Thom Loverro calls Mark Lerner a liar with contempt for the fans

[PowerBoater69]

Thom Loverro had a strongly worded column yesterday. Some great points about the lack of winter promotions, the lack of spending despite Mark Lerner saying that Rizzo was authorized to increase payroll, and more allegations that the ownership group is divided on how to proceed.

The highlights were flat out calling Mark Lerner a liar for saying that Rizzo has the budget for "whatever he desires" and saying that the ownership group has contempt for the fans.

[IanRubbish]

He's 100% right, but not clear why he's acting indignant and surprised.   Mini Me is a nepo baby who decided to pinch pennies instead of build the fan base after the WS win.  The Lerners aren't just liars, they used Kasten in the past, and now Rizzo, to insult our intelligence with silly PR covers for their cheap ways.  (Is Strasburg still coming to ST as an "advisor"?)

With all the big time tradable talent gone, there's no baseball reason to tank anymore, sacrificing yet another season when there's a draft lottery in place is pure disregard for the product just to hold onto a few more nickels.

[imref]

There has to be a reason rizzo renewed.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I would have liked to have seen what Rizzo could have added if he had even $30 million to spend. As it is, I think he had about $10 million to add to the roster (Gallo, Senzel, Floro, with a Non-Roster Invitee or two having a shot at the roster). That said, I feel the 71 wins last year were an over-performance given their talent. I mean, they fielded Dom Smith, Luis Garcia, Every Day Every Play Vargas, plus usually two of Call, Dickerson, Alu, and Young. There were just a lot of holes that were covered up by managing, some hot streaks, and just a smidge of real talent. Until the minor leaguers we are counting on establish what they will do and we figure out who can contribute and be here when the high prospects are up, there's no reason for the Werth type signing.

[HalfSmokes]

There has to be a reason rizzo renewed.

Money. He hasn’t drafted well for a long time. He has developed talent for a long time. There might not have been other opportunities

[Natsinpwc]

Money. He hasn’t drafted well for a long time. He has developed talent for a long time. There might not have been other opportunities

Money is usually the reason for everything. 

Why would he want to start over somewhere else when he knows what he is into in DC? 

[Slateman]

Washington Times is trash

[PowerBoater69]

He's 100% right, but not clear why he's acting indignant and surprised.   Mini Me is a nepo baby who decided to pinch pennies instead of build the fan base after the WS win.  The Lerners aren't just liars, they used Kasten in the past, and now Rizzo, to insult our intelligence with silly PR covers for their cheap ways.  (Is Strasburg still coming to ST as an "advisor"?)

With all the big time tradable talent gone, there's no baseball reason to tank anymore, sacrificing yet another season when there's a draft lottery in place is pure disregard for the product just to hold onto a few more nickels.

Loverro writes his opinions for a living in an era where there are thousands of people presenting their opinions on every possible subject for free. He typically goes for the low hanging fruit but it's not a profession I'd recommend for my kids.

Great point that there is no baseball reason for this team to be tanking, they are just keeping payroll low. The ticket group I'm in is having more trouble finding member than any prior year. What is the long term plan? A bad team leads to low attendance justifying a low payroll, the path spirals downwards.

[PowerBoater69]

I would have liked to have seen what Rizzo could have added if he had even $30 million to spend. As it is, I think he had about $10 million to add to the roster (Gallo, Senzel, Floro, with a Non-Roster Invitee or two having a shot at the roster). That said, I feel the 71 wins last year were an over-performance given their talent. I mean, they fielded Dom Smith, Luis Garcia, Every Day Every Play Vargas, plus usually two of Call, Dickerson, Alu, and Young. There were just a lot of holes that were covered up by managing, some hot streaks, and just a smidge of real talent. Until the minor leaguers we are counting on establish what they will do and we figure out who can contribute and be here when the high prospects are up, there's no reason for the Werth type signing.

Werth was signed following a 93 loss season, we are now coming off a 91 loss season, we are being sold that The Plan worked once and it will work again, which means that it is time to start adding talent again.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Werth was signed following a 93 loss season, we are now coming off a 91 loss season, we are being sold that The Plan worked once and it will work again, which means that it is time to start adding talent again.

There were 3 or so spots for a "Werth" signing this year: 1st, 2nd, and an Ace. No need for a SS, catcher is sort of covered, there's 2-3 3rd base prospects you don't want to block (House, Morales, Lipscomb), and you have at least 2 OF slots you'll want to leave open for Crews and Wood (there's Pinckney and Hassell if Wood busts). RF is covered by at least an average pro in Thomas. There really wasn't a 2d baseman out there you'd want to sign for 5+ years and high dollars. There were pitchers, but pitcher is the worst position to give out high dollar long term contracts. 1st base? How good do you feel about a commitment to Bellinger? There's nothing else this year. They made a play for Candy, but how much bigger should they have gone. This just  wasn't the year for a Werth signing.

[Senatorswin]

Two Things:

The divide in ownership sounds a lot like what the Orioles had before the sale agreement. Both the Angelos kids and Lerner kids have had issues since Mr. Lerner died and Mr. Angelos is unable to make decisions.

