Thursday, December 6, 2012

VIDEO: Nats leave town early

77 comments:

Gonat said...

The Nats took care of their main business early. Congratulations!

Faraz Shaikh said...

I am gaining more confidence now that Nats will likely sign ALR. He is not being linked to any other and some beat reports and national reporters seem confident too. Why don't we add a club option if necessary?

Faraz Shaikh said...

How to put together cheap bullpen every season? Follow Rays! I need to look at their respective salaries but I am pretty sure no one was earning 'closer money' as everyone likes to call it. I find it absurd that you have to pay one reliever $5 million or more to pitch 60-70 innings (Papelbon, Rivera, etc made at least $12 million in some seasons).

hiramhover said...

Faraz

On ALR - yeah, but the reporters and rumors get it wrong so often that you should always beware the "mystery team." And of course if there really is no market for him, then the 3d yr option is superflous.

Bullpen - A good closer is worth $5M a year. A LOOGY or middle reliever, not so much.

Theophilus T. S. said...

Farz & Hiram --

MLBrumors reports Brewers listening to offers for Corey Hart. According to the rumor they aren't anxious to trade him but are listening. Moving Hart would put the Brewers in line for a real 1B.

NatsLady said...

Bit of a snub for the Nats to leave early, but I'm one to do exactly the same thing, since I hate the small-talk-in-the-hallway/boring presentations/overpriced restaurants/trade show plastic junk giveaways/parties-in-hotel-rooms scene. Some the GMs and managers doing these interviews on MLB Network are strange. Watching Walt Weiss (Rockies new manager) now, he can't be sober, really.

NatsLady said...

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS
#brewers will listen on corey hart, but one issue is limited no-trade that includes 15 of 29 teams. wants spring in AZ

Unknown said...

15 of 29 ouch thats an extensive list, also anyone know the exact time of the physical for Dan Haren?

Doc said...

Yeah, left town with a 5th SP that has lost 7 mph off his FB, and without their best set-up man over the past 3 years--at a price even the Oakland A's could afford!

Rizzo and Co. should have phoned it in from D.C., and saved the hotelling fees!

Unknown said...

Doc, 7 MPH!! so when was it that Dan Haren through 95-96 in the mlb? he lost 2 mph and if you noticed Burnett had a surgery this offseason there might be an unknown reason they didn't persue him who knows. They left with a complete lineup - maybe laroche and 1 lefty in the pen. So they were pretty much done.

mick said...

I would still like one more lefty closer.

also, will Haren be an improvement from E Jack

Joe Seamhead said...

Do you ever wake up with a positive outlook, Doc?

hiramhover said...

C'mon, Doc. I've got some concerns about Haren's health, but saying he lost 7 mph off his FB is silly. It's more like 2-3, and the fact is that he never relied on overpowering heat anyway.

mick said...

anyone know how R Zim's rehab is going?

Joe Seamhead said...

mick, I think almost everybody in baseball feels that the Nats' pitching improved substantially with Dan Haren vs. EJ . Comparatively speaking, Jackson was a one dimensional pitcher vs.a crafty, control pitcher with a varied array of effective pitches.

mick said...

Joe... thanks... that is my gut feeling as well

mick said...

Joe... let me ask this... I have not heard a lot of talk about Tyler Moore playing substantially more next season, am I wrong?

mick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mick said...

Natsjack... i'm not a tatoo guy, but I gotta tell ya, yours is very cool!

Holden Baroque said...

Haren's physical is set for 2:31-2:57 PM. I spoke to Ryan Zimmerman and his rehab is going well, but he was a little constipated yesterday--probably the grilled cheese with pickles.

mick said...

staring out the window waiting for spring

thanks for the update, lol

Tcostant said...

I hope this works out better than when Mike Ditka left the NFL draft after trading for Ricky Williams. I'm just saying...

NatsLady said...

Nats draft at #30. Gonna be slim pickings. But maybe there is a guy in there that Rizzo has his eye on, and didn't want to tip his hand. MLB is supposedly cracking down on teams getting Rule 5 picks, DL'ing them for most of the season and then returning them to the original team with a year lost in their development.

Unknown said...

you actually talked to Zimmerman nice hope he gets better thanks for the timeslot of Haren's physical appreciate it.

Faraz Shaikh said...

Doc, best set-up man? Really? what does clip qualify as?

Holden Baroque said...

(Should we tell Teddy?)

Unknown said...

