Every sport evolves with each
passing generation -- from the
size and athleticism of players
to game strategy.
Baseball’s evolution, however,
is both historic and unique
given the pre-integration and
dead ball eras. For the former,
full segregation took place from
1887-1947. Full integration,
which was a gradual process,
came in 1959. The Deadball
Era was a period in the early
20th century when baseball was characterized by low scoring and
emphasis on pitching.
There was the Steroid Era, which has no definite start time though it
is generally assumed that the era ran from the late 1980s until the
late 2000s. This era was defined by shattered home run records
leading to exorbitant salaries.
The Washington Nationals have been a Major League Baseball
franchise since 1969 as part of MLB expansion. After a failed
contraction plan, MLB purchased the Expos and reloaded them
to Washington D.C., where they have called home since 2005.
They became the first MLB team in the nation’s capital since the
Washington Senators moved to Texas in 1971.
The franchise’s lone World Series came in 2019, defeating the
Houston Astros in seven games. The franchise has five National
League East titles and another playoff appearance as a wild card
team.
Today, I formed a Nationals/Expos Dream Team that encompasses
all eras. For openers, to make this roster, four years with the
franchise are required. No exceptions. With the free agency era,
I’m not going to cheapen this roster with 1-3 year rentals.
I’m forming a 12 man pitching staff, five starters and seven relievers.
For the latter, I want at least one lefthander in the bullpen. For
position players, I am taking what I believe is the best of the best
regardless of era. For the bench players, it’s the best of the rest
with versatility being heavily considered. Merit achievements such
as Hall of Fame, All Star appearances and Gold Gloves are
considered but not guaranteed. General impactfulness on the
franchise is also considered.
Generational reminders
If I believe you were the best at your position in the pre-integration
era, you are on the team. If you played on a World Series champion,
there is no guarantee of landing on this roster. If you played during
a bad season, that does not deter you from being on this roster.
Unlike the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, there are no
morality clauses. This is baseball, not the Boys Scouts.
Starting pitchers
Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer, Steve Rogers, Pedro Martinez,
Dennis Martinez
Despite needing Tommy John surgery in the early going of his
career, Strasburg has put together an excellent resume. Entering
his 12th season with the franchise, Strasburg is a three-time All-Star.
He led the National League in strikeouts in 2014 and wins in 2019.
Also in 2019 he helped deliver the franchise's lone World Series title.
Strasburg was the World Series MVP. Since signing a free agent
contract from the Detroit Tigers in 2015, Scherzer has delivered
enormously for the Nationals. Five of his seven career All-Star
appearances have come in a Nationals uniform as has two of his
three Cy Young Awards. Scherzer has led the National League in
strikeouts three times and has pitched two no-hitters in a Nationals
uniform. Rogers is the franchise's most successful pitcher, having
been a career Expo for 13 years. Rogers was a five-time All-Star
and led the National League in ERA in 1982. He also helped
himself at the plate with 122 career hits and 101 sacrifice bunts.
Pedro Martinez is best known for his dominance with the Boston
Red Sox. However, the greatness of his career began as an Expo.
Martinez went 55-33 with a 3.06 ERA in an Expos uniform. He also
won the first of his three Cy Young Awards in a Montreal uniform in
1997. He still holds the franchise record for lowest ERA and the
most strikeouts in a season with 305 on the way to a Hall of Fame
career. Dennis Martinez was the epitome of a durable picture and
innings-eater. Three of his four career All-Star appearances came
in an Expos uniform and he also threw the only perfect game in
franchise history in 1991 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bullpen
Closer -- Jeff Reardon
Tim Burke, Sean Doolittle, Mike Marshall, Tyler Clippard, Chad
Cordero, Mel Rojas
Reardon could be inconsistent at times but he had six successful
seasons with the Expos on the way to becoming the franchise's
all-time leader with 152 saves. He led the Major Leagues in saves
with 41 in 1985. Reardon made consecutive All-Star appearances
in 1985 and 1986. Burke spent seven seasons with the Expos
with his lone All-Star appearance coming in 1989. Among pitchers
in franchise history that have thrown at least 500 winnings, Burke
possesses the lowest career ERA at 2.61. Doolittle was only a
National for four Seasons but he was quite impactful because one
of his two All-Star Seasons came in a Washington uniform. He also
helped the Nationals deliver their 2019 World Series. Marshall was
only an Expo for four seasons but had a sterling 1.78 ERA in 1972
and led the National League in saves in 1973.
Clippard's 414 games pitched are the second-most in franchise
history and in the process he was a two-time All-Star. Cordero
recorded 128 saves in his six seasons with the Nationals. He led
the National League in saves in 2005 and made the All-Star team
that season. Rojas pitched eight seasons with the Expos
compiling a 29-23 record with a 3.11 ERA. He is fourth in franchise
history with 109 saves.
