He needs an extension. Maybe 5 years 75 million$?
Considering I looked at this deal as an overpay for a guy who had no desire to be a National other than the money, he's turned out really good for the Nats. In my opinion, and some others, that signing announced to baseball our franchise was ready to start competing. I always assumed it would be an albatross, but instead the Nats got big hits and clutch play from him in 2012 and what should have been All Star performances from him in 2013 and 2014. Last year was terrible, but if he has an OPS north of .750 these last couple seasons while still being an effective base runner and not bad glove then the end of this contract won't be half as bad as I thought it would be. If you assign 1 WAR as being worth $7 million per 1, he would need to add up to 18 WAR to be worth his contract. If between this season and next he totals 3 WAR then he would add up to 15.4 according to Fangraphs. And that is 2012 being worth less than 1 when I think that season over the second half he passed the eye test of setting the table for a loaded lineup that needed a leadoff hitter.
And he will always have the Game 4 walkoff to his name.