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PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
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Charlie Manuel won't ever forget the 2007 National League Division Series.
The Phillies had completed an improbable comeback to overtake the New York Mets, win the NL East and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1993. And the only team hotter than them down the stretch was the Colorado Rockies, who captured the wild card by winning 14 of their last 15 games, including a play-in game against San Diego.
In the best-of-five Division Series, the Rockies swept the Phillies.
Two years later, there will be a rematch.
"I know on our team we think we kind of owe them something," Manuel said. "And also (Rockies GM) Danny O'Dowd, he was my former boss (with Class AAA Colorado Springs in the Indians’ farm system two decades ago) and he's a good friend, but man, I'd like to beat his (bottom)."
The Phillies are 4-2 against the Rockies this season, winning two of three in both series between the teams. The clubs haven't met since early August at Citizens Bank Park.
"I wouldn't use the word embarrassed, but they walked right through us," center fielder Shane Victorino said, recalling the 2007 NLDS. "No way I would've thought we'd get swept. We were so gung ho we were (in the playoffs), and we were so overwhelmed. Last year, we thought, 'OK, we were there last year. Now, we just have to go out and play.' That's what it's going to be like this year. We're the world champs."
Said Manuel, "I think we'll be prepared. But I also think they'll be prepared. They've got a lot of energy, and they like to play. That's why they're where they're at. That's why they have the record they have since the first month of the season. They play like they love to play baseball, and they go out there to beat you."
Paul Hoover hit a game-ending RBI single in the 10th inning to lift the Phillies to a victory in the regular-season finale at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies' third-string catcher spent part of last season with the Marlins. The Phillies rested many of their regulars, including Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, and pulled starter J.A. Happ after two innings. Miguel Cairo hit his first homer of the season. Chad Durbin got the win, pitching one scoreless inning. The season's 73rd sellout crowd of 45,211 brought the Phillies' final attendance to 3,600,693, a franchise record.
NOTES, QUOTES
2B Chase Utley closed the regular season in an 0-for-16 slump and is batting .083 (3-for-36) with one triple and two RBIs in his last 10 games. Since Aug. 31, he's batting .193 (22-for-114) with three doubles, three triples, two home runs and nine RBIs. Is Utley tired? "He gets worn down, physically and mentally," Manuel said. "He needs some rest." Manuel rested Utley on Thursday night, pulled him after the third inning Saturday and didn't play him Sunday.
LHP J.A. Happ threw 39 pitches in two innings Sunday in his final postseason tune-up. Now, the Phillies must decide if he'll be used as a starter or a reliever in the playoffs. Why not both? Manuel hinted that Happ could be used out of the bullpen for one inning in Game 1 or Game 2 of the NL Division Series against Colorado, which also would enable him to start Game 4. Happ has been arguably the Phillies' most consistent starter, but with J.C. Romero (forearm) out for the season and Scott Eyre pitching with a "loose body," likely a bone chip, floating in his elbow, Happ may be an asset as a lefty reliever, especially against the Rockies' lefty-leaning lineup.
"The best scenario would be if Happ's sitting there in the bullpen and he only throws an inning in two days or something, and what's to say he can't come back and go on his regular turn?" Manuel said. "I'm not saying we're going to do that, but it does enter my mind."
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 -- Blown save for RHP Brad Lidge at Citizens Bank Park this season. Lidge led the majors with 11 blown saves, but he went 16-for-17 at home.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Knowing that we're going to be here for the first round, it's a settling feeling. Now we know we've got a couple days off. We don't have to travel anywhere." -- RHP Brad Lidge, on the Phillies securing home-field advantage in the NL Division Series.
ROSTER REPORT: 1B Ryan Howard, with his 45th homer Saturday, joined an exclusive club. He became the third player to have four consecutive seasons with 45-plus homers and 135-plus RBIs. Ruth did it six years in a row (1926-31), and Sammy Sosa did it four years in a row (1998-2001). Howard finished the season tied with Milwaukee's Prince Fielder for the NL lead in RBIs (141) and came in third with 45 home runs.
