Washington Nationals All-Time Team

One more eastern team to go. Let's take a trip to America's capital for the Washington Nationals All-Time Team.

 

The Nationals/Expos franchise celebrated its 50th full season with a World Series championship in 2019.

Felipe Alou could not lead the Expos to the playoffs in any of his ten seasons as manager - though he almost certainly would have done so in 1994 had the season been completed.

Alou's lineup is split evenly between Expos and Nationals (Jose Vidro wore both uniforms).

The Nationals are rich in third basemen so Ryan Zimmerman has to play first base. Ian Desmond has strong competition for the starting shortstop position.

	Nationals stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Ian Desmond	16.5	0.264	0.312	0.424	0.736	99
	Trea Turner	22.3	0.300	0.356	0.486	0.842	120

Trea Turner takes it. Desmond will have to battle for a bench role.

Turner isn't the only new face competing for a roster spot. Wilson Ramos has competition as the backup catcher, while Juan Soto and Jayson Werth try to convince Alou to carry a sixth (or seventh?) outfielder.

	Nationals stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Wilson Ramos	10.5	0.268	0.313	0.430	0.743	99
	Darrin Fletcher	3.4	0.266	0.322	0.422	0.744	95

Ramos holds on based on his defensive acumen. Ian Desmond is not so fortunate.

	Nationals stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Bob Bailey	18.3	0.264	0.368	0.437	0.805	123
	*Ian Desmond	16.5	0.264	0.312	0.424	0.736	99
	*Warren Cromartie	15.5	0.280	0.335	0.402	0.737	104
	Juan Soto	21.4	0.291	0.427	0.538	0.966	160
	Jayson Werth	9.0	0.263	0.355	0.433	0.788	113
	Moises Alou	12.3	0.292	0.349	0.489	0.838	120
	Rondell White	19.3	0.293	0.348	0.480	0.827	113

Bob Bailey retains his position as a super-utility player, while Warren Cromartie is cut in addition to Desmond. 24 year-old Juan Soto is almost certainly the youngest player to earn a spot on an All-Time team.

Washington doesn't have any pitchers that can push for a spot in the rotation.

However they do have one of the most durable long relievers ever in Mike Marshall, who made as many appearances in four seasons with the franchise as Stephen Strasburg has in thirteen years.

Felipe Alou took a second look at some relief options this spring, including Drew Storen and Ugueth Urbina [oh great, another despicable relief pitcher.]

 

Thankfully there's a better option than Urbina.

	Nationals stats	SV	ERA	ERA+	K/BB	WHIP
	*Mel Rojas	109	3.11	129	2.31	1.189
	*Tyler Clippard	34	2.72	145	2.87	1.058
	Drew Storen	95	3.02	129	3.34	1.129
	Ugueth Urbina	125	3.52	124	2.64	1.257

 
Drew Storen snags a spot from Mel Rojas and makes the team.

 

 

Looking ahead, current catcher Keibert Ruiz (who is actually older than Juan Soto) could compete for a spot as Gary Carter's backup if he pans out. Two of the pieces Washington received from San Diego in the Soto deal - MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams - have plenty of potential as well.

TL; DR: Three changes from the original roster. Desmond, Cromartie, and Rojas out, Turner, Soto, and Storen in.



That's a wrap for the NL East. We'll be back with the All-Time Teams of the American League Central after a short spring break.

 

Thanks for reading!




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All-Time Teams: Nationals

This All-Time Teams series started seven months ago, or the length of an entire baseball season. And it seems fitting that we're left with the defending World Champions at the finish line. Here's the Washington Nationals' all-time roster:

Manager: Felipe Alou

Home: Nationals Park

Leading off for the Nationals.. the Left Fielder.. Tim Raines

Tim Raines is fifth on the all-time stolen base list with 808, including a major-league leading 71 swipes (in 88 games!) as a 21 year-old rookie in 1981. That kicked off a streak of six straight 70+ steal seasons for the franchise's all-time leader. "Rock" was named to seven All-Star teams, won a batting title and a Silver Slugger in 1986, and won two World Series with the Yankees late in his Hall of Fame career. The career .294 career hitter is the last player enshrined in Cooperstown with an Expos cap on his plaque.

Batting second.. the Second Baseman.. Jose Vidro

Jose Vidro is the only player in this lineup who suited up for the Expos and the Nationals. The three-time All-Star is tied with Tim Raines for the franchise's second-highest career batting average. His .301 mark for the team was boosted by hitting .310 or higher in four consecutive seasons. Vidro has the third-most doubles in team history and places top-ten in several other categories including hits, runs scored, total bases, home runs, and RBI. He won a Silver Slugger with the Expos in 2003.

