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US Presswire file photo Chris Marrero tore his hamstring in the Dominican Republic in November. |
While the rest of his teammates prepare for Opening Day, Marrero can only perform these mundane exercises, still recovering from a torn hamstrung suffered in November while playing in the Dominican Republic."Not too much so far," he said, adding: "I'm just doing whatever I can. Strengthening and working on flexibility."
It's going to be a long and frustrating spring for Marrero, who won't be able to head north with the rest of the club for Opening Day. There's no official timetable for his return, but it's not expected to come before July.
"I'm not sure," he said. "It just depends on how my body feels."
The injury came at a most inopportune moment for Marrero, the Nationals' top draft pick in 2006 who made his major-league debut in September and performed well enough to merit consideration for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
But while playing first base in the Dominican Winter League, Marrero tried to stretch to catch a low throw "and went too far, did kind of a split."
Could he tell immediately the severity of the injury?
"No, I didn't feel too bad," he said. "I was walking a little bit. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know it was going to be torn."
Marrero came home to the United States and had surgery, then began the slow process of recovery. He's allowed to do some baseball activities, playing catch and hitting off a tee.
But that's about it for now, leaving Marrero jogging up and down the stadium stands while everyone else is on the field preparing for the season.
70 comments:
Jogging up and down stadium stairs is great progress, probably more than some portly members of the pitching staff would be able to do over the past few years!
I wish Chris the best of luck!
Mark - how many fans are down in Viera right, dozens? hundreds?
Only two comments here, either the trolls are sleeping or no one can figure out how to work Ramos' kidnapping; Werth's beard; Harper's immaturity; Morse vs Laroche; or Desi/Espi/Lombdo into this section!? :)
Listening to Baseball America podcast (Aaron Fitt and John Manuel), talking College Baseball, and in reference to Florida State (Gators), and referred to the "less-tested arms" in the bullpen and asked, "Is that a chink in the armor for Florida?" Just sayin'.
Chad Tracy is another LH 1st baseman which doesn't help much to give LaRoche some days off. I know people have mentioned Mark DeRosa as a 1st baseman and of course Michael Morse.
It will be interesting what Rizzo does with Marrero when he is ready to go.
I won't argue with timetables to return from injury. Just good to hear about Marrero and hope he is ready to go sooner than later.
@NatsLady --
Was it Florida or Florida State they referenced? You wrote down the Florida State (Gators) which is a mash-up of both teams..
Got new posted. In re: to Espi's claim that he always hit better LH than RH. With digging in an xls file that BR.com had, I cobbled together his minor league splits.
'09 POT (478 ABs, 291 LH, 187 RH)
LH 275/378/502
RH 251/340/396
'10 HAR (388 ABs, 300 LH, 88 RH)
LH 263/318/447
RH 284/351/545
'10 SYR (95 ABs, 67 LH, 28 RH)
LH 269/319/373
RH 357/419/679
Total (961 ABs, 658 LH, 303 RH)
LH 269/346/464
RH 271/350/465
Conclusion, he hit better LH in Potomac in '09 then better RH in HAR and SYR in '10. In total, about equal.
Sorry, Espi, you are busted. I mean, I could try sometime to go back to college but this covers his whole minor league service and his claim doesn't stand up at all.
If the Nats decide to figure out their CF position from within, then they must use a platoon since none of the options available can hit LHP and RHP equally well.
Based on career stats alone, it looks like the Nats could “survive” the first few weeks with a platoon of Ankiel vs RHP and Jason Michaels vs LHP (with DeRosa playing first vs LHP to give LaRoche a day off or two).
Here are the career MLB stats of those that have a chance to break camp with the Nats. These include (AB) / AVG / OBP / SLG / K%:
VS LHP:
Jason Michaels: (980) / .278 / .354 / .435 / 16.4%
Brett Carroll: (129) / .209 / .275 / .380 / 26.1%
DeRosa: (911) / .293 / .366 / .475 / 15.8%
VS RHP:
Rick Ankiel: (1158) / .251 / .320 / .445 / 22.8%
Roger Bernadina: (669) / .245 / .309 / .372 / 19.6%
Xavier Paul: (324) / .262 / .303 / .370 / 20.1%
Mark Teahen: (2046) / .270 / .335 / .420 / 20.4%
Of course, if the Nats decide they want an everyday CF that can hit LHP and RHP, then they should just try and get Marlon Byrd:
VS LHP:
1038 AB / .281 / .337 / .444 / 16.4%
VS RHP:
2654 AB / .281 / .340 / .410 / 17.1%
Interesting and striking quote just now from Boz about RZim negotiations:
"If they don't get a deal done andZim sticks to his won't-sign-in-season (which I believe) then a Ryan Zimmerman trade at the July 31st deadline becomes a very real possibility, according to my sources. If you wait longer, you get little value and even with 1 1/2 seasons left, you don't get 100 cents on the dollar or anywhere near it."
