When Mike Rizzo signed Jayson Werth to a 7-year $126 million deal, it was each a press release of intent and a large function of the cube. The deal made him the twelfth highest paid participant within the league, regardless of just one all star look. In my view, the danger paid off. Was he analytically price his contract? Perhaps not, however he set the tone for the Nationals and there have been actually some seasons the place he was definitely worth the cash.
The Nationals had been star looking in free company for some time earlier than Werth, however have been by no means capable of get their man. Most notably, they obtained rejected by Mark Teixeira earlier than he signed with the Yankees. Nonetheless, they have been to not be denied with Werth, paying him nicely over anticipated.
The contract obtained ridiculed in baseball circles. Mets GM Sandy Alderson even quipped that, “I assumed they have been making an attempt to scale back the deficit in Washington”. The Nats have been thought of a laughing inventory when Werth joined. They hadn’t had a successful season since coming to DC and have been fixed backside dwellers within the Nationwide League.
Werth wasn’t going to let the shedding tradition that had outlined the Nats proceed. He shortly emerged as a workforce chief, with the World Sequence champion instructing the younger guys how one can win. Nonetheless, that 2011 season wasn’t profitable for Werth on the sector. He had his worst season since 2005, and regarded like a man scuffling with the stress of the contract. Critics have been fast to place out their scorching takes, with pundits calling it one of many worst contracts of all time.
Nonetheless, because the Nationals took the subsequent step in 2012, Werth’s play improved. Whereas he missed a number of time with harm that season, he was very productive when he performed. He hit .300 with an .827 OPS in 81 video games. Werth additionally delivered his most iconic second in that postseason. After a 13 pitch struggle, he hit a walkoff house run in sport 4 of the NLDS, sending Nats park right into a state of pandemonium by no means earlier than seen on the stadium. That reminiscence alone paid for lots of that contract.
His subsequent two seasons have been his best in a Nationals uniform. Regardless of being 34 and 35 years outdated, Werth nonetheless put collectively superb seasons. He completed prime 20 in MVP voting each seasons. In 2013, he posted a profession excessive .931 OPS with a .318 common and 25 homers. 2014 was one other productive yr for the veteran, with an .849 OPS, a .292 common and 37 doubles.
The final three years of the contract weren’t nice, with Werth’s age beginning to present. A misplayed flyball within the 2017 NLDS was a second to overlook, nevertheless it was not his fault that Dusty Baker most likely performed him an excessive amount of.
General, the Jayson Werth expertise in Washington was a extremely profitable one. Was it $126 million good? That’s up for debate, however Werth’s standing as a Nats nice can’t be denied. He was a veteran presence that helped the workforce win and in addition gave them some very productive seasons.
The very fact Mike Rizzo didn’t resolve to go after a Jayson Werth kind signing was disappointing to me. It was precisely what the Nationals wanted. A veteran presence who nonetheless had loads of nice years within the tank. This workforce can’t afford to slide again into the shedding tradition they’d earlier than Werth. With one other dangerous yr this yr, it could possibly be too late.
Whereas the Nationals might have “overpaid” for Werth, he gave them a ton of optimistic worth. In the event you gave Mike Rizzo an opportunity to do issues over once more, he would signal Jayson Werth to that contract day-after-day of the week and twice on Sunday.