The drafting was atrocious in the teens but the last 5 have promise:

2019 - Jackson Rutledge
2020 - Cade Cavalli
2021 - Brady House
2022 - Elijah Green - Probably a bust
2023 - Dylan Crews

[IanRubbish]

The highlights were flat out calling Mark Lerner a liar for saying that Rizzo has the budget for "whatever he desires" and saying that the ownership group has contempt for the fans.

Rizzo just said he couldn't find another starter for the right salary, proving Loverro right about Lerner being a complete liar. 

[PowerBoater69]

There were 3 or so spots for a "Werth" signing this year: 1st, 2nd, and an Ace. No need for a SS, catcher is sort of covered, there's 2-3 3rd base prospects you don't want to block (House, Morales, Lipscomb), and you have at least 2 OF slots you'll want to leave open for Crews and Wood (there's Pinckney and Hassell if Wood busts). RF is covered by at least an average pro in Thomas. There really wasn't a 2d baseman out there you'd want to sign for 5+ years and high dollars. There were pitchers, but pitcher is the worst position to give out high dollar long term contracts. 1st base? How good do you feel about a commitment to Bellinger? There's nothing else this year. They made a play for Candy, but how much bigger should they have gone. This just wasn't the year for a Werth signing.

Great point about not signing a long term contract right now. I agree with that. But they could have spread Werth money out on a few players, certainly we should have improved our pitching.

Going into the season projected for 66 wins means that either the Lerner family has just decided to bank revenue sharing money and not invest in the team or that Rizzo truely believes that the best way to rebuild is to tank for another top draft pick. Maybe both. What a miserable way to run a team.

[PowerBoater69]

Two Things:

The divide in ownership sounds a lot like what the Orioles had before the sale agreement. Both the Angelos kids and Lerner kids have had issues since Mr. Lerner died and Mr. Angelos is unable to make decisions.

The drafting was atrocious in the teens but the last 5 have promise:

2019 - Jackson Rutledge
2020 - Cade Cavalli
2021 - Brady House
2022 - Elijah Green - Probably a bust
2023 - Dylan Crews

I see the ownership divide being a heck of a lot worse with the Lerners than the Angelos family. The Angelos sons clearly don't like each other very much, but John Angelos had firm control of the team. The Lerner family had a group dynamic where they all have to agree on big decisions, which worked fine when Ted was alive to make the actual decisions, it's a mess when the Cohen and Tanenbaum branches vote to cut funding with no care for how it tarnishes the Lerner name.

As far as the draft picks go, Rizzo has been hit and miss in the first round, but really really bad at finding players later in the draft.

[PowerBoater69]

Rizzo just said he couldn't find another starter for the right salary, proving Loverro right about Lerner being a complete liar. 

Is it a lie if he meant it when he said it?

[imref]

“It’s not a lie if you believe it”, G. Constanza

[JCA-CrystalCity]

As far as the draft picks go, Rizzo has been hit and miss in the first round, but really really bad at finding players later in the draft.

Even that's starting to turn around a bit. Irvin, Young, and Alu are lower round draft products. Henry looked very good until the TOS.

The bullpen is all undrafted at this point, but, OTOH, can't really kick too much about signing Finnegan and Harvey and dealing for Rainey. Robert Garcia looked very good too. Maybe Brzykcy and Schoff can be good pieces and make you forget they were undrafted.

[HondoKillebrew]

Even that's starting to turn around a bit. Irvin, Young, and Alu are lower round draft products. Henry looked very good until the TOS.

The bullpen is all undrafted at this point, but, OTOH, can't really kick too much about signing Finnegan and Harvey and dealing for Rainey. Robert Garcia looked very good too. Maybe Brzykcy and Schoff can be good pieces and make you forget they were undrafted.

Perhaps a bit, but I’m with PB69 on this. When the team is no longer quite bad enough to get top, high percentage picks and doesn’t have stars to trade, can it build a system that replenishes itself?  So far they’ve not been able to do that. That’s not going to cut it in the NL East.

[imref]

in an ideal scenario we get the #1 pick this year and draft Ethan Holiday in 2025. And we sign Juan Soto in the off season and begin run #2.

[HalfSmokes]

in an ideal scenario we get the #1 pick this year and draft Ethan Holiday in 2025. And we sign Juan Soto in the off season and begin run #2.

In an ideal scenario, they never bottom out after winning

[HondoKillebrew]

In an ideal scenario, they never bottom out after winning

That requires a farm system consistently stocked mainly with Nats-drafted prospects who develop into quality major leaguers. 

[imref]

That requires a farm system consistently stocked mainly with Nats-drafted prospects who develop into quality major leaguers. 

Pretty difficult to be in a "win now" position without trading prospects for immediate needs. Rizzo dealt a lot of prospects during our run.

[HalfSmokes]

Pretty difficult to be in a "win now" position without trading prospects for immediate needs. Rizzo dealt a lot of prospects during our run.

Rizzo whiffed on a lot of drafts too

[Natsinpwc]

Rizzo whiffed on a lot of drafts too

Not just drafts.  Have whiffed on most of the Latin players other than Soto.