed some time, but 23 HR's and .300 BA is something to be proud of. David DeJesus hit 11 homers and while he hit only .262, he had a 25-game hitting streak to close the year.

Our pitching staff was a bit up-and-down, though. Stephen Strasburg continued being "Brittle Stevie", but fanned 202 batters in just 175 innings. He can improve on that 8-14 record with the stuff he's got. Ricky Nolasco was Cy Young material, going 16-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 175 K's in 212 innings. While Jordan Zimmermann and Josh Beckett were meh, I was impressed with Justin Masterson's huge season - 16-8, 3.11 ERA, 63 BB, 174 K. Kyle Farnsworth gave us blown saves galore, but Drew Storen (30 SV, 3.13 ERA, 80 K) took over and proved that we're not a bunch of chokers. I see 2012 supplementary 1st-rounder Cristo Moreno as a setup man, or even a closer of the future.

Great year, everyone. But we can do better. Let's hope Felipe will be just as patient as Teddy was in the past four years I've been GM.

[MrEndshiftresign]

5/14/2014

22-13, .625, 0 GB

The Washington Nationals - First in War, First in Peace, FIRST IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE?!?!?

Little over two years ago, it wouldn't have been possible. No, not a chance, if you were one of the many skeptics of GM Homer Singson. The Washington Nationals of 2011 and 2012 were losers - not even lovable ones - and their GM was notorious in all the wrong ways. Manny Ramirez, who had retired after a disgraceful last two years split with the Washington Nationals and LA Angels of Anaheim, was Singson's folly, and symbolized his perceived incompetency and die-hard insistence on trading for and signing veterans over young talent.

All appears to be forgotten now, as the Nats actually have an NL-leading 22-13 record. LF Franck Boone, just two years after getting picked 4th overall, has slammed in 10 home runs. RF Michael Burgess has 11. C Bryce Harper, despite struggling a bit with his batting average, has six homers while 2B Aaron Hill, who missed most of last year with a bad concussion, has 8 - quite high for someone not known for amazing pop. And take note, 1B Kendry Morales hasn't even gotten hot yet. This is a team that, just two years ago, had a lethargic offense and porous defense and an overage of over-aged players. This year, Hill and Morales are the graybeards of the starting lineup at 32 and 30 respectively. And defense is no problem with Hill, SS Ian Desmond and franchise 3B Ryan Zimmerman, and new acquisition Aaron Hicks, a 24-year-old center fielder. The pitching staff is led by the youthful, albeit injury-prone Stephen Strasburg, who's got a 6-1 record, 2.05 ERA and 52 strikeouts in just as many innings. Also starting and posting ERA's of below 3.50 are Ricky Nolasco, Justin Masterson and Jordan Zimmermann, who's undefeated (6-0) with a 1.17 ERA. Free agent acquisition Jon Rauch has a 1.86 ERA and nine saves early on. And we haven't even mentioned the up-and-coming prospects deep on the majors depth chart or in the minors!

"It feels great to be winning at last," said Desmond, the only holdover starter from Singson's initial 2010 lineup. "I know there have been detractors, but a lot of us have been behind Homer, even when the fans weren't showing up." Boone, a 23-year-old Dutchman technically in his second major league season, told us he's "glad to be part of a program with direction." Such a far cry from the days when Nationals players would regularly be grousing about their team and their GM - either to the press, former owner Ted Lerner, or even simply to friends and family.

The question is, how long can they sustain this run? "We need to be careful about our tendency to plunge into long losing streaks," said third-year manager Jose Offerman. "This is a younger Nationals team than what a lot are used to, and like a lot of youngsters, the kids in the lineup can get real discouraged when we aren't winning. We need to let losing build up our character when it happens, instead of ruining it."

Do the Nats think, as early as now, that they can make it to the World Series? None of the players or staff interviewed were overly confident about it, but perhaps the up-and-coming power hitter Boone put it most accurately. "Let's focus on a winning record first. Then we can talk World Series."

CF - Aaron Hicks (24) - acquired via trade
3B - Ryan Zimmerman (29)
1B - Kendry Morales (30)
LF - Franck Boone (23)
RF - Michael Burgess (25)
C - Bryce Harper (21)
2B - Aaron Hill (32)
SS - Ian Desmond (28)
Key reserves - David DeJesus (34), J.D. Drew (38), Steven Souza (25), Victor Martinez (35)

SP1 - Stephen Strasburg (25)
SP2 - Ricky Nolasco (31)
SP3 - Justin Masterson (29)
SP4 - Jordan Zimmermann (28)
SP5 - Josh Beckett (33)
MR/Spot starters - Kyle Farnsworth (38), Hassan Pena (29), Bronson Arroyo (37), Victor Garate (29)
Setup - Rich Thompson (29), Cristo Moreno (24)
Closer - Jon Rauch (35) - free agent

IL - Melky Cabrera (29), Rafael Furcal (36)

[MrEndshiftresign]

6/15/2014

38-26, .594, 0 GB

Yankees make Henry James surprise first pick (article may be edited - too sleepy to add stories right now...)

