Author Topic: Offseason moves? (Read 175280 times)

PC · « **Reply #2550 on:** February 07, 2014, 07:29:12 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on February 07, 2014, 07:04:47 pm

Rizzo has spent a lot of money dumpster diving rather than locking up needed quality players of late.

I thought the same thing. I picked the day the Twins signed Suzuki as the starting point (January 9th) where almost every other team has signed players of quality and Rizzo has signed nothing but garbage.

UMDNats · « **Reply #2551 on:** February 07, 2014, 07:46:05 pm »

Quote from: PC on February 07, 2014, 07:29:12 pm

I thought the same thing. I picked the day the Twins signed Suzuki as the starting point (January 9th) where almost every other team has signed players of quality and Rizzo has signed nothing but garbage.

Did the offseason start on January 9th? I wasn't aware that was the day that matters. Good teams usually sign their additions before this time period and the players left out there are the guys teams don't like that much. Should Rizzo go give Santana a big contract just to sign a quality player?!?

varoadking · « **Reply #2552 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:05:52 pm »

Quote from: UMDNats on February 07, 2014, 07:46:05 pm

Did the offseason start on January 9th? I wasn't aware that was the day that matters. Good teams usually sign their additions before this time period and the players left out there are the guys teams don't like that much. Should Rizzo go give Santana a big contract just to sign a quality player?!?

No excuse for our not having landed a quality backup catcher by now...

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2553 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:09:56 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on February 07, 2014, 08:05:52 pm

No excuse for our not having landed a quality backup catcher by now...

Because the season rests on finding the perfect .5 war backup catcher

varoadking · « **Reply #2554 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:13:33 pm »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on February 07, 2014, 08:09:56 pm

Because the season rests on finding the perfect .5 war backup catcher

....more so than a flock of AAAA catchers...and pitchers...

mitlen · « **Reply #2555 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:13:59 pm »

It's still early.

UMDNats · « **Reply #2556 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:24:59 pm »

Finding a backup catcher in the middle of the season via trade is probably a smarter move than signing whoever else is still out there. Who says you have to acquire everything on your checklist before the season starts, especially if there aren't a ton of great options?

RobDibblesGhost · « **Reply #2557 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:26:46 pm »

The problem with backup catchers, or any backup position players for that matter, is just that - they're backups. Anyone good enough to be a starter is likely going to be in a starting role somewhere. I bet no one on here can name five other backup catchers in MLB off the top of their heads. Kurt Suzuki is going to likely be the primary backstop for the Twins this season so I think Twins fans have a right to be worried about their catching situation. Leon or Solano are not the greatest options in the world but there's not much else out there right now. I'd be interested in seeing how Leon could do in an extended stint with the big club, something we have yet to see. I don't think a backup catcher is going to make or break our season - if that's our biggest problem, then we're in good shape. Personally, my biggest worry is Adam LaRoche and if he bounces back - that's a bigger problem than a catcher who will play maybe once a week. By the way, 52 days until opening day - plenty of time to make more moves.

PebbleBall · « **Reply #2558 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:30:28 pm »

Quote from: PC on February 07, 2014, 07:29:12 pm

I thought the same thing. I picked the day the Twins signed Suzuki as the starting point (January 9th) where almost every other team has signed players of quality and Rizzo has signed nothing but garbage.

The combined signings of note since 1/9 in Atlanta and Philadelphia are Yunesky Maya and Chad Gaudin.

PC · « **Reply #2559 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:33:20 pm »

Quote from: UMDNats on February 07, 2014, 07:46:05 pm

Did the offseason start on January 9th? I wasn't aware that was the day that matters. Good teams usually sign their additions before this time period and the players left out there are the guys teams don't like that much. Should Rizzo go give Santana a big contract just to sign a quality player?!?

The converse is also true. The offseason didn't end on January 8th. My point is most, if not all other teams, even good teams have made quality signings since January 9th while Rizzo has signed nothing but dreck. Koyie Hill was the straw that broke the camel's back. I posted the retweet that Zuckerman made about Hill and his OPS+. Yes, Hill might have been signed for "organizational depth" but organizational depth doesn't have to be that bad!

What's worse is that, other teams making good signings over the last month and the Nationals signing garbage, the Nationals are, right now, comparatively, not as good as they were on January 8th.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2560 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:36:06 pm »

Care to elaborate on these great signings? Most teams are doing exactly what the nats are at this point in the off-season - handing out minor league deals and non roster invites

PC · « **Reply #2561 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:37:18 pm »

Quote from: RobDibblesGhost on February 07, 2014, 08:26:46 pm

that's a bigger problem than a catcher who will play maybe once a week.

See, that's precisely the problem. With Wilson Ramos' injury history, our backup catcher position is going to play a lot more than almost every other team's in baseball. I'd be stunned if Ramos plays 90 games this season. He played 78 last season and 25 the season before.

