Author Topic: Boswell Calls the Nats Babies (Read 1378 times)

PowerBoater69 · « **on:** July 09, 2018, 06:42:37 am »

Really weak column by Boswell on the Nats pitching. Ten paragraphs of season recap, two decent paragraphs criticizing Rizzo for not acquiring starter depth, and out of nowhere he calls the Nats babies for past 7 years with Gio/Roark from the last month as the only examples. If you are going to call the players babies 1) start with that, make that the column 2) don't pin it all on a couple guys in the middle of a bad month. Gio has been one of the most approachable Nats, give me seven examples if this has been going on for seven years.

Quote

For the Gonzalez of the last month, gone from cheery to tart, those would be expansive answers. This continues a seven-year Nats tradition, since they started getting well-known players, as one of the most babied teams in the majors. At first, the protection for mega-rookies seemed somewhat justifiable, but, with the years, the Nats have developed a locker room in which accountability fluctuates like weather — sometimes good, sometimes “harrumph.” Try that in New York. It’s not always the same guys. It’s like there are a half-dozen diapers in the Nats’ locker room every year and they get passed around. Does that help in October?

Mathguy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2018, 07:02:31 am »

Here's a link:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/the-nationals-starting-rotation-is-a-disaster-and-it-may-ruin-their-season/2018/07/08/79f1bd5e-82b1-11e8-9e80-403a221946a7_story.html?utm_term=.96ac3b7723a9

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2018, 07:14:30 am »

Quote from: Mathguy on July 09, 2018, 07:02:31 am

Here's a link:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/the-nationals-starting-rotation-is-a-disaster-and-it-may-ruin-their-season/2018/07/08/79f1bd5e-82b1-11e8-9e80-403a221946a7_story.html?utm_term=.96ac3b7723a9

I called it before the season. So smarter than Boswell. No matter what he says now the hitting has been the major problem for most of this year.

Slateman · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2018, 07:32:43 am »

Boswell is a bafoon.

Of the free agent pitchers he mentioned, only Arrieta has been worth a damn.

Darvish's ERA is higher than Tanner's. Oh and he's hurt
Lynn has a 5.21 ERA
Alex Cobb has an ERA over 6.

Arrieta is costing 75 million. That seems like a lot for a guy who is on pace for a 3 WAR season.

Think of how much worse it would be if Rizzo had paid for one of those overpriced free agents. Now he wouldn't have any flexibility to make trades without going over the luxury tax.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2018, 08:04:17 am »

Quote from: Slateman on July 09, 2018, 07:32:43 am

Boswell is a bafoon.

Of the free agent pitchers he mentioned, only Arrieta has been worth a damn.

Darvish's ERA is higher than Tanner's. Oh and he's hurt
Lynn has a 5.21 ERA
Alex Cobb has an ERA over 6.

Arrieta is costing 75 million. That seems like a lot for a guy who is on pace for a 3 WAR season.

Think of how much worse it would be if Rizzo had paid for one of those overpriced free agents. Now he wouldn't have any flexibility to make trades without going over the luxury tax.

Agree generally but think WAR ignores any synergistic effect on a rotation. Arrieta is a guy the Phillies can put out there every 5 days and know they will get 6 decent innings. It's likely he would be replaced with a negative player. Hard to ignore that they are in first place and mostly due to the starting pitching.

MarquisDeSade · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2018, 08:29:15 am »

Boswell still having a column says everything that needs to be said about the DC sports media.

nfotiu · « **Reply #6 on:** July 09, 2018, 08:50:42 am »

Tanner Roark averaged 110 pitches per game in May and had a 3.18 ERA for the month, then in June his ERA was over 6.

All of Gio's last 4 starts in May were over 110 pitches with a 1.47 ERA for the month, then in June his ERA was 8.44

Strasburg averaged 107 pitches per game in May and ended up on the DL in June.

