10/11 offseason

[sportsfan882]

Matt Diaz is now a Free Agent.

Career .335 hitter versus lefties in over 700 AB's, with an OPS of .907

There has to be a spot on the Nats where he can platoon at.

freak Diaz yuck. why?

[Lintyfresh85]

freak Diaz yuck. why?

I think I was pretty self explanatory in my post.

[cmdterps44]

I think I was pretty self explanatory in my post.

[imref]

freak Diaz yuck. why?

he would be a massive improvement over Kevin Mench.

[NatsDad14]

Arlington, VA: "... and, in recent days as they have finally conceded that they probably aren't going to get much accomplshed in free agency, so have the Nats."

Huh? Whaaa? I thought I just read that the payroll will be increased and that Rizzo is looking at all kinds of deals?

Tom Boswell: Within the last two days, he's now made it clear that it will be very hard to get that "top of the rotation" starter they talked about. See Adam Kilgore's Nats Insider posts. (Oh, you heard me say in September that there was no way they'd get a true "top" guy.)

They can increase payroll and should. And they can improve. But all that Cliff Lee talk was smoke. And so was the stuff about maybe-we'll-get-Capps-back and we-can-still-sign-Dunn-after-the-season. Baseball people just laugh at this and can't believe that fans buy it.

Don't buy it. Don't worry, I'll try to keep on telling you when they say stuff that is just ridiculous. All teams do it. Or most. Mike is way over on the good-guy honest side of the spectrum. But he needs to handle this kind of thing a little better.

[tomterp]

Boz sticking it to Rizzo and the cheap Lerners again.

PANatsfan in 3,2,1......

[PANatsFan]

That was a pretty reasonable and measured paragraph.

[spidernat]

Baseball people just laugh at this and can't believe that fans buy it.

  The fans are the only ones buying in this town. The cheap ass Scrooge McLerners refuse to dig into their profits to buy a freaking thing.

[imref]

So which of the following gets arbitration tomorrow:

Sean Burnett, Joel Peralta and Doug Slaten; John Lannan, Chien-Ming Wang, Josh Willingham, Michael Morse, Jesus Flores, Wil Nieves, Alberto Gonzalez.

I'm guessing we'll decline Wang, Slaten, Nieves and Gonzo.

[PANatsFan]

Zuckerman says only Wang and Nieves, and a deal with Wang is likely. I'm guessing it's only Nieves and then they sign him for AAA.

[cmdterps44]

Zuckerman says only Wang and Nieves, and a deal with Wang is likely. I'm guessing it's only Nieves and then they sign him for AAA.

I hope thats exactly what happens.

[thepointe01]

Is anyone actually expecting anything from Wang?

[deeznatz]

Don't support this team guys.  Don't go to games.  I know it hurts after not having a team for so long, and I can't believe we've been screwed again with the $#!#$%#$%!$# owners, but that's the only way.

I want these fools embarrassed  I want 6k crowds on a Friday night.  I want the spotlight on these crooks that robbed honest people out of $611 million so they could just make money.  It sickens me.  I can't think of worse owners in all of pro sport.  At least some small market teams have an excuse to be be cheap.

If they don't make some kind of move to show good faith on this I'll be setting up a website and organizing sign handouts and protests outside the stadium. 

[Lintyfresh85]

Is anyone actually expecting anything from Wang?

I think he has more of a shot to be helpful than Webb does.

[PANatsFan]

[hammondsnats]

yet somehow PA sticks up for the Lerners...

[Potomac Cannons]

Don't support this team guys.  Don't go to games.  I know it hurts after not having a team for so long, and I can't believe we've been screwed again with the $#!#$%#$%!$# owners, but that's the only way.

I want these fools embarrassed  I want 6k crowds on a Friday night.  I want the spotlight on these crooks that robbed honest people out of $611 million so they could just make money.  It sickens me.  I can't think of worse owners in all of pro sport.  At least some small market teams have an excuse to be be cheap.

If they don't make some kind of move to show good faith on this I'll be setting up a website and organizing sign handouts and protests outside the stadium. 

Congrats to sportsfan/spidernat/hammonds on their collaborative account.

[Coladar]

Don't support this team guys.  Don't go to games.  I know it hurts after not having a team for so long, and I can't believe we've been screwed again with the $#!#$%#$%!$# owners, but that's the only way.

