Nationals Opinions: Best Shortstops in Nats History

Sep 26, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop

(20) throws to first base for the force out of Miami Marlins left fielder

(12) during the second inning in game one of a baseball doubleheader at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Nationals start their 2015 campaign as the favorites to win the World Series. They sport the best rotation in the league, a deep and powerful lineup and a solid bullpen. This season could prove to be a memorable one in Nats’ history. This season,  the Nationals also celebrate their 10^th anniversary.

This club has come a long way from its fledgling roots through the Montreal Expos and its last place finish in 2005. A handful of number one draft picks, in the form of Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, panned out in a big way. The Nationals built their farm system the right way and Mike Rizzo made Rizzo moves and now has his team in a position to win and win now.

Part of that success depends on steady play from a core group of position players. The Nationals have had their share of success developing their own from Rendon, to Stras, to Harper, but the shortstop position may be the greatest in-house accomplishment to date.

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Ian Desmond has been a rock at the position since 2010 and may be the best in the game, while his predecessor in the form of Cristian Guzman was an All-Star in his own right.

As the team at District on Deck looks back on the history of the Washington Nationals, I will attempt to rank the top shortstops from these past ten years. Please help us out in our rankings and if you think I got it wrong, please let’s get the conversation started by leaving a comment or hitting us up on social media!

Next: Honorable Mention

The Others: Royce Clayton and Felipe Lopez

Since 2005, the Nationals have essentially had two shortstops: Cristian Guzman and Ian Desmond.

Cristian Guzman filled the six position, when he wasn’t injured, until 2009 when Ian Desmond stepped into the starting role. Desmond has not lost that job since.

So instead of ranking the other two against two All-Stars, I decided to lump them together and give them an honorable mention in this rundown. Since Desmond has been an injury proof rock since his rookie season, the other list consists only of those who filled in for an injured Guzman.

First up is Royce Clayton. He came to the Nats via a free agent signing in 2006 after the club learned Guzman would be out for the year following shoulder surgery. He was entering into his 15^th season and only stayed with the team through July when the Nats traded him in a multi-player deal with the Cincinnati Reds that sent Felipe Lopez to the club in return.

During his brief time with the Nats, Clayton posted 338 plate appearances and a respectable .269/.315/.348, but was more of a stop-gap measure until they could upgrade to Felipe Lopez.

Lopez took the remaining reps in 2006 and switched back and forth between second and short during Guzman’s rocky comeback. Fielding errors marked Lopez’s time with the Nationals more than his production at the plate. He managed an abysmal -14.6 and -7.0 UZR for 2006 and 2007 respectively to accompany a league worst for shortstops .954/.957 fielding percentage.

These two do deserve an honorable mention on our list, but cannot come close to the top two candidates for best shortstop in Washington Nationals’ history.

Next: Runner Up

(Photo Credit:YouTube.com)

Runner Up: Cristian Guzman

Cristian Guzman started at shortstop for the brand, spanking new Washington Nationals in 2005.

He came over from the Twins on a free agent signing and promptly had the worst year of his career. He was downright awful. He struck out too much because he was swinging at everything, he barely hit above .200,  and he never got on base.

These are not good traits for a lead-off hitter.

Guzman sat out the entire 2006 season with a shoulder injury and a subsequent surgery. He also had Lasik eye surgery that off-season.

I guess there was a good reason he chased so many bad pitches…he couldn’t see the baseball!

He returned to the lineup in 2007 and battled injury for most of the year, causing him to not be the majority share holder at the position. However, late in the 2008 season, something clicked and he started mashing the baseball. His stat line over 600 plate appearances was .316/.345/.440.

Compared with his awful rookie season; Guzman was fantastic.

His wRC+ jumped from 48 in 2005 to 106 in 2008. He wasn’t even at replacement level in 2005, but he earned almost three wins for his club in 2008. This jump in performance also earned Guzman a trip to the All-Star Game.

Outside of pure numbers, Cristian Guzman will always hold a special place in the memories of Nats’ fans by recording the first hit and the first run in Nationals Park.

After his injury plagued start, Guzman proved to be a solid position player and a live bat for the Nationals, which earns him the runner-up spot on our Washington Nationals’ shortstop list.

Next: The Best