All the Nationals Twitter account wanted to talk about was how good Anthony Rendon was among National League third basemen. That's all they wanted to do.
And they were right to want to crow: Rendon is having a career year. In just 112 games this season, he's tallied 27 homers, 34 doubles, and 100 RBIs and has a slash of .323/.402/.607 for a 1.008 OPS and 151 OPS+. If advanced numbers are more your bag, Fangraphs has him at a 5.3 WAR and a 152 wRC+
This is a phenomenal level of production. And just as a comparison's sake: Bryce Harper has a WAR of 3.2 and OPS+ of 121 for the 2019 season and he makes a fair chunk of change more than his old teammate.
Why bring up Harper? Well, because that's the elephant in the room and Nationals fans know it: Will Rendon go the route of Harper?
"We're aggressively trying to sign Anthony Rendon," Nats GM Mike Rizzo told The Sports Junkies in May. "We're certainly going to be aggressive and try and make that happen, and hopefully he'll go. We have shown that we are not afraid to sign our own players. We're not afraid to sign free agent players. We're not afraid to spend money on stars of the game and I don't think Anthony Rendon would be any different."
Unfortunately, those words don't work for fans in the wake of Harper leaving and now that the 29-year-old All-Star is increasingly likely to test the waters of free agency at the end of his contract this season.
And when told the great numbers of Rendon, the fans wanted the at least somebody to hear them. And the replies on Twitter tell a full story of how Rendon's amazing season may be remembered.
Sounds like someone you should give a contract extension to #ExtendRendon
— Emerson Arriety (@EmersonArriety) August 21, 2019 — Brandon (@bmilluhhhh) August 21, 2019If he isnt re-signed...
— sayhitojustin (@thejisforjenius) August 21, 2019Ranks last in pay. pic.twitter.com/RYC8Slt3se
— AllenOneDC (@AllenOneDC) August 21, 2019 — Dupont Circle (@DupontCircleDC) August 21, 2019That's great. Pay him.
— KevinMc From TX (@KevinMcFromTX) August 21, 2019And yet he's not signed. pic.twitter.com/q7rNrxE3IR
— Nats Fan (@NatsCrazy34) August 21, 2019 — ...!!!... (@PippiNatTalking) August 21, 2019Do I even have to say it?
— Washington Sports Gang (@WashSportsGang) August 21, 2019And that wasn't the last time fans got a few tweets off Wednesday night.
PAY HIM COWARDS!!!
— Nats Fanatic (@TheNatsFanatic) August 21, 2019PAY HIM NOW!
— Terri B (@NatsGal) August 21, 2019 — All Baseball Players Matter (@brokehomiechar) August 21, 2019Do it. Tonight. pic.twitter.com/fBwczGmDoa
— Jim Burnetti (@JBurnetti) August 21, 2019Follow @BenKrimmel and @1067theFan on Twitter.
