WP: Nats MASN deal renegotations will have a huge impact

[houston-nat]

I'd prefer it if you'd drive your car into a wall at 70mph but we all can't get what we want...

I think there's a song about that.

[hammondsnats]

You're still breathing fire about 2008. Yeah, we're all pissed that happened, but the team has gone uphill ever since the second half of 2009.

they still lost 100 games in '09. 

and their payroll is not where it should be.  but yeah okay.

[Smithian]

omg dude ... is there any coincidence that the year the lerners have spent the most @ $81 million (and let's be honest, it should be north of $100), the team is having their best season?

i'm also talking about the past years in which the club was awful.  but according to the LANC boys and girls like you and PA, the past never happened.

How many times have I said the Lerners disappointed in 2008? My basis is they have gone uphill since.

[MarquisDeSade]

but according to the LANC boys and girls like you and PA, the past never happened.

The real test will be if they lose the MASN reset.  If that happens, with the new CBA, they won't have their tricks to play.  Good luck on that.

[Smithian]

The real test will be if they lose the MASN reset.  If that happens, with the new CBA, they won't have their tricks to play.  Good luck on that.

The true test is when some of our talent hits the end of their contracts. They signed up Zimmerman long term and gave Gio his extension (easy moves). We'll see what happens when Desmond, Morse, ZNN, Clippard, and some others get to the point they require new deals. Do we resign them? Replace them with equal or better talent? Or take positional downgrades? That'll tell the story.

[PebbleBall]

Damn it, just let me hate on Maya without bringing logic or reason into this!  MUST YOU RUIN ALL OF MY FUN!?!?!?!?!?!?

Fair enough.  He sucks too hard to argue about anyway.

[Obed_Marsh]

I love the Yunesky Maya boogeyman. 

Given how often his name comes up, I've been conditioned to assume he is anxiously waiting in the wings to torpedo our winning season and exhibit number one whenever Rizzo says international free agent to The Board™.

Looks like Pebbleball has already figured out his 2012 Halloween costume.

[MarquisDeSade]

Fair enough.  He sucks too hard to argue about anyway.

I tried my best to jew the guy at the "game used" merch stand down on the Maya locker nameplate.  Dude wouldn't budge on the $35 price even after I pointed out it was misspelled (Yuneski Maya).  Might have to pull the trigger and buy it on Sunday.

[HalfSmokes]

The real test will be if they lose the MASN reset.  If that happens, with the new CBA, they won't have their tricks to play.  Good luck on that.

That's my only fear- losing almost guarantees this core doesn't stay together, but wining gives them the resources

[Minty Fresh]

How many times have I said the Lerners disappointed in 2008? My basis is they have gone uphill since.

Forget it.  One side won't be happy until the Lerners spend $250MM regardless of winning a World Series and the other side can't wait for the team to win the WS on a $35MM payroll. 

[MarquisDeSade]

That's my only fear- losing almost guarantees this core doesn't stay together, but wining gives them the resources

If you assume they win $100m/year.  What happens if they only get, say, $60m instead?  I doubt that's going to transition to the field.

[hammondsnats]

Forget it.  One side won't be happy until the Lerners spend $250MM regardless of winning a World Series and the other side can't wait for the team to win the WS on a $35MM payroll. 

lol dude c'mon.  81 is better than what we've spent, but we can do better. 

once again, i'd gladly take it over the pathetic number we used to have.  but there's room for improvement.

[Mathguy]

YES

Damn it, just let me hate on Maya without bringing logic or reason into this!  MUST YOU RUIN ALL OF MY FUN!?!?!?!?!?!?

[MarquisDeSade]

Forget it.  One side won't be happy until the Lerners spend $250MM regardless of winning a World Series and the other side can't wait for the team to win the WS on a $35MM payroll. 

That's not true at all and you know it. 

[HalfSmokes]

If you assume they win $100m/year.  What happens if they only get, say, $60m instead?  I doubt that's going to transition to the field.

I think that depends on what winning does to season ticket sales. They have a while before guys start hitting free agency - the earliest is morse after next year, and noone else after that for a while

[MarquisDeSade]

I think that depends on what winning does to season ticket sales. They have a while before guys start hitting free agency - the earliest is morse after next year, and noone else after that for a while

Here's why I'm SSS and still LAC - they haven't extended Jordan Zimmermann yet and they could have done that easily and cheaply last year.  Sure he's not Sportsfan's favorite starter, but if this team is going to be successful at the next level they're going to need JZimm for the long haul.  Why they haven't pulled the trigger on extending him is maddening. 

[Lintyfresh85]

You do realize that without Strasburg and Harper they would still be in first or second place in the NL East this year, don't you?

On the other point, every single instance of the "Lerners being cheap" to my memory, was proved to be correct in retrospect.

