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Photo by Bob Youngentob / CSNwashington.com The Nationals and their fans have plenty to be thankful for this year. |
And for the third straight year, I've somehow managed to get my hands on a comprehensive list of these fine folks' Thanksgiving blessings. I'm just that good (or creative, depending on how you choose to look at it).
So without further ado, here's what everyone in NatsTown is thankful for this holiday season...
DAVEY JOHNSON: That he said the Nats could fire him only if he didn't win the NL East in 2012 (not the NLDS).
MIKE RIZZO: That he won't have to explain to the world why he's voluntarily shutting down one of his best big-league pitchers before the end of the 2013 season.
BRYCE HARPER: That his first big-league season included way more home runs than clown questions.
RYAN ZIMMERMAN: That he never again has to explain what it's like playing for a franchise that's never enjoyed a winning season.
IAN DESMOND: That Jim Bowden and Frank Robinson actually knew what they were doing seven years ago when they touted the then 18-year-old shortstop as a future star.
ADAM LAROCHE: That the best season of his career just so happened so occur right before he hit free agency.
JAYSON WERTH: That upon jumping into a throng of giddy teammates around home plate following the greatest baseball moment in D.C. in 88 years, he might never again have to justify his decision to take $126 million from the Nationals.
MICHAEL MORSE: That Nationals fans know the words to the chorus of "Take On Me." (Or, at least, are good at faking it.)
DANNY ESPINOSA: That the Nationals have been rewarded for showing patience with a young, streaky, middle infielder before.
WILSON RAMOS: That the toughest obstacle he has to overcome this offseason is a torn knee ligament, which should feel like nothing compared to what he had to overcome one year ago.
STEPHEN STRASBURG: That the only thing he'll be shutting down in 2013 are opposing lineups.
GIO GONZALEZ: That there will always be another member of the pitching staff willing to sit next to him in the dugout during games and listen to his stream of consciousness.
JORDAN ZIMMERMANN: That after a thoroughly rewarding season he can reward himself by sitting on a frozen Wisconsin lake ice fishing for hours on end.
EDWIN JACKSON: That even after 10 seasons with seven different organizations, there are still GMs out there willing to pay him good money based more on potential than results.
DREW STOREN: That Washington sports fans place more weight on a month of dominance than one disastrous inning of relief. Unlike, say, Philadelphia sports fans.
TYLER CLIPPARD: That no one will ever question again whether he can close in the big leagues.
HENRY RODRIGUEZ: That the ability to throw a baseball 100 mph (even with location TBD) will always guarantee a steady paycheck.
JOHN LANNAN: That after the strangest season of his career, he should get a fair opportunity to pitch in the major leagues in 2013.
CHIEN-MING WANG: That he was paid about $8 million to make 16 big-league starts over the last three years (and 21 minor-league rehab starts).
MARK BUEHRLE: That he turned down the Nationals' three-year contract offer -- with no-trade clause included -- last winter and instead took four years (without a no-trade clause) from the Miami Marlins. Oh wait, he's not thankful for that decision at all.
MARK LERNER: That he's suddenly become the most successful and most popular owner in Washington.
MARK ZUCKERMAN: That I continue to be paid to perform a job that hardly ever feels like a job and have the most knowledgeable and loyal readership a sportswriter could ever hope to achieve.
148 comments:
Thanbk you, Mark, for providing us information and a forum that has enriched our lives.
Let's Play Two!
Thank you Mark!
Have a great day.
Nice Mark...Thank you!
Thanks Mark! And thanks Mrs Z and Brian for sharing you with us!
Happy Thanksgiving to all the imaginary friends, may you stuff yourself silly and enjoy a good food coma today.
Things (baseball related) that I am thankful for:
1. Mark, for keeping this blog going for us to rejoice, commiserate, advise, speculate, teach, learn, coordinate, and argue until we're as blue as the Smurfs. Thanks, Mark!
2. The Team: from A to Z's, playing as one team, and keeping (almost) all the drama on the field. Great coaching and managing are essential, too, but ultimately only the players take the field.
3. Rizzo & Johnson, for doing the right thing and igoring most of the advice they were given (including by the media and practically everyone else).
4. The Lerners. Considering some of the other options . . . how many other owners would have expressed Gratitude?
5. The rest of the people who make the games possible: the grounds crew, the STH agents, the ushers, and the lady who sells the beer behind Sec. 313 ("oh, so you're having your usual Raging B*tch tonight?").
6. The rest of the Insiders--the off season is long enough: it would be longer without you all!
ArVAFan
Thanks to Mark for giving us a soapbox on which to stand, and to SlowPitch, sjm, JayB, Michelle and all of the others who listen, applaud and hoot.
Thanks Mark for a blog about my Nats and doing it so well that it is the first place I go every morning to see what’s happening and to read stuff from the most informed fans in the DC area.
