Juan Soto - The Truth making it in DC this year

[JCA-CrystalCity]

[aspenbubba]

So if Eaton isn't going to play center, that means Soto heads to AAA and Eaton moves into LF, with Taylor staying in CF, maybe platooning with Goodwin.

That's a tough decision for Rizzo to make with the way Soto is playing.

If he continues to play at his present level there is no way he goes back to AAA. I re-read his thread today in the Farm section and I truly believe it would do irreparable harm to him to demote him for a roster spot for Taylor or Goodwin. He is only 19 and tho he is a mature baseball player we do not know his mental maturity. I mean you do recall Harps criticism on here for some of the stuff he pulled in his formative years on the team. Let his play determine whether he stays or goes.

[imref]

If he continues to play at his present level there is no way he goes back to AAA. I re-read his thread today in the Farm section and I truly believe it would do irreparable harm to him to demote him for a roster spot for Taylor or Goodwin. He is only 19 and tho he is a mature baseball player we do not know his mental maturity. I mean you do recall Harps criticism on here for some of the stuff he pulled in his formative years on the team. Let his play determine whether he stays or goes.

But we still have the issue of too many corner OFs.

Eaton: LF/RF
Harper: RF
Soto: LF
Goodwin: LF/CF/RF
Taylor: CF

Not sure the team will keep 5 OFs (remembering that we have Adams too who is a 1B/LF).  So someone has to go.  And if we keep 5, does that mean Soto platoons with Eaton?

[varoadking]

But we still have the issue of too many corner OFs.

Eaton: LF/RF
Harper: RF
Soto: LF
Goodwin: LF/CF/RF
Taylor: CF

Not sure the team will keep 5 OFs (remembering that we have Adams too who is a 1B/LF).  So someone has to go.  And if we keep 5, does that mean Soto platoons with Eaton?

We also have that Robles kid who'll be coming off the DL at some point.  This is a great opportunity for Rizzo to unload Harper for a haul...after the All-Star break, of course...

[imref]

We also have that Robles kid who'll be coming off the DL at some point.  This is a great opportunity for Rizzo to unload Harper for a haul...after the All-Star break, of course...

Robles replaces Taylor so that's not really an issue.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

We also have that Robles kid who'll be coming off the DL at some point.  This is a great opportunity for Rizzo to unload Harper for a haul...after the All-Star break, of course...

Right, because when you're going for a World Series the move is to trade your star position player at the deadline. 

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Soto is here to stay.  He will have slumps like all players, but his approach and maturity are extremely advanced for his age...and his talent is ridiculous.  Davey has already said Eaton will play some CF.  If he's healthy, then he can be adequate there.  The difference in what Soto and Eaton bring offensively, to me, outweighs the defense of Taylor.  Taylor can be a great late inning pinch runner then defensive sub.  Taylor can start against lefties and Eaton/Soto platooning against lefties in LF.  I like Goodwin, but I see a 4-man OF rotation of sorts developing.  I'm sure a need to play Goodwin will arrise, and Davey will get him some starts here and there. 

What's also interesting is what happens at 1B when Zim returns.  A platoon with Adams makes sense with Adams mashing righties, but Zim won't be on the short-end of a strict platoon.  I'd guess Reynolds just sticks around as a RH bat, but do you have room?  To finally have too many capable guys healthy is a good problem to have.

Then you have Robles lurking...if he gets healthy this summer and tears it up in AAA, what do you do? 

[imref]

Soto is here to stay.  He will have slumps like all players, but his approach and maturity are extremely advanced for his age...and his talent is ridiculous.  Davey has already said Eaton will play some CF.  If he's healthy, then he can be adequate there.  The difference in what Soto and Eaton bring offensively, to me, outweighs the defense of Taylor.  Taylor can be a great late inning pinch runner then defensive sub.  Taylor can start against lefties and Eaton/Soto platooning against lefties in LF.  I like Goodwin, but I see a 4-man OF rotation of sorts developing.  I'm sure a need to play Goodwin will arrise, and Davey will get him some starts here and there. 

What's also interesting is what happens at 1B when Zim returns.  A platoon with Adams makes sense with Adams mashing righties, but Zim won't be on the short-end of a strict platoon.  I'd guess Reynolds just sticks around as a RH bat, but do you have room?  To finally have too many capable guys healthy is a good problem to have.

Then you have Robles lurking...if he gets healthy this summer and tears it up in AAA, what do you do? 

these are of course wonderful problems to have.