I want these fools embarrassed  I want 6k crowds on a Friday night.  I want the spotlight on these crooks that robbed honest people out of $611 million so they could just make money.  It sickens me.  I can't think of worse owners in all of pro sport.  At least some small market teams have an excuse to be be cheap.

If they don't make some kind of move to show good faith on this I'll be setting up a website and organizing sign handouts and protests outside the stadium.  

I can think of two worse owners in *this area!!!* don't dare tell me Dan Snyder and Peter Angelos are better owners than the Lerners. Jeff Loria is a third associated with this team in the past. How about Bob Short? Four owners associated with this area and franchise. Hyperbole is bad, mmkay?

And I've happily paid my $5k for season tickets next year. The team might be awful, but its on the road to recovery. And the fan experience is excellent, aside from the food vendor. I'll happily give them another $5k next year. Ten years from now and nothing has changed, then I'll contemplate being upset. Right now? It's ridiculous.

[Obed_Marsh]

Perhaps you start wearing this hat 24/7. It is almost certain to be more effective than a boycott.

[comish4lif]

I can think of two worse owners in *this area!!!* don't dare tell me Dan Snyder and Peter Angelos are better owners than the Lerners. Jeff Loria is a third associated with this team in the past. How about Bob Short? Four owners associated with this area and franchise. Hyperbole is bad, mmkay?

And I've happily paid my $5k for season tickets next year. The team might be awful, but its on the road to recovery. And the fan experience is excellent, aside from the food vendor. I'll happily give them another $5k next year. Ten years from now and nothing has changed, then I'll contemplate being upset. Right now? It's ridiculous.

Besides the team on the field, and the vendor... What's left of the "fan experience"?

And I agree with Deeznats. Short hasn't owned anything in nearly 40 years, he doesn't count. Angels is worse, he's a bad owner. Snyder is a joke who thinks the NFL is fantasy football; but at least he tries to win.

And I've just as happily not renewed my tickets for 2010. Someone else in my group took over, but the Nats aren't getting my money this year.

[Evolution33]

When did someone say something about getting Capps back?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Is anyone actually expecting anything from Wang?

Gonna be mature about this one.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Anyone who expected a true #1 starter as a free agent this year when only one was available was on drugs.  The De La Rosas and Pavanos (and Westbrook, Lilly, and Vazquez) were more possible, but those of you (Hammonds, especially) who were not wowed by that crew should not complain when we did not overpay for that level talent.  There is still perhaps a possibility of a trade, and this FO keeps its trades quiet.  I could easily see Desmond for some pitching prospects, then packaging those pitchers and Willingham for a top 20 pitching prospect or a Garza / Shields established #2 starter.  The door is not closed on a pitching upgrade.

Where I'm disappointed, or will be disappointed, is if there is not an improvement in the team in the field and at the plate.  I think money can buy some happiness there.  You need to come out of this offseason with an upgrade at multiple positions to offset the loss of Dunn. It's possible to do this through multiple signings and going with length in the batting order rather than 3-4-5 and forget it. Effectively, outside of FotF, , and Hammer (later Morse), that's what we had last year.  A quality hitting 2d baseman and two quality signings for 1st and the OF could go a long way.

[PANatsFan]

I still want Crashy.

[Evolution33]

Anyone who expected a true #1 starter as a free agent this year when only one was available was on drugs.  The De La Rosas and Pavanos (and Westbrook, Lilly, and Vazquez) were more possible, but those of you (Hammonds, especially) who were not wowed by that crew should not complain when we did not overpay for that level talent.  There is still perhaps a possibility of a trade, and this FO keeps its trades quiet.  I could easily see Desmond for some pitching prospects, then packaging those pitchers and Willingham for a top 20 pitching prospect or a Garza / Shields established #2 starter.  The door is not closed on a pitching upgrade.

Where I'm disappointed, or will be disappointed, is if there is not an improvement in the team in the field and at the plate.  I think money can buy some happiness there.  You need to come out of this offseason with an upgrade at multiple positions to offset the loss of Dunn. It's possible to do this through multiple signings and going with length in the batting order rather than 3-4-5 and forget it. Effectively, outside of FotF, , and Hammer (later Morse), that's what we had last year.  A quality hitting 2d baseman and two quality signings for 1st and the OF could go a long way.

As far as trading Desmond goes I was wondering if there is a deal out there like the Delmon Young for Garza/Bartlett from a couple years back.