Batting third.. the Designated Hitter.. Bryce Harper

A once-in-a-generation prospect who burst onto the scene at age 16, Bryce Harper was Washington's first-overall pick as a 17 year-old in 2010. "Harp" lived up to the hype immediately, winning NL Rookie of the Year honors at 19 and an NL MVP award at age 22. The six-time All-Star is second on the Nationals' franchise list in slugging percentage and OPS, and his 184 home runs are sixth in team history. Harper led the Nats to four playoff appearances in his eight years with the team before signing a 13-year contract with the Phillies in 2019. He's too athletic to be a DH but on this roster he'll have to make room for a Hall of Famer.

Batting fourth.. the Right Fielder.. Vladimir Guerrero

The best "bad-ball" hitter in modern history, Vladimir Guerrero was a run-producing machine for the Expos and Angels. The nine-time All-Star and eight-time Silver Slugger winner compiled five straight seasons with over 100 runs scored, over 30 home runs, and over 100 RBI. Guerrero led the league in total bases twice, outfield assists twice, and was one home run away from a 40/40 season in 2002. His 234 home runs for the Expos are the second-highest total in team history and he's the franchise leader in career batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. "Vladdy" never struck out more than 95 times in a season and hit .300 or above thirteen times.

Batting fifth.. the Catcher.. Gary Carter

A popular player on both sides of the border, Gary Carter is the Expos' career leader with 55.8 WAR. His career mark of 70.1 is second only to Johnny Bench among all catchers. Carter earned eleven All-Star selections, five Silver Sluggers, and three Gold Gloves in his Hall of Fame career. His career defensive WAR is the second-highest among backstops and 15th all-time among all players. Only Tim Wallach played more games as an Expo than the "Kid." He ranks third in Expos/Nationals franchise history in games played, fourth in home runs, total bases, and RBI, and fifth in runs scored and hits. Carter won a World Series with the Mets in 1986.

Batting sixth.. the Third Baseman.. Anthony Rendon

The Nationals built the core of a contending team through first round draft picks including Anthony Rendon in 2011. A two-time Silver Slugger winner, Rendon made his first appearance in an All-Star game in 2019. He led the majors with 129 RBI and helped the Nationals win their first World Championship, then signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels. Rendon boasts the fourth-highest career slugging percentage and fifth-highest OPS in franchise history.

Batting seventh.. the Center Fielder.. Andre Dawson

Andre Dawson won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1977 and NL MVP honors ten years later. His Hall of Fame career included eight All-Star selections, eight Gold Gloves, and four Silver Slugger awards. The "Hawk" led the Expos to their first playoff appearance in 1981, led the NL in total bases twice, and finished second in NL MVP voting twice. He's in the franchise's top-three in WAR, runs scored, home runs, total bases, runs created, runs batted in, triples, and stolen bases. Dawson ranks 40th all-time with 1,591 RBI and 45th in history with 438 home runs.

Batting eighth.. the First Baseman.. Ryan Zimmerman

The franchise's first draft pick in Washington, Ryan Zimmerman debuted for the Nationals in his draft year of 2005. In 15 years with the team, "Zim" has set franchise records for career hits, doubles, total bases, home runs, and RBI. A two-time All-Star, Zimmerman won two Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove at third base before moving across the diamond in 2015. He signed a one-year deal to return to the Nats in 2020, and has a good chance of breaking Tim Raines' team record for runs scored - assuming a season is played.

Batting ninth.. the Shortstop.. Ian Desmond

Ian Desmond played the first seven seasons of his career as D.C.'s shortstop, before moving to the outfield for the Rangers. The two-time All-Star won three Silver Slugger awards while with the Nationals, launching 20+ home runs in each season. Desmond is 11th in Expos/Nationals history in offensive WAR, home runs, total bases, and hits. His 122 stolen bases are the ninth-highest total in team annals, one behind Vladimir Guerrero.

The Starting Pitcher for the Nationals.. Max Scherzer

In just five seasons with Washington, Max Scherzer has struck out 1,371 batters - already the third-highest total in team history. The seven-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young award winner is the Expos/Nationals all-time leader in strikeouts per 9 innings with a whopping 11.744, and also leads the franchise in strikeout to walk ratio, WHIP and ERA+. Scherzer has led the league in wins four times, WHIP four times, and strikeouts three times. His 2,692 career K's places him 24th on the all-time list, ahead of legendary hurlers like Warren Spahn and Bob Feller.

