Closer Watch: 2017

[aussienatsfan]

Like Wieters, am I wrong to say Robertson isn't even that good?

he walks a lot of hitters and he had a very bad second half.

[whytev]

Like Wieters, am I wrong to say Robertson isn't even that good?

He isn't.  But I'd rather have him end up pitching the 7th before Treinen and Kelly than, say, Pérez or whatever other nightmare we come up with.

[Slateman]

he walks a lot of hitters and he had a very bad second half.

His first half was pretty meh. He's going to be 32, he's losing movement on his fastball, his strikeout rate dropped from 34% to 28%, and his walk rate more than doubled, up to 12%, after having remained below 9% since the 2011 season.

He is primed for a bust season of Soriano proportions

[GuyFromCO]

His first half was pretty meh. He's going to be 32, he's losing movement on his fastball, his strikeout rate dropped from 34% to 28%, and his walk rate more than doubled, up to 12%, after having remained below 9% since the 2011 season.

He is primed for a bust season of Soriano proportions

And the Nats will be on the hook for $24M, because LANC!

[Slateman]

And the Nats will be on the hook for $24M, because LANC!

Yet another issue.

The window is now. We have Harper and Murphy for another two seasons. By then, Zim will be utterly useless, Max will be on the decline, and Strasburg's elbow will have exploded. This is it. I'd much rather give up a better prospect and mortgage the future for a shot at a WS now. If that means giving up Robles for a top of the line closer, do it.

[dshawg77]

All we had to do is resign Mark Melancon. Dumb. He was a good fit. Didn't cost us talent.

[imref]

Latest update on MLBR.

FEB. 21: Chicago would trade Robertson and possibly eat some of his salary if the Nationals were to give up catcher Pedro Severino, according to Phil Rogers of MLB.com (Twitter links). Both MLB.com and Baseball America rank the 23-year-old Severino as one of the Nats’ top 10 prospects. As written below, Washington isn’t eager to deal more young talent; unsurprisingly, then, it would rather move Derek Norris than Severino, per Rogers.

[mk6lazarchick]

Latest update on MLBR.

I'd much rather give up Pedro then Norris. You'd be able to swing Norris at the deadline for a piece if he bounces back like the Nats think. Also it never hurts to keep depth just in case.

[varoadking]

Do it, Rizzo...Severino isn't gonna be much help after the window closes...

[Slateman]

Do it, Rizzo...Severino isn't gonna be much help after the window closes...

Does Robertson?

[aussienatsfan]

All we had to do is resign Mark Melancon. Dumb. He was a good fit. Didn't cost us talent.

bingo

[OvechkinsWodka]

bingo

He didn't want his money in 2025....

[imref]

Do it, Rizzo...Severino isn't gonna be much help after the window closes...

He has the potential to be a solid part of the next core with turner, Robles, Stevenson, etc.

[rileyn]

All we had to do is resign Mark Melancon. Dumb. He was a good fit. Didn't cost us talent.

Melancon didn't want to be here.  He never got comfortable and he is a peculiar fellow.  His best days are also behind him and he wasn't going to only take 2 years. 

[varoadking]

He has the potential to be a solid part of the next core with turner, Robles, Stevenson, etc.

Those guys will only be throwing rocks at the window...it closes in October, 2018...

[dcpatti]

Melancon didn't want to be here.  He never got comfortable and he is a peculiar fellow.  His best days are also behind him and he wasn't going to only take 2 years.

He is BFF's with Ryan Vogelsong.  We would have had to overpay a ton to get him to stay here.

[whytev]

Melancon didn't want to be here.  He never got comfortable and he is a peculiar fellow.  His best days are also behind him and he wasn't going to only take 2 years.

He was quoted as saying he fully expected to stay.

[Slateman]

He was quoted as saying he fully expected to stay.

Most, if not all, pending free agents say that crap.

[whytev]

Most, if not all, pending free agents say that crap.

Not two month after the fact.

[Slateman]

Not two month after the fact.

Yea, they do. They say it right before they sign with someone else. Its how you drive up the price.

[aussienatsfan]

He didn't want his money in 2025....

then he's no good for our squad

[whytev]

Yea, they do. They say it right before they sign with someone else. Its how you drive up the price.

I meant he said it two months after he signed with another squad.

[Slateman]

I meant he said it two months after he signed with another squad.

Then he would have signed.

He didn't want to be here. Probably because he and his agent didn't want deferred money

[tzinc]

Severino for Robertson just do it

[varoadking]

Severino for Robertson just do it

Throw in MAT for good measure...