RF Jayson Werth fell one RBI shy of 100. Werth went 1-for-4 and was walked intentionally with two outs and the winning run on second base in the 10th inning, prompting a sellout crowd to boo Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. Werth stole his 20th base, giving the Phillies three players with 20 homers and 20 steals. Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins are also members of the Phillies' 20/20 club.
OF Ben Francisco may have been overzealous Sunday when he started in place of resting CF Shane Victorino. Francisco was caught stealing three times, including getting thrown out at third base for the second out of the ninth inning with the game tied.
LHP Cliff Lee is Manuel's pick to start Game 1 of the playoffs. Two years ago, Lee was not on Cleveland's post-season roster after having the worst season of his career. He bounced back to go 22-3 in 2008 to win the AL Cy Young Award and became the Phillies' ace the moment he was dealt to Philadelphia in late July.
EX-INDIAN FACTOR: MGR Charlie Manuel; LHP Cliff Lee; RHP Chad Durbin;OF Ben Francisco.
MEDICAL WATCH: LHP Jamie Moyer (torn groin and abdominal tendons) left the Sept. 29 game. He will have season-ending surgery.
RHP Chan Ho Park (strained right hamstring) hasn't pitched since Sept. 16. He experienced tightness Oct. 1 during a Florida Instructional League game, and not expected to pitch in the first round of the postseason.
LHP J.C. Romero (left forearm strain) went on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 20. He was activated Sept. 28 and pitched that day. However, he continued to feel discomfort, and he will not pitch again this season.
RHP Pedro Martinez (stiff neck) had to come out of his Sept. 19 start, and missed his scheduled Sept. 26 start. He returned to the rotation Sept. 30.
RHP John Ennis (right elbow surgery in April 2009) was recalled from the minors and placed on the 15-day DL Aug. 31.
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ATLANTA BRAVES
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Not long after the hoopla over visits by the Yankees and Red Sox at the end of June, as attendance drooped, the Braves stopped opening the concessions stands on the terrace level behind home plate. There wasn’t enough interest in the team. Even fireworks nights stopped bringing in the crowds. By the last week of the season, there weren't even 10,000 fans in the stands for what was a make-or-break series with the Marlins.
Perhaps the fan base will be reignited in 2010. It will be Bobby Cox's final season before retiring as manager, and the Braves figure to have a premier rotation, always the key to a winning club.
The pitching strength arrived before the 2009 season, when general manager Frank Wren made a big splash by signing Derek Lowe and the Braves' first Japanese player, Kenshin Kawakami.
But it was the low-key signing of Javier Vazquez that proved to be the most valuable acquisition, not only for the way he pitched, but also for how much he helped Jair Jurrjens. Thanks to his influence, Jurrjens began to add and subtract not only with his fastball, but also with his slider and changeup.
Rookie Tommy Hanson turned out to be every bit as good as the organization had hoped. He can throw four pitches for strikes, but the 23-year-old's most impressive skill is his ability to adjust not simply within a game, but within an inning, or an at-bat.
Lowe, meanwhile, had a mostly disappointing season, pitching fewer than seven innings in 25 out of 34 starts. Five times he didn't get out of the fourth inning. He doesn't know how his mechanics got so out of whack, but he plans to waste no time working on improvements.
Third baseman Chipper Jones will be doing the same thing after taking some time off to rest and heal some bumps and bruises. This was the worst season of his professional career; his average dropped 100 points from last season, when he was the National League batting champion. His only consolation is that, because the balls he is hitting have topspin on them rather than backspin, he knows that indicates a mechanical flaw.
Catcher Brian McCann, the cleanup hitter, had what was for him an inconsistent year, due to vision problems early in the season, and then to a raft of injuries that he nevertheless played with, including wrist and oblique soreness.