GO NATS!
Happy Thanksgiving to the Zuckerman clan and to all of you out there in Nats Nation! GYFNG!!!
Thanks to all my imaginary friends here who provide me with an endless supply of Nats' insights (some more insightful than others)
Happy Thanksgiving to Mark Z and family! Happy Thanksgiving to Nats players, coaches and staff all over the country, and to Nats fans spread over the world! Is it April yet?
Ross Detwiler -- That the Nats had so many other good and prominent starters so management could have the patience to wait for him to start reaching his potential six years after he was the No. 6 overall draft choice in MLB.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Mark, and to all Insiders. Hope you enjoy the best holiday this side of Opening Day.
Copy and poste ArVAFan's post here.
Thank you Mark, Mrs. Z, Brian, and rest of NIs.
I hope Rizzo cuts out that Mark Buehrle line, and sits down to go over and over it with LaRoche to remind him how much better it is to be in a good situation with a team you know, instead of reaching for that extra year somewhere else. :-)
There are so many more important things in my life I am more Thankful for but still a small part of my thanks is reserved for the Nats no longer being a losing team.
And, as always, thankful for Mark and all the Insider crowd for making being a Nats fan that much more enjoyable.
Thanks to everyone associated with bringing the Nats to Washington.
As a long-time Nats junkie, I'd be thankful for some good rumors during this bleak period of non-information. Let me jump-start the discussion with a couple:
"Strasburg, Harper traded to Houston for entire roster". Better yet: "Snyder and Lerners in discussions to swap team ownership".
I'm also grateful for the editing function. And for caffeine. [Um, waiter?!]
Great Thanksgiving post, as usual. I'm thankful that Mark has such good investigative skills, or something, that he can continue to bring us top-secret lists such as this each year. I'm also grateful to Mrs Z and Brian for sharing him with us and to CSN for giving him a "real" job after having been subsidized by a demanding lot of hard-core baseball wackos such as us (myself being included in that descriptor, natch). I'm thankful that I have a team of my own and a bunch of imaginary and real baseball buddies with which to share that passion. On a related but non-baseball note, I'm thankful to have enough financial and time resources that I can enable that addict- er - guilty pleas- er, pastime during, before, and after the season. Last but not least, having dealt with a couple of family health crises this week, I'm thankful for my health and that of my loved ones, which includes my imaginary and real baseball buddies.
I'm thankful that Cthulhu hasn't come looking for me.
Also the 2013 Marlins lineup.
See also the Phillies lineup. Tick...Tock... :-)
Thank you Mark for a wonderful Blog!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! And of course Happy Thanksgiving to all the absolutely magical and awesome Family of Nats Insiders!
GYFNG!!!!!
Also there's a good writeup on Yahoo Sports about Buehrle and his parting shots at Miami management.
HaHaHaHaHa Sucker!
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mark-buehrle-says-lied-marlins-222205564--mlb.html
Happy Thanksgiving Mark, Bryan, and Mrs. Z. Thank you for this wonderful blog, Mark, and Happy Thanks giving to all my virtual friends on Nats Insiders!
Mark, we are so fortunate to have a leader like you. Thankful for 100 wins in 2012 although that 67th loss hurt.......on to 2013 and 11 postseason wins to go with that NL East crown!
Best to all.
Mark - u da (zucker) man
Happy Thanksgiving to all at NI,from our chief MZ down through all the posters, lurkers & assorted fellow travelers!
I'm thankful for baseball, for finally having a hometown team to root for, and the awesome, crazy way that they won 100 games this year. And for communities like this in which to share & celebrate seasons past, present & future.
And for the fact that the countdown clock was put on hold for over a week this year - and hopefully next year won't start until November! Not that I'm greedy or anything ;-)
fast eddie said...As a long-time Nats junkie, I'd be thankful for some good rumors during this bleak period of non-information. Let me jump-start the discussion with a couple:
"Strasburg, Harper traded to Houston for entire roster". Better yet: "Snyder and Lerners in discussions to swap team ownership".
Here ya go:
MLB Trade Rumors: Lerners Looking to Exit Baseball Ownership, Nationals on Market
MLB Trade Rumors has confirmed that the Lerner family is actively seeking a buyer for their NL East franchise Washington Nationals.
"Our business philosophy has always been 'buy low, sell high,'" Nationals Managing Principle Owner Ted Lerner stated today. "Having won the NL East championship this past season, and missing out on a World Series championship by only two playoff series, the Nationals are much closer to the top of the market today than the bottom. In our opinion, the Nationals' upside is much smaller than the downside, and, from a business and investment standpoint, our family has unanimously decided that it would be irresponsible not to maximize our profit potential at this time."
