ESPN: The confusing plan of the Nationals

[Minty Fresh]

[comish4lif]

As for the premise of the article - ask me in February.

Sure, I'm frustrated with the pace of the Nats' offseason. But it's still December, and there's ~2 months left to go in the offseason. If this is what the roster looks like at the end of Februay, than I'd endorse the article. I understand putting together the parts over a few seasons, but leaving gaping wholes at 1B and LF would be a bad plan. I'm fine with using Morse at LF or 1B, but splitting the OF at bats between Bernadina, Morgan and Ankiel? Yuck. So, for now, I'm giving the Nats and "incomplete" for their grade.

[raleighnat]

I understand everyone's frustration.  But I don't blame Rizzo or the Lerners.  This isn't basketball where you sign one guy and change the whole dynamic.  This organization was in an awful position when it moved to DC.  The biggest mistake the Lerners made was not dealing with Bowden.  But now that Rizzo's in charge, he has a strategy and it just takes time to turn a ship that was in this bad of shape.

What should Rizzo / Lerners have done differently?  They couldn't make Texiera take their offer.  They couldn't make Lee sign.  They couldn't make Grienke approve a trade.  There is no magical answer out there.  There is absolutely nothing Rizzo can do to turn 2011 into a .500 season without mortgaging the future.  Someone tell me something that they should have done this offseason to dramatically improve without mortgaging the future....

[comish4lif]

And why is anyone surprised that the national media treats us like a small market club? The Lerners spend like a small market club, so, that's going to be the perception until the Lerners show otherwise. Even most people around here couldn't name the Nats's owners. Ask a casual fan which MLB owner is the richest, and see how many guesses it takes before they come up with the Lerners.

[Evolution33]

If this is the "ESPN likes to crap on the Nationals thread", then:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?id=5947975

He is also referring to us as a small market team. I agree with the premise of the article, just not the crapting on the Nats.

The worst thing said in that article was about the Rays. They still have possibly the best rotation in the AL along with Longoria. People make a big deal of Pena leaving the Rays but he really didn't have a good season last year. Crawford was a near 6 WAR players, but improvement at first, continued development of Rodriguez, and the additions of Jennings and Brignac could help to make up some of what they lost. Plus those talking about how much of the bullpen they lost should realize how that bullpen was built. Also while the Red Sox did get stronger and are more likely to win that division the Yankees haven't gotten much stronger and the Rays should still be able to beat out the White Sox, Twins, Tigers, A's, Rangers for the Wild Card.   

[Baseball is Life]

You mean they have to play games before losing them?

And do we have to wait until the offseason is over before we can call it a failure?

Let's just wait and see what the lineup looks like on March 31, shall we?

[MarquisDeSade]

And do we have to wait until the offseason is over before we can call it a failure?

Let's just wait and see what the lineup looks like on March 31, shall we?

If Nyjer Morgan is still in the leadoff spot it's a failure.

[imref]

good point - as long as Tampa has the rotation they have, they should contend in the East, especially since the Yankees appear to have taken a step backwards, especially if Petite retires.

[Evolution33]

And do we have to wait until the offseason is over before we can call it a failure?

Let's just wait and see what the lineup looks like on March 31, shall we?

No this is the internet things are always failures before they are finished. I spend some time on video game and movie message boards, and there are just as many people over there that call unfinished games and movies failure before the first preview is up on a website.

The Internet, where everything's a failure, except for pictures.

[imref]

If Nyjer Morgan is still in the leadoff spot it's a failure.

that depends on if Nyjer reverts to career averages or has another year like last year.  If you look at his career, last year was an aberration.  I'm hoping we get a .300 / .360  with 30 SB year out of him, 

[Baseball is Life]

If Nyjer Morgan is still in the leadoff spot it's a failure.

Assuming he has a good spring, I wouldn't have a problem with him being there on OD. But I would put him on a very short leash. He needs to perform right away to keep his job, IMO.

I think Bernie (or Ankiel) will get a shot at that job the minute Morgan scuffles.

[MarquisDeSade]

that depends on if Nyjer reverts to career averages or has another year like last year.  If you look at his career, last year was an aberration.  I'm hoping we get a .300 / .360  with 30 SB year out of him, 

Uh, Nyjer's had two years as a starter.  One was a disaster, the other was good.  At this point it's hard to determine which is the aberration and which is the norm.

[blue911]

The Internet, where everything's a failure, except for pictures.

Which explains pictures sites popularity.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Uh, Nyjer's had two years as a starter.  One was a disaster, the other was good.  At this point it's hard to determine which is the aberration and which is the norm.

Marquis - I was poking around Nyjer's career monthly splits on B-R.  He's had somethign like 11 months where he's had 100 PAs.  His OBP has been above .340 in 9 of those (9/07, all 6 months of '09, 4/10 &  7/10).  He also had 129 PAs in August and September '08 when he had a .391 OBP.His minor legaue stats also show consistly high OBP.   His two off months with that many PAs were 5/10 and 6/10, but those really stunk - sub .300.  August last year also was awful, but he had only around 60 PAs, while September was .329. 

I think we'll know quickly this year whether last year was the new normal for Nyjer.  I can't think of a reason why he was a disaster last year other than he seemed not to adjust to be someone who is counted on to perform instead of being a nice surprise when he performs.  Same problem as Willie last year, I think.

