2010 Forecast: Beware of the Bandwagon

So far, it's safe to say, Nationals fans haven't been "wowed" in terms of offseason acquisitions.  Signing a guy like Ivan Rodriguez is more puzzling than exciting (until we found out about Flores' being out until February that is).  The team has yet to make a splash in the trade department, unless you count acquiring Brian Bruney.  Washington made the questionable decision of non-tendering Mike MacDougal in order to save some cash for a veteran arm.  The Nats did the same to Scott Olsen, but he resigned the very next day for a one-year, incentive laden contract with a base salary of $1 million.  Time will tell if Mac does the same, but after converting 20 of 21 saves, there's got to be a team out there willing to pay him (especially when looking back on the junk pile the Nats bullpen was). 

Who is the veteran arm the Nationals are desperately after?  Jason Marquis?  Joel Pineiro?  Jon Garland?  It won't be John Lackey, who recently landed a mega-deal with the Boston Red Sox, but let's face it Nats Nation, we all knew that wasn't going to happen anyway.  Why also, couldn't the Nats get involved in the Edwin Jackson sweepstakes?  My guess is that they didn't want to get ripped off like the Diamondbacks did, a smart move by Rizzo.  In fact, I believe that the Nationals relatively quiet offseason is a smart move by Rizzo as well.  Every thumbs down Jim Bowden gives the offseason, is a thumbs up.  Besides, there's still some noise to be made, and I'm happy the Nats haven't overpayed anyone this early into the offseason (exception: Pudge).  The next paragraph may come as a shock to realists out there, but give it a chance.

After losing 100+ games in two consecutive seasons, Washington did something two years in a row that has only happened twice in franchise history.  The team lost 110 games in the Montreal Expos inagural season (1969), and 107 in 1976.  After 1969, the Expos went on to have 70+ wins in six consecutive years, and after '76, the team won 90+ games in back to back seasons just 3 years after the 107-loss debacle.  Are pleasant times ahead in Washington?  Top Draft picks like Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen are positive signs of the future, and another 1st overall selection in 2010 hurts no one but the Nats Accountants.  What I'm saying is this:  Let's look out for the bandwagon jumpers, because they are coming.  Washington is a solid defensive infielder away from having a competent crew in the dirt.  The Nationals are one bull pen arm away from having a not-so-laughable corps for the later innings.  The team just needs one veteran arm in the rotation to get this shored up and prevent another 100-loss season. 

I'm not saying the Nats will make the playoffs if they add a MI, RP and SP of quality proportions, but I am saying they will improve to the realm of 70+ wins.  You don't win 100 games after losing 100 games, but you can get there by steady progress.  With an intelligent Front Office, Washington is headed in that direction, the final pieces just need to be brought together.  The future of the franchise looks bright, and let's all sit back and relax knowing the few that have been around before the bandwagoners came to town.  Because trust me, they are coming.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.