Plan "B"

[Air Zimmerman]

freak Adam Dunn, freak Orlando Hudson...stop the speculation and let's go into '09 with Nick Johnson as our starting 1b and Anderson Hernandez as our starting 2b!

Nick Johnson is a premier 1b and he'll prove it in an injury-free season and Anderson Hernandez is a solid solution at 2b.

there, it's settled.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

and put bernadina in at 1B!

but in all seriousness, i don't mind casto as a 3b/of backup, but not a starting first baseman.

Ew.  I don't want Casto anywhere near this team.

[sportsfan882]

I'd rather have a .300 hitter that hits 20 HRs than a .240 hitter that hits 35-40 HRs.

[MrMadison]

I'd rather have a .300 hitter that hits 20 HRs than a .240 hitter that hits 35-40 HRs.

but you'd settle for a .190 hitter that hits 2 HRs over that .240 hitter that hits 35-40 HRs too.

cause that is what you are advocating.

it's a shame that you are not in favor of improving the team's offense.

we shouldn't hear any nagging from you about the offense for the entire season.

[sportsfan882]

You want him for lots of reasons, including credibility with fans and future potential free agents, as well as well-established baseball value.

Credibility with fans?

They'd lose credibility with me if they signed Dunn to anything more than 2-year deal.

[BerkeleyNat]

freak Adam Dunn, freak Orlando Hudson...stop the speculation and let's go into '09 with Nick Johnson as our starting 1b and Anderson Hernandez as our starting 2b!

Nick Johnson is a premier 1b and he'll prove it in an injury-free season

[MrMadison]

sportsfan:

who is better right now, that we can acquire?

who is better right now, *on our roster* that we can rely on to play more than 30 games?

you really suggesting we go with the same first base failures we had last season, all because of Dunn's batting average?

this is the part where you say "whatever dude" because the answers to those questions are not suitable to you.

[sportsfan882]

but you'd settle for a .190 hitter that hits 2 HRs over that .240 hitter that hits 35-40 HRs too.

cause that is what you are advocating.

it's a shame that you are not in favor of improving the team's offense.

we shouldn't hear any nagging from you about the offense for the entire season.

I badly want our offense to be improved but I see no real suitable options on the market at this time. We should save our money for next year for the likes of Matt Holliday, Tim Hudson, Cliff Lee, Jason Bay, Carl Crawford, etc.

Dunn and Hudson are simply overrated this off-season because there's nothing else available. Outside of Teixeira this has been a weak off-season for free agent hitters.

[MrMadison]

I badly want our offense to be improved but I see no real suitable options on the market at this time. We should save our money for next year for the likes of Matt Holliday, Tim Hudson, Cliff Lee, Jason Bay, Carl Crawford, etc.

Dunn and Hudson are simply overrated this off-season because there's nothing else available. Outside of Teixeira this has been a weak off-season for free agent hitters.

fine then. I should expect to see no nagging about anything regarding the Nationals 2009 offense from you then for the entire season, right?

because since you seem to think the offense can't be improved this offseason, then you are fine with continuing the status quo until next offseason. correct?

so, no nagging when Casto takes over for NJ when he takes his yearly vacation.  you should support him 100% unconditionally.

[sportsfan882]

sportsfan:

who is better right now, that we can acquire?

who is better right now, *on our roster* that we can rely on to play more than 30 games?

you really suggesting we go with the same first base failures we had last season, all because of Dunn's batting average?

this is the part where you say "whatever dude" because the answers to those questions are not suitable to you.

Just because Dunn is "better" than Casto/Belliard/etc. doesn't mean we should sign him. A bum off the street would be an upgrade over what we played at 1B last year.

Sign Eric Hinske as insurance for Nick Johnson.

[natsfan4evr]

Does anyone have any idea who we will take at #10?
I think everyone knows we are taking Strasburg at #1.

[hammondsnats]

I'd rather have a .300 hitter that hits 20 HRs than a .240 hitter that hits 35-40 HRs.

Who are you talking about? 

Nick Johnson?  The same Nick Johnson who has only played 38 games over the course THE LAST TWO SEASONS?  The same Nick Johnson who has hit 20+ homers only once in his career?  The next highest total was, eh, 15. 

I like NJ as much as the next guy on here.  He's been here from the start and he's The Professional Hitter.  Love his OBP, his glove, his attitude ... but he's really put us in a hole the last two years. 

It's time to move on from Unbreakable



I love NJ

[sportsfan882]

fine then. I should expect to see no nagging about anything regarding the Nationals 2009 offense from you then for the entire season, right?

because since you seem to think the offense can't be improved this offseason, then you are fine with continuing the status quo until next offseason. correct?

so, no nagging when Casto takes over for NJ when he takes his yearly vacation.  you should support him 100% unconditionally.

No, I'm pissed too just like everyone else but you can't just make players up out of thin air. I still think we should sign a reliever or too and I guess I wouldn't be opposed to signing Wolf. I want us to sign players, the RIGHT players.

We'll be in a bigger mess than before if we ink Dunn to a 3-4 year deal and he comes here and sucks balls.

[sportsfan882]

Who are you talking about? 

Nick Johnson?  The same Nick Johnson who has only played 38 games over the course THE LAST TWO SEASONS?  The same Nick Johnson who has hit 20+ homers only once in his career?  The next highest total was, eh, 15. 