1. NYY - Henry James (LF), Browning HS (NY)
2. LAA - Seymour "Butts" Mwambetumba (created player, supposed to be HS)
3. HOU - Caleb Barker (SS), Holy Cross
4. FLA - Paco Montes (SP), Florida
5. LAA - Emilio Bermudez (SP), Bishop Connolly HS (MA)
6. TOR - Edgar Zaragoza (SP), Spencer County HS (KY)
7. ARI - Ricardo Lopez (CF), Clear Lake HS (TX)
8. TOR - Robby Robertson (SP), Ka'u HS (HI)
9. BAL - Fernando Martinez (3B), Waterloo HS (NY)
10. PIT - Matt "Mailman" Henderson (SP), Hartford (failed to sign)
11. CLE - Clark "Revenant" Daly (SS), Sewanhaka HS (NY)
12. CHC - Jin-song Qin (SP), Coolidge HS (AZ)
13. DET - Roberto Garcia (LF), Tulane
14. WAS - John Marshall (CF), Villanova
15. CHS - Edgar Valdevez (LF), Madison HS (IL)
16. COL - Jeff Wilson (CF), Rains HS (TX)
17. SD - Anthony Crutcher (SP), "college" (failed to sign)
18. MIL - Tsuyoshi Chikafuji (C), Watertown HS (C)
19. CLE - Jose German (LF), Waskom HS (TX)
20. MIL - Pat Hardy (SS), Manhattan
21. LAD - Miguel Lopez (1B), UC-Irvine
22. SEA - Sean Holt (SP), Lincoln-Way East HS (IL)
23. CIN - Salvador Hernandez (SP), Kent State (failed to sign)
24. MIL - Jorge Ramos (3B), Harriman HS (TN)
25. SF - Michael Carr (SP), Kentucky
26. MIL - Keith Taylor (RF), Rio Hondo HS (TX)
27. FLA - Bartolo Diaz (SP), Baylor
28. PHI - Tommy Barry (LF), Morehead State
29. COL - Kazushige Hayashi (CF), Mississippi (failed to sign)
30. OAK - Jose Nava (CF), Winooski HS (VT)
31. TEX - Miguel Alicpa (LF), New Orleans
32. CIN - Wilson Morales (SP), Alcorn State
33. TPB - Juan Cardoza (CF), Garden City HS (NY)

(note - I tried creating a gigantic pitcher with outfielder skills, and that's Seymour Mwambetumba who went second to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim...)

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Log - 7/17/2014

58-33, .637, 0 GB

I admit I still need to look more into what's happening in my minor league systems. Being vet-oriented for many years has, in a way, led us to having a lousy farm system. I found out that Tadao Inoue, who now insists on being called Todd, has developed an attitude problem and is still stuck at AA. Arturo Carmona, the star pitcher we drafted last year, was converted into a shortstop because his manager felt he'd have a better chance of helping us at that position. I really think we should draft a starting pitcher next year, or trade for one. I think I'm getting rid of Tadao, Inoue or Todd, or whatever you want to call him. Maybe trading for a minor league pitcher would do it.

In other news, Franck is leading the MAJOR LEAGUES in home runs with 27, and has made his first All-Star game. Stephen also made his first All-Star game, though Ryan's extended batting slump has taken him out of consideration. It's a crime not to include Kendry Morales in the NL All-Stars, but he's been swinging quite economically as of late, focusing on average rather than power.

Just tried swinging a deal for Tadao, and if all goes well, we'll have the Old Perfesser (no, not Casey Stengel) pitching in one of our Minor League systems...

[MrEndshiftresign]

97-65, .599, 0 GB

I have box score generation turned off to save on hard drive space, so here's what happened in the Nats' 2014 postseason. But before that, we did go through a major slump in the midseason that saw us winning only 24 out of the last 50 games. Aaron Hill (hammy strain), Ryan Zimmerman (fractured foot), Kendry Morales (another hammy strain though not as bad as Hill's), Michael Burgess (separated shoulder) and Jordan Zimmermann (torn labrum) all missed time with injuries that seemed to happen one after another and saw the Nationals at times with a lineup half-filled with scrubs.

Burgess, Hill and Zimmermann are still out. But will that prevent the Nationals from winning it all this year? These are all my headline captions as I've also got a lot of news subscriptions turned off in the game...

10/11/2014

Nats in NL Pennant Race, End Series With San Francisco, 3-1!

Washington's late-season swoon fooled observers

10/21/2014Masterson Shuts Out Astros, Nationals Win NL Pennant 4-3!

Separate post to follow as GM Homer comments about the World Series...

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Logs - 10/26/2014

SEA 3, WAS 6 (12), Nationals lead World Series, 2-1

Great pitching game from Paul Demny. The guy was just an afterthought (at least for me) in our minor league system, but look at what he's done since I included him in the expanded roster and decided to leave him there for the playoffs. As for Seattle's starting pitcher Chris Sale (drafted just four years ago), he performed creditably as well, showing lots of poise for a guy in just his second major league season.

We continue to host the Mariners in Game 4, and this time I'll be watching. It's been a while since even Filipino fans in the DC area were booing me out of the stadium and telling me to "Go Home-r".

