tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post5637267241375116491..comments2024-02-15T05:42:18.307-05:00Comments on Nats Insider: Is lack of offense a concern?Mark Zuckermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13525315258889435961noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-7582154161158819772012-03-23T17:51:39.401-04:002012-03-23T17:51:39.401-04:00Nat's fans have gone from wildly -- maybe hyst...Nat's fans have gone from wildly -- maybe hysterically -- optimistic, to stomping on the Panic Button due to the dearth of runs being scored by a lineup consisting mainly of minor leaguers.<br /><br />Keep with the Mantra: This is Spring Training: only Spring Training. OOOMMMMMM.NatsFanJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04469853617141172183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-68498868724854453562012-03-23T15:40:02.194-04:002012-03-23T15:40:02.194-04:00Section Three, My Sofa - Thanks for the helpful re...Section Three, My Sofa - Thanks for the helpful response. I did find it useful . It seems at some point, though, you've gotta say - even if you're Davey - that if a hitter's at-bat plan isn't translating into hits, or at least getting on base, there's cause for concern.lelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04340880741764816637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-77874939706708070052012-03-23T14:35:04.231-04:002012-03-23T14:35:04.231-04:00Sorry, Mike Schmidt's quote = "You damn k...Sorry, Mike Schmidt's quote = "You damn kids get off my lawn!", "Old man yells at cloud", etc.<br /><br />As we all know, reading gotcha "journalism" reports is a great way to really understand what's going on, especially with people you don't know.Steady Eddienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-16363338017396268882012-03-23T13:50:41.177-04:002012-03-23T13:50:41.177-04:00With all due respect to Mike Schmidt, he's ent...With all due respect to Mike Schmidt, he's entitled to his opinion, which should carry some weight, but that's all it is. Your guess that he'd be a better <i>Jeopardy!</i> player than NatsJack is beside the point. Baseball is a very conservative culture. That doesn't make them right.Soul Possession, PFB Sofahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08891662837668214475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-87602012816751628022012-03-23T13:28:01.054-04:002012-03-23T13:28:01.054-04:00Just read it. No, Schmidt's quote doesn't...Just read it. No, Schmidt's quote doesn't bother me at all. <br />Harper doesn't need "policing". At least not in the Elijah Dukes method. <br />He's apparently as clean as anyone could be. Which, for a 19 year old, is pretty amazing.<br /><br />He needs to mature, of course. That will happen when he gets to the Big Leagues and sits next to Werth, Zimm, etc. <br /><br />Harper is going to show off for a magazine. But I would rather read what NatsJack mentioned in his 12:36 post.Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-70664840592204226372012-03-23T13:23:38.878-04:002012-03-23T13:23:38.878-04:00HHover-Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trad...HHover-Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade Rizzo for most any GM in the league. The guy is obviously competitive and wants to win badly. I also know baseball enough to never criticize GM's for bad draft picks in baseball. Talk about a crapshoot.Eriknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-86852719933601575142012-03-23T13:09:27.712-04:002012-03-23T13:09:27.712-04:00There is a temptation, because the hype surroundin...There is a temptation, because the hype surrounding Bryce Harper has been so out of control, to read the GQ piece and say "Well, Walter Johnson would've never dropped these F bombs and GDs"...or Frank Howard or Joe Dimaggio or whoever. It is always unfair to compare a player to immortals and heroes.<br /><br />So here is a list of players whom you might recognize, who would NEVER have put out such garbage in an interview:<br /><br />Zimmerman<br />Zimmermann<br />Strasburg<br />Espi<br />Desi<br />Ramos<br />Anyone else on the Washington Nationals.<br /><br />NatsJackinFlorida seems to think some of his fellow bloggers are making too much noise about Harper. Does he mean to say the same thing to Mike Schmidt, who said the game will have to find a way to "police" Harper?<br /><br />I bet if I went on baseball Jeopardy! against NJIF, that he would win. But I bet if NJIF competed against Mike Schmidt, that Schmidt would win. And Mike Schmidt is saying there is a problem with Harper.Just Nat Certainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-32975550783455625582012-03-23T13:06:24.745-04:002012-03-23T13:06:24.745-04:00Erik
