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Nationals WSN

200859–102 (0.366)
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GM: Jim Bowden

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 2008, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$52M
Surplus $M
-15
Win %
0.366
TAB
-11.2
WAB
-15.9
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
16.7
Dead money %
66%
Depth Players
3.0
Dead WAR
-9.5

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

2008 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RJesus Flores82
RWil Nieves61
BJohnny Estrada14
RLuke Montz8

1B

RAaron Boone54
BDmitri Young38
LNick Johnson35
RRonnie Belliard33
LKory Casto23
LRyan Langerhans2

2B

BFelipe Lopez⇄100
BEmilio Bonifácio⇄37
RRonnie Belliard29
BAnderson Hernandez16
LWillie Harris14
LPete Orr7
RAaron Boone1

3B

RRyan Zimmerman104
RRonnie Belliard31
RAaron Boone16
LWillie Harris14
LKory Casto13
LPete Orr8
RAlberto Gonzalez⇄6

SS

BCristian Guzman136
RAlberto Gonzalez⇄11
LPete Orr8
RRonnie Belliard5
BAnderson Hernandez3
LWillie Harris3

LF

LWillie Harris86
RWily Mo Peña54
LRyan Langerhans24
LRob Mackowiak12
RElijah Dukes10
LKory Casto8
LRoger Bernadina6
RPaul Lo Duca⇄5
LPete Orr2

CF

RLastings Milledge134
LWillie Harris17
LRoger Bernadina14
RElijah Dukes1

RF

RAustin Kearns85
RElijah Dukes69
LRyan Langerhans12
LRob Mackowiak2
LKory Casto1

DH

BDmitri Young6
RWily Mo Peña2
RPaul Lo Duca⇄1
LRyan Langerhans1

Starters

RTim Redding1.4 WAR
LOdalis Perez1.3 WAR
RShawn Hill0.9 WAR
LJohn Lannan0.8 WAR
RCollin Balester0.7 WAR
RGarrett Mock0.4 WAR
RJason Bergmann0.2 WAR
RTyler Clippard0.1 WAR
RShairon Martis-0.2 WAR
LMatt Chico-0.2 WAR
LMike O'Connor-0.5 WAR

Bullpen

★ RJoel Hanrahan9 sv
RSaul Rivera17 h
RSteven Shell7 h
LCharlie Manning7 h
RJesus Colome1 h
RLuis Ayala⇄0 h
RJon Rauch⇄0 h
RGarrett Mock0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 2007)

PlayerfWAR
Willie Harris3.0
Elijah Dukes2.7
Odalis Perez1.3
Wil Nieves1.1
Nick Johnson0.9
Collin Balester0.7

Key subtractions (gone from 2007)

Player2007 fWAR
Ryan Church2.8
Brian Schneider0.6
Nook Logan0.5
D'Angelo Jimenez0.3
Jonathan Albaladejo0.3
Billy Traber0.1