Now let's take a look at the Nationals' bench and bullpen:

Catcher - Wilson Ramos

1st Base - Andres Galarraga

Infield - Tim Wallach

Outfield - Warren Cromartie

Utility - Bob Bailey

Ramos won a Silver Slugger for the Nationals in 2016 and made two All-Star teams. The Expos/Nats are very deep at third base; not so much at the other infield positions. Galarraga is the only natural first baseman I considered, and his numbers with the Expos weren't as good as Bob Bailey - whom I added as a super utility guy rather than deciding on a fifth outfielder. Wallach made five All-Star teams, won three Gold Gloves, and played more games for the franchise than any Expo or National - but his peak years weren't quite as productive as Rendon's. Cromartie is in the team's top ten in several categories including total bases, hits, and games played.

#2 Starter - Stephen Strasburg
#3 Starter - Steve Rogers

#4 Starter - Dennis Martinez

#5 Starter - Jordan Zimmermann

Strasburg, the first overall pick in the 2009 draft, is first in Nationals history with 1,695 strikeouts. The three-time All-Star won World Series MVP honors in 2019. Rogers holds franchise records for starts, innings pitched, and wins. His career 44.7 WAR is fourth in team history and first among pitchers. "El Presidente" posted 30 WAR over his eight seasons in Montreal, earning three of his four All-Star selections. Zimmerman beat Bryn Smith for the fifth starter spot with a higher K:9 and K:BB rate.

RH Reliever - Tyler Clippard

RH Reliever - Chad Cordero

RH Reliever - Mel Rojas
RH Reliever - Mike Marshall

RH Reliever - Tim Burke

RH Reliever - Jeff Reardon 

Clippard is second in Nats history with 414 appearances and earned two All-Star berths. Cordero is second on the team's all-time saves list with 128, including a major league-leading 47 in 2005. Rojas is fourth among Expos/Nationals relievers in appearances and saves. Marshall was a dominant long reliever in the early 1970's, leading the NL in appearances three times, saves twice, and games finished four times. He won the Cy Young in 1974 after pitching 201 innings in relief for the Dodgers. Burke leads the franchise in appearances and ERA. Reardon saved 367 career games, including a franchise-high 152 for the Expos.

Thank you all for joining me on this season-long look at the all-time greatest players in each team's history. I've got something fun planned for tomorrow's wrap-up post. It's a long one, but I think you'll like it ;)


 

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Sports Card Tour 2018 - Washington D.C.

We've reached the penultimate stop on the tour, and the last visit to a U.S. city. Today we're in Washington D.C.

Collectively, the five D.C.-based teams haven't won a championship since...six weeks ago. Alex Ovechkin captained the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup title.

I've discussed my 8 favorite Alex Ovechkin cards on this blog before, and if I spend too much time on Ovi here, this post would be longer than a senate filibuster. 

When the Caps players got to lift the Cup Ovechkin handed it off to longtime linemate Nicklas Backstrom..but he didn't exactly hand it off.

As I watched the two of them skate together I thought Ovi doesn't want to let it go. But then I remembered Backstrom was playing with a broken hand. Maybe Alex thought Nicky couldn't lift it?

Braden Holtby was on the bench for the Caps' first two playoff games but played brilliantly in goal the rest of the way. The Certified Blue parallel is numbered to 50. If it wasn't for all those discounted blasters of 2015-16 OPC Platinum I wouldn't have any Evgeny Kuznetsov cards. Kuzy's 32 points led all scorers this past postseason, and his overtime goal in game six against Pittsburgh clinched the series.

Former Penguins great and all-around NHL legend Jaromir Jagr played three seasons for the Capitals -but D.C. might be the one place where Jagr isn't beloved. His tenure with the Caps was a disappointment considering he was 29 years old and coming off a league-leading 121-point season when he arrived in 2001.

Before Alex Ovechkin arrived, Peter Bondra was the greatest goal scorer in Caps history. My wife has a blue Bondra jersey in her closet-she was looking for a star player who wore #12 and I guess Jarome Iginla hadn't established himself yet. Bondra is a member of the 500-goal club, and had a few "Cy Young" seasons when his goal total far outnumbered his assists.