10/27/2014

SEA 9, WAS 5, Series tied 2-2

This game was utter rubbish. It was neck-and-neck most of the way, till Adam Moore hit a grand slam on all of us. Good job, Justin. You really know how to hurt a guy, do you? But if it's any consolation, Ian is proving to be pretty much the series star for us, hitting close to .400 and scoring the first home run of the game.

If you ask me, that game may be a series-changer due to Moore's clutch heroics for the Mariners and Masterson's lack of composure in crunchtime. It's up to us if we want to win it in the next game and put things back in our favor.

10/28/2014

SEA 2, WAS 7, Nationals lead 3-2

Now that...is more like it.

Marvelous pitching job by Ricky. Matched up against the Mariners' ace "King Felix" Hernandez, he proved to be the better pitcher. And kudos as well to Kendry and Aaron (Hicks, not the oft-injured Hill) for scoring homers off the frontrunner for the AL Cy Young. Franck had been having an awful series, but he hit 3 for 4 with a 2-out RBI.

We're flying off to Seattle for the last game - or last two games - of the series. If not for Justin's almost Bill Buckner/Ralph Branca-level boneheadedness in Game 4, we could've ended the series at home. But as one-hit wonder Joe Public once said, you gotta live and learn.

10/30/2014

WAS 4, SEA 0, NATIONALS WIN THE 2014 WORLD SERIES!!!

And we won it with pitching.

Stephen was totally dominant and in his element all game long. Pitching 8 innings, he may have only fanned 5 batters, but gave up only two hits. And look, we have a surprise save coming from Victor (Garate), who's been in and out of the majors for the past few years. But he's been in the majors for most of the past two seasons, and I'll make sure to keep him in the lineup for the next few years - he's "only" 29 after all. And while it was not the best of games or the best of series for Michael Burgess, he hit one homer for us, which was all we needed to win it.

And back home in DC, the nation's capital celebrates and strains of "We Are The Champions" play in almost all major radio stations. We may not have won with an "Over The Hill Gang" as I originally planned, but what matters is that we won.

See you all next year.

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Log - 4/30/2015

17-5, .778, 0 GB

First in war, first in peace, FIRST IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. We had a 12-game winning streak snapped just a few days ago, but we're still packing it in, with an increased fanbase and a NL-topping record. We've got pretty much the same people who made such a huge difference last year, with only Bronson Arroyo and J.D. Drew not returning from last year. The former filed for free agency, the latter retired after serving us well as a quality backup outfielder.

Given our injury woes with Aaron Hill last year, we added 2B Chris Coghlan to backup both 2B and SS. Actually, he played well enough during the preseason to merit taking over Ian Desmond's spot at SS. We also signed Max Scherzer as a free agent, though we wonder how things are going to be once Jordan Zimmermann returns from the DL. And in the minors, SP Old Perfesser Kondo is by far our best prospect. We got him in exchange for the underachieving Todd Inoue and a couple other minor leaguers.

Here's our opening day lineup for 2015:

CF - Aaron Hicks (25)
SS - Chris Coghlan (29) - FA
C - Bryce Harper (22)
LF - Franck Boone (24)
RF - Michael Burgess (26)
3B - Ryan Zimmerman (30)
1B - Kendry Morales (31)
2B - Aaron Hill (33)

Key reserves - Ian Desmond (29), Steven Souza (26), Melky Cabrera (30), Adrian Nieto (25)

SP1 - Stephen Strasburg (26)
SP2 - Ricky Nolasco (32)
SP3 - Justin Masterson (30)
SP4 - Max Scherzer (30)
SP5 - Josh Beckett (34)
Spot starters/MR - Bradley Myers (29), Paul Demmy (25), Taylor Jordan (26), Victor Garate (30)
Setup men - Cristo Moreno (24), Hassan Pena (30)
Closer - Jon Rauch (36)

Injured list - Jordan Zimmermann (28)

[MrEndshiftresign]

6/4/2015

35-19, 0 GB

SUPER SETBACK! Masterson out till next year

"I was too keyed up. Too much in the zone. But as the boss says, oh well."

Those are the words of Justin Masterson, the Washington Nationals' third pitcher in the rotation and nearly the World Series goat when he gave up four ninth inning runs to Seattle in last year's Game Four. Doctors have determined Masterson is definitely out for the season, and may be returning in about a year from now due to a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.

When asked about the injury, Nationals GM Homer Singson was disappointed, but still optimistic. "It's tough losing a player like Justin, who's improved so much in the past few years. But there's a lot more where that came from, and we're still as geared up as ever to win the World Series again. The Nationals' rotation also includes Stephen Strasburg, Ricky Nolasco, Max Scherzer, Josh Beckett and Jordan Zimmermann, who will most likely compose the five-man crew with Masterson out of action.

[MrEndshiftresign]

6/15/2015

42-21, .667, 0 GB

Dinnerplate, Butts Lead 2015 Draftees

Yankees go with hometown stud for a second straight year

Despite speculation that the New York Yankees will finally grab 7'1 pitcher Seymour "Butts" Umwambetumba with the first overall pick in 2015, the Yanks cast their lot on a hometown pick for a second straight year. Cameron "Dinnerplate" Davis, a burly (6'2-290) pitcher from Stuyvesant HS in New York City was selected by the Yankees as the 2015 Amateur Draft's first overall pick.

