Davey Johnson appeared on last night's SportsNet Central and talked about coming back with the Nationals for the 2013 season. He said he thought inexperience caught up with the club in 2012 and that he hopes to walk away with a championship like Tony LaRussa did with the Cardinals.
Check out the video:
41 comments:
Thanks, Chase. Let's re-sign ALR and Sean, pick up another starter and watch the Phillies and Braves battle it out for 2nd place, far behind us!
NatsJack, Thanks for the info. But c'mon, you are in one of the most beautiful cities in the Country - go out and see it! Played golf there Sunday, always a treat... enjoy yourself.
Every day that passes I am more and more convinced that resigning ALR should be top priority. Shoot, even if it means ending up with Lannen as our fifth starter and not signing a new pitcher I say go for it (although that does go contrary to everything Rizzo has put out there). Give the silver slugger/gold glover 3 or 4 years if he wants it.
Jimmy Rollins was just quoted on MLBN as saying the Phillies are the team to beat in the NL East.
Been there, done that Jimmy! Guess will have do it again--for fun this time!!!!
In the meantime, Mr. Over-The-Hill, you might want to check out some medications to treat your delusions and hallucinations.
Well, Davey, here's hoping you do go out a winner like LaRussa.
Doc,
Why do we give s*it about what Jimmy Rollins says?
Bryce is on 106.7... I love this kid.
NatsJack,
I am intrigued by the prospect of packaging Espinosa in a trade. I think that his value is quite high because some teams will view him as a SS and he will bring a decent bat and top notch defense to that position.
If the brass is as frustrated with Danny's approach as you say they are and if he can help fetch a top talent then it's definitely a thought.
I think that Lombo batting 7th while not a star would certainly be an adequate major league 2nd baseman. He has to quicken his release on his throws but he strikes me as someone who will improve his game with hard work.
NatsJack,
I am intrigued by the prospect of packaging Espinosa in a trade. I think that his value is quite high because some teams will view him as a SS and he will bring a decent bat and top notch defense to that position.
If the brass is as frustrated with Danny's approach as you say they are and if he can help fetch a top talent then it's definitely a thought.
I think that Lombo batting 7th while not a star would certainly be an adequate major league 2nd baseman. He has to quicken his release on his throws but he strikes me as someone who will improve his game with hard work.
guess what never gets old.... listening to Charlie Slowes Werth homer call, I get chills every time I hear it... so uplifting!!!!
I love this team!!!! I am ready for Spring training NOW!!!
Doc - I am all for Rollins thinking his team is good but disrespecting our win last year leads me not to care what he thinks
JD --
All I said, on the last thread, was they wouldn't trade Espinosa right now unless they thought Rendon was an answer at 2B. If they don't think he's the answer then, probably, they don't trade Espinosa. NatsJack quoted someone as saying Rendon is a player for whom "questions need to be answered." Maybe one of those questions is, can he play anywhere else?
Prior injuries may be an issue, maybe not. Depends on what the ankles look like from the inside. We don't know and aren't qualified to speculate.
Nor is the fact that, in some 40+ minor league games, Rendon hasn't played second. Or in the AFL, where rosters are constructed by "slotting" players (e.g., Skole at 1B, Martinson at SS) so that all of the teams can see/show off their players in action under the best circumstances. The Orioles worked Machado at 3B in secret for several mos. before bringing him up.
Rendon might demonstrate his chops/train on the job at 2B at the major league level in the event of injuries. Who knows?
Lombardozzi at 2B is duct tape until something better comes along. He might turn out to have Adam Kennedy's glove and Harold Reynolds's bat -- that's not a complete player.
Anybody know how to disable auto-play on this thing? I appreciate Chase's posts, and that Comcast pays Mark for keeping the blog but I don't want to watch Comcast's commercials, however short, and from my antiquarian perspective the videos themselves don't add much.
I am tired of the Espinosa "hate." Really tired of it. He is a very talented athlete, and if he were playing SS and Desi were playing 2B this would not be a discussion. There is an artificial expectation of what offense each defensive position is expected to provide. I hope he improves. But if he doesn't, I'm fine with a .250 Gold Glove calibre 2B who can slide over to SS.
SO last night they did the interviews with the ROY candidates last night. I wonder if Davey is on tonight? Or does he send McCatty to do the interview :-)
@BNightengale The #Marlins are letting teams know that virtually everyone is available on trade market...
I want Stanton!
MicheleS==> LOL on the McCatty interview comment! Absolutely on Giancarlo--even if we have to give them Rendon.
Definitely! I am up for his defense if his bat gets to be in our lineup everyday.
his=stanton's
NatsLady, I agree with that artificial statement. I think it should depend on a team's needs. If a team already has power, avg, on base coming from bunch of other positions, I could care less how well my 2B hits if he is the best defensive 2B in both leagues.
NatsLady,
I do not see a lot hoe "hate" but more of an accepting of the realities of baseball. Nowadays, teams must evolve either the payroll is expanded dramatically over the next 5 years as every position on the roster should see significant natural salary increase (locked in contracts or arbitration) or players will have to be turned over.
Epsy right now is a decent 2B (Great Def and power but high Ks low OBP) and a potential above average 2B or SS plus not even arbitration eligible and so he is one of the few high value players that would return a lot of value. The Nats future is now so moving him makes some sense but they could easily keep him and see him develop.