@NatsLady
That might be true, but remember there is always 1 gem we got Zimmermann in the second round Trout was picked what 23rd or 26th who knows we could get an mvp don't give up.

Unknown said...

Thats not funny window :( i don't know you and know who you talk to thought you were being genuine.

Holden Baroque said...

(or did I just fall for the reverse play?)

Laddie Blah Blah said...

"Nats draft at #30. Gonna be slim pickings."

Albert Pujols was picked in the 13th round of the 1999 draft. You never know.

Holden Baroque said...

Awww, I'm sorry, Teddy. I was really pitching that at Mick. I should have made it more obvious.

Faraz Shaikh said...

unless I am wrong, first round picks always net the most WAR so yeah anything is possible. Mike Schmidt of Phillies was drafted 30th. There is hope.

NatsLady said...

Teddy and Laddie--I think I hinted at that. Rizzo is crafty. If he has his eye on someone, the asst GM he left behind can pick the guy...

Holden Baroque said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Holden Baroque said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mick said...

in all seriousness, I meant R Zim's shoulder rehab

Faraz Shaikh said...

those are very few, staring. but yeah, Piazza is a good counter-example I suppose.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

NatsLady said...
Nats draft at #30. Gonna be slim pickings. But maybe there is a guy in there that Rizzo has his eye on, and didn't want to tip his hand. MLB is supposedly cracking down on teams getting Rule 5 picks, DL'ing them for most of the season and then returning them to the original team with a year lost in their development.

December 06, 2012 9:35 AM


In 2007 the Nats had 3 1st round picks. They got Detwiler (6th overall), Smoker and Burgess. In the 2nd round, these guys were still on the board: Jordan Zimmermann, Giancarlo Stanton, and Freddie Freeman.

The first 3 rounds produce most of the stars and there are still many who slip by. Various reasons for that and the most common is many young men at 18 are still growing and maturing and look no further than Ryan Zimmerman and Stephen Strasburg who weren't seriously considered on any draft boards at 18 years old.

Its also the reason why 18 and 19 year old Draft Picks are usually wasted ultimately but its all part of the numbers game. AJ Cole is one to watch. He had the best fastball in the country at 18 years old and as we know, it takes a lot more than throwing 97mph at 18 to be successful.

Holden Baroque said...

My bad. Of course, NL is talking about the Rule 5 draft, not the regular amateur draft, which is in June, wherein the Nats drafted JZnn in the second round (and Lannan in the 11th) and the Dodgers drafted Mike Piazza with their final pick.

Pittsburgh got Clemente in the equivalent to the Rule 5 draft.

Section 222 said...

Faraz -- How is adding a club option for ALR going to convince him to sign? He's the guy who wants the third year guaranteed.

I'm not counting my chickens on him yet. Just because Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal aren't reporting the other teams that are interested doesn't mean there aren't any. Rizzo is not the only GM who moves stealthily.

I'm glad that we have the Mikey the Beast as a Plan B, and judging from Twitter, he seems to be handling it well. (Although who knows, really?)

Joe Seamhead said...

Jack, like mick, I'm not big on tattoos, but yours is pretty cool.
mick, I think, barring a trade, that Tyler is going to have another year of being Davey's big, hair chested, bench guy. The outfield has improved defensively to a point I don't see many opportunities for him there. He'll be the right handed PH bat off the bench and backup first baseman. This all speculative until ALR is signed. Even if Adam doesn't return, Mikey Morse certainly hasn't felt the love from the brass for the past month. Something happened with him last year. The big, goofy galoot that we all loved was MIA for most of the season after he returned from his shoulder injury. I will always feel that there was more there then we fans were privy to as far as what went down between Davey and Michael.There's more to this story then Morse's limited defense.

mick said...

thanks Joe... your analysis makes sense

NatsLady said...

Colorado took Rosenbaum.

Nattering Nat said...

Been following all the talk about ALR and whether he'll resign with the Nats.

My two cents, probably worth half that. While I think odds are right at 50:50 as to whether he comes back, there's one issue probably weighing on him I haven't seen mentioned. Davey says he's only back for one last year. If ALR signs only for two, he doesn't know what he's getting, in terms of platooning, etc. beyond one year. For a guy who now wants job security for the next three years, having uncertainty beyond one year, post-Davey, even with a club he knows, is likely to be a major factor. Anyone who has ever been hired by someone, only to have a very different manager come on the scene a year later, knows what a difference that makes.

