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USA Today Sports Images Jeremy Accardo has a 4.30 ERA in 262 career appearances. |
Seeking some insurance both in their catching and bullpen ranks, the Nationals have signed veterans Chris Snyder and Jeremy Accardo to minor-league contracts.
Both players received invitations to big-league camp, which opens next week, but both face long odds to come north with the club at the end of spring training.
Snyder, who turns 32 on Feb. 12, could get some significant playing time early this spring while the Nationals ease Wilson Ramos back from surgery to repair a torn ACL. His deal includes an "out" clause that allows him to become a free agent if he doesn't make the big-league roster.
That said, the Nationals do expect Ramos (who suffered his injury in May) to be fully healed and ready to go for the start of the
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92 comments:
What about Leon, Solano, and Maldanado. Kurt Suzuki can play 6 games a week if Davey needed him to.
On the surface, I don't see the need.
Here is an interesting curiosity. Fangraphs selected 24 guys as "replacement level" for an imaginary replacement level team. So, your Chris Snyder is a replacement level catcher...
recent-examples-of-a-replacement-level-player
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-recent-examples-of-a-replacement-level-player/
He's organizational depth, and will backup Leon at Harrisburg (AA) while Solano and Maldonado split duties at Syracuse (AAA). If you've got a MLB replacement level catcher as your AA backup, you're doing all right.
This means that they won't have to rush the lower level catchers (Kieboom, etc). A solid, professional, unexciting signing.
John, if it pans out like that then its ok. Hope you're right.
14 players left on the Arbitration list. I still can't believe Rizzo hasn't inked JZim yet but then again the team slightly to the North still has 3 players on the Arb list.
Get it done Mike!
I think this signing says more about waht the Nats think about Ramos vs. what kind of player think Chris Snyder. They seem worried, now I'm worried about Ramos!
Mike Rizzo can't resist the opportunity of resigning someone that he scouted as a draft choice.
It does seem like a good idea to have veteran ML catchers working with young Nats' pitchers coming through the system.
However someone wants to rate the Nats' farm system, Rizzo does a better job than most GM's at keeping the system stocked.
Bob Nightengale with a shocking story that Chris Carpenter may not pitch again.
The Cardinals may have to go back to Lohse.
Tcostant said...
I think this signing says more about waht the Nats think about Ramos vs. what kind of player think Chris Snyder. They seem worried, now I'm worried about Ramos!
February 05, 2013 2:40 PM
I have been told Ramos is near ready to ease back in. They had planned to go slowly with him anyway.
That is wild that Carpenter's career may be over
Snyder = replacement for Flores.
JIM BOWDEN @JimBowdenESPNxm
The only reason Carpenter did not retire today is because he would have to give up $12.5m '13 salary.Now he goes on EDL retires after season
Sad about Carpenter. I am guessing that they are begging Lohse to stay with them as we speak. Pitchers can be very fragile beings. They must be treated with kid gloves. By the way - aren't the arbitration hearings this week? I heard one of the old guys on masn talking about how in the old days if you were still negotiating they wouldn't allow you on the property at camp.
Cardinals are making it sound like they weren't counting Chris Carpenter "in" for 2013 anyway.
After the way, the players acted against the Nats in the playoffs, "F" them and hope they don't get Lohse back.
Glad Carpenter is going to keep his cash although I kind of feel its not the right thing to do.
Add nerve damage and shoulder damage as 2 kiss of death signals for pitchers. Very few ever come back.
Just to think in hindsight how much Rizzo wasted on Chien Ming-Wang.
ESPN's Keith Law published his top 100 minor league prospects today. Anyone know what Nats' prospects made the list?
I'm wondering if he doesn't have a "go north or go away" clause. With all the injuries to Nats' catchers last season, it seemed like "there's no such thing as too much catching." But I'm not sure he needs to settle for AA. Somebody in the show is bound to need a backup soon enough, especially if he shows he's still got enough left in Viera.
But I guess this is the Next Level: too many good players, let 'em fight it out for a job. You don't see that around these parts very often.
Here are some great links about Carpenter from last year. Praising his grit, etc (and bashing Nats).
NESN
Yahoo Sports
"Glad Carpenter is going to keep his cash although I kind of feel its not the right thing to do."
Can't quite recall who it was, a few years ago, you probably do remember, who walked away rather than show up just to invoke the contract, walking away from a lot of money. Literally, all he had to do was show up.
Sec3, yep, there have been a few who have walked instead of grabbing the cash.
Nice signing. The guy has upside and a decent track record.
Best 25 Go North!
After considering your question in the last thread, Ghost, of why would Rizzo sign Snyder with Leon, Solano, and Maldonado as emergency backups to Ramos, it occurs to that maybe he doesn't assume he will have all three of them by April 1. He may already be working on a deal, and is filling in his Just In Case box. Just a thought.
