2018-2019 Offseason Moves

[UMDNats]

Yeah I would absolutely take Goodwin back as a backup over Stevenson

[aBaltoNat]

Yeah I would absolutely take Goodwin back as a backup over Stevenson

Count me in, even if it meant DFAing Stevenson. Horrible waste of a pick. I don't get picking guys early who can't hit the ball. Give me the hitter and figure out where you can adequately play him later.

[imref]

Sanchez and Austin Williams optioned to Fresno.

[Truconfidence]

Appears Jake Noll has made the opening day roster

[imref]

Appears Jake Noll has made the opening day roster

[Elvir Ovcina]

Count me in, even if it meant DFAing Stevenson. Horrible waste of a pick. I don't get picking guys early who can't hit the ball. Give me the hitter and figure out where you can adequately play him later.

Stevenson as a college junior hit almost .350 with an .849 OPS in the SEC.  With his defense (e.g., never a shred of doubt he could play MLB-level defense in CF), it was a reasonable pick even if it didn't work out.   

For comparison, Harrison Bader (same draft class, same league, drafted lower, roughly the same size and speed combo, much better hitter nowadays) hit .297, albeit with 17 homers and thus a .959 OPS.   The differences there were defense and the difficulties in projecting power to wood bats.   It would be nice to go back and draft Bader, but Stevenson wasn't an awful pick.

[Slateman]

Appears Jake Noll has made the opening day roster

Seems like a waste to keep him on the bench up here

[Elvir Ovcina]

Seems like a waste to keep him on the bench up here

With MAT out (presumably replaced by Stevenson), there's nobody else on the bench who can hit even decently righthanded apart from the backup catcher.   Whether that's worth a spot is another question, but I suspect that's the logic.  It's tough when your bench has to carry two guys who can't hit at all - Stevenson and Difo. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

So the OD bench is Studzuki, Stevenson, Difo, Noll, and Adams?

[imref]

This appears to be the final 25 man:

OF: Soto, Robles, Eaton, Stevenson

INF: Rendon, Turner, Dozier, Zimmerman, Adams, Difo, Noll

C: Gomes, Suzuki

SP: Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Sanchez, Hellickson

RP: Doolittle, Rosenthal, Barraclough, Suero, Grace, Miller, Sipp

[Expos]

This appears to be the final 25 man:

OF: Soto, Robles, Eaton, Stevenson

INF: Rendon, Turner, Dozier, Zimmerman, Adams, Difo, Noll

C: Gomes, Suzuki

SP: Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Sanchez, Hellickson

RP: Doolittle, Rosenthal, Barraclough, Suero, Grace, Miller, Sipp

Stevenson goes down when Taylor is healthy.

Noll goes down when Kendrick is healthy.

Joe Ross and Henderson Alvarez get the call if we need a starter

Austen Williams and Vidal Nuno are on speed dial for bullpen help if needed.

We don't have alot of MLB ready fielders ready if someone goes down. Adams can play OF, Suzuki can play 1B. We have some versatility.

[Duke of Earl]

So the OD bench is Studzuki, Stevenson, Difo, Noll, and Adams? Zimmerman

[varoadking]

Now you can complete your "predictions."   

[varoadking]

Noll goes down when Kendrick is healthy.

I'd rather that be Wilmer...

[Elvir Ovcina]

I'd rather that be Wilmer...

Which would leave no backup at SS, hence why it hasn't happened and won't happen. 

[varoadking]

Which would leave no backup at SS, hence why it hasn't happened and won't happen.

I hear ya...but we have to do better than waste a roster spot on Difo just so he can backup Trea...that's as bad as having Stevenson as our actual number 4 outfielder...

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Which would leave no backup at SS, hence why it hasn't happened and won't happen.

True.  Difo is a lock as a utility bench guy right now.  Not sure that will change all year unless somebody is acquired.  I suppose Kieboom could later come up and get starts at 2B with Dozier losing time and also be available to play SS.  Dozier has shown in his past good seasons that he turns it on late, so do you want to pull the plug on him early and miss on that?  Tough call if they come to that bridge. 