One other thing about ALR. While I love his defense, I was less enamored of his offensive numbers last year. It's anecdotal, but I was surprised by how often his HRs and RBIs were in "non-crucial" situations. I could count on one hand, with a few fingers left over, how many times last season he delivered a key hit with RISP. He did walk a few times, also hit a few SFs, but I found him to be less reliable than Desi, Zimm (part of the season), Suzuki, Werth, Lombo, or even Morse in delivering when it really counts. I also leave out the playoffs when I say this. Not that I don't like him in many respects, but he was the one Nat whose overall numbers I found more impressive than the day-to-day ABs. I'd want to keep him mainly for the defense, plus I love the elegance of his swing, and he does connect for about 30 HRs a year, and he's a good guy overall. But he's got to be hesitating about what happens after next year, not just two years.

blovy8 said...

Unless there's a decent "left"over reliever, it would be hard to imagine getting a Rule 5 guy. There isn't much Rizzo can do until LaRoche decides to stop waiting for a third year. If that were to happen soon, it seems like the Mariners have a deep farm system, I would try to pry the best prospect I could get for Morse from them rather than take a bullpen pitcher. They will need to test out the closer fences there with someone.

I agree with posters who think Burnett was worth that contract to the Nats. While he's not really a matchup lefty, he's worth 2 WAR over two years, I'd say.

NatsLady said...

Kobernis also gone. To Boston.

natsfan1a said...

What? No tomato soup? That's a real disappointment. I'd go for a smoothie, but it's a little cold outside for that.

staring out the window waiting for spring said...

Haren's physical is set for 2:31-2:57 PM. I spoke to Ryan Zimmerman and his rehab is going well, but he was a little constipated yesterday--probably the grilled cheese with pickles.
December 06, 2012 9:25 AM

natsfan1a said...

Oh, dear. I didn't read far enough to see Teddy's response to window guy. My bad. :-)

NatsLady said...

Nats passed on Round 1.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Can't imagine Kobernus sticking with Boston for a whole year. Rosenbaum to Rockies will be interesting. Probably stick him in the bullpen.

Joe Seamhead said...

where are you following this natslady? Rosenbaum not being protected was risky. peric will be spitting blood over that one.

natsfan1a said...

Okay, seriously, I think this has mentioned before, but, just for Teddy, here's a recent WaPo piece on RZ's surgery and recovery.

Section 222 said...

Poor Rosenbaum. Pitching for the Rockies can't be good for your career.

Prepare for the peric meltdown over losing these two key prospects.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

blovy8, the problem with Burnett started with very high demands which turned many GMs away and the bone chip issue I saw as a positive as it explained away any negatives from his 2012 season. He left millions on the table as many felt he was better than Affeldt given his age.

With the Nats, once Burnett declined his option I knew he was gone. Something just tells me Rizzo was ready to turn that page.

I really liked Burnett and when healthy he was good enough to be set-up man or emergency closer. As we all know, its not really what we think as Rizzo will do as he wants.

blovy8 said...

If they were actually ready to turn the page on Burnett Ghost, Johnson wouldn't have been talking about him so much.

Losing Rosenbaum takes away that potential loogy too. Maybe the idea is overrated, but there seems to be a decided disinterest in balancing the bullpen after last year where they had too many lefties, it seemed.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Sect222, Kobernus won't stick with the Red Sox I believe. Probably will be returned in Spring Training. Rosenbaum will probably be returned sooner than later but many times these players come back as more valuable players than before.

The experience that Komatsu got was invaluable.

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessimistic_For_Me said...

NatsLady said...

Colorado took Rosenbaum.
December 06, 2012 10:04 AM

Oh, the humanity! This Rosenbaum-lovers are going to explode today. Calamity galore. How can the republic survive?

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

blovy8, Johnson has been talking up DeRosa too. Its Rizzo who makes the decision and while he consults with Davey, its Rizzo.

Rizzo doesn't value relievers like the fanbase does. He likes young controlable arms and veteran 1 year deals.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Kobernus is now a Detroit Tiger.

Steady Eddie said...

I agree with ghost at 10:19. These are basically ST tryouts at trivial cost and no risk to the choosing team. Especially if MLB is really cracking down on the DL scam (that the Yanks pulled with Meyers in 2012), teams have got to be pretty hard up to put an A or weak-performing AA prospect on their 25 man for long into the regular season. Very few pre-injury Flores-type pickups.

Steady Eddie said...

