Offseason moves?

[blue911]

I think it's safe to say he didn't.   I don't see how he could have had surgery without it being reported.

HIPAA

[mitlen]

So you're saying, maybe he was a head case, and he'll have gotten that corrected?   How does he do that?  Is he undergoing psychotherapy?

If he comes back, I'll have to.

[PC]

And no one knows if he had off-season surgery or get a lobotomy

He didn't from reading the Post article on him yesterday..

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2013/11/14/on-danny-espinosas-torn-rotator-cuff/

[imref]

He didn't from reading the Post article on him yesterday..

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2013/11/14/on-danny-espinosas-torn-rotator-cuff/

so....outside of the first half of 2011 he's been a mediocre hitter with some power, i'm not optimistic.

[Slateman]

Sure. But at this point, I'd rather pencil in Kobernus, Lombo, or Rendon before penciling in Espinosa. I could not justify getting rid of a better player to create a larger hole. That's just how I stand.

Except, no one really expects a second baseman to hit well. Danny's defense was fine. His offense was not. The Cards made the WS with Pete freaking Kozma. The bigger question is Adam Laroche. What can we reasonably expect out of him this season?

[NJ Ave]

Danny's probably taken "star" off the table. However, he would be an asset to this team (at least through his first couple arbitration years so through 2016) if we can bat him in the 8th hole as a slightly different Dan Uggla with less power and patience but MUCH better defense. But he's got to be able to bat .230 to make that work.

It would be a HUGE risk, an overreaction, and a mistake, IMO, to start trading away all our top assets for someone like Scherzer or Price. It shortens the window considerably when you talk about trading away Rendon, Cole, Storen or something like that in one transaction.

This was a 98-win team two years ago with the same guys. It was a 92-win pace ballclub over the second half of the season this year. This isn't a team that needs a lot of fixing or some major moves just to compete for a playoff spot.

I think the best strategy you can take is to get yourself into the playoffs consistently to give yourself a chance at that lottery. If our team is built to get 90-95 wins a season every year for the next five years, take it. Some people think you have a better chance to win a World Series by winning 100 games one year and missing the playoffs the next year. This is not true, statistically. You have a better chance getting in both years, even if you're not a "juggernaut" either year.

[HalfSmokes]

Except, no one really expects a second baseman to hit well. Danny's defense was fine. His offense was not. The Cards made the WS with Pete freaking Kozma. The bigger question is Adam Laroche. What can we reasonably expect out of him this season?

the world series was just won by a team with a second baseman hitting .301/.372/.415. Second base isn't the offensive wasteland (at least not to the point of Espinosa) that it used to be   

[Slateman]

the world series was just won by a team with a second baseman hitting .301/.372/.415. Second base isn't the offensive wasteland (at least not to the point of Espinosa) that it used to be   

They had nothingness at SS though. We have a silver slugger at SS. We can get by with a medicre but great fielding middle infielder.

[HalfSmokes]

They had nothingness at SS though. We have a silver slugger at SS. We can get by with a medicre but great fielding middle infielder.

not if you pair them with a firstbaseman who can't hit, a center fielder with the emptiest average in baseball and a catcher who can't stay healthy. It didn't work this year with espinosa, I see no reason that it will work next year

[NJ Ave]

The craziest part is that you don't even need a SINGLE ace in your rotation to win the World Series! We've been DOING IT WRONG.

Or maybe you need to analyze a roster in aggregate.

[HalfSmokes]

The craziest part is that you don't even need a SINGLE ace in your rotation to win the World Series! We've been DOING IT WRONG.

Or maybe you need to analyze a roster in aggregate.

you could argue lester, but if you want to look at the whole roster, the offense was middling (15 in the mlb in runs scored), the rotation was good (7th in era, 6th in fip), making the offense worse to make the rotation better doesn't help overall

[NJ Ave]

In the second half of the season the offense was t-4th in WAR and t-7th in runs (t-2nd in the NL).

[HalfSmokes]

In the second half of the season the offense was t-4th in WAR and t-7th in runs (t-2nd in the NL).

minus espinosa with everyone healthy

[Ray D]

HIPAA

Sure, if he really wanted to go off in secret and have surgery without anyone knowing, that's his right.  But how probable is that? I'd say near zero.

[imref]

you could argue lester, but if you want to look at the whole roster, the offense was middling (15 in the mlb in runs scored), the rotation was good (7th in era, 6th in fip), making the offense worse to make the rotation better doesn't help overall

In recent years it seems like you need one legitimate, hall-of-fame caliber, offensive superstar to win a WS:
2013: Red Sox - Pedroia, Big Papi
2012: Giants - Posey
2011: Cards - Pujols
2010: Giants - Posey
2009: Yankees: Jeter
2008: Phillies: Utley
2007: Red Sox Pedroia, Papi

That's the missing piece for us that will hopefully be filled by Harper next year.

[HalfSmokes]

He could have it done anywhere and request that the information not be released.    If the Nats released that information, Mr. Lerner would have another partner.

from the cba "(4) For public relations purposes, a Club may disclose the following general information about employment-related injuries: (a) the nature of a Player’s injury, (b) the prognosis and the anticipated length of recovery from the injury, and (c) the treatment and surgical procedures undertaken or anticipated in regard to the injury."

[NJ Ave]

minus espinosa with everyone healthy

The year before WITH Espinosa and with everyone NOT healthy, they were 10th in runs and 8th in WAR. What's your point? This isn't a terrible offense, it's a very good pitching staff. The point is to make the team better by preventing or scoring more runs in 2014 than in 2013. How they do that is immaterial.

[Ray D]

He didn't from reading the Post article on him yesterday..

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2013/11/14/on-danny-espinosas-torn-rotator-cuff/

Reading that article, I get the impression that a lot of people are in denial, including Rizzo.   

[HalfSmokes]

The year before WITH Espinosa and with everyone NOT healthy, they were 10th in runs and 8th in WAR. What's your point? This isn't a terrible offense, it's a very good pitching staff. The point is to make the team better by preventing or scoring more runs in 2014 than in 2013. How they do that is immaterial.

the year before they had career years from LaRoche and Morse. The whole year last year they were middling, if you want to cherry pick when the team was playing best, you can also cherry pick when they weren't, and the offense was terrible first half when Harper was injured and Span couldn't hit- why is the second half a more valid sample than the entire season?

[PebbleBall]

Reading that article, I get the impression that a lot of people are in denial, including Rizzo.   

Part of Rizzo's job is to be publicly optimistic about Espinosa. 

[Mattionals]

So Scherzer has expressed that he doesn't want to be moved.  Not sure if that means anything since he doesn't have a no trade clause.

[Ray D]

Part of Rizzo's job is to be publicly optimistic about Espinosa. 

True, but I was referring to the implication (in the article) that Rizzo was in on the decision that Espinosa not have surgery.

[HalfSmokes]

So Scherzer has expressed that he doesn't want to be moved.  Not sure if that means anything since he doesn't have a no trade clause.

as a rental, it means nothing, if you want to extend him, it might have more import

[houston-nat]

Why not get Porcello - more service time for fewer prospects, and still a pretty good pitcher who will see a huge benefit from our superior infield defense?

[blue911]

Why not get Porcello - more service time for fewer prospects, and still a pretty good pitcher who will see a huge benefit from our superior infield defense?

It has been suggested that Scherzer is a come on, that the Tigers want to move Porcello. By floating Scherzer they get a look at who is willing to move top prospects.