Spring Training Thread

[hammondsnats]

I can't freaking believe I'm saying this, but I think the Nats should give the final spot in the rotation to Scott Olsen and just keep Garrett Mock on call.

I feel like Mock has so little upside, and Olsen made a good case for himself today.

According to Ladson the rotation looks like:

Lannan, Marquis, Stammen, Hernandez, mystery pitcher.

So Mock has been downgraded and is competing with Olsen and Martin.  I think Olsen may win it, strong outing today.

[PANatsFan]

I can't freaking believe I'm saying this, but I think the Nats should give the final spot in the rotation to Scott Olsen and just keep Garrett Mock on call.

I feel like Mock has so little upside, and Olsen made a good case for himself today.

Good because I think you have it totally wrong. Dump Livo and keep those two with English in the pen and Batista selling peanuts.

[hammondsnats]

Good because I think you have it totally wrong. Dump Livo and keep those two with English in the pen and Batista selling peanuts.

sarcasm?

[PANatsFan]

sarcasm?

Hell no. Mock has shown some promise. Batista throws a new pitch called the poopball, and English is really interesting.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Good because I think you have it totally wrong. Dump Livo and keep those two with English in the pen and Batista selling peanuts.

Livo's booked, according to Swadlin.  I would advocate the same thing, but 1-2-3-4 is set with Livo at 3 or 4.  So that leaves 5 for Olsen or Mock, seemingly.  I prefer Olsen if his stuff is better.  Mock's fastball has no movement.

[sportsfan882]

yep, top 4 are set.

The Nationals are expected to name the first four pitchers in their rotation Monday.

They will announce that John Lannan, Jason Marquis, Craig Stammen and Livan Hernandez will be the four pitchers in that order.

Lannan will be the Opening Day starter against the Phillies on April 5 at Nationals Park. Marquis, Stammen and Hernandez will soon follow.

The team must decide on who the fifth starter will be. Garrett Mock, Scott Olsen and J.D. Martin are competing for the final spot.

Not long ago, Mock was considered part of the rotation, but he has given up five runs in his last nine innings. That's not including the disappointing outing last week against the Minor League Astros in which he gave up three home runs.

Olsen knew Sunday was his last chance to prove to the Nationals that he should be in the rotation. It turned out that Olsen made the team's decision even tougher in a 9-3 victory over the Braves.

Olsen pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up one earned run on seven hits. He struck out four and walked none. It was Olsen's best outing of the spring.

As for Martin, he gave up five runs in five innings against the Tigers last Thursday. The first inning was Martin's only bad inning as he blanked Detroit in the next four frames.

The last time Martin pitched in a big league game prior to that game was March 10 against the Cardinals. Rainouts and too many pitchers in camp were the reasons Martin didn't see action until Thursday.

But it wasn't like Martin was rusty. He pitched in simulated games and on the Minor League field.

Mock really freaked up. Please don't let Olsen make it. You will regret it Rizzo/Rigs.

[hammondsnats]

Hell no. Mock has shown some promise. Batista throws a new pitch called the poopball, and English is really interesting.

And Livan looked pretty darn good his last outing...

[cmdterps44]

Mock really freaked up. Please don't let Olsen make it. You will regret it Rizzo/Rigs.

I don't think you can regret anything when were stuck with those 3 for the last spot.

[hammondsnats]

So that leaves 5 for Olsen or Mock, seemingly.  I prefer Olsen if his stuff is better.  Mock's fastball has no movement.

Amen Knorr.  I have faith in Livan as an innings eater and in his limited spring performance (added by the accounts of baseball people/media who see him in minors games/bullpen sessions) he deserves a job and looks like he could be a solid back end of the rotation option. 

We all know Livo is going to give us a few acceptable games with a few blowouts, but he won't tax our pen.

As far as Olsen goes, when he's healthy - which hopefully he is - he's proven he can have some type of success at the MLB level ... Mock hasn't.

[sportsfan882]

I don't think you can regret anything when were stuck with those 3 for the last spot.

Olsen is by far the worst of the 3. Mock has a higher upside than Martin but Martin is the safer pick for a rotation spot.

[hammondsnats]

This is not bait for SF, but Nieves has had a pretty bad spring.  He calls a decent game (yeah, yeah), but obviously he lacks some tools. 

