PHILADELPHIA -- Well, Scott Olsen is definitely starting today. So is Justin Maxwell, who is in the Nationals' lineup. We haven't gotten an official announcement, but it's clear Maxwell replaces Roger Bernadina.
As for who got sent down to make room for Olsen ... still awaiting word on that.
I'll put together the formal gameday thread in a bit, but for now here are today's lineups...
NATIONALS
CF Nyjer Morgan
SS Ian Desmond
2B Cristian Guzman
1B Adam Dunn
LF Josh Willingham
C Ivan Rodriguez
RF Justin Maxwell
3B Alberto Gonzalez
P Scott Olsen
PHILLIES
CF Shane Victorino
3B Placido Polanco
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
RF Jayson Werth
LF Raul Ibanez
SS Juan Castro
C Carlos Ruiz
P J.A. Happ
14 comments:
No Zim again? Mark, any word on whether his hammy strain is potentially more serious than everyone has been claiming?
Zim still out. Not cool.
Is this lineup number 8 in game number 9? We are on pace to shatter any previous record for number of different line ups used in a season.
They're trying their best to hand the RF job to Maxwell. Will he step up and grab it this time, or fumble the handoff yet again?
Maybe Gonzales has won the 3B job after his performance last night.
Amazingly enough, my codeword for posting this comment this was: "goozygot"
The Nationals remind me of a slice of Americana. The guy with the best smile usually gets the job. How in the world can Justin Maxwell deserve a spot on the 25 man let alone get a spot immediately in the lineup. Sure they are going to say it is a righty/lefty thing. Whatever, the man didn't earn anything and I have a ethical problem with that.
I have to 100% agree with this:
TBC said...
They're trying their best to hand the RF job to Maxwell. Will he step up and grab it this time, or fumble the handoff yet again?
Maxwell has not done anything to show that he doesn't deserve a chance. I truly don't understand why people look at one month samples and immediately cast a player off. He absolutely had a bad spring, but spring training stats mean squat. Zilch. Nada. Rien. Nothing. They don't matter at all.
Maxwell's minor league stats are comparable to those of Mike Cameron. No one brings that up when arguing one way or another on behalf of Maxwell's so called "opportunity." In his little time in the major leagues, he actually hit pretty well (.357 wOBA) and played good defense (again, with such small samples, it would be asinine to judge him based on 102 plate appearances). His minor league stats have been nothing short of impressive. Can someone please explain to me why he doesn't deserve a chance?
Hopefully we give J-Max about two weeks to sip his cup of coffee and then cut him loose from the organization when he fails!
Does anyone know Maxwell's minor league stats over the last few weeks?
On a person note, hate to see Bergie DFA'ed but hard to argue w/ it. He just hasn't gotten in done and had lots of chances.
Sam is dead right about Maxwell. People here get down a player pretty fast. Personally, I'd like to see Maxwell get about two months of playing most days and let's evaluate him after that.
Sam, last year he really sucked at 'cuse because he had that bad attitude about getting sent down. They pretty much did everything but hand him the right field job on a platter in ST? Dukes got released for performing better than Maxwell both in Syracuse when he was sent down and even in ST.
Explain why Maxwell deserves yet another chance. Hopefully he will be on a short leash. Why not just give Kobernus a shot? The guy is hitting .500 in Hagerstown. He is stealing bases. He is doing the job.
I thought my explanation was pretty clear originally, but I will try again. First of all, if a player was sent down, would you want him to be happy? Would you want him to take for granted his chance in the major leagues? I'm not sure why people are getting on Maxwell's case for becoming discouraged at being sent down.
Maxwell's .346 wOBA in Syracuse last year was clearly below his previous performances. He still managed 114 wRC+. He was above average, even for Triple-A. Sure, he strikes out a lot. You know who else strikes out a lot (at similar rates to Maxwell)? Adam Dunn. No one has complained about his bat yet.
Don't get me wrong. Maxwell has certainly not proven himself as an everyday major league player. I am not anointed him the starting job. However, it makes more sense to see if he is good or serviceable at least than a guy like Harris, Taveras, or Morse. I would argue for Bernadina to get a shot as well.
For the life of me, I cannot figure why the Nats pitchers are not backing some of these guys off the plate. Relative to the Manny Acta Mr. Nice Guy Era, I would have thought that Riggleman and Pudge would be up for that time-honored strategy. Or, perhaps it is being tried but the Nats pitchers are missing these pitches out over the plate, too . . .
The Phils batters literally have zero fear when they walk up to the plate against us. Better to get the brawls, ejections and warnings out of the way now rather than waiting until garbage time (for us) come September when it won't matter anymore.
@Dave,
Forget Maxwell. If you want to compare Morse was 2 heads and a tail above him in AAA offensively. For comparison Morse had just as good if not a better year than Heyward in the minors in 2009. And you are saying Maxwell is better?
Here is a guy who was basically handed right field on a silver platter and failed to perform in ST. But any offensive criteria Morse is better. Maxwell may be the better outfielder but he isn't supposed to be with the Nats for his defense now is he?
This guy has the longest leash in the organization.
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