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USA Today Images Wilson Ramos tore the ACL in his right knee May 12 in Cincinnati. |
"Suzuki will probably start the season at No. 1, making sure that Ramos is comfy," manager Davey Johnson said. "I love Ramos. I love both of them."
Suzuki, acquired in a trade with the Athletics on Aug. 3, assumed the starting job the rest of the season and through the National League Division Series. The 29-year-old impressed with his ability to produce in the clutch -- he drove in 20 runs over his last 28 games -- and to work with the Nationals' pitching staff, setting the stage for his return next season.
Already under contract for $6.45 million, Suzuki would make for an incredibly pricey backup catcher.
Ramos, though, had a stranglehold on the starting job before he got hurt trying to chase down an errant pitch May 12 in Cincinnati. The 25-year-old was hitting .265 at the time of the injury and finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting the previous season after clubbing 15 homers.
Ramos' recovery has gone smoothly, and team officials have every reason to believe he'll report to spring training 100 percent healthy. But Johnson plans to be cautious with his young catcher.
"It depends on his mobility and what the doctors say," the manager said. "He had two drastic knee surgeries. He really looked good to me with us in the playoffs, and he's driven. He's got a lot of potential offensively and defensively. We have two great No. 1 catchers."
If Ramos re-establishes himself as healthy and productive, Johnson could face a dilemma. Would he pick either Ramos or Suzuki as his regular starter, or would he have them share the job?
"Whatever I do, I'll probably be successful at it," the manager said. "We'll just have to see how it goes. If a guy is going real good, stay a little longer. Cools off, I'll go with the other guy. But I'm very comfortable with both of them."
87 comments:
If Ramos gets more than 250 at-bats, I'll be shocked.
"I love Ramos" = "John is my No. 5 starter."
I ran it through the Davey translator.
Ha, whatever he does, he WILL probably be successful at it.
Enough ABs for both of them
Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessimistic_For_Me said...
"I love Ramos" = "John is my No. 5 starter."
I ran it through the Davey translator.
December 05, 2012 12:38 PM
That's funny but Davey was serious when he said that about Lannan and got over-ruled by his boss Mike Rizzo.
Rizzo was right and I'm sure they will have more discussions like that this off-season. Davey said yesterday he wants DeRosa on his bench and you have to wonder how he will accomplish that with Tracy, Lombo/Espi, Bernadina, and Moore as potentially the 4 bench position players.
Emdash said: EmDash said...
Hi, new-ish Nats fan, big fan of the blog - hope I can keep up with all the knowledgeable discussion!
For LaRoche, I'm thinking the big x-factor in the possibility of Texas signing him is if they get Greinke - they apparently want him and Josh Hamilton, but won't be able to afford both. If they get Greinke and lose Hamilton, they seem like they may want a left-handed potential power threat and may sign LaRoche after all.
Of course, it seems unlikely they get Greinke, if only because the Dodgers want him and they've got way too much money (and are talking about trading some of their other starters, so they seem fairly sure about it). So from my (admittedly newbie) perspective, I wouldn't be surprised if LaRoche is waiting on Greinke's signing before agreeing to a deal with the Nats
December 05, 2012 11:51 AM
Welcome, Emdash! I wouldn't be surprised if LaRoche didn't end up with the Rangers, though Nats Lady gave a nice link to the Rangers' traffic jam at first, which I will post after I make sure that you are welcomed, recognized, and properly celebrated for an interesting and civil post made in the middle of a food-fight.
What happens if Ramos shows up to Viera "in the best shape of his life?" (gulp. bang!)
I know, Kurt still has the job, I just wanted an excuse to "(gulp. bang!)" to a classic cliche.
We have arrived! Five number 1 pitchers, two number 1 catchers We'll do Microsoft proud with our "plug and play" team.
Here's Nats Lady's excellent post:
NatsLady said...
LaRoche's problem is timing. The Nats just don't have a long-term need at 1B. If he feels he would "look stupid" signing for less than 3/45, then he might sign for a team like the M's. But he also said he didn't want to play for a loser, he had enough of that in Pittsburgh, and it, in his own words, "wasn't fun."
In theory, the Rangers could be a match, but they have similar problems to the Nats in that 1B has other takers or potential takers. The bottom line is LaRoche only got a two-year offer when he was 31 (two years ago). His best option is probably the Nats, and I feel that he and Rizzo will come to terms. Rizzo said in an interview yesterday that he is not going to rush and "put pressure" on Adam to sign right away.
Rangers First Base
http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/foul_territory/2012/12/what-will-the-rangers-do-at-first-base.html
December 04, 2012 2:13 PM
NatsLady said...
