Strasburg's debut and the Natinals' future

Stephen Strasburg makes his MLB debut today against the Pirates. The game is sold out (probably one of half-a-dozen sellouts they've had in their new park). Watch out for the Natinals, they're going to be pretty good in 2 years or so, especially when they get Jordan Zimmerman back from TJ surgery.

I'm originally from the DC area and this buzz is nothing but great for the team - no one I know ever gave a crap about the team except for one of my cousins. The Natinals aren't going anywhere this year, but any extra butts they get in the seats is only going to help them contend. DC is a surprisingly big (and growing!) market that the team is only beginning to tap, and if they can actually start getting people to the park they should be one of the teams in the upper half of revenue (though Angelos's MASN screwjob as a part of agreeing to the move there isn't doing them any favors). Honestly, given their advantages in market and the fact that they don't play in the AL east, they've got the potential to be in even better shape than the Rays going forward. The fact thet Jim Bowden is no longer their GM is probably helping too (dying laughing). I'm not sure I have a lot of faith in Rizzo though, since IIRC he was Bowden's right-hand man. He was left to clean up the bonus scandal/embezzlement mess that brought Bowden and Rijo down, but I'm skeptical as to whether he didn't know anything about it either.

Here's the cost-controlled core of this team (more or less in order of talent):

P Stephen Strasburg

3B Ryan Zimmerman

C/OF/?? Bryce Harper

P Jordan Zimmermann

P Drew Storen

C Derek Norris (still in A ball, but has plus-plus power)

SS Ian Desmond (should be a solid regular)

Add in rising revenues and this team will be pretty good in the near future