Extend Scherzer?

[Natsinpwc]

same reason Betts was traded. Something before they get nothing. They got Verdugo for multiple years, their next 2nd baseman, and a good catching prospect. Turner is less than Mookie, but he's got an argument that since 2019 he's one of the top few shrtstops and somewhere in the top 15 players overall.

I just don’t see the Lerner’s allowing it. They will cling to hopes of him accepting a hometown discount.

[imref]

I just don’t see the Lerner’s allowing it. They will cling to hopes of him accepting a hometown discount.

I think it will be up to max. They are t trading him unless he wants to go to a contender.

[Slateman]

I just don’t see the Lerner’s allowing it. They will cling to hopes of him accepting a hometown discount.

Thats actually my bigger concern.

It was pretty obvious what Bryce Harper wanted in a contract. The Phillies essentially gave him deferred money with such a long deal. Harper just wanted the biggest contract for a position player.

[Smithian]

Because its obvious he's going leave in free agency? Barring a significant injury, he's on pace to have an elite season. He is past the point where he will sign a team friendly extension. So unless he really loves the idea of deferred money, he's gone at the end of the 2022 season.

Smithian is the same camp as I am in that we believe it would be better to trade Turner and maximize the return for him

I have no expectation the Nationals can resign Trea Turner in a way that leaves room to sign Juan Soto. And with next season guaranteed to be a labor mess and the age of this team making 2023 look really difficult...... The Nationals should go for it this season if competitive at the deadline. If not, they have to sell anything not bolted to the floor.

I would love if Trea Turner was a National for life. He is an awesome player. One of Rizzo's best move. But I'd rather flip him for prospects in 2021 than watch him take at bats for a team gunning for .500 in September.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I have no expectation the Nationals can resign Trea Turner in a way that leaves room to sign Juan Soto. And with next season guaranteed to be a labor mess and the age of this team making 2023 look really difficult...... The Nationals should go for it this season if competitive at the deadline. If not, they have to sell anything not bolted to the floor.

I would love if Trea Turner was a National for life. He is an awesome player. One of Rizzo's best move. But I'd rather flip him for prospects in 2021 than watch him take at bats for a team gunning for .500 in September.

the one thing the Nats have going for them when it comes to re-signing Scherzer, Turner, or cutting a deal with Soto is how much money is rolling off the payroll.  After this season, there's Corbin for 3 years, Stras for 5 more, and one year of Harris at $8 million.  An option on Schwarber, but the rest are arb or pre-arb.  They also have the potential for a dirt cheap bullpen (Rainey, Finnegan, Clay, Suero, Voth at the core) saving a lot of middle dollar signings and a closer.  They have ample flexibility on position player signings at below top dollar levels.  That'll be tricky to do to be competitive, but not impossible.   

[Count Walewski]

I just don’t see the Lerner’s allowing it. They will cling to hopes of him accepting a hometown discount.

I thought they were just cheap, not amnesiac. Do they not remember how the Nationals got good in the first place?

[Slateman]

I dont think you can say the Lerners are cheap anymore. They will spend a lot.

But they are just ... weird about negotiations. They seem obsessed with deferred money. Obsessed in a way that makes me wonder if they're involved in some sort of scheme.

Then there was the presenting of Harper's offer. In an envelop. At the end of a game.

[Natsinpwc]

I dont think you can say the Lerners are cheap anymore. They will spend a lot.

But they are just ... weird about negotiations. They seem obsessed with deferred money. Obsessed in a way that makes me wonder if they're involved in some sort of scheme.

Then there was the presenting of Harper's offer. In an envelop. At the end of a game.

Uh deferred money is the definition of being cheap.

[Slateman]

Uh deferred money is the definition of being cheap.

Except theyve had high payrolls for almost 10 seasons and theyve handed out two of the four largest pitcher contracts in MLB history.

[Natsinpwc]

Except theyve had high payrolls for almost 10 seasons and theyve handed out two of the four largest pitcher contracts in MLB history.

The payroll is based on AAV. Their cash payments are lower based on deferred payments to Scherzer and Strasburg and Corbin.

[imref]

Max gets his work in during Georgetown's graduation ceremony - https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/max-scherzer-bullpen-session-during-georgetown-graduation-ceremony-nationals-stadium-01f6j13habbn

[imref]

https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/06/04/max-scherzer-best-trade-fits-the-opener

[Mattionals]

This is going to be a tough one. General bias says the Nats should keep Max and I don't want to see him pitch for another team ever again. If the Nats haven't figured out how to rise to the top of this garbage division by the trade deadline, you absolutely NEED to trade Max and get back something to help stock the farm system. Max could always come back on a "come and retire here" deal.

I fully expect that he will be the first modern National to be inducted into Cooperstown and proudly have a Curly W cap on his plaque.

[Slateman]

If they trade him to St Louis, pretty good chance he signs an extension

[Mattionals]

If they trade him to St Louis, pretty good chance he signs an extension

A reason why I would be a bad GM. I wouldn't trade with the Cardinals based off personal bias against that franchise. Scherzer also doesn't strike me as a guy who would sign an extension. I get that it's his hometown team, but I just never got the sense that he cared much for that. He always struck me as the guy who doesn't care where he works, he just wants to be compensated rightly for it. I don't see him as the type of person to sign an extension, even this late in his career. He would easily go to FA and go to the highest bidder.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I guess he's put his house up for sale and has moved to Jupiter FLA, but what I 've heard from a couple of work folks who have connections to the family is the opposite of the rumors about Rendon's wife. Part of the reason they came to DC is the public activism angle.

[welch]

If they trade him to St Louis, pretty good chance he signs an extension

Son, who lives in Saint Louis, says that the owners insisted that Max take a home-team discount when he was a free agent. He was furious, and still wants nothing to do with Saint Louis.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Who would??

wants nothing to do with Saint Louis.

[Slateman]

Son, who lives in Saint Louis, says that the owners insisted that Max take a home-team discount when he was a free agent. He was furious, and still wants nothing to do with Saint Louis.

Lol, is your son good friends with the front office?

[imref]

Bump. He’s having a career year at this point.

[WashingtonWizards23]

His spin rate already down after the game. 

[nfotiu]

His spin rate already down after the game. 

There can't really be any doubt he had been using something, as had most others.   It will be interesting to see how all the pitchers compare on a level playing field.   So far, Max looks good.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Max pretty much admits it.  After the game, he said that the crackdown is not good for the game and said ask Alex Bohm how he feels about pitchers not being able to get a good grip on the ball after almost being hit on a pitch that slipped.

[imref]

Max pretty much admits it.  After the game, he said that the crackdown is not good for the game and said ask Alex Bohm how he feels about pitchers not being able to get a good grip on the ball after almost being hit on a pitch that slipped.

He's been pretty consistent in saying that improving a pitcher's grip protects hitters.

[Natsinpwc]

Max pretty much admits it.  After the game, he said that the crackdown is not good for the game and said ask Alex Bohm how he feels about pitchers not being able to get a good grip on the ball after almost being hit on a pitch that slipped.

I thought it’s been documented that batters hit by pitches is up the past couple of years.  Are we really going to take this seriously? Pitchers are doing it for an advantage.

Max threw 106 pitches. 70 for strikes. Is that evidence he was wilder because he didn’t have a good grip on the ball?