2008 Washington Nationals season


The Washington Nationals' 2008 season was the fourth season for the franchise in the District of Columbia, and the 40th since the original team was started in Montreal, Quebec, in 1969. It also marked the first season the Nationals played at Nationals Park. The team finished in last place in the National League East with a record of 59–102, the worst record in Major League Baseball. This prompted an updated version of a running joke that originated with the American League's Senators: "Washington: First in war, first in peace, and last in the National League."

Offseason

On November 30, 2007, the Nationals traded Ryan Church and Brian Schneider to the New York Mets for Lastings Milledge. On December 3, 2007, they traded minor-leaguer Glenn Gibson to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Elijah Dukes, and on the following day they traded Jonathan Albaladejo to the New York Yankees for Tyler Clippard.

Advertising and marketing

The Nationals′ marketing slogan for 2008 was "Welcome Home." The slogan welcomed Nationals fans to their new "home" at Nationals Park, where the Nationals began play in 2008 after three seasons at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.

Spring training

The Nationals held their 2008 spring training in Viera, Florida, with home games played at Space Coast Stadium.

Regular season

March

The Nationals opened the 2008 MLB season by hosting the Atlanta Braves in a nationally televised night game on March 30, 2008. It was the first professional regular-season game to be played at the Nationals' new facility Nationals Park. President George W. Bush threw the ceremonial first pitch to Nationals' manager Manny Acta, and Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-out, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to mark an exciting beginning to the 2008 season. The Nationals also blew out the Phillies 11-6.

April

The Nationals clinched the series against the Phillies, winning 1-0. However, the Nationals struggled after a promising 3-0 start, losing 16 of their next 19 games to start off 6-16. They improved for the rest of the month, earning splits at Atlanta and at home against the Mets, and winning series against the Braves and the Pirates. Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass at Nationals Park in front of 47,000 people on April 17 while the Nationals were on a road trip.

May

The Nats started May winning 3 of the first 4 games of the month, earning them a 14-18 record, but lost 2 of 3 at Houston and were swept by the Florida Marlins at home. Then they took 3 of 4 against the struggling Mets at Shea Stadium, but in the first Beltway Series of 2008 they were nipped by the Orioles at Baltimore and lost two of three against the high-powered Phillies' offense. They split a series two games apiece against the Brewers and lost a series to the Padres. The Nats then beat up on the Diamondbacks in the first game of a series.

June

July

August

September

The team finished 59-102, the worst record in Major League Baseball. Six of the team's coaches were dismissed the day before the final game ; only manager Manny Acta and pitching coach Randy St. Clair were retained.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day lineup

Notable transactions

The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft took place on June 5 and 6. With their first pick - the ninth pick overall - the Nationals selected pitcher Aaron Crow. Other notable players the Nationals selected were shortstop Danny Espinosa, catcher Adrián Nieto, pitcher Tommy Milone, pitcher Louis Coleman, first baseman Tyler Moore, shortstop Steve Lombardozzi, Jr., pitcher Cory Mazzoni, pitcher Chris Heston, catcher Rob Brantly, and outfielder Alex Dickerson. Crow, Coleman, Mazzoni, Heston, Brantly, and Dickerson all opted not to sign with the team. Moore finally did sign with the Nationals; it was the third time they had drafted him, but he had opted not to sign with them the first two times.

Roster

Attendance

The Nationals drew 2,320,400 fans at Nationals Park in 2008, placing them 13th in attendance for the season among the 16 National League teams. Boosted by the opening of Nationals Park at the beginning of the season, it was their second-best attendance total in their short history in Washington, exceeded only by the 2,731,993 they drew in 2005, their first season in Washington.

Game log

Player stats

Batting

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; AVG = Batting average; SB = Stolen bases
PosPlayerGABRH2B3BHRRBIAVGSB
LF14036728921441343.25113
CF138523651402421461.26824
SS13857977183355955.3166
3B106428511212411451.2831
1B1042322356131628.2410
2B1003253476200225.2344
IF9629637852201146.2873
C903012377181859.2560
RF863134068100732.2172
RF8127648731621344.26413
OF73111172652312.2342
P721000000.0000
C68176154691120.2610
CI661631535100216.2151
P652000000.0000
LF64195104060210.2050
P601000000.0000
P580000000-0
P560000000-0
1B50150154260410.2800
UT497510192107.2531
UT46139133270012.2301
P441000000.0000
2B41157263955012.2486
P394000000.0000
1B38109152480520.2200
OF3853771014.1320
P3447281003.1700
P3053482002.1510
P2945010000.0220
P2940000000.0000
2B2881112740017.3330
P264000000.0000
OF267610161102.2114
C2353090004.1700
IF17499176019.3470
P1515130001.2000
P140000000-0
P120000000-0
P110100000-0
P1013220000.1540
C1021230013.1430
P100000000-0
P97000000.0000
P70000000-0
P60000000-0
P57000000.0000
P52000000.0000
P40000000-0
P110100001.0000
Totals1615491641137626926117608.25181

Pitching

Table is sortable.
Note: Pos = Position; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts
PosPlayerWLERAGGSSVIPRERBBK
SP10114.9533330182.011010065120
SP9153.9131310182.0897972117
SP7124.3430300159.2877755119
RP633.95690984.140374293
RP563.96760084.041373565
CL422.984801748.11816744
SP375.511515080.053492850
SP2115.0930220139.294794796
222.16390250.014122041
207.36120011.1109510
RP224.31610071.038343955
114.3522010.15578
135.14570042.025243137
134.17263041.020192346
135.6654020.214131223
1113.005109.01313114
155.831212063.147412339
RP185.77620057.241372236
007.82110012.21311510
005.6812006.14441
0111.257008.0101061
005.44005.03363
066.19118048.034341731
002.086004.11135
000.00140013.21039
Totals591024.66161161281434.08257425881063

Team leaders

Qualifying players only.

Batting

StatPlayerTotal
Avg.Christian Guzman.316
HRLastings Milledge
Ryan Zimmerman		14
14
RBILastings Milledge61
RChristian Guzman77
HChristian Guzman183
SBLastings Milledge24

Pitching

StatPlayerTotal
WTim Redding10
LJohn Lannan15
ERAJohn Lannan3.91
SOTim Redding120
SVJon Rauch17
IPJohn Lannan
Tim Redding		182.0
182.0

Awards and honors

All-Stars

1. Chris Marrero, 1B/OF

2. Ross Detwiler, LHP

3. Collin Balester, RHP

4. Michael Burgess, OF

5. Jack McGeary, LHP

6. Josh Smoker, LHP

7. Jordan Zimmermann, RHP

8. Justin Maxwell, OF

9. Colton Willems, RHP

10. John Lannan, LHP

11. Jake Smolinski, OF

12. Tyler Clippard, RHP

13. Adam Carr, RHP

14. Ian Desmond, SS

15. Garrett Mock, RHP

16. Stephen King, SS

17. Esmailyn Gonzalez, SS

18. Shairon Martis, RHP

19. Brad Peacock, RHP

20. Kory Casto, OF/3B

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Potomac