Tex and the Nats...

[Air Zimmerman]

Am I the only one here who thinks a 3-4-5 of Dukes, Tex, and Zimmerman would be best (if we do get Tex)? Tex would obviously be the best hitter, and Dukes is a fantastic OBP guy w/ some pop, so it seems perfect to me.

some pop? that's an understatement. i don't consider a beast who is destined for a 40 homer season to have "some" pop. Dukes has gargantuan power!

 

a 3-4-5 of Zimmerman, Tex, and Dukes would be a POWERHOUSE.

[MrMadison]

I've always said Dukes has all of the components to be a lethal lead-off hitter. we could put Hammer at #5.

look dude, Dukes can't play every position and bat in every spot. as much as you'd like to think he's God, he's not.

Dukes will benefit the Nationals better in the middle of the order than at the top at this point.

we need his power. 

batting Dukes first would be just like batting Soriano first "because he likes to steal bases".  a waste of perfectly good run-producing power on a team that desperately needs it.

Soriano should have batted in the middle of our order, and so should Dukes.

3,4, or 5 for Dukes. nowhere else.

[PANatsFan]

look dude, Dukes can't play every position and bat in every spot. as much as you'd like to think he's God, he's not.

Dukes will benefit the Nationals better in the middle of the order than at the top at this point.

we need his power. 

batting Dukes first would be just like batting Soriano first "because he likes to steal bases".  a waste of perfectly good run-producing power on a team that desperately needs it.

Soriano should have batted in the middle of our order, and so should Dukes.

3,4, or 5 for Dukes. nowhere else.

That's if he's on the big league roster.

[sportsfan882]

That's if he's on the big league roster.

He will be unless he's injured.

[UMDNats]

i actually think dukes would be a great leadoff hitter - IF we get Tex. He hits for power, draws walks, and has speed. You could probably move Guzman down to like #7.

Dukes
Milledge
Tex
Zimmerman
Willingham
Flores
Guzman
Anderson

[Air Zimmerman]

That's if he's on the big league roster.

for the third time, GTFOH. that's PREPOSTEROUS!

[MrMadison]

i actually think dukes would be a great leadoff hitter - IF we get Tex. He hits for power, draws walks, and has speed. You could probably move Guzman down to like #7.

Dukes
Milledge
Tex
Zimmerman
Willingham
Flores
Guzman
Anderson

sure he COULD be a great leadoff hitter.  but do you really think that is the BEST use of his talents with the personnel we have?

[PANatsFan]

for the third time, GTFOH. that's PREPOSTEROUS!

Oh man, it's just too easy. I thought I had you before when I suggested trading Belliard and Dukes for a reliever. I'm just pulling your leg

[MrMadison]

for the third time, GTFOH. that's PREPOSTEROUS!

translation:



Please god don't let it be true, please god don't let him be right.

(disclaimer: I'm just messin with you AZ.)

[MrMadison]

please, someone photoshop a picture of Dukes into the picture frame.

[ronnynat]

i actually think dukes would be a great leadoff hitter - IF we get Tex. He hits for power, draws walks, and has speed. You could probably move Guzman down to like #7.

Dukes
Milledge
Tex
Zimmerman
Willingham
Flores
Guzman
Anderson

If that ends up being the starting lineup, Milledge would HAVE to be the leadoff hitter. It'd be such a waste to have Dukes up there.

With that lineup, I'd go w/ this:

Milledge
Guzman
Dukes
Tex
Zimmerman
Willingham
Flores
Anderson ()

[UMDNats]

sure he COULD be a great leadoff hitter.  but do you really think that is the BEST use of his talents with the personnel we have?

For me, it would depend on how Willingham does. If he's driving in runs, then you can put Dukes at the top of the order.

[MrMadison]

I think it speaks to the state of our 2nd Base situation, that nobody can seem to remember the difference between Anderson Hernandez' first name and last name. lmao.

[BerkeleyNat]

some pop? that's an understatement. i don't consider a beast who is destined for a 40 homer season to have "some" pop. Dukes has gargantuan power!

 

a 3-4-5 of Zimmerman, Tex, and Dukes would be a POWERHOUSE.

Your love of another man goes too far sometimes.

[cmdterps44]

Not the best but there ya go

[ronnynat]

Not the best but there ya go

Nice work.

[MrMadison]

Not the best but there ya go

awesomeness. I'm re-uploading it. check out the file name.

[BerkeleyNat]

Not the best but there ya go

That's nice, except we all know what AZ would really be doing. Hint...it's involves the hands, but it's not praying. 

[shoeshineboy]

Am I the only one here who thinks a 3-4-5 of Dukes, Tex, and Zimmerman would be best (if we do get Tex)? Tex would obviously be the best hitter, and Dukes is a fantastic OBP guy w/ some pop, so it seems perfect to me.