Chris Coste is on waivers, do you think he's a better option?  I'm not saying he is or isn't, just curious, because from 2006-08 he put up some pretty strong offensive numbers. 

[PANatsFan]

This is not bait for SF, but Nieves has had a pretty bad spring.  He calls a decent game (yeah, yeah), but obviously he lacks some tools. 

Chris Coste is on waivers, do you think he's a better option?  I'm not saying he is or isn't, just curious, because from 2006-08 he put up some pretty strong offensive numbers. 

Coste can hit, but unless he'll go to AAA he's not needed

I can always count on a completely asinine, laugh inducing, reality impaired tripe bomb from the ass.

You make me want to agree with the Assclown whether he's right or not.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I can always count on a completely asinine, laugh inducing, reality impaired tripe bomb from the ass.

x infinity

Really, Mock with a lot of upside?  With that straight 90 mph fastball with no bite?

I agree on Coste, hammonds.  I'd rather have him than Nieves.

[PANatsFan]

x infinity

Really, Mock with a lot of upside?  With that straight 90 mph fastball with no bite?

I agree on Coste, hammonds.  I'd rather have him than Nieves.

His pitches move pretty well, is it his slider? One of them is good looking.

[Potomac Cannons]

x infinity

Really, Mock with a lot of upside?  With that straight 90 mph fastball with no bite?

Mock & Martin are different types of 4th/5th starters who are only 3 months apart in age.  Olsen, who unlike the other two has a couple of successful MLB seasons, is the most experienced/proven and is also the youngest of the three.  I think Olsen will end up in extended ST, but if he puts up one more solid ST start he'll get that 5th spot while Mock/Martin either move to the pen or head up the Syracuse rotation.  Hopefully FatBoyAteMyLunch is gone soon so that one of them, Detwiler or Stras can fill in behind the Lannan, Marquis, Stammen top of the rotation.

[sportsfan882]

x infinity

Really, Mock with a lot of upside?  With that straight 90 mph fastball with no bite?

I agree on Coste, hammonds.  I'd rather have him than Nieves.

Mock is a donk but his stuff is sharp. His fastball is sneaky fast and has some sink on it and he has solid breaking stuff. He's very inconsistent and definitely needs improvement there.

Martin is an adequate #5 for the short term. Doesn't project to be in the rotation beyond this year. Mock probably not either but he's got a better chance.

[Potomac Cannons]

His pitches move pretty well, is it his slider? One of them is good looking.

Mock has good stuff, just nothing great as far as I can tell.  I saw him against Arizona last year and he had a good game but nothing stood out and seemed to make me think he'll be anything special.  I expect him to be a solid 4/5 starter who may benefit from a move to the pen.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I think Mock has a good breaking pitch, but I've always hated his fastball.  A starter with a fastball that hittable?  Yikes.

[sportsfan882]

I think Mock has a good breaking pitch, but I've always hated his fastball.  A starter with a fastball that hittable?  Yikes.

See: Scott Olsen.

BP pitcher at this point in his career. 30 hits in 14.2 IP this Spring (2.05 WHIP). 1.72 WHIP last year in the Majors.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

See: Scott Olsen.

BP pitcher at this point in his career. 30 hits in 14.2 IP this Spring (2.05 WHIP). 1.72 WHIP last year in the Majors.

Don't make me go all Potomac Cannons on your ass.

Go back to fetching copies of Cosmo Girl for your lady.

[sportsfan882]

Don't make me go all Potomac Cannons on your ass.

Go back to fetching copies of Cosmo Girl for your lady.

Olsen sucks. He's cooked.

[hammondsnats]

A BP pitcher at this point of his career?

haha when I see that SFesque post,  i know its definitely close to baseball season,  can you feel it?!?!

[The Chief]

I'm glad to see Stammen getting another shot.  Hope he makes good on it.

[JMW IV]

SF, Olsen is 26. you are acting like he is 36.

I guess Olsen is the new SF manhate target now that Dunn didn't cause the world to implode.

[The Chief]

I guess Olsen is the new SF manhate target now that Dunn didn't cause the world to implode.

I think it's more that he's already resigned himself to the fact that Dunn is going to be the regular 1B, so he's moved on to people he hates who aren't locks.