First it was "OMG U CANT LET SORIANO LEAVE!!!!!"

Then, "DUNN LEAVING! CHEAP AZZ LERNERZ!"

Then, "CHEAP LERNERS TRADE OUR CLOSER FOR STUPID CATCHING PROSPECT"

Then, "LERNERZ WONT PONY UP FOR CARL CRAWFORD WTFFFF!"

Then, "WHY LERNERZ LET DESMOND KEEP PLAYING; SIGN REYEZZZZZZ!" (2.7 WAR to 1.4 WAR)

Then, "CHEAP LERNERZ RATHER PAY EDWIN JACKSON ONE YEAR THAN AWEZOME MARK BUERHLE 5 YEARS!" (1.3 to 1.3)

They've resigned the right players, made insightful trades, given the right guys long leashes, etc.

Wasn't aware the Lerners were deciding who played on the team.

Thought that was Rizzo's job.

[Minty Fresh]

lol dude c'mon.  81 is better than what we've spent, but we can do better. 

once again, i'd gladly take it over the pathetic number we used to have.  but there's room for improvement.

I'll grant you that you and the LAC band have been really quiet and have only come out when called out, but can't we all just enjoy this season without having to harp on the 2008 payroll and the 2009 season?  FWIW, we're good this year (2012), just like StanK and the gang spoon-fed us back then and we were in such angst over.

We're good now.  freak 2008.  freak the payroll.   Now that we're past the bullcrap, let's just win some ball games and freak some hores.

[HalfSmokes]

Here's why I'm SSS and still LAC - they haven't extended Jordan Zimmermann yet and they could have done that easily and cheaply last year.  Sure he's not Sportsfan's favorite starter, but if this team is going to be successful at the next level they're going to need JZimm for the long haul.  Why they haven't pulled the trigger on extending him is maddening. 

they have time- he's not a free agent until 2016, and they've don't ever seem to be in a rush to resign anyone. I think he's once case where loosing on the TV deal may make them rush an extension while they can still get a relatively affordably deal rather than waiting and risking an exorbitant price tag

[MarquisDeSade]

If you aren't excited about the 2012 Nasty Nats you should probably just slam yourself in the head with a sledgehammer.  Seriously, this team is really coming into it's own and is going to smash anii the rest of the season.  I'm already requesting time off for the WS right now.

[HalfSmokes]

I'll grant you that you and the LAC band have been really quiet and have only come out when called out, but can't we all just enjoy this season without having to harp on the 2008 payroll and the 2009 season?  FWIW, we're good this year (2012), just like StanK and the gang spoon-fed us back then and we were in such angst over.

We're good now.  freak 2008.  freak the payroll.   Now that we're past the bullcrap, let's just win some ball games and freak some hores.

this is a thread about nothing but money and payroll- it's not like people are in the harper thread calling out ownership for not paying him now (well most people anyway)

[OldChelsea]

I'll grant you that you and the LAC band have been really quiet and have only come out when called out, but can't we all just enjoy this season without having to harp on the 2008 payroll and the 2009 season? [...]

It's more fundamental than that...running out of hot dog buns in the fourth inning during our debut home opener in 2005 was a bitter blow from which this franchise has never fully recovered.

[Mathguy]

OK - but can we please stop bellyaching over what occurred before 2010.  That's so old news that the whiners are coming accross like they have a ax to grind.

lol dude c'mon.  81 is better than what we've spent, but we can do better. 

once again, i'd gladly take it over the pathetic number we used to have.  but there's room for improvement.

[hammondsnats]

I'll grant you that you and the LAC band have been really quiet and have only come out when called out, but can't we all just enjoy this season without having to harp on the 2008 payroll and the 2009 season?  FWIW, we're good this year (2012), just like StanK and the gang spoon-fed us back then and we were in such angst over.

We're good now.  freak 2008.  freak the payroll.   Now that we're past the bullcrap, let's just win some ball games and freak some hores.

don't be the one who is trying to put out fires.

as you said, we'll speak out when we're brought up or when money becomes an issue.

i've given them the credit for this year and for signing zimmerman/gonzalez long-term and locking up the prospects ... but for some people to say that LAC should never have existed, is complete BS.

[NJ Ave]

I wouldn't be in much of a hurry to extend most guys these days, either, especially pitchers. It seems like the deals being made with arb-eligible pitchers are either (a) guys who are getting really close to FA, like Cain, or (b) pitchers who are willing to give the team discounted club options to minimize the number of FA years a team is risking.

Maybe JZ is unwilling to give the team a couple of options on the back end, who knows? If he was willing to sign a 5/$35 that turned into a 7/$60 or something like that with a couple team options on the backend, the Nats would be fools to turn it down. But we don't know that's the case.