Poll

What Should Happen With Espinosa?

Starts at 2B
48 (35.3%)
Replaced/Becomes Utility Player
31 (22.8%)
Ditched Completely
12 (8.8%)
Trade to Team Looking for MI
34 (25%)
DL, surgery or rest, then a month rehab in Syracuse
11 (8.1%)

Total Members Voted: 134

Author Topic: The Espinosa Question: What should happen with him?  (Read 42852 times)

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Offline nats2playoffs

  • Posts: 23843
Rizzo to discuss the propaganda re sitting Espinosa and playing Lombardozzi on Holden & Danny's Mike Rizzo segment on 106.7 FM The Fan at 11:30 AM today.

They played a clip of Davey Johnson's interview on The Junkies show.  He said something to the effect of: "My job is to evaluate players.  I might be too patient, now that I'm collecting Social Security." [laughs].


Offline DPMOmaha

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Espinosa is not "elite." He's very good, but he's not top 3 or even top 5 defensively.

Espinosa's value has always been that he's a very good defender with a lot of pop. The very good defender is still there, but the pop is diminishing. The slugging has gone down with K's  going up. The whole league knows that you simply thrown it high and Danny will chase.

None of this would really matter if Laroche, Zimmerman, and Werth were hitting worth a crap. But because they're not, Espinosa's struggles are that much more apparent.
His K% is actually down, so far this year, from 28.7% to 21.2%.  The problem is, his BB% is way down, too. 

Offline hammondsnats

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Offline Ray D

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Lefthanded pitcher tonight.  This is not the game to bench Espinosa, and particularly not in favor of Lombardozzi.   LaRoche should sit out for Moore, but please, God, don't let Moore play left field, ever again.

Offline RobDibblesGhost

  • Posts: 31426
Lefthanded pitcher tonight.  This is not the game to bench Espinosa, and particularly not in favor of Lombardozzi.   LaRoche should sit out for Moore, but please, God, don't let Moore play left field, ever again.

Danny's only batting .083 against lefty starters this season (1-12, with 5 Ks).  Let him sit, I don't care who they're facing.  We've all been waiting for this.

And Lombardozzi is batting .300 against LH starters (3-10) this year.  Not a large sample size for either, but enough to make me in favor of the change.  EDIT:  Lombo is 5-12 overall batting from the right side this year.  Not bad.

Offline aspenbubba

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That Espinosa is going sit for the next couple of days in favor of LomBo.

Better late than never...my wife and kid thank him.  They were growing tired of me ranting like a luntic. 

Source? I am not calling you out because I think I recall you having a viable source within the organization from past postings.

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Davey said it on the Sports Junkies show today.
Source? I am not calling you out because I think I recall you having a viable source within the organization from past postings.

Offline spidernat

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see ya!

You've called for firings in the past. How do you feel about the idea that Davey Johnson should be fired?


Either way, it seems Espinosa has the same effect on some among the fanbase that Mark Brunell had when he was "playing QB" for the Redskins. They choose to believe in him in spite of what their eyes tell them.

Offline hammondsnats

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You've called for firings in the past. How do you feel about the idea that Davey Johnson should be fired?


Either way, it seems Espinosa has the same effect on some among the fanbase that Mark Brunell had when he was "playing QB" for the Redskins. They choose to believe in him in spite of what their eyes tell them.

davey has been awful this year in decision making and in game coaching.  it's been brutal. 

but he has won before and he won last year.  he's going to get more time and in no way would call for his head right now. 

Offline spidernat

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but he has won before and he won last year.  he's going to get more time and in no way would call for his head right now. 

That's what I figured.

Offline hammondsnats

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That's what I figured.

i know you're being sarcastic, but why would they fire the manager a month into the season playing .500 ball?  it's going to get better.

i'm not happy with his work so far (and this is coming from his #1 fan remember)!  but i think they'll right the ship. 

Offline hammondsnats

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how is he still the everyday 2B?

he needs to be in the minors for a month to see if he can figure things out.  he's not the answer. 

Offline hammondsnats

  • Posts: 37394
can we get this thread back on topic ... aka let's talk about how the nats need a new 2B

Offline OldNatsFan

  • Posts: 328
How about Rendon at 2B, he is hitting great at Harrisburg, would he be good on defense at 2B? I know he made some errors at 3B when Zimm was out.

Offline Baseball is Life

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How about Rendon at 2B, he is hitting great at Harrisburg, would he be good on defense at 2B? I know he made some errors at 3B when Zimm was out.

Nope, not yet. Give Espi and Lombo this season to prove their worth at 2B. Bring Rendon up in September and give him some ABs there. Decide in the offseason who you want to go with for next year and trade the others. The only other plan the Nats should be thinking about is moving Zimm to 1B, trading ALR, and plugging in Rendon there. Again, next year.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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I would like to see Rendon get 50 game in at 2d in the minors.  More or less a couple of months.  Then, towards the end of the year, if neither Espinosa nor Lombo is playing adequately, you would give Rendon a shot.  Call-ups have siezed positions before for contenders. 

Offline monkeyhit

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Kobernus, hitting .357 in AAA, still not on 40-man? 

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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And probably will not be until they want him on the 25 man roster.  That may come, but right now, absent an injury, they want him playing every day and are not going to give him 2d base ahead of Espinosa, Lombo, or Rendon.  No sense even starting his service clock.

Offline hammondsnats

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No jca, you can't afford to continue to start espy. 

Offline madj55

  • Posts: 7759
I really wonder what Espinosa does in the off-season/before games/what goes through his mind at the plate. I actually like Espinosa because he's so smooth in the field, but if he continues to be this inept at hitting a baseball he doesn't just need to be benched but he needs to be sent down to the minors.

Offline Smithian

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Amazing amount on angst on this board for a player who is the 7 hole hitter when the Nats are healthy.

The front office desperately wants him to be the next Ian Desmond, but I don't see it happening. My guess if they give him until the All Star Break before you see any big change.

Offline HalfSmokes

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No jca, you can't afford to continue to start espy. 

1 game back- they can afford it for the time being

Offline hammondsnats

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Amazing amount on angst on this board for a player who is the 7 hole hitter when the Nats are healthy.

The front office desperately wants him to be the next Ian Desmond, but I don't see it happening. My guess if they give him until the All Star Break before you see any big change.

not good

Offline ZimW1N

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We should try and trade for Jose Altuve and hope Bo Porter will do us a solid.

Offline GMUTrkstar

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Either Espinosa or Moore need to be sent down to Syracuse. We can't put out line ups w/ both K Machines in there. Lombo isn't the answer to replace Espi long term & I'm not sure Rendon has enough 2nd base experience to take Espis spot now. Send Moore down to send a message to Espi & find room for Kobernus in the lineup until some of the rest of our players are healthy.