What I think could be interesting, but I seriously doubt would happen, is Kieboom coming up later, sitting Eaton to rest him against some tough lefties, and playing Kieboom at SS, Dozier at 2B, and Turner in CF with Robles in RF or vice versa.  But I don't see them messing with Turner having to play the OF again. 

[Natsinpwc]

I hear ya...but we have to do better than waste a roster spot on Difo just so he can backup Trea...that's as bad as having Stevenson as our actual number 4 outfielder...

I wanna like Difo.

[Elvir Ovcina]

I hear ya...but we have to do better than waste a roster spot on Difo just so he can backup Trea...that's as bad as having Stevenson as our actual number 4 outfielder...

Well, everyone needs to have a backup shortstop.  Backup shortstops essentially come in two varieties: guys who can hit, in which case they are play most days at other positions and play SS as needed, and Wilmer Difo types.  If a guy can both hit and play SS, he's not going to be a backup because he'll be a good defender anywhere but SS.  I think this is one of the hidden aspects of building an MLB roster that people don't appreciate.  When you're working with a long bullpen and a short bench, it helps a lot to not have to carry a Difo.  Look at last year's playoff teams and you'll see a common theme among the best ones: the backup SS is often a guy who plays regularly at other positions (Bregman, Chris Taylor, Brock Holt), which allows an extra guy on the bench who can contribute something in non-emergencies.

That's how Turner ended up in 2B and CF while Desmond was kicking the ball around enough to justify a move to the outfield.

True.  Difo is a lock as a utility bench guy right now.  Not sure that will change all year unless somebody is acquired.  I suppose Kieboom could later come up and get starts at 2B with Dozier losing time and also be available to play SS.  Dozier has shown in his past good seasons that he turns it on late, so do you want to pull the plug on him early and miss on that?  Tough call if they come to that bridge. 

What I think could be interesting, but I seriously doubt would happen, is Kieboom coming up later, sitting Eaton to rest him against some tough lefties, and playing Kieboom at SS, Dozier at 2B, and Turner in CF with Robles in RF or vice versa.  But I don't see them messing with Turner having to play the OF again.

I don't know why you'd play Kieboom at SS and Turner in the outfield when you're resting Eaton against lefties.  MAT is injured, not dead.   I don't think the offensive gain there is enough to offset the defensive loss, and the dude needs to get some ABs at some point.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Who in the bullpen still has options?  Suero, I think.  Miller?  I'd like to get into a situation where there some flexibility at the back of the bullpen to run guys in and out if we need to burn a reliever in long relief or when the whole staff has been overworked. 

[Truconfidence]

Seems like a waste to keep him on the bench up here

Figure he is only up until Kendrick is ready to go.

[Truconfidence]

Stevenson goes down when Taylor is healthy.

Noll goes down when Kendrick is healthy.

Joe Ross and Henderson Alvarez get the call if we need a starter

Austen Williams and Vidal Nuno are on speed dial for bullpen help if needed.

We don't have alot of MLB ready fielders ready if someone goes down. Adams can play OF, Suzuki can play 1B. We have some versatility.

Gomes has played 3b and 1b in the majors.

[Truconfidence]

Who in the bullpen still has options?  Suero, I think.  Miller?  I'd like to get into a situation where there some flexibility at the back of the bullpen to run guys in and out if we need to burn a reliever in long relief or when the whole staff has been overworked.

Suero I think is the only one. Also I hope someone informs Davey that Barraclough is under no cirmcumstance ever to face Bryce.

[Squab]

It would be very Nats to bring in some washed up waiver bench player and send Noll down before OD.

[imref]

It would be very Nats to bring in some washed up waiver bench player and send Noll down before OD.

when have they done that before?  Looking at past years IF bench on OD:
2018: Difo, Adams, Kendrick
2017: Difo, Drew, Lind
2016: Drew, Robinson (we had 5 OF that year)
2015: Escobar or Espinosa, can't recall who started at 3rd as Rendon was hurt), Robinson.  We also carried 5 OFs that year.