Author Topic: You can just feel it. This is where.....  (Read 8192 times)

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Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #100: May 24, 2011, 11:13:20 AM »
All the hand wringing and teeth gnashing and OMG SEASON OVER ... it's exhausting

That's why you should do like me and mask your misery with copious amounts of cocaine and caviar.

Offline Terpfan76

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #101: May 24, 2011, 11:14:56 AM »
That's why you should do like me and mask your misery with copious amounts of cocaine and caviar.

Come on man, we all know they are just poorly made bases for Livo's new ballpark back home.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #102: May 24, 2011, 11:16:06 AM »
hate to break it to you
Yeah you are probably right although it's painful to make that realization.

There is no rule that says all teams get a chance at winning. The Nationals might very well never become a winning team.
Very true, wins aren't going to be handed to us on a silver platter. We have to build a team full of winners and quality players and they have to get the job done.

All the Nationals know is losing and pathetic baseball, it is going to take a big change for this franchise to make the next step and convert into a winner.

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #103: May 24, 2011, 11:19:24 AM »
Come on man, we all know they are just poorly made bases for Livo's new ballpark back home.

Or my current TV stand...

Offline UMDNats

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #104: May 24, 2011, 11:20:48 AM »
I think we'd all just like to see some progress at the major league level. The only difference between this year and every other year is we have something to hang on to as a saving grace  - Strasburg will come back, Harper will make the majors, all these top draft picks will produce a great team. In the past, our top prospects were Balester (who is solid, but had his limitations), Casto, Broadway, Watson, Willems, Smoker, McGeary, etc.

This year, Harper, Cole, Solis, Ray, Norris, Lombardozzi, Peacock, Hood, Meyers, Wilkie are all legitimate prospects and producing well. The past prospects mostly didn't play great in the minors, so I guess that is progress itself. I think we can all agree that this "batch" of prospects looks a lot better than the past couple, though we all also know that it may mean nothing.

But year after year, when we start to suck, we just call on journeymen and guys past their prime, hoping to hang on for one more season. When things go bad - as they always do - our only future pieces to look at are Espinosa, Ramos, Zimmermann, Desmond (maybe), Storen, Werth (who we're just hoping will not suck in 6 years)...there's just not a lot to look at because our roster is 90% journeymen and washed up veterans and 10% legitimate pieces for the future. That's my issue. Everything is in the minors, everyone tells us to "be patient," but at least when the Caps were bad, they had a solid mix of young talent, legitimate veterans (Zubrus, Pothier, Kolzig), and journeymen.

Look at this LaRoche situation. We could just call up Ankiel and keep Stairs (which I think will happen), we could just call up someone like Aubrey, a AAAA talent who has played well but is not the future at all, or we could call up Marrero, who may not be "ready," but how much better is AAA than AA? Why not give me - a fan - something to look forward to every night other than the slim hope that we won't fall apart in the 6th inning.

I just want to see some tangible progress. To have our major league team actually have more than 4-5 people who are going to be here in 2 years.

My personal frustration also sits with the overall attitude of the organization being all about small ball, grinding, playing the game the right way, etc. You can have good a good clubhouse without sacrificing talent.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #105: May 24, 2011, 11:22:28 AM »
Nationals records, first and second halves (dividing at the All-Star break, with the 'better' half of the season in boldface):

PRE-BREAK

2005 - 52-36 (.591)
2006 - 38-52 (.422)
2007 - 36-52 (.409)
2008 - 36-60 (.375)
2009 - 26-61 (.299)
2010 - 39-50 (.438)

POST-BREAK

2005 - 29-45 (.392)
2006 - 33-39 (.458)
2007 - 37-37 (.500)
2008 - 23-42 (.354)
2009 - 33-42 (.440)
2010 - 30-43 (.411)
Thanks OC.  I think the team was bit in the butt by the .500 second half in 2007.  This led to some dumb re-signings (Dmitri) and the generally over-optimistic view of the team and Acta starting in 2008.  Then the Jimbo / post-Jimbo Limbo of '09 did not help.  It's not good, it reflects some poor short-term over long term judgment by the owners, but it feels to me to have truthiness.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #106: May 24, 2011, 11:24:15 AM »
I think we'd all just like to see some progress at the major league level. The only difference between this year and every other year is we have something to hang on to as a saving grace  - Strasburg will come back, Harper will make the majors, all these top draft picks will produce a great team. In the past, our top prospects were Balester (who is solid, but had his limitations), Casto, Broadway, Watson, Willems, Smoker, McGeary, etc.

