I would just like to offer two seemingly unpopular opinions
1) Preston Wilson should be resigned
2) Tom McCraw is not that bad
Preston Wilson should be resigned for cheap. His performance has been terrible and wont warrant an 12mil/year contract. For the right price he should be resigned. There is too much potential there. He's knees may be bad, but they might get better. He had surgery less than a year and a half ago. Runningbacks have blown their knees out and have come back two years later just as good as before (McGahee and Garrison Hearst. Edgerrin James I think too). Unless Wilson has no knee cartilidge, which I think is a kinda nagging injury.
Looking at the Nationals lineup: (excluding 3rd OF dujour)
Wilkerson: basically his career average numbers (hurt)
Vidro : little off his numbers, might be turning the corner ((hurt, always)
Johnson: prior to injury surpassing career numbers
Guillen: about the same, in spite of injuries
Guzman: ouch, most damning argument against McCraw
Castilla: good when he could walk
Schneider: well over career numbers
Really the only one (a big one granted) that is negative is Guzman (but maybe he just sucks or is a head case). All the other bad ones have extenuating (sp?) circumstances mainly injuries. You have 3 pluses in Guillen (who if he could hit at RFK would be unreal), Johnson, and Schneider
feel free to tell me why I am wrong
1)Preston Wilson should not be re-signed. He is a defensive liability wherever he plays in the outfield. He is nowhere near as good as he used to be, and I don't think he can get back to that level. He has some power here and there, but he does nothing else. and Preston WON'T re-sign cheap. He will want to test the market, there are a number of teams that would give him the money he wants, despite his performance as a National. they would all be banking on exactly what you are banking on, that he "might" improve and his knee "might" get better. I don't want to take that chance here. and he is proving that he is now a Coors Product and at the current time, Coors is the only place he can hit well. despite the one good season he had in Florida.
I was against acquiring him in the first place, and I want to see him walk at season's end. We should be able to do much better, and if not, we'll have Church and Watson, and possibly Sledge ready to jump right in there. acquiring Wilson is the reason why we have the Outfield problems we have now. too many outfielders, not enough slots. re-signing him only makes that a problem again next season, unless you trade or release someone. and out of all the outfielders on the team, there isn't one that I would release or trade in order to keep Wilson.
I've got no opinion on Tom McGraw. I DO know that he is tied to the hip with Frank, so if you keep Tom, you keep Frank, and vice-versa.
