Poll

What Should Happen With Espinosa?

Starts at 2B
48 (35.3%)
Replaced/Becomes Utility Player
31 (22.8%)
Ditched Completely
12 (8.8%)
Trade to Team Looking for MI
34 (25%)
DL, surgery or rest, then a month rehab in Syracuse
11 (8.1%)

Total Members Voted: 134

Author Topic: The Espinosa Question: What should happen with him?  (Read 42886 times)

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Offline blue911

  • Posts: 18486
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #100: April 25, 2013, 09:11:23 AM »
I posed the question in reply #71 to Dave Cameron today in his chat. Below is the exchange:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/fangraphs-chat-42413/
Cameron is on to something.  A quick look at DE's O-Swing% from 2011 - 2013 shows it has gone from 32% to 40.5% to 46.1%, while the O-contact has gone from 61.6% to 55% to 60%.  In other words, his best offensive year, 2011, he was swinging at a lot fewer out of strike zone pitches, while now he is not only swinging at more than last year, but he is also making more contact.  That helps explain more dribblers and pops.

It's not just swinging at pitches out of the zone, he's also making contact at nearly the same rate as 2011. Simply put, 30% of all of his at bats end with him hitting a ball he shouldn't have swung at in the first place.

Offline Ray D

  • Posts: 10073
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #101: April 25, 2013, 10:02:37 AM »
When Espinosa first came up, I thought he was going to be a star.   .....    If he played up to his potential, he could be really great.
When he came up, he was on a holy tear, which lasted about a week.  Then he couldn't buy a hit, most of the rest of the season.  The latter was the real Espinosa, the good start is not unusual, a player often tears it up for a few games until the opposition figures out his weakness; the really good players adjust, the mediocre ones don't.   

  He is playing up to his potential.

Offline LostYudite

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #102: April 25, 2013, 10:19:56 AM »
  He is playing up to his potential.

This is a semantic difference, but I'd say he's playing to his career norms, but isn't really getting everything out of his talent.  I'm convinced he's a classic "trying too hard" guy.  As in, don't try to be a great ballplayer, just be a great ballplayer.  I think that's why Davey seems so soft on him - he's not the kind of guy who will respond well to the whip, because he's already whipping himself plenty.

It's frustrating to watch, though, because if he never figures it out, he's a hole.  Still, to me, the real problem right now is LaRoche and Zimm/Rendon.  We're just not getting enough out of the 4-5 spots in the lineup, I think.

Offline blue911

  • Posts: 18486
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #103: April 25, 2013, 10:21:14 AM »
I think Espinosa's shoulder is bothering him more than he's letting on. He decided to rehab the shoulder so it isn't as if this should surprise anybody.



   

Offline Mr Clean

  • Posts: 4109
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #104: April 25, 2013, 10:33:15 AM »
Put him on the DL if necessary or (if he has options)  send him down to work on his swing. Bring Kobernus up and move Lombo to 2nd base.

Offline GSW

  • Posts: 166
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #105: April 25, 2013, 03:01:04 PM »
Put him on the DL if necessary or (if he has options)  send him down to work on his swing. Bring Kobernus up and move Lombo to 2nd base.

Can't Dave tell him....  HIT FROM THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY or play him only when a LHP is on the mound.


Offline Slateman

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #106: April 25, 2013, 03:06:52 PM »
Can't Dave tell him....  HIT FROM THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY or play him only when a LHP is on the mound.



Not exactly tearing the cover off the ball against lefties either

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42525
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #107: April 25, 2013, 03:08:35 PM »
Keep him. This question is an easy indicator on who should I listen to on this board and who is too dumb to have their opinions posted here.

i'd start giving Lombo more time, but I'd keep Danny.  Worst case is that he becomes a utility player/fill-in MI.

Offline LostYudite

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #108: April 25, 2013, 03:13:10 PM »
Not exactly tearing the cover off the ball against lefties either

Which is why I think it's a matter of time for him.  If he were truly this bad, he never would have made MLB.  His problem is in his head, not his shoulder.  It's in all their heads.

Stop trying to hit the ball and hit the ball.


