Author Topic: General Offense Discussion  (Read 25384 times)

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Offline aussienatsfan

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #25: April 17, 2012, 08:52:38 AM »
He can't be more of a liabity than DeRosa or Morse.

I suppose he'd hit more than nady as well so he should justify it, it's still a risk

Offline imref

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #26: April 17, 2012, 09:07:39 AM »
definitely disappointed in DeRosa so far.  Another mark on the "spring training doesn't matter" side of the ledger.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #27: April 17, 2012, 12:00:29 PM »
Our 45 runs on this date is tied with Texas for 12th in baseball.  In fairness, we are also tied for 12th with the Giants.  by WRC+, we are right on MLB average.  Average offense with stellar pitching means wins.

That said, we have two players with an ISO > .100 and a batting average over .275 - LaRoche (.200 & .333) and Desmond (.135 and .346).  Not much pop and steady production. 

Offline cmdterps44

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #28: April 17, 2012, 12:37:53 PM »
If Lombo isn't a LF liability I'd play him there every day

Yeah. And I'd risk having Espinosa's bat in the lineup everyday but put him in the 6-7 hole.

Offline nobleisthyname

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #29: April 17, 2012, 12:39:22 PM »
Our 45 runs on this date is tied with Texas for 12th in baseball.  In fairness, we are also tied for 12th with the Giants.  by WRC+, we are right on MLB average.  Average offense with stellar pitching means wins.

That said, we have two players with an ISO > .100 and a batting average over .275 - LaRoche (.200 & .333) and Desmond (.135 and .346).  Not much pop and steady production.
I thought our offense was "hapless".

Offline LostYudite

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #30: April 17, 2012, 03:22:17 PM »
That said, we have two players with an ISO > .100 and a batting average over .275 - LaRoche (.200 & .333) and Desmond (.135 and .346).  Not much pop and steady production.

That's one way to put it - another way is "completely reliant on our ability to slap singles at opportune moments."  ;)

I'm not that worried yet, though - Zim, Espi and Werth's power will be there eventually, Morse will be back, Harper, etc.  Our bats have started cold and the pitching's carried us.  I love our 11% walk rate thus far, though - 2nd in team OBP.  We've gotten enough runners on base that lucky slap hits at opportune times (like Lombo's game-winner last night) have been enough.  In the longer term, .099 team ISO will kill us, but I don't think that's going to be where we end up. 

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #31: April 17, 2012, 05:31:25 PM »
It's funny, but it is the exact opposite of the problem I thought we'd have.  I expected a lot of solo homers and very little move the chain along offense out of this crew.  At least guys like Desmond, Espinosa, Werth, and the mix and match outfielders have decent speed, so they can take the extra base on a single.   I also think zimmerman made a very aggressive base running decision in the home opener that paid off.

Offline Tyler Durden

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #32: April 17, 2012, 06:47:09 PM »
It's funny, but it is the exact opposite of the problem I thought we'd have.  I expected a lot of solo homers and very little move the chain along offense out of this crew.  At least guys like Desmond, Espinosa, Werth, and the mix and match outfielders have decent speed, so they can take the extra base on a single.   I also think zimmerman made a very aggressive base running decision in the home opener that paid off.

Agree - I also expected us to struggle to get on base but to show some decent power. 

I expect the power will come but I'm much less confident that the OBP will remain this high. OBP is at .344 as a team through the first 11 games.  Slugging is a terrible .357.

Offline MorseTheHorse

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #33: April 17, 2012, 08:13:41 PM »
I think the low power numbers are easily attributable to the windy conditions a majority of our games have been played in so far.  A few more HRs and a few less fly balls make a huge difference to team slugging numbers after just 11 games. 

Offline Count Walewski

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #34: April 17, 2012, 09:30:52 PM »
Lombo has earned his way into the everyday lineup, IMO.

Offline Tyler Durden

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #35: April 17, 2012, 09:31:24 PM »
Offense needs help with Morse out and Zim not hitting like Zim.

Both Lannan and Gorzelanny should be able to net a poor fielding, decent hitting corner outfielder - someone like Johnny Gomes or Nix, maybe?  They'd be better than the poor fielding, poor hitting guys we have now.