Max's have been even higher May and June, and he seems to be built to handle it better. But his 3 starts show a little reason to worry. He's got the job done, but 16 Ks and 8 BBs over 3 games is not very Max like.

I haven't really looked how that has compared to season's past, but I do remember a stat flashing up around May showing most of our starters leading the MLB in pitches thrown. May seemed too early for pitch counts like that, and it seems we are feeling those results now.

dcpatti · « **Reply #7 on:** July 09, 2018, 09:08:53 am »

we went through the same pitch count discussion last year (and if memory serves me, the year before as well).
Our starters tend to have 100+ pitch outings all season because they're good and effective and can go deep into games. They're (until recently) not getting lit up and lifted in the 4th.

Stras and Max are strikeout guys and therefore have higher pitches per plate appearance, yet can get more outs facing fewer batters so they can pitch more innings. In and of itself, the fact that these guys are throwing 100-105 pitches isn't evidence of misuse at all.

I still believe Gio is going to magically get better once Wieters gets back because Wiets won't put up with any of Gio's nibble-nibble nonsense. Gio has the stuff; he just needs someone to make him throw it. Who knows what's up with Tanner; maybe he's tipping his pitches again or maybe he is just broken.

Baseball is Life · « **Reply #8 on:** July 09, 2018, 09:15:13 am »

Boswell did not call the Nats babies. Imprecise trolling.

Greg_SRT · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2018, 09:18:54 am »

Quote from: nfotiu on July 09, 2018, 08:50:42 am

Tanner Roark averaged 110 pitches per game in May and had a 3.18 ERA for the month, then in June his ERA was over 6.

All of Gio's last 4 starts in May were over 110 pitches with a 1.47 ERA for the month, then in June his ERA was 8.44

Strasburg averaged 107 pitches per game in May and ended up on the DL in June.

Max's have been even higher May and June, and he seems to be built to handle it better. But his 3 starts show a little reason to worry. He's got the job done, but 16 Ks and 8 BBs over 3 games is not very Max like.

I haven't really looked how that has compared to season's past, but I do remember a stat flashing up around May showing most of our starters leading the MLB in pitches thrown. May seemed too early for pitch counts like that, and it seems we are feeling those results now.

I just did the numbers.

Number of pitches so far 2018
1. Max = 2025/ 19 games/ 127.2 innings.
2. Gio = 1746/ 18 games/ 95.2 innings.
3. Tanner = 1867/ 19 games (18 starts)/ 109.2 innings.

Number of pitches 2017 at ASB.
1. Max = 1930/ 18 games/ 128.1 innings
2. Gio = 1906/ 18 games/ 113.1 innings
3. Tanner = 1821/ 18 games (17 starts)/ 100.2 innings

I got my numbers here http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp#elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&game_type='R'&season=2018&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1531142291203 sorry if I messed up calculations.

mitlen · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2018, 09:43:05 am »

Quote from: MarquisDeSade on July 09, 2018, 08:29:15 am

Boswell still having a column says everything that needs to be said about the DC sports media.

Though I generally like his stuff, your zinger brought a laugh. Thanks

Slateman · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2018, 09:50:30 am »

Quote from: nfotiu on July 09, 2018, 08:50:42 am

Tanner Roark averaged 110 pitches per game in May and had a 3.18 ERA for the month, then in June his ERA was over 6.

All of Gio's last 4 starts in May were over 110 pitches with a 1.47 ERA for the month, then in June his ERA was 8.44

Strasburg averaged 107 pitches per game in May and ended up on the DL in June.

Max's have been even higher May and June, and he seems to be built to handle it better. But his 3 starts show a little reason to worry. He's got the job done, but 16 Ks and 8 BBs over 3 games is not very Max like.

I haven't really looked how that has compared to season's past, but I do remember a stat flashing up around May showing most of our starters leading the MLB in pitches thrown. May seemed too early for pitch counts like that, and it seems we are feeling those results now.

