Schwarber, the Cream of LF options!

[Mattionals]

Nats sign Schwarber pending a physical. Amount is not yet known. Still need another starter and another bat at C.

[madj55]

1 year deal worth $10M.

Trade for Suarez next and I can live with this offense.

[Mattionals]

1 year deal worth $10M.

Trade for Suarez next and I can live with this offense.

10M? Overpay.

[imref]

Finally, a signing!

But, worst hitter in the majors last year and an awful fielder. I’m not excited.

[Five Banners]

Finally, a signing!

But, worst hitter in the majors last year and an awful fielder. I’m not excited.

I do wonder if the banning of video footage in the dugout may have disrupted some routines more than others; maybe that was a factor, who knows. Long has his work cut out for him. And at least no draft pick was involved.

[imref]

I do wonder if the banning of video footage in the dugout may have disrupted some routines more than others; maybe that was a factor, who knows. Long has his work cut out for him. And at least no draft pick was involved.

Maybe he’ll catch again?

[Five Banners]

Maybe he’ll catch again?

Excellent question; at least Davey has some background with him

[Natsinpwc]

Maybe he’ll catch again?

He's caught 26 games in MLB.  One since 2017.  5 since 2015.  Doesn't seem that way.  More likely he would get some time at 1B.  Let's hope the DH comes as he would be perfect for that against righties. 

[Natsinpwc]

From the MLB Trade Rumors article.

"The fact that Schwarber surpassed even the highest arb projection in landing $10MM from Washington is indicative both of how much interest there must have been in his services, and a sign that the Nats are taking more stock in some of Schwarber’s advanced metrics than his bottom-line 2020 numbers.  A look at Statcast indicates a solid case for a bounce-back performance, as Schwarber still made plenty of hard contact (including a 95th-percentile exit velocity of 92.8 mph).  Between a .219 BABIP and a .302 wOBA that fell well beneath his above-average .330 xwOBA, it can also be argued that Schwarber ran into some bad luck over his sample size of 224 PA."

[madj55]

Finally, a signing!

But, worst hitter in the majors last year and an awful fielder. I’m not excited.

Worst hitter in the majors? He wasn’t even the worst hitter on his team. Baez and Bryant were much worse last year IMO.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I do wonder if the banning of video footage in the dugout may have disrupted some routines more than others; maybe that was a factor, who knows. Long has his work cut out for him. And at least no draft pick was involved.

that's what JD Martinez said.  Frankly, I'm disappointed with Schwarber.  No sense being hesitant to say it. He's another guy with sub-par defense and exposed to LHP.  I guess Turner, Castro, and Gomes will be happy because he'll see a ton of lefties this year.  Kieboom maybe too. Frankly, I now wish we had Michael Taylor around to give us a righty backup bat. I see $10MM as no bargain, and perhaps limiting what else we do. 

Maybe the next shoe to drop will be a Suarez trade. I kind of think the money on Schwarber kind of blocks getting into a LeMahieu or Realmuto bidding war (not to mention Brantley / Ozuna).

[varoadking]

10M? Overpay.

Massive...

[varoadking]

From the MLB Trade Rumors article.

"The fact that Schwarber surpassed even the highest arb projection in landing $10MM from Washington is indicative both of how much interest there must have been in his services, and a sign that the Nats are taking more stock in some of Schwarber’s advanced metrics than his bottom-line 2020 numbers.  A look at Statcast indicates a solid case for a bounce-back performance, as Schwarber still made plenty of hard contact (including a 95th-percentile exit velocity of 92.8 mph).  Between a .219 BABIP and a .302 wOBA that fell well beneath his above-average .330 xwOBA, it can also be argued that Schwarber ran into some bad luck over his sample size of 224 PA."

BABIP...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

At least I've got an excuse to post a Cream Youtube.

[Natsinpwc]

Massive...

It's just one year.  Seems other teams were bidding also.  Looks like a good bounce back candidate. 

[Natsinpwc]

At least I've got an excuse to post a Cream Youtube.

 

[Natsinpwc]

BABIP...

YUP.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

1 year deal worth $10M.

Trade for Suarez next and I can live with this offense.

I'm thinking a big position upgrade is going to be by trade rather than a premium FA, so dealing one of Kieboom or Garcia plus some Farm level pitching makes some sense.  Just not Cavalli / Rutledge / Lara, please.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He's caught 26 games in MLB.  One since 2017.  5 since 2015.  Doesn't seem that way.  More likely he would get some time at 1B.  Let's hope the DH comes as he would be perfect for that against righties. 

well, he could be a 3d catcher.  Just hypotethetically, if we were to go out and sign a good hitting catcher (Realmuto, but I doubt it), the team may want some line-ups where Gomes can pinch hit or even play Gomes at 1st when mystery catcher catches to get righty-heavy. 

Oh, and to give him credit, I expect him to bounce back and be very effective against RHP.  His OBP vs. RHP in his career is .345, so I could even see him hitting #2 if Davey is into different line ups vs lefties and righties.  Maybe this also means a minor signing like Duvall is in order to pick up some ABs vs. LHP.

[Five Banners]

that's what JD Martinez said.  Frankly, I'm disappointed with Schwarber.  No sense being hesitant to say it. He's another guy with sub-par defense and exposed to LHP.  I guess Turner, Castro, and Gomes will be happy because he'll see a ton of lefties this year.  Kieboom maybe too. Frankly, I now wish we had Michael Taylor around to give us a righty backup bat. I see $10MM as no bargain, and perhaps limiting what else we do. 

Maybe the next shoe to drop will be a Suarez trade. I kind of think the money on Schwarber kind of blocks getting into a LeMahieu or Realmuto bidding war (not to mention Brantley / Ozuna).

I think we all see how this to not go well. They could be budgeting by getting a bat on a one year deal save the draft pick they would’ve had to spend on some FA options). It does allow them to pivot towards a measure of flexibility post-CBA. Defense is certainly going to be something next year.

[Slateman]

So, we overpay for Schwarber and make our defense significantly worse.

[Five Banners]

well, he could be a 3d catcher.  Just hypotethetically, if we were to go out and sign a good hitting catcher (Realmuto, but I doubt it), the team may want some line-ups where Gomes can pinch hit or even play Gomes at 1st when mystery catcher catches to get righty-heavy.

I read that as 3-D catcher at first and was wondering if that’s a new sort of descriptive

[Five Banners]

So, we overpay for Schwarber and make our defense significantly worse.

It’s early

[JCA-CrystalCity]

So, we overpay for Schwarber and make our defense significantly worse.

If you believe the projections of 2 WAR, and that 1 win for the past few years is >$8MM for a free agent, and that there were multiple teams in on him, one could say this was not an overpay.  I'm a skeptic, and I don't think he fits well in the overall roster structure because of the D impact, platoon splits, the overall roster handedness problem.  Sign Realmuto, and I'll change my mind.  Trade for Suarez or another righty, I can live with it. 

[varoadking]

We should have just kept Spanky...saved a couple of million...and gotten his clutch hits and solid D...