Let's get him signed
NatLady, I think there is a huge difference is using that phrase in media and in print; in media you can get the inflection while used as a headline it looks like a slur. At least in my opinion.
Feel for Marrero especially if what I think happens - LaRoche is recovered and tears the cover off the ball.
If DeRosa is going to get ABs as a RH OF, then Lombardozzi is pretty much a lock to be the first off-the-bench IF, and someone else has to make the team as a second utility IF guy. It would make life so much easier if Rizzo could just find a RH hitter who could play all three OF positions.
Avar, thanks for doing that research but I don't come to the same conclusion as you did.
At the lower levels, Danny hit better LH. As he progressed in levels, he regressed as a LH hitter. That's a huge disparity between his LH and RH stats at Syracuse.
I see a longer looping swing from his Left side and also he chases more up and in pitches from the left side.
I have been hoping for a more compact swing. Now if Danny thinks its the hamate bone, lets see if we see a difference. Hope he is right (correct).
It's such a difficult thing to establish one's value as a MLB first baseman. Because it is a position of last resort for players trying to avoid DH-dom, there always seems to be so many options. Not to mention the possibility of using 1b as a place to put someone if you have two good third basemen.
Because of all that, I wonder about Marrero's ability not only to be a starting 1b for the Nats, but also about how likely it is that another team would trade for him to be their starting 1b. This injury truly does not help him-not only did he need to keep hitting, but he had to show he could slug, as well. Torn hamstrings can't help in that regard.
+1/2St.
Anonymous said...
Interesting and striking quote just now from Boz about RZim negotiations:
"If they don't get a deal done andZim sticks to his won't-sign-in-season (which I believe) then a Ryan Zimmerman trade at the July 31st deadline becomes a very real possibility, according to my sources. If you wait longer, you get little value and even with 1 1/2 seasons left, you don't get 100 cents on the dollar or anywhere near it."
Let's get him signed
February 21, 2012 11:28 AM
Do you have a link to that?
erocks33, again nice compilation of data but Michaels numbers have been on a slide going downhill. Carrolls have been all over the place and DeRosa is certainly the answer if he is healthy.
Steve M.,
its from his wpost chat. here is the link (i hope):
http://live.washingtonpost.com/ask-boswell-022012.html#latest-question
its the 4th or 5th question
Interesting and striking quote just now from Boz about RZim negotiations:
"If they don't get a deal done andZim sticks to his won't-sign-in-season (which I believe) then a Ryan Zimmerman trade at the July 31st deadline becomes a very real possibility, according to my sources. If you wait longer, you get little value and even with 1 1/2 seasons left, you don't get 100 cents on the dollar or anywhere near it."
Let's get him signed
If you recall, a few weeks ago someone was wondering when Zimmerman's extension would happen, and I said it would be shortly after Boswell wrote his panic column. Well, Boswell basically wrote a panic column in the answer to that chat question today.
So the extension will probably happen soon, but it won't have anything to do with the way Boswell sees things playing out. His conspiracy theory that Rizzo and Zim's agent have a deal in place but it's being quashed for money reasons by the Lerners is absolutely laughable. And with that information he reveals today from his "sources" I'm even more convinced that one or more people in the Nats FO are playing him and laughing at him behind his back.
erock, sorry, would have to go back and re-listen. They mentioned both, so maybe Florida State was playing the Gators.
SCNats-- agree. Context is everything. ESPN headline-writer was trying to be clever and deliberately referenced an Asian-American player, whereas Baseball America guys were just talkin'. I'm seeing that the phrase is in common use--So my question is, is the c-word as offensive as the n-word? I'm not of either extraction, so can't judge.
timeless46, thanks for the link. It takes 2 to tango as we know. The one thing I have to say about Zim is how he comes up big in big spots. There is a value to that where dollars can only go so far as you weigh it against his icon status and DC and averaging 120 games a year over the past 4 years.
As someone pointed out, of those 120 games, many of those were almost of rehab or hidden injury status so the games Zim has been healthy the past 4 years may be closer to 110 games a year on average.
What do you pay for that type of production? If he is worth $20 million at 160 games a year is he worth $15 million at 120 games a year + incentive bonuses every year on top of that? He is still more valuable than Jayson Werth but can you really compensate him at $18.1 million a year just for that reason?
Rizzo/Lerner have a tough decision to make.