Napoli can also catch (whether he does or not, in actuality) whereas there is no flexibilty with LaRoche, not even left field. He is too slow. He's a very slick first baseman, but a lot of that comes from where he positions himself and how he reads the ball off the bat.
December 04, 2012 2:15 PM
This is one position where you can figure that both players will get time. Day game after a night game is almost always a different catcher. We did use Kurt alot in the last month when I am guessing Davey was wary of Flores but with two really good catchers I can see him juggling this. Not sure both players will like it unless we are winning. Winning would take the sting out of sitting on the bench more then you would like.
I am puzzled by Mark's last post where he states that the Span trade was greeted with positive comments by most people in the business. Didn't he check with Peric who has Span on the bench to start the season? I will get ready to skip the bold print and nasty words or maybe I will just go take my nap now to avoid his wrath.
Go Nats!!
Ramos was a big disappointment before he got hurt. He was fat, couldn't block pitches, couldn't hang onto throws. I don't see how the kidnapping in VZ excuses what seemed to be poor conditioning. (I do give partial forgiveness for problems throwing out runners, some of which has to be assigned to the pitching staff.) I'd say that Johnson was being kind by ascribing Wilson's status to the injury.
If Suzuki hits half-way decently in the first half of the season my inclination would be to extend him and find out if Ramos still has any trade value.
I assumed that Zook would be the man on day one, and that Ramos would have to show that he's 100% before he's going to go in.
I marvel at the beating these catchers take. A position unlike any other on the field. They are present for and involved with each and every pitch of the game, with all pitchers. Superhuman marvels, these guys.
NatsLady said...
Napoli can also catch (whether he does or not, in actuality) whereas there is no flexibilty with LaRoche, not even left field. He is too slow.
Which is why she'll really enjoy true gold glove performance and range when Ryan Zimmerman FoF moves there in a year or so. And Anthony Rendon is about as good as you can get at third base.
Betcha Davey will want to stay for that too.
I marvel at the beating these catchers take. A position unlike any other on the field.
They now have 4 adding in Solano and Leon. Both of whom will work on their offense in the minors this season.
Maybe Kieboom is next. Maybe Nieto finally gets it.
Sucks for Ramos, but he was hurt so bad and out for so long that the normal rule that you don't lose a starting job due to injury doesn't apply. The Nats did not have the luxury of waiting for him to heal, they needed to make a move and move on. It's the same thing that happened to Flores when he got hurt.
Hopefully Ramos will get back to form and we can have a catcher controversy like the old "I Like Sonny"/"I Like Billy" QB controversy the Redskins had in the George Allen days.
SJM, I almost spit out my coffee on your 2nd paragraph. In other news, Dan Haren once played for the Diamondbacks but records show it wasn't at the same time Rizzo was there.
How can 1 person be wrong so often?
One thing about that blog entry- Michael Young is really bad at baseball. Ron Washington likes him for some reason, but the Rangers are a well-run team and I'm sure they will let Wash now just how terrible Michael Young this offseason. The Rangers may pass on LaRoche, but it won't be because of Michael Young. And it's not like Mitch Moreland is the next Joey Votto either.
I'm less worried about Ramos's knee than his weight. I'm 61 years old, and I'm not as jowly as that photo above. How much running has he been doing on his injured knee this off-season, with two surgeries?
I hope he comes back strong, but he's had some serious liabilities from the defensive standpoint. If he isn't ready to go, I'm sure Davey will be happy to let KSuz catch four or five games every week.
I don't see how the kidnapping in VZ excuses what seemed to be poor conditioning.
You've led a charmed life. Ever hear of post-traumatic stress disorder? Getting kidnapped is going to drive a lot more people toward midnight raids on the fridge than it does to the weight room.
I'm totally onboard with a fairly equal split... Ramos could look at it as a bonus, having a year with extra days off to completely rehab that knee. I have awful knees, and can't imagine all that squatting. As for next year, if Wilson is good to go, buhbye Kurt... One of those two kids will be ready, and Ramos will have a few years of team control, in fact, if Wilson is ip to it after going half the time in the first half, next year, Suzuki could be moved at the deadline... Another prospect?
Hope Randy Knoor can teach Willy Ramos how to set up for a foul ball, before he takes the C job from Zuk!
So, Mets announced that they sign Wright to his extension which includes deferred money. Granted, that would seem to be good for them but one would think they are making enough to pay now and not have it hang over them later. Heck, they just started paying Bobby Bonilla his first few installments on his deferral. And they are paying a deferral to Jason Bay.
Why would a player accept a deferral deal? I know Bay did it so he could get bought out but neither Bobby B. or Wright had that issue.
