I've been following the board for years. NC native that was an Expos fan. Go figure. Move to DC invigorated me and I'm a Nats nut. Would love to become a regular poster as I love the Nats.
I'm an optimist and have bought into the trade after initial misgivings (love Peacock especially, attached to Milone, and have come to understand what we gave up in Cole. Norris I figured was always a trade chip given the excellent and thankfully rescued Ramos.)
My take: this team is very close. Trading prospects for Gonzalez with 4 years of control and a proven history of success on a sub .500 team seems like a good idea upon reflection. Who really knows how these things will turn out but it seems to me that money says 4 years of controlling a top flight front three can't be bad. Injuries could, of course, ruin the plan but that's baseball.
Still, we should be able to replenish the pitching over the next 4 years. Man its fun to be just a bat a way from a real chance to make a run in as soon as 2012. Add a bat and we'll begin the season...unlike any other in DC to date...that gives us a real chance. That's all I ask for...meaningful games in September.