Feel Wood it certainly becomes a logical possibility if Rendon shows he's really a third baseman and tears up the minors this year. Trout for Zimmerman probably gets the Angels to the World Series, and takes care of CF for us.
So my question is, is the c-word as offensive as the n-word? I'm not of either extraction, so can't judge.
Archie Bunker said the c-word on TV, but not the n-word. The n-word seems to be a real tar baby. Oops.
So my question is, is the c-word as offensive as the n-word? I'm not of either extraction, so can't judge.
"Chink" has other standard meanings in English, unlike the other. So I would expect not. But then, "redskin" has never been anything but a slur, or a team name, so evidently that's not enough to get people to quit using it.
Of course, if it's intended as a slur, most anything can be out of line.
His conspiracy theory that Rizzo and Zim's agent have a deal in place but it's being quashed for money reasons by the Lerners is absolutely laughable.
You know this? Do tell!
Do we really want to go down that road of comparing slurs? I'm thinking it's a thread that might not end well.
His conspiracy theory that Rizzo and Zim's agent have a deal in place but it's being quashed for money reasons by the Lerners is absolutely laughable.
You know this? Do tell!
It's the same "Lerners are tying Rizzo's hands" theory that Boz was throwing out before the Gio trade, before Zimmerman's first extension, before the Strasburg and Harper drafts/signings, yada yada yada. Boz's anti-Lerner bias is like a broken record. It's as tangible as Keith Law's anti-Nats bias.
Funny how the Lerners are tying Rizzo's hands on all the deals that Boz sees coming, but on the ones he doesn't see coming - like Werth, Edwin Jackson, etc - Rizzo has free reign, isn't it?
The Nats FO may be playing Boz, but if by writing a panic column to get Zim extended actually works, I'm all for it.
How about "LOLLYGAGGERS"?
Positively Half St. said...
he "wonders about Marrero's ability not only to be a starting 1b for the Nats, but also about how likely it is that another team would trade for him to be their starting 1b. This injury truly does not help him-not only did he need to keep hitting, but he had to show he could slug, as well. Torn hamstrings can't help in that regard."
Absolutely. I totally agree. Marrero seems to be a ship that has sailed. He's shown no power at the MLB level, is slow and apparently injury-prone. I think he is a glorified Larry Broadway. There, I said it. As for trade bait, good luck with that.
The trade Rizzo should make is for Marlon Byrd. I thought he got a raw deal here -- car broken into, run-ins with Frank, playing at RFK, etc. etc. If he's willing to come here -- and that's a huge if -- I'd package LannEn, Lombo, Marrero and Kid Flores to get him. He's a legit five-tool CF'er. Just my two cents...
"chink" in "chink in the armor" means a weak point in the armor such as a crack or a gap.
It is also slang/short for Chinese.
Boswell's comment about moving Zimmerman at the trade deadline should remove all doubt from people's minds that he is an idiot. Zimm's contract does not run out after this coming season. It runs out after the 2013 season.
Bosswell's source is his ass.
This line is funny as if Boz has the inside scoop: "Zim is being reasonable and is willing to sign coming off an injury year...Zim is willing to negotiate as a $17-$18M/year third baseman, which is what he is now, rather than go for a 30-100 rbi gold glove season "
Boswell yapping about 30-100 rbi gold glove and the Nats are getting 12-49 rbi with a tan glove season.
30-100 rbi gold glove is a $20 million player. 12-49 is a $2 million player. Huge difference. So is Zim giving a $3 million discount or looking to get paid what a healthy player should earn?
We all hope Zim can repeat his 2009 over and over and over again in DC.
Need to mention, although chink is slang/short for Chinese, it is considered to be a racial slur.
I'm not Asian but my 19-year-old son is, and for him and his Asian friends, yes, "chink" is very bad when it's used to mean "Asian." I won't get into whether it's "as bad" as the other word but I suspect it "feels" the same.
N. Cognito,
I think the point was that the Nats would get much more in return for trading Zim this season then if they waited until next year. That is, if they have decided they won't be able to do an extension.
N. Cognito said...
Need to mention, although chink is slang/short for Chinese, it is considered to be a racial slur.
Ya think? "Considered to be a racial slur?"
No, it is most definitely a racial slur. 100 percent, no doubt about it, it is.
Good to see this post about Chris Marerro turned into rumor mongering about Zim! I left that out of my possible permutations of the chuckleheads here hijacking real baseball news!
"Boswell's comment about moving Zimmerman at the trade deadline should remove all doubt from people's minds that he is an idiot. Zimm's contract does not run out after this coming season. It runs out after the 2013 season."
