Thanksgiving has arrived on the calendar, and a whole lot of change has taken place to the Washington Nationals since the end of the regular season up to this point.
It’s one that was needed. Things had gotten stagnant under their World Series-winning executive and manager tandem Mike Rizzo and Dave Martinez. The rebuild the organization underwent stalled out, and there was less light at the end of the tunnel than originally projected. So owner Mark Lerner pulled the plug and ushered in some major changes this winter as he tries to get things on track in the nation’s capital.
While there hasn’t been a ton for Nationals fans to be thankful for over the years, that is not the case this time around. Here are three things the fan base should be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
The New Regime
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It was time for a major change in Washington, and that certainly was ushered in. Not only did they pluck an up-and-coming 35-year-old executive from the Boston Red Sox in Paul Toboni, but they also hired 33-year-old manager Blake Butera to lead this young clubhouse.
There’s no guarantee this approach is going to work and will get the Nationals back to championship glory. But the fact a complete 180-degree turn was made and Washington is now jumping into the modern age of baseball instead of being beholden to the past is something that should excite this fan base and be something they are thankful for on this Thanksgiving.
James Wood
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The second half of the season might have quieted the national attention on James Wood, but what he did in the first half certainly suggests the Nationals have a potential superstar on their hands.
At 22 years old in his first full season of major league action, Wood not only was named to the All-Star team, but he also blasted 24 home runs with 69 RBIs to go along with a slash line of .278/.381/.534. He became the clear best offensive player for Washington, and even with his second-half struggles, he finished with an OPS+ that was 32 points above the league average of 100.
The sky is the limit for Wood, and with this new regime in place, he’s only going to get better.
Daylen Lile
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Wood might have been the story of the first half, but Daylen Lile took that torch from him following the All-Star break during his debut Major League Baseball season.
The overlooked top prospect made a name for himself. He broke Bryce Harper’s record for most triples as a rookie, and he was one shy of tying the overall franchise record. Lile was easily the most exciting aspect of the team during a lost season that was flaming out towards the end.
Not only did he come in and slash .299/.347/.498 with nine home runs, 15 doubles, nine triples and 41 RBIs. But he also posted a ridiculous OPS+ of 137 across his 99 games that suggests he could be a legit offensive weapon for years to come and earned him a fifth-place finish in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
He’ll have to prove he can continue his torrid pace going forward, but Nationals fans should be thankful they have someone like Lile on this roster.
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