Washington Nationals quietly put together a very productive offseason

After a slow start, general manager Mike Rizzo and the Washington Nationals have quietly put together a very productive offseason.

After the Washington Nationals drastically underperformed and failed to reach the postseason in 2015, it quickly became clear that the team needed to make a lot of changes this offseason. Fans and analysts alike knew that the team would see great change in 2016, and that in order for the Nationals to win next season, they had to address the problems that doomed them last year.

The changes necessary were many and diverse. Some moves — such as finding a new manager and letting several key players leave via free agency — were expected. Others, such as bringing in a new infielder and outfielder while overhauling the medical staff and front office — were a bit more surprising.

Still, the Nationals were slow out of the gate this offseason. They fumbled the managerial search (big time), and almost all of the players they sought via free agency chose to sign with other teams. At one point in the offseason, it looked like general manager Mike Rizzo had failed in almost every goal he had for the Winter, and the pressure on the front office grew even higher than it already was.

But, as we have come to expect from Rizzo, he had a plan. He carried it out patiently, executed it perfectly, and now the team has a far more promising outlook for 2016 than it did mere months ago.

Slowly but surely, Rizzo has addressed nearly every single need the team had going into the offseason. Lets take a look at some of the most important moves the Nationals have made thus far.

Next: 1) Start At The Top: Dusty Baker, Dan Jennings and the Doctors

1) Start At The Top: Dusty Baker, Dan Jennings and the Doctors

The first order of business coming out of the regular season was finding a new manager to replace Matt Williams. The Nationals fired Williams and his entire coaching staff the day after the regular season ended, and finding someone who could replace Williams and bring a better culture to the Nationals’ clubhouse was a top priority for Rizzo and the Nationals.

Not long into the interview process, the team narrowed the managerial search to two names: Dusty Baker and Bud Black. Both men were experienced and brought a great track record and reputation to the table. Both players appeared to be a perfect fit for the ball club. But just when it looked like nothing could go wrong for the Nationals, everything did.

Once it was down to those two candidates, many reports said that the Nationals had come to an agreement with Black. Multiple media outlets reported that the team had chosen Black over Baker and that the deal would soon be announced.

But, as it turned out, the Nationals and Black were never able to come to an agreement on the specific details of his contract. The negotiations fell through, and the Nationals had to turn to Baker after the whole world knew he was their second choice. The whole episode was more puzzling than embarrassing, but it certainly wasn’t how the Nationals wanted their all-important offseason to start.

Despite the circumstances surrounding his hiring, the Nationals found their guy in Baker. When it comes to managing experience, Baker is as good as it gets. He’s taken three separate teams to the postseason and has seen success with many star-studded rosters, making him an appealing choice for the Nationals.

The Nationals have made many key moves this offseason, but make no mistake, none of the moves are as important as adding Baker.

Williams led the Nationals to an NL East title in 2014, but he struggled mightily in 2015. The team needed a new voice, and in Baker, they may have added the piece necessary to bring the team to the next level.

Understanding that higher levels of management deserved part of the blame for the failures of 2015, the Nationals have also reworked the front office around Rizzo. They fired two front office executives early in the offseason, and they brought in former Marlins general manger Dan Jennings as a special assistant to Rizzo. Mixing up the front office dynamic wasn’t something many expected the Nationals to do this offseason, but it’s hard to imagine how the changes can be anything but helpful for a team that absolutely has to improve next season.

In an effort to improve the health and condition of the team, the Nationals also completely overhauled their medical system. Rizzo crafted an impressive lineup last year that was part of the reason many expected the team to do so well, but he was only able to use that lineup twice all season long due to a vast number of injuries to some of the team’s most important players.

“In an innovative shift, the Nationals are transitioning their medical department to one that utilizes a proactive model, with significant analytic input,” the team wrote in a press release when they announced the new system. “This will allow the Nationals to hone in on predictive factors to thwart potential injurious situations, and increase performance, by maintaining the health and wellness of their players.”

Injuries were the biggest reason the Nationals failed to live up to expectations in 2016, and anything the team can do to improve in that aspect of the game is huge for the Nationals.

While these administrative moves may not seem that important, they ultimately lay the groundwork for the team’s success or failure in 2016. And while it’s ultimately the players who win or lose on the field, the manager, the front office and even the medical staff play a major role in setting them up for success.