The offense came to life midseason, after second baseman Kelly Johnson went on the disabled list with a sore right wrist. That gave Martin Prado a shot at playing every day. Cox inserted Prado at second base and hit him second in the batting order, moving shortstop Yunel Escobar to the power-hitting fifth or sixth slot. Voila! Instant offense. Both earned NL Player of the Week honors, Prado for June 29-July 5 and Escobar for July 16-19.
Both Prado and Escobar played most of the season with speed-hampering injuries -- groin and hip flexor, respectively -- as did center fielder Nate McLouth, who was on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Their healthy return next season may tempt Cox to try to manufacture more runs, or at least move runners into scoring position more often.
With the announcement that Cox will take a front office job after next season, the thinking is that the players will have extra incentive to make the 2010 playoffs. Cox should, too.
NOTES, QUOTES
RHP Tommy Hanson ended his rookie campaign with an 11-4 record and a 2.89 ERA -- the lowest for a Braves rookie who made 20-plus starts since Boston's Nate Andrews had a 2.57 mark in 1943.
Lowe vows to work on improving his mechanics immediately -- beginning the week after the season ended. "I don't know where I went wrong," said Lowe, whose 4.67 ERA was the highest in his five seasons in the NL. "I just got into so many bad habits as far as mechanics." He's been flying open, allowing hitters to see the ball, which is why they were able to square up pitches.
RF Matt Diaz had the area at the base of his right thumb drained following the Oct. 2 game. Diaz, on the bench that night, thought he'd merely jammed the thumb, but it swelled as the game went on. A sliver of a splinter caused an infection and a cyst, which were excised and drained, and he didn't play in the season's final three games.
C Clint Sammons got the start in the season finale. Starting C Brian McCann (both wrists) and backup C David Ross (right hand) were too banged up.
LHP Mike Gonzalez's 80th appearance of the season, on Oct. 1, gave the bullpen two relievers with 80 or more outings. RHP Peter Moylan pitched in his 87th game in the finale, extending his single-season franchise record.
BY THE NUMBERS: 9 -- Starts, out of 34, in which Lowe pitched seven or more innings.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's disappointing. It's frustrating, But it's over." -- Lowe on his sub-par season.
ROSTER REPORT: The Braves are already excited about next season, thanks to stellar pitching performances by veteran RHP Javier Vazquez, RHP Jair Jurrjens and rookie RHP Tommy Hanson. They're anticipating the return to form of 3B Chipper Jones, and a more consistent year offensively from C Brian McCann, who got off to a slow start after experiencing vision difficulties. GM Frank Wren, however, knows there is a mine field ahead, in the form of the free agency of two key relievers, RHP Rafael Soriano and LHP Mike Gonzalez.
BIGGEST NEEDS: RHP Tim Hudson's mutual option with the club must be exercised by the end of the World Series; that, at least, will help determine the 2010 budget. How much money is available counts even more this offseason, since the Braves' closer tandem of Gonzalez and Soriano are both free agents. The composition of next season's outfield is in flux, and first base may be an open position; late-season addition Adam LaRoche is also a free agent.
FREE AGENTS: LF Garret Anderson, LHP Mike Gonzalez, 1B Adam LaRoche, INF/OF Greg Norton, RHP Rafael Soriano.
Every other move the Braves make in the offseason depends on whether they re-sign Gonzalez, Soriano or both. LaRoche will not be offered a long-term contract. Neither Anderson nor Norton figures to be back.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: RHP Jorge Campillo, RHP Buddy Carlyle, OF Ryan Church, OF Matt Diaz, INF Kelly Johnson, LHP Boone Logan, RHP Peter Moylan.
Moylan pitched in more a team-record 87 games, and he was the team's most effective reliever overall; the Braves won't mind paying for that. Diaz led the majors in August with a .404 average, 1.148 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and a .467 on-base percentage (minimum 50 at-bats). Campillo and Carlyle are not expected to be back. Church, Johnson and Logan are not likely to command high arbitration awards if they even get that far in the process.
