Do we need another starting pitcher?

[heatchucker]

I think the real question is: Do we really need another starter?

I saw somewhere in a blog that our rotation is surprisingly set. If we start the season today I would say the rotation would be:
-Patterson
-Perez
-Bergmann
-Redding
-Hill (on the 13th)

The AAA rotation would be:
-Lannan
-Balester
-Chico
-Clippard
-Mock


The AAA rotation is almost better than the Major League rotation!! well not really but thats a pretty set and solid rotation. Would you rather add a starter who is similar to guys you already have? Why in the world would you want to add Jeff Weaver when you have 5 guys in AAA who could outperform him. Why would you add Horacio Ramirez when you are going to have Matt Chico who started 31 games and had a 4.67 era or John Lannan with what seems like a ton of MLB potention. Lannan started 4 games, including games in Philly and at San Fran with a Home Run Record on the line.

Seems to me that we actually have some serious depth in the SP category. What we have is a lot of #4 starters and adding another #4 starter wont make things better. If you want to add a pitcher go for a top tier guy not another slouch. We all saw how 2006 went with all #3-4 starters (Livan, Astacio, Ramon Ortiz, Armas --yuck) Lets go with what we have for another year and see how these guys develop

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Has Perez even been seen enough to determine he would even be a number 2?  We have potential and mediocre pitching filling up the rotation.  It's going to be a rollercoaster of a ride this year.

I am against Weaver and Ramirez.  But I am not sure I am confident enough to just leave the chips where they lay.

[Dave B]

Why in the world would you want to add Jeff Weaver when you have 5 guys in AAA who could outperform him. Why would you add Horacio Ramirez when you are going to have Matt Chico who started 31 games and had a 4.67 era or John Lannan with what seems like a ton of MLB potention.

Because if you sign them to minor league contracts you havent committed to anything.  You bring them in just in case they are decent. If not, you get rid of them.  It is good to have as many options are possible. We are not going to commit enough money to those guys so that we feel they have to be in the rotation and take a spot away from one of the guys already here

[heatchucker]

You know what weaver will do...I'd rather hinge my season on what chico or lannan can do...

[blue911]

Weaver & Ramirez aren't the answer to anything (except maybe "Who's even worse than Mike Bacsik?").

[Dave B]

You know what weaver will do...I'd rather hinge my season on what chico or lannan can do...

You are not hinging (or hitching) anything to Weaver by signing him. Any hinging (or hitching) to anybody is like 3 steps from now.

Would you guys turn down a free lottery ticket because you dont want to hinge (or hitch) your future to it? No, you take it just for the hell of it.

Granted Weaver isnt free, but I'm assuming any price we pay for him will essentially be free in baseball terms.  I wont be heartbroken if we dont get him, but you might as welll try.

[blue911]

You are not hinging (or hitching) anything to Weaver by signing him. Any hinging (or hitching) to anybody is like 3 steps from now.

Would you guys turn down a free lottery ticket because you dont want to hinge (or hitch) your future to it? No, you take it just for the hell of it.

Granted Weaver isnt free, but I'm assuming any price we pay for him will essentially be free in baseball terms.  I wont be heartbroken if we dont get him, but you might as welll try.

So instead of getting signed players ready for the season,you want to waste ST innings on rejects? If they make the squad,who do you want to cut from the 40-man? I don't see an upside to either of these two.

[kimnat]

We already have AAA talent.  We should use them.  They're far better than anyone else he's bringing in now.

[Dave B]

So instead of getting signed players ready for the season,you want to waste ST innings on rejects? If they make the squad,who do you want to cut from the 40-man? I don't see an upside to either of these two.

I dont know but maybe he is good enough that he makes us find a spot for him.  Granted it is a small cahnce.  If the only downside is wasting ST innings, I'm OK with it. People will find places to throw their innings.  Maybe Weaver spends time in minor league camp for the next two weeks.

[spidernat]

It can't hurt to bring someone in with no guarantees attached. It's minimal risk and with the history of injuries of our pitchers it may be needed sooner rather than later. We don't want to have to see Bacsik again 

[PANatsFan]

According to Nationals.com, even O'Connor looks nice (I think he pitched really well in '06 until his injury). O'Connor may have a shorter track record, but he's a hell of a lot better than Ramirez or Weaver. Our AAA and AA rosters are already crowded, we moved Hanrahan to the 'pen. They should sit tight.