Author Topic: Where did it all go wrong? (Read 6506 times)

rileyn · « **Reply #25 on:** September 17, 2018, 06:11:09 pm »

It all went wrong in the OFFSEASON. Rizzo and the Lerners whiffed big time.

1) Firing a guy that won 95+ games back to back years and replacing him with gimmicky, cheerleading, huggy-man was the first sign of absolute organizational arrogance.
2) Miscalculating Murphy's injury and expecting him to be healthier this season.
3) Miscalculating Eaton's injury and expecting him to be healthier this season.
4) Allowing Zimmerman to call his shots and be a non-participant in ST was another sign of arrogance.

We thought our S didn't stink and the the Braves and Phillies were not close enough to threaten us anyway. TThis offseason is huge for Rizzo.

Greg_SRT · « **Reply #26 on:** September 17, 2018, 06:44:29 pm »

Because we didn’t believe enough people!!!

Also the players not named Max and Soto.

But it’s not over yet!

KV · « **Reply #27 on:** September 17, 2018, 07:12:02 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on September 17, 2018, 03:20:06 pm

Flashed me to a John Prine song:

Cold and I'm tired
And I can't stop coughing
Long enough to tell you all the news

Like to tell ya that'd I'd see ya more often
But often is a word I seldom use.

Apologies for the digression. It's Florence's fault.

Nothing to add, but props for the John Prine reference.

mitlen · « **Reply #28 on:** September 17, 2018, 07:17:54 pm »

Jay · « **Reply #29 on:** September 17, 2018, 10:03:43 pm »

Everybody is healthy now. And they are still blowing 4-0 leads to Miami...

Panther Modern · « **Reply #30 on:** September 17, 2018, 10:09:33 pm »

Quote from: Jay on September 17, 2018, 10:03:43 pm

Everybody is healthy now. And they are still blowing 4-0 leads to Miami...

Must be the 90%+ Miami humidity.

Air Desmond · « **Reply #31 on:** September 17, 2018, 10:29:09 pm »

Games not started by Eaton: 45-33

There you have it. This was a better team with Eaton on the shelf. No coincidence the Nats played their best in April/May when Eaton was hurt. The guy has become a glorified slap hitter. He can’t play CF anymore. He can’t steal bases anymore. He has no pop. He’s best suited as a scrappy 4th outfielder.

spidernat · « **Reply #32 on:** September 17, 2018, 10:34:12 pm »

you really are stupid

MorseTheHorse · « **Reply #33 on:** September 17, 2018, 11:00:16 pm »

The Wieters splits are the most important (and the most causal aside from Scherzer) IMO. That said, the offense could easily finish first in NL in runs scored. I think the story was mainly the rotation. Stras wasn't very good in the games he actually managed to play, which I think is getting a little overlooked. Roark and Gio were not good.

Harper's struggles in the first half really seemed to hurt as well.

rileyn · « **Reply #34 on:** September 18, 2018, 06:23:26 am »

If I had to point to one specific moment (other than hiring Martinez) it would be Howie Kendricks going down. We haven't been the same since.

Mathguy · « **Reply #35 on:** September 18, 2018, 06:49:04 am »

If scoring runs wasn't a problem (although the offense was not consistent), then giving up runs must have been the problem. The relief corps left much to be desired this season. The team misses Craig Stammen.

But the most obvious mistake was replacing Dusty for Martinez.

Quote from: MorseTheHorse on September 17, 2018, 11:00:16 pm

The Wieters splits are the most important (and the most causal aside from Scherzer) IMO. That said, the offense could easily finish first in NL in runs scored. I think the story was mainly the rotation. Stras wasn't very good in the games he actually managed to play, which I think is getting a little overlooked. Roark and Gio were not good.

