Washington Nationals: Playoff Prospects and Strategy
The Nationals, close to playoff contention, must decide on prospects and CJ Abrams' role. Craig Mish is hopeful for the front office's plan in Washington.
Video Transcript
Bottom, bottom line is you're right, Washington's headed in the right direction.
Are, are they a playoff team next year, Joe?
I don't think so, but they're closing in.
I would say within two years, with the prospects that they have, they should be able to make some noise.
I'm, I am in agreement with you.
I think they are finally now doing the right thing.
The problem is C.J.
Abrams has one year left.
So are they gonna do the old Juan Soto situation and trade him next year and, and again play it with a view?
Or do you- Maybe sign him- Maybe and I, and that to me is, will tell you everything you need to know about what the Nationals If they lock up Abrams and James Woods and, you know, they got Josiah Gray coming back, they got this kid Ortiz looks good.
They, they've got some talent, but I think it begins and ends with C.J.
Abrams.
One year left, either sign him or you know they're gonna trade him.
I think they'll trade him.
And You think they're gonna trade him?
Yeah.
Geez.
Yeah, that'd be That, ba- based on the way that they're doing business, it would seem to me that's the move.
All right, well then you know what?
Forget that.
I'm gonna go with the Pittsburgh Pirates then.
I think the Pittsburgh Pirates are on the verge of maybe something better than- No we have seen from them.
No.
You don't buy in them either, huh?
No, you don't like- I, if, if they- Ashcraft and Skenes and then- If they, if they, if they Oh, no, I agree with you, but that, th- Joe, that was supposed to be this year.
This is the year the Pirates were supposed to win 80-something games.
They're gonna end up losing close to 90, man.
Ugh.
You know?
No, no, no, no.
Pirates are gonna have to I, th- th- look, some organizations are gonna have to make big decisions in the off season.
And, and, and- Yes h- how, how many chances do you give the Pirates to show that you can make the playoffs, Joe?
How many years in a row do we gotta go, "Oh, maybe this is the Pirates year"?
They had some good signings.
They signed Ryan O'Hearn, he turned out to be great.
Yep.
They traded for Brandon Lowe, he turned out to be great.
In the end, Pirates, what's their record?
S- 73 and 89.
Yeah.
Something like that.
Yeah.
I mean, it's not good enough.
They waited far too long with that bullpen was atrocious.
And they- That's the key knew it early and they was not good.
But if you're gonna give me a better version of Paul Skenes, Ashcraft, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, I, that's a pretty formidable front group there.
But the- Agreed bullpen has gotta be addressed.
I even think Bubba Chandler's got some pretty good, uh- He's good too you know, some pretty good opportunities.
Yeah.
So that's a heck of a starting rotation.
And we're not gonna miss you.
But again, it's nowhere, nowhere.
They can't, Paul's, 'cause Paul Skenes likes his Doritos apparently.
And that's the end of that.
But, the good news is next year is a totally different year.