 

Franchise stalwart Olaf Kolzig backstopped the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Final in 1998 and won the Vezina Trophy in 2000 as the league's top goalie. The Pinnacle card with his name written in mustard is one of my all-time favorite base cards. My nephew - who doesn't follow hockey and isn't a sports fan - bought me Kolzig's McFarlane figure as a Christmas gift one year.. because the Russian rock singer in Kevin Smith's Clerks is named Olaf. 

Now what kind of Devils collector would I be if I didn't have a Scott Stevens rookie card?

 

Or an O-Pee-Chee Anniversary Series reprint of his rookie card?

 

Stevens and Ovechkin aren't the only family favorites who have played for the Capitals. Two of D's all-time favorite players, Trevor Linden and Jason Arnott, were with the team for a minute. Linden stepped down as president of the Canucks a day after I published my Vancouver post. So if Alex Ovechkin is traded tomorrow, you can blame me.

The best of the rest of my Capitals cards. I picked up the Tom Wilson Young Guns RC on COMC during the playoffs - it was another one of those 'barely flawed' bargains. John Carlson is a Jersey guy-and likely a Capital for life after his new 8-year contract. The mask depicted in the Pinnacle card belongs to Don Beaupre. Jim Carey cards (remember him?) were red-hot after he won the Vezina in 1996. He was out of the league three years later.

When the Capitals won the Cup last month, some of the sports talk shows I watch/listen to asked if Alex Ovechkin is now the greatest athlete in D.C. sports history. If you ask me, there's only one other acceptable answer...and none of us have seem him play:

Walter Johnson was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history and practically willed the Senators to their only World Series win in 1924. The Frank Howard 1971 style card is part of a Topps Archives set..it's a short print, if I'm not mistaken.


I have some vintage Senators in my collection...no Walter Johnson cards though (perhaps I should add him to my collecting "Bucket List".) 

 

Hall of Famer Joe Cronin played for and managed the Red Sox after the Senators sold him. He was also GM and Vice President of the Sox and later became president of the American League.

This Luke Swell card is one of two 1933 Play Ball issues I've purchased on COMC. The front looks fantastic but there is an indent of writing on the back, near the team name.

Seeing this collection of superstars from my 1956 Topps set reminds me of the old saying:

 

"Washington - First In War, First In Peace...And Last In The American League"

The original Senators/Nationals moved to Minnesota in 1961, and were replaced by the expansion Senators..who moved to Texas in 1972. The San Diego Padres nearly took their place two years later. Topps printed up variations of Padres cards in their 1974 set that listed the team as "Washington Nat'l Lea." 

I don't have any of those cards. The only decent '74 in my collection is a Harmon Killebrew - who began his Hall of Fame career in Washington.  

Washington went 33 years without a Major League baseball team (some would say they didn't have one before that) until the Montreal Expos relocated to RFK Stadium in 2005.

 

I'm fairly certain the Brian Schneider Topps card was the first National in my collection. Alfonso Soriano was the first star player the Nats acquired; he only played one season with the club. Adam Dunn was the first big-name free agent I can recall them signing- which is weird because nowadays the Nationals are pretty much the Scott Boras All-Stars.

Free agent-to-be Bryce Harper tops that list. Even though he's having his worst season yet, some big-market team will spend well over $300 million on him. I only had to spend about 60 cents on these eight Harper cards; they were all dime box finds at the Milford card show...

 

...but the seller only charged me $4 for 52 cards, which worked out to about 7 1/2 cents apiece for these.

Like Harper, Stephen Strasburg arrived in D.C. as a #1 overall pick with a ton of hype. Like Harper, Strasburg is represented by super-agent Scott Boras. Unlike Harper, Stras re-signed with the Nats before hitting the open market. Can you believe this guy is already 30 years old? Where does the time go?

 

When I think of current baseball stars who have only played for one franchise, I think of Joe Mauer, Joey Votto, Yadier Molina, Dustin Pedroia...and I forget about Ryan Zimmerman. I also forgot where I acquired his Topps Chrome RC - and I forgot to turn the A&G card sideways. Sorry about that!

 

Some more Nationals, including a pair of sparkle and a pair of Kieboom. Taylor Hill only pitched in 9 MLB games for the Nationals..and nearly fooled me into thinking his name was Taylor Hall.

Now that the Capitals have won the Stanley Cup (have I mentioned that enough?) the Nationals are the only beltway team that hasn't won a title (and one of only two MLB franchises who have yet to reach the World Series.)

The Washington Bullets won the NBA championship in 1978, lost the rematch to Seattle the next year..and haven't advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs since.

