When I found out I was going to have the opportunity to go to NatsFest, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I had never attended an event like it before. But as an extremely enthusiastic Washington Nationals fan, something that seemed like a big party celebrating the Nats obviously had me interested.

From a fan’s perspective, it was a really cool experience, because besides the throngs of people gathered around pointing pens and bright white baseballs in the players’ faces, the Nationals walking around the Washington Convention Center could have been regular people. I watched Jordan Zimmermann and Tyler Moore giving people high-fives and saying, “Hey man,” as if their fans were their college buddies, not adoring strangers. 

The proximity to the players, who I normally only see from way up in the stands at Nationals Park, was my favorite aspect of NatsFest. In what other setting do average fans have the opportunity to interact with the people they spend eight-plus months of the year idolizing?

It allowed me to make my aunt’s day (or her whole winter, as she put it) when I got Gio Gonzalez to autograph the NatsFest poster for her. She actually shrieked with joy when I gave it to her that evening, and she saw the signature from “her boy.” I got to say, “What’s up?” to F.P. Santangelo like we were old friends, and I introduced my disbelieving dad to Charlie Slowes – he didn’t recognize the face of the voice of the Washington Nationals, but once he heard him speak he was convinced.

We had a solid ten-minute conversation with Charlie after the event was over, and something he said really characterized the day for me: he explained how NatsFest’s purpose was to get the fans excited about their team again going into Spring Training – to re-ignite their Natitude, if you will. He said it gave people an occasion to unpack their Nats gear and to let the excitement of the promising season ahead allow them to fully heal from heartbreak of Game Five. For Charlie, the event made it feel like summer wasn’t so far away, even though it was about 20 degrees outside on the windy streets of D.C.

The effect Charlie described was absolutely true for me. Listening to the voice that brings to mind so many great memories of home run calls and thrilling games, made me feel a connection with my favorite sport that has been missing since October. Realizing that it wouldn’t be long until I could listen to Charlie on the radio again was a truly exciting prospect.

My dad and I were among the last to leave, and as we were walking out, a gray-haired Nationals employee smiled at us and said, “See you in November.” I smiled back and said goodbye, knowing exactly what he was inferring.

This year, Nats fans can believe in the real possibility of their home team playing in November, though that’s still not a concept that’s easy for me to wrap my head around. My dad and I walked out the lobby doors, and promise of spring made the bite of the cold a little less harsh. My Natitude had officially been reignited. 

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez until Spring Training. Enjoy.

Owner of both the best beard and the highlighting moment of the Washington Nationals’ breakout season, Jayson Werth was among the Nationals’ stars in 2012. His final at-bat in game four of the National League Division series will be recorded in the baseball annals as one of the most exciting moments of this young team’s history. However, his contribution to the team last season stretched well beyond one thirteen-pitch at-bat.

The difference between Werth’s performance in 2011 and 2012 was stark. Werth finished his debut season in Washington with some of the worst stats of his career – a slash line of .232/.330/.389 and 160 strikeouts – leaving Nats fans frustrated with the new guy from their northern nemesis.

But while it seemed he could never really find a rhythm in 2011, the only thing that could disrupt his consistent offensive production in 2012 for more than a few games was a broken wrist, which benched him for three months. Although his injury kept him from achieving “qualified” statistics, his slash line of  .300/.387/.440 was on pace to be one of the best on the team, even as he assumed the unfamiliar role of “Larry Leadoff.”

Werth was one of the team leaders by numbers, but his leadership was by no means limited to his offensive production. As one of the few Nationals who had previously played in the postseason, Werth was a mentor to the Nats’ many young players. His most notable mentee was Bryce Harper, who consistently pointed out his gratitude for Werth’s guidance throughout the season.

Werth’s even, outward disposition served to balance Harper’s tendency to be hotheaded, as Cheryl Nichols of District Sports Page perfectly illustrates in the photo above. The photo shows Werth running out on the field within seconds of Harper’s being hit with a pitch by Lendy Castillo of the Chicago Cubs, to keep Harper from letting his temper get the best of him during the twice-benches-clearing game in which emotions ran high.

This moment is just one great example of the importance of Werth’s role on the Nationals. He is a leader on and off the field, and his influence on Harper and obvious investment in his success is indicative of something very special about the Nats: they are not only a team because they wear the same jerseys, their chemistry and care for each other is a huge contributing factor to their success.

Next Year: Werth figures to be a part of that success for the foreseeable future as the Nationals' right fielder. The 34 year old won’t be a free agent until 2018, and is due to be paid more than $16 million this year, which will make him the highest-paid National in 2013. He will likely hit second in the batting order this season, keeping his high on-base percentage at the top of the order, but letting Denard Span take over the role of leadoff hitter.

Up Next: #30 Zach Duke

Michael Morse has been traded since last time we spoke, so we talk about that and the implications of the trade. In the second half of the podcast, we hit on the recent NL East topics, including Justin Upton to the Braves and the Mets interest in Michael Bourn, the World Baseball Classic, and Danny Espinosa's insanely great beard.

Also, we get a case of the giggles about half way through. Sorry about that in advance.

