We've reached the finishing point for the offense in my new plan for the Nats. Follow along with the series here.
My finalized ideal (feasibly ideal, that is) hitting roster (predicted roles in parenthesis):
CATCHERS
Josh Bard (C Backup-needs to be resigned)
Jesus Flores (C Starter-under team control for 2010)
INFIELDERS
Ian Desmond (SS Backup-under team control for 2010)
Adam Dunn (1B Starter-under team control for 2010)
Alberto Gonzalez (2B/SS Backup-under team control for 2010)
Akinori Iwamura (2B Starter-needs to be signed)
Mike Morse (1B/SS/OF Backup-under team control for 2010)
Ryan Zimmerman (3B Starter-under team control for 2010)
OUTFIELDERS
Elijah Dukes (RF Starter-under team control for 2010)
Willie Harris (2B/3B/OF Backup-under team control for 2010)
Norris Hopper (OF Backup-under team control for 2010)
Nyjer Morgan (CF Starter-under team control for 2010)
Josh Willingham (LF Starter-under team control for 2010)
Gone: Cristian Guzman (trade/release), Wil Nieves (AAA), Justin Maxwell (AAA), Pete Orr (AAA/release), Jorge Padilla (AAA/release)
STARTING LINEUP
Nyjer Morgan-CF
Akinori Iwamura-2B
Ryan Zimmerman-3B
Adam Dunn-1B
Josh Willingham-LF
Elijah Dukes-RF
Jesus Flores-C
Ian Desmond-SS
In my opinion, this lineup would be above-average offensively (Zimmerman, Dunn, Willingham should be above average. Morgan, Iwamura, Dukes and Flores should be average at worst. Desmond will probably be average, but isn't a sure thing. Defensively, we have two of the league's elite (Zimmerman and Morgan), a bunch of average with breakout potential (Dukes, Flores and Desmond), some below-average sluggers (Dunn and Willingham) and Iwamura, who is above average. So on the whole, this 13-man hitting roster could be above-average as a group.
The funny thing-if the Nats can dump Guzman, they could actually save money with a much better lineup. Dunn's rising salary could inhibit that, but it could, with some clever maneuvering. Please, Rizzo, make this roster happen!
Starting Pitchers will be up sometime tomorrow!
Resources-
A list of 2010 Free Agents can be found at Cot's Baseball Contracts.
A list of the Nats currently under contract can also be found at Cot's.
The latest projected Elias Rankings (for Type A/B Free Agent purposes) can be found at MLB Trade Rumors.
Splits for the Nats' 2009 season by position can be found at Baseball-Reference.
The Nats' organizational big board can be found at Nationals Farm Authority.
well the nationals already met with guzman and asked to play second next season which he probally will. they will either put desmond at short depending on how he does the rest of the season or get a new FA shortstop. and as for the starting pitchers there all garbage except lannan, livan, and maybe strasburg.if we plan on having a winning season next season we need more than 2 descent pitchers what we have now is aaa caliber compared to other clubs pitchers
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