PC · « **Reply #2562 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:39:56 pm »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on February 07, 2014, 08:36:06 pm

Care to elaborate on these great signings? Most teams are doing exactly what the nats are at this point in the off-season - handing out minor league deals and non roster invites

All minor league contract signees aren't created equal. Koyie Hill, my new whipping boy, is about as bad as they come.

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #2563 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:41:10 pm »

Serious question: how many of our minor league deals made it to DC last year?

UMDNats · « **Reply #2564 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:44:38 pm »

getting upset about not signing certain players to minor league deals

Vega · « **Reply #2565 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:49:18 pm »

Quote from: PC on February 07, 2014, 08:37:18 pm

See, that's precisely the problem. With Wilson Ramos' injury history, our backup catcher position is going to play a lot more than almost every other team's in baseball. I'd be stunned if Ramos plays 90 games this season. He played 78 last season and 25 the season before.

In case you haven't heard, Rizzo is reportedly trying to get Jose Lobaton from Tampa. I don't think we have to worry about Koyie Hill being our backup. Rizzo knows we need a good one and is trying to get one.

PC · « **Reply #2566 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:51:46 pm »

Quote from: Vega on February 07, 2014, 08:49:18 pm

In case you haven't heard, Rizzo is reportedly trying to get Jose Lobaton from Tampa. I don't think we have to worry about Koyie Hill being our backup. Rizzo knows we need a good one and is trying to get one.

And the Rays are trying to screw him...because they know we need a backup catcher...and that's what they do.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2567 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:51:50 pm »

Quote from: PC on February 07, 2014, 08:39:56 pm

All minor league contract signees aren't created equal. Koyie Hill, my new whipping boy, is about as bad as they come.

so you want a quality signing, but not so quality that they can get a major league deal

Mattionals · « **Reply #2568 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:52:15 pm »

Quote from: PC on February 07, 2014, 08:39:56 pm

All minor league contract signees aren't created equal. Koyie Hill, my new whipping boy, is about as bad as they come.

I think Hill is more of a depth signing. So the Nats are pretty depleted at the catcher position and they lost Nieto to Rule V as well. Not only do the Nats need to fill a backup spot at the MLB level, but they need to fill in slots going down through the organization. If I were to rank the four backup candidates currently, it would probably go Leon, Snyder, Solano then Hill. Rizzo is actually being somewhat smart in trying to find some value out of one of those guys, but that is what dumpster diving is. Some guys can play pretty well for one season off the bench, Chad Tracy, but it is hard to catch lightening in a bottle. I was never big into John Buck as I though Torrealba was the best fit after Molina was re-signed by the Rays. Lobaton is a pretty meh option, but at least he can hit. I think Leon has the upside to be a decent hitting backup, maybe a .250/.310/.360 type of hitter that brings a very strong glove every time he is put in. I might have a bit more faith that Ramos stays healthier this season, but I don't think it's absurd to say that Leon would catch 40 games or so. Stick him at the 8 hole and he is fine.

blue911 · « **Reply #2569 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:53:39 pm »

Koyie Hill was signed to be a freaking bullpen catcher during spring training.

mitlen · « **Reply #2570 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:56:37 pm »

Quote from: blue911 on February 07, 2014, 08:53:39 pm

Koyie Hill was signed to be a freaking-bullpen catcher during spring training.

Say what without a hyphen?

Vega · « **Reply #2571 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:56:37 pm »

Quote from: PC on February 07, 2014, 08:51:46 pm

And the Rays are trying to screw him...because they know we need a backup catcher...and that's what they do.

Lobaton is a very capable catcher who is under team control until 2018 AND there are other teams like Arizona trying to get him. The price will likely be notable, but he would fill a big need for years to come and is therefore worth it.

Mattionals · « **Reply #2572 on:** February 07, 2014, 08:59:36 pm »

Quote from: Vega on February 07, 2014, 08:56:37 pm

Lobaton is a very capable catcher who is under team control until 2018 AND there are other teams like Arizona trying to get him. The price will likely be notable, but he would fill a big need for years to come and is therefore worth it.

So who gets traded for Lobaton then?

Vega · « **Reply #2573 on:** February 07, 2014, 09:00:33 pm »

Quote from: Mattionals on February 07, 2014, 08:59:36 pm

So who gets traded for Lobaton then?

I dunno. Nate Karns?

Mattionals · « **Reply #2574 on:** February 07, 2014, 09:03:40 pm »

Quote from: Vega on February 07, 2014, 09:00:33 pm

I dunno. Nate Karns?

I think Karns has a future as a decent reliever for the Nats. If I recall this is Stammen's last year under contract. I'd say let Stammen walk and replace him with Karns. What about Erik Davis? Not enough?