tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post5834549914792274846..comments2024-02-15T05:42:18.307-05:00Comments on Nats Insider: Flying highMark Zuckermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13525315258889435961noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-88710267474828511572011-06-17T12:32:54.652-04:002011-06-17T12:32:54.652-04:00On a funnier not.. Boz just did his US Open Chat o...On a funnier not.. Boz just did his US Open Chat on WaPo site and 75% of the questions were about the Nats!<br /><br />We have come a long way a a fan baseMicheleSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-84033143750899608712011-06-17T12:31:45.779-04:002011-06-17T12:31:45.779-04:00Steve M.. agree...I just like to give Rizzo a litt...Steve M.. agree...I just like to give Rizzo a little length on the leash with Nyjer.. I don't think Nyjer's behavior helped the situation and I think they wanted to have him in Spring Training to see if they could get him some playing time to generate interest.MicheleSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-14909149466109272252011-06-17T12:28:46.145-04:002011-06-17T12:28:46.145-04:00MicheleS, read my comment again. It wasn't wha...MicheleS, read my comment again. It wasn't what Rizzo got in return that was the issue. In my opinion and I said this before, Rizzo knew Nyjer was not part of this future, he should not have been a part of Spring Training as he should have been traded for a bag of balls before Spring Training started.Steve M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-91872698017246160012011-06-17T12:24:48.251-04:002011-06-17T12:24:48.251-04:00I'm very happy with the current state of thing...I'm very happy with the current state of things. Keep in mind though that at any given time, about 25% of the teams stink, 25% are going great and the rest are just "holding". There will be ups and downs, and one needs to maintain perspective, realizing that there will continue to be down periods; even the Yanks, Red Sox and Phillies have experienced them this year.<br />But, this team does seem to have a resilience that bodes well for the future.Slidellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-45620830916328868942011-06-17T12:18:19.091-04:002011-06-17T12:18:19.091-04:00Nyjer had options left and should have found Harri...Nyjer had options left and should have found Harrisburg a fitting home for a while.Mark'dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-25878938913838113142011-06-17T12:14:13.386-04:002011-06-17T12:14:13.386-04:00SteveM.. I think the only thing I would quibble wi...SteveM.. I think the only thing I would quibble with is the Nyjer comments.. Do you really believe that they had interest in the offseason for a total head case with a low BA/OBP who was suspended for what 10 games for his antics? I think they held onto him to try to generate interest and when the only bite you got was the Dyskstra kid, you pull the trigger. He was a cancer and would have not fit in well with the teamMicheleSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-82452872586429149842011-06-17T12:06:33.707-04:002011-06-17T12:06:33.707-04:00SteveM, love the rant and pass the Kool-Aid. Talk...SteveM, love the rant and pass the Kool-Aid. Talking about Kool-Aid, where is JD?Mark'dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-66647682423570555562011-06-17T11:48:20.830-04:002011-06-17T11:48:20.830-04:00MicheleS said... Although I am not totally drinkin...<i>MicheleS said... Although I am not totally drinking the Rizzo Koolaid,I agree he has done a great job.. Rebuilt the bullpen on the fly last year, solid trades, looked for character guys and vets to help with the young guys.<br /><br />And remember we could have Bowden and the likes of Willy Mo Pena and Elijah Dukes still around... June 17, 2011 11:17 AM </i><br /><br />MicheleS, I am a total homer so I am usually drinking the Kool-Aid with one eye open and some of that Missouri "show me" attitude. <br /><br />Stan Kasten was the guy with the Kool-Aid but you know what, he had the plan which we are seeing evolve before our eyes. He pointed to what the Tampa Bay Rays had accomplished and he was right. Build it with youth and through the draft. This team isn't playoff bound yet but you can see a much brighter future.<br /><br />Its not about spending money, it is about spending money wisely. It is not that you can't lose during a 162 game season, it is about losing less than 71 games in a season and progressing. It isn't that you can't make mistakes and errors, rather make positive change and don't repeat the same mistakes and errors. Consistently winning is a culture built around success.<br /><br />So where am I going with this rant? It seems every time this team hits adversity, a select few like Phil Dunn immediately bash the owners, money not spent, culture of losing, fire the Manager, fire the pitching coach, etc. etc. This team has bent but it didn't break and while all isn't perfect, I am taking a big swig of my Kool-Aid and enjoying a winning streak!!!!Steve M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-36583232651140376422011-06-17T11:23:27.484-04:002011-06-17T11:23:27.484-04:00NatsJack, I like Rizzo, a lot. I said a while ago...NatsJack, I like Rizzo, a lot. I said a while ago he is a "work-in-progress". The agents love him which is a key and most GMs like him which is even bigger since many wouldn't deal with his predecessor.