Bay Area Baseball

Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden resigned last week amid rumors of bonus skimming and the Esmailyn Gonzalez fake name fake age scandal. Bowden presided over one of the worst franchise constructions – or perhaps destructions – in recent memory. Washington has made a variety of bizarre moves from the acquisitions of Alfonso Soriano to the inability to sign first round pick Aaron Crow.
Whoever takes the reigns has a number of decisions to make about repositioning the team. Whoever this unlucky person is should start with this list:

1. Sign Crow, the Missouri righthander was the best pitcher in college baseball last season and would instantly become perhaps the franchise’s closest pitcher to the majors besides Jordan Zimmerman.
2. Draft Stephen Strasburg with the #1 overall pick, and sign him. Strasburg, who hit 101 on the gun a number of times last season, is without question D1 baseball’s finest starter. He struck out over 20 in a game and was the only college player on Team USA at the Olympics last season.
3. Trade Elijah Dukes. Dukes is just trouble. No team needs a guy who threatens women and children. Not to mention Dukes has never even had a season that reflects his so called prodigious talent.
4. Rebuild through international free agency and the draft. Ignore the Adam Dunn’s of the world – admit that the team is nowhere near contention and spend the money on young players instead of flawed veterans like Dunn.
5. Attempt to trade aging players. Cristian Guzman had a better average than Ichiro Suzuki last season – explore trade possibilities for him, Dukes, Dunn and anyone else making more than $5 million.