Offline hammondsnats

  • Posts: 37394
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #109: April 25, 2013, 03:15:08 PM »
play rendon/lombo at 2nd when Zim is back.

we can figure out the line-up then.  but that's step 1.

Offline nobleisthyname

  • Posts: 2711
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #110: April 25, 2013, 03:53:52 PM »
Espinosa is a hole right now that even his defense can't cover. But I'm still not convinced Lombo is the answer. He's had a good start to the season but he's still only had a grand total of 31 PA's. If he is only as good as his career numbers suggest then you're downgrading on both defense AND offense from 2011-2012 Espi. I know plenty here disagree with the offense part but a higher batting average is worthless if it's empty (i.e., no power and/or on base skills to accompany it).

That said, the team is scuffling and Lombo is doing well so far while Espi is not. I would not be opposed to seeing Lombo getting more PA's over the next few weeks.

Offline wpa2629

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #111: April 25, 2013, 04:41:35 PM »
Who mentioned it being Espy's birthday that he would be kept in the lineup? Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

@chasehughesCSN
Davey mentioned Danny Espinosa's birthday being today as a reason he left him in the lineup. 'You have to know all these things.' #Nats #MLB



Offline welch

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #112: April 25, 2013, 06:39:06 PM »
Until Zimmerman returns, Espinosa has got to play. Rendon doesn't look ready, and it would be unfair to expect that: he had one month of pro ball at AA last year, and about two weeks at AA this month. Spring shows that Rendon has a nice swing, but not that he can hit major league pitchers, yet.

When Zimmerman returns, Espi should sit and Lombo should play 2B. If Zimmerman can't return, then the Nats have a hole at the one position without depth. (And I'm watching Span's average angle sharply downward. Not good.)

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42525
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #113: April 25, 2013, 06:40:22 PM »
Who mentioned it being Espy's birthday that he would be kept in the lineup? Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

@chasehughesCSN
Davey mentioned Danny Espinosa's birthday being today as a reason he left him in the lineup. 'You have to know all these things.' #Nats #MLB

 do we have an over/under pool for when he gets double-switched out?

Offline varoadking

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #114: April 25, 2013, 06:46:50 PM »
do we have an over/under pool for when he gets double-switched out?

Bottom of the fifth after Gio gets lit up and hits the 100+/- pitch count?

Offline Bloo

  • Posts: 2415
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #115: April 25, 2013, 07:39:00 PM »
Jeff Kobernus is hitting over .400 in Syracuse. Who did scouts compare him too? The Mighty, Mike Lansing!

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #116: April 25, 2013, 08:08:38 PM »
If the question is Espinosa, the answer is David.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42525
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #117: April 25, 2013, 09:30:59 PM »
Espinosa survives to cook another day.

Offline MorseTheHorse

  • Posts: 3170
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #118: April 25, 2013, 10:20:39 PM »
Great play him for his birthday fine.  Hope he is riding the bench tomorrow. 

Offline Mattionals

  • Posts: 5738
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #119: April 25, 2013, 10:34:32 PM »
Great play him for his birthday fine.  Hope he is riding the bench tomorrow.

Uhh, who did you watch tonight?  Espi was 2-4 with a double and a homer.  He won't be riding the bench tomorrow.  He needs more of what he did today to turn it around.

Offline wpa2629

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #120: April 25, 2013, 10:44:40 PM »
he was really good tonight

Looks buff in his uni too

Offline Copecwby20

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #121: April 25, 2013, 11:43:21 PM »
Happy Birthday Espi!!!!


Offline JMW IV

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  • Name on the Front > Name on The Back
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #122: April 25, 2013, 11:51:25 PM »
David Espinosa was pretty good in todays game.

let's hope he shows up tomorrow.

leave Danny at home.

Offline DPMOmaha

  • Posts: 22875
Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #123: April 26, 2013, 12:01:33 AM »
I missed it, where is this David Espinosa stuff coming from?

Offline Slateman

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Re: The Espinosa Question
« Reply #124: April 26, 2013, 05:36:53 AM »
We need to give him a birthday every day