Offline cmdterps44

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #36: April 17, 2012, 10:24:35 PM »
We need more bats... We need more bats now. We cannot keep winning these 1 run games. We got so lucky with JD Martinez and the shortstop today.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #37: April 18, 2012, 09:53:56 PM »
Rizzo better be doing his homework on looking for an outfielder who knows what a bat is

Offline imref

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #38: April 18, 2012, 09:54:48 PM »
Rizzo better be doing his homework on looking for an outfielder who knows what a bat is

Tyler Moore is getting time in LF. 

Offline Tyler Durden

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #39: April 18, 2012, 10:01:44 PM »
Nats had eight innings worth of at bats and had 5 hits and 7 walks.  They should be scoring more than 2 and 3 runs per game.  Also had a couple of balls that might have been homers on warmer nights hit by Espinosa and Desmond.  They are not a juggernaut but they are good enough to win more than they lose with this pitching staff. 

I wouldn't be against adding someone, but Morse is coming back soon and I expect Zim and a couple of others to start hitting better. 

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #40: April 18, 2012, 10:29:31 PM »
Tyler Moore is getting time in LF. 
he can't hit righties.  his avg. is like .200 off righties.  If he is called up it had better be in a platoon with lombo

Offline Count Walewski

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #41: April 18, 2012, 10:43:19 PM »
Nats had eight innings worth of at bats and had 5 hits and 7 walks.  They should be scoring more than 2 and 3 runs per game.  Also had a couple of balls that might have been homers on warmer nights hit by Espinosa and Desmond.  They are not a juggernaut but they are good enough to win more than they lose with this pitching staff. 

I wouldn't be against adding someone, but Morse is coming back soon and I expect Zim and a couple of others to start hitting better. 

I don't think we can count on Morse ever having a season like that again, though. He'll likely regress to the mean.


Offline RyanZimsKazoo

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #42: April 18, 2012, 10:48:13 PM »
Like most sports, defense wins championships.

Pitching can keep any team in the game. The Nationals fortunately have a great pitching rotation.

Its like football, you won't win if your team can't stop the run and get burned deep.

Like in hockey, you won't win if your team has a terrible goalie and no shutdown pairing.

If your pitching can keep you close, you just gotta roll the dice and see how the team does. The offense will pick up eventually, its just slow right now.

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #43: April 18, 2012, 10:56:58 PM »
Why will it pick up eventually?

Offline RyanZimsKazoo

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #44: April 18, 2012, 11:36:44 PM »
Why will it pick up eventually?
Cause sports is all luck and hot and cold streaks happen?

Offline tenken627

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #45: April 18, 2012, 11:47:25 PM »
Cause sports is all luck and hot and cold streaks happen?

The trick is not letting the pitching go through a cold streak when our offense goes on a hot one.

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #46: April 18, 2012, 11:59:07 PM »
You still need the talent to put you in the spots to be lucky. The offense is looking like it doesn't have the talent to be in that position.

Offline Squab

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #47: April 19, 2012, 12:21:40 AM »
Quote from: Zuckerman
During innings 1-7, they're hitting a collective .236 with a .310 on-base percentage and a .324 slugging percentage. From the eighth inning on, they're hitting .286 with a .397 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage.

Offline RyanZimsKazoo

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #48: April 19, 2012, 12:33:54 AM »
Quote from: Zuckerman
During innings 1-7, they're hitting a collective .236 with a .310 on-base percentage and a .324 slugging percentage. From the eighth inning on, they're hitting .286 with a .397 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage.
So they are getting offense...its just late and it tends to be just enough to win.

Now if they can start off hot and build and just get on base then that is something we got to take.

Tonight, they got lucky. Not too often you get a walk to home plate. But thats the Astros fault.

They got the offense where it counted and it resulted in another win.

At this point for me, I don't care how they win...but just keep doing it. Its really revitalizing an interest in baseball for me.

Before I could barely watch on tv, now I look forward to it cause the pitching is great.

Offline welch

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Re: General Offense Discussion
« Reply #49: April 19, 2012, 01:15:14 AM »
I don't expect Morse back much before September. More likely to get hitting from Harper. Not much different than last season...not much from the OF.

Meanwhile, the team will rise as far as Desmond / Espinosa improve.