tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post3074767608126480021..comments2024-02-15T05:42:18.307-05:00Comments on Nats Insider: Zim, Dunn, Pudge, Capps or Clip?Mark Zuckermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13525315258889435961noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-4302504679030109362010-06-25T17:15:54.725-04:002010-06-25T17:15:54.725-04:00I would go with Zimmerman but would also hope Clip...I would go with Zimmerman but would also hope Clippard gets selected.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-79016769991698671982010-06-25T16:21:58.511-04:002010-06-25T16:21:58.511-04:00Follow up from Anonymous 4:12..... Another thing....Follow up from Anonymous 4:12..... Another thing...as much as I appreciate IRod's ability and Hall of Fame presence, he doesn't bleed Nat's red yet. Too new to the team. Zimmerman was born a Nat. He best represents us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-59007021883696716972010-06-25T16:12:53.335-04:002010-06-25T16:12:53.335-04:00The game's in Anaheim, right? AL park, AL rule...The game's in Anaheim, right? AL park, AL rules? Seems like that might make a little more room for Dunn. Given Zimmerman's slump, wouldn't you feel Dunn would give you the better chance to win?johninmplshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03966829867302332925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-90495287428706762622010-06-25T16:12:38.669-04:002010-06-25T16:12:38.669-04:00Zimmerman. No on else is even close. When you thi...Zimmerman. No on else is even close. When you think about it, maybe "The Plan" is not as far along as we die hard Nats fans think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-59325365302940166412010-06-25T15:49:44.633-04:002010-06-25T15:49:44.633-04:00If not Clippard, I would say Dunn. He is one HR f...If not Clippard, I would say Dunn. He is one HR from the league lead, 4th in slugging pct, 7th in OPS. Mainly, I just want Dunn to get a shot at the Homer derby :)Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-64735452783371336162010-06-25T15:43:40.106-04:002010-06-25T15:43:40.106-04:00@DC Wonk - Speaking of Dibble, did you see how he ...@DC Wonk - Speaking of Dibble, did you see how he and Ray Knight kinda got into it a bit after Strasburg's last start? I actually agreed with Dibble. The Royals did exactly as he said which was to throw the bat out and hope for a single. <br />However he will often contradict himself.Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-38276676231011620312010-06-25T15:21:32.901-04:002010-06-25T15:21:32.901-04:00Instead of this dribble...
While I disagreed with...<i>Instead of this dribble...</i><br /><br />While I disagreed with the message, I thought that part of the message was a clever pun -- a combination of "Dibble" (who says stupid things), and "drivel" (stupid things said). Put them together, and you have words that are as useful as "dribble".<br /><br />Nicely done. (if it was intentional ;-) )<br /><br />(But I disagree about the main point that this thread is a waste of time.)A DC Wonknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-30763948772250855732010-06-25T14:57:37.834-04:002010-06-25T14:57:37.834-04:00Back to the All Star thingy, are middle relievers ...Back to the All Star thingy, are middle relievers ever selected?? I truly believe Clippard belongs there.Cwjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-66156019700856195372010-06-25T14:39:26.503-04:002010-06-25T14:39:26.503-04:00Dribble. That's the stuff that comes out of mo...Dribble. That's the stuff that comes out of moron JayB's mouth, right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-17010035486335569662010-06-25T13:53:24.093-04:002010-06-25T13:53:24.093-04:00I love it when unintelligent people try to sound s...I love it when unintelligent people try to sound smart but let just a word or two reveal the truth.<br /><br />"Instead of this dribble I would rather get some off the record indication of what Rizzo and the brain trust are going to do to fix this team."<br /><br />I believe the word you're looking for is "drivel." It means to talk stupidly and carelessly. Hmmm... is that ironic?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-27311683766680554032010-06-25T13:33:18.631-04:002010-06-25T13:33:18.631-04:00OK, you've convinced me; the Nationals do not ...OK, you've convinced me; the Nationals do not deserve representation at this year's All-Star game.Kamir Aminutenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-49945836844164081132010-06-25T13:31:30.362-04:002010-06-25T13:31:30.362-04:00Re: WHIP -- Capps' number is pretty terrible.....Re: WHIP -- <i>Capps' number is pretty terrible.</i>.<br /><br />Indeed it is. On the other hand, Clippard's are eye-popping (along with Strasburg's)A DC Wonknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-50311546187639972872010-06-25T13:30:29.500-04:002010-06-25T13:30:29.500-04:00Zimm, Dunn, Willingham, Capps, Clippard, Pudge all...Zimm, Dunn, Willingham, Capps, Clippard, Pudge all are worthy. I wish Livan could have picked up a couple of more wins then I would add him. Love Pudge only if another Nat is selected also. Would be great to see Clippard enjoy the festivities with Pudge there to catch him. Get voting online people!K.D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-51481903867209265962010-06-25T13:11:50.210-04:002010-06-25T13:11:50.210-04:00Zuck - fair enough. I agree - it IS a nitpicking ...Zuck - fair enough. I agree - it IS a nitpicking point. ;) His throwing is just one of those things - it's a nice flaw to get everybody excited. He's got the sixth-highest UZR in the league, and the 2nd highest 3b OPS - he's sort of the obvious pick. Maybe the question is - if the Nats get a 2nd person in addition to Zimm, who should it be?