N Congnito - That's Boswell's point. A trade at the deadline where Zimm is only 2 months from free agency is a trade where you get little value. If they are going to trade him, it is this July, with 1 year plus 2 months still on contract, where they will get more value in the deal.
If Zim doesn't sign in the next few weeks, a trade deadline deal is definitely not out of the question, assuming the Nats are out of the playoff race. The team has to think about getting maximum value from their assets, even if it's Zim.
It's certainly conceivable that talks could start up again next off-season, with one year remaining on the deal, but as Boz correctly pointed out, Zim's value coming off an injury-plagued season is relatively low. If he's willing to sign under those circumstances, this is the right time to do it.
Rizzo and Zimmerman may already have the basic parameters of the long-term deal lined up, but there is strong incentive on both sides to hold off on finalizing it until this season is well in hand. Zimmerman would benefit from the opportunity to have another Gold Glove-Silver Slugger season and push the envelope on price out to its upper limit, and Rizzo benefits by getting "walk year" performance from Zimmerman that he might not get if the deal was already signed. If Zimmerman has only an average year, or if he gets hurt again, they fall back to the lower-end deal they've already agreed on. In interviews, neither Zimmerman nor Rizzo seem especially worried about this artificial deadline that Boswell et al have imposed. Indeed, both sides act like they're assuming the deal will get done - and almost like it's already done. This could be why.
So we have established the racial slur thing. Let's move on.
I hope Marrero heals without problems. I liked watching him bat, and hoped he would be helpful to us sometime. Thanks for the update on him!
WTF_Rizzo said...
Good to see this post about Chris Marerro turned into rumor mongering about Zim! I left that out of my possible permutations of the chuckleheads here hijacking real baseball news!
February 21, 2012 12:52 PM
Hey, I'm fine with Zim speculation since Boz moved it back to Page 1, its those Chuckleheads are talking about permeatations of the word chink and its slang. Bummer........
Also keep in mind that artificial deadlines are artificial deadlines. Zimmerman gave the same deadline in 2009. That deal was broadly worked out on Opening Day 2009 and finalized 3 weeks later.
"The deal was actually hammered out in the final minutes before Opening Day. Zimmerman was still talking to his agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, about 20 minutes before the first pitch against the Marlins in Florida." Chico Harlan, WaPo
@ N Cog. This list of people who think Boz is an idiot is pretty short. I think it's you and....maybe just you. One of my favorite columnists for sure.
@ N Cog. This list of people who think Boz is an idiot is pretty short. I think it's you and....maybe just you. One of my favorite columnists for sure.
Add me to the list of people who think Boswell is an idiot. An idiot who can wax poetic, but an idiot nonetheless.
jcj5y said...
as Boz correctly pointed out, Zim's value coming off an injury-plagued season is relatively low. If he's willing to sign under those circumstances, this is the right time to do it.
February 21, 2012 12:56 PM
A lot of "if's" there. We are not in the room and have no idea what Zim's demands are. I believe he thinks this is his golden opportunity.
I have no clue on this one so I will wing it. I have to believe $17 million for 7 years extended after the current 2 year deal is reasonable for both sides. I just think Zim's side is valuing him at a higher level which is why I think it has stalled.
Avar, the list of people who think Boz is an idiot is way longer than you seem to think, and it grows with almost every column he produces.
He is not half the baseball columnist he was a decade ago.
I just think Zim's side is valuing him at a higher level which is why I think it has stalled.
Hence my theory that when van Wagenen handed Rizzo what was supposedly the offer Zimmerman was willing to accept, Rizzo said "We've got a year left. Go out and earn it, and it's a deal."
http://twitpic.com/8mw0m4 The Ram-Moose also got a new tattoo that translates to: I put everything in Jesus because he's got my back 11-11-11
Simply amazing young man!
Feel Wood said...
I just think Zim's side is valuing him at a higher level which is why I think it has stalled.
Hence my theory that when van Wagenen handed Rizzo what was supposedly the offer Zimmerman was willing to accept, Rizzo said "We've got a year left. Go out and earn it, and it's a deal."
February 21, 2012 1:17 PM
Yes, which isn't good to wait for that from either side.
$18 to $20 million is top of his game 3rd baseman value. $17 million says we value you as our top player (excluding Werth's pay) and if they give him 7 years additional he is tied to the club for 9 more years and that 9 year span is the largest in Nats history. Without extrapolating numbers, its a lot to pay but I hear Zim is healthy right now in all respects.
http://twitpic.com/8mw0m4 The Ram-Moose also got a new tattoo that translates to: I put everything in Jesus because he's got my back 11-11-11
Nice of him to honor Flores, the guy who's gunning for his job.
