While the playoffs kick into high gear this week, the rest of the league is left wondering about what might have been this year, and what could be next year.

Fans in Washington might be tempted to view 2006 as a lost season. The team struggled to 71 wins, 10 fewer than the last place ’05 squad, contributing to the team’s decision to dump Frank Robinson.

Truth be told, Frank didn’t have much of a chance this year. When a paper-thin pitching staff loses ten (10!) regular contributors to injury or trade during the year, and the minor league cupboard is bare, it’s impossible to stay competitive. The five pitchers with the most starts this year: Ortiz, Armas, O’Connor, Astascio, and Day, with a whopping one complete game between them. Forget Soriano and Johnson – even Frank Howard and Josh Gibson couldn’t hit a team into contention with that rotation spotting four run leads every night.

Even with those struggles, the team made huge strides this year in player development, franchise organization, and marketing, most of it owing to the transition from the penny ante league stewardship to real, live Washington owners with a vested interest in the franchise’s success.

After the jump, the Nats’ best 2006 storylines.

Photo by Flickr user ImaginaryGirl.