*occurs to me
I kilgored that one.
Don -- Players don't have an upside at 32.
John C -- You can be certain that Snyder didn't sign w/ Washington so he could babysit Nuke Laloosh at Harrisburg. That movie's already been released.
Agree w/ TCosant -- it says more about Ramos than about Snyder. I know GhostSM has some good sources but I think somebody's selling him an emperor's suit. Still waiting for Ramos to show up at camp looking like he's been on Nutri-System for a year.
It creates the possibility of five catchers on the 40-man roster. Sometimes I think there's such a thing as "too much all-in." If Rizzo thinks signing Snyder is really going to save a pennant for Washington, 'splain, please what he's been doing trading away young catchers the past couple of years. Unless of course Ramos isn't going to be ready until July or August.
Pilchard,
It's not on ESPN.COM yet but obviously its: Rendon, Goodwin, Giolito and Cole. After that there are the older prospects: Karns and Skole and not much else.
Maldonado is not a backup. He gets called up in a national emergency to pile sandbags around Jimmy Carter. Wait, he is a sandbag . . ..
Theo,
I think this speaks more about the fact that Rizzo doesn't want to see Solano or Leon in the middle of the pennant race if push came to shove.
I think if Ramos and Suzuki get through ST healthy and happy Snyder will look for another job.
Good point Sec3. Its possible but he won't get much for those young catchers he has. I said after the Raf Soriano deal that Rizzo was done dealing and I said firmly Rizzo wasn't trading Storen or Clippard.
I still feel that Rizzo is done but I know there are plenty of rumors out there.
Less than a week away from Snyder joining Zuk, Ramos, Leon, Solano, and Maldanado in Viera.
There won't be a shortage of pitchers having catchers to throw to.
The groundskeeper can build 2 more pitchers mounds!
Its possible but he won't get much for those young catchers he has.
Probably not, and anyway I'm just speculating, but as I know you know, trades are less about what you have than about what the other GM wants, perhaps in a multiplayer deal. No reason to think he's doing that, except for bringing Snyder in. Maybe Doc is right and Rizzo is just getting one of "his" guys, just because he can.
"The groundskeeper can build 2 more pitchers mounds!"
If necessary, Maldonado could fill in as a pitchers mound.
Why do people who have lived through some of the catchers the Nats have employed -- see, e.g., 2008-2009, Estrada, LoDuca, Burke, Montz, etc. -- still see Maldonado as something other than the person who gets Tyler Clippard's dessert?
Ghost,
When you have Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal you don't have to panic into signing Lohse if you weren't planning on it in the 1st place. I think the Cardinals have enough good young arms where they will be just fine.
He went to a lot of trouble to get A.J. Cole back; maybe he wants Peacock back, too. The Astros need pretty much everything.
Maldonado is Crash Davis without the home runs. He's not MLB, but he was there for a week because he has his own catchers mitt, and they were running out of guys like that for a while. Nobody thinks he's going North with the team.
Sec.3,
The difference is that Cole is actually a prospect while Peacock is good enough to fill a rotation spot for a weak Astros team.
Sec.3
No he's not and I think Rizzo wants to make sure that Solano and Leon don't either.
JD said...
Ghost,
When you have Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal you don't have to panic into signing Lohse if you weren't planning on it in the 1st place. I think the Cardinals have enough good young arms where they will be just fine.
February 05, 2013 4:04 PM
Rosenthal was as dominant in the bullpen as Adam Wainwright was before they stretched him out as a starter. It doesn't always work.
It may, it may not. Mozeliak is putting up a front like he wasn't counting on Carpenter. You know Boras is pushing Lohse back on them.
Let's see what happens.
Agree about Peacock, but like I said, I'm just riffing now. Not sure we won't see Solano again, if not here then somewhere else.
NL,thanks for that Fangraphs link. I really need to check out that site more regularly. Other names of note on the theoretical team of replacement level players:
1. Cesar Izturis
2. Austin Kearns
That might be giving Kearns too much credit.
Maldanado is a AAA catcher. I'm not even sure if he is AAAA. Still, the Nats went through catcher's last year like most people go through pairs of socks in a week. It was scarey.
I think that both Leon and Solano will eventually make it to the big leagues if not as starters then certainly as backups. I just think that they are both too raw to play a major role on a pennant contender. Catching is just too important.
Here's the Cardinals starters competing in Jupiter this Spring: Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook, Lance Lynn, Trevor Rosenthal and Shelby Miller.
That's shakey at best given how bad Lance Lynn was in the 2nd half and Wainwright fell of badly near the end of the season and Garia and Westbrook were both inconsistent.
I think they will be a team to watch on the new HGH testing as the rumors have swirled about them.
Losing Mark McGwire as their hitting coach is also a big blow.