Infield
Catcher -- Gary Carter, First base -- Andres Gallaraga, Second
base -- Jose Vidro, Third base -- Ryan Zimmerman, Shortstop --
Trea Turner
Carter began his career as an outfielder before becoming a Hall
of Fame catcher. Carter spent 11 seasons with the Expos with
seven of them being all star appearances. Carter won all three of
his Gold Glove Awards with the Expos and led the National
League in RBIs in 1984. Galarraga, known as “The Big Cat,”
played eight of his 19 Seasons with the Expos. His best season
with the franchise was 1988 when he was an All-Star and also
a Silver Slugger Award winner. Galarraga won back-to-back
Gold Gloves in 1989 and 1990. Galarraga has been considered
for the Hall of Fame. Vidro’s career overlapped both the Expos
and Nationals eras. Vidro played 10 years with a franchise and
was a three-time All-Star. He also won the Silver Slugger Award
in 2003.
Zimmerman spent all 15 of his Major League seasons with the
Nationals and is the franchise leader in four categories. He was
an All-Star and a Silver Slugger Award winner twice each. He
was also a Gold Glove Award winner in 2009 and helped the
Nationals deliver the 2019 World Series title. Turner is entering
his seventh season with the Nationals and wasted little time
becoming an impact player. He is one of 26 players in Major
League history to hit for the cycle on two occasions. He led the
National League in stolen bases in 2018 and helped deliver the
Nationals 2019 World Series.
Outfield
Leftfield -- Tim Raines, Centerfield -- Andre Dawson, Rightfield
-- Vladimir Guerrero
Hall of Fames across the board. Raines often gets overshadowed
because he played at the same time as Rickey Henderson but is
one of the best leadoff hitters in Major League history. Raines
spent 13 total seasons with the Expos and was an All-Star seven
times. He was the National League batting champion in 1986 and
led the National League in stolen bases four years in a row.
Dawson's career is most commonly associated with the Chicago
Cubs because of his 1987 National League MVP season but 11
years of his 21-year career with the Expos. Dawson was National
League Rookie of the Year in 1977 and made three of his eight
All-Star appearances as an Expo along with three of his Silver
Slugger Awards and Gold Gloves. Guerrero spent eight of his 16
seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Expos. In a Montreal
uniform, he appeared in four consecutive All Stars. He won a
Silver Slugger Award in three of those seasons. Guerrero has
the highest batting average in franchise history on the way.
Bench
Wilson Ramos, Adam LaRoche, Anthony Rendon, Howie
Kendrick, Moises Alou, Bryce Harper
Ramos’ .268 career batting average puts him second among
catchers in franchise history behind Carter (.269). Ramos played
for the Nationals for seven seasons with one of his two All-Star
appearances coming in 2016. That season he was also a Silver
Slugger Award winner. LaRoche played for the Nationals for four
seasons with his best campaign being in 2012 when he won
both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award. Kendrick enters his
fifth season with the Nationals and is already an icon because of
his tenth inning grand slam to lift the Nationals to an upset over
the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS and go ahead home run
in Game 7 of the World Series in 2019. Kendrick was the NLCS
MVP.
Rendon spent seven seasons with the Nationals with his best one
being his last in 2019 when he was an All-Star, All MLB first team
and Major League RBI leader in helping the Nationals to the World
Series title. He was also Comeback Player of the Year in 2016.
Alou played a mixture of both left and right field and was an Expo
for five seasons. He was an All-Star in 1994 and Silver Slugger
Award winner that season also. The younger generation may take
issue with Harper not being a starter but it's hard to beat three Hall
of Famers. Harper, who is now a Philadelphia Phillie, made his
debut at 19 years of age and immediately made an impact winning
Rookie of the Year award and an All-Star selection that season.
In a Nationals uniform, Harper was the 2015 MVP of the National
League and a six-time All-Star.
Manager
Felipe Alou
In all likelihood, Alou is keeping the seat warm for current manager
Dave Martinez, who guided the Nationals to their 2019 World Series
but has yet to manage for Major League seasons. In his 10 years
as manager Alou recorded a franchise-best 691 wins, 171 more
than Buck Rogers. The Expos reached the 90-win plateau in his
first full season and he was the Manager of the Year in 1994 during
the strike-shortened season. Alou’s strength during his time with
the Expos was developing young talent, most notably Larry Walker,
John Wetteland, Delino DeShields and his Moises Alou.
Team
2019
Coming off a disappointing 82-80 season, the franchise dismissed
manager Dusty Baker and replaced him with Martinez. They also
lost Harper as a free agent to division rival Philadelphia. The
Nationals went 93-69 during the regular season and defeated
Milwaukee in a one-game wild-card. The Nationals outlasted the
heavily-favored Dodgers in five games in the NLDS. They swept
the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS and defeated the Houston
Astros in seven games of the World Series. The Nationals became
the first team in North American professional sports history to win
all four road games in the World Series.
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