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With back-to-back, two-homer games, Werth put a definitive stamp on his hot streak, which now stretches back a full month. In 25 games since June 23, he's hitting .379 with seven homers, 20 RBI, a .456 on-base percentage and 1.134 OPS, impressing teammates and members of the Nationals coaching staff.
"It's great to see that," first baseman Adam LaRoche said. "He's always had that kind of power. You watch him take BP and do it every other swing, so to now put it into play in the game is great. He's a guy that prides himself on taking a lot of pitches and going deep into counts, and I think he's kind of now picking and choosing some spots to kind of be a little more aggressive and show that power."
Injuries — a broken left wrist in 2012, a strained hamstring this May — obviously have disrupted Werth's last two seasons, but when he has been on the field, he has been as productive as anybody in the lineup.
Werth has now played in 149 games over the last two years, totaling 620 plate appearances (roughly the equivalent of one full, healthy season). His combined offensive numbers during that span: a .300 batting average, 19 homers, 30 doubles, 70 RBI, a .377 on-base percentage and an .847 OPS.
That's not all that far removed from the numbers he posted during the peak of his career (2008-11 with the Phillies), when he averaged 27 homers, 77 RBI, 28 doubles, a .267 batting average, .364 OBP and .844 OPS.
"He's made some adjustments," manager Davey Johnson said. "He's made some changes with his stance, and I think his approach has been pretty good all year. I think the main thing with him is, he feels like his left wrist is healthy. He's been impressive. ... I mean, he's in a good spot."
Werth, who isn't saying very much publicly these days, preferred not to delve into the specifics of his sustained offensive turnaround.
"It's just one of those things better left unsaid, not talk about it," he said.
53 comments:
Whew, I freaked out upon first glance at the headline, thinking that it related to Werth's having sustained some sort of injury in the form of a tear.
How can that be? Our self-proclaimed experts in the prior threads are saying that he's just a 4th outfielder (which, I suppose, is better than the self-proclaimed genius who used to be here that claimed he was a $100-million bench player who's been going downhill for years).
Tuesdays Tidbits:
- Manny Machado in July: .230, three XBH, 16K's.
- Lincecum followed his 148-pitch no-hitter with a 78 pitch performance: 3.2 IP, 3 HR, 8 ER
- Miami scored their first run since a week ago Sunday (yeah, I know, ASB -- but, still, there was 37 innings of futility during that streak).
- Brett Gardner had 14+-pitch at-bats in back-to-back nights
- The Blue Jays made five errors. But also gave up 11 earned runs.
- Oakland A's are 10-0 against Houston, 48-41 against the rest of the league
JayB wrote:
The Point Wonk is that it does not matter who they bring up from AA....reward them...that is the point...and replacing those dead end bats costs nothing....Roger, Chad, Hairston, Lombo, Storen, types are worth nothing to this team
Well that's just brilliant. Who cares if they have options left? Who cares if we mess up some rookie careers/development by promoting too soon? Who cares if we "start the clock ticking" on some young 'uns who we might need in years to come? Who cares that in the five appearances before this week, Storen allowed a cumulative two baserunners and zero runs?
Repeat after me:
A team is never as bad as it appears during a losing streak, and as never as good as they seem during a winning streak.
JayB said...
Davey's big problem other than age is he gave them all the candy in spring training and he has nothing to motivate them with. He said they were winning, he said they were the best team
Right. 'Cuz nobody else in the word said they were they best team.
And last year, when Davey said that the Nats would win the division ("or they should fire me") -- that time it apparently worked?
Nothing to motivate them with? Are you nuts? They had the taste of a bitter 9th inning playoff defeat in their mouths -- they were *plenty* motivated.
Yup that 9th inning loss is sure doing wonders for this year. They sleep walked through 100 games and all of spring training....NASCAR and Golf after 30-90 mins on the field. That is the problem.
Rizzo's job is to work the details of options....that information is not even public on the web and Mark has trouble with it each year. Point again is the dead wood on the MLB roster needs to be cut and use the time to build something for next year. It is not Roger, Chad and Lombo. Storen is just done. He can not even hold a runner or make a 0-2 pitch without giving up a hit. He is terrible and has been since at "motivating" 9th inning. He was never as good as those saves in 2011 and his ERA is real data that tells the real story of Drew.