Not every player continues to develop and so it makes sense to move players even when we really really like them.
Me, too, on Stanton!
Just for the record, I am not on a Danny Espinosa "hate" wagon,and I still think that until further notice, he is the Nats 2nd baseman.I don't see any possibility of a healthy Espinosa platooning with Lombardozzi. His defense is near elite status. That said, I'd like to see him modify his approach at the plate. After Andy Petite exposed Harper's weakness for the outside curve I wanted Bryce to change his approach, too. Didn't mean that I hated him.
Apart from Stanton who does Miami have that we would want? Johnson? (I'm serious about that.) Three years of Buerhle? (The expensive part of his contract is still to come.)
Possibly the people here who are hot for Bourn would consider Bonafacio an alternative: he's fast, a banjo hitter and runs into outs. Sounds comparable.
Interesting. Rizzo, who loves pitchers rehabbing from TJ, didn't get Scott Baker. Makes me think he has bigger ideas.
NatsLady: Even I would give up Rendon for Giancarlo...it would hurt, but I'd do it.
I would go for Johnson, if the price is right. Bonifacio==> if you recall, been here, done that. Maybe. Buehrle is a pleasant pitcher, and pleasant doesn't cut it for me. You either go top of the line (Johnson) or "adequate" No. 5.
Because I am bored:
Here is the link the 106.7 Interview with Bryce, in the body of the article is the link to listen to it.
Bryce
actually I think this past trade deadline, I was hoping Nats could get Johnson for cheap since he was struggling a bit.
I don't exactly know his post- and pre-injury numbers and velocity but if they are not too different, I would love to get JJ. He is under control for one more year I think so would not cost a whole lot but then again, how willing Marlins would be to trade him within division?
BROYce was great in that interview. Despite all the calls on here for him to sit or bat lower in the order during his slump, Davey stuck by him. And--clearly Bam-Bam loves Werth! I think we are OK with our $126 million-dollar-man. However, I did read on Fangraphs an analysis of how "tall" hitters can struggle in their later years.
Height
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/aging-strikeouts-and-height-extending-corey-hart/#comment-3670338
NatsLady, what worries me about Espi is everyone on the planet sees the hole in his swing except Danny. His wasted ABs came at some very bad times last year. I disagree about the statement that if he was a SS we'd lay off; until a couple of months ago Desmond was the preferred whipping boy in here.
Ti me Danny is the classic guy who is trying to pound the square peg into the round hole. At some point he has to realize he can't.
SCNats--you have a point about Desi being the "whipping boy" until he, um, wasn't. However, it seems like people here won't be satisfied until Danny is = Robinson Cano. It could be that at some point Danny will realize that what he is doing at the plate isn't working--or, else, it will work. Unpredictable.
Danny is young. He is stubborn. He is a second-baseman. Remind you of anyone?
See, I'm kind of thinking the opposite of people, including Eckstein. Danny isn't going to "fix" the hole in his swing. He's got an idea in his head, and he's going to make it work. It may take a couple of years, but he's a stubborn, focused guy.
Michele, thanks for the link to the Bryce interview. I was miffed with myself for forgetting he was on today. I really enjoyed what he had to say. What a great kid.
Johnson would not be cheap, as he is carrying $13.5 of salary. I think the Marlins would be willing to trade w/in the division because (A) they know they're not going to contend soon (if ever); (B) Loria wants to shed salary (why Buerhle is probably available).
Last year (2012), Johnson looked like a pitcher coming off surgery, i.e., inconsistent, ragged at times. I (as Rizzo/a Lerner) would be willing to bet on his comeback because he's a horse and a very intelligent pitcher. And a team would only be rolling the dice for one year. Much better pedigree, higher ceiling than he-who-should-not-be named for comparable dollars.
As regards whether Danny will follow in Desi's footsteps and "figure it out." I think they are two different cases. Some of Desi's problems had to do with focus and making errors on defense. When he was more mature and had the "baby weight" he settled down was able to be in the game on a daily basis and his talent shone threw.
Danny is a guy who clearly likes the defensive side of the game better than the offensive side. He likes being out there in the field with his glove and his buddies. When you are at bat, the focus is on you as a soloist, and Danny is not a soloist.
Maybe the worst thing that happened to him was that first 1/2 year as a rookie when he was hitting great and talked about as ROY. Then the league adjusted to him and, so far, he hasn't adjusted back. I think he will, but he will do it in his own way.
Theo, agree. I would go for J Johnson, even though the cost is high. Wouldn't go for Buehrle--he is reliable (good) but not an Ace. If you are going to pay that kind of money, go for the Ace.
Davey made adjustments in his playing career, Danny will make adjustments and I am confident in that. Simply because someone somewhere will be able to get him to do it, and it may just be Danny that does it. He may have to hit rock bottom before it happens but eventually it will happen. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
NatsLady,
My comments about Espi and for that matter any other player have nothing to do with 'hate'. As a matter of fact I am OK with a 3.8 WAR player at 2nd base any time. I think fans tend to focus in on some key at bats especially in the playoffs but overall Espi's value is solid.
This does not mean that you should not consider trade possibilities especially if you can get a huge missing piece in return and you have an inhouse option to fill his position competently.
MichelleS,
Exactly and it's not as if he's hurting the team now. Frustrating the fans and the manager some; maybe.
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