[shoeshineboy]

Nyjer's biggest issue is that even with a decent OBP, he is such a horrible hitter and baserunner, that he erases the positive impact of getting on base. As a leadoff guy with no one on, maybe he gets on base at a decent clip. But then he gets picked off and caught stealing at a rate that makes that a net negative. Then in other game situations, his ineptitude at the plate and complete lack of power makes him a liability at the plate. He'd be a good defensive replacement - if he could learn to field better.

[The Chief]

Nyjer would be a great player if he didn't suck at everything

[The Bionic Elbow]

I understand everyone's frustration.  But I don't blame Rizzo or the Lerners.  This isn't basketball where you sign one guy and change the whole dynamic.  This organization was in an awful position when it moved to DC.  The biggest mistake the Lerners made was not dealing with Bowden.  But now that Rizzo's in charge, he has a strategy and it just takes time to turn a ship that was in this bad of shape.

What should Rizzo / Lerners have done differently?  They couldn't make Texiera take their offer.  They couldn't make Lee sign.  They couldn't make Grienke approve a trade.   There is no magical answer out there.  There is absolutely nothing Rizzo can do to turn 2011 into a .500 season without mortgaging the future.  Someone tell me something that they should have done this offseason to dramatically improve without mortgaging the future....

Agreed,  100%

[Dave B]

I understand everyone's frustration.  But I don't blame Rizzo or the Lerners.  This isn't basketball where you sign one guy and change the whole dynamic.  This organization was in an awful position when it moved to DC.  The biggest mistake the Lerners made was not dealing with Bowden.  But now that Rizzo's in charge, he has a strategy and it just takes time to turn a ship that was in this bad of shape.

What should Rizzo / Lerners have done differently?  They couldn't make Texiera take their offer.  They couldn't make Lee sign.  They couldn't make Grienke approve a trade.  There is no magical answer out there.  There is absolutely nothing Rizzo can do to turn 2011 into a .500 season without mortgaging the future.  Someone tell me something that they should have done this offseason to dramatically improve without mortgaging the future....

oh the mlb/bowden excuse...

they could have put a decent product with promise on the field instead of 100 loss teams. a team that would at least sniff .500 would have put decent crowds in the seats and generated some ecitement. instead they wanted it all: to win without spending money.  they put themselves in a position where people didnt want our money and declined trades here. hey, but maybe greinke really really likes bratwurst and schlitz

[comish4lif]

I understand everyone's frustration.  But I don't blame Rizzo or the Lerners.  This isn't basketball where you sign one guy and change the whole dynamic.  This organization was in an awful position when it moved to DC.  The biggest mistake the Lerners made was not dealing with Bowden.  But now that Rizzo's in charge, he has a strategy and it just takes time to turn a ship that was in this bad of shape.

What should Rizzo / Lerners have done differently?  They couldn't make Texiera take their offer.  They couldn't make Lee sign.  They couldn't make Grienke approve a trade.  There is no magical answer out there.  There is absolutely nothing Rizzo can do to turn 2011 into a .500 season without mortgaging the future.  Someone tell me something that they should have done this offseason to dramatically improve without mortgaging the future....

This offseason? Nothing. The one thing that the Nats could have done to improve this offseason - was to do more in previous offseasons. An aircraft carrier doesn't turn on a dime. I'm just trying to look at the Nats, and I'm not sure which way they are turning at this point.

I blame - the Lerners and probably Kasten too - 100%. When Bowden ran the team for MLB, he had the payroll up to $63M (using the numbers at baseball-ref http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSN/attend.shtml), when Kasten and the Lerners came in, payroll was Chop'd to to under $37M. I would lay plenty of blame at Bowden's feet for not doing a good job at building the farm, but he did scrap together a .500 club in 2005.

But the Lerners and Kasten made "the Plan" and spent money and effort almost exclusively on rebuilding the farm. Now that they've "accomplished" that (ahem), they're moving into "Phase 2". With Lerner's billions and half a plan, they could have been expanding payroll and fielding a major league club - instead we get 298 losses in the past 3 seasons.

[hammondsnats]

oh the mlb/bowden excuse...

they could have put a decent product with promise on the field instead of 100 loss teams. a team that would at least sniff .500 would have put decent crowds in the seats and generated some ecitement. instead they wanted it all: to win without spending money.  they put themselves in a position where people didnt want our money and declined trades here. hey, but maybe greinke really really likes bratwurst and schlitz

Agreed,  100%

and not to mention Rosenthal said the deal between nats/royals never went through.   

[blue911]

Agreed,  100%

and not to mention Rosenthal said the deal between nats/royals never went through.   

No crap Sherlock, if the deal had went through Greinke would be a Nat.

[hammondsnats]

No crap Sherlock, if the deal had went through Greinke would be a Nat.

just stating the report buddy

[blue911]

just stating the report buddy

I was yelling at Rosenthal for stating the obvious and acting like it's some sort of scoop.

[hammondsnats]

I was yelling at Rosenthal for stating the obvious and acting like it's some sort of scoop.

has potomac cannons soul taken over your posting body? 

[blue911]

has potomac cannons soul taken over your posting body? 

I hope not.