IN LIMBO: RHP Tim Hudson and the Braves have a mutual option that must be exercised immediately following the World Series. RHP Kenshin Kawakami had a disappointing season, but he had a lot to become accustomed to, including the different heft and covering of the ball, the strike zone, the hitters and the five-man rotation, not to mention food and language. But if the Braves retain Hudson, he may be the odd man out.
MEDICAL WATCH: CF Jordan Schafer (left wrist surgery in September 2009) will be in a cast until Christmas. Schafer, who showed so much promise in spring training that he skipped Class AAA and went straight to the Braves, making the opening-day roster, struggled at the plate and wound up in the minors after all. He played in 50 games with the Braves before being sent down.
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FLORIDA MARLINS
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The Marlins finished with the third-best record in franchise history, but the front office has deemed the season a "disappointment" for not making the playoffs. That means changes could be in store.
There are decisions to be made on 13 arbitration-eligible players, including second baseman Dan Uggla, third baseman Jorge Cantu and right fielder Cody Ross.
The Marlins hit fewer home runs, which was expected after they traded away power hitters Josh Willingham and Mike Jacobs last winter. But they scored the same amount of runs and had a higher team batting average.
Shortstop Hanley Ramirez hit third for the first time and won a batting title, and he and Cantu each drove in 100 runs. Uggla had his third consecutive 30-homer season. But not all will be back next year. Expect the team to give a shot to first base prospect Logan Morrison.
Few changes are expected for the pitching staff, even though the starters were inconsistent all season -- with the exception of 15-game winner Josh Johnson. The biggest disappointment was Chris Volstad, who failed so badly he was demoted to Class AAA New Orleans in late August. The team is prepared to run the same rotation out next spring.
The most encouraging development was the emergence of Chris Coghlan, who has a shot to win the NL Rookie of the Year award after being called up May 8 and finishing sixth in the league in batting (.321).
If the Marlins hope to make the next step, they need more consistency from their starting pitchers.
The defense improved, but Florida still made 106 errors, fewer than last year but still third most in the league.
NOTES, QUOTES
Ramirez won the first batting title by a Marlins player, even though he didn't play in the season finale after suffering a right knee contusion while stealing third base the day before. Ramirez batted .342, becoming the first NL shortstop since Dick Groat in 1960 to win a batting title. "I don't think I did it myself. Everybody game me little tips. I dedicate it for everybody in here," Ramirez said.
Coghlan went 3-for 5 in the season finale, finishing with a .321 average, sixth in the NL. His 113 hits since the All-Star break tied Juan Pierre's 2004 club record for most by a Marlins player in the second half.
Cantu hobbled out of the clubhouse Oct. 4 on crutches and in a walking boot because of a right ankle sprain, suffered when he was doubled-up at second base the previous day after 2B Dan Uggla lined out. Cantu finished with 100 RBIs.
INF Ross Gload's single in the eighth inning of the season finale was his 21st pinch-hit. That gave him and Wes Helms a combined 38 pinch hits, the most by any two teammates since Ed Coleman and Roy Pepper of the St. Louis Browns combined for 38 in 1936.
Gonzalez became the winningest manager in Marlins history on Oct. 3 when he notched his 242nd win in Florida's 4-3 victory in Philadelphia. That pushed him past Jack McKeon. Gonzalez awaits the fate of his coaching staff. "They've done an unbelievable job and I'd love to have them all back," he said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 21 -- Rain delays this year at Land Shark Stadium in Miami, totaling a franchise-record 23 hours, 23 minutes of delays. The previous record was 16 delays totaling 19 hours, 8 minutes in 1999.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I hope the baseball writers are watching this. He's putting (together) 2 1/2 months of solid numbers and a real good case of him winning that award." -- Manager Fredi Gonzalez, pushing Chris Coghlan to be selected the NL Rookie of the Year.
