Nationals vs Dodgers, Game 1

[Slateman]

Offensively, there are more than five better.

But you throw in defense and there aren't. Certainly not in the NL.

Look, I'm not completely sold on Espinosa either. His ceiling is in the .250 range with 20+ homer. His defense should challenge for a gold glove every year. Personally I think the Nationals should look into a trade if Rendon looks good at second. But right now, Espinosa is playing well enough to be a starter over Desmond. If Desmond had been hitting like this all season it might be different.

[Mr Clean]

OK, now this post deserves AAA+++. Add Dick Bielski, Bob Pellegini, and Coach Jim Tatum. My dad still talks about a game against UCLA who were trying to score what would have become the winning TD. "It looked like an ocean wave crashing around a rock. Pellegrini breaking through the UCLA blockers, putting his shoulder into the ball-carrier's stomach, and throwing him on his back".

Don't forget the great Tom Nugent. A few years later of course.

[MorseTheHorse]

There are, maybe, 5 better second baseman in baseball. So unless we magically aquire Pedroia I think Espinosa hase earned the starting job. At least until Rendon shows up.

I'd definitely argue Espinosa is not in the top 5 currently, but anyways 2B has to be the most craptastic position in the league right now...I assume because many good 2B are playing SS, but also just because of some random luck?  Compared to Ian Desmond's offense yes Espinosa looks like a world beater.  But compared to an average MLB player...

[Lintyfresh85]

I'd definitely argue Espinosa is not in the top 5 currently, but anyways 2B has to be the most craptastic position in the league right now...I assume because many good 2B are playing SS, but also just because of some random luck?  Compared to Ian Desmond's offense yes Espinosa looks like a world beater.  But compared to an average MLB player...

But by that standard you'd also have to compare Desmond to the average MLB'er.

In fact, Danny is an above average hitter compared to NL average.... and average compared to the AL.

NL in 2011 - .253/.319/.392/.711
AL in 2011 - .258/.322/.406/.729
Espinosa in 2011 - .231/.318/.410/.729

[Sharp]

It's easy to see why people are back on board the Desmond train.  He seems to be going on a tear (even though he went 0/4 yesterday) because he's recently had a few homers and seems to be getting more hits and gaining back the offensive chops that earned him a second look this season.  But I need to see much, much more than he's shown us this season before I can be anything but skeptical of him going forward.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Sell on the dead cat bounce.

[MarquisDeSade]

Sell on the dead cat bounce.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I hope DJ Kitty doesn't take it personally.

Desmond reminds me of my astute handling of my BofA shares.  Rode it down from 40s to 3, had it bounce to 19, did not sell, now it is 7 or so.  We can look at his flurry this second half as the Desmond we imagine he could be (but has only been for very brief periods) and hang on, or we can sell him while he still has value. 

[MarquisDeSade]

...or we can sell him while he still has value.

Yup, see what you can get while he's "on fire".  It seems, and this could be mindfacting here on my part, that the team really, really, really wants Desmond to be a "face of the franchise".  I could be wrong but I think we're stuck with him to the bitter end.

[OldChelsea]

Yesterday's announced attendance of 25,518 was our third-best attendance ever at Nats Park vs the Dodgers, trailing only the Tuesday and Thursday fixtures of the 2008 home series (26,110 and 26,338 respectively)...still can't figure out why the Dodgers aren't a bigger road draw here...you mean the SoCal expats don't support their teams like the Bay Area ones do?

Tonight should, I think, be a record-breaker (best-ever home attendance for the Dodgers was 36,552 at RFK on Wednesday 3rd August 2005)....