Lerner further stated that in this historically weak economy, and the impending increase in taxes due to the expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts and the increase in business taxes and higher unemployment expected upon the full implementation of Obamacare, discretionary spending on entertainment will likely experience a dramatic falloff from record 2012 levels. He also cited dramatic increases in Nationals' payroll in the next few years.
"In the next five years, we're going to have to shell out enormous sums of money if we want to keep stars such as Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, and Jordan Zimmermann in our lineup. With the expected drop in household discretionary spending and the major increases in team payroll, we doubt the team will be able to remain profitable beyond our current three-year window, even with the planned increase in Scoreboard Pavilion happy hour beer prices from five dollars to fifteen and walk-up ticket prices to $37.95 (plus six-dollar convenience fee)."
There are unconfirmed reports that a consortium of investors is in active negotiations with the Lerners. The investment group is believed to include the United Auto Workers, the General Motors Retired Employees Pension Fund, the United Federation of Teachers, and both houses of the State of California Legislature as minority interests. MLB Trade Rumors attempted to contact Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria regarding rumors that he and Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos had formed a holding company that would represent majority ownership, but he was unavailable for comment. Angelos, in a phone conversation, replied to our inquiries, "Buzzybuzzybuzzy hunhhh choo-choo Albert Belle."
Loria, it will be remembered, was the owner of the Montreal Expos baseball club before the franchise was relocated to Washington, DC.
Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo was unavailable for comment, but there are strong indications that in order to avoid an ownership conflict of interest, Loria would sell his interest in the Marlins to Rizzo for a bag of White Castle cheeseburgers. Rizzo, it is believed, is insisting that Loria include the Marlins' new stadium in the deal, even though Loria does not actually own the park. A scheme to cheat the city of Miami out of the stadium, the only roadblock between his transfer of the franchise to Rizzo, is believed to be close to execution.
Thanks MarkMeister for doing what you do!
And thanks to all the fun girls and guys who participate in this blog, proving that communication is one of the best things that we humans can accomplish.
Happy Thankgiving to all the NatsInsiders and there family's
Candide and fast eddie, why don't we stick to some real rumors like the Orioles (surprise surprise) won't aggressively pursuing Josh Hamilton. REALLY??????????? The Whorioles will attach to every big Free Agent and end up with NOTHING!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mark! And Mrs. Z and Brian. Happy Thanksgiving to all of the posters and lurkers on this fabulous blog! Mark, your posting this morning really made me miss baseball! What a great, fun team our Nats have been this year!
The best to all of you.
Add my thanks!
Candide said...
I'm thankful that Cthulhu hasn't come looking for me.
-----------------
I'm thankful for literary references, sprinkled in with my baseball fix.
HappyHappy to All Y'all!!
Gonat said...
Candide and fast eddie, why don't we stick to some real rumors like the Orioles (surprise surprise) won't aggressively pursuing Josh Hamilton. REALLY??????????? The Whorioles will attach to every big Free Agent and end up with NOTHING!
The Nats were only in the playoffs last year for four hours longer than the Orioles were. You need to put your Oriole hate and mockery on hold.
And when they put Ryan Zimmerman on first base and start Anthony Rendon at third I'll be there to ask: "Who's on first? Who's on third?"
I wouldn't want Hamels unless Phillies ate like $10 million each season and took a prospect so far away in our farm system that we will have to use a microscope.
Heck NO, I'd take him ... he's feisty I like that. Unfortunately he also wants to be a Philliy girl.
I wouldn't want that mistaken old school attitude in our clubhouse.
just imagine the beef between cole and bryce
I suspect Bryce and Colbert would have a certain grudging hard-nosed respect for each other.
So Mr Peric
You never did answer my early question. When exactly do you have Ryan moving to first?
Grateful thanks to Mark, Mrs. Z, Brian Baby Z, all the Nats, all the Nats Insiders and my imaginary friends. Let's all be thankful for our blessings and what's probably going to be a terrific 2013 season.
Thanksgiving Day ... the one day even I don't need a bourbon and Maalox.
So Mr Peric
You never did answer my early question. When exactly do you have Ryan moving to first?
As early as this season. If Zimmerman goes down, again, with an injury requiring extended DL time as he has for three year running? WHO'S ON THIRD? Anthony Rendon. If Rendon performs as many expect? Then what?
Its why the issue with signing Adam LaRoche is more about time than $$$. The Nats don't foresee LaRoche at first base long term. IN fact I would say the reason they offered the 1 year deal wasn't just to get the draft pick as it was in the hopes he might take it.
People can talk about T-Mo at first all they want. When Davey was asked what he would do if LaRoche didn't sign he basically said Morse at first T-Mo in left-field. Tyler Moore is a very weak left-fielder. The rationale is that Morse is on a 1 year plan. And Zimmerman would be his likely replacement ...
