District On Deck
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Washington Nationals: How Would Blockbusters Change the Future?

By Frank Ellis

Nov 5, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo speaks at a press conference introduceing Dusty Baker (not pictured) as the new Nationals manager at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo speaks at a press conference introduceing Dusty Baker (not pictured) as the new Nationals manager at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Nationals are in talks to bring two superstars to DC. These moves could change the club for a very long time.

It looks like the Washington Nationals want Chris Sale and/or Andrew McCutchen to join the team.

These type of acquisitions will not happen if they don’t give up elite prospects. All of the pitching elite (Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Erick Fedde, Joe Ross) and the the Nationals best fielding prospect Victor Robles have been mentioned as possible options for a trade.

If Robles is moved in a deal, DC’s outfield looks to be all but empty come 2020. Werth will be gone come the end of 2017, Harper will likely be on a new team after the 2018 season and McCutchen’s deal would run out after 2019 if they were to get him.

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That leaves the team with AFL All-Prospect outfielder Andrew Stevenson and a lot of unknowns in the minors. That is hardly enough to field a contender after 2019.

To get Sale, the team would likely have to give up a few pitching prospects and a position player or two. Sale, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg would be under team control until 2019, 2021 and 2023 respectively, but they can’t all pitch at a very high level that long.

Also, Strasburg may not be able to get through a full season without some sort of injury. This leaves the Nats with 3 top tier pitchers and no future pitching prospects to carry them past their prime.

If the Nationals do pull off these moves, the team this year and next will be a joy to see on the field. They will automatically become National League favorites along with the Cubs.

This will be great for all Nationals fans, but is that joy worth having years of disappointment in the future?

The Nationals will make a move this winter, maybe multiple moves, but this could ruin the future for the team. Yes, if the Nats make these moves they will once again win the offseason, but as you know that guarantees nothing for the regular season.

The team needs to decide what they want to do and they need to make that decision quickly. This winter will be one that Nats fans remember for a very long time whether a big move is made or not.

They need to improve parts of the team but emptying the farm to do so if a huge risk. One I personally do not think is worth it. The team can improve in many different ways that don’t include forgetting the future.

Next: Winter Meetings Day 1 Live

Hopefully Rizzo will once again make fans happy this winter, but only time will tell. Surely all Nationals fans will have their eyes set on all Winter Meeting activity.

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