Message #948662

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Keith Law and Buster Olney rank us as the 14th best positioned franchise for the next 5 years.  The Rangers are #1.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7574220/mlb-future-power-rankings-2012-nos-20-11

The lowdown

It's one thing to get the No. 1 pick in the draft in a year when there's an obvious future All-Star available. It's quite another to get that pick two years in a row and earn the right to take once-in-a-generation players in consecutive seasons. That's what happened to the Nats with Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, and both appear to be as good as advertised.

If Strasburg can prove he's healthy for a full season after missing most of 2011 recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Harper builds on his fabulous minor league debut, this team could quickly become a powerhouse. Of the teams outside the top 10, the Nats probably have the best chance of being in the top five of these rankings a year from now. -- Buster Olney

The next step

Manager Davey Johnson is 69 years old and the Nationals should establish an heir apparent. They could follow the Cardinals and White Sox and hire an unproven manager or go get a known commodity such as Terry Francona. They also could groom an up-and-coming onetime minor league skipper, such as Randy Knorr. Whatever they do, it's crucial they bring in someone who has the respect of Strasburg and Harper and can get the most out of them. -- Jim Bowden