Some of your knocks are legit, some are ques...Erik<br /><br />Some of your knocks are legit, some are questionable. I think you're clearly wrong, tho, in calling the drafting of Rendon an "obvious" pick. <br /><br />Rendon fell to 6th because of concerns about his injuries, and the Nats, who don't have a glaring need for a 3B, would hardly have been criticized if they had also passed him over to draft a P--like Archie Bradley, the HS kid whom AZ took at #7. <br /><br />Whether Rendon works out or not--and of course, if he doesn't, you'll criticize Rizzo for that--I don't think drafting him is what a play-it-safe, follow-the-herd GM would necessarily have done.HHovernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-32059251093522577722012-03-23T12:57:55.970-04:002012-03-23T12:57:55.970-04:00Maybe I am being too hard on Rizzo
Talk about str...<i>Maybe I am being too hard on Rizzo</i><br /><br />Talk about strained lats! You keep bending over backwards to find fault like that, and you'll sever your spinal cord.Soul Possession, PFB Sofahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08891662837668214475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-47500957067539002262012-03-23T12:52:58.472-04:002012-03-23T12:52:58.472-04:00Cjw, the GQ article is here.
Warning: NSFW, depen...Cjw, <a href="http://www.gq.com/sports/guides/201204/bryce-harper-mlb-baseball-preview" rel="nofollow">the GQ article is here.</a><br /><br />Warning: NSFW, depending on where you work.Soul Possession, PFB Sofahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08891662837668214475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-9185057901298123372012-03-23T12:48:09.589-04:002012-03-23T12:48:09.589-04:00The Nats might end up as one of the three worst of...The Nats might end up as one of the three worst offenses in baseball. Worse even than last year. Morse will be lucky to hit 10 HR's this year...funny what happens to an aging body after steroid use earlier in a career. They get hurt every time!!! I find it truly amazing that Rizzo did NOTHING to improve this offense. Rizzo has received entirely too much credit for "building a contender" and really hasn't been much of an improvement at all over Jim Bowden. What has he really done???<br />-Traded Josh Willingham (29 HR & 98 RBI's last year in only 136 games and he only costs $6 million/year) for Corey Brown and Henry Rodriguez<br />-Signed Jayson Werth (20 HR, 58 RBI's and hit for a worse avg. than 135 of 145 qualifying players in 150 games and he costs $18 million/year)<br />-Drafted Strasburg, Harper, and Rendon (all obvious picks who are giving us fans most of our hope for future success-hardly great GM moves)<br />-Traded Hanrahan (along with Milledge) for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett, and then turned around and traded Nyjer for Cutter Dykstra-so basically, Hanrahan, Milledge and Nyjer for Sean Burnett and Cutter Dykstra-horrible trades<br />-Traded Matt Capps for Wilson Ramos-good trade so far, but Capps is hardly chopped liver<br />-Traded Langerhans for Morse (great trade, but seems awful lucky to me)<br />-Did not sign Adam Dunn (got us Storen)<br />-Signed a hurt Adam LaRoche instead(some credit deserved for Dunn is lost with LaRoche)<br />-Signed Yunesky Maya to an $8 million contract<br />-Paid Chien Ming Wang $7.2 million for 11 games started<br />-Traded 4 top 10 prospects for Gio Gonzalez-obviously this will go a long way in determining the overall success of the Rizzo regime<br />-Signed Edwin Jackson for $10 million and did not improve the hitting whatsoever<br />-Treated Riggleman in a very questionable manner<br /><br />Maybe I am being too hard on Rizzo, but I get so sick of hearing all of the praise for "turning the franchise around." I don't think there would be near the excitement and praise without the luck of getting Harper, Stras, and Rendon in the draft. Lots of credit should still be given to Bowden for drafting many of the Nats and trading a nobody for our only all-star.Eriknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-78135682319131404642012-03-23T12:47:59.414-04:002012-03-23T12:47:59.414-04:00I read the GQ piece, and I think you're making...I read the GQ piece, and I think you're making mountains out of molehills. FWIW.