ROSTER REPORT: The Marlins enter the offseason unsure about what they'll do at second base, first base and right field. They also have decisions about the middle of their rotation and have several spots open in the bullpen.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The Marlins need to decide if they can afford 2B Dan Uggla, RF Cody Ross and 3B Jorge Cantu, three of 13 arbitration-eligible players. They need to determine if they can rely on their existing starting pitchers to bounce back next year. Unless they sign free agent 1B Nick Johnson, they could give prospect Logan Morrison a shot at the position in spring. They also need to address their bullpen, mainly deciding if RHP Leo Nunez can be a full-time closer.
FREE AGENTS: 1B Nick Johnson, RHP Brendan Donnelly, RHP Kiko Calero. All three want to come back, but the Marlins won't have the money to re-sign them all unless one takes a discount.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: 2B Dan Uggla, 3B Jorge Cantu, C Ronny Paulino, RF Jeremy Hermida, OF Cody Ross, IF Alfredo Amezaga, RHP Josh Johnson, RHP Ricky Nolasco, RHP Anibal Sanchez, RHP Matt Lindstrom, RHP Leo Nunez, LHP Renyel Pinto, RHP Scott Proctor. The Marlins will offer a multiyear contract to Johnson and are likely to say goodbye to Hermida. They must decide what to do with Ross and Cantu. The Marlins like the catching tandem of Paulino and John Baker.
IN LIMBO: Uggla, Hermida, Cantu and Ross could be dealt, but Ross and Cantu are the likeliest of that quartet to return. IF Ross Gload has a $2.6 million club option. The Marlins probably will decline and negotiate with him as a free agent.
MEDICAL WATCH:
INF/OF Alfredo Amezaga (bone bruise on left knee) missed most of the season. He should be ready for spring training.
RHP Scott Proctor (Tommy John elbow surgery in May 2009) will try to come back at some point in 2010.
3B Jorge Cantu (right ankle sprain) was injured Oct. 3. He'll be ready for spring training.
SS Hanley Ramirez (right knee contusion) was injured Oct. 3. He'll be ready for spring training.
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NEW YORK METS
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Projected by at least one national publication to win the World Series, the Mets instead finished in fourth place in the NL East with their worst record since 2003. Injuries decimated the club, with Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes not playing after May, and Carlos Beltran, John Maine and Oliver Perez missing significant chunks of the season.
The Mets had the league's highest payroll at roughly $140 million, and they clear $30 million off the books this offseason. Still, with diminished enthusiasm inevitably leading to lower ticket sales this winter, the payroll is projected to decrease, leaving front-office officials with a challenge in retooling the roster.
Catcher Brian Schneider does not expect to be re-signed, and the Mets are unlikely to have incumbents Omir Santos and Josh Thole both at the major league level next season. That means the Mets must go outside the organization for a new No. 1 catcher.
The Mets finished with the fewest home runs in the majors, and bulking up their power for the 2010 season is vital. David Wright, who averaged 29 homers a season the previous four years, finished with 10 homers this season. Assuming the Mets plan to stick with Daniel Murphy at first base, the power infusion likely will need to come from the addition of a new left fielder, either through free agency or a trade.
One of the biggest disappointments for the Mets was the rotation. Maine and Perez each won 15 games in 2007. They need to have significant bounce-back seasons in 2010.
Maine spent 14 weeks on the disabled list with shoulder weakness, although concerns were lessened when he made four late-season starts. Perez signed a three-year, $36 million contract last winter, then went 3-4 with a 6.82 ERA in 14 starts before undergoing season-ending surgery to clean out his right knee.
Francisco Rodriguez completed the first season of a three-year, $36 million deal, so the closer position is set. But complementary pieces need to be added. J.J. Putz, who was supposed to be K-Rod's primary setup man after being acquired from Seattle, finished the season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. The Mets have a $9.1 million option that likely will be declined, making Putz a free agent.
Left-hander Pedro Feliciano needs help in the bullpen, too. He broke his own franchise record for relief appearances because the Mets couldn't identify a suitable second southpaw to share the workload.