Just saw that Wil Nieves got signed by D-backs. I think I would have gone with Flores instead, but good for Wil.
SJM
The term slap hitter is a common derogatory term used about players who don't have much power. The point Peric is missing is that for a leadoff hitter the real key is OBP and the power is secondary. If a player hits to a good OBP and also happens to have good speed and plays excellent defense in CF there's not much negative there. I'm sure Davie concurs.
Ghost,
It's a bit early to try and figure out the bench math. I bet you that there will be personnel changes which will alter the math.
I think it's way too early to consider moving Ramos. 25 year old catchers who posses all the tools and can hit don't grow on trees.
It's true that Ramos was not great at receiving and holding on to outfield throws and these issues do need to get resolved but clearly the talent is there.
Both Solano and Leon had trouble receiving as well in their stints but they both showed enough to still be considered viable prospects.
I'm less worried about Ramos's knee than his weight. I'm 61 years old, and I'm not as jowly as that photo above.
I'm not sure when that photo was taken, but it's probably not in the last couple of months.
I hope Wilson can make it all the way back. I know he might hate it, but I prefer the cautious approach that they are using. Zuk can be Haren/Gio personal catcher and ramos can have Jordan/Stras, they can fight over Det.
I would also doubt that the photo is recent. Also hope that he can make it all the way back.
On another note, did anyone else notice that their screen got all blurry when they looked at the Nationals offseason's greeting card? Maybe I need a new monitor or something, 'cause it's happened before with that video...
My point is that Ramos has always looked kinda pudgy even during the regular season, which is when I assume that photo was taken. He was definitely heavier at the beginning of 2012 than at the end of 2011, and having all that time off his feet since the injury can't have been good. I'll be delighted if he shows up in shape, but also not a little surprised.
I'm less worried about Ramos's knee than his weight. I'm 61 years old, and I'm not as jowly as that photo above.
I'm not sure when that photo was taken, but it's probably not in the last couple of months.
Back to staring out the window bandwagon fan. If you know anything about knee injuries weight is a major component. Note the difference between Suzuki and Ramos. Suzuki is clearly more athletic.
Definitely, Ramos needs to drop some pounds. Recovering from knee surgery is typically not conducive to losing weight without a very strict diet.
You can't really move much.
I agree with the posts about adding weight, but also remember he is an athlete who for the first time had nothing to do but condition himself. I suspect he'll be in good shape by the time he arrives in Florida.
Me too DaveB--why not JFlo??
I think Amanda had Wilson down at least 15 lbs at the end of the season. and he was looking to lose more - he is in DC doing his rehab, so I am sure they are monitoring his weight.
Doc said...
Me too DaveB--why not JFlo??
Maybe they were afraid he might start having flashbacks to that night in their ballpark when he took the foul ball off his shoulder that derailed his career.
I think Amanda had Wilson down at least 15 lbs at the end of the season.
Judging from her appearances on MLBN recently, looks like he gave those 15 lbs to her.
"Getting kidnapped is going to drive a lot more people toward midnight raids on the fridge than it does to the weight room."
The profession of being a major league baseball player includes doing situps and watching your diet.
Off-topic, but has the group discussed why we are seeing Mark Zuckerman on Twitter bragging about how much money he has made this week filling out surveys on Facebook? Is it time to take up another subscription collection?
I'm not even going for the bang, gulp here, but I honestly looking for Moose to come to ST in the best shape of his life....
BANG! Gulp.....
MicheleS, you are correct. Ramos will finish his rehab on Friday and then head to the VZ for a few weeks and then comeback to DC if they want him to. He has lost a lot of weight also.
Sounds like the exact plan to start the season as we predicted. Both Suzuki and Ramos will play better in a 4 day a week schedule for the #1 and with a 3 day a week schedule for the #2.
Keppinger - 3yrs * 4 mil per year to the white sox. That's somewhat reasonable compared to the crazy deal the Giants gave Scutaro and the ridiculous deals given to: Victorino, Napoli and Pagan.
What are the Red Sox doing? 4 catchers, $13 mil per for 3 years to a 32 year old who has already started his decline?
ALR must think he has leprecy or something; compared to these guys he is a bargain at 3 years.
Traveler8 said...
Off-topic, but has the group discussed why we are seeing Mark Zuckerman on Twitter bragging about how much money he has made this week filling out surveys on Facebook? Is it time to take up another subscription collection?
I follow him on Twitter and have seen none of that. You may be being spammed.
Who is Traveler8?
Our Mark Zuckerman is @ZuckermanCSN. Beware of imitations.
Ramdom thoughts.
