The hits keep on coming for the Nationals, who, in a span of four years, have witnessed a mass exodus with Bryce Harper, Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon and now Juan Soto, counting among other trade and free-agent casualties. While industry experts Jim Callis and Keith Law were both complimentary of the prospect haul Washington received in Tuesday’s trade, fans can’t be thrilled to see another mega-star leave the nest with Soto—a 23-year-old Ted Williams clone still scratching the surface of his Hall-of-Fame potential—now off to San Diego.
Management can vilify Soto for pooh-poohing a $440-million extension if they so choose, but the Nationals had to know they’d be laughed out of the room by Scott Boras for offering his client a lower salary than Corey Seager and Carlos Correa. For too long, the Nationals and other “small-market” (merely a synonym for cheap) teams have been guilty of skimping on payroll, developing homegrown talent only to let someone else foot the bill. It’s a frustrating cycle and one that probably won’t end anytime soon, though it’s a cruel trick to play on fans, letting them grow attached to stars like Soto, then pulling the rug out from underneath them, often when they least expect it.
the P A D R E S are doing this. They've acquired Soto, Machado, Hader, Darvish, extended Tatis.
— Cronko Tonko (@cdgoldstein) August 2, 2022
Don't buy the small market blues from other teams. Anyone with an owner interested in winning can do this.
“I feel terrible for them. I can empathize with how they’re feeling. The guys that we’ve had here that are wearing other uniforms. Now add Juan to that list, add [Josh Bell] to that list. I feel their pain,” said veteran Sean Doolittle in the aftermath of Tuesday’s trade. “I’m still here. I don’t know if that helps.”
When asked what he would say to Nats fans, Sean Doolittle struggled to find words, finally leaving them with this message ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/lP5B1mXqMf
— NBC Sports Washington (@NBCSWashington) August 2, 2022
The trade deadline is an emotional time, not just for fans but also for players, including Brewers All-Star Devin Williams, who still can’t fathom why teammate Josh Hader was dealt to San Diego.
“A lot of things don’t really make sense,” said Williams, frustrated that a first-place team would trade its best reliever in the middle of a pennant race. “I want to win. That’s really the biggest thing to me.”
The new collective bargaining agreement, which raised the luxury tax threshold to $230 million, was put in place to prevent such teardowns, though obviously it’s had little effect with penny-pinching owners proving they’ll do anything to save a buck, even if it means gutting a team that won the World Series as recently as three years ago.
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