Spring Training Game Threads (2010)

[UMDNats]

The plan will work.

[The Chief]

Let's be consistent and do the same for other posters. I'll be sure to point out to you whenever I think something was too explicit. Even if sportsfan (the person I was singling out) complained I still didn't see the need.

Sure, go for it.  The "report" links are there for a reason.

[blue911]

I used to think so, but I'm not so sure now.

I think the Nats have had a similar trajectory for the last 3 seasons in March/April:

-Suck rocks at the beginning of ST
-Slowly come into their own and play reasonably well for the remainder
-Suck rocks in the first week or two of the regular season
-Start to come into their own after a horrid start but never really recover

It's like they choke at the beginning of each new "season" whether it's the exhibition season or the regular season.

The Nationals haven't come out of spring training playing well since Frank was the manager. For the past three seasons the Nationals lacked any semblance of good fundamental baseball. So I don't think they've were ever ready to play at the end of ST when Manny was the manager. To be blunt, the reason why the Nats look like they're behind the other teams is because they have to relearn the basics of playing sound professional baseball. If that puts them behind in March, so be it. Better now than once the regular season begins.

[shoeshineboy]

The Nationals haven't come out of spring training playing well since Frank was the manager. For the past three seasons the Nationals lacked any semblance of good fundamental baseball. So I don't think they've were ever ready to play at the end of ST when Manny was the manager. To be blunt, the reason why the Nats look like they're behind the other teams is because they have to relearn the basics of playing sound professional baseball. If that puts them behind in March, so be it. Better now than once the regular season begins.

They do seem way behind the other teams at this point. I know they have a lot of pitchers to look at, but they are combining arms that are not ready with defenders and bats that are not ready, and it shows. They say the bats lag behind the pitching, and that was the case with our bats versus their pitching. But the pitching today was quite weak. It's one thing to lose games, it is another to go out and get thrashed, and that was the problem in ST in previous years. If they know some of these guys aren't going to make the cut, they should go ahead and send them back to the minors camp sooner than later and give the other guys work.

We know some of the guys playing or pitching poorly are pretty much assured spots. I don't see Sean Burnett going anywhere, but not being able to complete a mop up assignment the other day was just pathetic. There is an attitude adjustment needed here. It isn't just about Strasburg. This camp was supposed to be about guys showing they were tired of losing.

[tomterp]

Again, were you listening?

What do you mean by "again"?  I don't recall you previously having asked if I was listening.

[tomterp]

Olsen seemed like he was just working on getting into a throwing rhythm. It will require a few outings to get a take on him. There was some bad luck for him and some bad defense. But he really wasn't unleashing much of a repetoire.

I have a lot more patience with Olsen, and to a lesser extent Chico, given they haven't pitched in a LONG time and Olsen in particular is pushing hard to build arm strength and speed.  It doesn't just happen, but you want to see progress from outing to outing in order to gauge his progress.

[shoeshineboy]

I have a lot more patience with Olsen, and to a lesser extent Chico, given they haven't pitched in a LONG time and Olsen in particular is pushing hard to build arm strength and speed.  It doesn't just happen, but you want to see progress from outing to outing in order to gauge his progress.

And Olsen should be able to build on this outing. A lot of these guys have a lot of building up to do. Bruney's usually brings the gas, but he was throwing in the 80s and only hitting 90 once or twice. I wish I had been tracking the radar gun earlier.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

My game review is up:

http://www.natsnq.com/?p=3444

[tomterp]

My game review is up:

http://www.natsnq.com/?p=3444

 

[UMDNats]

I hate people who nag about autographs, unless their kid is younger than 12 years old and the athlete was legitimately a jerk.

[blue911]

They do seem way behind the other teams at this point. I know they have a lot of pitchers to look at, but they are combining arms that are not ready with defenders and bats that are not ready, and it shows. They say the bats lag behind the pitching, and that was the case with our bats versus their pitching. But the pitching today was quite weak. It's one thing to lose games, it is another to go out and get thrashed, and that was the problem in ST in previous years. If they know some of these guys aren't going to make the cut, they should go ahead and send them back to the minors camp sooner than later and give the other guys work.

