How do you explain to your fan base that you passed on Juan Soto for Alonso?

What if Soto uses you and rives up the price and then signs with the Yanks>. and you lose both. 

Time to spend:
https://www.masnsports.com/blog/are-nats-ready-to-spend-again-to-supplement-young-roster

When even Zuckerman and MASN run a time-to-spend article, you know there's hope that the excuses and lies for not spending are no longer going down with the media and the large portions of the fanbase who have been way too forgiving and accepting of tough to watch, bargain bin baseball.

I think the Nats should look at at paying James Wood right now.

I think Wood is going to an elite hitter, top 5 OBP next year, and perennially near the top of the OPS leaderboard.   His ABs this year alone were a pleasant break from the swing-at-everything bug that afflicts much of the lineup.  That said, he's Boras so he's not signing anything right now.  Boras will be 78 when Wood's eligible for FA, so we'll see what happens over the next few years, but if I had to bet, he's a Phillie/Yankee/Dodger come 2031.

that was something like Alonso's 3rd oppo homer all year. Almost like Howie and clang.

Almost like he knew it was coming

Wood has the potential to be an iconic figure in DC sports history. Being a local kid in a sport that draws people (vs. Katy Ledecky or Noah Lyles, for example), star potential, Black athletic role model for kids to relate to . . . He could be Kevin Durant playing for the Wiz his entire career. I hope he never leaves and fulfills his promise. I'd make the Bobby Witt offer but think you could get him for less given it's earlier in his career and more uncertainty over his outcomes.

So you're all-in on him then?