Fire Rizzo

[DPMOmaha]

But is it by the same group of well-known posters prone to histrionics?

I realize I'm doing my own brand of whining here, but seriously, I just get tired of everybody whining about everybody being too angry/cheerful.  The ignore button is there for a reason.

Probably, but not exclusively.  I realize it's probably the vocal minority, but they're VERY vocal.  Seems a little brute squad-ish at times.  I don't mind civil disagreement.  The bombardment can be a bit much at times and ignoring everyone is no fun either.

[Lintyfresh85]

The animosity towards Slateman is deserved. He craps on everyone that disagrees with his opinion with passive aggressive posts.

[DPMOmaha]

Let me advocate I think all message boards are full of nages. WNFF isn't too bad at all and is out right better than most. I love me some WNFF

I do want to say that I wholeheartedly agree with this.  It would be a lonely existence here in middle America if it weren't for WNFF.  I'm a better fan because of it.

[Smithian]

Well I can't argue with your avatar, so I concede your point, whatever it was

So what is your baseball opinion on the post I made? The other page you referred to me an apologist, so I defended my position that we're in a good spot to sit tight.

I think had we broke the bank for Buerhle, CJ, and company, then we would have been in position to be a playoff contender this season, but I think our in house pieces starting in 2013 would have made the signings look rushed and short sighted. Every offseason from now until the end of time will have quality talent that can be obtained for the right price, so why not wait until we're closer to being a legit championship contender to make moves that will accurately fill the correct holes? For now I'm much more interested in seeing us move to extend Zimmerman and some other pieces.

[Tyler Durden]

So what is your opinion on the post I made as a whole? The other page you referred to me an apologist, so I defended my position that we're in a good spot to sit tight.

I think had we broke the bank for Buerhle, CJ, and company, then we would have been in position to be a playoff contender this season, but I think our in house pieces starting in 2013 would have made the signings look rushed and short sighted. Every offseason from now until the end of time will have quality talent that can be obtained for the right price, so why not wait until we're closer to being a legit championship contender to make moves that will accurately fill the correct holes? For now I'm much more interested in seeing us move to extend Zimmerman and some other pieces.

I agree with this, but I think I'll just go ahead and say that this sounds like the '20XX+2 years plan.'

[DPMOmaha]

I agree with this, but I think I'll just go ahead and say that this sounds like the '20XX+2 years plan.'

Nope, it's better.  It's X+1.

[Smithian]

I agree with this, but I think I'll just go ahead and say that this sounds like the '20XX+2 years plan.'

I understand and respect that view point, but we've yet to put a team on the field that was one or two pieces from being a 100% legit championship contender. Once we reach that point and fail to fill particular needs, I'll change my tune.

I don't advocate rushed signings. In sports it is hard to build a championship contender. You're climbing mountain and if you don't make it to the peak... It's tough to get back. You need to have a team that matures together and not one where some parts hit their primes at different times than others. The Dallas Mavericks are an extremely rare example of a team that missed the peak (2006-2008), sat back and reloaded, and was able to take another shot(which they succeeded).

[HalfSmokes]

So what is your baseball opinion on the post I made? The other page you referred to me an apologist, so I defended my position that we're in a good spot to sit tight.

I think had we broke the bank for Buerhle, CJ, and company, then we would have been in position to be a playoff contender this season, but I think our in house pieces starting in 2013 would have made the signings look rushed and short sighted. Every offseason from now until the end of time will have quality talent that can be obtained for the right price, so why not wait until we're closer to being a legit championship contender to make moves that will accurately fill the correct holes? For now I'm much more interested in seeing us move to extend Zimmerman and some other pieces.

you're probably right, and if they extend zimmerman, totally right, but adding some pieces this year, gives you a two year window with zimmerman instead of going into 2013 with the possibility of him being traded mid season

[Smithian]

you're probably right, and if they extend zimmerman, totally right, but adding some pieces this year, gives you a two year window with zimmerman instead of going into 2013 with the possibility of him being traded mid season

If Strasburg was prepared to pitch into the playoffs this season I 100% agree. Him and Z'mann give you a shot to make noise. However I simply don't see a scenario this season going into the playoffs that we could be a legit contender once there.

[The Chief]

So what is your baseball opinion on the post I made? The other page you referred to me an apologist, so I defended my position that we're in a good spot to sit tight.

I did?  I don't remember that, but I'll take your word for it as I'm too lazy to look it up. 

I think had we broke the bank for Buerhle, CJ, and company, then we would have been in position to be a playoff contender this season, but I think our in house pieces starting in 2013 would have made the signings look rushed and short sighted. Every offseason from now until the end of time will have quality talent that can be obtained for the right price, so why not wait until we're closer to being a legit championship contender to make moves that will accurately fill the correct holes? For now I'm much more interested in seeing us move to extend Zimmerman and some other pieces.

All I can say is "we'll see."  I can't get a read on the optimists...  it feels like you guys are always saying we could contend this year with what we've got...  Strasburg, ZNN, etc.  But then I turn around and someone is saying that we should wait to sign big FAs until we're "legit."  Is there a civil war going on in the sunshine squad?

Personally I'm not suggesting we should've "broken the bank" to sign everyone this year like the Marlins or Angels, but when you name just one and only one guy as your offseason priority, it looks really freaking bad to come up short on both years and dollars on that guy and shrug it off with "we made a fair market offer."  It doesn't give me faith that we're going to accomplish much else this Winter and I don't personally believe our roster as it stands is going to be enough to do more than get us to around an 85-win heartbreak.

