The numbers game (stranded baserunners)

[Kenz aFan]

People on this and other boards keep saying that the Nats hitters have to stop leaving runners on base, that they need to bring them home more often when the chances present themselves. Well, here's my take on all that...

All season long, the Nats have been averaging less than 4 runs a game. If after 96 games, they cant even get the average up over 4, there's no way this team will all of a sudden change that and start producing.

Every team in the NL East is scoring at least a half run more per game than the Nats are. Imagine how many extra wins the Nats might have if they had an extra 48 runs over those 96 games...

What the Nats have is a "failure to generate!"

I would love for the guys to (all of a sudden) start producing, but most of the guys that are there now are not the run producing types. Nats hitters have left an average of over 12 runners on base per game. God, had they brought home just 5% of those runners, it would have given the Nats 58 extra runs and who knows how many more wins...

Don't tell me these guys can get the job done, because I know better...

[Senators2005]

Exactly why what I have been saying all along is showing up in neon:  Without Nick Johnson our offense is completly neutered.  It's really a shame.  But there has to be some blame elsewhere as well.  In effect, we temporarily "traded" Vidro & Wilson for Nick Johnson.

That's two players for ONE and still no production at the plate.  There's no excuse for that.  I beleive the burden rests completely and utterly on Vidro's shoulders.  He's supposed to be an all-star .300 hitter and is not producing the numbers that match his historical ballplay.

Preston Wilson is just arriving on the team and has produced two home runs since joining the Nats.  As time goes on...he could be a harbinger for our offensive squad when added to the NORMAL production of both Vidro and Nick Johnson.

Without NJ...we can't get it done.  I just don't understand the nature of his injury but it doesn't seem to be much different than what Vinny Castilla and Livan Hernandez have been playing through.  Why wasn't he available to pinch-hit the last at-bat on Wednesday?  All he needed to do was hit the ball to drive the winning run from 3rd base!  He wouldn't have even needed to run for Chrissakes!  You hit the ball - you win the game!  How can he just SIT THERE and watch his team go down the toilet?!?

[rileyn]

Hey Kenz afan, you have mentioned a few times your desire for Bowden to trade for Soriano and Texiara.  Do you have reason to believe that this deal is a possibility?  I knew that the Rangers were possibly willing to move Soriano, but I can't believe that Texiara is available.  If there is a way to acquire those two it should have been done yesterday. In my opinion, NOBODY on our roster is safe.  

As far as Nick Johnson, I have to assume that he is still too hurt to produce.  Some players just deal with pain better/worse than others.  Let's remember he got hurt because he was wussy-footing to home rather than barrelling over the catcher (what really hurts is that we went on to lose that game) so he is not exactly the toughest player on the planet.

[BigRChurchfan]

Why wasn't he available to pinch-hit the last at-bat on Wednesday?  All he needed to do was hit the ball to drive the winning run from 3rd base!  He wouldn't have even needed to run for Chrissakes!  You hit the ball - you win the game!  How can he just SIT THERE and watch his team go down the toilet?!?

totally excellent point.  i hadn't even thought about that.  The heel is still somewhat intergral to hitting but people have said he was looking good when he was hitting BP...so...where was he?

[tomterp]

Hey Kenz afan, you have mentioned a few times your desire for Bowden to trade for Soriano and Texiara.  Do you have reason to believe that this deal is a possibility?  I knew that the Rangers were possibly willing to move Soriano, but I can't believe that Texiara is available.  If there is a way to acquire those two it should have been done yesterday. In my opinion, NOBODY on our roster is safe.

Texiera has been mentioned in trade talks all year.  Not sure why the Rangers want to move him, but I'm all in favor if we could get him.

As a bonus, he's from Severna Park Md., local to the DC area.