The Cards will re-sign Lohse. Like LaRoche teams are not jazzed to lose a high draft pick for veteran player with a handful of years left.
https://twitter.com/JimBowdenESPNxm/status/298903660900020224
Bowden owes me a drink.
He has Kelly competing also for the 5th spot.
I can't see Snyder making the team and getting a 40-man roster spot over Solano and Leon. He's just not that good. Solano I think has the edge until Ramos is ready. He's the guy Randy Knorr has been grooming for the position.
If Snyder doesn't make the team he has an out clause. He's gone before the end of spring training just like Chad Durbin.
Pilchard, they have to be back in the mix for Lohse but you have to wonder how the Cardinals see their own future.
Lohse walked from the $13.3 million 1 year qualifying offer already.
Should be interesting as it develops. The Cardinals did very little to improve in the off-season and while they are boasting the #1 rated farm system, it doesn't mean much until these players are in the Majors for a while and are viable upgrades long-term.
The Cards will re-sign Lohse. Like LaRoche teams are not jazzed to lose a high draft pick for veteran player with a handful of years left.
The Cardinals do lose a draft pick in signing him, in the sense that they don't get the sandwich pick, which is a high pick, coming before the second round.
Rizzo also signed RHP Jeremy Accardo on a minor league contract
14 players left on the Arbitration list. I still can't believe Rizzo hasn't inked JZim yet but then again the team slightly to the North still has 3 players on the Arb list.
Get it done Mike!
Long-term contract. With the Gio problems JZimm may have gotten a bit more leverage in the negotiations. They need to ink him long-term right now not later.
Maldonado is a AAA catcher. I'm not even sure if he is AAAA.
He's a new minor league coach just like Knorr and LeCroy both ex-catchers like Maldonado. At some point I expect there will be some total conversion for him.
Peric, I'm with you on JZim. Get 'er done!
Wilson Ramos just tweeted "Almost green lighted for full action, Thank God!"
He could still end up doing some rehab in AAA/AA he missed most of last season ... its not like he's a 10 year veteran. And he didn't play winter ball. I wouldn't expect him to go north this spring ... they'll wait until more into the summer if he shows he's up to it.
Wilson Ramos just tweeted "Almost green lighted for action, Thank God!"
Casi luz verde para entrar en accion Gracias mi Dios
peric, its definitely a possibility if Ramos isn't ready to go that he's sent to AAA, but at this point we need to see how rusty he is. He has a full month and a 1/2 in Florida to show what he has.
Huh. Post updated: seems they've signed something named Accardo as well.
Keith Law's 100 best prospects:
17)Anthony Rendon.
44)Brian Goodwin.
89)A.J Cole.
99)Nate Karns.
One word: glossary. :-)
Sec. 3, My Sofa said...
I kilgored that one.
February 05, 2013 3:38 PM
Or the, um, never mind...
Sec. 3, My Sofa said...
Maldonado is Crash Davis without the home runs.
I missed Lucas Giolito at 77.
I like this kind of thread. I like it that the last football game is over. I actually liked the way the sky looked as I drove home from work. It won't be long now. Play ball.
Sign JZimm -- the only thing he will ever be linked to is ice fishing.
Swami,
Why are we so worried about JZimm's contract? he is under team control for 3 more years. It'l get done; all in good time.
I like both signings although I expect neither to be here in April. Can't hurt to have Snyder working with our pitchers the next two months, and he has a definite "out" clause and will probably hook up with another team after we showcase him.
Agree with Peric on Maldonado and he is probably happy with that as well.
The relief pitcher is just minor league depth and you can't have enough. Rizzo is just doing his due dilligence on the fringes. I like it.
sjm,
That's exactly right. You have to have a taxi squad down in Syracuse. These are exactly the type of players one signs for a taxi squad.
Fired up the DVR. Zim walkoff GS against Phoolies feom 2011. It will do until we have live games.
Serious consternation about the signing of a 3rd string catcher...yup...we are looking good next year.
Ryan Braun is now associated with Biogenesis, the Miami clinic under investigation for PEDs.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ryan-braun-s-name-listed-in-biogenesis-clinic-records-235650670.html
@Theophilus:
You're absolutely right that Snyder didn't sign up to babysit Nate Karns (et al) in Harrisburg; I should have looked at his record. He's a journeyman MLB catcher (which is not a knock on him) who had a bad year. The "out" clause brings the signing into sharper focus. He's Ramos insurance, either short term or long term.
That doesn't mean that Rizzo is giving up on the kid catchers (Leon and Solano). It's a combination of (1) "win now" at the MLB level, so you don't want your field general/catcher to be a newbie; (2) you want the kids playing nearly every day to work on their skills rather than sitting on the bench watching Suzuki play; and (3) having a viable experienced MLB catcher will keep the team from having to play Suzuki nearly every game, wearing him down the way they did Flores last year. At NatsFest Suzuki said that he plays "with his hair on fire" - an occasional break from that might be a good idea!