<br /><br />I also think fan predictions on blogs are less useful than spring training stats, which, as we all know by now, are meaningless.<br /><br />@lel - "approach" as Davey used it means how the hitter plans, and executes that plan, for an at-bat. Some people's approach is basic, "see the ball, hit the ball." Others tend look for a certain pitch, regardless of the pitcher or game situation, like a first-pitch fastball. Some take a lot of pitches and work a count, hopefully to their favor, trying to get the pitcher to use his secondary stuff. Just some examples, I hope it helps.Soul Possession, PFB Sofahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08891662837668214475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-69267481030347407802012-03-23T12:47:23.637-04:002012-03-23T12:47:23.637-04:00The offense can do better. Davey needs to employ ...The offense can do better. Davey needs to employ the players who can help the club score. Lombo, DeRosa, platoons galore. Espi cannot bat 2 at this point, Desi cannot leadoff, ever. The Nats need to see the reality in their roster.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-15805889346740308242012-03-23T12:39:24.522-04:002012-03-23T12:39:24.522-04:00Viera- Yeah I mentioned the ST game schedule in an...Viera- Yeah I mentioned the ST game schedule in another thread. Why play 30(?) games before the 162 game season (lots of games!) starts? I never understood that.<br /><br />I'll try to find the GQ article and give my opinion. Have a quick link?Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-51226016540424859612012-03-23T12:36:14.832-04:002012-03-23T12:36:14.832-04:00There is absolutely nothing in Bryces "make u...There is absolutely nothing in Bryces "make up" to worry about. Alot of what you read, especially in a national magazine, is geared towards sensationalism and the truth be damned.<br /><br />Get close to the kid, see how he treats the kid fans, watch him hustle, and enjoyNatsJack in Floridanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-33797347558772061982012-03-23T12:26:13.728-04:002012-03-23T12:26:13.728-04:00We have mountains of regular-season evidence that ...We have mountains of regular-season evidence that this team is weak offensively. While we are happy to see Zimm raking in ST, and take this, properly, as evidence that is healthy and productive, we dismiss all the failure around him as totally meaningless.<br /><br />The evidence that there are problems of, er, "makeup" with Harper grows every day. I wonder how many people on this board read the GQ piece. Does the Schmidt quote bother anyone on this board?<br /><br />If the purpose of ST is for pitchers to build stamina and hitters to get loose, why not have the players do this in their own hometowns, and just meet up in Chicago on April 5th?<br /><br />I think the reason Mark wrote the article is not to decry a couple of lousy performances in ST, but to make the larger point that it looks like our anemic offense is stuck in the same gear and there is very little likelihood of change.VieraNatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-80679243743611271982012-03-23T12:09:40.328-04:002012-03-23T12:09:40.328-04:00Anon 11:52- I wish you would just come up with a n...Anon 11:52- I wish you would just come up with a name. I just want to know if I'm talking to the same Anon. There are several and it gets confusing :-)<br /><br />Anyway, I agree about Desmond. Did you see my projection? Still working on the OPS numbers (not easy btw :), but I'd add a .700 OPS for him to go along with .250-10-50 slash lines.<br />I'm not optimistic about Desmond.Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-323672225337895922012-03-23T11:55:23.233-04:002012-03-23T11:55:23.233-04:00Nat a Chance and CWj are both kinda right. Let...Nat a Chance and CWj are both kinda right. Let's see how Espi and Desi and the rest of them, LaRoche and Morse in particular, fair next week as the club starts getting actually real-game ready.<br /><br />dfh21Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-39781911939996014402012-03-23T11:55:11.114-04:002012-03-23T11:55:11.114-04:00Anon 11:38- You are right, there is no rush with E...Anon 11:38- You are right, there is no rush with Espinosa. But why send him down after a solid rookie season? <br />A second baseman who can hit 20+ homers, post a .720+ OPS, and be potentially great defensively should be in the lineup all season. Especially now that the Nats are a coin toss away from the playoffs.