I DeRosa would make a great coach or minor league manager in 2013.
I think Theophilus T. S. is correct, Ramos couldn't hang onto throws for plays at the plate, he needs top work on that with all the plus defense OF we have now.
Desi doesn’t finish in the top three for Gold Glove in 2013, if ALR isn’t playing 1B.
Haren wins 16 games or more for the Nats in 2013.
I think the Nats might actually get ALR on a two year deal, I think it is 50/50 now. At the start of free agency I thought it was a 5% chance; thinks change and chairs fill up elsewhere.
Ghost, Traveler8 is a long-, long-time poster here and at The Other Place. Sits in center field red seats, IIRC.
BTW, Traveler, please tell me you didn't click on anything like that.
Feel wood @ 2:47, inappropriate and classless, thought you were better than that.
Tcostant, outside of Greinke, Anibal, Bourn and JHamilton it's a weak FA market. There are no blue chip franchise types of infielders in this FA crop. We value LaRoche more than others. If Votto was healthy, he would have swept the 1st base awards. No more Pujols and Fielder in the NL.
Just sayin'. GM's are not prioritizing LaRoche at more than 1 or 2 years. If LaRoche wants 3 years he better hope for a mystery team to jump in.
Ghost, I have been around a long time, just don't post much. If you were at the 312 picnic table meetings in the playoffs you saw me.
Interesting, I went back to look at the tweets again - seems I was following both @ZuckermanCSN - which is the real one - and @MZuckermanCSN, which shows the same picture and has the same info about Mark and Comcast. The only tweets from the second one were these ones about making money filling out surveys. Mark, you might want to complain to Twitter about it.
Thanks, NatsJack, Feel Wood, and Candide, for your thoughts on the matter, which have cleared it up for me.
Thanks Traveler8. I'm not on Twitter but I'll search you if you are on there.
Apropos of nothing more than the complementarity of baseball and jazz, RIP Dave Brubeck.
Staring, Accurate info (update - Mark's is the only blog I have followed for a long time, although I did used to read and post more frequently on the other one) - but I have only ever once sat in the red seats, so you may have me mixed up with someone else as well. 1a knows me pretty well, and a few others too.
Got to agree with Michele about the 2:47. Let's stick with the ballplayers...
Oh, FYI, I don't go on Facebook, even though I am losing out on my big chance to make $199 so far this week just filling out surveys!! (I am true to myself - completing surveys is against my religion.)
staring out the window waiting for spring said...BTW, Traveler, please tell me you didn't click on anything like that.
Why not? I click on stuff like that all the time. Right now, I'm waiting for the mail man to deliver the package of instructions on how to make $$$ right at home. It was only $249.95 plus overnight shipping.
What's the danger? It'$ no+ like my c0mpu+er c0u1d qet a b@d viru$ or ƨǒmęţħįʼnģ...
Quiet day on the Nats front and really throughout the meetings.
I think Sanchez, Lohse et al will have to wait until after Greinke picks a team.
I think Swisher, LaRoche et al will have to wait until Hamilton picks a team; LaRoche may have to wait for Hamilton and LaRoche.
I think the biggest buzz today is a 4 team trade rumor involving Arizona, Cleveland, KC and a mystery team where Cabrera goes to Arizona and Upton goes to the tribe but with many others involved including Bauer.
I think that ultimately ALR will have to choose between 2 years with the Nats or 3 years with an unattractive team such as the Mariners, Pirates etc.
I wouldn't bet that in the end ALR won't follow the money; most players do.
MicheleS @3:29 PM
Feel wood @ 2:47, inappropriate and
classless, thought you were better than that.
Well said!
Detailed analysis of lefty relievers.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/article_e3852466-2c32-51ba-85f1-8a5453bd458b.html#.UL-yhCRRtgg.twitter
Has anyone heard if Haren passed his physical?
wow. I'm MAD about Brubeck.... Some of my fave records..... I only listen to them alone, though....can't have any interruptions, with that... :-(
Should the Nats get in on the 3-4 team trade? Adding Morse into the mix might get them Trevor Bauer as part of the horse trading involving Indians, DBacks etc.?
Ok, so Scutaro is 37 years old and he got 3 years, add his contact to the pile of FA deals and how no other decent team goes 3 yrs for ALR seems unlikely. Just pay the man for a 3rd year already -- real money, not promises to buy half a steer from everyone in management.
JD said...
I think that ultimately ALR will have to choose between 2 years with the Nats or 3 years with an unattractive team such as the Mariners, Pirates etc.
Me: I agree, that is why I peg it at 50/50 right now.