"Delicious," said Davis in between bites of a two-pound hamburger he was having as a snack. "I look forward to a long, productive career with the Yankees and a signing bonus so I can start my own restaurant," added the business-minded starting pitcher, who fanned 201 batters in 115.1 innings for Stuyvesant High. Umwambetumba once again went second overall to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Yankees' decision to pick Davis has again been heavily criticized by league observers. "Davis will eat his way out of the minors," said another general manager. "He won't do any better as the other guy (2014 top overall pick Henry James) who's striking out at short season A."

The Houston Astros selected speed/power/defense guy Leon Jackson at third. Jackson, a left fielder, swatted 16 homers and stole 36 bases for Long Beach State in college ball last year. The Arizona Sinks selected Oklahoma State flamethrower Hiroya Imai at fourth, while San Diego went with Domingo "Paps" DeLeon, a high school SP from Hamden, CT at fifth.

In Nationals news, Ricky Nolasco threw a no-hitter last June 13 as he blanked the Nats' World Series rivals, the Seattle Mariners 3-0 in Nationals Park. Starting pitcher Dave Lawrence from UCLA went 32nd overall to the Nationals, and he hopes he can soon be part of their feared rotation.

(NOTE - I edited Davis' weight and work ethic to make him more apropos to someone with such a weird nickname, so let's see what happens next. And yes, the AI owner of Arizona changed the team's nickname to the Sinks in the 2012 season.)

1. NYY - Cameron "Dinnerplate" Davis (SP), Stuyvesant HS (NY)
2. LAA - Seymour "Butts" Umwambetumba (SP), "college"
3. HOU - Leon Jackson (LF), Long Beach State
4. ARI - Hiroya Imai (SP), Oklahoma State
5. SD - Domingo "Paps" DeLeon (SP), Hamden Hall HS (CT)
6. CHS - Sherman Henry (SP), Lakeridge HS (OR)
7. CHS - Carlos Chavez (SP), Pepperdine
8. LAD - Lorenzo Mendoza (LF), Arizona
9. PHI - Ismael Gonzalez (C), Wake Forest-Rolesville HS (NC)
10. CHC - Emilio Bermudez (SP), "college" (failed to sign)
11. FLA - Neil Schoenfield (MR), Scottsdale CC
12. MIL - Jake Roberts (RF), Pacifica HS (CA)
13. CHC - Ray Knight (SP), Iona (failed to sign)
14. TPB - Tom Bland (SP), Martin HS (TX)
15. DET - Jin-Song Qin (SP), "college" (failed to sign)
16. TOR - Trevor Teague (SP), NC-Asheville
17. CLE - Pancho Gutierrez (LF), Vestaburg HS (MI)
18. BAL - Ramon Costello (1B), St. Mary's
19. MIN - Pedro Hernandez (SP), Oklahoma State
20. OAK - Wing-fung See-to (1B), Denver North HS (CO)
21. CLE - Gene Richards (2B), Moore HS (OK)
22. BAL - Vic Toope (CF), Troy
23. LAA - Xavier Jones (SP), Ringgold HS (LA)
24. TPB - Juan Contreras (CF), Rice
25. PIT - Jorge Hernandez (MR), "college" (failed to sign)
26. MIN - Edgardo Alba (2B), Arizona State
27. CHC - Rafael Gonzalez (C), Texas-Arlington
28. TPB - Todd Tytler (CF), Hofstra
29. LAA - Milton Sterling (3B), San Francisco State
30. HOU - William Downey (2B), USC
31. LAD - Andres Maestas (RF), North Carolina
32. WAS - Dave Lawrence (MR), UCLA
33. BOS - Greg Lyons (SP), Mather HS (IL)

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Log - 10/4/2015

99-63, .611, 2 GB

If there's something I need to have my boys work on, it's avoiding those dreaded late-season swoons. So here we were, again with a commanding lead over the rest of the NL, only to be passed by the Atlanta Braves because the boys got complacent. This isn't even a case of injuries - all we lost were Jon Rauch in a freak accident that will have him out for 10 months, but we have Cristo Moreno ready to step in as closer. Oft-injured Aaron Hill wasn't out for too long.

You know what we lack during the latter parts of the season? Killer instinct. Heart. That's the thing with young players. When I was trying to build an Over The Hill Gang, we were always stronger in the latter half of the season.

Anyway, we're marching on to the postseason with Kendry Morales leading the way - he and his 40 HR and .290 BA. Our outfield (Franck Boone, Aaron Hicks and Michael Burgess) combined for 77 home runs but neither one of them batted over .260. We're counting on them to bring it on this post season, same with Bryce Harper, who hit 27 homers with a .278 BA. Great improvement from our young catcher. And while we're without Jon and Justin, Stephen Strasburg had a Triple Crown performance. Gotta love these numbers - 25-4, 2.20 ERA, 298 K's. He's a shoo-in for the Cy Young.