The biggest raves about Rendon's play this fall in the Arizone Fall League came for his fielding at third base. The Nats have no plans to move him from that position and trading Rendon short of getting someone like David Price from the Rays, for example, would be pure folly. And last I looked Rizzo, Clark, Minniti, Johnson are nobody's fools.
Candide at 11:35: You've set a high bar for Mark's next April Fool's Day posting. Nicely done!
Reason #7 to be thankful: this is the year that my friends stopped asking me "why I was a Nats fan?", and instead asked me "how long had I been a Nats fan?"
ArVAFan
I haven't been posting much this off-season (combination of professional responsibilities and a post-NLDS election focus), but here's wishing all a happy Pacific Northwest Thanksgiving -- lots of tofurky and vegan stuffing!
I am thankful to the Nats for an exciting, fun season. I am also thankful to Mark for satisfying my constant need for baseball news and to all of you for sharing your ideas and opinions.
Happy Thanksgiving to Team Z and all the poster children.
I still don't know where Rendon will play in the short term.
On the depth chart he's behind Who, What, I Don't Know and I Don't Give a Darn.
People can talk about T-Mo at first all they want. When Davey was asked what he would do if LaRoche didn't sign he basically said Morse at first T-Mo in left-field. Tyler Moore is a very weak left-fielder. The rationale is that Morse is on a 1 year plan. And Zimmerman would be his likely replacement ...
You seem to love citing quotes from Davey and Rizzo as if they were the words of Nostradamus, predicting the precise future before it ever happens. So riddle me this, Bats-in-the-belfry-man. Have the words "Zimmerman" and "first baseman" ever been uttered in the same sentence, same paragraph, same train of thought or even the same day by Rizzo and/or Davey? No, you say? That's right, I didn't think so. There's a reason for that. Zimmerman to first base ain't happening any time soon, if ever.
Thank you for your great work, Mark. You give lots of us lots of reading pleasure.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
Candide:
That was a classic re: Lerners' looking to sell.
The first paragraph actually made sense from a business standpoint (hate to admit you hooked me).
fast eddie said...
Candide:
That was a classic re: Lerners' looking to sell.
The first paragraph actually made sense from a business standpoint (hate to admit you hooked me).
November 23, 2012 8:12 AM
____________________________________
Yah, except this isn't April Fools joking time but I guess if you are into writing multi-paragraph spoofs, ok, its just not my thing.
Isn't there another site for those type of posts?
Now back to another day filled of Peric's writings on Ryan Zimmerman moving to 1st and Rendon to 3rd.
I actually bought Candide's post for a sec. It was pretty good writing.
The Onion, maybe. I'm just an old editorial stick-in-the-mud type but it's not my thing, either, particularly when it has the name of an actual site appended as a source. Things have a way of getting replicated on the interwebz and quoted only in part, and sometimes context is lost. imo. Also, you kids get off my lawn! ;-)
Isn't there another site for those type of posts?
Candide, your post was great, really made me laugh. Started off so (semi)reasonably and morphed in to total ridiculousness! Nice satire on how seriously people take rumors--and themselves! Thanks.
Well, I guess NJack and I aren't sharing a Coke! LOL.
NatsJack, as usual well said. I love a good prank when appropriate and I saw Candides bold headline and bought it because I didn't know it was a prank at first. I checked MLBsRumors and found nothing and went back to read it.
Is Thanksgiving now Pranksgiving? I hope not.
I left WaPo because of people like Poppy McPoop. Just not into this kind of writing on this site.
I don't see anything wrong with time and place (I mean it was just a joke). then again i haven't lived in US for as long as you guys.
With NatsLady...again :) I love satire, and saw nothing inappropriate in the timing... Joke me, anytime, Candide!!
I'm over it...at least I think I am. Boy oh boy did that last loss hurt. So let us now welcome and embrace the hope that springs eternal from within the human chest (yeah I know it is the other word but Mark's word cop app ain't letting it happen). Hope all of y'all had a fantastic T day cause I love you like family. When are 2013 tickets going on sale?
GYFNG!!!??
CANDIDE:
Well written, appreciated and like someone else mentioned, unfortunately, the first paragraph made sense. This would be perfect for the Onion, don't let them steal it. Everyone stay light please, there is a place for fun in just about every arena. I mean, look how Peric makes us laugh just about each and every day.
Hope everyone is working off food/drink and whatever else this morning.
I wish there were some BF deals for dining places. I wouldn't be sitting at work right now.
To those who enjoyed my "Nats For Sale" spoof, thanks. Mark Twain is my favorite writer, and his "Petrified Man" hoax was my inspiration. http://checkplease.humorfeed.com/issues/0101/2004JuneTwain.php
For everyone else, jeeze Louise, lighten up. Baseball is supposed to be fun. Who was that pitcher with the 168 mph fastball the Mets supposedly signed years ago, courtesy of George Plimpton?