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Nationals. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 2008; everyone else is shown as a 2008 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Willie Harris 2008 +3.0 +38.7 0.8 +37.9 $0.3M 1.60× –
Elijah Dukes 2008 +2.7 +35.1 0.4 +34.7 $0.1M 1.60× –
Cristian Guzman 2008 +2.8 +26.4 4.2 +22.2 $1.5M 1.18× –
Saul Rivera 2008 +1.2 +13.1 0.4 +12.7 $0.4M 1.34× –
Ryan Zimmerman 2008 +1.9 +13.1 0.5 +12.6 $0.2M 0.85× –
Tim Redding 2008 +1.4 +11.3 1.0 +10.3 $0.7M 1.02× –
Odalis Perez 2008 +1.3 +10.4 0.8 +9.5 $0.7M 1.02× –
Ronnie Belliard 2008 +1.5 +10.0 1.6 +8.4 $1.0M 0.81× –
Shawn Hill 2008 +0.9 +7.7 0.4 +7.3 $0.4M 1.02× –
Joel Hanrahan 2008 +0.7 +7.0 0.4 +6.6 $0.6M 1.34× –
Jon Rauch↔ 2008 +1.3 +6.9 0.8 +6.1 $0.6M 0.67× –
Ryan Langerhans 2008 +1.0 +6.6 0.5 +6.1 $0.5M 0.83× –
Wil Nieves 2008 +1.1 +4.8 0.4 +4.4 $0.3M 0.52× –
Jason Bergmann 2008 +0.2 +1.6 0.4 +1.2 $2.0M 1.02× –
Tyler Clippard 2008 +0.1 +0.7 0.4 +0.3 $4.6M 1.02× –
Jesus Colome 2008 +0.2 +1.0 1.2 -0.3 $6.8M 0.67× –
Jesus Flores 2008 -0.1 -0.4 0.4 -0.8 – 0.52× –
Lastings Milledge 2008 -0.1 -0.4 0.4 -0.8 – 0.83× –
Emilio Bonifácio↔ 2008 -0.2 -1.0 0.3 -1.3 – 0.56× –
Marco Estrada 2008 -0.2 -1.2 0.1 -1.3 – 0.67× –
Luis Ayala↔ 2008 -0.0 -0.1 1.3 -1.5 – 0.67× –
Aaron Boone 2008 -0.1 -0.6 1.0 -1.6 – 0.56× –
Nick Johnson 2008 +0.9 +3.8 5.5 -1.7 $6.4M 0.56× –
Matt Chico 2008 -0.2 -1.5 0.4 -1.9 – 1.02× –
Ray King 2008 -0.2 -1.2 0.8 -2.1 – 0.67× –
Austin Kearns 2008 +0.4 +2.5 5.0 -2.5 $13.3M 0.83× –
Johnny Estrada 2008 -0.3 -1.3 1.2 -2.5 – 0.52× –
Rob Mackowiak 2008 -0.5 -3.5 1.5 -5.0 – 0.83× –
Chad Cordero 2008 +0.0 +0.3 6.2 -5.9 $129.1M 0.67× –
Dmitri Young 2008 -0.3 -1.3 5.0 -6.3 – 0.56× –
Felipe Lopez↔ 2008 -1.3 -5.9 3.4 -9.3 – 0.56× –
Paul Lo Duca↔ 2008 -1.1 -7.5 3.4 -10.9 – 0.83× –
Wily Mo Peña 2008 -1.5 -9.7 2.0 -11.7 – 0.83× –
Alberto Gonzalez↔ 2008 +0.6 +3.0 – – – 0.61× –
Anderson Hernandez 2008 +0.5 +2.1 – – – 0.56× –
Brian Sanches 2008 -0.1 -0.6 – – – 0.67× –
Charlie Manning 2008 -0.7 -3.6 – – – 0.67× –
Chris Schroder 2008 -0.2 -1.1 – – – 0.67× –
Collin Balester 2008 +0.7 +5.7 – – – 1.02× –
Garrett Mock 2008 +0.4 +2.1 – – – 0.67× –
John Lannan 2008 +0.8 +6.6 – – – 1.02× –
Kory Casto 2008 -0.6 -2.6 – – – 0.56× –
Levale Speigner 2008 -0.2 -1.1 – – – 0.67× –
Luke Montz 2008 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.52× –
Michael O'Connor 2008 -0.5 -2.9 – – – 0.67× –
Mike Hinckley 2008 +0.3 +1.6 – – – 0.67× –
Pete Orr 2008 -0.3 -1.3 – – – 0.58× –
Roger Bernadina 2008 -0.5 -3.3 – – – 0.83× –
Shairon Martis 2008 -0.2 -1.3 – – – 1.02× –
Steven Shell 2008 +0.2 +1.2 – – – 0.67× –
Total—+16.6+169.552.1+112.9—

Trades

Every graded 2008 deal involving the Nationals — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 5 total.