While researching this I learned that the franchise originated in 1961 as the Chicago Packers - which is like finding out there was once a football team called the Boston Yankees.

I picked up this 1987-88 Fleer Moses Malone card for $1 on COMC a year ago. Fleer basketball cards (or any basketball cards) from the '80s and earlier are rare finds for me. I'd like to add more of these to my collection, but it's hard to find a player I know, with a photo I like, at a price I can live with.

Hall of Famer Bernard King is the only other Bullet in my star box. I also have a King Knicks card from 2015-16 Panini Prizm. 

Assorted Bullets base cards, including the great Gheorge Muresan. Score one for the kids! Billy (Cardboard History) sent me the Don Collins Topps card-along with two Topps singles from the early 1970s. I'd say more about these but I'm fighting the urge to embed a certain Smashing Pumpkins song...

Looks like I lost that battle. (at least it wasn't Bullet For My Valentine)

The Bullets franchise changed its name to the Wizards in 1997 (I think the D.C. area had seen a lot of shootings at the time) Richard "Rip" Hamilton was one of many UConn alums to have a successful pro career. I got the Juwan Howard Fleer Tiffany - and a few hundred others from that set - from a large flat rate box of random cards I purchased on eBay. Really, SkyBox.."Time Out" ? I know he's not C-Webb, but still...Wes Unseld is not amused. 

Insert your favorite Wall-related quote here. "Tear down this wall!" "Build that wall!" "All in all you're just another brick in the wall." John Wall is the only Wizards player in my star box.

The first - and to date the only - basketball autographed card I've pulled was this Kelly Oubre scribble from a retail box of 2015-16 Donruss.

Assorted Wizards base cards including Christian Laettner and Gilbert Arenas-who was one of the best players in the game for a couple seasons. But he's no God.

I kept that God Shamgod card in my collection even when I traded or sold nearly all of my other basketball cards. Couldn't bring myself to turn my back on God. I'll stop with the God puns now (..thank God..)

The Washington Redskins have not changed their name (yet?) and while I don't disagree that it is offensive to Native Americans, I don't go out of my way to use it or not use it. It's their team name until it isn't, and so I'll type it out for this post.

Three different quarterbacks won Super Bowls for the Redskins-including Joe Theismann (rhymes with Heisman) who is not in the Hall of Fame but is in my star player box. I don't have any Doug Williams Washington cards, aside from my completed 1988 Topps set. 

 

Before I was a Packer backer the Redskins were my favorite NFC team. Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien was one of my favorite players at the time-which is why I sent a TTM request for his autograph. (It's the only TTM auto left from my childhood.) Mike, is Mark Rypien the only Canadian-born player to win SB MVP hono(u)rs?

 

Art Monk was another one of my favorites as a kid. He held the NFL record for career receptions at one point-since broken by about a thousand other receivers. The 1990 Panini sticker is the only one that survived my childhood. 

 

Monk was finally elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008....and I finally added his rookie card to my collection in 2017.

This is actually one of my oldest NFL cards. It was part of a 4 Sharp Corners order.

I was pretty psyched when the 'Skins were somehow able to draft Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard 4th overall. Howard won the Super Bowl MVP for the Packers two years later. Anyone who has seen Silver Linings Playbook knows that DeSean Jackson is the man.

I have three questions concerning this crop of great defensive players: Is Darrell Green the greatest player in team history? How is it possible that I only have one of his cards? And, is Champ Bailey a Hall of Famer? I have his cards in my commons binders, and I'm so bad at judging defensive backs.

Here are my most recent Redskins. I have to be honest..I don't know anything about these guys. Josh Doctson sounds vaguely familiar..but that could be because he appears twice. Can anyone fill me in?

One last thing about the Capitals and the Cup..this is actually more about Vegas since we weren't able to give them a post (I just bought my first Golden Knights card on COMC this month.)

The Capitals posted this note to the Knights a few days after the series ended. How classy is that?

Favorite Nationals player (current): Max Scherzer

Favorite Senators player (all-time): Walter Johnson
Favorite Redskins player (current): Again, I'm really not familiar with their roster
Favorite Redskins player (all-time): Art Monk
Favorite Wizards player (current): I want to see Dwight Howard do well and give the Wiz that third piece they've been missing
Favorite Wizards/Bullets player (all-time): God. Duh.

Favorite pro athlete (any sport): Alex Ovechkin

 
Next tour stop: We're back in Canada for the final stop in Winnipeg


Thanks for reading!


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