The Former Nationals Watch (2021)

[Dave in Fairfax]

Adam Eaton this spring, 51 PAs . 318 / .392 / .455

Spring training numbers for a few more recent Nats:

Cabrera - .318/.354/.614 with 3 HRs in 48 PAs
Difo - .275/.356/.325 in 45 PAs
Goodwin - .229/.317/.371 with 1 HR in 41 PAs
Harper - .343/.477/.771 with 4 HRs in 44 PAs
Holt - .241/.371/.379 in 35 PAs
Ramos - .268/.333/.415 with 1 HR in 45 PAs
Rendon - .265/.419/.559 with 2 HRs in 43 PAs
Severino - .200/.250/.350 with 1 HR in 44 PAs
Suzuki - .300/.440/.300 in 25 PAs
Taylor - .333/.438/.615 with 2 HRs in 48 PAs

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I feel like his no-hitter was like last month...2014???

Brewers release JZ

[varoadking]

I feel like his no-hitter was like last month...2014???

Holy crap...you're right!  Honestly doesn't seem that long ago. 

It was the 7th before I noticed there was a no-no brewing.  Actually, the ladies behind us mentioned it... 

[imref]

I feel like his no-hitter was like last month...2014???

And both JZ and Souza are FAs. Amazing isn’t it?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Brewers release JZ

by the way, he took the assignment to the minors.  He really does seem to be in the mode of, "if I can help the Brewers somehow, then I'll keep playing, but at this point, I'm not going to flail around trying to find some team where I can stick."

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Brock Holt made the Rangers as a utility guy after Rougned Odor stunk.  Holt and Charlie Culberson will split time at 3rd. https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rougned-odor-will-not-be-on-rangers-roster-for-opening-day

[imref]

Souza to the dodgers on a minor league deal

[DPMOmaha]

MAT made the Royals roster.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Wil Crowe made the Pirates.  Brian Goodwin and Wilmer Difo didn't.

[imref]

Wil Crowe made the Pirates.  Brian Goodwin and Wilmer Difo didn't.

3rd base problem solved

[Dave in Fairfax]

Michael A homers in game 1.

[Count Walewski]

Michael A. Taylor had two RBI singles, a home run, and threw two runners at home plate in his Kansas City Royals debut.

[varoadking]

Michael A. Taylor had two RBI singles, a home run, and threw two runners at home plate in his Kansas City Royals debut.

Blossomed?

I know...small sample size, and it's early...but the kid always seemed to have potential...

[Natsinpwc]

Blossomed?

I know...small sample size, and it's early...but the kid always seemed to have potential...

I still wanna like him.

[Count Walewski]

White Sox at Angels in Anaheim:

- Adam Eaton just hit a 2-run homer
- Anthony Rendon has a walk
- Lucas Giolito with 6 strikeouts so far

[Dave in Fairfax]

Rendon ended up 1 for 3. Giolito ended up with 8 Ks and a no-decision.

Cabrera went 2 for 5 with a home-run and 3 RBI for the D'backs.

Doolittle struck out 2 in one inning of work.

[varoadking]

Rendon ended up 1 for 3. Giolito ended up with 8 Ks and a no-decision.

Cabrera went 2 for 5 with a home-run and 3 RBI for the D'backs.

Doolittle struck out 2 in one inning of work.

Cabby sure would have looked good at 3rd base right about now...not to mention Ant'ny...

[DCFan]

Eaton still coming thru with the key hits.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Blossomed?

smart, but not the best replacement for Alex Trebek

[Elvir Ovcina]

Michael A. Taylor had two RBI singles, a home run, and threw two runners at home plate in his Kansas City Royals debut.

The homer was off Taylor Hearn, who was in A-ball when the Nats traded him as part of the package to get Melancon. 

[Smithian]

Michael A. Taylor had two RBI singles, a home run, and threw two runners at home plate in his Kansas City Royals debut.

We know how this goes. He'll cool off, be dropped to #4 OF, start raking again in limited starts while being a great late inning pinch runner and defensive sub, claw his way back into being a regular starter, and there we go again. While being enormously likable from start to finish.

Before him it was Roger Bernadina. Same story.

[Smithian]

The homer was off Taylor Hearn, who was in A-ball when the Nats traded him as part of the package to get Melancon. 

I'll never reporting the Pirates wanted a Giolito-level prospect, or at least Reynaldo Lopez, for Melancon.

They got Felipe Rivero and an A-ball pitcher I had never heard of. And they threw in cash!

Rivero unexpectedly turned into a star before his personal demons came to light, but I still laugh about how Rizzo talked them from elite prospect to, "We got this middle reliever and a low A-ball got who throws heat, but you have to give us cash along with Melancon"

[Elvir Ovcina]

I'll never reporting the Pirates wanted a Giolito-level prospect, or at least Reynaldo Lopez, for Melancon.

They got Felipe Rivero and an A-ball pitcher I had never heard of. And they threw in cash!

Rivero unexpectedly turned into a star before his personal demons came to light, but I still laugh about how Rizzo talked them from elite prospect to, "We got this middle reliever and a low A-ball got who throws heat, but you have to give us cash along with Melancon"

Well yeah, except that the Pirates got a better player than Lopez plus the low-A guy (who you might not have heard of, but prospect-followers sure had) almost immediately became a AA all-star and was traded for Keone Kela, who was already an established reliever and better and cheaper than Melancon.  Rivero/Vasquez's criminality is the only thing that stopped that trade from being an enormous win for Pittsburgh. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Well yeah, except that the Pirates got a better player than Lopez plus the low-A guy (who you might not have heard of, but prospect-followers sure had) almost immediately became a AA all-star and was traded for Keone Kela, who was already an established reliever and better and cheaper than Melancon.  Rivero/Vasquez's criminality is the only thing that stopped that trade from being an enormous win for Pittsburgh. 

The Melancon trade, the Doolittle/Madsen deal, and the Eaton deal are why we regard the Nats pitching development so negatively.   Rivero (Sanchez), Hearn, Luzardo, Treinen, Dunning, Lopez, and Giolito are or have all been major leaguers, one is already a Cy Young contender while another is regarded as a #1 level arm, and there are two guys who have had stretches as premium, all-star caliber closers.  I'm not arguing any of those were deals that provided zero help to the Nats, but they reveal perhaps a flaw in our self-scouting.  Imagine if Fedde had been included instead of Treinen?  I think it's a stretch to say Fedde instead of Giolito or Luzardo, who I suspect both Rizzo and the opponent GMs knew was higher end than Fedde or Romero (if he was around), but it is hard for me to imagine all these guys would have been busts under our minor league development system.

[imref]

JCA, can you update these threads to 2021 for the OCD among us?