Next: 2) The Offense: Balance, Contact and Speed

2) The Offense: Balance, Contact and Speed

Going into the offseason, the offense was one of those things that Rizzo probably could have left exactly how it was last season and the team might still have been successful in 2016. After all, injury was the real problem for the lineup last season, and every player is on track to be healthy by Opening Day.

Sure, the Nationals had two key players in Denard Span and Ian Desmond leaving via free agency. But the team was prepared for those departures, with Michael A. Taylor and Trea Turner seemingly ready to take over at center field and shortstop, respectively.

But Rizzo wasn’t satisfied with the lineup as it was heading into the offseason, nor was he truly comfortable with the youngsters Taylor and Turner manning those positions on Opening Day. Rizzo made two key — albeit, not very “splashy” — acquisitions this offseason, and both could play a major role in the Nationals’ 2016 offense.

The first order of business for the Nationals was the middle of the infield. As mentioned earlier, shortstop was left vacant by Desmond, who remains unsigned in the free agent market. One of the first moves the Nationals made this offseason was to trade Yunel Escobar — one of the team’s best hitters in 2016 — to the angels in exchange for reliever Trevor Gott (more on him later).

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The prevailing wisdom at the time of the trade was that Turner would man shortstop and Danny Espinosa would play second base. Unless, of course, the Nationals were able to acquire a second baseman — in which case Espinosa would slide over to shortstop, which is his more natural position.

After trying and failing multiple times to bring in a second baseman, Rizzo finally found what he needed in Daniel Murphy. The team signed Murphy — a hero from last year’s postseason — to a 3-year, $55 million deal during the Holidays.

In Murphy, the Nationals get a player who makes solid contact and rarely strikes out, while also offering some pop. The deal also addressed the hole in the infield — Murphy will play second base while Espinosa will likely play shortstop until Turner is ready to play every day.

The Nationas also wanted a left-handed hitting outfielder. They tried and failed to sign free agent Jason Heyward early in the offseason, and for a while it looked like the team was prepared to go into 2016 with an outfield of Jason Werth, Taylor and Bryce Harper.

But Rizzo was able to address this need and more with a move last week that sent Drew Storen to the Blue Jays in exchange for outfielder Ben Revere. Revere bats left-handed, plays center field and hits from the leadoff spot — all of which the Nationals desperately needed this offseason.

Like Murphy, Revere makes incredibly consistent contact and rarely strikes out. He also gives the Nationals immense speed in center field and is a base stealing machine, something the team hasn’t had since Nyjer Morgan.

The Nationals’ offense had few weaknesses going into the offseason, but Rizzo addressed every single one of them. And with a few months to go before Opening Day, he’s probably not done making moves just yet.

Next: 3) Cleanup Duty: The Bullpen

4) With Bulk of the Work Done, Some Questions Remain

While the Nationals have already addressed nearly every issue that followed them into the offseason, some questions remain for the team as we get closer to Spring Training.

For starters, it’s still not entirely clear what the team will do with Jonathan Papelbon. Many expected the Nationals to trade the beleaguered closer this offseason, but given the $11 million he is owed next season, his extensive no-trade list and the fact that he choked the NL MVP to end his 2014 campaign, the veteran closer might be all but impossible to trade.

Still, the Nationals are facing a P.R. nightmare with the prospect of Papelbon being the closer in 2015. Papelbon lost the respect of his fans and, perhaps, his teammates, when he let the dugout argument with Harper escalate intoone of the the most embarrassing moments in team history. If Papelbon pitches the ninth inning at Nationals Park, it’s quite likely that he’ll get a not-so-warm welcome from the fans — especially early in the season.

With the distractions and controversies of 2015 still fresh in everybody’s mind, is a player like Papelbon really what the Nationals want and need in 2016? Probably not.

On the flip side, the Nationals might not have any other options. Barring a surprise trade for someone like the Yankees’ Andrew Miller, Papelbon is likely going to be closer on Opening Day, regardless of how the fans (or the team) feel about it. Plus, Papelbon has been an elite closer for most of his career — it’ll be a lot easier for the fans to get behind him once he shows he can get the job done in the ninth inning.

Other than the Papelbon question, which will hang over the team until Opening Day and probably beyond, the Nationals probably won’t make any more major moves this offseason. They could add a starter, but that’s unlikely given their already strong rotation and minor league depth. They could bring in another bat, but the acquisitions of Murphy and Revere already addressed the lineup’s most glaring weaknesses.

Three months into the offseason, it looks like Rizzo finally has his team for next season. Now it’s time to see if the roster he built has what it takes to win in 2016.