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USA Today Sports Images Michael Gonzalez posted a 3.03 ERA in 47 games with the Nationals last season. |
Veteran Michael Gonzalez has come to terms on a one-year deal with the Brewers, according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal. He joins Tom Gorzelanny, another member of the Nationals' bullpen who migrated to Milwaukee this winter, and Sean Burnett, who got a two-year deal with the Angels.
Gonzalez had interest in returning to Washington next season, and the Nationals shared that interest, though apparently not enough to complete a deal. CBSsports.com's Scott Miller reported the Brewers offered him $2.25 million.
The 34-year-old posted a 3.03 ERA in 47 games, striking out 39 batters in 35 1/3 innings, and becoming a popular figure in a clubhouse that didn't boast many veteran pitchers.
The defections of Burnett, Gonzalez and Gorzelanny leave the Nationals scrambling a bit to fortify their bullpen with left-handers. At the moment, they have only Zach Duke (re-signed after a strong season at Class AAA Syracuse and a September call-up) and Bill Bray (a former first-round pick who spent the last seven years with the Reds but returned to the Nationals this winter on a minor-league deal).
There are a handful of unsigned left-handers still on the open market, most notably J.P. Howell, who has drawn interest from several clubs.
General manager Mike Rizzo could also seek to acquire a lefty via trade, especially if he ultimately re-signs first baseman Adam LaRoche and attempts to deal Michael Morse.
Even if they don't add another left-hander, the Nationals are confident in the ability of several of their right-handed relievers to retire hitters from the opposite side of the plate. Lefties hit just .170 last season against Tyler Clippard, .198 against Craig Stammen and .241 against Ryan Mattheus.
84 comments:
I'm sure Rizzo has a good Plan B. He's just not telling us.
Mike Gonzalez was signed on a minor-league deal last year. So was Zach Duke. So I'm getting a feel that's Rizzo's modus operandi on filling up the remnants of the bullpen--sign guys to minor-league deals, see how they do, see if they are moderately healthy, and if they do well, bring them up.
Gonzalez was a great find. Hope plan B is just as good. We definately require a solid lefty in the pen.
Cue the LoD in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...
Rizzo must think that Bray and Duke can do what Gorzo and Gonzalez did.
Otherwise it's just another case of Rizzo's penny-wise/pound-foolish approach to payroll!
Maybe he's trying to impress the Lerners with his fiscal skills.
The BP was 3rd in the NL in '12. Let's see what they can do in '13.
The Brewers got a taste of Natitude in their pen last year with Livo and they wanted more!
Rizzo wants to keep his flexibility. I'm sure if a great option presented itself the Lerners trust Rizzo to spend their money.
But, looking at the money: Burnett and Mike Gonzo did fine for us but they are not young and both have injury history. Bray is on a minor-league deal and Duke is costing $1M, plus Rizzo non-tendered Gorzy and Lannan. That is probably saving $10-12MM right there, which leaves plenty to sign Howell (who is only 28) or whoever comes along, OR to attract some more starting pitching depth OR to extend the core players, like JZ and Desi, OR to put more in the pot for ALR.
Did you people not read the last paragraph of this article? We have relief pitchers who can get lefties out and none of them have to come in just to face one batter. All 3 of the names Mark listed are capable of throwing more than one inning although I would prefer to not see Clippard's arm fall off this season.
Pen right now is
Storen - closer
Clippard - 8th inning
Mattheus & HRod - 6th/7th inning
Stammen & Dukes - long relief or as needed
Davey can add one more arm (Bray? Garcia?) or go with a deeper bench as the season starts. With bad weather and the spotty schedule in the beginning of the year you don't need 7 in the pen immediately.
Go Nats!!!
by the way Doc. Do you realize how many teams are spending way less on payroll than the Nationals? Do you also realize that we had 98 wins with the money we spent last year? Why is spending money so important to you? sure am glad you are not an O's fan or you would be going crazy. Also on spending money, how did that work last year for the Marlins? Angels? Dodgers? Red Sox? I don't know Mike Rizzo but I am betting, if he went to the Lerners with a signing that needed huge dollars they would approve it. It's a trust he has earned with his good work so far.
I don't know about Bray, but I have confidence Duke will be fine in the Gorzelanny role. NJ, your point is well-taken. Rizzo will trust his scouts to find guys for one-year or minor-league deals. He also trusts the training and medical staffs to get these types back into game shape.