We know some of the guys playing or pitching poorly are pretty much assured spots. I don't see Sean Burnett going anywhere, but not being able to complete a mop up assignment the other day was just pathetic. There is an attitude adjustment needed here. It isn't just about Strasburg. This camp was supposed to be about guys showing they were tired of losing.

The problem with the whole Bats Lagging Behind argument is that pitchers are throwing 80-85% fastballs. You don't have to be on the top of your game to look fastball on every pitch.

[Kevrock]

I hate people who nag about autographs, unless their kid is younger than 12 years old and the athlete was legitimately a jerk.

+1. Especially on the internet.

Otherwise I really enjoyed the recap. Props.

[JMW IV]

Oh God, now YOU'RE drinking the freakin Kool Aid?  Never thought I'd see the day.  It's like Kasten put some damned enchantment on this board.

cause not committing suicide the first week of ST = drinking kool-aid.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

cause not committing suicide the first week of ST = drinking kool-aid.

Of course not.

The time to commit suicide was back in January.

[JMW IV]

Of course not.


The time to commit suicide was back in January.

you sure it wasn't November of last year? wait, when was the first day of free agency? that's when it was.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

In-Game/In-Stadium photos:

http://www.natsnq.com/?p=3446

[Nat of the Living Dead]

For those interested, I scored autographs from Jordan Zimmermann, Drew Storen, Mike Morse, and Ian Desmond.

My wife and daughter got the mother of them all, Stephen Strasburg.

[shoeshineboy]

My game review is up:

http://www.natsnq.com/?p=3444

The beer vendor was indeed more entertaining than the game. So was Adam Dunn's son.

[PANatsFan]

I hate people who nag about autographs, unless their kid is younger than 12 years old and the athlete was legitimately a jerk.

I want a team set signed for my kid for his birth year. But how do I get the guys at the park to believe me? He won't go to a game till August at the extreme earliest. I think I might do the old mail the cards with a SASE trick.

[Galah]

I want a team set signed for my kid for his birth year. But how do I get the guys at the park to believe me? He won't go to a game till August at the extreme earliest. I think I might do the old mail the cards with a SASE trick.

You're gonna need some help with that.
Are you gonna do cards?

[Minty Fresh]

Guardado gave up 4 runs, but because only 1 was "earned", his ERA dropped to 18.00.   

On our staff that would seem to constitute progress.



 

Win.

[PANatsFan]

You're gonna need some help with that.
Are you gonna do cards?

Yeah. Topps hasn't released the 2010 set from what I've gathered.

I know it's a project but it's fun and a good present.

[Minty Fresh]

We know some of the guys playing or pitching poorly are pretty much assured spots. I don't see Sean Burnett going anywhere, but not being able to complete a mop up assignment the other day was just pathetic. There is an attitude adjustment needed here. It isn't just about Strasburg. This camp was supposed to be about guys showing they were tired of losing.

Exactly.

It sounds ridiculous, but they need to take winning Spring Training games seriously.  Lots of other teams don't have to worry about ST records but for us it's different.

Even if they don't win, play like you're trying to win.

[PANatsFan]

Exactly.

It sounds ridiculous, but they need to take winning Spring Training games seriously.  Lots of other teams don't have to worry about ST records but for us it's different.

Even if they don't win, play like you're trying to win.

Charlie and Dave went on and on about how the teams just don't care. They don't care about double switches. They don't scout the scrubs who won't break camp with the team. The pitchers work on their pitches.

nagging about position players making errors (which is rampant), or hitting poorly, that makes sense. But the reality is we just don't know what the pitchers are doing. They told Olsen just to throw whatever and test his shoulder, for instance.

[blue911]

Did Ian Desmond really play centerfield?