<br /><br />Rizzo has to improve in 3 areas. 1) When you make a mistake ( ie. Stares) deal with it 2) Trade from a position of strength and call the others bluff. Sometimes the best trades are the ones you DON'T make 3) If you are going to get rid of a player, have a reasonable plan in place to replace him (ie. Dukes and Nyjer). Rizzo made that mistake 2 years in a row.<br /><br />I totally agreed with getting rid of Nyjer. It was the timing that was poor. Nyjer Morgan for Cutter Dykstra? Are you kidding me? Nyjer should have been traded in the off-season so there wouldn't have been so many distractions and that would have given him more time to get a replacement.Steve M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-58601652598278531822011-06-17T11:21:28.051-04:002011-06-17T11:21:28.051-04:00Watch this team in the dugout - they seem to be ti...Watch this team in the dugout - they seem to be tight with each other. During the celebrations after hr's and walk-offs there seems to be genuine support for one another. I actually saw not just hand slaps, but hugs last night. Makes you feel all warm and cozy inside, doesn't it? I just love winning. And I just love beating first place teams! Go Nats!masnstinksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-28987178774591972932011-06-17T11:17:48.070-04:002011-06-17T11:17:48.070-04:00Here's another thing I found interesting about...Here's another thing I found interesting about 3 weeks ago the Nats lost a tough one against the Phillies. That was on May 30th and the Nats dropped to 22-31. The next day Marquis went toe-to-toe with Cliff Lee and beat him and the day after that Lannan became LannEn.<br /><br />The sad part was all the venom spewed on the morning of May 31st and people vowing that the team sucks and fire everyone.<br /><br />Luckily the smart ones have seen a 'core' to build on and have said the future looks bright. I wish sometimes it was like a light switch you can turn on and off but it isn't. Its a long road to building a good team that can sustain a winning culture. I have been in Jim Riggleman's corner so my position on him hasn't changed. I still think this team has room to improve so I hope they can continue to positively evolve before our eyes!Steve M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-82690995413010918412011-06-17T11:17:39.263-04:002011-06-17T11:17:39.263-04:00Although I am not totally drinking the Rizzo Koola...Although I am not totally drinking the Rizzo Koolaid,I agree he has done a great job.. Rebuilt the bullpen on the fly last year, solid trades, looked for character guys and vets to help with the young guys.<br /><br />And remember we could have Bowden and the likes of Willy Mo Pena and Elijah Dukes still around...MicheleSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-55096836487458179572011-06-17T11:17:03.659-04:002011-06-17T11:17:03.659-04:00I meant to say "except for" in lieu of &...I meant to say "except for" in lieu of "and while". Another case of typing one thing and thinking another.NatsJack in Floridanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-6883774788302361112011-06-17T11:15:14.337-04:002011-06-17T11:15:14.337-04:00Even though Rizzo was not the gm, I believe he has...Even though Rizzo was not the gm, I believe he has been with the organization for a while and was not brought in from the outside. Mark, stat-type guys - can anyone verify this? Point being - he has had an effect on the organization before he was the gm. Building a team is a long process and there are never any guarantees.masnstinksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-72768400450780456372011-06-17T11:14:22.242-04:002011-06-17T11:14:22.242-04:00Steve M....No one is ever 100% successful assembli...Steve M....No one is ever 100% successful assembling a ML baseball team. Rizzo HAS done a masterful job in upgrading the bench and providing solid proffesionals through out the roster. Dumping Morgan and Gonzalez has helped in solidifying the locker room and while locating a lockdown lefhanded reliever (how many teams need one of those?) and a bonifide lead off man (again, an item not easily obtained)this roster (except for Ankiel and Stairs)ROCKS!NatsJack in Floridanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-80150203898038121742011-06-17T11:01:41.653-04:002011-06-17T11:01:41.653-04:00A DC Wonk said... Rizzo's done a masterful job...<i>A DC Wonk said... Rizzo's done a masterful job of assembling the pieces, looking for bargains, taking chances on injured players (some work out, some don't). And we've seen it all play out, in slow motion, right in front of us.<br /><br />A DC Wonk said... It takes longer, but it's more solid. Look at our infield: Zim/Ian/Desi -- all are under 27! (Even Morse just turned 29). Ramos is still 23!!<br /><br />And pitchers! Stras, Storen, JZimm, Clippard, Lannan -- all of them are 26 and younger.