Patterson to be re-signed...perhaps?

[UMDNats]

Comparing you and Air Zimmerman is the perfect example of why people should be judged by mental ability and not age. Remember in AZ's world a player is good because he has cool hair, is a gansta, or listens to the latest rap songs. Being from Kentucky and having Toby Keith as walk up music instantly mean any good the player does will be ignored.

Thanks.

Maybe I like Kearns so much because he's a country fan like me. I don't know. I really do like the guy and think he's gonna put up solid numbers next year.

[tomterp]

According to Svrluga in his Post article today, the Nats have made the decision to bring Patterson back in 2008.  Per Svrluga:

Bowden said he would bring back right-hander John Patterson to join a cast of pitchers in their 20s -- Shawn Hill, Jason Bergmann, Matt Chico, John Lannan, Garrett Mock, Ross Detwiler, Collin Balester and Clippard, acquired in a trade with the New York Yankees last week.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801359_2.html?sid=ST2007120801371

[PC]

Frankly, we're not so loaded with starting options that we should dispense with one so easily.

The leash for him, though, should be very short.  Any "funniness" with his arm should be it.

[Kenz aFan]

Patterson is going to be 30 going into spring training. Personally, unless he shows 2005 stuff in ST, the Nats should cut bait and move on...

[UMDNats]

Patterson is going to be 30 going into spring training. Personally, unless he shows 2005 stuff in ST, the Nats should cut bait and move on...

Yea, if he sucks in ST or gets hurt again, say forget it.

[PANatsFan]

Give him a shot but treat him like all the other minor league FA's - if he sucks, cut him - if he performs well, he gets a rotation spot. But no special treatment and no 15 crappy starts waiting for him to get going.

[spidernat]

But no special treatment and no 15 crappy starts waiting for him to get going.

If he struggles they can always excuse it by saying he's not completely healthy YET like they have in the past 

[2IPAs]

Give him a shot but treat him like all the other minor league FA's - if he sucks, cut him - if he performs well, he gets a rotation spot. But no special treatment and no 15 crappy starts waiting for him to get going.

I agree. We have enough invested in the guy that we should at least attempt to recoup, but not for too long.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

We are complaining about his age and health and yet some of us want Livan Hernandez back?

Like someone said before, we don't have a rotation built to tear them up right now so beggars can't be choosers.  I have a good feeling about Patterson this season.  Will he return to 2005 form?  I hope but don't expect it but I do believe he will contribute this season.

Treating him like a minor league FA is BS.  We know this guy can pitch.  That isn't even debatable.  Its just a question of him staying healthy.

[Dave B]

We are complaining about his age and health and yet some of us want Livan Hernandez back?

Like someone said before, we don't have a rotation built to tear them up right now so beggars can't be choosers.  I have a good feeling about Patterson this season.  Will he return to 2005 form?  I hope but don't expect it but I do believe he will contribute this season.

Treating him like a minor league FA is BS.  We know this guy can pitch.  That isn't even debatable.  Its just a question of him staying healthy.

Except Livan Hernandez has pitched 200+ innings 9 out of the past 10 seasons. In 1999, when he did not, he pitched 199.7.  The average IP is probably in the 230 range (dont feel like calculating).

As for being healthy. Patterson is a thoroughbred. He needs to be 100% healthy. 99% doesnt cut if for him. He pitches like crap if he gets 7 hours and 59 minutes of sleep (obviously an exaggerration)

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Except Livan Hernandez has pitched 200+ innings 9 out of the past 10 seasons. In 1999, when he did not, he pitched 199.7.  The average IP is probably in the 230 range (dont feel like calculating).

As for being healthy. Patterson is a thoroughbred. He needs to be 100% healthy. 99% doesnt cut if for him. He pitches like crap if he gets 7 hours and 59 minutes of sleep (obviously an exaggerration)

Pertaining to Livan, I'm more interested in winning games than getting 199.7+ innings of sucktitude.  How quickly we forget this is the guy that started games by pitching us into a hole in the first three innings, so much so, we were lucky if we were able to dig ourselves out.  He is the reverse of a bad pitching Cordero.  No thanks.

And considering we are all about building a "young team", I don't see where he fits in, especially if he is asking for a multi-year contract.

[Dave B]

Pertaining to Livan, I'm more interested in winning games than getting 199.7+ innings of sucktitude.  How quickly we forget this is the guy that started games by pitching us into a hole in the first three innings, so much so, we were lucky if we were able to dig ourselves out.  He is the reverse of a bad pitching Cordero.  No thanks.