Ghost -- did NatsLady list Kobernus with the wrong team or did the Red Sox trade him already? If the latter, how does the Rule 5 draft provide for/allow that?

NatsLady said...

The audio is on MLB.com, it's very scratchy. Nats just lost "somebody" from Harrisburg, didn't catch the name.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Steady, the Red Sox chose Kobernus and traded him to the Tigers already. That changes things slightly as the Tigers were in need of a bench middle infielder on the cheap. Still has to make the team and could see this as cheap insurance in case they can't find someone better. Felipe Lopez, where are you?

JD said...


Rosenbaum and Kobernus are both fringy prospects. They are both decent and have both moved up nicely and they have both maintained their performances as they moved up but they are 24 and 25 years old respectively and neither has played above AA. It's time to make room for younger prospects from lower levels to see if they can uncover a gem.

Since the Nats have many mid twenties and younger players at the big league level there's no urgency to have players ready to move up. There's always Rendon who may be ready by September, Goodwin in a year or so and the catchers who are nearly ready.

NatsLady said...

Oh, here ya go.

LA #Dodgers selected RHP Hector Nelo from the #Nats Double-A roster in the minor league phase of the #Rule5Draft

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

I still contend Rosenbaum hurt himself in May of last year. He started off like an Ace and fell off hard. You have to think the Rockies will move him to the bullpen if they retain him.

Theophilus T. S. said...

Rosenbaum --> CO; Lesson to all aspiring pitchers, screw up your AA year and wind up in Coors Field. If he lasts less than a full year it will be because of PTSD.

Either he was injured or it's an indictment of Nats' pitching coaches at minor league level -- the guy went from being soup to nuts in the space of about 10 starts.

Not saying I had high hopes for him otherwise, except possibly as trade material. Just not Rule 5.

MicheleS said...

NJ/222 and Kobernus as well...

MicheleS said...

Sounds like the fanfest ticket sales are pretty brisk..And yes it looks like all the autograph sessions have sold out.

Tcostant said...

Nats loss two guys (Rosenbaum & Kobernus) in the Rule 5 Draft:
1. Astros – Josh Fields, RHP (Red Sox)
2. Cubs – Hector Rondon, RHP (Indians)
3. Rockies – Daniel Rosenbaum, LHP (Nationals)
4. Twins – Ryan Pressley, RHP (Red Sox)
5. Indians – Chris McGuinness, 1B (Rangers)
6. Marlins – Alfredo Silverio, OF (Dodgers)
7. Red Sox – Jeff Kobernus, 2B (Nationals)
10. Mets – Kyle Lobstein, RHP (Rays)
14. Diamondbacks – Starling Peralta, RHP (Cubs)
15. Phillies – Ender Inciarte, OF (Diamondbacks)
17. White Sox – Angel Sanchez, SS (Angels)
23. Orioles – T.J. McFarland, RHP (Indians)
24. Rangers – Coty Woods, RHP (Rockies)
31. Astros – Nate Freiman, 1B (Padres)
36. Marlins – Brauilo Lara, LHP (Rays)

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

MicheleS said...
Sounds like the fanfest ticket sales are pretty brisk..And yes it looks like all the autograph sessions have sold out.

December 06, 2012 10:50 AM


So much for people complaining about the prices. You are correct. All 8 autograph sessions sold out. Supposedly at 10:05EST all sold-out. I'm sure there are many speculators trying to make a few bucks if they get Bryce Harper or Strasburg but it appears to be a lottery and no guarantee either will be signing or even there.

SonnyG10 said...

JD, thanks for your @10:33 am comments. I was getting a little miffed we were losing our minor league prospects. I feel better now.

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessimistic_For_Me said...

14. Diamondbacks – Starling Peralta, RHP (Cubs)

No relation to Dr. Scuffball, is he?

And to think: The Cubs were leading the world in Starlings.

Joe Seamhead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JD said...


Phillies in discussions to acquire Michael Young. He's both old and bad. He should fit right in.

SonnyG10 said...

Is there a rule on how many players can be taken in a rule 5 draft from one team? If not, seems like we could lose too many players if we had outstanding minor league prospects.

Theophilus T. S. said...

Michael Young is a year away from leading the AL in hits. Though he is coming off a "bad" year (169 hits), this (Phillies) is a straight salary dump, which would cover more than a third of a three-year deal for LaRoche. (If Rangers don't reel in Hamilton.)

Post a Comment