VIDRO SHOULD BE FINED ONE GAME CHECK

[rileyn]

I just got home from the game and I logged on expecting to see more furor over the way we ran ourselves out of a big 1st inning.   I have been hard on Vidro for his play and I actually blamed him for the loss last Sunday when he haphazardly, sloppily, and carelessly allowed an inning-ending two hopper to go 5 hole in the 1st inning.  You will recall that this play resulted in 2 unearned runs and a deflated team (we lost by 2 runs).

Tonight, he definitely is the GOAT.  We had something big brewing in the 1st after his RBI double and he shockingly tried to go to 3rd.  It wasn't even close.   What is the rule of thumb in baserunning: "never make the first or third out of an inning at 3rd base."  Of course, Wilkie singled after that so instead having a 2-0 lead with nobody out and runner on 1st, we end up getting one run in the ending.  A feeling of dread washed over me at that very moment.  We are not good enough wins games like this.

It is always 1 step forward, 2 steps back with him.  Even last Saturday when he hit a home run, his next TWO at bats he failed to get the runner home from 3rd with one out in a tight ball game.

Folks, he is the face of the new Nationals.  Do you really think it is a coincidence that we are 4-10 since his return???  (For the season we are under .500 with him in the line up.)  He is supposed to be a consumate professional and yet he is the biggest culprit of committing careless, non-fundamental gaffes.  This team is playing careless and sloppy and I point my finger at the captain.

I suggest a fine only because we cannot bench him.  He is all we have at 2nd with Spivey down and Carroll playing for Guzman.  Somebody needs to douse him with cold water or something.  I couldn't be more pissed that we lost 2 of 3 to Colo-freaking-rodo.

[Kenz aFan]

Maybe trading him to Texas aint such a bad idea after all. We can send Vidro, Wilkerson, Armas, Saul Rivera and Rick Rundles to Texas for Soriano, Teixeira and Chris Young... Teixeira can play 1B until Johnson gets back and then move to left... Am I giving too much, too little?

[NatsCaps19]

now way in hell the Rangers give up Soriano AND Texeira.. and certainly not for the package you're mentioning.

[JMW IV]

I just got home from the game and I logged on expecting to see more furor over the way we ran ourselves out of a big 1st inning.   I have been hard on Vidro for his play and I actually blamed him for the loss last Sunday when he haphazardly, sloppily, and carelessly allowed an inning-ending two hopper to go 5 hole in the 1st inning.  You will recall that this play resulted in 2 unearned runs and a deflated team (we lost by 2 runs).

Tonight, he definitely is the GOAT.  We had something big brewing in the 1st after his RBI double and he shockingly tried to go to 3rd.  It wasn't even close.  In fact, for those that didn't see it he actually quit 1/2 way to 3rd and was tagged out.  What is the rule of thumb in baserunning: "never make the first or third out of an inning at 3rd base."  Of course, Wilkie singled after that so instead having a 2-0 lead with nobody out and runner on 1st, we end up getting one run in the ending.  A feeling of dread washed over me at that very moment.  We are not good enough wins games like this.

It is always 1 step forward, 2 steps back with him.  Even last Saturday when he hit a home run, his next TWO at bats he failed to get the runner home from 3rd with one out in a tight ball game.

Folks, he is the face of the new Nationals.  Do you really think it is a coincidence that we are 4-10 since his return???  (For the season we are under .500 with him in the line up.)  He is supposed to be a consumate professional and yet he is the biggest culprit of committing careless, non-fundamental gaffes.  This team is playing careless and sloppy and I point my finger at the captain.

I suggest a fine only because we cannot bench him.  He is all we have at 2nd with Spivey down and Carroll playing for Guzman.  Somebody needs to douse him with cold water or something.  I couldn't be more pissed that we lost 2 of 3 to Colo-freaking-rodo.

as much as I want to dispute this with you....I can't find a reasonable angle to do so from.

[Senators2005]

I know this is REALLY GOING OUT ON A LIMB....so don't take this as analysis.  But isnt it's strange that Ken overheard Livan being PISSED at Vidro in the past (see Livan thread).  And Rileyn mentioned poor playing on the field he observed tonight by the very same Vidro?  Could there be a connection?  Maybe Livan's pissed AGAIN because of Vidro's performance while he was on the mound?  I guess Vidro was on the Expo team when Livan arrived from San Francisco...so that would be just about: 3 years.  Hmmmm   :

[rileyn]

I have no knowledge of Livan's relationship with Vidro, but something has crushed this team.  Has Livan won since Vidro returned?  This could be a "chicken or egg" situation, but I feel strongly that Vidro must be accountable for his play.  Winning sure would cure alot of our ills.

[Dave B]

rileyn,

I was doubting your "vidro hurts the team" philosophy, but it correlated well with Bill Simmons' "Patrick Ewing Theory".  Basically it says the knicks played better without Patrick Ewing.  However I feel it is difficult to apply to baseball, because all the players essentially function independently.  But, for some reason it might apply.

I think the yankees are pretty happy with young Robinson Cano, but maybe we can interest them in Vidro.  I dont know what we could ask for in return.  But, I think it is good to get the Yankees as buyers.

Red Sox too.  I think they hate Bellhorn up there.

[PC]

It was a very bad decision for him to attempt to get to third.  This is a team that needs big innings and to get big innings what you have to avoid is outs.

With no outs, he was as likely to score at 2nd than he would have been at 3rd, even if he hadn't been thrown out.

My immediate thought was that it made no sense.

[esoteric]

All I know is that I'm intensely confused right now, as well as worried.

I can take these sorts of agonizing losses, despite what they entail and imply.   I can live with that.  Tomorrow is another game, and all that.  

What I can't take is the idea of the club ripping itself apart, of important team members turning on one another.  You can't recover from that, can you?

Sheesh.  Well, maybe it all goes boom! right here.

[LetsGoNats]

Rileyn, I agree with pretty much everything you say about Vidro's play.  I had the exact same feeling when it happened about letting a potentially-big inning slip away and ultimately coming back to bite us (which it did).

One thing I was wondering, and maybe others saw it better than I did, is it possible that the 3B coach waved Vidro on or did he go on his own?   I reall can't say on that play what happened, but I have noticed that we seem to get an inordinate number of runners thrown out at 3rd and home and it's not always the same runner (Wilson getting tagged out by a mile last Friday when sent on a pretty shallow fly to Jenkins comes to mind).  I think I read something in the paper where the 3B coach was saying that he is still getting used to our runners and the arms of the opposing OFs.  Shouldn't 90+ games be enough by now to have a good feel for that?  Don't they have detailed scouting reports?

[Diehard_Nationals_Fan]

I couldnt agree more Rileyn.   Just pathetic whats been happening since Vidro's return.

I suspect were seeing the much predicted / anticipated collapse.   Just seems to me that everything under the sun that can go wrong, either has, or is starting to.  

Oh well.

[rileyn]

As disappointed as I am with Vidro, I do not think he will traded.  We have to live or die with him.  He has talent, but does he have the fire?  We will find out starting tonight.  Bring it Vidro.