George Carlin once said:
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
I wish that I could always take that sage advice.
For those that have beat up the Jayson Werth signing from the beginning, and to this day want to trade him, I say that's fine if that's your fantasy, or your fantasy baseball league move, but it's not going to happen anytime soon in the real world. And as to him being a player-manager? Though I seriously doubt it will ever happen that he would be named as such, it isn't totally out of the realm of possibility if our next manager doesn't work out long term. I could picture, in my fantasy world, a Werth being his own big, hairy chested, bench guy in the last year of his contract.
Wonk
Love the tidbits. Did you see Logan Morrison's tweet yesterday?
Guess the Marlins started using PEDs after all.
He was never as good as those saves in 2011
Ummm, yeah, that's why Rizzo went out and got Soriano.
Joe Seamhead said...
George Carlin once said:
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
Sage advice. Thanks!
hiramhover said...
Wonk
Love the tidbits. Did you see Logan Morrison's tweet yesterday?
Thanks! Yes -- I did!
Guess the Marlins started using PEDs after all.
(snicker) -- yeah -- they scored in the first inning last night! ;-)
Water23
Good point on last thread about Cruz's calculations on when to take his suspension.
For all the reasons others have given, tho, I still think there's zero chance of a Werth trade right now.
Bottom line to few hitters presently hitting.
Werth is doing fantastic, but in baseball we need 25 players on rthe page Werth is on.
Since tge All Star game only 5 players are on tge winning page.
Werth
Stras
Gio
Clip
Ross O
Taylor Jordan gets a chance tonight to join them.
The others get to join (Tracy is almost on tge page but not) there are about 5 with Tracy the other 13 still on All Star Break.
DCWonk-- your tidbits always bring perspective!! What I would like to see now is the reaction phase. Davey is not leading well in this regard, as what needs to happen is everyone on the same page, agree or not. Pull together- us against the world- we are in this together. Fans- knock off the tantrums, booing and sense that you are entitled to something magical-- get behind the team, lift them up when they are down, cheer them louder, pull for them no matter how it is going . We need to stop whining also . Jayson Werth is awesome, but so are most of these young men. Their backs are against the wall big time and their leadership is in disarray. I don't care how much money they make- it does not cure public failure and discouragement. I would do very much love to see the fans get behind them and inspire them. Seems like no one else wants that job.
They have a real problemif i have to inspire them to want to win as bad as I want them to.
I hate losing any game, i would expect them to hate it mire.
When I hate someting tgat I control I do something about it. I expect them to do tge same.
I said adieu to posting on this site yesterday, but I will violate it just to say baseballswami, you are right on! You and DCWonk are breaths of fresh air. Adversity brings out the best in some people, the worst in most. You be the judge.
Here is my opinion on what happened with Davie this year:
The team jumped out of the gate quickly last year and that fed Davie's energy level and he did a great job managing the team to 98 wins, to say otherwise is to rewrite history.
I think Davie thought that this year would be at least as good as last year and the Nats would easily march to 95 wins and win the division in a cake walk. I think the poor start took him by surprise and I don't think he has the energy any longer to deal with a maintenance situation he did not anticipate.
I actually feel sorry for Davie because you know he doesn't want to go out like this. I think he is too proud to see his coaches get fired and I wouldn't be shocked to see him pack it in unless the ship is magically righted at which point the only reasonable option would be to hand the keys to Randy Knorr until the end of this year and then re- evaluate in the off season.
Faraz Shaikh said (in previous post)...Candide, is this what you were looking for?
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=1&season=2013&month=29&season1=2013&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0
No, but I did find what I was looking for - team RISP stats. Not surprisingly, the Nats' BA with RISP is down near the bottom, leading teams like the Brewers, Cubs, Marlins, Mariners, Astros, and Pirates. All having bad years, except for the Pirates, who are getting by on their pitching.
Nats' overall BA with RISP - .236. RISP with 2 outs - .201.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/stats/byteam?cat=Situational&cut_type=39&conference=MLB&year=season_2013&sort=722
George Carlin once said:
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
I read George Carlin's autobiography, but he never mentioned in it that he knew JayB.
