Is this Rock Bottom?

[aspenbubba]

Pretty sure both Garcias were on the OD roster and will be next season as well.

I was referring to Robert not JR. I could be wrong about Garcia on the OD but I don't see him on the OD next year.

[IanRubbish]

Did you pay attention to anything that happened in 2020 and 2021 with this team?   If you did, that's a ridiculously awful take on the situation.

Did you?

This team was 40-38 on June 30, 2021, one game out of first.  The salary dump that year was completely unjustified and brought back nothing of value except Lane Thomas who's gone now anyway.  This low expectations thing has to stop.  It just enables the Lerners and their mouthpiece Rizzo to keep pinching their pennies and fielding cheap, mediocre baseball teams.  Made worse by playing the contract when they do pay players like Corbin and Keibert who are not performing at MLB levels.  The Lerners have tanked half the seasons they've owned the team, don't fuel the dumpster fire by falling for the PR they pass through Rizzo.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

What I see is the Nats after the trade deadline are OK with fielding a AAAA team until August 20. They have Blankenhorn Call Salazar Ferrer Garcia Lipscomb Nunez Rainey and Adon  on the 26 man. None were on the OD team and except for Yepez none will be on the 26 man OD in 2025. We are watching the Washington Red Wings.
I also would not count on Cavalli for next year.

I think they will put up a fair share of runs with the 9-1-2-3-4-5 they ran out last night (Young-Abrams-Yepez-Wood-HRamirez-Garcia). Ramirez may be old, but it looks like he's recovered quite a bit from what led him to being cut by the Rays. He was an absolute stud for them in 2022 & 2023, and he's been hitting OK here (not Winker level, but not Meneses/ Gallo either).

As for Robert Garcia, he's a middle guy being pressed into higher leverage due Floro and Harvey moving on. Bullpen is now a weakness due to everyone being bumped up into more important situations and innings. Law now is the guy to get to Finnegan, and Garcia and JBarnes are being asked to take on Floro's and Law's role. Ferrer is being used like Garcia was, and maybe Rainey is taking on JBarnes role, too.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Oh, for fun, among players with 300 PAs, the Nats have had 3 of the bottom 6 by fWAR: Rosario, worst at -1.8, Meneses, 3rd worst at -0.9, and Ruiz, 6th worst, at -0.7.

Technically, I think it is unfair to call them AAAA players. AAAA players are supposed to be available for MLB minimum, capable of being plugged in as a replacement immediately, and perform at 0 WAR. Keibert is below replacement and < AAAA.

Somehow, we only have the 3rd worst catching in MLB. Worst 2 are the Chicago teams.

[nobleisthyname]

Robert Garcia would be the next Blake Treinen if we give up on him.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Robert Garcia would be the next Blake Treinen if we give up on him.

Why Slate calls him a stat-head darling, and why stat-heads often are onto something.

[Natsinpwc]

The salary dump of 2021 also led to the Soto trade which did bring something. And maybe will show more. It also led to the Crews pick.  If the team had tried to remain competitive then we don’t have guys like Gore and Abrams. And Crews.

[IanRubbish]

The salary dump of 2021 also led to the Soto trade which did bring something. And maybe will show more. It also led to the Crews pick.  If the team had tried to remain competitive then we don’t have guys like Gore and Abrams. And Crews.

The Soto trade does not make up for all the tank years plus the appallingly bad drafts.  Without a free agent bat this team loses at least 85-90+ next year again.  Bad coaching, refusal to hold GM, manager, and coaches accountable, playing the contract, all part of a dysfunctional culture that adds to losses.

[IanRubbish]

Somehow, we only have the 3rd worst catching in MLB. Worst 2 are the Chicago teams.

Millas deserves a real chance.  He hasn't shown much at MLB, but he's also had limited playing time.  Keibert's a dud and could be holding the team back until 2030 if they keep playing him because of his contract.  He's got super low barrel and hard hit rates, and his defense is impossible to watch with all the bounced throws to second.  Riley Adams is a slightly better bat but also a defensive liability.  I expect we'll be in the same spot at catcher a year from now.

[Slateman]

Pretty sure both Garcias were on the OD roster and will be next season as well.

To be fair, the OD roster was pretty much a AAAA roster