[DPMOmaha]

If Strasburg was prepared to pitch into the playoffs this season I 100% agree. Him and Z'mann give you a shot to make noise. However I simply don't see a scenario this season going into the playoffs that we could be a legit contender once there.

If you get there, you're a legit contender, IMO.  If we get there, I don't think we do it without making a significant move (probably to the pitching staff) in the mid-season/trade deadline time frame which could change everything.  If they're in playoff contention, I'd bet they move Stras to the pen earlier than they would have originally shut him down.  His arm's too valuable to not have available if they do find themselves in the race.

[Bloo]

Bah Humbug! That's all I got to say to this argument. Lighten Up! It's Christmas Time.

[Tyler Durden]

Bah Humbug! That's all I got to say to this argument. Lighten Up! It's Christmas Time.

Sunshine Squad strikes again.

[PowerBoater69]

Nope, it's better.  It's X+1.

Not to nitpick, but 20XX + 2 means that we'll contend by 2101, with your formula my grandkids may not live to see the Nats make the playoffs.

[DPMOmaha]

Not to nitpick, but 20XX + 2 means that we'll contend by 2101, with your formula my grandkids may not live to see the Nats make the playoffs.

Dude, I studied English, not Math.

[MarquisDeSade]

Nope, it's better.  It's X+1.

Updated just for you with comments after the "--".

"We will be competitive in [date_add(current_date, INTERVAL 1 YEARS)] -- Competitive in one year from current date
when [select teamname from nleast where team!='nymets' order by rand() limit 1] -- random NL East team not the Mets
gets [select excuse from companyline where excuse!='cheap' order by rand() limit 1] in  -- random excuse from Nats company line
[date_add(current_date, INTERVAL 1 YEARS)]. -- next year

[MarquisDeSade]

Not to nitpick, but 20XX + 2 means that we'll contend by 2101, with your formula my grandkids may not live to see the Nats make the playoffs.

How do you figure this?

[DPMOmaha]

Updated just for you with comments after the "--".

"We will be competitive in [date_add(current_date, INTERVAL 1 YEARS)] -- Competitive in one year from current date
when [select teamname from nleast where team!='nymets' order by rand() limit 1] -- random NL East team not the Mets
gets [select excuse from companyline where excuse!='cheap' order by rand() limit 1] in  -- random excuse from Nats company line
[date_add(current_date, INTERVAL 1 YEARS)]. -- next year

[MarquisDeSade]

Not enjoying my SQL code?

[The Chief]

I have an SQL script that tells me who's ignoring who(m?)

I

HAVE

THE POWERRRRRRR

[DPMOmaha]

Not enjoying my SQL code?

I might enjoy it, but it looks like this to me:

[Smithian]

I did?  I don't remember that, but I'll take your word for it as I'm too lazy to look it up. 

All I can say is "we'll see."  I can't get a read on the optimists...  it feels like you guys are always saying we could contend this year with what we've got...  Strasburg, ZNN, etc.  But then I turn around and someone is saying that we should wait to sign big FAs until we're "legit."  Is there a civil war going on in the sunshine squad?

Personally I'm not suggesting we should've "broken the bank" to sign everyone this year like the Marlins or Angels, but when you name just one and only one guy as your offseason priority, it looks really freaking bad to come up short on both years and dollars on that guy and shrug it off with "we made a fair market offer."  It doesn't give me faith that we're going to accomplish much else this Winter and I don't personally believe our roster as it stands is going to be enough to do more than get us to around an 85-win heartbreak.

You said I'm an apologist I like to call it having good insight for an Arkansas kid 

When a general manager gets out bid for a player, why is it his faut?

Or are you saying the Lerners told him to spend and he didn't want to?

apologists make me lol, especially when they miss the forest fir the trees

Also, 85 wins is heart break? First ever winning season for the Washington Nationals. Huge step forward for a third consecutive season.

[DPMOmaha]

Also, 85 wins is heart break? First ever winning season for the Washington Nationals. Huge step forward for a third consecutive season.

It's always relative.  If they finish 2 games out of the playoffs, especially if they were tied or leading the race late into the season they yeah, it will be heartbreaking.  If they finish like they did this year with a surge in the last two weeks, then it will just be frustrating, even though it will be a pretty significant step forward.

[Nathan]

Updated just for you with comments after the "--".

"We will be competitive in [date_add(current_date, INTERVAL 1 YEARS)] -- Competitive in one year from current date
when [select teamname from nleast where team!='nymets' order by rand() limit 1] -- random NL East team not the Mets
gets [select excuse from companyline where excuse!='cheap' order by rand() limit 1] in  -- random excuse from Nats company line
[date_add(current_date, INTERVAL 1 YEARS)]. -- next year

Code: [Select]

#!/usr/bin/sh
year=`date +%Y`
contend=`expr $year + 2`
echo  "$year is not our year.  The Nats will contend in $contend."

That's about as far as I can go

[The Chief]

You said I'm an apologist I like to call it having good insight for an Arkansas kid 

Fair enough.  I think I saw your post but didn't notice who wrote it and I was already in attack mode

To answer that question, I blame whoever is calling the shots.  If Rizzo is really that naive, then I blame Rizzo.  If the Lerners are really that cheap, then I blame them.

Also, 85 wins is heart break? First ever winning season for the Washington Nationals. Huge step forward for a third consecutive season.

Baby steps are all well and good but I think those of you with infinite patience are forgetting that our stars aren't getting any younger or cheaper.  I would also point out that year-over-year improvement is not the ultimate goal in any professional sport.  If we win 85 games in 2012 without bringing in any major FAs, then sure it's "progress" but I think you're going to be hard pressed to find a pragmatic fan who won't be wondering what could have been.