2008 · WSN / MIA
WSN · Jim Bowden +$16.8M
Scott Olsen, Josh Willingham
MIA · Larry Beinfest −$16.8M
Emilio Bonifácio, P.J. Dean, Jake Smolinski
WSN came out ahead by $16.8M
2008 · CHC / WSN
CHC · Jim Hendry +$0.0M
Ryan Buchter
WSN · Jim Bowden +$0.0M
Matt Avery
Even trade
2008 · NYY / WSN
NYY · Brian Cashman +$2.4M
Jhonny Núñez
WSN · Jim Bowden −$2.4M
Alberto González
NYY came out ahead by $2.4M
2008 · WSN / NYM
WSN · Jim Bowden +$4.8M
Anderson Hernández
NYM · Omar Minaya −$4.8M
Luis Ayala
WSN came out ahead by $4.8M
2008 · WSN / ARI
WSN · Jim Bowden +$5.6M
Emilio Bonifácio
ARI · Josh Byrnes −$5.6M
Jon Rauch
WSN came out ahead by $5.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

2008 payroll
$52.4M

What the front office was committed to as of 2008, 2008–2014. Pre-2015 has no contract-terms data — forward italic $ are realized actuals (hindsight, not commitments known then). Control labels (ARB/FA) are point-in-time.

current $ guaranteed $ actual $ (hindsight) arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent

Guaranteed / signed (19)

PlayerAgeSvc2008200920102011201220132014
Nick Johnson297.000$5.5M$4.1MFREE AGENT
Austin Kearns286.000$5.0M$8.0MFREE AGENT
Dmitri Young3412.000$5.0MFREE AGENT
Cristian Guzman309.000$4.2M$8.0M$6.8MFREE AGENT
Paul Lo Duca3610.000$3.4MFREE AGENT
Felipe Lopez287.000$3.4MFREE AGENT
Wily Mo Peña266.000$2.0MFREE AGENT
Ronnie Belliard3310.000$1.6M$1.5MFREE AGENT
Rob Mackowiak327.000$1.5MFREE AGENT
Jesus Colome307.000$1.2MFREE AGENT
Johnny Estrada327.000$1.2MFREE AGENT
Aaron Boone3511.000$1.0MFREE AGENT
Tim Redding307.000$1.0MFREE AGENT
Odalis Perez3010.000$850kFREE AGENT
Ray King349.000$850kFREE AGENT
Willie Harris307.000$800k$1.5M$1.5MFREE AGENT
Jon Rauch296.000$778kFREE AGENT
Ryan Langerhans286.000$500kFREE AGENT
Wil Nieves306.000$400k$445k$700kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (7)

PlayerAgeSvc2008200920102011201220132014
Chad Cordero265.000$6.2MFREE AGENT
Luis Ayala305.000$1.3MFREE AGENT
Ryan Zimmerman233.000$465kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jason Bergmann263.000$404kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Shawn Hill274.000$402kARB 3FREE AGENT
Pete Orr293.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Anderson Hernandez253.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (24)

PlayerAgeSvc2008200920102011201220132014
Saul Rivera302.000$436kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Chico251.000$409kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Lastings Milledge232.000$402kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jesus Flores231.000$400kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Joel Hanrahan261.000$400kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Elijah Dukes241.000$392kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tyler Clippard231.000$390kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Emilio Bonifácio231.000$326kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Marco Estrada240.000$87kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Charlie Manning29–—
Brian Sanches292.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Hinckley250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Steven Shell250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Collin Balester220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Levale Speigner271.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Luke Montz24–—
Garrett Mock250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Michael O'Connor27–—
Chris Schroder29–—
Kory Casto26–—
John Lannan231.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Shairon Martis210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Roger Bernadina240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Alberto Gonzalez251.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 2008 acquisition stacked onto Nationals's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0).
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