Plan "B"

[hammondsnats]

cross ben sheets off the list ... he's scheduled to have elbow surgery.  He hopes for a July or August return. 

word is he signed a deal with the rangers, but the physical showed he needed surgery, so the deal was off.  Dude can never stay healthy.

[Air Zimmerman]

I think this is the year the ticking time bomb detonates.

I <3 THE DUKES DOUBTERS. the only thing that's going to detonate, are the baseballs that Dukes annihilates. Dukes is going to definitively silence all of the doubters and convert them to believers when the beast BREAKS OUT this yr. 30/30 season, book it. 40/40 if he bats lead-off.

[hammondsnats]

I <3 THE DUKES DOUBTERS. the only thing that's going to detonate, are the baseballs that Dukes annihilates. Dukes is going to definitively silence all of the doubters and convert them to believers when the beast BREAKS OUT this yr. 30/30 season, book it. 40/40 if he bats lead-off.

this is a big year for dukes.  hopefully he comes ready to play.

[DCFan]

What evidence do you have? That he behaved himself last year?

Not sure that I'm following you here?  I don't have any evidence that he's going postal this year which is why I qualified it by saying "I think".  It's my impression that sitting on him and making him act the part of a normal human being is a fulltime gig for someone.

[PANatsFan]

Not sure that I'm following you here?  I don't have any evidence that he's going postal this year which is why I qualified it by saying "I think".  It's my impression that sitting on him and making him act the part of a normal human being is a fulltime gig for someone.

It was sarcasm - should have followed it by 800 smileys. I think he likes money and likes playing baseball and has decided to grow up. Call me crazy.

[DCFan]

should have followed it by 800 smileys.

Smileys are good. 

[natsfan4evr]

95% chance we get Dunn now

[Nat of the Living Dead]

95% chance we get Dunn now

Careful, you might start sounding like that one "insider" on the Orioles Dugout.

[hammondsnats]

95% chance we get Dunn now

not so fast.  while we may seem like the most logical fit and it seems like the pieces are falling into place, it's not over yet.  the dodgers could still always get him or another team could come swoop in. 

[ronnynat]

The only other teams that could possibly find a spot for him are the Mariners, Rangers, and Blue Jays. But I don't see him going to any of those teams.

[hammondsnats]

The only other teams that could possibly find a spot for him are the Mariners, Rangers, and Blue Jays. But I don't see him going to any of those teams.

i follow mlb very closely, but it seems like the rangers and mariners haven't made any moves this offseason have they haha. 

[PANatsFan]

The only other teams that could possibly find a spot for him are the Mariners, Rangers, and Blue Jays. But I don't see him going to any of those teams.

He violently hates the Blue Jays, the Mariners are the only team in worse shape than we are - so it's the Rangers or the Nats  - and his BFF plays for the Nats. I've got my fingers crossed.

[hammondsnats]

He violently hates the Blue Jays, the Mariners are the only team in worse shape than we are - so it's the Rangers or the Nats  - and his BFF plays for the Nats. I've got my fingers crossed.

True knocking.  Remember BJ's GM JP was the one who called out Dunn.  And as MrMadison pointed out, Riccardi retracted his statement.  Dunn won't go there.

[HalfSmokes]

He violently hates the Blue Jays, the Mariners are the only team in worse shape than we are - so it's the Rangers or the Nats  - and his BFF plays for the Nats. I've got my fingers crossed.

If its a one year deal- Rangers are teh better bet just for that lineup and ballpark

[ronnynat]

I would say that the Angels could also go after him, but I'm almost 100% sure they're either going to get Abreu or they're satisfied with what they have.

[tomterp]

If its a one year deal- Rangers are teh better bet just for that lineup and ballpark

There's a jet stream that blows out to right field in Texas, as if Dunn needs any push to hit it out there.

[PANatsFan]

There's a jet stream that blows out to right field in Texas, as if Dunn needs any push to hit it out there.

First they take patterson and now Dunn We'll see - he likes playing the field.

[natsfan4evr]

Careful, you might start sounding like that one "insider" on the Orioles Dugout.

not so fast.  while we may seem like the most logical fit and it seems like the pieces are falling into place, it's not over yet.  the dodgers could still always get him or another team could come swoop in. 

Notice I said 95%
I would say 100, but as you said anything can happen.

[R-Zim#11]

cross ben sheets off the list ... he's scheduled to have elbow surgery.  He hopes for a July or August return. 

word is he signed a deal with the rangers, but the physical showed he needed surgery, so the deal was off.  Dude can never stay healthy.

You mean we made the right call about not listening to the rants of Loverro and Boswell? You can't be SERIOUS!

[cmdterps44]

I like Ben Sheets and I think it was known he had a lingering injury so I think people were staying away for that cause. Good call to get it now because I have a feeling hes going to be nasty if 100% after the surgery

[hammondsnats]

You mean we made the right call about not listening to the rants of Loverro and Boswell? You can't be SERIOUS!

A lot of us on here weren't opposed to signing Sheets, if healthy, but he's clearly not.  So after a physical, the right call was made by the Rangers. 

