Define Natitude

[DPMOmaha]

1B - Gaby Sanchez vs. Adam Laroche = Sanchez showed some balanced power (19 HR, 35 doubles) and consistency in his second year as starter, while Laroche looked bad in a dreadful on-field performance we hope was mostly due to the injury.
Advantage: Fish

His performance was so far below his career numbers that you have to assume it was the injury.  A healthy LaRoche will be better than Sanchez, not a ton better, but he will be better.

[Kevrock]

3B – Ryan Zimmerman vs. Hanley Ramirez = Atypical season for both, with injuries in play and power numbers crashing down.  Zimm saved his average from falling off a cliff, Hanley did not.  Don’t anticipate problems with transition to 3B for Hanley, might even help him.  Would give nod to Zimm expect his lineup treaded water this offseason while the Fish filled in their most obvious hole.
Advantage: Push, though wouldn’t blame anyone who gives Zim the nod

 

[MarquisDeSade]

Why the finger shake?  I liked the guys analysis, in particular his giving Big Mike Stanton some props.

[Kevrock]

Of course you did, MarquisDeNANF.

I think Zim gets the nod over Hanley at this point. Hanley has had two down years in a row, he's never played 3B, he's a head case.

Also, this is WNFF. Zimmerman always wins.

[HalfSmokes]

His performance was so far below his career numbers that you have to assume it was the injury.  A healthy LaRoche will be better than Sanchez, not a ton better, but he will be better.

He shredded his shoulder, who knows if he ever hits his career numbers again- to put it another way if you could take Sanchez or LaRoche for the season right now, you take Sanchez

[DPMOmaha]

He shredded his shoulder, who knows if he ever hits his career numbers again- to put it another way if you could take Sanchez or LaRoche for the season right now, you take Sanchez

You might. I wouldn't.

[HalfSmokes]

Sanchez had a 3 war season last year, laroche's career high is 2.5, so I'm wondering how, coming off injury, you assume LaRoche is better?

[hammondsnats]

phils, braves, fish > nats > mets

[DPMOmaha]

Sanchez had a 3 war season last year, laroche's career high is 2.5, so I'm wondering how, coming off injury, you assume LaRoche is better?

That's fine, but when I look at their numbers, they look very similar to me offensively.  Defensively, as best as I can tell, LaRoche is the superior player.  I know he's coming off the injury and it may prove insurmountable, but I'm going to take LaRoche in this situation.  Also, in looking at the rosters, we need a left handed bat.  Sanchez doesn't provide that.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

lol @ fish > nats

We'll see what you guys are saying when Reyes gets hurt, Hanley phones it in, Ozzie and Zambrano get arrested for assault, and Mike Stanton cracks and demands a trade to Anaheim.

[Nathan]

That's fine, but when I look at their numbers, they look very similar to me offensively.  Defensively, as best as I can tell, LaRoche is the superior player.  I know he's coming off the injury and it may prove insurmountable, but I'm going to take LaRoche in this situation.  Also, in looking at the rosters, we need a left handed bat.  Sanchez doesn't provide that.

I still don't get the infatuation with defense at 1B.  Of course you need something better than a rock at 1B, but when comparing first basemen, defense seems to be something that's much lower on the list.

[hammondsnats]

lol @ fish > nats

We'll see what you guys are saying when Reyes gets hurt, Hanley phones it in, Ozzie and Zambrano get arrested for assault, and Mike Stanton cracks and demands a trade to Anaheim.

so i guess zim can't get hurt (which he has), morse have a down year and werth calls out the team for being a bunch of losers scenario can't happen.

not saying it will, but anything can happen. 

[MarquisDeSade]

... and Mike Stanton cracks and demands a trade to Anaheim.

I will then be known as AnaheimDeSade.  All joking aside, the Marlins are a much better team offensively on paper as of today.  The Nats can still change that before Opening Day but I don't see that happening.

[Kevrock]

We are better than the fish until they prove we're not.

[MarquisDeSade]

We are better than the fish until they prove we're not.

I'm sorry but they have two guys with solid OBP and speed (Reyes, Bonerfacio), two guys that are total mashers (Sanchez, Stanton), a guy that has the potential to be a perennial MVP candidate that's a lazy jerk (HanRam), and a good supporting offensive cast.  In terms of pitching the Nats definitely get the nod, but offensive this team (the Nats) are going to be mediocre to piss poor if the injury bug hits.

[DPMOmaha]

I still don't get the infatuation with defense at 1B.  Of course you need something better than a rock at 1B, but when comparing first basemen, defense seems to be something that's much lower on the list.

I'm not infatuated with defense at 1B, though I don't think it should be as readily dismissed as many people do, but when comparing two players that have similar numbers offensively, it's a separator.  And, as best I can tell, LaRoche has the upper hand there.

 

[HalfSmokes]

I'm not infatuated with defense at 1B, though I don't think it should be as readily dismissed as many people do, but when comparing two players that have similar numbers offensively, it's a separator.  And, as best I can tell, LaRoche has the upper hand there.

 

Thankfully we have war to compare players and LaRoche has never put up as good a number as Sanchez had last year

[DPMOmaha]

Are you looking ONLY at WAR, because when I look at the rest of the numbers, I would tend to disagree.

[HalfSmokes]

We could look at projections for next year all of the ones fangraphs publishes have gabby ahead of LaRoche in every triple slash category

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I will then be known as AnaheimDeSade.  All joking aside, the Marlins are a much better team offensively on paper as of today.  The Nats can still change that before Opening Day but I don't see that happening.

And the Nats still have better pitching, which is what won them more games last year.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

so i guess zim can't get hurt (which he has), morse have a down year and werth calls out the team for being a bunch of losers scenario can't happen.

not saying it will, but anything can happen. 

True, but the Marlins have a more explosive clubhouse, ergo much more of a disaster waiting to happen.  The difference between them last year and this year kind of reminds me of the Nats' changes from '07 to '08.  They look better on paper, but that might not actually translate to more production.

Btw, Gaby Sanchez > LaRoche

[hammondsnats]

True, but the Marlins have a more explosive clubhouse, ergo much more of a disaster waiting to happen.  The difference between them last year and this year kind of reminds me of the Nats' changes from '07 to '08.  They look better on paper, but that might not actually translate to more production.

Btw, Gaby Sanchez > LaRoche

i'd take the nats pitching in a close one ... i'd take the marlins offense in a landslide.  so that's where i give them the slight advantage.

[DPMOmaha]

We could look at projections for next year all of the ones fangraphs publishes have gabby ahead of LaRoche in every triple slash category

Game's not played on projections.

[HalfSmokes]

Game's not played on projections.

care to place an avatar wager on who has the better season?

[Kevrock]

Game's not played on projections.

This thread disagrees, the Marlins are already in third place.