Author Topic: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B (and 2B, we hope)  (Read 84654 times)

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Online imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #125: October 04, 2011, 09:06:23 PM »
Personally, I don't see any cause for concern at this point.  He has been shut down pretty much the whole summer.  I was actually surprised that they thought he would be able to play in the AFL at all and I still don't see him showing up in Arizona this year.  The true litmus test will come in spring training and later in April when he starts playing full time for Potomac or Harrisburg.  If he is experiencing significant problems in the spring, then it might be time to hit the panic button.
This!

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I'm also with RD here, even a very good showing in the AFL is not going to change the development plans for these guys.  The AFL is much different than minor league/major league seasons.  You are not facing pitchers multiple times, players are getting plenty of days off, and the travel is limited to a single state.  Sure, its great to see these guys perform well there, but its more of a showcase league than anything.

I'm guessing the Nats plan right now is for Harper to come up in September.  But if Harper mashes in the AFL and next year's spring training, perhaps those plans get thrown into disarray.  Harper's play this fall could have some impact on how much effort the Nats put into chasing a CF.

Offline Baseball is Life

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #126: October 10, 2011, 08:37:45 PM »
Harper's play this fall could have some impact on how much effort the Nats put into chasing a CF.
I suspect their plans are for Harper to play LF and move Morse to 1B. I don't see Werth playing CF and Harper RF. And I don't see Harper playing CF in the majors.


Offline Baseball is Life

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #127: October 10, 2011, 08:43:21 PM »
Also... There isn't a damn thing that's been fixed about Zimmerman's throwing. It's crappy as usual.
I think he made significant progress toward the end of the year. I'm too lazy to look it up but I think his errors went way down the last two months.

Offline RD

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #128: October 10, 2011, 11:12:38 PM »
I suspect their plans are for Harper to play LF and move Morse to 1B. I don't see Werth playing CF and Harper RF. And I don't see Harper playing CF in the majors.



I diagree. Harper will be a RF or CF at the big league level. He's definitely an RF at best ... But he could take some CF time for us in his early years, then shift to RF once Werth is gone. He's still a work in progress as an OFer, but he's coming along. And once he's comfortable, he's too valuable to put in LF with the arm and athleticism he has.

On the flip side, LF is the type of spot where you can put Hood(lack of a great arm) or Rendon(complete OF convert) if that spot is open in two years. That's the only OF position either of them could play at the big league level.

Harper in CF is definitely a lot of speculation, but I definitely believe he's an RF for the long term. Even short term, with Morse in LF.

Offline Slateman

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #129: October 10, 2011, 11:17:24 PM »
He's a LF. He moves to RF after Werth leaves.

Werth to CF is not an acceptable solution. Our outfield defense is already bad with Morse in LF. We don't need to make it worse.

Offline Terpfan76

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #130: October 11, 2011, 12:42:20 AM »
He's a LF. He moves to RF after Werth leaves.

Werth to CF is not an acceptable solution. Our outfield defense is already bad with Morse in LF. We don't need to make it worse.

What makes you so certain that Werth would be terrible in CF. I honestly think he'd be fine. Would he be Griffey Jr.? Of course not, but he won't embarrass himself which would be fine until something better comes along. Morse would definitely be better off at first, but right now, I'd rather be able to score runs than worry about our LF defense. Hell, someone like Werth in CF and Harper in right can cover for each other enough to let Werth cheat to LF a little. It's not ideal, but what other options do we have?

Offline Slateman

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #131: October 11, 2011, 08:57:44 PM »
Werth is very below average in his career in CF. I saw nothing this year that shows any different.

But we have very few options, unfortuntately

Offline NJ Ave

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #132: October 12, 2011, 09:30:10 AM »
For roughly 100 games worth of innings in his career, Jayson Werth has been above average in CF, worth 5.3 runs above average according to UZR. That includes about 16 games worth of innings this year at a positive UZR. He fares slightly better according to Total Zone (BR), which also said he was an above average CF this year in limited time.

So your statement that he's "very below average in his career" is factually incorrect. It's up for debate whether or not a big guy like him can play CF into his mid-30s, or whether he could keep healthy if he played CF full time, but it's just not correct that he's played badly there during his career thus far, albeit in limited time.

Offline Slateman

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #133: October 12, 2011, 11:30:16 AM »
In the last three years, he's -1.1, -4.1 and 0.4

He's 32. He should be done playing CF. In all honesty, I see him moving to LF in the next couple years. Hopefully, by then, Harper will be able to play RF and we will have found a good CFer.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #134: October 12, 2011, 11:48:36 AM »
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In the last three years, he's -1.1, -4.1 and 0.4

He's 32. He should be done playing CF. In all honesty, I see him moving to LF in the next couple years. Hopefully, by then, Harper will be able to play RF and we will have found a good CFer.
You conveniently leave out the year he played his most innings in CF, which was 2008, when he had a 5.1 UZR.  If you look at years he played over 100 innings in CF, he has had a positive or neutral UZR in 3 out of 4.