This year, Harper, Cole, Solis, Ray, Norris, Lombardozzi, Peacock, Hood, Meyers, Wilkie are all legitimate prospects and producing well. The past prospects mostly didn't play great in the minors, so I guess that is progress itself. I think we can all agree that this "batch" of prospects looks a lot better than the past couple, though we all also know that it may mean nothing.

But year after year, when we start to suck, we just call on journeymen and guys past their prime, hoping to hang on for one more season. When things go bad - as they always do - our only future pieces to look at are Espinosa, Ramos, Zimmermann, Desmond (maybe), Storen, Werth (who we're just hoping will not suck in 6 years)...there's just not a lot to look at because our roster is 90% journeymen and washed up veterans and 10% legitimate pieces for the future. That's my issue. Everything is in the minors, everyone tells us to "be patient," but at least when the Caps were bad, they had a solid mix of young talent, legitimate veterans (Zubrus, Pothier, Kolzig), and journeymen.

Look at this LaRoche situation. We could just call up Ankiel and keep Stairs (which I think will happen), we could just call up someone like Aubrey, a AAAA talent who has played well but is not the future at all, or we could call up Marrero, who may not be "ready," but how much better is AAA than AA? Why not give me - a fan - something to look forward to every night other than the slim hope that we won't fall apart in the 6th inning.

I just want to see some tangible progress. To have our major league team actually have more than 4-5 people who are going to be here in 2 years.

My personal frustration also sits with the overall attitude of the organization being all about small ball, grinding, playing the game the right way, etc. You can have good a good clubhouse without sacrificing talent.
Well said dude :clap: I'm with you, I want some progress.

btw, Chris Marrero singled in the first inning today in AAA to bump his BA to .282 :whip:

Offline Terpfan76

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #107: May 24, 2011, 11:26:23 AM »
I really think we should call up Marrero and Ankiel, DFA Stairs and send Bixler back down. Is there any other players that deserve a call up to fill out the roster?

Offline spidernat

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #108: May 24, 2011, 11:31:21 AM »
I don't know of anyone that thinks the team is fine.

Some think we're close, it's just bad luck and once a few line drives fall in and a few opposing homers stay in the ballpark we'll be a pretty good team.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #109: May 24, 2011, 11:31:37 AM »
I really think we should call up Marrero and Ankiel, DFA Stairs and send Bixler back down. Is there any other players that deserve a call up to fill out the roster?

I'd personally like to see Lombardozzi, but I doubt he's ready for major league pitching so that'd be a rash move most likely (though I think if he plays well he should get a look in September...but I'm a big fan of his and that may be a biased opinion).

Corey Brown doesn't deserve a look (hitting .202, OBP of .322 though), Michael Aubrey is hitting well so I guess he deserves a cup of coffee as well....


Offline sportsfan882

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #110: May 24, 2011, 11:35:43 AM »
From Zuckerman: It's do or die time for the Nats.

http://www.natsinsider.com/2011/05/gut-check-time-for-nationals.html

Quote
Which brings us to the Nationals' current situation. Make no mistake, they've reached a crucial juncture in the season. They've lost five of six (and eight of 11) to fall into last place in the NL East. They're now without their best all-around player (Ryan Zimmerman), their veteran first baseman and cleanup hitter (LaRoche) and their would-be ace (Stephen Strasburg, who did throw off a mound yesterday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery).

They've still got one of the majors' least-productive lineups. And now a pitching staff that has been this club's backbone through the season's first two months has shown a few signs of cracking, posting a 6.82 ERA over its last four games and putting 53 men on base during that span.

The Nationals haven't been handed any favors by MLB, which has given them the sport's toughest schedule to date (based on opponents' winning percentage). And it's not getting much easier. There are still two more games in Milwaukee, where the Brewers own the NL's best home record. There are three games this weekend against a Padres club that boasts an equally inept lineup. But then come three games against the insurmountable Phillies, followed by a 10-game West Coast trip to Arizona, San Francisco and San Diego.

This has suddenly become gut-check time for the Nats. They desperately want this season to be different than previous ones, and they genuinely believe this team is different.

The next three weeks could tell us whether they've been right all along, or whether very little has actually changed.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #111: May 24, 2011, 11:38:18 AM »
I'd personally like to see Lombardozzi, but I doubt he's ready for major league pitching so that'd be a rash move most likely (though I think if he plays well he should get a look in September...but I'm a big fan of his and that may be a biased opinion).

Corey Brown doesn't deserve a look (hitting .202, OBP of .322 though), Michael Aubrey is hitting well so I guess he deserves a cup of coffee as well....


