NLCS: How the Phillies Decided to Travel Home Early
The Washington Nationals have never been known as a team with a large contingent of veterans on their roster. In fact, until this year, the only two players to play for the Nationals who were over thirty-one when the team first played in Washington were Frank Howard and Rich Gossage.
But all is set for the Nationals to make history in their new ballpark, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on April 14, with a collection of former Phillies veterans. The first player joining the Nationals will be Roy Halladay, who will make his debut against the Nationals.
The most expensive player on the Nationals roster, Halladay was selected in the second round of the 2003 draft and signed by the Phillies in 2004. Halladay spent five years in Philadelphia, where he was a two-time All-Star. In 2004, he led the National League with a 2.89 ERA in his first season in Philadelphia…
The Nationals have some big-name players with big-name talent, but this is not just some bunch of veterans being brought in to replace a few veteran left-handed pitchers and a handful of veteran relievers. This team is not going to be anchored by a left-hander, a bullpen guy or the likes of a former Phillies starting pitcher. What they are going to be really good at this year is scoring runs and playing defense, and they are going to be really bad at both of those things.
That’s why they are making history by bringing in former Phillies pitchers and former Phillie-centric players. Halladay, for one, gives the Nationals a left-handed hurler who should have a good shot at pitching very good ballgames.
“If he does what he says he is going to do, they got a good pitcher there,” Nationals right-hander Gio Gonzalez said from his spring training camp.