NatsLady - do I owe you a drink?
I won't buy soft drinks but will get you bottled water.
I loved the prediction on Detwiler in an earlier post so I am going to go out on a limb as well. My pick for breaking through is one who people here either seem to want gone yesterday or can't wait to see if he is healthy and mentally focused. I loved watching HRod early last year and felt he had the potential to dominate. That obviously did not work out but remember, he did save 9 games. I don't know if he has worked on his command of the English language but if he can communicate a little better this year and is healed, I think we have a terrific pitcher to take us late into games. When he is on, and I realize he did not have that ability before going on injured reserve, there was no one in baseball that could hit that 86 mph slider or split after looking at 99/100. There were few that could hit the fast stuff alone. Again, I realize he has a chance to be a total failure and could be gone before April but he is my choice to succeed.
The only thing is, with Rizzo's method, you have to be prepared for some failures (Maya, Wang). But it seems to me it's a little like the banking business: if every loan you make is repaid, you are not making enough loans. In other words, you have to take on some risk, and you will have some bad loans.
A lot of fans here are risk-averse, plus they think that if Gonzo had a good 2012 after having a mediocre 2011 and a poor 2010 that he will repeat 2012 rather than the previous years, despite the fact that he is older. History suggests that if you get a good year out of a guy like Mike Gonzalez you thank your lucky stars and move on. Let another team pay the $$ for the good 2012 that Gonzo earned.
Rizzo is a idiot, its always the same 1 good moves followed by 2 bad ones, he should have signed a reliever by now, the bullpen is in taters its awful, what cost us in the postseason last year? it was the BULLPEN and he hasnt sorted it, awful stuff from rizzo
I got new posted as I was putting it together, but if you're interested in some Harper highlights from the Fenway series, see my comment at the end of the last thread.
sjm, I remember the excitement of "pretty f'ing bueno." (McCatty). Henry was scary good--when he was on. There are three factors to consider (1) how much of his poor performance was due to hidden injury (2) how much was "mental" (3) how much "rope" will Davey and Rizzo give him?
Ah! Just as John C. predicted: an LOD post. "Rizzo is a[n] idiot!" Poor guy doesn't know if his bullpen is a baked potato or simply in shreds....
Of the five postseason games, the bullpen lost exactly one. Two were "won" by the bullpen (I include the Detwiler game). Two were lost by the starters (JZ and EJax). The bullpen (including EJax) lost game 5, though you could wish Gio hadn't given up three runs.
308, if I remember correctly, Rod Barajas hit HRod's heater pretty well. So did Joey Votto.
I'd be delighted if HRod emerged from the fiasco of last season as a dominant pitcher. I just don't see it happening. And since he's just a reliever, I'm not sure it's worth the risk. Unless it's clear he's turned things around at the close of spring training, I'd just as soon he not make the 25 man.
Rizzo must think that Bray and Duke can do what Gorzo and Gonzalez did.
Pretty much ... Bray seems more Rizzo's kind of pitcher anyway if he can stay healthy. Plus they've got Bramhall, Abad, and McCoy ... any of which might impress in camp.
As Natsjack said its a wait and see thing. Its very hard for the Nats to make any kind of moves right now with the roster shoehorned because of LaRoche. His final disposition probably sets a lot of wheels in motion that are currently idle.
They really NEED to sign J.P. Howell now!!! You can't go into a year with World Series expectations and not have a LH reliever that pitched more than 10 innings in the big leagues last year. That is absurd. If you think Howell is the guy, give him whatever he wants. This nickel and dime stuff is starting to get really old. When Rizzo actually takes the boatload of talent that he was given (Zimmermann, Zimmerman, Desmond, Espinosa, Strasburg, Harper, Clippard, Detwiler) and wins a playoff series, then we can talk about what a brilliant GM he has been for the last 4 years. Now is not the time to gamble with longshots out in the bullpen.
The only thing is, with Rizzo's method, you have to be prepared for some failures (Maya, Wang). But it seems to me it's a little like the banking business: if every loan you make is repaid, you are not making enough loans.
This was also the case of the Nats still in "beggars can't be choosers" mode. Sparse few if any free agents wanted to willingly come to the woebegone Nats. Many were here to resurrect their careers and get traded to a contender. The Nats couldn't beg, borrow, steal a decent starter: Grienke refused a monster trade and a huge extension!
So, they had to be home grown to start.
Now, its a different story entirely. The Nats can convince talented players to come on for a tryout knowing their chances for a world series appearance are fairly realistic.
