Author Topic: Fire Rizzo  (Read 311064 times)

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Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4125: May 29, 2019, 09:51:57 AM »
The Gio Gonalez deal, Ramos trade, Mike Morse trade, and the Treat Turner deal were all major wins.

Rizzo also had "minor" successes like finding Sean Burnett, Matt Thorton, and Daniel Murphy.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4126: May 29, 2019, 10:01:12 AM »
It's ok if both sides win from a trade. Injuries to Eaton killed us but it was a fair trade then and it still is today.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4127: May 29, 2019, 10:50:42 AM »
Sure, no one ever unloads relievers for fielders - it’s not like that’s a staple of deadline deals or anything

For an MLB-ready position player who has six years of team control and projects to be a good hitter at a position at which that's extremely hard to find?  Scrabble for Max Schrock or Kelvin Herrera for Blake Perkins is a lot different than getting a top-50ish prospect who you can put straight onto your MLB roster.

Matt Capps for Ramos at that point would have been like the Nats flipping Herrera to the Red Sox for Michael Chavis in the middle of last year.  A huge steal, in other words.

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4128: May 29, 2019, 10:59:14 AM »
Great, big win. Too bad about the whole assembling a roster that can do something in the playoffs

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4129: May 29, 2019, 11:02:37 AM »
Great, big win. Too bad about the whole assembling a roster that can do something in the playoffs

Hey, I'm with you there.  I have the ticket stub from that 18-inning funfest to prove it.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4130: May 29, 2019, 11:05:25 AM »
That 18-inning game was the worst. Everyone knew Storen would blow it and by like the 12th inning it was obvious the Nats weren't winning.

Offline bluestreak

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4131: May 29, 2019, 11:09:55 AM »
That 18-inning game was the worst. Everyone knew Storen would blow it and by like the 12th inning it was obvious the Nats weren't winning.

That was the first game I ever saw at Nats Park. I had moved here 3 weeks earlier and a friend gave me the tickets as a housewarming gift.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4132: May 29, 2019, 11:12:30 AM »
That was the first game I ever saw at Nats Park. I had moved here 3 weeks earlier and a friend gave me the tickets as a housewarming gift.

I hope you haven't spoken to that friend since.

Offline varoadking

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4133: May 29, 2019, 11:56:02 AM »
That was the first game I ever saw at Nats Park. I had moved here 3 weeks earlier and a friend gave me the tickets as a housewarming gift.

Hmm...it's all starting to make sense now....

Offline imref

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4134: May 29, 2019, 12:06:06 PM »
That 18-inning game was the worst. Everyone knew Storen would blow it and by like the 12th inning it was obvious the Nats weren't winning.

so basically game 7 of Carolina vs Washington this year?

Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4135: May 30, 2019, 05:23:40 AM »
Does the Cincy series decide the season's fate for Rizzo?

6 games back of the WC. Team is starting to hit and field better. If they win the Cincy series, does Rizzo feel the pressure to fix the pen and go on a run?

Offline DCFan

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4136: May 30, 2019, 05:42:50 AM »
Does the Cincy series decide the season's fate for Rizzo?

No. As explained before, Rizzo isn't going anywhere just yet.

Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4137: May 30, 2019, 07:07:34 AM »
No. As explained before, Rizzo isn't going anywhere just yet.
I guess I phrased that poorly.

In Rizzo's mind, does the Cincy series and the outcome of it determine Rizzo's actions for this season going forward? If we win 2 out of 3, does he say to himself, "Okay, the team is rolling, I need to make the moves to fix the parts that need to be fixed"

Offline DCFan

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4138: May 30, 2019, 07:19:22 AM »
I guess I phrased that poorly.

In Rizzo's mind, does the Cincy series and the outcome of it determine Rizzo's actions for this season going forward? If we win 2 out of 3, does he say to himself, "Okay, the team is rolling, I need to make the moves to fix the parts that need to be fixed"

Oh, ok. I don't see how this series determines any new course of action that hasn't shown itself already. The problem areas are already well established and haven't really changed.  IMHO.

Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4139: May 30, 2019, 07:22:25 AM »
Oh, ok. I don't see how this series determines any new course of action that hasn't shown itself already. The problem areas are already well established and haven't really changed.  IMHO.
Yes and no. The problem areas have been injuries, not hitting, the bullpen, and poor fielding.

They've come back from injuries and it looks like everyone is starting to get their timing at the plate
The fielding is better. I mean, it would have to be by simply not having Howie at third and Keiboom at SS.
The pen is this team's biggest issue and it's still not righting itself. The Nats need more than just an 8th inning guy.

Offline DCFan

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4140: May 30, 2019, 07:29:10 AM »
The pen is this team's biggest issue and it's still not righting itself. The Nats need more than just an 8th inning guy.

Absolutely without a doubt. Just about every relief pitcher we have is crap and is a candidate for replacement.  I would hope that Rizzo has already been on the lookout for new bodies through trade and/or free agency and isn't waiting for a certain date or series to determine if and when to start making upgrades.

Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4141: May 30, 2019, 07:36:00 AM »
Absolutely without a doubt. Just about every relief pitcher we have is crap and is a candidate for replacement.  I would hope that Rizzo has already been on the lookout for new bodies through trade and/or free agency and isn't waiting for a certain date or series to determine if and when to start making upgrades.
Except, he's shown that he will do that. Remember last year, before the deadline when everyone got healthy and the Nats needed to make a run?  Nats were 5.5 games back of the division and were getting all their players back, healthy, out of the ASB. Bryce had just won a dramatic Home Run Derby as DC hosted its first ever All Star game.

Team went 5-5 leading up to the trade deadline. Rizzo didn't do anything to improve the team. In fact, he dealt away assets. He knew the team didn't have it. Mainly because they showed that they were simply a ~.500 club.

Offline DCFan

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4142: May 30, 2019, 07:41:54 AM »
Except, he's shown that he will do that. Remember last year, before the deadline when everyone got healthy and the Nats needed to make a run?  Nats were 5.5 games back of the division and were getting all their players back, healthy, out of the ASB. Bryce had just won a dramatic Home Run Derby as DC hosted its first ever All Star game.

Team went 5-5 leading up to the trade deadline. Rizzo didn't do anything to improve the team. In fact, he dealt away assets. He knew the team didn't have it. Mainly because they showed that they were simply a ~.500 club.

I'm sure that Lerner was the one driving that decision, then and now.  Upgrading means more money and is it wise to upgrade from a Yugo to a Pinto when we're already #5 in payroll (and getting a Yugo for it) and have nothing to show for it? It goes without saying that there will be a complete overhaul this winter from the cabbage patch kid on down.

Offline rileyn

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4143: May 30, 2019, 08:37:22 AM »
Except, he's shown that he will do that. Remember last year, before the deadline when everyone got healthy and the Nats needed to make a run?  Nats were 5.5 games back of the division and were getting all their players back, healthy, out of the ASB. Bryce had just won a dramatic Home Run Derby as DC hosted its first ever All Star game.

Team went 5-5 leading up to the trade deadline. Rizzo didn't do anything to improve the team. In fact, he dealt away assets. He knew the team didn't have it. Mainly because they showed that they were simply a ~.500 club.

Rizzo had Bryce traded to Houston, but the Lerners vetoed it. 

Offline imref

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4144: May 30, 2019, 09:33:27 AM »
Rizzo had Bryce traded to Houston, but the Lerners vetoed it. 

FWIW, the primary return for us was J.B. Bukauskas, who so far this year has posted a 7.27 ERA in AA, giving up 35 hits and 26 walks in 34.2 innings.  So basically he would have been our number 2 or 3 relief pitcher in our bullpen.

Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4145: May 30, 2019, 09:43:41 AM »
FWIW, the primary return for us was J.B. Bukauskas, who so far this year has posted a 7.27 ERA in AA, giving up 35 hits and 26 walks in 34.2 innings.  So basically he would have been our number 2 or 3 relief pitcher in our bullpen.
I commented on this already, but Bukauskas has fantastic stuff. His slider grades out with FV of 70, and he flashes a really good changeup. And he's only 22. And while his ERA is high, he is striking out 10.38 batters per 9 innings. He's got great stuff. He has some durability concerns, but honestly, at worst, he would be a pretty electric reliever.

I've followed him for a bit and I was pretty disappointed when I heard he was in the deal for Harper.

Offline imref

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4146: May 30, 2019, 09:54:17 AM »
I commented on this already, but Bukauskas has fantastic stuff. His slider grades out with FV of 70, and he flashes a really good changeup. And he's only 22. And while his ERA is high, he is striking out 10.38 batters per 9 innings. He's got great stuff. He has some durability concerns, but honestly, at worst, he would be a pretty electric reliever.

I've followed him for a bit and I was pretty disappointed when I heard he was in the deal for Harper.

Sounds a lot like Barraclaugh

Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4147: May 30, 2019, 10:19:28 AM »
Sounds a lot like Barraclaugh
Except JB has better fastball movement and a third pitch.

And I would say Barraclough is his floor, assuming health. Barraclough was never projected as a starter beyond rookie ball.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4148: May 30, 2019, 04:23:00 PM »
I commented on this already, but Bukauskas has fantastic stuff. His slider grades out with FV of 70, and he flashes a really good changeup. And he's only 22. And while his ERA is high, he is striking out 10.38 batters per 9 innings. He's got great stuff. He has some durability concerns, but honestly, at worst, he would be a pretty electric reliever.

I've followed him for a bit and I was pretty disappointed when I heard he was in the deal for Harper.

I've never seen the dude pitch, but that walk rate is prohibitive for a starter in the pitch count era.  Given that the hit numbers are under control, that's probably the cause of the ERA. 

Online Slateman

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Re: Fire Rizzo
« Reply #4149: May 30, 2019, 06:03:29 PM »
I've never seen the dude pitch, but that walk rate is prohibitive for a starter in the pitch count era.  Given that the hit numbers are under control, that's probably the cause of the ERA. 
Prior to this season, his BB/9 was 3.78.

Hes been placed on the IL.

And also, we got basically nothing for Harper leaving.