Nationals vs Phillies, Game 2

[The Chief]

Interesting that one game seems enough to condemn Harris, though.  Or none, in Taveras' case

[sportsfan882]

let's do this

go nats

[DPMOmaha]

Interesting that one game seems enough to condemn Harris, though.  Or none, in Taveras' case

We have a Willie-phobia.

[Lintyfresh85]

Taveras has had an entire career to produce... he hasn't.

Time to give Mike a chance.

[HalfSmokes]

Interesting that one game seems enough to condemn Harris, though.  Or none, in Taveras' case

Traveras has a career line to condemn him. Harris has been nothing but a hrd working guy, I was fine with him as a filler in right, but the team is better with him comming off the bench

[The Chief]

You guys realize I was just playing devil's advocate.

His attitude reminded me of this:

Norrington: One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness.
Jack: Though it seems enough to condemn him.
— Pirates of the Caribbean

[Vega]

Harris is a known commodity. He's a good ballplayer, but he is certainly not a starter. On the other hand, Morse is an unknown when it comes to starting. Might as well give him a few games and see what he's got.

[ronnynat]

Hamels vs Current Nats

                    PA  AB  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG   OPS SH SF IBB HBP
Ryan Zimmerman      47  46 12  2  0  2   2  1 10 .261 .277 .435  .711  0  0   0   0
Josh Willingham     21  19  5  2  0  1   3  2  8 .263 .333 .526  .860  0  0   0   0
Adam Dunn           14  12  1  1  0  0   0  2  7 .083 .214 .167  .381  0  0   0   0
Cristian Guzman     12  12  3  0  0  0   0  0  2 .250 .250 .250  .500  0  0   0   0
Alberto Gonzalez     9   8  4  0  1  0   1  0  2 .500 .556 .750 1.306  0  0   0   1
Willie Harris        7   6  0  0  0  0   0  1  4 .000 .143 .000  .143  0  0   0   0
Wil Nieves           6   6  2  1  0  0   2  0  1 .333 .333 .500  .833  0  0   0   0
Jason Marquis        4   3  1  0  0  0   1  0  2 .333 .333 .333  .667  1  0   0   0
Ian Desmond          3   2  0  0  0  0   0  1  1 .000 .333 .000  .333  0  0   0   0
Adam Kennedy         3   3  0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000 .000  .000  0  0   0   0
Mike Morse           3   3  1  0  0  0   0  0  0 .333 .333 .333  .667  0  0   0   0

Gonzalez will probably get an AB today. And don't expect much out of Dunn.

[houston-nat]

I'm not really big on all these "protocols" for posting game threads.  I just posted it because I felt like it.  I mean, if you guys want to be superstitious, that's fine, and I don't mind playing along...  I just don't really care one way or the other.  Most of you make way prettier game threads than I do anyway.

All I know is, like last year, I am calling dibs on the Gameday Threads for the Nationals' May visit to Houston. Y'all may remember those threads from last year. Luckily I got dibs before anybody could tell me there was a protocol.

[The Chief]

I would have given them to you anyway.

[houston-nat]

Of course, in 2011, I will call dibs on the Nationals' games in London.
Oh, wait...

[JMUalumni]

When all is said and done, Morse will probably end up providing the same value as Harris when you take into consideration offense and defense.  There is a reason that the Mariners traded Morse, who they had in the organization for five years, for an outfielder (Langerhans) and it wasn't because they thought Morse was a good Right Fielder.  Sure, give him a shot, it can't hurt, but I'm not expecting much from him.

[The Chief]

When all is said and done, Morse will probably end up providing the same value as Harris when you take into consideration offense and defense.  There is a reason that the Mariners traded Morse, who they had in the organization for five years, for an outfielder (Langerhans) and it wasn't because they thought Morse was a good Right Fielder.  Sure, give him a shot, it can't hurt, but I'm not expecting much from him.

This is how I feel as well.  Of course, since we have a real CF now, we can afford to experiment with this sort of quasi-DH arrangement.

[DPMOmaha]

They're all just placeholders until we can talk Tampa into trading Upton or they make a big push for someone in the winter.  I'll be shocked if any of them are getting significant playing time in RF (or anywhere else) next year, barring some sort of rash of injuries or plague.

[Lintyfresh85]

When all is said and done, Morse will probably end up providing the same value as Harris when you take into consideration offense and defense.  There is a reason that the Mariners traded Morse, who they had in the organization for five years, for an outfielder (Langerhans) and it wasn't because they thought Morse was a good Right Fielder.  Sure, give him a shot, it can't hurt, but I'm not expecting much from him.

