Fire the Coaching Staff (2018)

[Smithian]

Glad to have an experienced mind backing up Dave Martinez.

Good staff so far.

[bluestreak]

Schu hired as hitting coach for the Giants.

[Mattionals]

So far:

Manager - Dave Martinez
Bench - Chip Hale
First Base - Tim Bogar
Third Base - Bob Henley
Pitching - Derek Lilliquist
Hitting - Kevin Long
Asst. Hitting - Joe Dillon

Left with Bullpen Coach.

[Glockypoo]

Derek Lilliquist named pitching coach.

Tim Bogar first base.

Thoughts, specifically on Lilliquist?

[bluestreak]

Derek Lilliquist named pitching coach.

Tim Bogar first base.

Thoughts, specifically on Lilliquist?

The Nats basically switched pitching coaches with the Cardinals. I don’t understand this. The Cards let Lilliquist go because they wanted someone more modern. But didn’t Rizzo say he wanted a “modern” coaching staff?

[Mattionals]

Derek Lilliquist named pitching coach.

Tim Bogar first base.

Thoughts, specifically on Lilliquist?

Took over for Dave Duncan from the Cards. Mozeliak basically said he wanted to go in a completely different direction. Hard to say if he is good or not, but it was apparently a Martinez hire and not something from the FO. Only Long and Hale were essentially FO hires.

[Smithian]

So far:

Manager - Dave Martinez
Bench - Chip Hale
First Base - Tim Bogar
Third Base - Bob Henley
Pitching - Derek Lilliquist
Hitting - Kevin Long
Asst. Hitting - Joe Dillon

Left with Bullpen Coach.

I don't know much about Lilliquist but the rest of the staff seems to meet the resume test.

I like Bogar hire. Another experienced assistant who spent a season as the head guy himself.

[Mattionals]

I don't know much about Lilliquist but the rest of the staff seems to meet the resume test.

I like Bogar hire. Another experienced assistant who spent a season as the head guy himself.

Bogar wasn't manager for a season. After Wash quit in 2014, Bogar managed the last 22 games.

[imref]

Hale was a manager before IIRC.

[Smithian]

Bogar wasn't manager for a season. After Wash quit in 2014, Bogar managed the last 22 games.

Good correction. Still like his experience as an assistant.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

We seem to have assembled an experienced staff with solid resumes.  I'm not upset with it.

[Mattionals]

Good correction. Still like his experience as an assistant.

Yea, as others have pointed out, it's a deep staff with lots of MLB coaching/managing experience. Not sure how I feel about Lilliquist though. Sounds too much like McCatty.

[Smithian]

Yea, as others have pointed out, it's a deep staff with lots of MLB coaching/managing experience. Not sure how I feel about Lilliquist though. Sounds too much like McCatty.

In fairness, we thought Steve McCatty was really good before souring on him at end. And I think Randy St. Claire was pretty well thought of before the Acta disaster.

Knowing the Cardinals let him walk gives me pause but with our arms I imagine this was an attractive slot for a pitching coach. They had options.

[Mattionals]

In fairness, we thought Steve McCatty was really good before souring on him at end. And I think Randy St. Claire was pretty well thought of before the Acta disaster.

So the thing that bugs me is that outside of 3B and sometimes SS, the Nats infield is, uhh, bad. Wieters, Zim, and Murphy are all pretty awful defenders. Getting a ground ball pitching coach scares me a bit because those can easily turn into guys on base.

[varoadking]

In fairness, we thought Steve McCatty was really good before souring on him at end. And I think Randy St. Claire was pretty well thought of before the Acta disaster.

Knowing the Cardinals let him walk gives me pause but with our arms I imagine this was an attractive slot for a pitching coach. They had options.

Not so sure about that...I always thought we could do better than McCatty...

[Smithian]

So the thing that bugs me is that outside of 3B and sometimes SS, the Nats infield is, uhh, bad. Wieters, Zim, and Murphy are all pretty awful defenders. Getting a ground ball pitching coach scares me a bit because those can easily turn into guys on base.

In their defense, I would have bet money that Zim would be an amazing defensive first baseman where he didn't have to throw. He hasn't been bad, but LaRoche was better.  I think Turner turned the corner and played good defense this season. But Murphy is paid for his bat, not his glove. No arguing that. When you put Difo in at second that's a pretty solid infield.

Wieters is a disaster. Just an absolute disaster of a signing.

[Mattionals]

In their defense, I would have bet money that Zim would be an amazing defensive first baseman where he didn't have to throw. He hasn't been bad, but LaRoche was better.  I think Turner turned the corner and played good defense this season. But Murphy is paid for his bat, not his glove. No arguing that. When you put Difo in at second that's a pretty solid infield.

Wieters is a disaster. Just an absolute disaster of a signing.

I think Murphy would be better at 1B than Zim honestly. It's the way Zim moves, or doesn't, that makes me question his glove. The part about his arm is that we all know its shot.

I feel bad because I actually wanted them to sign Wieters. It has been awful sans that first month. Not sure if there is a bounceback to at least average left in him or not.

[Natsinpwc]

In their defense, I would have bet money that Zim would be an amazing defensive first baseman where he didn't have to throw. He hasn't been bad, but LaRoche was better.  I think Turner turned the corner and played good defense this season. But Murphy is paid for his bat, not his glove. No arguing that. When you put Difo in at second that's a pretty solid infield.

Wieters is a disaster. Just an absolute disaster of a signing.

According to Fangraphs Wieters was 9th in defensive rating for catchers.  RZ was 20th.  Doesn't pass my eye test but that's what they show.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=c&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2017&month=0&season1=2017&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=1b&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2017&month=0&season1=2017&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

[Natsinpwc]

Not so sure about that...I always thought we could do better than McCatty...

I admit it.  I have been watching baseball for almost 55 years.  And I have no clue what makes a good manager or coach until someone actually does the job.  And even then it's hard to tell how good or bad they are since the players have so much impact  It seems something of a crapshoot to me. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

According to Fangraphs Wieters was 9th in defensive rating for catchers out of 11 qualified catchers  RZ was 20th out of 21 qualified 1st basemen.  Doesn't pass my eye test but that's what they show.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=c&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2017&month=0&season1=2017&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=1b&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2017&month=0&season1=2017&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

That passes the eye test. 

[Natsinpwc]

That passes the eye test.

You are correct; I assumed there were more pages and you are right in that there are not. 
I still would have thought Wieters would be lower.

[imref]

Henry Blanco hired as bullpen coach.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Henry Blanco hired as bullpen coach.

I'd rather they announced Henry Blanco as catcher.  He still could probably throw more guys out than Wieters.  I hope this works out for Blanco as a step towards being a pitching coach.