Harper's struggles in the first half really seemed to hurt as well.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #36 on:** September 18, 2018, 08:20:04 am »

I’m shocked the camel has escaped blame

Count Walewski · « **Reply #37 on:** September 18, 2018, 09:47:25 am »

The 2016 and 2017 Nationals also had a lot of key players miss a lot of time with injuries. They nonetheless won the division comfortably both years. Dusty Baker has some supernatural ability to keep bench players motivated and performing well. Difo, Goodwin, all sorts of random people contributed positively after Dusty sprinkled some of his magic Dusty dust on them. I have no scientific explanation but this seems to happen everywhere Dusty goes, he is often followed from team to team by the same bench players.

catocony · « **Reply #38 on:** September 18, 2018, 10:03:33 am »

Quote from: Mathguy on September 18, 2018, 06:49:04 am

The team misses Craig Stammen.

Stammen has been gone for basically four seasons. I would say they miss Matt Albers as far as recent relievers who left.

dcpatti · « **Reply #39 on:** September 18, 2018, 10:37:34 am »

Quote from: catocony on September 18, 2018, 10:03:33 am

Stammen has been gone for basically four seasons. I would say they miss Matt Albers as far as recent relievers who left.

Rockin that 7.02 ERA in 2018.... aint missing him too hard, tbh.
Be prepared for more bullpen meltdowns btw. They're probably deciding who starts in AAA (wherever that is) next year, who gets DFA'ed, who gets non-tendered, etc.

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #40 on:** September 18, 2018, 11:02:38 am »

If you can get Holland and Collins back, you've got a nice core to build around with Doolittle, obviously. I like Collins and Suero, too.

imref · « **Reply #41 on:** September 18, 2018, 12:36:43 pm »

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #42 on:** September 18, 2018, 12:37:53 pm »

Apparently fangraphs being 90% plus sure of something doesn’t mean much

Elvir Ovcina · « **Reply #43 on:** September 18, 2018, 12:45:04 pm »

Quote from: spidernat on September 17, 2018, 10:34:12 pm

you really are stupid

This is one of those instances where he might be stupid, but he's not entirely wrong. Eaton still doesn't look 100% to me. Without all his speed back, he can't play CF (and he's hardly pulling up trees in RF himself), which puts Harper there. Harper is not a good CF. That's not good for the team. Hopefully a winter of recovery gives him enough back to at least play a good RF, as Robles is probably the CF next year anyway.

mitlen · « **Reply #44 on:** September 18, 2018, 12:47:50 pm »

Quote from: imref on September 18, 2018, 12:36:43 pm

Does this mean I shouldn't watch tonight's game because FP will be toutin' ... "We still have a chance." ?

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #45 on:** September 18, 2018, 12:56:44 pm »

Those odds are 10x better than Leicester City's winning the Premier League

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #46 on:** September 18, 2018, 01:02:54 pm »

Quote from: Elvir Ovcina on September 18, 2018, 12:45:04 pm

This is one of those instances where he might be stupid, but he's not entirely wrong. Eaton still doesn't look 100% to me. Without all his speed back, he can't play CF (and he's hardly pulling up trees in RF himself), which puts Harper there. Harper is not a good CF. That's not good for the team. Hopefully a winter of recovery gives him enough back to at least play a good RF, as Robles is probably the CF next year anyway.

he’s a shell of his former shell.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #47 on:** September 18, 2018, 01:04:33 pm »

I read the SI article in the Nats while waiting for my colonoscopy. How appropriate.

Slateman · « **Reply #48 on:** September 18, 2018, 01:49:46 pm »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on September 18, 2018, 11:02:38 am

If you can get Holland and Collins back, you've got a nice core to build around with Doolittle, obviously. I like Collins and Suero, too.

Collins is a LOOGY. LOGGYs are dime a dozen.

Holland is nice, but I don’t know that you can rely on him going forward. This team needs two starting pitchers and one 8/9 reliever. And I wouldn’t be opposed to trading Doolittle.

hotshot · « **Reply #49 on:** September 18, 2018, 02:17:27 pm »

Quote from: Jay on September 17, 2018, 10:03:43 pm

Everybody is healthy now. And they are still blowing 4-0 leads to Miami...

Cordero = Poor Man's Armando Benitez

Zero movement on the heat