Wonk,
About Werth, I said "but the next four years @ $83 Million for what may amount to a 4th outfielder is a lot. "
Intimating that the next four years his skills will decline and he may be the fourth outfielder soon. When healthy he has done well and I think he is a great character guy but he is getting older. He played in only 80 games last year and is on schedule for around 120 this year. As Mark notes in his article a full year is about 150 games. He is not a fourth outfielder now but with his increasing age 35 - 39 and recent injury history missed 82 games last year and at least 40 this year the reality maybe he is not going to be a starter for all 4 years.
So, paying a platoon player (4th Outfielder) $21 Million a year is not good. So, if a chance to move him becomes available then Rizzo should examine it. And the reason he would be movable now is because of his performance in the present and forgoing his actual no-trade clause, the cost of the rest of his deal is almost a virtual no-trade.
Do I think he gets moved? No. Do I want him moved? Only because of the long-term affect he has on the roster.
Mule (having just arrived at site today)shred the angst of "natsfan1a".
Memo to Mark Z (from your would-be editor):
Please do not use the words "Werth", "sustained", and "tear" in the same header.
-30-
We now have the answer. The LOD has to work, so posting between 9 and 5 is like old times.
Excellent reading here today, thanks to all.
candide, your and my link gives same stats. my link has multiple tabs. if you click standard, you will get to same numbers as yahoo.
Whack-a-Mule said...
"Mule (having just arrived at site today)shred the angst of "natsfan1a".
Memo to Mark Z (from your would-be editor):
Please do not use the words "Werth", "sustained", and "tear" in the same header."
Thirded. That was a nervous moment.
Manassas- you sound like you think they are either doing this on purpose or not caring or trying. I do not believe that for one second. I am happy for you if you have never had a time where everything you did went wrong. Just saying that no one performs better when times are tough if there is more criticism, piling on and negativity. Sometimes when an individual or group is struggling to hang on, some encouragement makes it easier to bear. I know they care, are trying and want to do well- but they are not robots. It was easy to be a fan last year- I sure that some of the bandwagoneers will go away. To me, it's like every other thing in my life- you give an honest effort and I will support you rain or shine until the rainbow shows up.
Manassas Nats' Fan said...
Bottom line to few hitters presently hitting.
Werth is doing fantastic, but in baseball we need 25 players on rthe page Werth is on.
"Since tge All Star game only 5 players are on tge winning page.
Werth
Stras
Gio
Clip
Ross O"
That's it? Denard Span's .333/.385/.417 isn't enough for you?
All four HRs came when the game didn't matter much. He's the 2013 version of tony batista.
Wrote this from my cell phone and it got eaten somehow....
The frustration of this season pales in comparison to the frustration of not even having a baseball team to be frustrated ABOUT for 33 or so years...I still enjoy having this team to root for and having the ballpark to go to every once in a while.
I must admit that I pegged 2014 as the year the Nats would be contenders, so 2012 was just fun...this year, not so much, but there is a great core here...I don't subscribe to the theory that we need to blow the team up...
Like I said....I'm just happy to have a local team to pull out the remainder of my hair over...
Given things are getting worse- Anyone think we should consider trading LaRoche and/or Soriano?
I think we should consider it, Nats1924. But they're both under contract for 2014 when we will be looking to compete for the division again, and neither guy's 2014 salary is excessive. So whether we should do it or not depends on the return. We'd need a future impact player to make it worthwhile, maybe a Top 100 prospect.
I know many of my fellow Insiders are fangraphs readers, but for those who haven't seen it, Dave Cameron has a piece up suggesting that the trade deadline be moved back a few weeks or month.
With the 2d WC, he argues, late July is too early for even sub-.500 teams to throw in the towel and sell veterans. In the category of "teams going nowhere," but not far enough out to become sellers, he includes the Nats.