<br /><br />Here's the funny thing - if they do get a 2nd person, you could make almost as strong a case for Strasburg as you could for Clippard, Dunn, Willingham, etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-84303036767204006712010-06-25T13:10:54.567-04:002010-06-25T13:10:54.567-04:00Well, I'm going to be a contrarian here. Zim ...Well, I'm going to be a contrarian here. Zim is a great player, but he really hasn't been burning up the league this year, either offensively (especially recently) or defensively. (I agree with Mark about his throwing issues.) Whoever the pick is is going to be a late inning pinch hitter or defensive replacement at best. So I think if I'm Charlie Manuel I would pick Dunn for the possible heroic pinch hit bomb (no need to put him in the field). I hope Zim will pick up his game even farther and get voted in by the fans in years future.Section 222https://www.blogger.com/profile/17106128453333996193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-51307880365501112482010-06-25T13:07:40.873-04:002010-06-25T13:07:40.873-04:00OK, so fans vote like, well, fans, and not objecti...OK, so fans vote like, well, fans, and not objective arbiters of fact. They're going to want to see Strasburg, I imagine. I don't send him. He's too new, hasn't done enough, and if he does go, he'll not only bump some pitcher who deserves to go, he'll probably bump a teammate, because I don't think they'll take many players from a chronically last place team.<br /><br />Zimm and Pudge and Clippard all go. <br /><br />Zimmerman, because he's the best 3rd baseman in the NL, but also because he's the kind of player you pay to see. I don't go to see someone not make errors, I want a chance to see the best baseball players in the world do something I can't see anywhere else. <br /><br />Pudge, just because he's Ivan f'ing Rodriguez, reanimated or not, whatEVER. He's pushing 40, and having one of the best years of his HOF career. The man is just stunning to watch.<br /><br />Clippard is tougher, because setup guys don't get picked often. If Clippard goes and Capps doesn't, it seems reasonable to wonder why Clippard isn't closing, no? If they still had the smaller rosters, I don't think he makes it, but they really need lots of pitchers for these things, and close and late, he's about as good as anybody this year.Sec$39.99noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-21497646528675940622010-06-25T12:42:53.493-04:002010-06-25T12:42:53.493-04:00JayB-
You understand that all of baseball, and al...JayB-<br /><br />You understand that all of baseball, and all of sports, is an exhibition, right? None of it "matters." It's all for the entertainment of the fans. The All-Star game doesn't count in the standings, but frankly it has more impact on the 2010 World Series Champions than the Nats-Os game. And even if it didn't- it's in a couple weeks, and some of us think it's cool. If you don't, that's fine, but your opinion alone doesn't make it "dribble," and doesn't mean Mark shouldn't post about it. The rest of us obviously like talking about it. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a pre-set limit on posts per day. I'm sure there will be at least one post about tonight's game later today.Bowdenballnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-16800308661213602342010-06-25T12:31:53.338-04:002010-06-25T12:31:53.338-04:00Adam Dunn -- but the allstar selection process tu...Adam Dunn -- but the allstar selection process turn is ugly, for me. Fan voting is fun, I guess, but renders all arguments about fairness pointless. It's marketing or just fun for fans, which for old schoolers like me is too bad. So IMHO, SS can go, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-59862649978478156972010-06-25T12:30:30.927-04:002010-06-25T12:30:30.927-04:00"Q: If you're Charlie Manuel and your onl..."Q: If you're Charlie Manuel and your only concern is winning the game, and you're going to pick the player, regardless of any numbers, service time, etc, who will help you do that?"<br /><br />What a dumb question. Everyone knows that All Star managers do not make their roster picks with an eye towatd who will best help them win the game any more than Jim Riggleman fills out his daily lineup card with an eye toward winning the game.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-18977391819886505162010-06-25T12:26:30.930-04:002010-06-25T12:26:30.930-04:00If we are talking defense, intangibles & offen...If we are talking defense, intangibles & offense how can you not vote Pudge. He holds his own against the other NL catchers (because of his age it is more remarkable). It seems unfair to hold his past HOF performances against him. That being said I believe Zimm is best choice all around, he is the face of the franchise. While Dunn has improved dramatically on defense his offense has only recently come around, you can say the same about Willingham except his offense was more consistent earlier.