NOTES, QUOTES
The first personnel casualties of the Mets' miserable season were the coaches. First base coach Luis Alicea was fired Oct. 5, and third base coach Razor Shines will be re-assigned. Bench coach Sandy Alomar, a close friend of manager Jerry Manuel, will not return in that role but will be offered another job in the organization, and Alomar's son, Sandy Jr., will have a more prominent role after serving as a catching instructor this season.
RF Jeff Francoeur expects to have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb in late October. Francoeur started 152 games for the Mets and Braves despite playing with the injury for the season's final month.
OF Gary Sheffield said he intends to play in 2010. Sheffield, who turns 41 in November, did not start any games after Aug. 25 because of back discomfort.
LHP Ken Takahashi, a 40-year-old rookie, intends to pitch next season, but is unsure whether he would play in the United States or return to his native Japan. He previously spent 14 seasons with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
--1B Daniel Murphy led the Mets with 12 home runs, tying the team record for fewest by a the club leader. In 1977, John Stearns, John Milner and Steve Henderson each finished with 12.
Citi Field won't be dormant this winter. The $800 million stadium, which opened in April, will play host to a game in the start-up United Football League between the New York Sentinels and Las Vegas Locomotives on Nov. 4.
BY THE NUMBERS: 95 -- Home runs by the Mets in 2009, least in the majors. The last time the organization had fewer: 1992, when the Mets hit 93.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I apologize to the fans watching the game because it was really embarrassing." -- RHP Francisco Rodriguez, after allowing a walk-off grand slam to Washington's Justin Maxwell on Sept. 30.
ROSTER REPORT: The Mets, despite the National League's highest payroll, tied Arizona for the league's third-worst record. While injuries contributed to the woeful season, Mets officials have significant work to do to retool the team for 2010.
BIGGEST NEEDS: RHP Mike Pelfrey, LHP Oliver Perez and RHP John Maine, combined for a 20-22 record, so upgrading the rotation would be welcome. The Mets also need to replace free agent C Brian Schneider, add a power-hitting left fielder, an eighth-inning reliever and a left-hander for the bullpen.
FREE AGENTS: C Brian Schneider, 1B Carlos Delgado, 1B/OF Fernando Tatis, INF Alex Cora, OF Gary Sheffield, INF Ramon Martinez, RHP Elmer Dessens.
Schneider acknowledged the Mets have no plans to re-sign him. Delgado is unlikely to return, with the organization seemingly prepared to use Daniel Murphy at first base. Cora and Tatis may be re-signed. Sheffield and Dessens may be at the end of their careers, although both indicated they want to play in 2010.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: RF Jeff Francoeur, OF Angel Pagan, OF Jeremy Reed, OF Cory Sullivan, LHP Pedro Feliciano, RHP John Maine, RHP Sean Green, RHP Brian Stokes, RHP Tim Redding. Francoeur would have been non-tendered by the Braves had he not been traded, but he is expected to return to the Mets, perhaps with a multiyear deal. Reed is the most likely to be cut loose. Redding finished well in the rotation and could be brought back in a long-relief/spot-starter role if he agrees to a contract comparable to this year's $2.25 million base salary.
IN LIMBO: RHP J.J. Putz has a $9.1 million team option, which the Mets are unlikely to exercise. As a result, the former Mariners closer is expected to become a free agent. Putz finished the season on the disabled list after requiring surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.
MEDICAL WATCH: SS Jose Reyes (torn right hamstring) was re-injured while rehabbing during the final week of the season, and he will require a three-month recovery time. Reyes appeared headed for surgery to repair a tendon tear in the area.
RF Jeff Francoeur (torn ligament in left thumb) finished the season playing with the injury. He will need offseason surgery.
LHP Johan Santana (left elbow surgery in September 2009) finished the season on the disabled list after having bone chips removed. The surgery should not impact his preparations for 2010.
LHP Oliver Perez (right knee surgery in September 2009) missed the season's final six weeks.
LHP Jon Niese (right hamstring surgery in August 2009) is recovering from the operation.
OF Fernando Martinez (right knee surgery in July 2009) missed the second half of the season.
