The Nationals picked the right year to finish last

A 100+ loss season is never easy to swallow. It wasn't for me in 2008 when the Nationals lost 102 games and finished dead-last in the majors. Sure, I was optimistic afterward: the team played much better down the stretch, Dukes and Milledge emerged as top young players, John Lannan played fantastic, etc. The team had injuries and was young. They cut dead weight (for the most part) and would not have the same repeat performance in 2009, I told myself. The additions of Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham would help stabilize the rotation and outfield. Oh, and Jim Bowden resigned and the team signed Adam Dunn, who has been the best player in World Baseball Classic, with 2 home runs at (I think) 4 walks in 2 games (on base all but one time).

But still, it's hard to be totally optimistic when the team you love just lost 100+ games and everyone is predicting yet another last-place finish. The outlook just got a whole lot sweeter, however, when I read this article on ESPN.com.

The article talks about Stephen Strasburg, who is projected to go to the Nationals with the first overall pick. It talks about his 100-mph fastball that has movement on it, his 94-mph slider that is filthy, and mechanics that should not lead to further injury like fellow top prospects Mark Prior and Kerry Wood.

They call him the best prospect...ever. Ever. Ever. As a college junior, one scout says he is better than A.J. Burnett, who just signed a 5-year, $80 million deal with the Yankees and was ranked the #2 free agent pitcher available. Oh yea, and Strasburg was the only college player on the 2008 U.S.A Olympic baseball team.

Wow. Just wow. I suddenly became much more optimistic about the Nationals' future. He sounds like the Nationals' version of the Caps' Alexander Ovechkin. The Nationals can't pass on him. They won't. Not a chance.

Oh, and the Nationals also have the 9th overall pick (really 10th, because of the non-signing of Aaron Crow). Ohhhh baby. June is going to be a good month.