We had one helluva season, but it could've been better...

[MrEndshiftresign]

10/9/2015 - Washington defeats Cincinnati 3-0 to move to the NL Championship versus the winner of Atlanta vs Colorado

The 2010 Draft - Where Are They Now?

1. WASHINGTON - Bryce Harper (C)

With College of Southern Nevada (2011) - 19 HR, 33 SB, .338 BA

Harper failed to sign with the Nationals after being drafted first overall in 2010, but was drafted first overall - again - the next year. Despite struggling with his batting average in the minors (24 HR, .253 BA in 2012 with Washington's Syracuse affiliate in the AAA), he was called up for the entire 2013 season. He hasn't looked back since then, posting 28, 27 and 27 home runs in the years that followed with a career-high .278 BA in 2015. He tallied 58 assists with a 42% CS percentage in the fielding department, showing his all-around worth.

2. PITTSBURGH - Piggy Kokawa (SP)

With Arizona - 12-1, 22 BB, 149 K (111.0 IP)

Pittsburgh didn't have to wait for their franchise-changer to suit up. Kokawa bypassed the whole major league process, going 4-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 2010. As of this season, Kokawa has a career record of 83-60, a 3.05 ERA, 1259 K's in 1313 innings, and just 306 free passes. Kokawa was especially impressive with his control in 2014, walking just 19 batters in 229.2 innings. He also won the NL Cy Young Award in 2013 and 2014, but his bid for the 2015 NL Cy Young may be in doubt as the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg achieved a rare Triple Crown performance.

3. BALTIMORE - Miguel Gomez (CF)

With North Clay HS - 12 HR, 30 SB, .509 BA (in 26 games)

Gomez may finally be ready for the majors in 2016. After four years of underachieving in A and AA ball, Gomez had an impressive 2015 with both the AA Huntsville Stars and the AAA Nashville sounds, both in the Milwaukee Brewers' minor league system. With the Stars, Gomez banged in 20 homers and stole 10 bases, hitting .280, earning himself a call-up to Triple A ball. In limited duty (46 G, 141 AB) with the Sounds, Gomez hit 8 homers, stole 5 bases and hit .281.

4. KANSAS CITY - Angel "Blade" Gomez (SP)

With Missouri - 11-3, 36 BB, 157 K (134.1 IP)

Questions were raised about the hard-throwing Gomez' personality and work ethic, but he quickly put his past behind him in a grand way. After a 7-5, 26 BB, 115 K, 3.30 ERA performance in 109 innings with Omaha in the Triple A, the Royals called him up to the big league roster where he made a shaky debut as a middle reliever (1-2, 7.67 ERA). He has since moved to the starting lineup, and made the All-Star Game in 2012 and 2015. His 2015 stats with the Royals - 17-10, 49 BB, 209 K in 223.1 innings pitched.

5. CLEVELAND - Jameson Taillon (SP)

With The Woodlands HS - N/A (real-life player)

Good things happen to those who wait, as they say. Taillon spent 2010 to 2013 making his way up Cleveland's minor league system before finally making the Indians' lineup in September 2013. 2013 was a year when Taillon literally moved from strength to strength - going 14-4 with an amazing 203 K's in 153.1 innings for Double A Akron, then fanning 54 batters in 38 innings with Triple A Columbus. He ended the year going 2-1 with 13 BB and 29 K in just 33.1 innings for the Indians. Taillon played in his first All-Star game in 2015 and for the season, finished with a 15-6 record with 68 BB and 191 K in 223 innings.

Top 5 All-Stars - 3 (possibly 4 by 2020 with the addition of Bryce Harper)
Top 5 busts - NONE (possibly 1 in 2020 if M. Gomez can't succeed in the bigs)

Coming next - results of the NL pennant series and picks #6-10 of 2010.

[Jestor]

You know, if Henry James doesn't pan out, he can always become an overrated writer. Although I must say I had an odd sort of fondness for Daisy Miller.

[MrEndshiftresign]

@Jestor - That totally slipped my mind. Guess I was more preoccupied with the fact that my 2015 draft featured an outfielder named Jake Roberts, plus the fictional Mwambetumba whom I created for the 2014 class. (He got drafted by an AL team, so I guess we won't see yet his potential as a pitcher who can hit.) Anyway, James isn't my rookie, so I'll be revisiting his stats once the 2019 season's done.

Going back to the dynasty and revisiting the 2010 Top 10 amateur draftees...

10/22/2015 - Washington edges Atlanta 4-3, wins NL pennant and sets up World Series rematch with Seattle Mariners!

6. NEW YORK METS - Dustin "The Phantom" Dawson (SP)

With UCSB - 8-3, 29 BB, 119 K (103.1 IP)

Dawson was one of the first rookies in the pitcher-friendly, highly-successful 2010 draft class to see major league action. After just a little over 38 minor league innings, Dawson hit the majors in 2011 and impressed observers with his fielding skills, eventually winning the 2012 Gold Glove for NL pitchers. He enjoyed his best season in 2014, where he went 16-8, posting a 3.08 ERA and striking out 146 batters in 216 innings. He has been very consistent since 2012, though - his ERA hasn't gone over 4.00 since his rookie season.