Bixler has to go, I can't think of a player more worthless that we have had.

Marrero is the only real option other than Aubrey to call up for hitters. Aubrey isn't in the AAA lineup today... Could just be a day off even though he's played in 7 straight games prior to today.

Offline wpa2629

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #112: May 24, 2011, 11:43:15 AM »
From Zuckerman: It's do or die time for the Nats.

http://www.natsinsider.com/2011/05/gut-check-time-for-nationals.html


C'mon, what do you expect them to say?

Offline wpa2629

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #113: May 24, 2011, 11:44:33 AM »
Some think we're close, it's just bad luck and once a few line drives fall in and a few opposing homers stay in the ballpark we'll be a pretty good team.

Yeah, pretty sure nobody thinks that

Offline Smithian

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #114: May 24, 2011, 11:55:04 AM »
Mindfact time, but here I go;

If Willie Harris is still our designated Pinch Hitter, we have atleast one more win. Matt Stairs has failed every freaking opportunity. He is a waste of oxygen. Atleast Willie Harris knew he was a grown man with a sack and he went up there and wasn't scared to swing in the 9th.

No idea why we let Willie Harris go. A sad, sad disappointment. He fit great into the Hairston/Cora mold of a solid bench player. And again, he could be trusted batting in a big situation.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #115: May 24, 2011, 12:00:49 PM »
Mindfact time, but here I go;

If Willie Harris is still our designated Pinch Hitter, we have atleast one more win. Matt Stairs has failed every freaking opportunity. He is a waste of oxygen. Atleast Willie Harris knew he was a grown man with a sack and he went up there and wasn't scared to swing in the 9th.

No idea why we let Willie Harris go. A sad, sad disappointment. He fit great into the Hairston/Cora mold of a solid bench player. And again, he could be trusted batting in a big situation.
Neither player is ideal but you are right, Stairs has been an epic fail every time. The only thing he has done is drawn a few walks here and there. He has been given the most important PH ABs all season too.

PHers are such a fluke. We just need good hitters that can hit no matter the situation. Enough of these PH/utility guys that "know their role". Big mistake by Rizzo. I'd rather have hungry guys on the bench that want to be starters not guys who accept their role.

Offline wpa2629

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #116: May 24, 2011, 12:01:22 PM »
Mindfact time, but here I go;

If Willie Harris is still our designated Pinch Hitter, we have atleast one more win. Matt Stairs has failed every freaking opportunity. He is a waste of oxygen. Atleast Willie Harris knew he was a grown man with a sack and he went up there and wasn't scared to swing in the 9th.

No idea why we let Willie Harris go. A sad, sad disappointment. He fit great into the Hairston/Cora mold of a solid bench player. And again, he could be trusted batting in a big situation.

Willie totally fell off a cliff last year. He wasn't good

Offline hammondsnats

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #117: May 24, 2011, 12:02:44 PM »
we're done

Offline Smithian

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #118: May 24, 2011, 12:21:36 PM »
Willie totally fell off a cliff last year. He wasn't good
He still had some big hits and could play in the field.

Two things Matt Stairs has yet to show the ability to do this year.

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #119: May 24, 2011, 12:23:08 PM »
He still had some big hits and could play in the field.

Two things Matt Stairs has yet to show the ability to do this year.

And running the bases.  A Matt Stairs plate appears requires two participants in the event he gets on base...

Offline wpa2629

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #120: May 24, 2011, 12:23:28 PM »
He still had some big hits and could play in the field.

Two things Matt Stairs has yet to show the ability to do this year.

Yeah, but Willie wasn't good

Offline Smithian

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #121: May 24, 2011, 12:43:45 PM »
Yeah, but Willie wasn't good
We're Nationals fans. We're not demanding good. We're begging for "better".

Atleast Willie this year is hitting .226. That'd be solid on the Nats. And we could PH with him in the 9th and be comfortable with it.

Offline Vega

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #122: May 24, 2011, 12:45:30 PM »
I'm starting to feel it.

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #123: May 24, 2011, 12:49:03 PM »
I feel it. It feels awful. I'm just hoping for a pleasant surprise.

All I ever wanted was to be able to watch a game and feel like we had a better than 40% chance of winning.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: You can just feel it. This is where.....
« Reply #124: May 24, 2011, 12:53:36 PM »
I feel it. It feels awful. I'm just hoping for a pleasant surprise.

All I ever wanted was to be able to watch a game and feel like we had a better than 40% chance of winning.
Ugh, Livo on mound means we score no runs tonight plus Livo is due for a stinker. Fantastic ugh