I like NJ as much as the next guy on here.  He's been here from the start and he's The Professional Hitter.  Love his OBP, his glove, his attitude ... but he's really put us in a hole the last two years. 

It's time to move on from Unbreakable



I love NJ

I wasn't even referring to NJ in that case. Just stating that a player like Dunn is overrated. People see the HRs and walks and are oblivious to everything else.

[MrMadison]

Just because Dunn is "better" than Casto/Belliard/etc. doesn't mean we should sign him. A bum off the street would be an upgrade over what we played at 1B last year.

Sign Eric Hinske as insurance for Nick Johnson.

you think Hinske is better than Dunn?  what's with the obsession with Hinske anyway? he's Dunn, only older and with less power and a lower OBP.

so why is he a great signing for this team, but Dunn is a "piece of crap" or whatever you like to call him?

just as much as I don't get the overbearing Dunn worshippers, I don't understand your near-fanatical hatred of the guy.

btw, Hinske hit .247 last season. if you are so deadset against hitters with low batting averages, then forget about him.

[MrMadison]

We'll be in a bigger mess than before if we ink Dunn to a 3-4 year deal and he comes here and sucks balls.

ANYONE we sign can possibly "come here and suck balls".

so then do we just not sign anyone because we are worried that they'll not be good?

or do we sign someone with the track record of an outstanding power hitter....because don't we need an outstanding power hitter?

we don't need Dunn to hit .330. we need him to hit 40+ HRs and a bunch of doubles, and post a high OBP. which is exactly what he does, EVERY SEASON.

no, he's not the greatest player on the planet like some seem to believe.

but he isn't a totally worthless bum like you say either.

[sportsfan882]

you think Hinske is better than Dunn?  what's with the obsession with Hinske anyway? he's Dunn, only older and with less power and a lower OBP.

so why is he a great signing for this team, but Dunn is a "piece of crap" or whatever you like to call him?

just as much as I don't get the overbearing Dunn worshippers, I don't understand your near-fanatical hatred of the guy.

Hinske would be a low-risk, cheap 1-year signing. Giving Dunn a 3-4 year deal would be disastrous. Just look at the other big deals we have given out (Guz - 4 years, Kearns - 4 years).

freak it, I could almost tolerate a 2 year deal but 3 or 4 years would be a big blunder. Just sign Dunn already so we can get this crap over with.

[hammondsnats]

I wasn't even referring to NJ in that case. Just stating that a player like Dunn is overrated. People see the HRs and walks and are oblivious to everything else.

We have no one else that fills that role.  Bill Rinehart?  He tailed off last season.  Dmitri Young?  Needs to get in shape first.  Chris Marrero?  Probably two years away. 

[PANatsFan]

I'd rather have a .300 hitter that hits 20 HRs than a .240 hitter that hits 35-40 HRs.

Sign Eric Hinske as insurance for Nick Johnson.

Are you trying to sound dumb? What if that .300 hitter never takes a walk ever. What if the .240 hitter is Ryan Howard and never ever takes a walk. Because there's no running or bat contact, you ignore a huge part of the equation. That's actually, without exaggeration stupid.

Hinske is washed up and useless. I'd rather play Belliard at first.

[sportsfan882]

We have no one else that fills that role.  Bill Rinehart?  He tailed off last season.  Dmitri Young?  Needs to get in shape first.  Chris Marrero?  Probably two years away. 

Well clearly we have no one that fills that role. That wasn't the point I was trying to make. I was just saying that in general I'd rather have a high BA hitter with decent power than a big HR hitter that is a terrible overall hitter.

[MrMadison]

I wasn't even referring to NJ in that case. Just stating that a player like Dunn is overrated. People see the HRs and walks and are oblivious to everything else.

no, people aren't "oblivious to everything else".

in your fanatical hatred of Adam Dunn(wtf did he ever do to you anyway?)you are apparently oblivious to what this team actually needs, offensively. it needs POWER. plain and simple.

it needs a left-hander who will hit 35-40 home runs and 25-35 doubles over the course of the season.

you think just because they aren't perfect in every phase of the game that they aren't good enough for this team. and that's a faulty premise to argue from.

EVERYONE is overrated to you. except Jesus Flores, Zimmerman, and Bernadina.  so perhaps we should just not sign or otherwise acquire anyone and go with the same lineup we had last season that was one of the worst offenses in baseball. again.

[fan]

Abreu >>>>>>>>>>>>> Dunn

[PANatsFan]

Abreu >>>>>>>>>>>>> Dunn

Abreu and Dunn are quite similar. Patient hitters. Dunn has more power. Abreu has maybe a better eye. I think Abreu would be a better 1B. But you exaggerate, sir.

[hammondsnats]

What I keep preaching is, this deal isn't going to kill us five years down the road.  He'll get four years tops and who knows if we even give him that. 

Signing Kearns to a three year deal can be labeled as a mistake, because we based it on his potential and awarded him after his service of half of one season where he was pretty good.  Signing Dunn to a three year deal is wise, because well he has shown in the last five years he can hit 40 HR per and carry a good OBP.  We are in desperate need of both. 

He'll help hold the fort down until Marrero is ready. 

[MrMadison]

Abreu >>>>>>>>>>>>> Dunn

I'm fine with either, really.

I haven't heard sportsfan weigh in on Abreu.  all I've seen is his manlove for Eric Hinske and his rabid hate for Dunn.

whaddya think, sportsfan? Bobby Abreu?