Sidd Finch Short for Siddhartha.
Also, my corrected post disappeared. Eh, waiter - more coffee here?
===
Candide: it's nothing personal; different strokes for different folks; there's no accounting for personal tastes; everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion; etc. Plus, maybe don't read the reviews if you're inclined take issue with the bad ones. Or something like that. There. Did I get enough cliches in there? ;-) And I love Mark Twain.
I'm thankful for the 2012 season, that I was at the stadium for that Jayson Werth moment, and for the upcoming 2013 season, which I cannot wait to begin.
That's right, I didn't think so. There's a reason for that. Zimmerman to first base ain't happening any time soon, if ever.
We'll see FeelWood and you know I'll be here to ask you in BIG BOLD TYPE: WHO'S ON THIRD WHO'S ON FIRST
BTW, Ladson has reported that his inside sources have indicated moving Zim to first base is a front burner option if LaRoche doesn't sign. What does that tell you?
Rendon may be the better fielder at third base than Zimmerman. And he's younger and his arm is more reliable. Zimmerman has the better, tier one bat when he stays healthy. That's been a problem for three years running. The kind of injuries that have required extended stays on the DL and surgeries. Those tend to age players rapidly.
Logic dictates a move to first base given continuing progress of Rendon.
Sorry pal buy you may "FeelWood" but me thinks your noggin' may be wooden like Pinocchio's.
I'm thankful that the Redskins somehow managed to get themselves back ... back to 1969 when Vince Lombardi was coach and their only hope for victory was the arm of Sonny Jurgenson and the legs of former great Larry Brown. But they were sorely lacking in the defense department.
Thanks to RG III and Alfred Morris the Skins appear to have progressed from the pathetic woe-be-gone Snyder days that harkened back to the 50's and 60's until Lombardi. Given its Snyder I guess Haslett will get fired this offseason and Shanahan (who is exceedingly poor at picking out defensive coordinators) will hire another. Strangely enough Snyder seems to have a real talent for picking out good defensive coordinators if not head coaches.
BTW, Ladson has reported that his inside sources have indicated moving Zim to first base is a front burner option if LaRoche doesn't sign. What does that tell you?
That you're the only person in the civilized world or even the uncivilized world who gives any credence at all to what Ladson says. Except for Ladson himself, and for all we know he's just making jokes all year round that no one but he is getting.
Sounds like everyone needs a Tryptophan nap.
Candide, I thought it was clever. Posters' sly literary and musical allusions are one of the things that sets Mark's site apart.
So, in case somebody reports that the Nats have signed the Jumping Frog of Calaveras County -- it's just a joke.
As they used to say in Assisi: Lighten up, Francis.
That you're the only person in the civilized world or even the uncivilized world who gives any credence at all to what Ladson says. Except for Ladson himself, and for all we know he's just making jokes all year round that no one but he is getting.
I'd be careful with that dude. There are a lot of Ladson fans on here starting with a few of the more knowledgeable blogmeisters.
Like you Ladson doesn't want Zimmerman to move. And that's precisely why in this case I believe his report.
All I can say its going to be fun when it happens ... of course you won't be seen on the site ... LOL
If the Nats do happen to sign Swisher as NatsGM seems to postulate then I think the handwriting is on the wall.
And Mark? Signing Bourn is like bringing Jim Riggleman back to manage because everyone loved the job Bochy did basically using a variation of that old-school Cardinals philosophy. Davey Johnson went to the Earl Weaver Orioles school of baseball. Bourn is a one dimensional offensive player who would give Davey ischemic attacks with his slap hitting and risky base stealing. Just like Eury Perez did right?
Sidd Finch, thanks.
I guess I'm going to get beat up for linking to this today because it isn't April 1...
You posters are a riot! :)
Hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving. I sure did.
Candide: did you clear your link with Pangloss? (I am guessing in this arena that would be Mr. Z)
308, the truth needs no pre-clearance... ; -)
Phillies inquiring on Mike Stanton. Interesting. I guess you can ask ans they will say NO.
Giancarlo I mean.
Flattery will get you everyone Mark. But, it's obvious from your writing that you love your job.
To compare Candide's brilliant satire to the drivel spewed by Poopy McPoop (not that I've read the comments on Nationals Journal in the last two years) is borderline libelous. Well done Sir. Would those of you who didn't like it prefer the tiresome, repetitious, repetitive, and redundant predictions, justifications, and arguments about Zim's imminent move to 1B? Maybe we should get back to discussing whether Juan Pierre would have been a good pickup for the Nats.
Love it NatsJack
Section 222 said...To compare Candide's brilliant satire to the drivel spewed by Poopy McPoop (not that I've read the comments on Nationals Journal in the last two years) is borderline libelous.
Thanks, 222. Do you know a good libel lawyer...?
Hey, this is going to be a loooonnngggg weekend if we don't get a new post.