It is silly to say the numbers prove he is a bad CF justt as it is silly to say that the numbers prove he is a good CF.  He simply has not played enough CF in the majors to say that the numbers show he is good or bad out there.  At this point, one has to more or less infer his ability based on judgment, eyes, body, athleticism - all those sort of "scouting" techniques.  If you want to say anything about the numbers, then you can say it looks like he has had good range and arm numbers throughout his careeer if you look at OF totals.  2010 in Philly looks like an outlier and I can't tell you why.  This year, it seems he had more trouble adjusting to the OF wall in right than in playing center.   

Since I've never seen a right fielder in Nats Park play the video board / fence portion of RF well, I assume that between the height, light, and the grating / fence over the video board, I'm guessing that that wall has an effect on peripheral vision and affects defenders, so I'm taking the slightly negative range numbers in right with a grain of salt.

What Werth is right now and maybe for the next couple of years is a good range, good arm outfielder.  I don't want him out in CF when he's 35, maybe, but for a couple of years, he should be a viable option.  Maybe the same is true of Harrper, who has the tools.  That could leave Rendon left, if not 2d or 3d.

Offline GNatsNoMore

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #135: October 13, 2011, 09:21:35 PM »
Here's a quick update on how Rendon's been progressing in Florida.  They're really being careful with him: he didn't play a single inning in the Instructional League.  From his quotes, he sounds level-headed, chomping at the bit to play, and mentally tough.  Spring training sure will be fun next year, with him, Harper, Purke etc.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/nationals-taking-their-time-with-top-draft-pick-anthony-rendon/2011/10/13/gIQAYrh0hL_story.html

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #136: October 13, 2011, 09:31:20 PM »
He's hurt worse than they let on.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #137: October 13, 2011, 10:37:55 PM »
He's expected to move quickly.  I think he'll be a september call-up.  Scouting reports say he'll be a .300 30 100 guy for a team with plus defense and average speed.  Him, Harper, and Zimm in the middle of our lineup will wreck not to mention if the FO spends on a guy like fielder or pujols.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #138: October 13, 2011, 10:53:15 PM »
I don't really expect to see him next year considering his injuries this year, the re-working of his mechanics, no defined position and the fact that he's not playing this winter.  He's going to have to one helluva run through the minors next year to get up in September.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #139: October 13, 2011, 10:55:09 PM »
Well zimm did it and by all accounts he is far better than zimm was offensively at this age.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #140: October 13, 2011, 10:57:17 PM »
Well zimm did it and by all accounts he is far better than zimm was offensively at this age.

But Zim had a position and was healthy coming in and didn't have to relearn his mechanics.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #141: October 13, 2011, 11:05:30 PM »
His potential call up will probably depend on how Desmond and espi do next season

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #142: October 13, 2011, 11:10:05 PM »
Maybe, but.  I think it has more to do with how Rendon does than anything else.

Offline RD

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #143: October 14, 2011, 12:03:50 AM »
In comparison to Zimmerman, I agree its a different circumstance. He'll be coming off injuries(and the team may take it easy with him, giving him extra days off early), doesn't have a defined big league position, etc. But one big difference in terms of seeing him in September next year ... Zimmerman was up in September, after being drafted in June. Rendon wont have to move in 3 months to the bigs - He'll have a full spring training and full minor league season under his belt if he's promoted in September. Not trying to make the argument that he'll be up or more prepared than Zimmerman, just stating it's not quite the same, and that one aspect may actually favor Rendon in terms of getting up this year. He'll have more AB's than Zimmerman at the time of that call up.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #144: October 14, 2011, 12:05:11 AM »
Well, in that case, Zim's already outdone him.  Rendon was drafted in June, too.  Just like Harper, his play will let you know when he's ready.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #145: October 14, 2011, 10:30:43 AM »
Zimmerman also I think was rushed a bit to help out the wild card chances.  He was one of the few call ups and was instantly a starter ( reminds me of Dewey Evans in 1972 :old: )

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #146: October 14, 2011, 02:52:41 PM »
Zimmerman also I think was rushed a bit to help out the wild card chances.  He was one of the few call ups and was instantly a starter ( reminds me of Dewey Evans in 1972 :old: )

You do realize that there is a decent chance we will be in the wild card race next year right?

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #147: October 14, 2011, 03:33:11 PM »
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You do realize that there is a decent chance we will be in the wild card race next year right?
but that still will not change the fact that Zimmerman was called up by the end of his draft year and Rendon probably will not be called up until sometime in the middle or latter part of the year after his draft year if everything breaks (or heals) right.  There's just no need to accelerate him unless we are in contention, he's shown he's healthy, and there is a place for him.

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In comparison to Zimmerman, I agree its a different circumstance. He'll be coming off injuries(and the team may take it easy with him, giving him extra days off early), doesn't have a defined big league position, etc. But one big difference in terms of seeing him in September next year ... Zimmerman was up in September, after being drafted in June. Rendon wont have to move in 3 months to the bigs - He'll have a full spring training and full minor league season under his belt if he's promoted in September.
this.

Offline Tyler Durden

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #148: October 14, 2011, 03:36:19 PM »
I think Rendon ends up at 1B eventually.  LaRoche plays there this year or at least until he's traded.  Morse plays there until he is a free agent or is traded before he becomes a free agent, and then Rendon takes over.

I'm a bit worried about his durability and 1B would help in that area.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Anthony Rendon, 3B
« Reply #149: October 14, 2011, 03:41:03 PM »
Why is everyone always in such a hurry to trade Morse away?