<br /><br />Just my opinion though. And you make very good points.Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-31330174593433744682012-03-23T11:52:29.180-04:002012-03-23T11:52:29.180-04:00Ok, Cwj -- but the actual MLB stats to date for Es...Ok, Cwj -- but the actual MLB stats to date for Espi and Desi are pretty grim stuff, no? What reason do we have to think that either, much less both, Espi and Desi are going to be much better than they have been?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-86872651801290341932012-03-23T11:51:01.920-04:002012-03-23T11:51:01.920-04:00Nat a Chance
I think you mistyped your pseudonym....Nat a Chance<br /><br />I think you mistyped your pseudonym. It's spelled<br /><br />E-E-Y-O-R-EHHovernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-2155951279457659362012-03-23T11:50:02.151-04:002012-03-23T11:50:02.151-04:00"Domindat" is a super-new sabermetric te..."Domindat" is a super-new sabermetric term which means dominant, btw. sorryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-91269219817383101302012-03-23T11:44:42.064-04:002012-03-23T11:44:42.064-04:00Nat A Chance- I'm sorry but that's ridicul...Nat A Chance- I'm sorry but that's ridiculous.<br />You are clearly basing all of this on ST results.<br />Pre-season STATS/Records mean nothing. Absolutely nothing. <br /><br />Ideas, preparation, etc. These things mean a lot.<br />So does playing what would be mostly bench players at the ML level in ST who are fighting for a job (like Lombardozzi as you mentioned. He's gonna make the team though.) <br /><br />Pitchers building up stamina, hitters getting loose, umpires getting new contact lenses, etc. That's what ST is all about.Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-34396520645192782742012-03-23T11:38:01.300-04:002012-03-23T11:38:01.300-04:00Cwj -- Espi hit .236 and K'd 166 times on his ...Cwj -- Espi hit .236 and K'd 166 times on his way to those 21. He hit .216 on the road. His power is LH but his contact skills are RH domindat. His OPS in the minors was .820, but it's almost 100 points lower in the bigs. He's 24 yrs old and he's over-matched in the big leagues, what's the rush?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-15797589298422566792012-03-23T11:32:19.810-04:002012-03-23T11:32:19.810-04:00Times like this, and teams like this, remind us of...Times like this, and teams like this, remind us of how tough it is to be a good major leaguer. We all had some high highs with our players, celebrating their successes, but we have to look at the facts now.<br /><br />Espy and Desi are average players now and will probably tilt toward being low-average players over time. Ramos-average. The probability is that Morse will never replicate, or even come close to, what he did last year. LaRoche, always hobbled, will never be the 25 homer/100 RBI guy of the past. Werth will never hit .280 in the future--his big years were incredibly padded by facing Nats pitching all those years when we had no pitching. <br /><br />Reading the F bomb-strewn GQ piece on Harper will make you realize that, in addition to the problems with his too-huge swing, he is likely to become a head case on the Nationals. HOFer Mike Schmidt, quoted for attribution in the article, says the game will have to find some way to police this young man. Great start eh?<br /><br />Leaving us with Zimm, doomed to a year of solo homers because his team is setting new MLB records for low OBP from the number 1 and 2 spots.<br /><br />What is the good-news story for us this ST? It is this: In Lombardozzi, we have found a promising utility player. Wow.<br /><br />I have never been around a planning or pre-activity event (football camp, basic training, mock hearings for Congressional testimony) that meant NOTHING to the follow-on activity itself. I have been involved in many successful things where we concluded that the preparation we did before the "season" started made all the difference. Yet we are told, over and over, that ST means nothing to the Washington Nationals, and that all their futility will magically change at Wrigley Field.<br /><br />This team is in trouble. If you like losing games 1-0, get your season tickets now.Nat a Chancenoreply@blogger.com