LaRoche re-signs with Nats

[Minty Fresh]

You can disagree all you want. Stats are quite clear.

ALR 2012 OPS: .853
MM 2011 OPS: .910

ALR Career OPS: .820
MM Career OPS: .839

ALR Last 3 healthy seasons: .828
MM Last 3 healthy seasons: .861 (and that includes all of last year)

Morse is clearly a better hitter.

Better hitter = Better firstbaseman

If not, James Loney and Casey Kotchman would not be failures.
Please. Morse is beloved by fans. Or did you miss the part where an entire freaking stadium was singing his walk up song AFTER the music had cut out? Or how he had tshirts named "Beast Mode""

LaRoche hits lefty.

[Ray D]

Or did you miss the part where an entire freaking stadium was singing his walk up song AFTER the music had cut out?

Only because he selected a singable song.  You can't sing that goober garbage that LaRoche likes. 

[Glockypoo]

Only because he selected a singable song.  You can't sing that goober garbage that LaRoche likes. 

If only ALR had picked MMMBop by Hanson for his walk-up music, then this move would have been unanimously loved by our fanbase. 

[FrankenMonkey]

Only because he selected a singable song.  You can't sing that goober garbage that LaRoche likes. 

Maybe Adam could walk up to something like Come On Eileen or Sister Christian? 

[Ray D]

What about ALR's ability to keep the lineup from being too lefty heavy?

You meant Righty heavy I presume.   Anyway, to me, it's a critical factor.  I think you can argue their relative merits either way, but without LaRoche, as I saw it there was only one "effective" lefty in the lineup.  (I don't count Span because as leadoff he isn't protecting anyone.)   I think it is important to have a #2 lefty and a lefty batting after Zimmerman. Without LaRoche, you'd almost have to bat Harper #4. Now you can keep him at #2 and bat LaRoche #4.

My biggest problem with all this is where are you going to bat Werth?  Almost has to be #5, and he really hasn't proved effective batting in the bottom half of the order.    I really do wish we hadn't acquired Span, and that we were going with the 2012 lineup.

[Glockypoo]

You meant Righty heavy I presume.   Anyway, to me, it's a critical factor.  I think you can argue their relative merits either way, but without LaRoche, as I saw it there was only one "effective" lefty in the lineup.  (I don't count Span because as leadoff he isn't protecting anyone.)   I think it is important to have a #2 lefty and a lefty batting after Zimmerman. Without LaRoche, you'd almost have to bat Harper #4. Now you can keep him at #2 and bat LaRoche #4.

My biggest problem with all this is where are you going to bat Werth?  Almost has to be #5, and he really hasn't proved effective batting in the bottom half of the order.    I really do wish we hadn't acquired Span, and that we were going with the 2012 lineup.

Yessir, thanks.

[Ray D]

Ray - It is one of two things.  Either the Nats have to pay $2MM to walk away in any event or the Nats pay $2MM to walk away only if ALR wants to exercise it.  I'm not sure if the Nats are on the hook if ALR wants to walk away.

It means Laroche gets $2 million either way. If he opts out the team owes him $2 million. If the team opts out they owe him $2 million. It's just a guarantee of extra money that they are delaying for another year. He won't be back after 2014.

Spidey is probably right.

The part that doesn't make sense to me is, if he opts out the Nats are on the hook?

So, assuming they have a mutual option, for say 10M, and after 2014 the Nats exercise the option and LaRoche declines. I can't see how the Nats could be on the hook for 2M.

[Tyler Durden]

You meant Righty heavy I presume.   Anyway, to me, it's a critical factor.  I think you can argue their relative merits either way, but without LaRoche, as I saw it there was only one "effective" lefty in the lineup.  (I don't count Span because as leadoff he isn't protecting anyone.)   I think it is important to have a #2 lefty and a lefty batting after Zimmerman. Without LaRoche, you'd almost have to bat Harper #4. Now you can keep him at #2 and bat LaRoche #4.

My biggest problem with all this is where are you going to bat Werth?  Almost has to be #5, and he really hasn't proved effective batting in the bottom half of the order.    I really do wish we hadn't acquired Span, and that we were going with the 2012 lineup.

Span
Werth
Harper
Zim
LaRoche
Desmond
Espinosa
Suzuki/Ramos

[Smithian]

They should suck it up and keep Morse, IMO. Play him three out of four days. Give Werth, Harper/Span(alternate), and LaRoche days off. Whoever is off for the day is a big time bench option. Someone always gets hurt and this would help keep LaRoche and Werth fresh.

Know it won't happen but one can dream.

[DPMOmaha]

You can disagree all you want. Stats are quite clear.

ALR 2012 OPS: .853
MM 2011 OPS: .910

ALR Career OPS: .820
MM Career OPS: .839

ALR Last 3 healthy seasons: .828
MM Last 3 healthy seasons: .861 (and that includes all of last year)

Morse is clearly a better hitter.

Better hitter = Better firstbaseman

If not, James Loney and Casey Kotchman would not be failures.
Please. Morse is beloved by fans. Or did you miss the part where an entire freaking stadium was singing his walk up song AFTER the music had cut out? Or how he had tshirts named "Beast Mode""

LaRoche hits lefty.

