There.  I said it. Out loud even.  Words that so seldom come out of my mouth that they taste like dust when they do.

The Nationals managed to get Strasburg signed before the deadline.  They most likely paid more for him than he’s worth to the average MLB team.  But the Nats are not an average team.  Not by a long shot.  They are a team that is need of credibility.  And while their play over the last month is starting to make them look respectable it’s not enough.

The team needs to put more fans in the seats.  Strasburg will do that every five nights.  They need somebody that can move merch.  Strasburg will do that, after he wins a couple of games.  The Lerners needed to prove that they are serious about winning.  Locking down Ryan Zimmerman earlier this year did that.  That was the first sign.  Dumping Manny was the next.  Now we have Rocket Boy on the roster.

He’ll get a couple of innings in this season.  That’ll be good for ticket sales.  He’s already got people talking.  That’s good for the team.

Here’s hoping that Mike Rizzo is right.  Let’s hope the kid is “ultra-ultra competitive” once his pockets are lined with cash.   The Nats need that from him.