Friday, May 24, 2013
VIDEOS: This week's Baseball Show
With the Nationals returning from a lengthy west coast trip ready to take on the Phillies, there are plenty of storylines to discuss involving the team. Mark, Rob Carlin, and Jim Duquette covered all things Nats on last night's Baseball Show, including what the team should do at second base and whether the comments of Rafael Soriano are a concern long term. We also have a clip from Ryan Zimmerman's 'A Night At The Park' which was another huge success.
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33 comments:
Rumor that Mattingly might end up w/ the Nats -- as what? -- if fired by LAD. You could kick that around. Guy could really hit but I don't know if he's had any noticeable successes as a hitting coach (job here presumably not open, anyway) -- sure hasn't shown much as a manager.
If the Nats don't want a new hitting coach, maybe they could use an additional "hitting instructor."
I'm betting more on Mike Scioscia being the next Nationals manager. If they hire a manager who has been a manager before, I'm betting they want one who has won a World Series.
I still don't discount that t could be someone on the current coaching staff.
Bill Bray back on the DL with shoulder problems. Ryan Mattheus out for approx. 6 weeks with his broken hand.
The Nats went after Mattingly to manage the year after Manny Acta was fired. He turned them down, preferring to stay on Joe Torre's staff as the heir apparent in LA. Then the Nats removed the interim tag from Interim Jim, and the rest is history.
If the Lerners and Rizzo wanted Mattingly then, there's no reason they wouldn't go after him again if he's available. And there's a much better chance he'll be available than Scoscia will. Mattingly's option wasn't picked up this year by Kasten, which puts him in Riggleman limbo. Strangely, though, I doubt he will be refusing to get on any planes. Scoscia is under contract to the Angels until 2018 or so. He won't be fired, and he's sure not quitting.
Another experienced manager rumored to be coming to the Nats is Joe Girardi. Remember, he also turned them down once before, when they hired Manny Acta.
It seems pretty likely that Rizzo and the Lerners will go after an experienced guy rather than promote someone off the current staff. They haven't had much success breaking in new managers in the past. Why start now?
We can always get Porter. I'm sure management will blame him for tha Stros not winning it all this year.
Don't want Sciosia. Best managers in baseball right now -- and I'm not say where or whether Johnson is on my list -- are Melvin, Bochy, Bud Black, Gardenhire and Leyland. Gardenhire might have an expiring contract. Anyone currently in the Nats dugout would be outgunned by any of them and probably a dozen others from the beginning. So you might as well go completely novice and get some who has the potential to grow in the job. Otherwise you get Joe Altobelli.
Theo, you don't think Joe Maddon isn't a great Manager? He and Bob Melvin do so much with so little.
I'm not impressed by Mattingly. If it was choice between Mattingly and Randy Knorr, I choose Randy Knorr.
Theo--Showalter not on your list?
Ok, back to the Stubhub question. My $25 (face value) ticket was $21.50 on subhub (but they wouldn't sell me only one). EXACT same seat (well, same section) at the box office, $17. So why would I go to Stubhub?
Went to the Park, no line (boy,is it WINDY), chatted with a friendly ticket agent, shopped at the team store at my leisure with no crowd, and pleasant people there too, and possibly recruited a piano student (not likely, but possible). Parking cost me 4 quarters, and gas not much, and, as I said before, pretty drive.
Dom at least give credit to your source, this is almost word for word:
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/24/could-don-mattingly-wind-up-with-the-nationals/
I still think Mike Scioscia is more likely. Neither is a high percetage.
Joe Maddon might be a great manager, but I just don't LIKE the guy, and I don't see how he would fit the team. Too weird. Dressing up in costumes is fine for rookie hazing, but he does that on every road trip--to me that would get old fast. Sometimes you just want to get on the plane and sleep, or play cards or listen to music. The best kind of fun is when it's unexpected, like the McCatty picture.