Now for something different...
Nats Classic on MASN playing the Mets. Bottom of the 12th with the Nats losing by one in the bottom of the 12th (6-5). I think this is Harper's first walk off home run.
Morse doubles, Desi doubled. Morse scores..game tied (6-6_. Desi to third on pass ball. Ross D walls and Nady X. fielders choice to first and a play at home.
Harper up..0-2...Classic...Harper singles to left...Nats Win...
Sorry, not the walk off home run...but a good game... 86 games to spring...
Just got home to see Bryce 's first walk off. I miss Carp, FP and the submarine horn.
In addition to being thankful for this past season, on the field and here on line, I am also giving thanks that Donald Fehr is no longer affiliated with baseball.
Coincidence that you mention him bluejeener, saw the Tenth Inning earlier (for like 100th time because of Ichiro) and Fehr's interview in it.
got to admit candide you had me going for the first couple of paragraphs, really well written! i also had to check mlb trade rumors to find the article lol well done, i appreciate the humor and hopefully others will as well
peric, you say that Rendon may be the better fielder at third base. What are you basing that on? Have you seen him play enough to make that judgement? Are you basing it on Ladson's analysis? Some other "inside" source that only shares their information with you? I remember the day when "inside" sources stated that Steve "Bye-Bye" Balboni was a better first basemen then Don Mattingly. Like you, those sources were hard to argue with, not because they were right, but because they, like you, were legendary baseball experts in their own minds. Look, Ryan Zimmerman may start at 1B next year, next month, next week. Whatever. But, man, you have posted it as fact repeatedly on this blog, and your saying it over, and over,and over doesn't make it so.
Interesting comparison. Pre-steroids - post-steroids (if you believe the hype, but interesting nevertheless).
Similarities:
Stat 1992 2012
BA .256 .255
AB per game 33.93 34.00
Hits per game 8.68 8.65
Runs per game 4.12 4.32
Differences:
Stat 1992 2012 Change
Sacrifices per game 0.40 0.30 -25%
TB per game 12.80 13.78 + 8%
Intentional BB per gm 0.31 0.22 -40%
Stolen bases per game 0.77 0.66 -14%
Walks per game 3.25 3.03 - 7%
Strikeouts per game 5.59 7.50 +34%
Two things stand out. The willingness of players to strike out (which used to be a sign of "failure"); and the unwillingness of managers to give free bases (iBB's) and free outs (sac's and the risk of stolen bases).
I've been reading a lot about how players adjust their approach for more power which seems to accept more strikeouts. Case in point, Royals top prospect, Will Meyers, who consciously decided against hitting 10 HR per season ("they're not paying me for that"). Are we trying to turn Danny into Lombo at the plate? Is that the right thing to wish for?
Credit: got the stats from this article.
2012/11/1992-vs-2012-the-game-has-changed-a-lot-in-20-years
http://www.highheatstats.com/2012/11/1992-vs-2012-the-game-has-changed-a-lot-in-20-years/#more-8159
MicheleS, how poor was Nady's approach in that AB. Lucky it wasn't a 4-2-3 inning ending DP. With 1 out and bases loaded Nady took a strike up in the zone that he could have driven for a walkoff Sac Fly and instead swings at the low in the zone pitch that he tops for a grounder.
Bryce the rookie gets into a 0-2 count and shortens up and sends it oppo for a walkoff single.
3 clutch hits in that inning. Morse, Desi, Bryce.
Are we trying to turn Danny into Lombo at the plate? Is that the right thing to wish for?
When he bats right-handed he has 17 doubles and 3 homers out of 37 and 17 and a .281 average + .340 OBP with 47 K's.
When he bats left-handed more homers, fewer doubles more K'.s.
What that does that tell you Natslady?
peric, you say that Rendon may be the better fielder at third base. What are you basing that on? Have you seen him play enough to make that judgement?
SCOUTS from other NL franchise's objective analyses of his AFL play. SCOUTS and checkers. Isn't that what you fav Natsjack uses as sources? And Natsjack isn't going to argue this point so why are you? Just to be ornery right?
Whatever. But, man, you have posted it as fact repeatedly on this blog, and your saying it over, and over,and over doesn't make it so.
As things stand now that what will eventually happen. Sorry to have disappoint you and Feelwood but it is what it is dude.
Feel Wood, I don't know about you but I'm very afraid.
Ask Luke Erickson of Natsprospects what he thinks about Ladson Natsjack. Let me know what he says moron.
Oh, so it's going to be one of those days............
I guess it tells me if you want more homeruns you have to put up with more strikeouts, which is what I said happened with Myers. Was it supposed to tell me something else?
peric said...
peric, you say that Rendon may be the better fielder at third base. What are you basing that on? Have you seen him play enough to make that judgement?