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez until Spring Training. Enjoy.

People expected big things in 2012 from Jordan Zimmermann after a successful, albeit abbreviated, 2011 season as he returned from Tommy John surgery. He certainly did not disappoint as one of the Washington Nationals’ most consistent pitchers last season.

Zimmermann was on an innings limit in 2011, much like Stephen Strasburg was in 2012, so last season was JZimm’s first full season without a hard limit. He sure came out firing. In his first 21 starts of the season, he pitched at least six innings and posted an unbelievable 2.28 ERA during that time. Zimmermann did appear to tire through the rest of the season, though.

In August, he made it through the sixth inning only once in five starts, and opponents hit .290 against him. It led some to question if he was hitting the wall because of an incomplete 2011 season. After a dreadful start on September 1 where he gave up eight runs, Zimmermann settled down for his final five starts of the regular season. He made it through at least six innings in four of those five starts with a 2.61 ERA.

Jordan Zimmermann’s postseason was a whole different type of thing. He started Game Two of the NLDS and didn’t make it to the fourth inning en route to a 12-4 Nationals loss. Game Four was different, as Zimmermann entered in relief for the first time in his career. He struck out the side, hitting 97 mph on the gun and throwing some of the nastiest sliders in his career, in the seventh inning to help set up Jayson Werth’s magical walk off home run. The picture included in this post is of JZimm walking off the field that inning. I've never seen him that fired up. Here’s some video of Zimmermann, Tyler Clippard, and Drew Storen doing work in that game.

All told, Jordan Zimmermann had an extremely successfully season. He proved his value to a team that lives and dies by its pitching and has solidified himself as one of the best, if not the best, number three starters in all of baseball. He’s a core piece to one of the best pitching staffs in the league. As of this post, Zimmermann is the last player who has not agreed to a deal for 2013, and it appears that his contract will go to arbitration in February unless the Nats ink a long-term deal with him before then.

Next year: As I just wrote, Zimmermann is an integral part of this pitching staff, and against other number three pitchers in baseball, there’s not a single one I’d rather have. I expect Zimmermann to hit the 200 inning mark for the first time in his career in 2013. He was less than five innings short of that milestone in 2012, and with another year under his belt, it seems like a completely reasonable expectation.

Next up: #28 Jayson Werth

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez until Spring Training. Enjoy.

Nicknamed “The Human Bruise” by MASN commentator F.P. Santangelo, Jesus Flores was probably the Washington Nationals’ most reliable catcher during the 2012 season. Although he landed on the disabled list a few times himself, he stayed mostly healthy throughout a season when Nationals catchers were spending more time on the DL than on the field, and he took being pelted by pitches and foul balls from the hard-throwing pitching staff without much evident complaint.

The Nationals leaned heavily on Flores, especially through the heart of the season, and the 28-year-old put in a career-high 687.2 innings behind the plate, spending the most time there of any single Nats catcher last season.

The number of innings of work he put in alone was enough to qualify his season as a positive for the Nationals during a time when they desperately needed him. However, his brightest-shining moments were often overshadowed, and they were paired with playing time struggles.

For example, overall his offensive production was not very good – he finished the season with a slash line of .213/.248/.329 – but the celebration of his first home run of the season was quickly cut short by the even bigger celebration of the first home run of Stephen Strasburg’s career.

Flores hit a total of six home runs and 26 RBI for the season, but he struck out 59 times in 277 at-bats, tied with Rick Ankiel for seventh-most on the team. As mentioned in The Nats Blog’s review of Ankiel, all six other players with more strikeouts had between 400 and 600 at-bats.

Possibly Flores’s biggest downside though was the 51 runners he allowed to steal a base, compared to the nine he threw out (that’s just 15 percent). This number wasn’t helped much by Nationals pitchers who struggled with holding runners, but as the season went on the trend continued. Coupled with his poor offense, this is probably ultimately why he lost his starting role to Kurt Suzuki toward the end of the season and into the postseason.

Next Year: After being non-tendered by the Nationals in November, Flores signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Jan. 16, which included an invitation to Spring Training and ended his five-year career with the Nationals. There is room on the Dodgers’ roster for Flores, even if only as a backup, because they currently have only two catchers on their 40-man roster. So, the possibility of Flores securing a major-league roster spot is high, and in 2012 he certainly showed that he is a reliable player.

Up Next: #27 Jordan Zimmermann

Most people will miss Michael Morse for his off-field personality more than his on-field production, which I wrote about in my article analyzing the trade. He just found a way into the hearts of NatsTown. As such, I thought there was nothing more appropriate to discuss this morning than the top moments of Michael Morse being... well, Michael Morse.

5. “Marry Me, Bryce Harper” - Back in July, when Harpermania was at its peak, there were plenty of marriage proposals via signs for Bryce Harper. My favorite? When Michael Morse proposed with a sign on MASN while Ryan Zimmerman was being interviewed by Kristina Akra. (Screencapture via MASN)

4. Home Run Helmet Tap - Every time Morse hits a bomb, as he rounds first and heads to second base he gives himself a firm tap, slap, wallop, or whatever you want to call it, straight down upon his head. He even did it during the Invisislam, which I’ll mention soon. (Photo via NatsEnquirer)

3. The Samurai Cobra Snake - The Samurai Cobra Snake might be the first eccentricity that really let people in on Morse’s personality. It’s that move where Morse picks up his leg an coils his body before he steps into the batter’s box, “like a snake,” says Morse in this ESPN video breaking down his swing.