Ouch, but true.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/its-time-to-move-the-trade-deadline/
On the day old subject of Rick Eckstein's dismissal: I posted this link a couple of weeks ago and was told my someone that it should be required reading for anyone who thinks they know what a MLB hitting coach is, and does. I decided to repost it only because I'm sure many missed it. It's pretty funny, but also very informative:
http://www.halosheaven.com/2010/8/20/1630102/fire-hatcher-five-myths-about-mlb
bowdenball,
I think there is a strong possibility, even likelihood that ALR, given his age won't have a stronger year next year than this. I consider Soriano an unnecessary luxury at this time. If you considered the games he saves vs. what Storen/Clip would have saved I don't think the difference justifies $13 mil.
So the short answer is, yes they should definitely kick the tires on both these guys and I think you can back fill in the off season. The only caveat is that in order to get any decent prospects back the Nats would have to eat a substantial portion of these contracts.
Bowdenball- Both LaRoche & Soriano's contract situation you'd think will increase their value.
I can see us keeping Raffy because of Storen's mental issues, but LaRoche should be trade bait. With RZim's throwing issues and Rendon capable of playing 3B and Espi in the minors. Laroche could be the odd man out.
JD, agree 100%
In looking back at the major off season moves (I must confess that I supported 2 of the 3 moves so what I am about to say is hindsight) I think we must conclude that Rizzo went 0 for 3.
1) Span - This is a tough one because Span isn't having a terrible year, I just don't think he works well in Davie's offense and it caused an overhaul of the way the lineup looks and I am now not sure that was necessary.
2) Haren - This went terribly wrong. I was certain that Haren would be at least as good as EJax was last year, instead he leads the league in HR's allowed and has pitched barely above replacement level.
3) Soriano - I think this move hurt in a couple of ways. It affected Storen way more than we could have anticipated; it took the disappointment of game 5 and amplified it and it really hurt the player's confidence. Also, the positives Soriano gives you are marginal and are inconsequential for a non contender, this one I didn't like from the get go and I haven't changed my mind on.
Nats1924,
Espinosa is once again ice cold in the minors, avg. back to .195 and striking out all over the place. I don't see him back in DC at this rate.
OTOH Tymo is hitting well in AAA and with some pop. If we really are done by 7/31 I wouldn't mind seeing what he can do for 50 games at 1st base before we decide that he's a dud.
Seamhead, your link lives on in the NIDO glossary; thanks again.
I'm pretty sure that quote was Clemens, before Carlin.
Fans- knock off the tantrums, booing and sense that you are entitled to something magical-- get behind the team, lift them up when they are down, cheer them louder, pull for them no matter how it is going . We need to stop whining also.
swami, have you been to the Park recently? Did you see 39,000+ fans on Friday and 41,000+ fans on Saturday, 34,000+ fans on Sunday, and nearly 30,000 last night cheering their hearts out for the Nats, who failed miserably to get even one win? The fans are behind them. There really is no legitimate complaint about fan support or attitude. And don't blame people for having expected a magical year, and being disappointed or even angry now. That's what all the experts predicted, and it's what the organization from top to bottom expected and promoted. Listen to the radio ads on C&Ds broadcast featuring our players as just one example. It's kind of painful to think about the hopes that players and the scriptwriters had when those were cut.
As for the tenor of the comments in here, different people react to adversity in different ways. As much as I find the LoD approach distasteful, I think we have to admit that so far they've been more right than wrong this year. It's now up to the team to show that "we got this" was more prescient than "this team stinks." There's nothing we as fans can do about that.
If there is not already, then we should resolve the baseball blog equivalent to Internet Rule 34 and Murphy's Law, and stipulate that, for any one of the almost infinite number of things that *can possibly* go wrong, somebody said it would.
Manassas, I've diagnosed the problem. But not the Nats, yours and mine.
We are suffering from Natitudeitis. When you attend a day looking for the best foot forward you don't get from your team you generally get that diagnosis. It's like your cable bill. When you get it, you feel powerless, when you feel powerless, you can't sleep when you get home from the game. When you can't sleep when you get home from the game, you post on Natsinsider. When you post on Natsinsider, most of what you say makes sense, some does not, but you at least are expressing your frustration. Don't get frustrated. Just enjoy the game for what it is. Applaud good play by both teams. At least the Pirate fans are civil and don't have a tomahawk chop.
Span's was too silent to notice. If ibdeed those are tge numbers ( in ,3 of tge 4 games as he didnt playcSunday,) i will gladly add him.