7. ARIZONA - Anthony Ranaudo (SP)

With LSU - N/A (real-life player)

Ranaudo has been in the majors for four complete seasons, but has yet to post a winning record as a starting pitcher. Still, this may be more indicative of his subpar supporting cast with the Diamondbacks, er...Sinks. While capable of fanning close to eight batters per 9 innings, his control has been a bit iffy these past two years. His major league stats to date - 38-57, 4.65 ERA, 292 BB and 613 K in 775.2 innings.

8. HOUSTON - Jesus Ruiz (SP)

With St. John's - 10-2, 2.47 ERA, 29 BB, 125 K (120.1 IP)

Like Dawson, Ruiz made a comparatively early Major League debut, suiting up midway in the 2011 for the Astros after starting the year in single A. And while his stuff is oftentimes nasty, what with his 96 mph fastball, he seems to alternate great years (i.e. 2014 - 16-4, 2.94 ERA, 61 BB and 149 K in 220.1 IP) with not-so-great years (i.e. 2013 - 6-16, 4.71 ERA, 60 BB, 127 K in 200.2 IP). His 2015 season was somewhere in between those numbers, so judging by the looks of things, he seems to be finding a comfort zone with the Astros.

9. TORONTO - Deck McGuire (SP)

With Georgia Tech - N/A (real-life player)

McGuire may have been known in the minors as a strikeout machine (53 K in just 35.1 IP with Short Season A Auburn in 2011), but he's been known in the majors as a pitcher with solid, but unspectacular stuff but nevertheless able to get the job done. After struggling with giving up hits and a 5.22 ERA in 2014, McGuire started off strongly in 2015 and eventually made his first All-Star Game. His 2015 season-ending stats were his best-ever - 16-11, 68 BB, 142 K in 211.1 IP.

10. SAN DIEGO - Karsten Whitson (SP)

With Chipley HS - N/A (real-life player)

Unlike fellow high school pitcher and Top 10 pick Jameson Taillon, Whitson hasn't done quite a good job of dealing with his control issues. He's had his share of phenomenal rookie league years, such as a 2013 Single A season where he went 9-5 with a 2.69 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 130 innings, but his control has mostly been spotty, and as he made his major league debut in 2015, he was asked to do mostly middle relief duty. Not a good sign for someone drafted in the Top 10 as a starting pitcher. Whitson pitched 63.2 innings in 43 games (5 starts), and while he retired 66 batters, he gave 45 others free passes. The jury is still out, but keep a close eye on his wild pitching.

Top 10 All-Stars - 4
Top 10 Busts - NONE YET

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Logs - 10/24/2015

WAS 4, SEA 1, Washington leads 1-0

My Nationals pride themselves on good pitching and defense, and Stephen didn't let me down as usual. And on the offensive end, Bryce gave us a homer and batted in two runs in the fifth, while Melky sealed the deal for us with a nice double in the eighth. That's the good thing about playing an AL team on their home field - you get to have a DH in the lineup.

10/25/2015

WAS 1, SEA 18, series tied 1-1

Now this was ugly baseball. Albert Pujols (in his first season with the Mariners after 14 with the Cards) got the party started with a homer of Jordan Zimmermann and the party kept blasting on till the ninth inning, with only a mercy run scored in the fifth because I guess the Mariners pitied us that much. We used seven pitchers for the entire game, and none of them could stop the Mariners' scoring, which was pouring down like Seattle's signature rainfall. Now I usually let Jose (Offerman) do the screaming and dressing-down, but after this game I just had to have them feel my presence in the locker room. I gave them a scolding they would never forget, pretty much like Bill Yoast in Remember The Titans telling his boys "I don't want them to score another yard."

Anyway, Ricky's pitching in our first home game. Next to Stephen, he's the most reliable pitcher we've got, and he'd be the staff ace on any other team. I'm confident we can put this series away in a bit...

10/27/2015

SEA 6, WAS 8, Washington leads 2-1

10/28/2015

SEA 7, WAS 9, Washington leads 3-1

I can smell victory in the air. If we win tomorrow's home game, it's a second World Series for us. It's going to be Max Scherzer vs Chris Sale (who pitched when we clinched the Series last year), a young veteran versus an up-and-coming star.

As far as this game was concerned, Franck and Ryan were our heroes in the 8th inning. I sent Stephen to the showers after just two innings, while Victor (Garate), Taylor (Jordan) and Paul (Demny) didn't do much to allay my concerns. When pitching failed, I turned to my offense and Franck and Ryan drove in two homers - solo homers, but game winners nonetheless.

Again, I can smell victory in the air. Bye-bye Mariners...

10/29/2015

SEA 4, WAS 7, NATIONALS WIN THE 2015 WORLD SERIES!!!

Remember Chris Sale and his gallant, yet losing performance in last year's Series? This time he was all nerves as he suddenly became a very hittable pitcher. Our batters were all over him and I'm surprised it took six innings before Seattle finally sent him to the showers.