Navy Nats, I called that as I went through the Univ of Miami alumni.
Any word on Jon Jay?
Add in Francisco Cervelli and Danny Valencia also added with Braun.
Didn't see Jon Jay but there's very little new data - just the few pages with Braun, Cervelli, Valencia, etc. I'm sure once the entire list is released there will be many more. They seem to be following the drip drip method to keep it in the news.
This is just tabloid journalism to mention any names.
Well another big fish to fry- Braun. He and ARod will be THE targets. Sadly, Gio is in this mess.
Goins also has his list. This keeps getting deeper and still no proof of wrong doing.
Just a stain on MLB as well as on the players that did nothing wrong. They just showed on MLB a photo of the University of Miami team which also puts a shadow on their program.
I for one would rather not know unless they have proof of wrong doing.
MicheleS said...
Well another big fish to fry- Braun. He and ARod will be THE targets. Sadly, Gio is in this mess.
February 05, 2013 7:49 PM
__________________________________
Yep, this is so supermarket rag sensationalism. There are so many baseball players losing sleep.
My take on the Snyder signing FWIW. He's a guy who is 32, coming off a down year, and has had injury problems. He was probably struggling to find anyone who would give him a contract of any sort. He calls Rizzo with whom he has had a long standing relationship and makes the argument that he and the Nats have complementary needs. He needs some spring training ABs to show other teams that he is healthy and competent. The Nats need someone to take some ABs while they work their back up into shape. I doubt Ramos will be in AAA. The guy's a big leaguer. He's shown that. He projects as a 130 game a year catcher when healthy.
Why you don't jump to conclusions:
http://brewersbeat.mlblogs.com/2013/02/05/braun-statement-2/
For those to lazy to go to gonat's link - Braun is saying his lawyers used Bosch as a consultant last year when they fought MLB, and the money next to his name is for a consultants fee that he owes. What makes this fairly reasonable is that unlike the original group, there are no drugs of any kind listed next to Braun's name. Also, this story is coming from Yahoo Sports and not the newspaper.
Gonat said...
Just a stain on MLB as well as on the players that did nothing wrong. They just showed on MLB a photo of the University of Miami team which also puts a shadow on their program.
I for one would rather not know unless they have proof of wrong doing.
February 05, 2013 8:01 PM
You're so right Gonat. But I choose to take the stance (and the belief) that Gio is completely innocent. If MLB is somehow able to proove Gio has done wrong, then there is plenty of time to feel bad about it then.
Gonat, I agree as well and I turned the damn show off. I am not sure who the moderator was, he obviously was not a player and it seemed like all he was doing was trying to stir things up.
Billy Ripken did make one decent point. With all the scrutiny from MLB at this time concerning any type of drug. Why would a player go anywhere but to his teams clubhouse to get any type of supplement? Major league teams certainly have everything that is legal to help with whatever a player needs. This stuff just won't go away.
Why would a player go anywhere but to his teams clubhouse to get any type of supplement?
Because they don't trust them?
Nobody said baseball players all make good decisions every time.
Given Ramos, Leon, AND Solano's injury problems last season? That's why Rizzo signed Chris Snyder. But his chances of making the squad if any of those listed are reasonably healthy seems remote given that Suzuki seems to keep himself in pretty good shape.
Interesting that Brad Peacock got moved by Billy Beane for a veteran shortstop. IN the end he really did want Tommy Milone it seems? Well, that makes two of us.
They need to lock JZimmnn up long-term to keep the pay roll under control in order to prepare for the attempt to re-up Stras and later Harper. And then? Rendon. By then Werth will be an expensive bench bat.
good baseball fans are the best partners
Kind of long, and really super-extra-crunchy, but he makes good points about being a fan, i.e., being in a relationship with a team. Discuss. Or not.
Here is what I don't like about the Braun alibi for Gio--it "legitimizes" the notepad/journals. All the other denials have been, "I didn't do it, it's not true, I didn't know the guy, etc." Even Gio's was only related to his father. Now we have Braun's reps saying, yeah, there's a reason my name is on there. Not liking it.
The only baseball players losing sleep over the PED situation are the guilty ones. Show me the video. Show me the signatures. Show me anything bilateral. Just show me.
Did somebody say "show me"? (Sorry about that, but it's an inherited tendency from my dad, the would-be lounge singer. :-))
Thanks for the link. It's something I've often mused about myself - the idea of parallels in enduring interpersonal relationships and fan/team relationships, particularly as regards expectations, blame, and forgiveness.
Sec. 3, My Sofa said...
good baseball fans are the best partners
Kind of long, and really super-extra-crunchy, but he makes good points about being a fan, i.e., being in a relationship with a team. Discuss. Or not.
February 06, 2013 5:53 AM
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