[bluestreak]

Soto is here to stay.  He will have slumps like all players, but his approach and maturity are extremely advanced for his age...and his talent is ridiculous.  Davey has already said Eaton will play some CF.  If he's healthy, then he can be adequate there.  The difference in what Soto and Eaton bring offensively, to me, outweighs the defense of Taylor.  Taylor can be a great late inning pinch runner then defensive sub.  Taylor can start against lefties and Eaton/Soto platooning against lefties in LF.  I like Goodwin, but I see a 4-man OF rotation of sorts developing.  I'm sure a need to play Goodwin will arrise, and Davey will get him some starts here and there. 

What's also interesting is what happens at 1B when Zim returns.  A platoon with Adams makes sense with Adams mashing righties, but Zim won't be on the short-end of a strict platoon.  I'd guess Reynolds just sticks around as a RH bat, but do you have room?  To finally have too many capable guys healthy is a good problem to have.

Then you have Robles lurking...if he gets healthy this summer and tears it up in AAA, what do you do?

The problem is that we have too many outfielders and the two that seem to be the most expendable are the only ones that I am sure can play a competent CF. It would be dumb to throw Eaton in CF immediately after knee reconstruction without seeing what you have. I have no idea if Robles will be ready this year after his injury and given what the Nats have I don't think I would necessarily rush him back.
Yes Soto is talented, but there are service time issues and he doesn't need to be in a platoon. He needs to be playing everyday. Also, we should probably get more than a weeks worth of data before anointing him the next Ted Williams.

It is a happy problem having this many viable options. But it's only May, and given the Nats' history, I imagine that other injuries may work out the situation on its own. 

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

The problem is that we have too many outfielders and the two that seem to be the most expendable are the only ones that I am sure can play a competent CF. It would be dumb to throw Eaton in CF immediately after knee reconstruction without seeing what you have. I have no idea if Robles will be ready this year after his injury and given what the Nats have I don't think I would necessarily rush him back.
Yes Soto is talented, but there are service time issues and he doesn't need to be in a platoon. He needs to be playing everyday. Also, we should probably get more than a weeks worth of data before anointing him the next Ted Williams.

It is a happy problem having this many viable options. But it's only May, and given the Nats' history, I imagine that other injuries may work out the situation on its own.

Too much is a good "problem."  Yes, injuries tend to work things out for us...sometimes to the point we play 1B in LF and call up the likes of Sierra and Stevenson and Bautista.  No, playing Eaton in CF isn't ideal.  Soto isn't the next Ted Williams already.  But you don't stunt a talent like that.  It's not just that the numbers are good to this point.  Watch the kid's ABs.  Watch his swing.  He's where he belongs.  This guy can hit and he can produce now.  With bats like him and Eaton, at a certain point the benefit of their superior bats outweigh what MAT does with the glove.  As a described, you can have a 4-man rotation of sorts.  Or more like 3 guys for 2 spots since Bryce is locked in RF.  That gives Soto plenty of ABs still.  Playing 4 times a week in the big leagues is much more beneficial experience than 5 or 6 times in the minors at this point.  He's just going to easily crush minor leaguers, and at this stage, would now be bored.  This also gives Eaton his days off so he's not pushed too much.  Now that he's healthy, or almost, there is no reason to believe he's "lost a step."  Playing CF everyday for a full season would be asking a lot.  Playing some CF, maybe with a late inning sub by Taylor moving him to LF, for part of a season, isn't asking too much. 

[aBaltoNat]

I stand with Cory.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

OF against lefties:

LF Eaton or Soto
CF Taylor
RF Harper

OF against tough righties:

LF Soto
CF Eaton (MAT late inning sub moving Eaton to LF)
RF Harper

OF against weaker righties:

LF Eaton or Soto
CF MAT
RF Harper

[ChiliPalmer14]

As for good "problems", what about Zimmerman?  Maybe this covered in another thread, if so, sorry.  The unwritten rule is that you don't lose your job to injury, but how do you place him in front of Adams and Reynolds, given how they're hitting vs. how Zim was hitting before the injury?  Not to mention that the other can throw a baseball.

Zim has the track record, but Werth played in the playoffs last year based on track record and didn't, um, excel.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

As for good "problems", what about Zimmerman?  Maybe this covered in another thread, if so, sorry.  The unwritten rule is that you don't lose your job to injury, but how do you place him in front of Adams and Reynolds, given how they're hitting vs. how Zim was hitting before the injury?  Not to mention that the other can throw a baseball.

Zim has the track record, but Werth played in the playoffs last year based on track record and didn't, um, excel.

You no doubt give Adams some starts against righties and sit Zim, because Adams mashes righties.  I don't see Zim on the short-end of a strict platoon, so Adams won't get every righty.  I think Reynolds rarely will start and will be simply a bench bat.  Reynold is older than Zim.  He has a long track record of hitting for some pop but otherwise just piling up Ks.  This has been an awesome hot streak, but I seriously doubt he keeps it up to the point he needs to start ahead of Zim/Adams. 