And again, it was Ian Desmond with his steady hitting and Mike Burgess with his game-winning home run power, just like they had helped win it for us last year. Nobody talks much about those two, but for two World Series in a row, it was their late-game heroics that turned a close game into a blowout. Not even late scores from Seattle's Albert Pujols and Brandon Wood couldn't get the Mariners out of the hole we dug for them.

First in war, first in peace, FIRST IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. We're building a dynasty here.

[MrEndshiftresign]

Some interesting postseason news...

10/31/2015 - AL DISCONTINUES USE OF DH. Okay, so now we can see how my created pitcher (who's with the Angels) fares as a batter...

11/13/2015 - As expected, Stephen Strasburg wins the AL Cy Young.

And it's funny I didn't include this in previous seasons, but here are the team leaders in the major stats...

BA - Chris Coghlan (.291), Kendry Morales (.290), Aaron Hill (.285)
HR - Kendry Morales (40), Bryce Harper, Michael Burgess (27), Franck Boone, Ryan Zimmerman (26)
RBI - Kendry Morales (120), Franck Boone (83), Bryce Harper (79)
SB - Aaron Hicks (27), Franck Boone (19), Ian Desmond (18)
SLG - Kendry Morales (.556), Bryce Harper (.458), Aaron Hill (.457)
OPS - Kendry Morales (.906), Bryce Harper (.807), Aaron Hicks (.806)
W - Stephen Strasburg (25-4), Ricky Nolasco (13-10), Max Scherzer (10-7)
K - Stephen Strasburg (298), Ricky Nolasco (191), Max Scherzer (190)
ERA - Stephen Strasburg (2.20), Max Scherzer (3.11), Josh Beckett (3.29)
AVG - Paul Demny (.190), Cristo Moreno (.201), Stephen Strasburg (2.18)
IP - Stephen Strasburg (270.1), Ricky Nolasco (230.1), Max Scherzer (214)
SV - Jon Rauch (35), Cristo Moreno (11)

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Log - 5/16/2016

22-8, .733, 0 GB

Looks like all signs point to a third straight NL pennant and a third straight World Series.

The USA-USA (fictional Underground Sportswriters Association of the USA) hailed me in an article "From Idiot To Genius". Kendry Morales and Franck Boone were featured in the cover of baseball previews, the latter in an interesting Robert Redford-as-Roy Hobbs pose underneath a caption that read "The National". And as for the lineup? Hardly any changes.

For the first time in Nationals history, we won't have a first round pick, which is just as well, as we signed Bobby Jenks to a three-year deal to serve as our chief setup man. Bobby, even at 35, is worth more than two first-rounders in my opinion. But I guess that's just a remnant of veteran-oriented me.

And now we stand first in the entire Major Leagues with a 22-8 record. We need to keep our guard up against injuries and those dreaded late-season slumps where everyone starts partying in advance.

Ladies and gents, your 2016 Washington Nationals...

SS - Ian Desmond (30)
2B - Chris Coghlan (30)
C - Bryce Harper (24)
LF - Franck Boone (25)
1B - Kendry Morales (32)
3B - Ryan Zimmerman (31)
CF - Aaron Hicks (26)
RF - Michael Burgess (27)

Key reserves - Yhonson Lopez (27), Jose Ramos (27 - acquired by trade), Carlos Rivero (27), Adrian Nieto (26)

SP1 - Stephen Strasburg (27)
SP2 - Ricky Nolasco (33)
SP3 - Max Scherzer (31)
SP4 - Jordan Zimmermann (29)
SP5 - Ralph Garrett (27 - acquired by trade)
Spot starters/MR - Josh Beckett (35), Bradley Meyers (30), Hassan Pena (31), Taylor Jordan (27), Dave Lawrence (23)
Setup men - Rich Thompson (31), Bobby Jenks (35)
Closer - Cristo Moreno (26)

DL - Justin Masterson (31), Jon Rauch (37)

[MrEndshiftresign]

6/15/2015

36-21, .632, 0 GB

TAILSPIN!

What's eating the Washington Nationals lately?

In the last 10 games, the Nats have gone 3-7 and bad clubhouse vibes are said to be the culprit. 2B Chris Coghlan is rumored to be upset about being moved to the bench, and fans are none too happy either about the merry-go-round at second base. Jose Ramos, a newly-acquired second baseman with decent pop, was recently traded for the Mets' Preston Buckner, a more defensive-oriented 2B.

"I love seeing a nice double play," said Nationals GM Homer Singson. "And I hope fans would do the same. Everybody keeps talking about Bryce (Harper), Franck (Boone) and Kendry (Morales) and how they drive in all those homers, but what about defense? That's what wins us games. Good pitching from Stephen (Strasburg) and the rest of the gang. Double plays like (ex-National) Aaron Hill and Ian (Desmond) used to do it. That's what we need. That's why I traded Jose for Preston."

The Nationals are now in the middle of a three-game series versus the Chicago White Sox, having lost the last game versus the Sox, 1-8. Manager Jose Offerman was quite empathic in telling another interviewer that the Nationals have to "regroup and stay focused."