Mark says in his video what I have been saying for a month about Rendon. I have said 2 straight weeks playing at 2nd base and Mark says 2-3 weeks at 2nd base.
Again, we are saying it to ourselves as Rizzo has played Rendon 1 time at 2nd since his return to AA.
Time to send Krol and Rendon to AAA.
I agree about Mattingly. He has a body of work in his resume now and I'm not impressed. Girardi on the other hand is doing great work with a lineup full of AARP members.
NatsLady, Joe Maddon has a young group and they respond to him. I'm sure he wouldn't take his circus side show on the road if he were to ever move. It doesn't matter anyway because he isn't moving.
I don't read the Hardball Talk, so they must be stealing from me.
Remember the Yu Darvish Gif? Take a look at this one for Miguel Cabrera. I mean, no where is safe.
Cabrera home runs
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/miguel-cabreras-ridiculousplate-coverage/
There was a Danny discussion on Baseball Tonight podcast. He is about the worst in the league at hitting fastballs. Now, you have to be able to hit fastballs to be a ML hitter. Honestly, I suspect his vision.
There has been some talk about Mike Scioscia getting the axe, but your right about that contract being a huge issue. He might still be fired, but if he makes it to the end of the year all it might take is a non-prospect for his "rights". Bottom line, if they want him gone anyway and can get out of the contract it is a no brainer to take a non-prospect in return for the manager.
The A's were so feed up with Art Howe that when the Mets called when he was under contract, Beane just say "sure", no player needed.
JD, glad we agree but the Nats aren't getting Girardi. He did a great job with the Marlins and a great job with an over-rated Yankees team.
He would be an excellent fit for the Nats if there was a way to get him here.
JD, I'm also very impressed with Girardi. But I don't see how he's moving. Gardenhire, not so much. He has apparently worn out his welcome in Minnesota, with the fanbase anyway, and is NOT making the best of his limited resources. I still say it should be Werth as a player-manager--but he won't do it unless he is on the bench, and hopefully he has another couple of years as a regular in him. What about Jason Giambi? Francona can't speak highly enough of him.
I have said 2 straight weeks playing at 2nd base and Mark says 2-3 weeks at 2nd base.
As much as y'all like to bring on Espinosa (and even Rendon when he was briefly up! Just UNBELIEVABLE!) he is the superior athlete. Espinosa could conceivably play any position on the diamond short of catcher and doubtless with that arm it would take time perhaps he could even pitch?
Rendon **IS NOT** an Espinosa in the field. Not even in the same galaxy.
So, if they decide he moves to 2nd in AAA he is going to get until September call ups. And that sends the message to Danny Espinosa that he is going to be replaced. He is done with this team.
You want to know how to bring a team down to Seamhead's basement fast? Do that and cripple the middle of your infield. Its one thing to replace Christian Guzman at second base (learned while in the pros) with a far superior fielder in Espinosa. On a losing team with no hope for any playoff appearances. Its quite another to replace the best fielder on the team bar none with Anthony Rendon starting in the minors.
That just might cripple morale.
There was a Danny discussion on Baseball Tonight podcast. He is about the worst in the league at hitting fastballs. Now, you have to be able to hit fastballs to be a ML hitter. Honestly, I suspect his vision.
That is also a sign of shoulder problems Natslady see: Zimmerman, Ryan 2012 campaign before cortisone shots. See LaRoche, Adam 2011 campaign before shoulder surgery.
The **ONLY** way Espinosa gets replaced is if they decide they've seen enough and determine its time to try the surgery. SOON, so that Espy can be ready to compete for ST 2014 or not long afterward.
And it won't be Rendon as much as Mark and many here want it to be. Its going to be Lombo/Kobernus/Walters/Rhymes/Hague on the depth chart. I don't seem the switching to Rendon.
And you have to figure one of the reasons they are sticking with Espinosa is because the hitting slump (whatever the cause) isn't affecting his stellar fielding. And on a team with a pitching coach the preaches pitch-to-contact as his religion? YOU HAD better damned well have a strong middle of the field defense. And they do with Desmond/Espinosa and Span.