Its a whole new ballgame Natslady.
This nickel and dime stuff is starting to get really old. When Rizzo actually takes the boatload of talent that he was given (Zimmermann, Zimmerman, Desmond, Espinosa, Strasburg, Harper, Clippard, Detwiler)
LoD? That's what I call bandwagon or fair weather fans. They don't remember what it was like when the bullpen had lefties that should have retired 2 years before like Ron Villone, Victor Garate, Jesus Colome along with youngster lefties like Mike Hinckley.
Idiot should be a circular reference in this case.
Maybe they weren't all lefties but you get the idea ... :)
You are correct, peric. And that is why Rizzo can take his time. He won't be getting a lot of "no" answers from free agents if the money offer is reasonable.
Victor Garate? I didn't remember him, and I'm not a bandwagon, fair weather, or LoD fan. So I looked him up. Turns out he was the PTBNL in the Ronnie Belliard trade with the Dodgers in August of 2009. He appeared four times for the Nats in September '09. His ERA was 22.50. He was in the Nats minor league system the following year but was then released. His only major league experience remains those four games with the Nats in 2009. Which makes it all the more interesting that last year he was in the minor league system of... wait for it... the Milwaukee Brewers.
Not sure what he was doing in the list of terrible Nats relievers we had to endure in the bad old days. Four games in September doesn't seem like enough of a history to use him for that point.
But yes, he was left handed.
I do remember Garate; anyway, I think the point was that this was the sort of guy they had to go with--people who couldn't even stick on Bowden' roster.
222 excellent recap in the previous post of the Red Sox weekend. I wish MASN would show those games and the Bluejays games as well. That was the week the Nats Stepped up and showed the Nation that we were a force to be dealt with.
Still, LOOGies aren't all that hard to come by, if you need one that badly by Memorial Day. They don't need to lose sleep over this in December.
Yeah, that Red Sox series was a high point, wasn't it?
: ))
Peric: right again as are Natslady and NatsJack - we are talking about our # 6 or 7 relief pitcher!! This is not a top of the market type player.
I still do not understand the nickel/dime comments either. Has anyone really looked at our salary numbers? What I like is that with the exception of Werth, we have not honestly overspent in money or years. We do have Haren for 13 million (not really nickel or dime in my opinion) but it is for one year which I think is a good gamble. How can anyone think Rizzo is doing anything more then being patient and not overspending.
I see Victorino getting 3 years and 39 million and wonder how that is possible? But at least that team is spending money which would make the legion happy I guess.
And best wishes to Gonzo, he and Gorzo will help strengthen the Brewers Pen. Hope they take the Cards to the woodshed all season long. I am now rooting for the Nats and Any team that beats the Braves, Phillies, and now added to the list the Cards.
And while Feel Wood is not 100% about JayB being a hater (an eeyore maybe but not a hater), I point to "Alex Howard" as a hater. Amazing how he fooled all the baseball writers of America with your formula of one good move and 2 bad ones. How could they ever have voted him GM of the year?? Must have been a miscount huh Alex?? You do realize we had the best record in baseball last year don't you?
SJM, that was months ago. What has he done this week? He isn't winning Decemeber.
Uh, Pat, I'd like to sell a vowel...
Oh, and thanks, Deuces, for the Harper reel. I also enjoyed seeing Bernadina get the triple on a ball the right fielder did actually cut off before it got to the wall--don't see that too often. Or did they give him third on the throw?
Don't worry--we still have H-Rod and Davey loves him. Lefty batters can't hit H-Rod because he either throws the ball into the screen or he throws it 52 feet.
The nickel and dime comment was in regards to Burnett and Gonzalez, not the overall roster. Both are good pitchers and both add depth to the bullpen. When the dollar figures are relative small (like both of these guys got), the only question that should be asked is are you a better team with or without this player. Clearly, right now, they would be better with them. I realize the offseason isn't over, but every good team needs LH relief. These guys pitch 60-70 innings per year, and I would venture to guess that about 95% of those innings are when the game is within a run or two either way. They ARE very important.
SJM.. agree.. JayB is eeyore! I always preferred Pooh Bear!
and let's not forget that we have Arbitration Cases that need to be settled.
Seriously, there is a LOOGY out there somewhere (he may even be in the system somewhere) I would rather win during the season than in the offseason. We saw how well that worked out for the Marlins and Angels last year. Let's see how the Angels/Dodgers/Jays do in 2013.
