2020-21 Offseason

[Expos]

Well we wouldn't need to trade any top prospects.  Would we take the salary on?  Maybe subsequently we'd have to shed payroll with another deal?  Maybe Harris or Hudson?

https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/1355223294622969857?s=19

We should have just resigned Rendon.

[HondoKillebrew]

Arenado to Cards.  Tweet, tweet.

[imref]

Cards getting $50 million from the Rockies and Aranodo deferring money per rosenthal.  Darn.

[Sirjesse]

Cards getting $50 million from the Rockies and Aranodo deferring money per rosenthal.  Darn.

Man the cards ripped them off. Arenado at 25m annual? It is sad we were not involved in that.

[imref]

ESPN: “ The return for the Rockies is not expected to be significant, with pitcher Austin Gomber and low-level prospects among the names that have been discussed.”

So it’s basically $150 million over 6 years

[Lazarchick 31]

Could this free up Wong?  I'd be very happy with bringing him in. I feel like there's just too much room left for Rizzo to just be done. It's been reported we usually bank $5 million for in season moves so that's still 10/11 million from that 5 million barrier.

[Slateman]

Wong is a career below average hitter who doesnt hit for power and has a sub .340 OBP. Not sure why we're so hot to give him a contract. We can get that out of Harrison. OrnSchoop.

[Lazarchick 31]

Wong is a career below average hitter who doesnt hit for power and has a sub .340 OBP. Not sure why we're so hot to give him a contract. We can get that out of Harrison. OrnSchoop.

Im looking for options that either gets a 3B in here or moves Castro to 3B so I don't have to watch Kieboom flail at curve balls night in and night out.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Wong is a career below average hitter who doesnt hit for power and has a sub .340 OBP. Not sure why we're so hot to give him a contract. We can get that out of Harrison. OrnSchoop.

you do have a point about the offense.  Even though Schoop is righty, he hits righties better than Wong.  I've added a 3d guy who is still out there who we could probably pick up on minor league deal with an invite to spring and $2MM if he makes  the club:
                                Career                                                2020
                  overall                 v. righties                 overall           v. righties     
Wong: .261/.333/.384   .261/.339/.397          .265/.350/.326   .259/.353/.327
Schoop:.259/.297/.450  .261/.295/.459          .278/.324/.475   .277/.338/.477
Whodis:.240/.316/.421  .245/.326/.447          .232/.357/.451   .240/.364/.464

defensively, Wong is clearly the best over the last 3 years at 2d, Schoop is average, and Whodis is sketchy at best.

Whodis = Brad Miller

I suppose what this shows is maybe we are overthinking this.  While La Stella would have been nice, with him off the board, there's probably no other 2B FA that's an upgrade that's worth the money.  If you really want to value defense and you want to play Garcia full time in the minors, then there are options but not worth breaking the bank for. 

[Natsinpwc]

Bamboo Brad.

I approve.

https://www.inquirer.com/phillies/brad-miller-philadelphia-phillies-lucky-bamboo-chinatown-20190625.html%3foutputType=amp

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Bamboo Brad.

I approve.

https://www.inquirer.com/phillies/brad-miller-philadelphia-phillies-lucky-bamboo-chinatown-20190625.html%3foutputType=amp

I just think most teams find his defense frightening.  He may be playable at 3d so you could move Kieboom to 2d. 

[Natsinpwc]

I just think most teams find his defense frightening.  He may be playable at 3d so you could move Kieboom to 2d.

I was disappointed the Phillies did not bring him back last year. He can hit. Good bench guy. Or for DH if they have that.

[Slateman]

Or we could legit give a highly touted guy a legit chance, and not overpay for mediocre peformance.

Wong/Miller/Schoop dont make or break a lineup. They certainly arent going to make up for Strasburg not being able to make his first start until early May, or Scherzer missing 6 weeks due to his neck, or even Corbin posting a 4.50+ ERA.

Get into the season, get Kieboom ~80 games to see what he has, and if we need to do something,  it will be to get a bat that's way better than Wong or Miller

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Or we could legit give a highly touted guy a legit chance, and not overpay for mediocre peformance.

Wong/Miller/Schoop dont make or break a lineup. They certainly arent going to make up for Strasburg not being able to make his first start until early May, or Scherzer missing 6 weeks due to his neck, or even Corbin posting a 4.50+ ERA.