The best way to shore up the current issues with defense to help the pitching is the sore thumb sticking out at the hot corner. Zimmerman. That's where the critical problem on a team built to do defense and pitching well first, and foremost starts. And if you want to keep Zimmerman's bat it sure looks like Adam LaRoche must go.
Girardi doesn't have a contract for next year. I still don't see him moving, but that would probably be my first choice. I think he would fit this team. Bochy would also, but I can't see him leaving SF. Can't imagine Leyland leaving Detroit until he retires.
The Braves didn't have to face Kershaw and now miss Harvey this weekend.
I'm putting my money with 222's bet, peric. Unless we are 10 games under .500 at the All-Star break, you are not seeing major changes. RZ is not playing 1B this year, ALR is not getting traded. And I am scrolling past all posts that suggest otherwise.
I'm putting my money with 222's bet, peric. Unless we are 10 games under .500 at the All-Star break, you are not seeing major changes. RZ is not playing 1B this year, ALR is not getting traded. And I am scrolling past all posts that suggest otherwise.
I'll remind myself to scroll past the total fools that think they are going to replace Espinosa their best fielder right now with Rendon. Its the height of lunacy and brings to question the intelligence of the poster. Only a dim bulb would suggest as much. Period.
I agree with 222 that's probably when it would happen. He is correct. UNLESS Zimmerman's fielding problems further regress. That will set off far more alarm bells than Espinosa's bat. He's already ticked off Stras. Seems likely he's ticked off Soriano (but he saved his rage for BHarp the 2nd year man instead). He is going to tick off more pitchers if that shoulder doesn't come around.
I am glad that people are actually starting to kick the tires on the new manager idea. No matter who it is, most of you are going to hate the guy just for being not Davey. This is going to be a tough transition. Speaking of Mattingly, did you see the big controversy going on because he benched a starter who is not hitting? You have to admire him for having the cojones to challenge the veteran stars who are not getting if done.
Darn! I guess you didn't want to take the bet, though you did agree with me on something and made a positive reference to Span, so that's progress. Tell you what, I'll keep the offer on the table for $95. The price will drop $5 for each "Zim to 1B, trade or cut ALR" comment. That means the offer will probably only last another day, maybe, but I want to be fair.
I also saw a positive reference to Span, so that's progress too.
I don't think Espi "will be" replaced with Rendon right now, so I guess I'm not at total fool. I do think that's what should happen, after Rendon gets a few weeks of steady work at 2B in the minors. So maybe I'm just a partial fool, but it seems I have a lot of company, and not only on this blog.
Bottom line is: If Espi doesn't make a lot of progress at the plate this weekend, the time has come. A guy who is slashing .163/.196/.291 simply cannot stay in the lineup of a winning team, no matter how good his fielding is. Remember the year when Alberto Gonzales had nearly 200 PAs and only 5 RBI and was deemed a colossal failure? His OPS was 100 points better than Espi's is: 247./.277/.301.
Ladson reporting-- team batting average is .225, 29th in MLB. How are we still above .500 and in second place? Surely this just has to get better!!
swami, I haven't followed the Mattingly vs. Ethier battle closely, but from what I did see on MLB Net yesterday, the controversy was less over the benching and more over the comment Mattingly made -- “I want to put a club out there that I think for the long range that you can trust, that’s going to fight and compete the whole day.”
Reminds me of Davey saying that he'll know when a guy is not going to come out of a slump when he "gives up."
Surely this just has to get better!!
Or our record just has to get a lot worse.
We are going to start turning around starting tonight. Think positive!
Girardi is only under contract through this year with the Yankees. He's done what he set out to do there, which was win a World Series. He has nothing left to prove in New York, so he could easily decide he'd prefer to manage a young team on the rise instead of whatever new hodge-podge of veterans on their last legs Cashman throws together each year for the Yankees.
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