<br /><br />That's seven of our best players under the age of 27. This is a solid core that can last a long time -- particularly when Bryce Harper joins them!<br /> </i><br /><br />DC Wonk - I share all of your enthusiasm but then reality sets in when you talk about <b>Rizzo's done a masterful job of assembling the pieces</b>. The only players that Rizzo brought in that you mentioned are Strasburg and Bryce Harper who were both "no brainers" and Ramos via the trade.<br /><br />3 of those names you mentioned wouldn't be here if Zach Greinke didn't veto a trade here. No JZim, No Storen, and No Espinosa. That will always sit in the back of my mind. I saw Greinke pitch against the Cubs yesterday and he got knocked around pretty good with that 5.10+ ERA<br /><br />Rizzo is an excellent scout but then he falls in love with his mistakes and he trades like a bad poker player some of the time. Ramos/Capps good. The fact he didn't trade Adam Dunn was good. Then he gives away Willingham, Alberto Gonzalez and Nyjer Morgan for unprovens when he would have gotten more if he held out. I don't know what the rush was except making roster moves for Ankiel, Stairs, Cora, and Hairston.<br /><br />This team still needs another lefty in the bullpen that can be a shutdown type of guy. Having Zim back is tremendous but this team still lacks a credible leadoff guy as Werth isn't the long-term solution (or is he?).Steve M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-59393163253419903362011-06-17T10:53:42.254-04:002011-06-17T10:53:42.254-04:00Winning, Curly W's, our Nat heroes keep coming...Winning, Curly W's, our Nat heroes keep coming! The come from behind win with masterful pitching from our bullpen, the pitching excellence by shaving cream face Livo and the walk off win in the 10th of a tie game by the gatorade bath rookie!<br />What a team! GO NATS!!!!m20832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-23071745402545997752011-06-17T10:51:39.514-04:002011-06-17T10:51:39.514-04:00Sorry, Knoxville Nat but the Nats should pick up h...Sorry, Knoxville Nat but the Nats should pick up his option (with a raise) and extend the option for another year. There have been alot of successful managers that have worked year to year and Riggs is perfect for that scenario.NatsJack in Floridanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-75580014875538750822011-06-17T10:45:53.582-04:002011-06-17T10:45:53.582-04:00Love the LannEn stuff. Ever since Riggles pulled t...Love the LannEn stuff. Ever since Riggles pulled that off against Philadelphia was kind of the time the tide had turned. Crazy, huh?Steve M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-1288447703480777462011-06-17T10:38:55.517-04:002011-06-17T10:38:55.517-04:00Feel Wood.... yes... I was baffled by that... Marq...Feel Wood.... yes... I was baffled by that... Marquis gets and everyone else gets an extra days rest and LannEn pitched on normal rest.NatsJack in Floridanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-63387955650869215982011-06-17T10:23:42.964-04:002011-06-17T10:23:42.964-04:00"Gonat.....don't forget that the great ef..."Gonat.....don't forget that the great effort given by LannEn last night came on 3 days rest and not the normal four days."<br /><br />Although Carpenter said this on-air last night, it's not true. Lannan pitched in SD on the 11th, and last night was the 16th. Four days rest. It's because of the off day last Monday that they were able to have him jump ahead in the rotation while Marquis finished off his five game suspension.Feel Woodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-60456688889354989292011-06-17T10:22:26.846-04:002011-06-17T10:22:26.846-04:00NatsJack.....I would suggest that with each win no...NatsJack.....I would suggest that with each win not only do the Nats get closer to picking up Riggleman's option but perhaps also an extension. The possibility of that must seem like slow torture to some.Knoxville Natnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-71106596607266061982011-06-17T10:20:20.314-04:002011-06-17T10:20:20.314-04:00Unkyd said...
"Are we having Fun yet?"
...Unkyd said... <br />"Are we having Fun yet?"<br /><br />I am basking in a warm glow.N. Cognitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-26721884134638467162011-06-17T10:16:45.289-04:002011-06-17T10:16:45.289-04:00NatsJack in Florida said...
"This winning st...NatsJack in Florida said... <br />"This winning streak HAS to be killing JayB and his quest for the dumping of Riggleman. Each win brings Riggs closer to the Nats picking up his option."<br /><br />He probably doesn't know what to do with himself. He probably has all his posts saved in a file for future use. It's sad. All those negative posts, ready to cut and paste, and nowhere to post them. I especially like the ones that respond to his own posts.N. Cognitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-27352411550224347712011-06-17T10:14:27.381-04:002011-06-17T10:14:27.381-04:00Note on getting customized jerseys made at the Tea...Note on getting customized jerseys made at the Team Store: that's only at the one by the Center Field Gate, not at the one by the Home Plate Gate.Feel Woodnoreply@blogger.com