At this point, with Nyjer in CF, I'll trade Morse's offense for Taveras's defense any day of the week.

[JMUalumni]

This is how I feel as well.  Of course, since we have a real CF now, we can afford to experiment with this sort of quasi-DH arrangement.

Yeah, you have to believe that Morgan will help Morse with balls hit in between the two, but I am curious to see how Morse handles balls hit in front of him.  A poorly timed and executed dive for a ball in front of him ended his season with the Mariners two years ago in the first week of the season.  Hey people change, though, right?

[The Chief]

They're all just placeholders until we can talk Tampa into trading Upton or they make a big push for someone in the winter.  I'll be shocked if any of them are getting significant playing time in RF (or anywhere else) next year, barring some sort of rash of injuries or plague.

Also this.

I feel like a broken record but this is why I didn't understand all the angst over the platoon to begin with.  RF is bound to be a revolving door this year no matter how you slice it.  And the ultimate result isn't going to differ by more than a win either way.

[ronnynat]

When all is said and done, Morse will probably end up providing the same value as Harris when you take into consideration offense and defense.  There is a reason that the Mariners traded Morse, who they had in the organization for five years, for an outfielder (Langerhans) and it wasn't because they thought Morse was a good Right Fielder.  Sure, give him a shot, it can't hurt, but I'm not expecting much from him.

Morse's career line (149 PA) vs lefties is .324/.376/.449, so I do think he should get most of the ABs against those guys.

[JMUalumni]

Morse's career line (149 PA) vs lefties is .324/.376/.449, so I do think he should get most of the ABs against those guys.

I'm not saying he shouldn't.  But, also, when comparing his major league splits to his minor league ones, they don't add up.  He hit .277/.364/.447 against lefties in his minor league career (200 more PAs than MLB career).  I'd expect his LH splits from here onward to fall somewhere between his MiLB and MLB splits.  No matter who they put out there, RF is going to be the weakest part of the position players.  I don't mind them toying around with who they put out there until they find someone willing to step up.  All I am saying is that the expectations for Morse seem to be too inflated, but hell I can't blame you guys.  When your team sucks, you always hope the next guy is the solution.

[Kevrock]

I would love a win after that crapshow on Monday. Looking forward in particular to:

-Watching the Nats on television. I love attending games, but it's great to be able to watch the pitchers from my couch.
-Marquis' Nationals debut.
-More Pudge and more Nyjer. The bright spots of Monday afternoon.
-Morse!

Interesting lineup.

[JMUalumni]

-Watching the Nats on television. I love attending games, but it's great to be able to watch the pitchers from my couch.

Not to mention my fridge has beer that is a lot cheaper than the vendors at Nats park.  And it doesn't run out as quickly either.

[OldChelsea]

Yahoo! Weather predicting partly cloudy and a low of 66 tonight, coming off this afternoon's high of 87.

If you're on the fence about going tonight or going to tomorrow's 16.35 first pitch - tomorrow they're giving a 30% chance of precip in the afternoon and 60% in the evening (thundershowers in both cases) - if you aren't crazy about rain delays or weekday starts earlier than the usual 19.05 you may want to go tonight (after this series the Nats don't come home till Friday-after-next when the Brewers/Rockies/Dodgers homestand opens).

[hammondsnats]

Not to mention my fridge has beer that is a lot cheaper than the vendors at Nats park.  And it doesn't run out as quickly either.

+1/this/winner/what he said

[Lintyfresh85]

I'm not saying he shouldn't.  But, also, when comparing his major league splits to his minor league ones, they don't add up.  He hit .277/.364/.447 against lefties in his minor league career (200 more PAs than MLB career).  I'd expect his LH splits from here onward to fall somewhere between his MiLB and MLB splits.  No matter who they put out there, RF is going to be the weakest part of the position players.  I don't mind them toying around with who they put out there until they find someone willing to step up.  All I am saying is that the expectations for Morse seem to be too inflated, but hell I can't blame you guys.  When your team sucks, you always hope the next guy is the solution.

Still a .800+ OPS isn't too shabby.

[hammondsnats]

2007 and 2009 Morse had very good years in AAA:

07 - .304/.367/.451 (.818 OPS), 6 HR, 27 2B, 41 RBI
09 - .322/.383/.511 (.894 OPS), 16 HR, 26 2B, 86 RBI