WASHINGTON -- Friday's trade of pitcher Ross Detwiler to the Rangers could be a small sneak preview of things to come for Nationals players, who have a large contingent of teammates nearing free agency.
Detwiler was one of those, and the former first-round Draft pick now has a new address after growing up in the organization alongside many of the players who have helped lead the team's recent run of success. But if this particular group is going to reach its ultimate goal, a World Series title, 2015 could represent its final chance.
"[Detwiler] and I played together so much in the Minor Leagues and then got called up to the big leagues days apart from each other," right-hander Craig Stammen said at Saturday's NatsFest. "So it's just a little reminder, right there, that you're not always going to have the same teammates forever. Makes you realize we've got to get this going. If we want to do it with this group, we've got to get it done as quick as possible. Hopefully, we'll get it done next year."
Most of last season's National League East-winning club remains, with the exception of Detwiler, first baseman Adam LaRoche and closer Rafael Soriano. Yet, longtime cornerstones such as shortstop Ian Desmond, starterJordan Zimmermann and setup man Tyler Clippard are due to reach free agency next offseason, along with center fielder Denard Span and starterDoug Fister.
Most of their names have come up in trade rumors. Stammen admitted he has paid more attention to the Hot Stove than in years past, since so many of his friends are involved. That includes Clippard, with Stammen joking that he is trying to convince him to stick around so they can continue their golf outings.
"You hope everybody stays for 20 years, but that's not realistic in today's baseball world -- with free agency and all that kind of stuff," said Stammen, who has two years of club control remaining. "The organization has to do [its] job. [It has] to run [its] business, [it has] to choose which players are going to be the best players, who's cost effective and whatnot.
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