Here's my wild hare prediction for the second LH in the BP going north for opening day: Matt Purke. As somebody reminded me on one of the MASN programs last week, he looked respectable in ST last year. Because he's on the 40-man roster, they blow an option if they send him to the minors (I think), so they might as well find out if he can be a spot contributor, rebuild his arm in a few innings here and there, be what they thought Brian Broderick might be but wasn't.
All of this requires them to drop kick H. Rodriguez to the moon, which is my not-so-secret plan anyway.
Great call, John C.! Right on cue...
Also right on cue... NEEDy Eric... Nobody in baseball NEEDS a loogy, before New Years... Forsooth!
Should have kept Burnett but oh we'll I'm glad he went to another contending team
What the bad thing is you all say need a LOOGY thank god Sean was not a LOOGY I will miss him plus the games he saved to get the Nats the win
Get us Howell.
MicheleS, Mrs. Seamhead is still laughing about the hug and kiss. She, too, agrees about the need to re-sign Adam. She also hopes to Ms. Akra back next year.
Nice video about the Nats' long strange trip from the WaPo's online page:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/2012/best-of-the-post/?hpid=z1#/galleries/nationalsseason=0
I just tested the Post link and it takes a long time to load. You'd think it was dead, but it will load.
SO some news about a Owner owned cable system being bought by Fox
Indians
Just Sell Angelos!!!!
I also wish they'd show that Red Sox series as I was on the West Coast during that one and the Blue Jays series. Got to read box scores and see highlights later but that's not quite the same.
(fwiw, I liked all the residents of Pooh Corner, but I happen to have had a soft spot for Eeyore in particular. Maybe it was the way my mom "voiced" him when she read bedtime stories to us back in the day.)
So since we have a few voices requesting the Sox series.. Everyone bombard Masn on Twitter @masnNationals or on Faceboook and ask to show those Nat's Classics instead of the Re-Treads of 2009 or worse. Just say no to Dibble.
1A....it was my big Sis, Jeanne, in our house...and I can hear it like it was yesterday :-)
Ah, the Legion* did well represent on this one.
The reason that Gonzalez won't be wearing the curly W is that he was strictly a role player. RH batters hit .297/.378/.484 off of him. Yikes! And while he held LH batters to .179/.257/.269, Tyler Clippard was better against LH batters (.170/.260/.259. And as MZ noted, Stammen and Mattheus did just fine against LH batters, thanks
A second, more important thing about Gonzalez is this: he's not very good. Ask any Orioles fan you meet. The last really effective season that he had was in 2009. While his ERA was OK last year, his WHIP was not (1.318). His "effectiveness" was largely a result of the fact that his baserunners didn't end up scoring as much you would have thought. Regression is not likely to be his friend. Oh, and he turns 35 in May.
Bill Bray is not only five years younger, if he is healthy he is better than Mike Gonzalez. Impressed by Gonzalez's splits against LH hitters? In 2010 LH hitters managed only .106/.208/.298 off Bray. In 2011, only .180/.265/.292. His WHIP in both seasons was barely over 1.0.
So even if you're just not satisfied with a RHP that can get LH batters out, if you just must have a LOOGY, know that there's a very good chance he's already in the organization.
*A point of clarification: I don't regard every disagreement with Rizzo/the Nationals' moves as qualifying for "LoD" membership. I have my own views, and they don't always track with Rizzo's. But even when I disagree with the moves I'm always at least open to the possibility that Rizzo is right and I am wrong. And that was true even before he compiled such an impressive track record.
I liked Bill Bray when he was with the Nats before. I really hated to see him traded to the Reds. Glad to have him back and I hope he is healed.
And best wishes to Gonzo, he and Gorzo will help strengthen the Brewers Pen.
In Milwaukee? MicheleS? You are kidding? Gorzo's going to start in Milwaukee might end up as their #2/#3 starter which is likely why he signed.
Guess who their #2/#3 guy was before? Former Nand Syracuse Chief starter Marco Estrada. Gorzo is better than Estrada ... light years better. And they lost Grienke? Gorzo just might end up as the #1 guy.
So, one can readily understand the attraction Milwaukee had for Gorzo and Gonzalez. They'll be the cream of the crop on that staff.
As far as Bray's injuries given his pitch velocity last season he is far less a risk to end up as another Brad Lidge or Jason Marquis than is Dan Harren. If Harren has permanently lost the velocity on his fastball he will be just like Yunesky Maya and the same exact thing happened to Maya between Cuba and the US.