[ChiliPalmer14]

You no doubt give Adams some starts against righties and sit Zim, because Adams mashes righties.  I don't see Zim on the short-end of a strict platoon, so Adams won't get every righty.  I think Reynolds rarely will start and will be simply a bench bat.  Reynold is older than Zim.  He has a long track record of hitting for some pop but otherwise just piling up Ks.  This has been an awesome hot streak, but I seriously doubt he keeps it up to the point he needs to start ahead of Zim/Adams.

Reynolds' track record is exactly that, true.  But if Zim doesn't hit, it'll be a hard pill swallow sitting Reynolds before he goes cold.  And with that whole "able to throw" thing.

[Ray D]

The unwritten rule is that you don't lose your job to injury,

Yeah the Joe Gibbs rule.  But even Joe Gibbs violated that rule, repeatedly.   Rather than "unwritten" I would say it's the "unobserved" rule.

[Ray D]

  And with that whole "able to throw" thing.

That throw to home from Reynolds Tuesday night, well, if it had been Zimmerman we'd have lost the game.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Cory - So:

5 man outfield - Soto, Eaton, Harper, Taylor, Goodwin.
7 6 man infield w/o RZ - Adams, Murphy, Rendon, Turner, plus Difo and Reynolds.
2 Catchers - Severino, Kieboom
5 SPs - Scherzer, Strasburg, Gio, Roark, and Hellickson
7 Relievers - Doolittle, Madson, Kintzler, Solis, Collins, Kelley, and Justin Miller.

That's 26 25.  You can say "Kelley," but you aren't going to a 6 man bullpen. There is no room for either one of the infielder (Adams/Reynolds) or one of the OFs.  Does Goodwin have an option left?  Otherwise, the only way Soto stays is with someone getting released or injured this week.  There's less chance Difo gets sent down than Soto.  The problem becomes even worse when RZ is back.

Edit - If Goodwin has an option, that is the obvious guy to be sent out.  Also, it is 6 rather than 7 infielders, so the squeeze is not until RZ is back.  Actually, there's so much wrong with this post, further fixes does no good.  Worst post of the year!

[varoadking]

Cory - So:

5 man outfield - Soto, Eaton, Harper, Taylor, Goodwin.
7 man infield w/o RZ - Adams, Murphy, Rendon, Turner, plus Difo and Reynolds.
2 Catchers - Severino, Kieboom
5 SPs - Scherzer, Strasburg, Gio, Roark, and Hellickson
7 Relievers - Doolittle, Madson, Kintzler, Solis, Collins, Kelley, and [the new guy]

That's 26.  You can say "Kelley," but you aren't going to a 6 man bullpen. There is no room for either one of the infielder (Adams/Reynolds) or one of the OFs.  Does Goodwin have an option left?  Otherwise, the only way Soto stays is with someone getting released or injured this week.  There's less chance Difo gets sent down than Soto.  The problem becomes even worse when RZ is back.

Goodwin began the season in AAA...doesn't that mean he has options left?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Goodwin began the season in AAA...doesn't that mean he has options left?

That's it.  4 OFs with Adams as a 5th, figuring Eaton can be Bryce's back up, Taylor and Eaton cover Center, and Adams Soto's backup.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Most days, the bench will be Kieboom, Difo, one of Taylor or Eaton, Adams, and Reynolds until RZ is back.

So, we can go 5 OFs (Taylor/Goodwin behind Soto/Eaton/Harper), 6 IFs (Rendon, Turner, Murphy, Adams, Reynolds, Difo), 2 catchers, 5 SP, and 7 relievers until RZ is back, and then send down Goodwin assuming no further injuries or moves.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Reynolds' track record is exactly that, true.  But if Zim doesn't hit, it'll be a hard pill swallow sitting Reynolds before he goes cold.  And with that whole "able to throw" thing.

Zim has been streaky.  His swing has a lot of moving parts, and he just was starting to get going before he got hurt.  You have to let Zim work through it now so he can get going and be what he typically is when healthy, which is better than Reynolds. 

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Here is the solution...move Harper back to Catcher like he was out of High School.  When Robles returns, replace MAT with him in CF.  Eaton in RF and Soto in LF.

Kidding of course.

[imref]

Here is the solution...move Harper back to Catcher like he was out of High School.  When Robles returns, replace MAT with him in CF.  Eaton in RF and Soto in LF.

Kidding of course.

I suggested that a few days ago, only half jokingly....

[Ray D]

Here is the solution...move Harper back to Catcher like he was out of High School.  When Robles returns, replace MAT with him in CF.  Eaton in RF and Soto in LF.

Kidding of course.

You could move Harper to first base though.