I do like those guys going in order, but I would prefer 2,3,4 instead of 3, 4, 5.

The ideal #2 guy is a guy who is high OBP who can drive the ball. Nick Johnson would be ideal #2 if healthy, but I am assuming he is out of this scenario entirely. Dukes is a high OBP with the ability to drive the ball. With his speed he is great at number 2. The number 3 spot should be reserved for the best hitter on the team, period. It should be a guy who is high OBP and average with pop. Dukes is still not experienced enough to be the true contact guy you need at number 3. He may get there eventually. The number 4 guy needs to be more of a power threat with ability to rake.

If you got a batter like Tex who is high OBP and a great hitter from both sides, you want him to see as many at bats as possible. The top 3 in the order are simply going to see more at bats. (The most runs are generated in the 1st inning). Moving Tex beyond 3rd wouldn't maximize that IMO. Zimmerman has developed into a good power bat, but is not the OBP machine that I would prefer to see at the 3 spot. In time he could prove to be warranted at the 3 spot. But he has shown success at number 5. Willingham is also an OBP guy who can mash. He would be a cool cleanup threat, especially with RZ batting behind him. He would either rake or provide a base runner for RZ to knock in. And RZ is also good basestealer, so that's another plus in the number 5 spot.

Edited: One nice thing about Zimmerman is I could see him batting in any position 2 through 5 and being productive. It is just that he is better suited for 4 or 5.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

That's if he's on the big league roster.

I really don't think he should be to start the season.

Start him at AAA where he can get regular playing time, but keep him out of our big league line-up because he really struggles early in the season.

I really think Kearns will be back in form and should get his outfield spot.  He deserves his one last chance to prove what he can do.

[MrMadison]

I really don't think he should be to start the season.

Start him at AAA where he can get regular playing time, but keep him out of our big league line-up because he really struggles early in the season.

I really think Kearns will be back in form and should get his outfield spot.  He deserves his one last chance to prove what he can do.

*blink*

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I'm dead, 100% serious.

Why else would I say that?

I'd just be winding up AZ for no reason.

Would I really do such a thing?

[PANatsFan]

I really don't think he should be to start the season.

Start him at AAA where he can get regular playing time, but keep him out of our big league line-up because he really struggles early in the season.

I really think Kearns will be back in form and should get his outfield spot.  He deserves his one last chance to prove what he can do.

Not sure if you are in on the joke or not. The thing is, if Kearns has a badass ST, and we can't trade him April 1, then Dukes very well may be in Syracuse. It's a numbers game. This is not to steam AZ, this is serious. We have a boatload of outfielders, and we hold on to all of them if Dukes goes to AAA.

[spidernat]

Like someone said earlier, this is the Nationals' version of Christmas, only you don't know if you're actually going to get a present or not.

For most it's actually becoming, I don't care if I get the gift as long as they made a token effort to buy it. Or, as long as I made a play for the chick it counts the same as banging her even though she went home with that other dude.   

[ronnynat]

I do like those guys going in order, but I would prefer 2,3,4 instead of 3, 4, 5.

The ideal #2 guy is a guy who is high OBP who can drive the ball. Nick Johnson would be ideal #2 if healthy, but I am assuming he is out of this scenario entirely. Dukes is a high OBP with the ability to drive the ball. With his speed he is great at number 2. The number 3 spot should be reserved for the best hitter on the team, period. It should be a guy who is high OBP and average with pop. Dukes is still not experienced enough to be the true contact guy you need at number 3. He may get there eventually. The number 4 guy needs to be more of a power threat with ability to rake.

If you got a batter like Tex who is high OBP and a great hitter from both sides, you want him to see as many at bats as possible. The top 3 in the order are simply going to see more at bats. (The most runs are generated in the 1st inning). Moving Tex beyond 3rd wouldn't maximize that IMO. Zimmerman has developed into a good power bat, but is not the OBP machine that I would prefer to see at the 3 spot. In time he could prove to be warranted at the 3 spot. But he has shown success at number 5. Willingham is also an OBP guy who can mash. He would be a cool cleanup threat, especially with RZ batting behind him. He would either rake or provide a base runner for RZ to knock in. And RZ is also good basestealer, so that's another plus in the number 5 spot.

Edited: One nice thing about Zimmerman is I could see him batting in any position 2 through 5 and being productive. It is just that he is better suited for 4 or 5.

I can see how all of this could work, but I'd rather have Guzman hit second instead of down in the order. His job, which he is great at, would be to get contact and either A) get on base, and/or B) move the leadoff hitter over so the big bats can drive some guys in. Batting Guzman seventh or eighth would leave us w/ a pretty unproductive bottom of the order, IMO.