SCOUTS from other NL franchise's objective analyses of his AFL play. SCOUTS and checkers.
I've seen lots of quotes from scouts, checkers and other observers saying Rendon is a good or even an exemplary fielder at third base. But I've yet to see even one quote that specifically compares Rendon's fielding with Zimmerman's and says Rendon is better. Not one.
Can you produce such a quote, peric? No? I didn't think so.
NatsLady, I wonder if there is a comparison out there at the peak of the steroid era?
I don't think anyone wants to turn Espi into lombo. Espi needs to establish himself at the plate. Especially since he is swinging at stuff outside the zone. No one is paying him to not be on base.
I don't want to turn Espi into Lombo, but IMO, Espi could take the first two strikes for himself, but the third one for the team. So he should stop trying to knock the daylights out of the ball on his third strike and just make contact with the ball and put it in play. Who knows, he might surprise himself and hit a home run anyway.
I'm a huge believer that poor defense loses games,and as such I would live, [with some grumbling],with Espinosa. The kid's glove and arm are pretty much as good as any other middle infielder in the league.I sure would like him to accept that he would be more valuable to the team as a more consistent contact hitter. I think that he is a very proud man with a pretty big ego. Leading the league in strikeouts has got to bother him a lot.
Espi has a few things he can learn from Lombo. I refuse to believe that a hitter has to be either a home run hitter that strikes out a lot OR a weak contact slapper that can only hit singles. A good approach at the plate is highly situational.
Maybe Espi can learn something from Rendon when he comes up, i.e. the value of hard hit line drives. Even Harper said most of his home runs are line drives that just keep going.
NatsJack in Florida said...
Joe....the problem with Espi is as a "tweener, even if he focused on contact, he'd run into 15 - 18 homeruns a year but he wants more
I'll take a .285 avg. with a .350 OBP and whatevercomes with it.
November 24, 2012 3:11 PM
I'd take that also NJ. With his defense, we'd be golden.
Section 222 said...To compare Candide's brilliant satire to the drivel spewed by Poopy McPoop (not that I've read the comments on Nationals Journal in the last two years) is borderline libelous. Well done Sir. Would those of you who didn't like it prefer the tiresome, repetitious, repetitive, and redundant predictions, justifications, and arguments about Zim's imminent move to 1B?
Candide: 222, I think the answer can be found below: :-)
Joe Seamhead said...peric, you say that Rendon may be the better fielder at third base. What are you basing that on? Have you seen him play enough to make that judgement?
peric said...SCOUTS from other NL franchise's objective analyses of his AFL play. SCOUTS and checkers. Isn't that what you fav Natsjack uses as sources? And Natsjack isn't going to argue this point so why are you? Just to be ornery right?
Feel Wood said...I've seen lots of quotes from scouts, checkers and other observers saying Rendon is a good or even an exemplary fielder at third base. But I've yet to see even one quote that specifically compares Rendon's fielding with Zimmerman's and says Rendon is better. Not one.
Can you produce such a quote, peric? No? I didn't think so.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we reallyreallyreally need a new post to fight over.
Agreed.
NatsJack, isn't it called scoring a lot on them early and often which takes their idiot fans out of the game.
....(sigh)... Is it wrong of me to miss baseball so much..... When it's still only November....?
NatsJack in Florida said...
Joe....the problem with Espi is as a "tweener, even if he focused on contact, he'd run into 15 - 18 homeruns a year but he wants more
I'll take a .285 avg. with a .350 OBP and whatevercomes with it.
November 24, 2012 3:11 PM
Smart post. He won't hit those HRs 450 feet but the 385 footers count the same on the scoreboard. Once he finally figures that out, he may finally improve and live up to this potential we have heard about.
I watched on MASN last night a Nats replay of Bryce's 1st walkoff (single in the 12th). Morse leads off the 12th with a double off the scoreboard in right, the Mets protect against the bunt and Desi rips a double past Wright to score Morse and the game is tied. Espi gets up with no outs and Desi on 2nd and what does he do, tries to hit it 500 feet and hits a shallow fly to LF and doesn't move up the runner and becomes the 1st out. Nady puts together a typical lousy at-bat with bases loaded for the 2nd out and then the Rookie who has played 40 games in the Majors gets up with 2 outs and in a 0-2 count serves a ball in LF that falls in for the Game Winner.
In this particular game with Espi, it should have been hitting fundamentals on display with approach and mechanics and the approach was to get a pitch to drive for a hit or make a productive out and he did neither. The pitcher was on the ropes after serving up 2 straight doubles.
Ghost- yes, yes, that is it in a nutshell. NatsJack- just finished watching Fla/FSU game with my daughter in law, the FSU fan. Ugh, during the third quarter it sounded like Atalanta. And - unkyd., I miss baseball horribly. Some of the WBC games have been not too terrible .