He also actually hits.  Loney and Kotchman are big holes in their teams lineups.  LaR isn't.  Morse is a very good hitter with decent defense at 1B.  LaRoche is a good hitter with very good defense.  It's not like we're trading Morse for Loney or Kotchman, we're trading a guy  who actually produces on both aspects of the game.  Not a great comparison with LaRoche, Loney and Kotchman to Morse.

[Rasta]

I love Morse but something you also have to consider is that he's been injured a lot.  He played in 102 games last year.  He's never played more than that except in 2011 with the Nats. 

[Ray D]

Span
Werth
Harper
Zim
LaRoche
Desmond
Espinosa
Suzuki/Ramos

I'd rather #2 be lefthanded.  And I don't think there's any way they're moving Zimmerman out of #3.

[terpfan417]

They should suck it up and keep Morse, IMO. Play him three out of four days. Give Werth, Harper/Span(alternate), and LaRoche days off. Whoever is off for the day is a big time bench option. Someone always gets hurt and this would help keep LaRoche and Werth fresh.

Know it won't happen but one can dream.

I really don't hate this and think we should at least threaten it, if only for leverage in dealing him. Having Moore and Morse both on the bench isnt ideal (maybe Moore gets sent back to the minors) but I think you could definitely find plenty of time to play Morse. He could spell 1B or any of the OF positions, including coming in to play against all lefty starters, since 3 of those 4 positions are left handed. And that's not even accounting for the inevitable time missed for injuries by one of those 4 guys

[houston-nat]

Span
Werth
Harper
Zim
LaRoche
Desmond
Espinosa
Suzuki/Ramos

Werth
Harper
Zimmerman
LaRoche
Desmond
Espinosa
Suzuki/Ramos
pitcher
Span

[Ed Stroud]

Quote from: Tyler Durden on Today at 02:31:28 PM

    Span
    Werth
    Harper
    Zim
    LaRoche
    Desmond
    Espinosa
    Suzuki/Ramos

Werth
Harper
Zimmerman
LaRoche
Desmond
Espinosa
Suzuki/Ramos
pitcher
Span

Either way, I like it.

[Tyler Durden]

I'd rather #2 be lefthanded.  And I don't think there's any way they're moving Zimmerman out of #3.

So flip Werth and Span.  Why wouldn't they move Zim out of the 3 spot?  They are talking about him moving off of third base so I would imagine his spot in the order is not written in stone.

[DPMOmaha]

Werth
Harper
Zimmerman
LaRoche
Desmond
Espinosa
Suzuki/Ramos
pitcher
Span

I don't think Davey would ever go that route.

[hammondsnats]

slateman needs to stop posting

[Ray D]

Werth
Harper
Zimmerman
LaRoche
Desmond
Espinosa
Suzuki/Ramos
pitcher
Span

The fact that this is even suggested indicates to me what a mistake it was to acquire Span.   Geniuses (like LaRussa) that bat the pitcher eighth (or imitators like Riggleman)  usually put a "secondary" leadoff batter ninth, not the primary. And I'm not even saying that this lineup is a bad idea.   But it suggests to me that Span is not a typical leadoff man, and it that's so, then what was the point?

[nobleisthyname]

The fact that this is even suggested indicates to me what a mistake it was to acquire Span.   Geniuses (like LaRussa) that bat the pitcher eighth (or imitators like Riggleman)  usually put a "secondary" leadoff batter ninth, not the primary. And I'm not even saying that this lineup is a bad idea.   But it suggests to me that Span is not a typical leadoff man, and it that's so, then what was the point?

Gettin Morse out of the outfield and replacing him with a gold glove caliber defender? That's gotta be a significant swing in runs by itself.

[DPMOmaha]

The fact that this is even suggested indicates to me what a mistake it was to acquire Span.   Geniuses (like LaRussa) that bat the pitcher eighth (or imitators like Riggleman)  usually put a "secondary" leadoff batter ninth, not the primary. And I'm not even saying that this lineup is a bad idea.   But it suggests to me that Span is not a typical leadoff man, and it that's so, then what was the point?

Because it was brought up on here?  If it was Davey or Rizzo bringing it up, that would be one thing.  Span's the exact lead-off guy Rizzo's been looking for.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

there ya go!!

Maybe Adam could walk up to something like Come On Eileen or Sister Christian? 

[Slateman]

LaRoche hits lefty.

So does Span and Harper. This fabled lefty power is bullcrap and you know it. Hitting is hitting.

If anything, Laroche is detrement because he's a lefty. He can't hit left handed pitchers. Span, Morse, and Harper can. Espinosa dominates lefty pitching but also switch hits so every time Laroche would be in, Espinosa would be hitting left. Same for Lombo.

So basically, this lineup has three left handed hitting starters already. Needing Laroche because he's a lefty is a strawman's arguement.

[Lintyfresh85]

Span is the prototypical leadoff hitter. Just cause its brought up on WNFF doesn't mean he's not.

Fans say a lot of things.

Rizzo and Johnson know what he is, that's all that matters.

[Ray D]

Gettin Morse out of the outfield and replacing him with a gold glove caliber defender? That's gotta be a significant swing in runs by itself.

What is the net swing in runs?  I.e. runs saved on defense vs. those we lose by losing Morse.  My bet is it's negative.