Tanner was averaging over 105 pitches per start last season. Not really seeing how that extra is going to be a problem.

Honestly, I think we've just gotten the most out of Tanner we are going to get. He's not keeping the ball down in the zone and his two-seamer doesn't have the same comeback snap it has in previous years.

Optics · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2018, 11:10:58 am »

This team is full of mental midgets for sure. The last several Octobers have proven that.

RichMinSC · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2018, 11:46:15 am »

Quote from: Optics on July 09, 2018, 11:10:58 am

This team is full of mental midgets for sure. The last several Octobers have proven that.

the nail on the head

UMDNats · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2018, 11:50:20 am »

Quote from: MarquisDeSade on July 09, 2018, 08:29:15 am

Boswell still having a column says everything that needs to be said about the DC sports media.

He's, like, the 10th-best person in their sports department. Sad!

mitlen · « **Reply #15 on:** July 09, 2018, 12:05:25 pm »

Grant and Danny are gonna discuss at 12:15. (106.7 FM)

Ray D · « **Reply #16 on:** July 09, 2018, 12:07:56 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on July 09, 2018, 12:05:25 pm

Grant and Danny are gonna discuss at 12:15. (106.7 FM)

Gonna discuss what?

Slateman · « **Reply #17 on:** July 09, 2018, 12:09:34 pm »

Quote from: Ray D on July 09, 2018, 12:07:56 pm

Gonna discuss what?

Probably the article in question

OldChelsea · « **Reply #18 on:** July 09, 2018, 12:12:17 pm »

Referring to baseball players as 'babies'...that is SO old...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/1940_Cleveland_Indians - Cleveland Crybabies, 1940

mitlen · « **Reply #19 on:** July 09, 2018, 02:28:36 pm »

Quote from: Ray D on July 09, 2018, 12:07:56 pm

Gonna discuss what?

Uh, the article mentioned at the top of the thread?

Senatorswin · « **Reply #20 on:** July 10, 2018, 01:40:11 pm »

Boz is one of the best baseball writers there is. He will praise the players when warranted but sometimes an article is needed to tell it like it is that is not complimentary. Boz is willing to do that. Who else is going to criticize the players when they deserve it. Certainly not the TV announcers. They travel with the team. It's got to be tough to criticize the players and then walk into the clubhouse and face them but that's what the good veteran baseball writers are supposed to do and that's what Boz is willing to do. There aren't too many good baseball players left. There used to be the a lot of them in DC like Mo Siegle, Bob Addie, Shirley Povich, Francis Stan etc. Boz is about the only good one left.

dracnal · « **Reply #21 on:** July 10, 2018, 01:53:41 pm »

Ray Knight seems to be pretty willing to be critical of poor performance.

varoadking · « **Reply #22 on:** July 10, 2018, 02:00:44 pm »

Quote from: dracnal on July 10, 2018, 01:53:41 pm

Ray Knight seems to be pretty willing to be critical of poor performance.

I think Boz' point was that the press isn't willing to ask players and management the tough questions. Ray does offer a welcome respite from folks like FP though...

Senatorswin · « **Reply #23 on:** July 10, 2018, 02:10:32 pm »

Quote from: dracnal on July 10, 2018, 01:53:41 pm

Ray Knight seems to be pretty willing to be critical of poor performance.

Ray is one of the few that will be critical. He doesn't travel with the team so it's a little easier for him. I'm not sure how often he walks in the clubhouse after he does criticize a player but I do give him credit for not just being a cheerleader.

UMDNats · « **Reply #24 on:** July 10, 2018, 02:12:18 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on July 10, 2018, 02:00:44 pm

I think Boz' point was that the press isn't willing to ask players and management the tough questions. Ray does offer a welcome respite from folks like FP though...

DC sports media is insanely, charmin-level soft. Plenty of good reporters/writers, but no one asks the tough questions or even tries to dig down into anything that could be construed negative.