Washington Nationals must respond with big offseason

A team that entered the 2015 season dubbed the favorite to win the World Series is now the laughing stock of baseball. But Matt Williams is gone, because Mike Rizzo already played his scapegoat card and fired his manager. So it’s on Rizzo to fix the mess with his Washington Nationals.

According to a damning article in The Washington Post by Barry Svrluga, Williams lost the clubhouse at some point in June. And if the incidents mentioned in that report are valid, Rizzo was in the right to fire his skipper. But if he’s going to suggest the manager was at fault, he better come back and show he’s going to get it right this time around. He didn’t.

More from Call to the Pen

Dusty Baker is an excellent hire. He’s a winner, he’s shown a capability to handle star players and big personalities (both traits describing outfielder Bryce Harper), and he’s been a part of the last game of the season (even though he didn’t win it). Baker is unfairly getting his name associated with this story, and he’s not the problem, nor is he at fault. But take a look at how the Nationals ultimately ended up with Baker.

After allowing their at-fault manager to take the fall for the club’s struggles this year, the Nationals essentially proclaimed, “With a good manager, we’ll fix this. So we’ll make sure to get it right this time.” They proceeded to make conflicting claims about what they wanted in a manager, first stating that they wanted someone with experience, then following that up saying they’ll consider candidates with various levels of experience. Oh and by the way, “they” in this case is really just Rizzo.

Washington came across as without a plan from Day 1. And that’s concerning for more reasons than one. Yes, the Nationals are a team trying to claw back into being competitive, but this goes beyond that. In the same article claiming Williams’ incompetence as manager, Svrluga mentions how players became skeptical of the front office’s competence when they dealt Tyler Clippard citing financial reasons, then proceeded to acquire a higher-paid Jonathan Papelbon at the deadline (and thus indirectly admitted wrongdoing).

Rizzo and company used to be able to smile when they’d look out their window, see the Capitol, and remember that they get more done in their office on a given day than the nation’s political leaders. But things have changed. This offseason was supposed to be about winning back over the trust and respect of players, but just days into the offseason the front office has already managed to botch the details in a serious-implications decision. How much did they want to provide stability to the team? They offered their top choice for manager, Bud Black, a one-year contract. Think what you will about the reported $1.6-million salary they offered the former Padres skipper. But a one-year deal?

The issue seems to be resolved, as the Nationals have formally announced that they’ve agreed to a multi-year with Baker. But the damage has been done, and Rizzo needs to respond with a big offseason to rebuild the Nationals brand and bring national respect to an organization that has watched it largely fly out the window this last year.

The job start with fixing a bullpen that’s slated to lose Matt Thornton, Casey Janssen, Doug Fister, and possibly (likely) Drew Storen and Jonathan Papelbon. That’s 230.0 innings to replace, which won’t be an easy task.

The first step will be finding a closer, and many have Washington pegged as a likely trade destination for Reds closer (and former Dusty Baker player) Aroldis Chapman. It’s Rizzo’s best bet at suring up his bullpen, though he could also elect to take a flier on Padres relievers Craig Kimbrel and/or Joaquin Benoit. The free agent market doesn’t hold much in the way of established closers, though a reunion with Tyler Clippard (who got closing experience in 2015) could be another option.

But it doesn’t stop there, and the Nationals will likely have to flex their payroll muscles to bring in multiple reliable arms. Darren O’Day, Jonathan Broxton, Joakim Soria, Tommy Hunter and Neal Cotts are just some of the quality options the market has to offer. Joe Nathan, Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard and Jim Henderson all represent more affordable options that Washington could take a flier on to be more efficient with their spending.

But it doesn’t stop with the bullpen. Baker needs an offense. Sure, he has arguably the most valuable bat in the National League in Harper, but the lineup thins out significantly beyond that. Yunel Escobar can set the table, but he’s hardly a power threat. Anthony Rendon, likewise, is a quality supplementary bat. Perhaps the third guy in a one-two-three punch. But Washington needs a legitimate threat to put either in front of or behind Harper to bolster the offense. With pitching-laden teams like the National League Champion Mets, the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins in the division, the Nationals won’t be able to win night in and night out on just Harper and pitching.

The best bet will be putting a bat in center field. Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton would both provide Washington with a threat to pair with Harper in the lineup, and Alex Gordon and (to a lesser extent) Daniel Murphy could also be possibilities if Harper were to slide to center. Murphy would also provide versatility being able to handle first, second and third base.

The final step will be adding a legitimate starting pitcher. Some have mentioned the Nationals as potential dark horse players for David Price, which may become more of a necessity if the club trades Stephen Strasburg. But if Strasburg stays, a mid-tier option such as Mike Leake, Wie-Yin Chen, Hisashi Iwakuma or even Bartolo Colon would suffice.

More moves will likely need to be made (will the Nats have a new starting catcher next year?), but this is a start. Based on how they negotiated with Bud Black, it’s evident that the Nationals believe a manager alone can’t fix this team. And in that, they would be correct. The potential is there for Washington to turn things around in short order next year. But there are a lot of moves to make between now and then, and Rizzo can’t sit on his hands.

Next: Nationals Tab Dusty Baker As Next Manager