And honestly, I'd rather have local columnists talking about our club than nothing at all.  What do you expect we lost 102 games last season, we're not going to have a lot of "fluff, everything is great in Nats Town" columns.  And Boz in the past from time-to-time has written positive pieces on us (believe it or not).  I'm just happy some writers still acknowledge we have a team in the area and at least it's drawing attention, whether you agree with it or not. 

The season is approaching, so I expect many posters opinions in upcoming weeks will shift to optimistic.  I think Boz and Thom are just upset by other than getting Olsen/D-Cab/Willlingham and getting rid of some cancer, they think the club hasn't gotten much better in terms of adding talent (other than the aforementioned pieces). 

I still would like to add a slugger, but at this point as sportsfan and I agreed on yesterday, can't wait for the games to start.  All this talk will soon be over and then it's up to 9 dudes wearing gear decked out with curly w's on the field.  Hopefully somehow they can pull a magic trick out of their asses and give us a better product. 

[R-Zim#11]

A lot of us on here weren't opposed to signing Sheets, if healthy, but he's clearly not.  So after a physical, the right call was made by the Rangers.

AND it would have cost the Nats a pick... 

And honestly, I'd rather have local columnists talking about our club than nothing at all.  What do you expect we lost 102 games last season, we're not going to have a lot of "fluff, everything is great in Nats Town" columns.  And Boz in the past from time-to-time has written positive pieces on us (believe it or not).  I'm just happy some writers still acknowledge we have a team in the area and at least it's drawing attention, whether you agree with it or not.

My issue with these articles is they don't take into account all the facts. Dukes was limited to half a season last year -- if he had played a whole year no one would be talking about Adam Dunn -- they'd be talking about Dukes maturation. Milledge and Zimmerman both missed a good amount of time each. Our rotation blew and the bullpen wasn't much better. The addition of Olsen is an improvement over Redding -- Cabrera can't possibly be worse then Bergmann. Not to mention seeing what Balester and Zimmermann can do. They have to be improvements over Hill (5.83 ERA in 12 starts) and Chico (6.19 in 8 starts).

On top of that -- one of the biggest improvements in my opinion is the coach staff. No one mentions all but Acta and St. Claire were canned. I am very excited about Rick Eckstein.

So these idiots who claim they are "rolling out the same team from last year" are clearly uninformed.

I don't want "Everything is great in NatsTown" articles either -- b/c they're not. However, I don't think some balance and actual thought instead of ranting is too much to ask.

The season is approaching, so I expect many posters opinions in upcoming weeks will shift to optimistic.  I think Boz and Thom are just upset by other than getting Olsen/D-Cab/Willlingham and getting rid of some cancer, they think the club hasn't gotten much better in terms of adding talent (other than the aforementioned pieces).

I firmly believe have talent -- they're just young, can't possibly have worse health then last year.

I still would like to add a slugger, but at this point as sportsfan and I agreed on yesterday, can't wait for the games to start.  All this talk will soon be over and it's 9 dudes wearing gear decked out with curly w's on the field.  Hopefully somehow this team can pull a magic trick out of their asses and give us a better product.

If we have health -- write it down: 75 wins.

[hammondsnats]

AND it would have cost the Nats a pick... 

It always costs something to get something.  We weren't in the market for a frontline starter, btw. 

And I know last year during the season Boz had a few stories acknowledging the bad luck with the injuries.

[R-Zim#11]

It always costs something to get something.  We weren't in the market for a frontline starter, btw. 

And I know last year during the season Boz had a few stories acknowledging the bad luck with the injuries.

Here's my take on FA:

1. No one outside of the Yankees are spending.
2. Adam Dunn is not going to put us into contention. I am a firm believer that he might be nice for a year or two, but really, to what end? He may net us a couple of wins -- but I would rather put it into the Strasburg fund. I think that deal might be a record deal when done, and making sure the #10 pick gets signed as well.
3. This is NOT the same roster from last year. I really get irked when people say that -- it is simply not true.

[hammondsnats]

2. Adam Dunn is not going to put us into contention. I am a firm believer that he might be nice for a year or two, but really, to what end? He may net us a couple of wins -- but I would rather put it into the Strasburg fund. I think that deal might be a record deal when done, and making sure the #10 pick gets signed as well.
3. This is NOT the same roster from last year. I really get irked when people say that -- it is simply not true.

Nobody is saying Adam Dunn is going to make us a contender, I don't know where you keep getting that from?  He won't be here for four years, he would be here for two years (three tops) to help the offense.  He'd also allow us to develop our prospects properly and not allow retreads to play instead.  He'd be the best slugger since Soriano in town.  We don't have anyone currently that can hit 40 HRs.  Don't give me that Dukes crap, b/c he hasn't come close to it.  Johnson hasn't either and Zimmerman is more of a 25-30 HR kinda player.

It's not the same roster as they've added a few pieces and gotten rid of some cancer, but the Opening Day line-ups are very similar.  The young guys need to step up that's for sure and Nick Johnson needs to magically stay healthy.  That's asking a lot, but like I said keep your fingers crossed and