2. The Invisislam - This is probably the single most famous Morse moment during his time with the Nationals. During a game in September against the Cardinals, Morse hit a grand slam, which was reviewed and confirmed. For some reason, the umpires said Morse had to go back and re-run all the bases after the review, and Morse decided to take a fake swing before clearing the bases. It blew up into one of the most bizarre home runs ever in baseball.

1. “Take On Me” - Of course, Morse’s introduction of “Take On Me” into Nats’ lore has to be number one on the list. It started with a few people singing along to the music in the stands early in the season and culminated with a great moment during the Nats postseason when more than 40,000 sang loudly to the song after the music cut out and right before Morse belted a single to center field. (Video via Deadspin)

We’ll miss all of these things about Morse, and more. Hopefully we can all head to Baltimore to cheer Morse on when the Mariners come to Camden Yards in 2013. He’s rightly earned the love of Nats fans everywhere, and his personality will be sorely missed.

Michael Morse, the Washington Nationals fan favorite, has been traded to the Seattle Mariners, according to Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post. It is a three-team deal that will bring top pitching prospect AJ Cole back to the Nats. Cole was traded to the Oakland Athletics in the Gio Gonzalez trade last offseason.

Most people accepted that this day was coming for Morse after the Nats re-signed Adam LaRoche last week, but now it is official. Nats fans will have to say goodbye to Morse's personality, which most will miss more than his production, but looking at the baseball side of this deal, Mike Rizzo has once again won a trade. And pretty significantly.

The Nats will get back Cole, who struggled at the beginning of 2012 in High-A but started to have some success after moving down to Low-A in the Oakland organization. Before being sent to the A's in the Gio Gonzalez trade, Cole was the number four overall prospect for the Nationals. Only Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, and Brad Peacock, who is now with Oakland, were ahead of him. And despite his 2012 struggles, Cole was the number three overall prospect for the A's last year. He leapfrogged Peacock in his new organization.

According to Amanda Comak of The Washington Times, the Nats will also get back a "good" prospect and a player to be named later, and the PTBNL will be from Oakland, says Jon Morosi of Fox Sports. This is cleaning house for the Nats, who had no on-the-field need for Morse with their lineup completely stacked.

All of this doesn't even account for the most obvious fact. Mike Rizzo, over the course of just three seasons, essentially traded Ryan Langerhans, who the Nats sent to Seattle in the 2009 Morse deal, for AJ Cole, who was in the Nats organization as recently as 2011. Luck obviously played into this equation a bit, but to get the Mariners to agree to this trade at all is absolutely remarkable. It's a very good trade for the Nats, but an absolutely horrendous trade for Seattle. Dave Cameron of USS Mariner and Fangraphs agrees.

On a human level, it's a sad day for the Nationals and Nats fans. Morse is a beloved character in DC, and that will never change. Further, as I've mentioned before, the team absolutely must find a way to incorporate "Take On Me" at Nats Park in his absence in 2013. But on a baseball level, it's just another brilliant move from the playbook of Mike Rizzo.

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez until Spring Training. Enjoy.

Until yesterday with the surprise signing of Rafael Soriano, first baseman Adam LaRoche was probably the hottest topic of the Washington Nationals offseason.

After LaRoche’s first season in Washington, which was derailed almost immediately when he injured his shoulder, Nats fans and even manager Davey Johnson’s expectations were low. LaRoche hit just .172 and struck out 37 times in 43 games in 2011, but he quickly proved to his D.C. audience that those were not numbers they should come to expect from him.

In LaRoche’s team-MVP-caliber season in 2012, he finished with an offensive slash line of .271/.343/.510 with 33 home runs and 100 RBI. He ranked among the top 25 players in the National League in six offensive categories: home runs (4th), RBI (8th), slugging percentage (12th), on-base plus slugging (13th), walks (12th), and doubles (18th).

LaRoche's offensive production earned him his first Silver Slugger award, and his steady defense (.995 fielding percentage) won him his first Gold Glove as he became known as the anchor of the Nationals infield.

His incredible contributions to the team are what prompted Johnson to say that the Nationals needed LaRoche back more than they needed him back (an especially radical claim after Johnson won NL Manager of the Year) and why he offered to fly LaRoche and all of his cattle to Florida for Spring Training if that was what it took to get him to be a National in 2013. When a manager is willing to go to those lengths to re-sign a player, even if only in jest, you know that player is something special. 

Next Year: After signing his $24 million deal, LaRoche is slated to be the Nationals’ first baseman for the next two years, with a mutual option for a third. His steady hand at first gave the Nats one of the best infields in baseball in 2012, and now all the pieces are in place for a repeat performance in 2013.

Up Next: #26 Jesus Flores