[MrEndshiftresign]

6/22/2016

41-22, .651, 0 GB

Looking back at the draft - Year of the College Man

Suddenly, it wasn't a good year to be a high school kid and MLB draft-eligible.

Friends and family of pitcher Jesus Valentin an 18-year-old from Montrose, MI (by way of Camaguey, Cuba), were expecting him to be drafted in the Top 10, probably the third pitcher taken after Georgia high-schooler Conner Casey or Ball State's extremely polished hurler Allen "Pop" Cummings. Instead, he was the twelfth pitcher and only the second high school pitcher taken, going 23rd overall to the Boston Red Sox.

Neither Valentin nor family members were not available for comment, but Washington Nationals GM Homer Singson had an explanation for the trend. "College players are simply more ready for big league ball. Look at Piggy Kokawa of Pittsburgh - he played straight away in the majors, and just three years later he won a Cy Young. We drafted Dave Lawrence last year at the bottom of the first round, and he made it to our big league lineup this year. He's in Triple A now because our pitching staff is so deep, but in most other teams, he'd be ready to play a full (major league) season."

Those who agree with Singson are quick to point out the cases of CF Miguel Gomez, in his sixth minor league season after getting drafted third overall by Baltimore in 2010. Or how about 1B Jesus Collazo, the Yankees' seventh overall pick in 2012? Gomez is merely an average player with the Triple A Nashville Sounds while Collazo is still stuck at single A ball after four years. But then again, getting picked out of college isn't a sure shot for near-instant production in the majors. Drew Pomeranz, the 12th overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Mississippi, is still battling with control issues with the AA Akron Aeros. And 1B/3B/LF/underachiever Todd Inoue wore out his welcome with Singson's Nationals - he continues to dog it with Detroit's AA affiliate, the Erie Seawolves.

The 2016 draft was an especially collegiate-friendly draft. But is this the start of a new trend? Cummings and Detroit first-rounder Ryoichi Oike are two very pro-ready prospects, while Billy "Old School" Holloway, the third overall pick, is a track star (and nearly a 2016 Olympian) from the college ranks with old-school values and an ambition to "be the first major leaguer since the old days go 100-100-100 - RBIs, stolen bases and runs - with less than ten home runs."

Here are the 2016 first-round picks in the recently-concluded Amateur Draft:

1. MIL - Allen "Pop" Cummings (SP), Ball State
2. DET - Ryoichi Oike (SP), San Diego State
3. SD - Billy "Old School" Holoway (SS), "college" (created player)
4. PIT - Cam Magness (SP), Oklahoma State
5. ARI - Jeff "Cheese" Wamboldt (1B), St. Mary's (NS)
6. LAA - Myung-gu Kang (SP), Mississippi State
7. MIN - Conner Casey (SP), Johnson HS (GA)
8. NYY - Norberto Prieto (C), Mississippi
9. TPB - Michael "Bucky" Brown (CF), Manhattan
10. FLA - Alonso Serrano (LF), Long Beach State
11. PHI - Dave Kavanagh (RF), Bethel HS (OK)
12. CHS - Cheng-gong Yo (SP), Stanford
13. SF - Jing-song Qin (SP), "college" (failed to sign 2 years in a row!)
14. CHC - Andres Ortega (3B), Florida Atlantic
15. DET - Juan Jose Roman (SP), Arkansas
16. PIT - Andy Waller (SP), Oral Roberts
17. HOU - Alonso Roman (SP), Florida Atlantic
18. DET - Robert Wilson (SP), "college" (failed to sign)
19. DET - Roberto Fuentes (2B), Iona
20. TPB - Dave Cote (CF), Rice
21. ARI - Ethan Morris (SP), UC-Riverside (failed to sign)
22. CIN - Don Thexton (3B), Morehead State
23. BOS - Jesus Valentin (SP), Hill-McCloy HS (MI)
24. SD - Jimmy Richard (SP), Jefferson City HS (MO)
25. KC - Dan Puckett (RF), Lyndhurst HS (NJ)
26. ATL - Alonzo Prieto (RF), Rice
27. CHC - Tyler "Shadow" Davis (MR), LSU
28. COL - Curt Chappell (SP), Indiana
29. CIN - Mike Brewer (C), St. John's
30. MIL - Rafael Gonzalez (C), Texas-Arlington (failed to sign)
31. HOU - Iyasu Amiri (CF), Jessieville HS (AR)
32. ATL - Jason Hurren (LF), Madrid HS (IA)

[MrEndshiftresign]

GM Log - 7/15/2016

54-34, .614, 0 GB

Time to relax, regroup and revisit the half-year that has been. Bryce is playing in his first All-Star Game, while Stephen makes his third appearance in three years. Franck didn't get invited despite his 24 home runs which are second in the AL at this point. We need to find out what's making us swoon so badly at this point.

I think it's a lack of composure in the stretch. Cristo has FIVE BLOWN SAVES already, and while nobody questions his stuff and the speed of his fastball, five blown saves in the midway point of the season would make anyone question the player's heart.

Relax, regroup, revisit. Hopefully the second half of the season will show the rest of the Majors that we mean business and we're not going to settle with only two straight championships.