[Kenz aFan]

Hey Kenz afan, you have mentioned a few times your desire for Bowden to trade for Soriano and Texiara.  Do you have reason to believe that this deal is a possibility?  I knew that the Rangers were possibly willing to move Soriano, but I can't believe that Texiara is available.  If there is a way to acquire those two it should have been done yesterday. In my opinion, NOBODY on our roster is safe.

I don't understand how everyone know about Texas having made it known that Soriano is available, yet none of those people haven't read or seen a couple of articles in the Texas papers saying, in essence, if the offer was right, and because they wont be able to afford Teixeira in the upcoming years, they would consider trading him. At one point they also considered trading Mench. So since we have some decent players to offer, why not go for the big trade and give them Wilky, Vidro, Johnson, Armas and a prospect or two for Soriano, Teixeira and Mench. Teixeira and Mench are from Maryland and Delaware respectively, trading for them makes not only good marketing and WINNING sense to me.

We have what it would take to make the deal, and I believe that lefty Matt White would make a more than decent 5th starter in place of Armas.

But, my wishing for it to happen is gonna stay just that, wishing... Because so far, from what I've seen of JB and what he calls impact moves are nothing more than moving players up and down the minor league ladder... Jim Bowden hasn't got the balls to make a deal like that...

[mar (AKA pasqual AKA JMG)]

One thing factors into this - tho I can't put a number on it - is FR's love for the sacrifice (Frank's teams are always leaders in sacrifices).

I understand the theory, but always wonder if you sacrificed somewhat less (and did not ask power or .300+ hitters to do it except under very unusual circumstances) would Nats score more runs.

Can never answer for sure as obviously they could also hit into more DP's but I would probably be happier if we were somewhere near the average for sacrifices and have to think we might have more 1st and 3rd with 0 out situations than we do now, which looks better to me than our usual runner on second, 1 out.

[Kenz aFan]

When a manager asks his power hitter to put down a sacrifice bunt, ideally you want it to have some shock value, giving your hitter that extra edge in turning his *surprise* sacrifice into a hit. I find it interesting that Frank Robinson, who in his entire career had only 17 sac bunts (13 in his first 2 season and just 4 the rest of his career) expects his power hitters to lay down the bunt on demand... Makes no sense to me

[mar (AKA pasqual AKA JMG)]

When a manager asks his power hitter to put down a sacrifice bunt, ideally you want it to have some shock value, giving your hitter that extra edge in turning his *surprise* sacrifice into a hit. I find it interesting that Frank Robinson, who in his entire career had only 17 sac bunts (13 in his first 2 season and just 4 the rest of his career) expects his power hitters to lay down the bunt on demand... Makes no sense to me

yeah, I know.

Like Frank's saying "None of you guys are good enough to get a hit with a runner on. I'm gonna make you bunt."

I dunno where he picked up this particular view of baseball strategy. Maybe would make sense on a team of guys with .225 averages, but seems to be just giving up opportunities, at least some of the time. And especially his insistance that if he told a guy to bunt, that guy is gonna do it even with 2 strikes. Most times that seem to me just showing them who's boss, not a sensible decision (unless its a guy hitting less than a buck).

[Kenz aFan]

There's no easy way to understand Frank, so in my case, I try not to think about him at all, less if possible...

[tomterp]

No wonder we never have a big inning, we give the other team one or two outs every inning just to move a runner into scoring position.

Twice in the Colorado series he had Vidro sacrifice.  The pitcher, ok, but Vidro?

[The Chief]

Well one thing's for sure...  Chad Cordero is getting a nice vacation.

[luckyexposfan]

Just like I was saying in another thread, we need more Carrolls and Schneiders.  Seriously.  How many more of those LOBs would have converted if we had another guy who consistently bloops one down the line?

[mar (AKA pasqual AKA JMG)]

Well one thing's for sure...  Chad Cordero is getting a nice vacation.

and that's actually not a bad thing (tho would rather have him not pitching cos we keep winning 8-1).

Still, he was overworked in the first half and a fresh Cordero in September is worth a lot as looks like that's when the Division and Wild card will be won or lost.