And considering we are all about building a "young team", I don't see where he fits in, especially if he is asking for a multi-year contract.

Your talent evaluation might be accurate, but acquiring him has nothing to do with complaining about Patterson's age and health. You are implying that we dont want Patterson because he is old and frail, yet we want an old and frail Hernandez to be signed.  Livan might not be young, but he is anything but frail.

Its like being astounded that I want an orange yet find apples repulsive

[nats2playoffs]

Livan Hernadez is more ideally suited for a team like the Yankees or Toronto, who put up lots of runs to overcome the holes he'll put them in.  With Washington's inability to score runs, this is about the last place he should be. 

[2IPAs]

I have a good feeling about Patterson this season.  Will he return to 2005 form?  I hope but don't expect it but I do believe he will contribute this season.
Treating him like a minor league FA is BS.  We know this guy can pitch.  That isn't even debatable.  Its just a question of him staying healthy.

I hope you are right. But Patterson's been away such a long time, you have to wonder how that's going to affect his game.

[PANatsFan]

We are complaining about his age and health and yet some of us want Livan Hernandez back?

Like someone said before, we don't have a rotation built to tear them up right now so beggars can't be choosers.  I have a good feeling about Patterson this season.  Will he return to 2005 form?  I hope but don't expect it but I do believe he will contribute this season.

Treating him like a minor league FA is BS.  We know this guy can pitch.  That isn't even debatable.  Its just a question of him staying healthy.

Sorry but he sucked last year for a bunch of starts when they gave him way too much rope.

[kimnat]

I'm not expecting much.

[spidernat]

Sorry but he sucked last year for a bunch of starts when they gave him way too much rope.

But I heard he likes rope

[2IPAs]

But I heard he likes rope

I think someone needs to move that post to the wedding thread.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Sorry but he sucked last year for a bunch of starts when they gave him way too much rope.

Oh gee, I wonder why.  Injury perhaps? 

[PANatsFan]

Oh gee, I wonder why.  Injury perhaps? 

That IS the point. No more pitching hurt for 15 starts and hanging us with a bunch of losses at the beginning of the season. If he is always hurt, it's time to start studying to be a pitching coach. Hurt Patterson pitches at the minor league FA level, or worse.


This sounds really mean, even to me, but the team has 25 guys on it and millions of fans who are left hanging over and over.

[spidernat]

This sounds really mean, even to me, but the team has 25 guys on it and millions of fans who are left hanging over and over.

It's not mean. It's reality. A reality that unfortunately is going into it's 3rd year 

[Nat of the Living Dead]

So if he is healthy, he goes into the rotation.  If he isn't he goes on the DL.  Simple as that.

With how our rotation is and who is in it, I will take what I can get from any of these guys.  Beggars can't be choosers at this point.  We have tolerated fat guys, guys who show constant inconsistancy, and guys who just plain suck.  I think we can tolerate John Patterson.

Right now "Hating Patterson" seems to be the "in-thing" to do on the boards and I am not going to subscribe to it.  I wish him the best and throw him my support because a healthy Patterson equals a good Patterson and he can out throw most if not all of our rotation when he is on top of his game.  Why Nats fans are crossing their fingers for him to fail is beyond me. 

[spidernat]

Why Nats fans are crossing their fingers for him to fail is beyond me. 

Aren't you assuming too much here? Or have you personally crossed you fingers hoping someone on the Nats fails for one reason or another?

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Aren't you assuming too much here? Or have you personally crossed you fingers hoping someone on the Nats fails for one reason or another?

Spider, your defense mechanism is to always try to turn everything around on the poster you don't agree with so in the words of the crazy Irishman in Braveheart:

"The Almighty says don't change the subject just answer the fookin question!"

[spidernat]

Well I'm pretty sure you didn't ask a question so how can I answer a question that hasn't been asked Ask away and I'll answer it.

However, I did ask a couple questions so:

in the words of the crazy Irishman in Braveheart:

"The Almighty says don't change the subject just answer the fookin question!"

And by the way, I don't try to turn everything around on the poster I don't agree with! That's what you do!     

But seriously I didn't really see that as a disagreement. I'm just personally sick and tired of having the same guys go on the DL every year. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way. I want guys that are reliable and don't put us in a hole or leave us to send the likes of Bacsik and Speigner every time they get a pain the gulliver. And Patterson has a history of this.