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WASHINGTON NATIONALS
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Though they lost 100-plus games for the second consecutive season, the Nationals feel as if they're in a much better position now than they were a year ago.
The offense took a major step forward in 2009, with Ryan Zimmerman breaking out for the best season of his young career and Adam Dunn joining him to form one of the most-potent 1-2 punches in the NL. The midseason addition of center fielder/leadoff man Nyjer Morgan also paid big dividends, and Morgan's absence in the final month due to a broken wrist was noticeable.
Pitching still remains the biggest concern, but the Nationals did make some strides in that department as well. John Lannan showed he can be a workhorse and an effective big-league pitcher. Rookies Ross Detwiler, Craig Stammen and J.D. Martin also flashed signs of potential. Most important, Washington was able to draft and then sign top pick Stephen Strasburg, who will be on the fast track to the majors.
A mess of a bullpen during the season's first half also was fixed considerably after the All-Star break. Mike MacDougal was a solidifying force in earning 20 saves in 21 chances, and Tyler Clippard and Sean Burnett were adept at bridging the gap from the rotation to the closer.
That said, there are still plenty of changes in store this winter. General manager Mike Rizzo must decide on his manager for 2010. Jim Riggleman, who did an admirable job after taking over for the fired Manny Acta during the All-Star break, will get consideration for the job on a permanent basis, but Rizzo likely will look outside the organization as well.
Washington also needs to bolster its young rotation with a reliable veteran or two. Livan Hernandez pitched well during eight late-season starts and could be brought back for 2010. Rizzo would like to acquire another front-line starter who could join Lannan atop the rotation and mentor his young teammates.
Though the Nationals appear content to let MacDougal return as closer, they do need to offer him some more protection in the middle of the bullpen, likely in the form of a veteran right-hander. Offensively, the club is more set but still seeks a defensively gifted middle infielder and perhaps a reliable catcher who could play every day if starter Jesus Flores isn't ready to return from a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
No matter what changes they make, the Nationals will enter 2010 confident they can improve upon their record of the last two seasons. The club probably won't be ready to reach the .500 mark until 2011, but it should take another positive step toward reaching that goal.
NOTES, QUOTES
RHP Stephen Strasburg, the No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft, pitched as a professional for the first time Oct. 5, throwing 25 pitches in two innings of an Instructional League game in Viera, Fla. He allowed one run on three hits and struck out two. Nineteen of his 25 pitches were strikes.
B Adam Dunn had 38 home runs, ending his streak of 40-homer seasons at five. Dunn didn’t homer after Sept. 23. He was seeking to join an exclusive club that includes only Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa who have hit 40-plus homers in at least six consecutive years. He was less concerned with his own personal achievements, though, than with the Nationals' overall struggles this year. "Yeah, it would have been cool, and yeah, I should have hit 40 this year," Dunn told The Washington Times. "But I didn't. I'm not going to sit there and cry about it. Numbers -- and I mean it when I say this -- they don't mean anything unless you win. If you win, then you should get the accolades. But if you lose 100-something games, who cares?"
OF/INF Willie Harris, who strained his right oblique muscle while swinging at a pitch in the next-to-last game, was unable to return for the finale. The veteran utility man had served as the Nationals' regular center fielder for the last month after Nyjer Morgan suffered a season-ending wrist injury. OF Justin Maxwell took over in center field on Oct. 3 and wound up hitting the game-winning homer in the 11th inning.
RHP Zack Segovia blew his first career save on Oct. 3 but still wound up earning his first career win. Handed a 4-2 lead over the Braves in the 10th inning, Segovia gave up two runs, sending the game to the 11th. The Nationals rallied to score twice more, though, and then RHP Logan Kensing pitched a scoreless bottom of the inning to preserve Segovia's win. The two unheralded relievers were pressed into late-game service because closer RHP Mike MacDougal (tight right hip) and setup man RHP Tyler Clippard (overuse) were unavailable.