Get into the season, get Kieboom ~80 games to see what he has, and if we need to do something,  it will be to get a bat that's way better than Wong or Miller

at this point, I can't really argue against this.  I do prefer Garcia playing every day in a more "age appropriate" setting.  In an SPH event just over, Rizzo made the point that Garcia would be a sophomore this year if he had gone to college.  I don't think he can win the MLB starting 2B slot in spring training this year.  With that as a starting point, if the Nats feel comfortable with Castro as an everyday guy, then there's no more moves to make.  He starts at 2nd, Kieboom gets his shot at 3rd, and Harrison is the backup, with Kieboom or Castro sliding to SS if Turner leaves a game.  The only reason you would bring in another guy at this point would be if you wanted Castro on the bench, along with Harrison, Zimmerman, Stevenson, and likely Avila. 

There really is one open roster slot for a position player if Castro starts. Perhaps that is Noll or Yadiel Hernandez, or perhaps it is one of the invites like Swihart, or just maybe use a 9 man bullpen to keep Voth and either Fedde or McGowin up. This is where Miller maybe could come in very cheap.

[Greg_SRT]

Kieboom is fine to start the season, get to the trade deadline and see where your team is. See what weak links your team has and preventing you from being a contender or separating you from elevating yourself ahead of the other contenders.

And if Kieboom is the reason the Nationals aren’t contenders by the deadline, you are in a good position and the fix is pretty simple.

[imref]

Kieboom is fine to start the season, get to the trade deadline and see where your team is. See what weak links your team has and preventing you from being a contender or separating you from elevating yourself ahead of the other contenders.

And if Kieboom is the reason the Nationals aren’t contenders by the deadline, you are in a good position and the fix is pretty simple.

I still think it's debatable as to whether or not Garcia starts over him.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Kieboom is fine to start the season, get to the trade deadline and see where your team is. See what weak links your team has and preventing you from being a contender or separating you from elevating yourself ahead of the other contenders.

And if Kieboom is the reason the Nationals aren’t contenders by the deadline, you are in a good position and the fix is pretty simple.

I agree with this.  If our starting pitchers aren't healthy and productive, then nothing else matters anyway.  If they are, then finding a missing bat isn't hard to do. 

The Nats know Kieboom and what he can do.  I'm not going to read a ton into a small sample in a super weird year for a rookie.  They don't seem panicked to bring in another 3B, so they seem to have cautious optimism. 

[Sirjesse]

I know it is highly unusual to platoon young ones, but if we end up going with Kieboom I would let Garcia play a good deal against righties. Hopefully they would both produce but if we are not going to bring in another infielder I believe they both deserve long looks.....longer than spring training. I am guessing the bench is Avila, Zimmerman, Perez, Harrison and Stevenson. If we did keep both Garcia and Kieboom up would have to carry seven relievers instead of eight which I would be good with.

[Slateman]

You guys realize that Garcia was a mediocre hitter in 2020, right? And that in 2019, he was a bad hitter in Double A, right? And he wasnt anything special in 2018?

Some of y'all acting like he is MLB ready and he's not. And unless he makes Juan Soto look like a journeyman, theres no reason to play him at the MLB level

[Slateman]

And if Kieboom is the reason the Nationals aren’t contenders by the deadline, you are in a good position and the fix is pretty simple.

This is the important part. Theres no way Kieboom is the only reason we're not contenders in June/July.

[imref]

Garcia in 139 PAs in 2020: .276   .302   .366   

Kieboom in 122: .202   .344   .212

All I’m saying is that I think Garcia will have a chance to take that 3b spot in camp   

[Sirjesse]

Garcia in 139 PAs in 2020: .276   .302   .366   

Kieboom in 122: .202   .344   .212

All I’m saying is that I think Garcia will have a chance to take that 3b spot in camp

I agree, or earn a timeshare of some sort if we bring no one else in. At this point I would rather bring someone in and let them both marinate a year but we will see.

[aspenbubba]

I know it is highly unusual to platoon young ones, but if we end up going with Kieboom I would let Garcia play a good deal against righties. Hopefully they would both produce but if we are not going to bring in another infielder I believe they both deserve long looks.....longer than spring training. I am guessing the bench is Avila, Zimmerman, Perez, Harrison and Stevenson. If we did keep both Garcia and Kieboom up would have to carry seven relievers instead of eight which I would be good with.

Who the hell is Perez? Do you mean Adrian Sanchez as JCA suggested several days ago.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Who the hell is Perez? Do you mean Adrian Sanchez as JCA suggested several days ago.

Hernan Perez. Utility guy who has played most of his career for the Brewers.  Signed maybe a week ago to a minor league deal.

[DPMOmaha]

I hope not.  Those are the best-looking ones of the set, and I think they're the iconic ones.

I hope not, too. I just got two jerseys, a red and a white, this past year. I'd hate to see them no longer in use just as I finally join the jersey club.