My biggest problem with Espi, each time the opposition needs a key out, he makes it.
How about a post about the guys that have to be tendered (Lannan, JFlo, etc?)
Ghost/SonnyG/Natsjack:
I agree that we'd all be happy for Espi to hit .285BA/.350OBP. But who are we kidding?
His 3-year stats are .239/.315. His defensive skills are unquestioned. He just needs to make more contact and move an occasional runner along.
Yes, he's only 25 but hasn't learned anything from Eck and Davey. Bat him 8th, leave him in till July, then bring up Rendon if he hasn't improved.
Again nothing to do with baseball but I thought MicheleS would like to know that I am off to Holy Cross Hospital to become a grandfather!! Maybe by the time I get back there will be a new post to read to my grandkid!!
Wish us luck!
Go Nats!! go Chainsaw!! (will probably have to call him Kieran after he pops out, still upset they didn't go with Willy Mo) take care real & imaginary friends
Steve JM, way to go! Best news I have heard! By the way, i've visited that hospital myself a few times back in the 60's and 70's for the birth of a few of my family members. I bet they are all state of the art there now! An early congrats!
sjm: Luck.
(This offer applies to any and all of sjm's family members, as designated by sjm. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. YMMV. IMHO.)
Aren't you too young to be a grandfather?
If not, congratulations!
Congratulations sjm!
sjm, good for you. Hopefully another member of the Nats nation who is healthy along with his Mother.
GO GRANDPA!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Blessings on you, Kevin, Chainsaw and especially Chainsaw's Mom!!!
PS.. Make sure you have smelling salts for Kevin!
Congrats, sjm!
Hope he reports back - we need to know if the baby will be wearing the pink nats spirit wear or the red. Honestly - we are desperate for news of anything at this point. Hoping for a nice, new, provocative post tomorrow. Either that, or some actual news. One week to go until winter meetings?
MicheleS said...
GO GRANDPA!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
November 25, 2012 10:17 AM
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Ditto
4:15 and still nothing. Her room has two old senators hats, a red plush toy with a curly W and most important, NO mets gear from her parents. To be fair, they were in town & I expect they have stuff waiting at home. Would give up more info but its a family channel. Bad news is they only have nickelodeon on he tv.
We really need a new Baseball post!
I did send kevin all your good wishes and Michele's WooooHoooo's.
For some reason he seems a bit distracted but I got a chuckle from him
Mazel Mazel....good things.... :)
Oh no, you didn't, swami! (Wags finger in front of face.) We don't want to get a sweet little baby girl started on that bogus pink gear thing. She needs to wear team colors from the start just like the big boys do. ;-)
Hope he reports back - we need to know if the baby will be wearing the pink nats spirit wear or the red.
And fyi.. Kevin already broke the news in a previous post, it's a boy, and his name will be Kieren, despite his grandfathers' best efforts to name him Willy Mo. But Chainsaw is a great nick name.
1A.. NO PINK (unless that is the only way you can get them to the game)
natsfan1a said...
Oh no, you didn't, swami! (Wags finger in front of face.) We don't want to get a sweet little baby girl started on that bogus pink gear thing. She needs to wear team colors from the start just like the big boys do. ;-)
er...didn't sjm say the baby was a he?
Hahaha. Hard core Nats gear only!
Man, I'm going through severe Nats withdrawal symptoms. Must be what a recovering addict feels like.
Thanks, Michele and Sonny. I've been catching up on things after being out of town for a week and hadn't picked up on that particular tidbit. Welcome to the world, Kieren. :-)
Hey, maybe Kieren and Brian could be our middle infielders of the future.
Well, since Grandpa was trying to name Kieren Willy Mo and now Chainsaw, I see a Bryce Harper clone out in the OF somewhere.
Big week coming up with Friday's deadline to offer arbitration to arb-eligibles like Lannan and Flores, and after that Rizzo and group fly to the Winter Meetings on December 3rd.
WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO
Baby kieran born at 8:15 after 17 hours of labor. I am exhausted!!
Thanks again to all, baby, & mom are fine, Kevin needs a Guinness
YES!!!!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Let Kevin know I will buy him a guiness on Opening Day next year (or at the Fan Fest - which they better have!)
Congratulations sjm!
And for Kieran, GYFNewNatsFanG!
sjm308 said...
WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO
Baby kieran born at 8:15 after 17 hours of labor. I am exhausted!!
Thanks again to all, baby, & mom are fine, Kevin needs a Guinness
November 25, 2012 8:31 PM
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Congratulations to you and your family!
Congrats, sjm! (May we call you "gramps" now?) Best wishes to all your clan and particularly to mom, as it sounds like it was quite a long day for her. ;-)
Congrats, sjm. The kid already seems to have a lot of imaginary aunts and uncles.
Is a bourbon and Maalox appropos?
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