RHP J.D. Martin closed out an effective rookie season with six innings of one-run ball in the finale. Martin, who spent the last eight years in the Indians farm system before making his big-league debut with Washington, wound up 5-4 with a 4.44 ERA in 15 starts. He allowed three earned runs or fewer in 10 of his last 12 starts.
RHP Tyler Clippard finished strong, tossing 12 1/3 scoreless innings to end his season. The former starter enjoyed a career renaissance this year as a reliever, posting a 2.68 ERA in 41 games spanning 60 1/3 innings. He established himself as Washington's best setup man and should get a chance to retain that role in 2010.
BY THE NUMBERS: 15 -- Innings the Nationals played in their season finale, a 2-1 win over the Braves. It was the longest game in the Nationals' five-year history.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm just very proud of them, and they should be proud of themselves. Under the circumstances, with our record and late in the year, to be playing with that kind of intensity, I think it's really a credit to them." -- Interim manager Jim Riggleman, on the Nationals ending a 103-loss season on a seven-game winning streak.
ROSTER REPORT: The Nationals identified a core group of long-term pieces that includes 3B Ryan Zimmerman, 1B Adam Dunn, CF Nyjer Morgan, RHP Stephen Strasburg and LHP John Lannan. They need to make some significant changes this winter, most important, adding one or two reliable veterans to their young rotation.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The Nationals need pitching. They had the majors' highest ERA in 2009, and though they've got some intriguing young arms in Lannan, LHP Ross Detwiler and RHP Craig Stammen, they desperately need a quality veteran or two in their rotation. That will be priority No. 1 this winter. Washington also needs to bolster a bullpen that improved as the season went on but still has some holes. A defensively gifted middle infielder would help, too.
FREE AGENTS: C Josh Bard, LHP Ron Villone, RHP Livan Hernandez.
Hernandez is the most likely of the group to return; the Nationals were happy with the job he did during eight late-season starts. Bard could return as a backup to returning starter C Jesus Flores.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: OF Josh Willingham, LHP Scott Olsen, RHP Mike MacDougal, RHP Logan Kensing, INF Pete Orr, C Jamie Burke, RHP Saul Rivera, C Wil Nieves, RHP Jason Bergmann, LHP Sean Burnett, C Jesus Flores (possible Super 2). The Nationals have several decisions to make. The toughest choice might involve Olsen, who missed most of the season with a torn labrum and is required to make at least $2.24 million in 2010. Washington most definitely will bring back Willingham, MacDougal, Bergmann, Burnett and Flores as key pieces for next season and beyond.
IN LIMBO: The Nationals aren't expected to pick up 2010 options on either OF Austin Kearns or 1B Dmitri Young and will welcome the money saved by letting those two underperforming veterans walk. The Nationals would like to move SS Cristian Guzman, whose skills have diminished and who is due to make $8 million. But it will be tough to find another team willing to take on that contract, so the club might have to settle for moving the veteran to second base.
MEDICAL WATCH:OF Nyjer Morgan (broken left wrist) was hurt in late August, but he was healing nicely at the end of the season. He'll be 100 percent for spring training.
OF/INF Willie Harris (strained right oblique) was injured on the second-to-last day of the season and will need some time this winter to recover.
SS Cristian Guzman (sore right shoulder) was due to undergo an MRI on Oct. 5 to determine whether he needs any surgical procedure. Even in a worst-case scenario, the Nationals are confident the veteran will be healthy for spring training.
C Jesus Flores (right shoulder surgery in September 2009) had a torn labrum repaired, and he faces a long offseason of rehab. He's expected to be healthy in March, which will be cutting it close to the start of the 2010 season.
LHP Scott Olsen (left shoulder surgery in July 2009) had a torn labrum repaired, and he began a throwing program in late September. The Nationals will monitor him over the winter and determine when he'll be ready to return.
RHP Jordan Zimmermann (Tommy John elbow surgery in July 2009) won't be ready until late 2010 at the earliest.
RHP Craig Stammen (bone chips in right elbow) missed the season's final month but will be healed well in advance of spring training.
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