2012/13 Offseason Discussion Thread

[PANatsFan]

Skippy1999 is still active on the site.

It's the quote about Jennifer Lopez vs a large woman that blue is referring to.

[PANatsFan]

According to FIP/xFIP/SIERA Detwiler's due for some major regression as well.

XFIOPffjhdowu doesn't account for the fact that he found his breaking ball again at the end of the season. He's due to improve.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Upton trade to ATL discussed in
http://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=28422.0
 in the out of town scoreboard section

[HalfSmokes]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2013/01/25/mike-rizzo-on-the-justin-upton-trade-javier-vazquez-long-term-deals/?hpid=z3

Rizzo interview, lots of good stuff, but boo to

The Nationals, Rizzo said, have not made any further progress on a deal to avoid arbitration with right-handed starter Jordan Zimmermann, the lone arbitration-eligible Nationals player yet to sign a 2013 deal. Their talks may still lead to a long-term extension for Zimmermann, but Rizzo is not necessarily bent on locking up Zimmermann.
“We’re talking,” Rizzo said. “We’re in no hurry to do anything like that. We’re in the discussion stage. If it makes sense for him and it makes sense for us, we’ll do something. We have him under control for a long period of time. It’s something we’re both thinking about and going to discuss further.”
Rizzo said the same could be said for shortstop Ian Desmond. While Desmond agreed to a $3.8 million contract for 2013 last week, the Nationals could still kick the tires on signing their shortstop to a long-term deal.
The Nationals control the contractual rights of both Desmond and Zimmermann though the end of the 2015 season.

[NJ Ave]

I seriously don't understand the angst over this. Why are people so bent out of shape to extend guys beyond 3 years from now, if they aren't willing to take club-friendly deals?

I know people want to extend this window as long as possible, but it's already a pretty big window. By tying up your salary flexibility extending ALL your young players, there's a 50% chance that you prolong the window, and there's a 50% chance that you close the window yourself. I have no problem with Rizzo saying (if he WERE saying this, which he might not be): there's injury risks with Zimmermann and Strasburg, and there's performance risks with Desmond and Espinosa. Why not wait a year or two to see how those issues play out, and extend some or all of those guys after we have more data points with regards to those things.

[DPMOmaha]

I'm watching the Top 10 LF's on MLB Network, it's clear Harper's on the list, but I'm just curious, is it a foregone conclusion that Harper ends up in LF?

[HalfSmokes]

Span is definitely center,  but I think left vs right is a toss up given Harpers arm and Werth's history playing right.  In the end Werth's veteraniness is probably the difference

[DPMOmaha]

In the end Werth's veteraniness is probably the difference

Meaning Werth stays in RF? 

[HalfSmokes]

Meaning Werth stays in RF? 

That's my guess

[DPMOmaha]

That's my guess

I guess that's what I figured, too, I just didn't know if it was based on anything anyone's said or people are just assuming Werth will go to LF.

[HalfSmokes]

washington.nationals.mlb.com/team/depth_chart/?c_id=was

Not that it's official,  but the team site has Werth in right

[codedandunited]

I had just assumed it would be clear cut that it would be Harper, Span, and Werth, but you can make an argument for Harper in Center.  Span is just the prototypical center fielder, he really wouldn't fit in a corner position.

[Lintyfresh85]

Span is also a much better defender than Harper.

[Slateman]

Should be Werth in LF but the contract will demand he play in RF

[imref]

I had just assumed it would be clear cut that it would be Harper, Span, and Werth, but you can make an argument for Harper in Center.  Span is just the prototypical center fielder, he really wouldn't fit in a corner position.

Rizzo has been pretty clear that he doesn't want Harper playing CF to reduce wear and tear on him.  Harper will play LF.

[PebbleBall]

Should be Werth in LF but the contract will demand he play in RF

I really like the idea of Harper/Span covering the LC gap. 

[monkeyhit]

With our pitching and defense, every game should be a no-hitter.   

[DPMOmaha]

BTW, I never intended to suggest Span would be anywhere other than CF.   Thought of it more as a discussion about the corners.

[aspenbubba]

Meaning Werth stays in RF? 

If I recall DJ said it was Werhs decision

[Mr Clean]

Cross post from Natsfest---Espy tore his rotator cuff late last year, no surgery.  Says it is completely torn off the bone.
Says he will be ready. Hard to believe. 

[imref]

Cross post from Natsfest---Espy tore his rotator cuff late last year, no surgery.  Says it is completely torn off the bone.
Says he will be ready. Hard to believe. 

I tore mine when I was 20.  Healed without surgery.  Only real pain came from doing push-ups.

[Tyler Durden]

Cross post from Natsfest---Espy tore his rotator cuff late last year, no surgery.  Says it is completely torn off the bone.
Says he will be ready. Hard to believe. 

What the crap.  Lombo and Rendon need to be ready.  I can't see this going well after the experience with Zim last year and LaRoche the year before.  Maybe Zim will share his magic cortisone with Espinosa.

[Jordanz Meatballz]

I tore mine when I was 20.  Healed without surgery.  Only real pain came from doing push-ups.

Did you play baseball at the time?

Is this the injury that ends pitchers' careers?

[Tyler Durden]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2013/01/26/danny-espinosa-says-he-played-with-torn-rotator-cuff/

This sounds bad.  Maybe he's worried about shutting it down and then Lombo or Rendon showing a little too well and then losing his job?  One or two hard falls or hard slides and then he may have it hurt enough to have to shut it down anyway.  And playing middle infield, he's probably going to have some hard falls.

[nats4ever]

Why did he wait to say this now. Wouldn't it have been smarter to get surgery right after the season?  Now he will have lombo or rendon take his spot maybe?