First, the team needed a cornerstone. Specifically, they needed to fill a gaping hole at the hot corner. They found their man in Ryan Zimmerman, a slugging 25-year old third baseman coming off a career year as he enters his physical prime. Some say GM Jamie Hoyle overdrafted Zimmerman, but the GM is adamant that that Zimmerman is just the type of run producer around whom a winning team is built.
"We got our guy, and that's all that matters," says Hoyle. "After years of 'making do' with guys like Kouzmanoff, Blalock and Lowell, this team finally has a run-producing third baseman in his prime; and we couldn't be happier about it."
Having added a true slugger to their order, the team was able to focus on adding more well-rounded talents with it's next two picks. In Brian Roberts and Shin Soo-Choo, Hoyle was able to add a pair of multidimensional offensive threats who are just as likely to steal a base as hit a home run. Perhaps even more importantly, both should be superb sources of runs themselves.
"This team has historically either had speed or power, we've never really had a lineup full of guys who could provide both," explained Hoyle. "With Roberts, Choo and McCutchen, we feel we have three talented players who can impact a game with both their ability to create and drive in runs. It's a welcomed change."
Still, Hoyle recognizes there are no easy fixes.
"Do we think we're better now than at the end of last year? Absolutely," said Hoyle. "But having said that, we have a long way to go and more players to add. To expect us to win this year is probably little unrealistic, but a good draft this season will put us in position to contend in 2011."
Who else is Hoyle targeting? That's for him to know and everyone else to find out.
"We have a strategy mapped out, and so far so good. Obviously we can't expect to get all of 'our guys', but we'll get a few more; we just need to stay patient and stick to the plan."
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