The standards sre much higher now as we can afford to lise nothing.
To a point I beleve everyone controls much of what they do
I never needed outside forces to accompkish my missions. The pay was motivation enough.
I never cheer for non success. I just assume sccess will haopen to those who want it tge most. Right now the opponents are doing what is needed more then we are.
Once we do more then the opponebts then we will win.
swami, have you been to the Park recently? Did you see 39,000+ fans on Friday and 41,000+ fans on Saturday, 34,000+ fans on Sunday, and nearly 30,000 last night cheering their hearts out for the Nats, who failed miserably to get even one win? The fans are behind them.
Really? Last night after McCutchen hit his first HR I heard the chant "B-U-C-S! Bucs! Bucs! Bucs!" coming from my right. I looked over and there were Section 222's buddies in 313 leading the cheer and waving their hats. No one in Pirates gear in that whole section. Those 313 "fans" are clearly nothing but front runners who like hearing their voices on the radio.
Actually, the Clemens quote was really from Proverbs 26:4:
"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him."
The Clemens quote I probably had in mind was this:
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
As Abraham Lincoln once said, 98% of the quotes on the Internet are misattributed.
What the Pirates fans have is WAY more disturbing than a Tomahawk chop.
My problems all go back ti my relationship with my mom (,so Fraud said) . She was a perfectionists. If I did less the perfext she beat my ass. I didnt like my ass beat so I did practically perfect.
My mom stresses Reuseau's theiry of mind over matter. He who wants something will do whatever it takes to achieve.
Because of that I. Have come believe that isn sports to. He who wants it most tgat game will do what it takes to win. If the opponent wants it more they will do more. If my team wants it more it will do more.
My guess 80% of games are determined by that.
Manythink I am wrobg, I don't as it is a philosophy having been driven in my mother.
So blame my mom.
It is confoting as i belueve before every single we control if we can win or not. That I like.
Losing I hate because something that coyld be cintroled was not.
Might be crazy but it is my belief. It is Natitude the nth degree.
Seriously. Are they not familiar with punctuation marks? What?
The Real Feel Wood. Accept no substitutes. said...
What the Pirates fans have is WAY more disturbing than a Tomahawk chop.
July 23, 2013 2:18 PM
64 percent of all the world's statistics are made up right there on the spot
82.4 percent of people believe 'em whether they're accurate statistics or not
I don't know what you believe but I do know there's no doubt
I need another double shot of something 90 proof
I got too much to think about
(Todd Snider)
"She was a perfectionists. If I did less the perfext she beat my ass."
I give up. I can't top that.
These are all classics. Joe Seamhead, let me recommend Woodford Reserve Bourbon and Ginger Ale. Most excellent. Manassas, I am awestruck.
And Sec 1D 10T, My Sofa. I can't top that either.
Tonight we're back to square one. It's a new day. Wipe the slate clean and GO Nats!
baseballswami: "It was easy to be a fan last year- I sure that some of the bandwagoneers will go away. To me, it's like every other thing in my life- you give an honest effort and I will support you rain or shine until the rainbow shows up."
Well said. Sure the crowds are big right now and they cheer when something goes right. But the booing is something almost entirely new this year. To hear the boos of Drew Storen, who is trying so hard that it's making him less effective, broke my heart and made me mad.
Do they think that booing someone like Drew Storen is going to make him play better? Do they think that he deserves boos because he's trying his best and failing?
I've been to more than 150 Nats games (including the very first one at RFK) and I've booed precisely one Nats player -- the vile Felipe Lopez, who thought it beneath him to run hard on ground balls.
Too bad many Nats fans have decided we should be more like Philadelphia and Yankees fans and boo our own players.
Even for the opposing teams, I don't boo a player unless he shows bad character (I've booed Brandon Phillips many times and will roundly boo Ryan Braun next time he's in town).
I inherited bad eyes and fat fingers in my 60s are both getting worse. Combine with a small phone screen would not make my mom happy.
Just for what it is worth. Today would have been her 91st birthday.
Any event tge point is at work I learn expect near perfection from me, and I expect. The same as others at their job.
Sec 222 best post I've read all year.
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