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-55752680586598879232010-06-25T12:22:52.596-04:002010-06-25T12:22:52.596-04:00Left Livon out of the above post but while his sta...Left Livon out of the above post but while his start was unbelievable he has come back down to earh and doesn't get my vote.alm1000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-7459730974630829372010-06-25T12:22:49.184-04:002010-06-25T12:22:49.184-04:00All Star selections are never made solely on merit...All Star selections are never made solely on merit. The fan balloting is a popularity contest, plain and simple. Once that's done and the starting eight are selected, I guess there's some sort of player ballot for some additional players, and the manager selects some players, and then there's another fan vote for the last guy. And over-riding the whole thing is the requirement that every team get at least one guy. So any potential All Star needs to navigate this process to make the team. Look at your candidates and the process, and the possible outcomes tend to narrow down considerably.<br /><br />(a) Fan ballot: No Nat makes it.<br />(b) Player ballot: Zimmerman or Pudge could get voted in here, but not Dunn because as you noted his position is incredibly deep.<br />(c) Charlie Manuel: He's the guy who enforces the one-per-team minimum, by filling in the gaps that remain after the fan and player balloting. He also chooses most if not all of the pitchers, I think. Here is where a closer or setup guy could get in, but only if he's the best player on a lousy team that has no other worthy representatives. Capps, Clippard and Livo won't make it in here, because if there's still no Nat when Charlie starts picking that means he'll still have Zim, Pudge and Dunn to choose from. He'll take one or maybe two of them for sure, and not a pitcher.<br />(d) Last guy fan ballot: Theoretically they could put any of the available Nats on this ballot, but it's most likely to be former All Stars Zim or Pudge due to the injustice of them not already being selected. Remember what may have been the first year of this last-guy ballot, and "Vote for Pedro"? Zim or Pudge would be Pedro Martinez in this scenario.<br /><br />So put it all together, and if there's only one Nat All Star it will be either Zim or Pudge, with Dunn being a very very very long shot. The other guys? No way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-46193362373330602832010-06-25T12:20:28.504-04:002010-06-25T12:20:28.504-04:00I was going to be a contrarian and say Pudge. Wat...I was going to be a contrarian and say Pudge. Watching him play for the Nats has been a joy. Thanks Rizzo for this signing. But I looked at his stats and they don't cut it, BA aside. Josh is having a career year, but not an all-star caliber year. Not Zim either.<br />Therefore I have to go a pitcher either Capps or Clippard. When you look at the stats, Clippard's year is incredible. Capps is leading the league in saves but no other reliever is having the year Tyler is having. Gotta be Clippard. He is the 3rd highest ranked pitcher in my points based fantasy league. Hands down, no doubt when you look at the stats for each of the players as compared to the other players at their position. It Clippard.<br />Zim ranks 7th or 8th offensively among NL third basemen. No way he deserves to go. Last years hardware or stats don't count. He missed 7 or 8 games and is in a major slump. He doesn't have the 2010 credentails to go.alm1000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-48019582720376783892010-06-25T12:19:58.649-04:002010-06-25T12:19:58.649-04:00It's tough because there are different questio...It's tough because there are different questions...<br /><br />Q: If you're Charlie Manuel and your only concern is winning the game, and you're going to pick the player, regardless of any numbers, service time, etc, who will help you do that?<br /><br />A: Strasburg.<br /><br />Q: If you're Charlie Manuel and your plan is to just pick the most established/recognizable name from the pitchers?<br /><br />A: Hernandez, I guess?<br /><br />Q: If you're Charlie Manuel and your plan is to do what a lot of the guys have done in the past and just grab the closer by default?<br /><br />A: Self-explanatory; Capps.<br /><br />Q: If you're Charlie Manuel and you just pick the most established/recognizable name from the position guys?<br /><br />A: Pudge<br /><br />Q: If you're Charlie Manuel and your goal is to, god forbid, pick the player with the best numbers/performance so far this year?<br /><br />A: Zimmerman<br /><br />That wasn't all that helpful, I guess. My point, though, is that Zimmerman is probably most deserving of the selection. Due to his past performance and All-Star selection, plus this year's performance, plus being the team's (now 2nd) most recognizable name, he should probably be the pick. However, if after all the fan voting is done (remember, there is an additional vote for the final guy), and after any no-brainer picks that Manuel has to make from other teams, he may be set at position players. Then he's gotta pick a pitcher. The default pick is usually the closer. What if he's bitter about not having home-field advantage in the last 2 World Series'? Maybe he just wants the guy who will give him the best chance of winning, period. Strasburg belongs in the U.Jimenez, R.Halladay, A.Wainright, J.Johnson, M.Cain starting pitcher discussion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-92104037367590126052010-06-25T12:04:51.945-04:002010-06-25T12:04:51.945-04:00Like I said in another post, judge SS on statistic...Like I said in another post, judge SS on statistics just like you are doing to the players listed above. If Rodrigues is elected it is not because of what he has done in the past, but because of his record now (which probably won't get his elected. If SS is elected, it won't be because of his past (he has none), but because of his record Now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com