Nats/Phillies: Looking to the Future

From the outside looking in, the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies seem like polar opposites.  The Phils are Major League Baseball's elite squad, while the Nats continue to hover under the .500 mark.  A more discerning look however, reveals two teams that are built for success...the Nats just happen to be a few seasons behind.  The Tampa Bay Rays of 2008 laid the road map for all underachieving franchises to follow. The Nats may soon be the "Rays of 20- -" and they may be a lot farther along than the casual fan realizes. 

Find out why after the jump.

The Philadelphia Phillies roster reads like a transcript of the first round of a fantasy baseball draft.  The Phils boast multiple MVP candidates in Howard, Utley, and Rollins to go along with four legitimate #1/2 starters.  Much has been written about the "Four Aces" so we won't go into more detail than is necessary.  The Phillies' bullpen, which on paper looks shaky, has actually been a strength this year.  Antonio Bastardo and Ryan Madson have shared closing duties, while lesser-known relievers have been steady.  So why the Philadelphia love-fest?  While the 2011 edition of the Nationals can't compare to their counterparts up I-95, Nats fans should be optimistic that their team could look a lot like the Phils in the not-so-distant future.  Let's discuss a few reasons:

1.  Homegrown Talent:  Behind any good run of success lies a core of home-grown players that rise through the system and learn how to win as a team (see the late 90's Yankees and even the current Phillies teams).  In recent years, GM's have become much more savvy about holding onto young talent.  As a result, free agent classes have become much thinner since the 90's.  The availability of high-end talent is limited to one or two stars per year.  Building a contender in today's market requires a solid foundation.  The Phillies have Utley, Rollins, and Howard.  The Nats could have a core of Espinosa, Zimmerman, Ramos, and Harper as soon as 2012.  Will they end up being as formidable as other marquis groups? Only time will tell, but so far so good.

2.  Depth in the Rotation: Just to be clear, a rotation as daunting as Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels may never be seen again in baseball.  The real question is, could the Nats have a deep enough rotation to carry them to the playoffs?  Assuming Stephen Strasburg can come back to his pre-Tommy John form, the answer needs to be yes.  In fact, as soon as 2012 the Nats could boast a top four of Strasburg, Zimmermann, Lannan, and Peacock.  With a few years of seasoning, and maybe even a free agent thrown in, the Nats could have a top of the line rotation.  The amount of teams in baseball that currently have that kind of pitching depth can be counted on one hand (go ahead...try it).

3.  Dominant Bullpen:  In case you haven't been paying attention, the Washington Nationals have a killer bullpen.  In fact, in a battle of the bullpens, I would argue the Nats outclass the Phils.  Of course, the Nats will need to hold onto key pieces like Storen, Clippard, and Rodriguez (MPH-Rod) for years to come if they are to compete in the future.  The bullpen managed to stay together past this year's trade deadline, a good sign that the front office sees the potential in this current 'pen.  Nats fans should have hope that ownership is committed to maintaining this team's biggest strength. 

So are the Nationals destined to be the Phillies in the next few years? A lot has to go right to build a perennial contender.  Foremost, the Nats need to fix their lack of power, average, and overall impotent offense.  Prince Fielder would provide some instant pop, but landing a big-time free agent can be a huge gamble (see Werth, Jayson).  The boys from DC will also need to stick together long enough to develop into a true contender.  Only time will tell if ownership exercises patience, and guys like Ryan Zimmerman choose to stick around for the long haul.  Does a lot have to go right?  Sure.  But for the first time in what seems like forever, there is hope that DC fans might have a perennial contender waiting in the wings.