I like Boz (I am also an baseball optimist).. The first question in his chat is telling for me (someone who doesn't want suffer another year, and jumped at getting a partial plan this year). He didn't get all flowery in the answer, just stated it.
Question: Hope?
Is now the time to have real hope for the season? Not the "spring training is here and everything is peachy" hope, but genuine hope. The kind that says we will be playing meaninful games in September - and not as the spoiler, but as the contender? -Ashburn Fan
Answer Thomas Boswell :
Yes, it is.
Anon @1:31, you do have to respect your back-up!
Cristian Guzman to join Manny Acta.
Marrero is an afterthought even if he was healthy. He only produced 5 extra-base hits and no home runs in 109 MLB at bats in 2011. Over the last 4 minor league seasons, he has never slugged over .453, and his slugging average has been consistently subpar for a 1st baseman (.453 in 2008, .452 in 2009, .450 in 2010 and .449 in 2011.
He has limited power, no speed, he has worked hard to become an average MLB first baseman, and is a decent contact hitter.
Hard to see Marrero ever being an impact MLB player or even a MLB regular.
Pilchard
Adam Kilgore just took attendance. Michael Morse has arrived leaving just Xavier Paul and Mark DeRosa on his list for the last of the 40 man list.
Pilchard - I don't disagree but Marrero showed some signs of clutch hitting and his value is only enhanced when he is a RH platoon with a LH 1st baseman like this season.
If the plan is Michael Morse to 1st base next year than Marrero's future doesn't look bright here. His window is closing quickly.
Steve M.,
I saw that; managers (and GMs) have a tendency to reclaim (and overvalue) players with whom they were once comfortable. It almost makes one wonder whether Mr. Acta and company would be interested in some combination of Mr. Lannan and Mr. Flores for (((whom?)). If the Indians' depth chart is correct, they have five RHPs in their top five rotation slots; wouldn't a leftie be nice to add? And, if I'm not mistaken, they would like to give Carlos Santana a chunk of games at 1B, but don't have a strong second catcher. But who would the Nats want in return? I can't imagine the Indians giving up Michael Brantley (and I'm not sure he'd make sense in CF) for those two Nats. Just a thought experiment, really, but maybe there's someone in the Cleveland system that makes sense.
Sounds to me like Acta doing a favor for his friend and countryman Cristian Guzman. Makes no difference whether there may or may not be a role for Guzman in Cleveland. If Cristian has a good spring, then maybe he can catch on somewhere. Professional courtesy.
Sounds like all the major players are in camp now - awesome. I have been browsing every site imaginable looking for news, videos, pix, etc. They all seem excited and ready to go!
Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessimistic_For_Me said...
"N. Cognito said...
Need to mention, although chink is slang/short for Chinese, it is considered to be a racial slur.
Ya think? "Considered to be a racial slur?"
I was just saying that to add that I am aware it is a racial slur. My first post on the subject might have left the impression that I didn't think it is or am unaware of it. "Considered" was weak wording on my part.
Eugene, NatsGM blog just suggested Magglio Ordonez. Keep 'em coming. There will certainly be some DFA's and you never know if a Nyjer type of deal pops up last minute or the 3 team blockbuster.
Tampa is like the Nats with 6 to 7 starters and there certainly will be a team with 4 outfielders. Kansas City seems like the perfect fit and like you said Cleveland may make sense also.
Cutter Dykstra will always be a favorite trivia question in Nats lore.
New post!
Marrero stands as a symbol of what a colossal bust the 2006 draft was for the Nats. We had five picks in the first three rounds and Marrero is the only one that has or is likely to ever make the Majors.
Were it not for lucking out in the later rounds with Cole Kimball and Brad Peacock, it would probably rank up there as on of the worst draft classes by any team, any year. Thanks, Jimbo.
It wasn't good, but that may be overstating it. The best KC came out with was Luke Hochevar that year. And again, not many GMs would have been able to do much with the restrictions he had.
All water over the dam now, of course.
@NCognito...No harm, no foul. I kinda thought that's what you meant. I always enjoy your posts. This one was just kinda strange. Probably shoulda left it along...Sunshine.
Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz!! I remember when he hurt his hand and Wookie tried to cover by tying his tie (or was it shoes?) for him before a road trip. Now, that's teamwork. :-)
Rizzo won't make any deal unless the names start with BJ or Peter and the last end with Upton or Borjous. I think he's made that pretty clear throughout the offseason.
They are going for the gusto not broken down substitutes as NatsGM always likes to suggest. That's the real Stage 2. Deal.
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