OF - Is anyone else suprise at how much FA OF's are getting? The Shane Victorino and Angel Pagan seem the most over priced. Even Jonny Gomes getting two-year, $10 million is shocking.
After all it was only last year that the best Carlos Beltran could do was two years at $26M
Hi, Traveler - Nice to hear from you again. May we have a World Series Championship meet-up next October! And may I be "The Summoner!"
I can vouch for Traveler8, who is a very nice person in addition to being a long-time Nats fan. :-)
On a completely unrelated note, SFO should do a Scutaro bobblehead. He would be standing with his head thrown back, as when he drank in both the raindrops and the playoff scene.
Traveler8 said...
Staring, Accurate info (update - Mark's is the only blog I have followed for a long time, although I did used to read and post more frequently on the other one) - but I have only ever once sat in the red seats, so you may have me mixed up with someone else as well. 1a knows me pretty well, and a few others too.
December 05, 2012 3:35 PM
I can also vouch for Flynnie, not that he needs it. :-)
MicheleS:
Keep us all in line! Well said.
Ghost, do you think Davey will use a 4/3 split with our catchers? I like that idea.
The Pirates are not such an unatractive team. They are a SP and another POWER BAT away from being very good on paper. McCutchen, Alvarez, Jones, Martin, Walker, Burnett, Wandy, Hanrahan, etc. They could be a playoff club in 2012.
Feel Wood is having a rough day caused by his Phatitude. First calling me Bozo and now cutting down Amanda Comak. Who's next or You're next as Ken Beatrice used to say!
SJM, probably a 5/2 to start and do what Rizzo did with Pudge and Ramos.
Unless Ramos has an exceptional ST, he should be eased back. We all know Ramos is the catcher of the future here.
so i like some of the thoughts on hear and i know most of us are biased, but if anyone saw the espn article about how the 2013 nationals compare to the 1986 mets (won 108 games and the WS) i would like to know some of your comments on it i thought it was fascinating and never realized how good the 86 mets were until today (born in 95).
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/31272/2013-nationals-versus-1986-mets
From the last few days: (A) Burnett "isn't seeking Affeldt money; (B) Burnett isn't insisting on three years; (C) St. Louis is out of the running on Burnett.
At the same time, Johnson says he'd like another LH reliever.
What is Burnett asking for that the Nats say "isn't a fit?" Is it: (1) they just don't think that highly of him? Or (2) Rizzo has someone else lined up he likes better?
My guess is it's the latter but as usual he's not giving out any clues.
SJM, I just responded to you on Ramos and my post disappeared!
Just got home and Saw my favorite Peter Gammons on MLB Network Had nothing but high praise for the Nats and - in a very nice Peter way - totally slammed the Phillies! HAHAHAHAHA! Tick Tock!!!!!!
NatsJack, I said Phatitude thinking he's a Phillies guy and forgot he's an Angelose fan. Angertude
New Post!
Pirates are a mirage. They have two SP, at most, have fallen out of love w/ Hanrahan, gaping holes at 1st and SS, inexperience and inconsistency in the corner OFs. Plus Hurdle, who I think is a minus in his own right.
Teddy -- I grew up in NE PA and was a Mets fan in a big way (every game on Channel 9, Tim McCraver, Ralph Kiner and Steve Zabriski). I was tending bar in Wildwood NJ that summer and we watched every single game (our VCR was the size of suitcase, but it worked). Wilson/Dykstra, Backman/Tuffel, Hernandez, Straw, the Kid, Knight/HoJo, etc., Kevin Mitchell coming off the bench, Rafael Santana hit like .200 but was an Electrolux at SS. The SP was killer led by Doc Gooden and the pen mowed them down too -- Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell closing games. That club was one of the best of all time. They could not have been more fun to watch too. It was the saddest moment of my life in my dorm room watching the Red Sox about to win it all in Game 6, then 30 minutes later, the happiest as Schiraldi, Stanley and Gedman and poor Bill Bukner broke down (the game was tied when he booted that ball and Mookie may have beaten him to 1st anyway, never understood why Boston pretty much only him for losing the Series -- not to mention they went out and lost game 7). Pretty amazing season that year too. Stros and Angels werre great clubs too.
Tending bar in Wildwood on the beach and watching your team cliff-hang its way to a World Series Championship - you must never stop smiling!
Ed Hearn, Danny Heep and Kevn Elster too!
Flynnie -- that summer was not the worst one I ever had, let's put it that way. :-) BTW, last call in Wildwood every night: 4:45 a.m. Yikes.
Theo--puzzles me too re: Sean B. I think it'd be great to have him back, and it sounds like he's backing off initial bargaining stances. What's going on?
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