Peric: I am guessing that Haren is not the same pitcher but how do you explain him doing so well in his last 8 starts when he came off the DL?
As to Eeyore, absolutely my favorite voice as I was reading to my kids but my favorite character is really tough. Maybe Tigger, maybe Pooh himself.
Can't wait to read these to Kieran!!
Go Nats!!
Also, on Bray, he won't be losing games for us like Lidge did. He'll be in Syracuse until he can show that he is OK. I've said this before, and so has sjm, you could go with a deeper bench and one less reliever for the first part of the season. Then, the weather heats up and you want to make sure you don't burn out the starters, you bring up whichever reliever has been doing well and trade/release/send down a bench player.
I wouldn't be surprised if Rizzo wants to save some $$ in case he needs another starter. We were very lucky last year with the rotation, but if a team that is not in contention wants to do a salary dump in June or July, Rizzo has funds.
Well put, John C. JayB and Don, to their credit, have both admitted, more that once, that Rizzo is a top flite GM, and that the Nats would not be where they are without him at the helm. But in the next breath, if Rizzo doesn't make the move(s) THEY advocate, the upcoming season is flushed, down the tubes. This is not rational. Many of us profess to scratch our heads, at the lack of LH bullpen depth, but "In Rizzo We Trust" is still a more rational response.
JayB... Do your reputation a favor... Last April, one of your biggest doom forecasts involved the awful, unbelievably inadequate state of the nats bench. Why don't you admit, here and now, that Rizzo and Davey knew that, between what was on the Best 25, and the youngsters knocking at the door, they would not only have one of the best benches, but would be able to achieve the best record in Baseball, despite lengthy injuries to key members on the team..... Go ahead, it'll feel good... I promise...
Wow, just read that Ladson is reporting that Davey wants DeRosa back. Not that Ladson is ever correct but who would he bump off our bench. Even JayB will have to admit that this year, our bench will be a strength to begin the season.
If we have 7 in the bullpen (again, I am thinking that we start the year with 6) that would leave 5 on the bench. Ramos/Suzuki
Lombardozzi
Bernadina/Brown
Moore
MORSE (I know, I know let me dream)
Tracy
I heard a few weeks ago Davey wanted DeRosa back, this can't be new information, because isn't Davey in South Africa?
I am guessing that Haren is not the same pitcher but how do you explain him doing so well in his last 8 starts when he came off the DL?
How do you explain Yunesky Maya throwing 93 in the WBC and then coming to the Nats still under 30 unable to get past 88? There wasn't that much time in between?
Dan Haren is 32 this season and will be 33 just before the end of the season.
Dan Haren's fastball progression is as follows:
2010: 90.5 (two teams)
2011: 89.8
2012: 88.5
Splitter progression
2010: 85.4
2011: 85.5
2012: 84.1
Two seam:
2010: 90.5
2011: 90.1
2012: 88.9
Unlike Bray definite and distinct dowward trend
Wow, I am quickly running up a tab - I think Unkd and I were on the same thought concerning JayB and the bench -
Peric, I am not doubting your stats, I just wonder how his numbers got so much better when he came off the dl? Can you find the difference between his first 20 starts and his last 10? Thanks
Wow, just read that Ladson is reporting that Davey wants DeRosa back. Not that Ladson is ever correct.
Ladson likes to stir up controversy. They had a lot of trouble keeping DeRosa on the field. And Davey does like Marerro's bat. This is why a trade of Moore seems inevitable versus Morse. Moore should bring back more value than Morse given that he is under team control longer and let's face it he should be a starter. Marerro on the other hand specs out as a decent backup, bench player, and pinch hitter. Lombardozzi is also a starter not a bench player. So?
One must assume the Nats will make some moves (very likely with AL teams) for needs such as additional left-handed relief perhaps for a AAA-ready back up starter.
SJM.. the degenerate nephew's original nickname was Piglet! He even had the striped shirt to match!
From Joe Posnanski on Christmas Eve:
Ryan Zimmerman
And look at his Dewan Plus/Minus numbers (a system that feeds every fielding play into a computer and determines the number of bases saved):
2007: plus-24
2008: plus-10
2009: plus-31
2010: plus-16
2011: minus-12
2012: minus-6
What happened? Don't know. His UZR and defensive WAR numbers similarly collapsed in 2011. Just wondering.
