“I believe it’s beginning to hit me in items,” Wooden mentioned quietly.
Three and a half hours later, MacKenzie Gore threw a simple 95.6-mph fastball previous New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso for a strikeout that ended the highest of the primary. Ten minutes after that, CJ Abrams shot a ball into proper discipline for one more hit, and 5 minutes after that he made a who-else-can-do-that, full-360-spin-and-throw to gun down Tyrone Taylor at first. Yeah, the Washington Nationals misplaced Wooden’s debut to the Mets, 9-7, in 10 innings Monday night time. However the Nats’ rebuild — painful, so needed however nonetheless painful — is beginning to hit in items. Thanks, San Diego Padres.
Wooden’s main league debut was essentially the most anticipated for the Nats since Bryce Harper, which is now (one way or the other) a dozen years in the past. But it surely’s additionally in contrast to Harper’s in 2012, in contrast to Juan Soto’s in 2018, in contrast to Trea Turner’s or Anthony Rendon’s in between. These gamers, all ascendant prospects who grew to become stars, arrived to completely shaped groups, outfits constructed to contend. They may very well be comfy becoming in.
The 6-foot-7 Wooden should stand out. He took to left discipline for the primary inning with a throng standing to greet him as a result of he was a centerpiece of what’s taking place with this group earlier than he had a lot as stepped in a giant league batter’s field.
Face of the franchise going ahead?
“I strive to not actually take a look at it that method,” he mentioned.
That’s applicable. He additionally might don’t have any alternative. Followers who nonetheless bear in mind outdated glory as they lick the injuries left by current seasons watched, rapt, when the Nationals confirmed a pregame video of Wooden’s highlights from spring coaching and Class AAA Rochester. They stood when he got here up for his first at-bat within the second. And so they roared when he labored that at-bat for seven pitches, then hit a laser previous diving shortstop Francisco Lindor into left-center, his first hit.
“It’s so thrilling, so thrilling,” mentioned Mark Lerner, the proprietor who appeared within the clubhouse earlier than the sport and sat within the entrance row throughout Wooden’s media session. “We’re seeing our imaginative and prescient beginning to transfer ahead. The progress the group is making, that is actually, actually particular.”
Notice, for now and the longer term: The progress gained’t proceed with, say, Joey Meneses at first and Nick Senzel at third. There was a time to be financially conservative and acquire property. That has occurred, nevertheless it’s over. The time to spend is coming — and quick.
That’s an ongoing dialogue. Within the meantime, Wooden’s debut was a reminder that the depths of despair simply may need been price it. It’s price noting that no workforce has misplaced extra video games because the begin of the 2020 season than the Nationals. The bottom of these low factors, emotionally if not viscerally, was Aug. 2, 2022 — the day the Nats traded Soto to San Diego.
At that time, Wooden was a 19-year-old who had by no means performed above Class A, Abrams was a 21-year-old coming off a significant damage within the minors, and Gore was a 23-year-old perennial prospect who hadn’t proven the power to persistently keep on the mound. So far as Nats followers had been involved, they had been names on a sheet of paper, the faceless return for a beloved, generational expertise. Now, collectively, they seem like franchise pillars.
And who is aware of what turns into of Robert Hassell III, the outfielder nonetheless at Class AA, and Jarlin Susana, the massive right-hander who is likely to be prepared to maneuver up from low Class A? These are 5 gamers for a corporation that wanted greater than 5 gamers. In the meantime, Soto continues to be scheduled to be a free agent this offseason. (Psst, Mark Lerner. Don’t neglect that reality as offseason planning will get nearer. The truth: $500 million may be cash properly spent.)
Monday, then, was about what Wooden represents. But it surely was additionally about Wooden as a participant and an individual. That’s essential, too.
“I simply suppose he’s an influence participant who has an opportunity to be the piece that will get us again to the place we had been in ’19,” mentioned Matt LeCroy, Wooden’s supervisor at Rochester.
That’s heady stuff as a result of ’19 can be the World Collection yr. LeCroy, a veteran of eight huge league seasons as a catcher, has been a supervisor and coach within the Nationals’ group for 17 extra. He is aware of what he’s taking a look at when it comes to a participant’s instruments. However he additionally understands the make-up that helps nice huge leaguers be nice.
“James was all the time an amazing human being,” LeCroy mentioned by telephone Monday. “He’s a really quiet particular person at instances, however he treats everyone very properly and with a whole lot of respect. He’s type of low-key, however he performs the sport the best method. I wasn’t fairly certain how his demeanor would look on the sphere, however for me, he was every thing that folks discuss along with his expertise — and much more. He needs to be coached. That, for me, is what sort of opened my eyes to what he may turn out to be.”
Wooden didn’t immediately speak in confidence to Rochester’s teaching workers. “It took about three weeks,” LeCroy mentioned. However then he went for it. He began asking coach Billy McMillon about when and tips on how to be aggressive working the bases. His conversations with hitting coach Brian Daubach grew deeper.
“He’s the one which initiated that openness to studying,” LeCroy mentioned. “He simply wished to be a greater participant.”
That’s the course of that may’t cease for Wooden as a person or the Nats as a corporation. The Soto commerce was a step in making the rebuild attainable. However there are steps to return. Abrams may be extra constant, as his pricey sixth-inning error reminded everybody. Gore may be extra environment friendly, as his 104-pitch outing yielded explosiveness however solely 17 outs. Wooden’s ft are barely moist, and the only in his first at-bat was adopted by a three-pitch strikeout and a first-pitch groundout — after which a loopy play within the ninth through which a squibber to the pitcher resulted in Wooden standing on second base, a play scored an error which may have been a success.
“Simply as quickly because the ball’s hit,” Wooden mentioned, “I’m simply making an attempt to hustle and make it troublesome for them.”
He made it troublesome on the Mets. He’ll make it troublesome on different groups. And there are extra items — Dylan Crews, Brady Home, and so forth. — nonetheless to return.
“It’s arduous to not see what’s taking place,” mentioned Jacob Younger, the rookie middle fielder who has inserted himself as a possible piece. “You’re seeing type of that core begin to develop into one thing that’s going to be particular in a couple of years.”
It doesn’t need to be a couple of years. It may very well be subsequent yr. Welcome to Washington, James Wooden. Could your debut be remembered as deserving of the hype. Whether it is, it means you developed into the participant the Nationals envision. And if that occurs, it means you’re a star on a perennial contender that made all of the agony of rebuilding price it.
