Finnegan: more value keeping or trading?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I don't think folks are saying give him away. I think a vigorous exploration of what you can get is what I'm talking about. I haven't explored recent set up reliever trades, but a set up guy is always going to be worth more to a contender with a shaky bullpen than he is to a team in the back half of the standings. Control through 2025 is a nice kicker on Finnegan's value too. 

[Slateman]

Finnegan isnt elite. He isnt a lockdown closer. He isnt closing any playoff games. Hes good quality 7th/8th inning guy on a wild card team.

I frankly dont care if the Nationals blow 50 saves this year. Keeping Finnegan does nothing to make us a playoff team within the next five years. Trading him might. And I find it REALLY hard to believe that Harvey or Thompson couldnt duplicate Finnegan's success. Frankly, I think Harris, Ferrer, or Cronin could.

[imref]

Finnegan isnt elite. He isnt a lockdown closer. He isnt closing any playoff games. Hes good quality 7th/8th inning guy on a wild card team.

I frankly dont care if the Nationals blow 50 saves this year. Keeping Finnegan does nothing to make us a playoff team within the next five years. Trading him might. And I find it REALLY hard to believe that Harvey or Thompson couldnt duplicate Finnegan's success. Frankly, I think Harris, Ferrer, or Cronin could.

solid take.

[Senatorswin]

I can believe Harvey could close although he seems to rely on his fastball a lot and not sure what else he has. He's been getting guys out though and that's all that counts. He's never even had 1 save though. Let's let Thompson get more than 24 innings in a year before we decide or make him out to be Goose Gossage. He's got 2 saves in 7 opportunities.

Finnegan is good but he's not a shutdown closer. He may become that but he's not that today. That's the point. The Nats aren't so much smarter than everybody else that they're going to get some teams prospect that will make a difference in the rebuild. It could be Finnegan will turn out to be the closer we'll need. I would rather give Finnegan a chance than trade him for some A ball guy we'll never hear from again.

[zimm_da_kid]

I can believe Harvey could close although he seems to rely on his fastball a lot and not sure what else he has. He's been getting guys out though and that's all that counts. He's never even had 1 save though. Let's let Thompson get more than 24 innings in a year before we decide or make him out to be Goose Gossage. He's got 2 saves in 7 opportunities.

Finnegan is good but he's not a shutdown closer. He may become that but he's not that today. That's the point. The Nats aren't so much smarter than everybody else that they're going to get some teams prospect that will make a difference in the rebuild. It could be Finnegan will turn out to be the closer we'll need. I would rather give Finnegan a chance than trade him for some A ball guy we'll never hear from again.

Harvey’s split is nasty

[Slateman]

Your'e acting like Finnegan is some sort of established closer. He isnt. He doesnt even have 30 saves in 3 seasons. Rainey had more saves than him last year and out performed him. Of Rainey were healthy, he'd be the closer.

Speaking of out performing, Harvey has significantly outperformed Finnegan. Sub-3 ERA, double digit K/9, significantly lower home run rate. He is flat out better than Finnegan in every measurable way. He is 28. He could be apart of the future. We need to find out of he can close, because if he can, he absolutely has the stuff and mentality. His fastball is very good. No one has gotten a hit off his splitter yet. Last season, both pitches produced sub.600 OPS. Harvey could very well be that playoff closer. In high leverage situations, he gets nastier. K/9 goes up and the WHIP goes down. Its far more likely that he is THAT guy than Finnegan.


Finnegan wont be good in 2026, which is the earliest the Nats will compete. And if they do before that, Rizzo wi trade for a legit closer.

Daniel Hudson got us Mason Thompson. Tanner Roark got this team Tanner Rainey. Josh Fields brought back Yordan Alvarez. You take your shot and try and get better. If the prospect doesnt pan out, fine. Thats better than winning a couple more games in a meaningless season.

[catocony]

I'm happy with the results of the Hunter Harvy/Austin Voth trade.

[Senatorswin]

I'll say this and let it go. Again, I have no problem with Harvey. He's doing well but the most innings he's ever pitched in one year is 39. The Nats got him on waivers from the Giants. Before that he pitched in 3 years with the Orioles pitching 6 innings one year and 8 innings each in two different years. He's had 2 save opportunities and 0 saves. Let him get his feet wet before you throw him into a closer's role. Maybe next year if Finnegan doesn't pan out.

I said Finnegan is not lights out. He has been consistently good though. This is the third year he's closed games now. His opportunities have been limited because the Nats haven't been ahead that much in the 9th the last couple of years. You need a complete back end of the bullpen. If you don't have a 7th and 8th inning guy your closer is not much use. I don't want to take a strength and make it a weakness. He's okay now but with more opportunities he may get better.

Don't throw guys into a role they're not ready for and ruin them.

Side note: Can you imagine the rotation the Tigers would have if they kept Scherzer, Verlander, Fister, Robbie Ray, Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello. All of them were on the 2013 team except Ray and he was on the 2014 team.

[Slateman]

The Tigers traded Fister to get Ray

[aspenbubba]

Isn’t this the second game that Heartattack 2.0 blew after the Nats mounted a large rally to take the lead?

[Slateman]

Meh, pretty obvious he was tired. I think Harvey should be the closer, but I dont pin last night on Finnegan

[welch]

Finnegan is not prime Doolittle, or set to be anybody's closer. I doubt that no team will offer much for Finnegan, so a better question might be whether the Nats should keep Hunter Harvey.

Harvey seems pretty good.

[Senatorswin]

Keep Harvey and Finnegan.

[imref]

Just saw that Finnegan has now played in 214 games for the Nats. That moves him ahead of Gio Gonzales for 9th place overall.

[Mattionals]

Just saw that Finnegan has now played in 214 games for the Nats. That moves him ahead of Gio Gonzales for 9th place overall.

Ehh, relievers vs. starters. I would rather evaluate players by years on the team, and specifically, games played for position players and innings pitched for pitchers.

[welch]

Finnegan is not prime Doolittle, or set to be anybody's closer. I doubt that no team will offer much for Finnegan, so a better question might be whether the Nats should keep Hunter Harvey.

Harvey seems pretty good.

Happened to see my comment from May. Wow, my opinion has changed!