Zimmerman's plus 31 is the best in baseball. A plus 15 is elite. A minus 15 is very bad.
Adam LaRoche was +8 for 2012. When Mike Morse played 1st in 2011, he was -7.
Peric, I am not doubting your stats, I just wonder how his numbers got so much better when he came off the dl? Can you find the difference between his first 20 starts and his last 10? Thanks
I won't quote the numbers and make eyes roll again ...
BUT, if there is one thing Haren is its efficient. He won't mess around and walk hitters. He was the best at this of all the Angels starters. But his adjusted ERA or TRA (adjusted to be unbiased for park and defensively) was 4.36. He actually did better than anyone on the Nat's staff.
So, it is possible that Haren could be an excellent control artist and he does have command of 4-5 different pitches. I just have to wonder what happens if his velocity takes another dip in the spring? Major league hitters might feast on him. That's the risk Rizzo and the FO decided to take but ONLY for 1 year.
He actually did better than anyone on the Nat's staff.
In terms of not giving free passes. He's just ahead of Jordan Zimmermann.
Hope that answers your question sjm308? Or at least that's my take on Haren.
Anybody consider the possibility that the Maya who pitched in the WBC was juiced? I haven't heard/seen this anywhere but isn't it possible the Cubans learned a couple of things from the East Germans?
I saw one or two JUGS gun readings while pitching for the Nats around 91 or 92 -- which is what the public was told to expect when they signed him -- but agree that he's mostly 88 or 89.
Further re Maya -- speed is not the only thing he is lacking in his repertoire.
but agree that he's mostly 88 or 89.
Maya actually has more pitches in his repertoire than does Haren. But, he is definitely NOT as good control-wise. Maya was just under 2 - 1 strikes to walks in AAA. Haren was almost 4 to 1 strikes to walks in the majors. Maya nibbles Haren goes after hitters.
On Ladson Note that he says Skole at first base ... and that's not going to happen. Ladson is making his own predictions.
He'll be very terse on twitter when he gets info from an "inside source". Ladson himself typically isn't any better than an average fan. He doesn't really watch the minors, doesn't talk to Harris and Scialba the way that Byron Kerr does and Brian Oliver did ... He's a rah rah kind of guy that prefers reminiscing about the Expos.
Not too worried about the pen yet. I see a Stammen and Matteus being mainstays in the pen. Clip and Store- healthy and filthy. I don't see the Nats doing the pure LOOGY thing. Looks like they prefer guys that can match up with lefties and righties. Rather see a lefty long guy- Duke?? Where do we see Bray? 7?8? Flexible? Anyone in the minors looking good? HRod- we'll see. Michele- MASN seem at to be boycotting Nats classics. Pouting about the tv deal thing???
I'm starting to get pissed at Rizzo.... we need a left handed relief pitcher.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to my Nats Insider buddies!
The Nats signed a AAA starter that used to be in the Diamondbacks system was in the Rays last season named Matt Torra. Looks like Mike Rizzo is starting to build up the Syracuse roster.
It's late but thanks to Peric for trying to help me understand. I am not thinking Haren will win the Cy Young but am hoping he will do a better job than EJax. Great thing, to me, is that our other 4 are all young and hopefully will continue to improve and stay healthy.
Mick, we honestly don't need a lefty but you have to understand that Rizzo has this.
Mike Gonzalez did not sign with the Nats until Dec. 29th of last year. Rizzo did not sign Edwin Jackson until February of this past year.
Plenty of time left to add a lefty or two before spring training, this year, if he sees a need.
Mike Gonzalez did not sign with the Nats until Dec. 29th of last year. Rizzo did not sign Edwin Jackson until February of this past year.
Plenty of time left to add a lefty or two before spring training, this year, if he sees a need.
In Rizzo I trust, in Rizzo I trust. Is is spring yet?
(And I liked Piglet as well. My mom really rocked his voice. My little brother was more of a Tiggerish type, though. :-))
MicheleS said...
SJM.. the degenerate nephew's original nickname was Piglet! He even had the striped shirt to match!
December 28, 2012 8:00 PM
maybe I'm over reacting.
sjm
Eeyore was always my favorite
Sorry if this was already posted (89 comments is a lot to go through to catch up), but one of the benefits of a lefty in the pen is flipping the opponent's hitter so that they waste a bench guy. Even if the Nats sign a run-of-the-mill lefty, it's a plus.
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