Author Topic: Luis Garcia, our new man in the middle (Read 1751 times)

There are two thoughts I have on this. One, something I think Slate said where you play him at a less defensively difficult position so he can focus on getting his hitting in order at the MLB level. Then move him over next year if his hitting takes off.

Two, the Nats are sticking him at 2nd and intend to be a buyer this off-season for a new SS.

Smithian · « **Reply #8:** August 11, 2021, 09:07:05 PM »

Quote from: imref on August 11, 2021, 07:55:28 PM

Seems like the Garcia at SS experiment is over.

I think they’re fine letting him come on slowly when they can put a former Gold Glove at SS.

I think he could be sufficient at SS and 3B, still ideally the Nats keep him at 2B.

Slateman · « **Reply #9:** August 11, 2021, 09:07:55 PM »

Quote from: YadiSTAR aka Smithian on August 11, 2021, 09:07:05 PM

I think they’re fine letting him come on slowly when they can put a former Gold Glove at SS.

I think he could be sufficient at SS and 3B, still ideally the Nats keep him at 2B.

Except we dont have anyone worthwhile to play shortstop?

Mattionals · « **Reply #10:** August 11, 2021, 09:23:08 PM »

Quote from: Slateman on August 11, 2021, 09:07:55 PM

Except we dont have anyone worthwhile to play shortstop?

I'm really wondering if the Nats will sign a SS this winter. I think it's becoming clear that ownership didn't want Turner and he may e played himself out of a contract here. Turner is going to cost more than some ody like Story or Semien, and probably Seager. Hell Turner is showing he is worth Lindor money. If I'm the Nats, I'm looking at those two albatrosses in the starting rotation and I'm thinking, well if I'm gonna put a competitive team around Soto, I probably jettison this guy who is about to get real expensive and just dip into the market this off-season and pick up some ody who is maybe 65-70 Percent as good for maybe half the cost.

varoadking · « **Reply #11:** August 11, 2021, 09:34:09 PM »

Quote from: Mattionals on August 11, 2021, 09:23:08 PM

I'm really wondering if the Nats will sign a SS this winter. I think it's becoming clear that ownership didn't want Turner and he may e played himself out of a contract here. Turner is going to cost more than some ody like Story or Semien, and probably Seager. Hell Turner is showing he is worth Lindor money. If I'm the Nats, I'm looking at those two albatrosses in the starting rotation and I'm thinking, well if I'm gonna put a competitive team around Soto, I probably jettison this guy who is about to get real expensive and just dip into the market this off-season and pick up some ody who is maybe 65-70 Percent as good for maybe half the cost.

I'd be willing to bet you that Rizzo thinks that his 2022 starting SS is already on the team...

Slateman · « **Reply #12:** August 11, 2021, 09:36:26 PM »

Quote from: Mattionals on August 11, 2021, 09:23:08 PM

I'm really wondering if the Nats will sign a SS this winter. I think it's becoming clear that ownership didn't want Turner and he may e played himself out of a contract here. Turner is going to cost more than some ody like Story or Semien, and probably Seager. Hell Turner is showing he is worth Lindor money. If I'm the Nats, I'm looking at those two albatrosses in the starting rotation and I'm thinking, well if I'm gonna put a competitive team around Soto, I probably jettison this guy who is about to get real expensive and just dip into the market this off-season and pick up some ody who is maybe 65-70 Percent as good for maybe half the cost.

Oh Im sure they will.

Jose Iglesias

imref · « **Reply #13:** August 11, 2021, 09:42:32 PM »

Quote from: varoadking on August 11, 2021, 09:34:09 PM

I'd be willing to bet you that Rizzo thinks that his 2022 starting SS is already on the team...

Zimmerman did play SS in college. Just saying…

Mattionals · « **Reply #14:** August 11, 2021, 09:50:23 PM »

Quote from: varoadking on August 11, 2021, 09:34:09 PM

I'd be willing to bet you that Rizzo thinks that his 2022 starting SS is already on the team...

I mean, I feel like we are all in uncharted territory here. We've seen an awful franchise get built from nothing through the draft and then timely spending. Then we saw an original core get moved and mutate into an annual contender where timely signings (again) and very good trades helped lead the franchise to a World Series victory. Now the team has jettisoned most of the WS core team to try and reload (hopefully) around a new franchise cornerstone. I don't know if they go cheap or not. Maybe Garcia is the answer at SS. That's fine. Even if all the new additions are true pieces, we are still looking at finding some spots where we need FA.

varoadking · « **Reply #15:** August 11, 2021, 09:56:10 PM »

Quote from: Mattionals on August 11, 2021, 09:50:23 PM

I mean, I feel like we are all in uncharted territory here. We've seen an awful franchise get built from nothing through the draft and then timely spending. Then we saw an original core get moved and mutate into an annual contender where timely signings (again) and very good trades helped lead the franchise to a World Series victory. Now the team has jettisoned most of the WS core team to try and reload (hopefully) around a new franchise cornerstone. I don't know if they go cheap or not. Maybe Garcia is the answer at SS. That's fine. Even if all the new additions are true pieces, we are still looking at finding some spots where we need FA.

Spring Training 2020 lead to "It's Kieboom's job to lose." Lose it he did. I can see the same thing happening at SS...regardless of who they anoint as the heir apparent there.

Hope I'm wrong, but it seems to be their current thinking...

bluestreak · « **Reply #16:** August 11, 2021, 10:02:23 PM »

Sign Seager in the off-season.

Slateman · « **Reply #17:** August 11, 2021, 10:20:02 PM »

Quote from: bluestreak on August 11, 2021, 10:02:23 PM

Sign Seager in the off-season.

Of course it will be Kyle Seager . . .

Smithian · « **Reply #18:** August 12, 2021, 09:37:54 AM »

Quote from: Slateman on August 11, 2021, 09:07:55 PM

Except we dont have anyone worthwhile to play shortstop?

We don't have anyone worthwhile for either spot outside of Luis Garcia. Jake Noll is raking in Rochester but they've decided they'd rather play Alex Avila at 2B before him. Adrian Sanchez is Adrian Sanchez. I don't believe in Yasel Antuna.

I don't think they're going for it next season. I say this offseason bring back Alcides Escobar then try to bring back Josh Harrison or go and sign or trade for a solid middle infielder like Jonathan Villar. Then if the team is good next year it isn't hard to go find another middle infielder at the deadline, and play Luis Garcia at whichever spot needs to be filled.

imref · « **Reply #19:** August 12, 2021, 09:55:16 AM »

Antuna is only 21 and in High-A, best case scenario is a 2023 arrival for him.

Smithian · « **Reply #20:** August 12, 2021, 09:57:15 AM »

Quote from: imref on August 12, 2021, 09:55:16 AM

Antuna is only 21 and in High-A, best case scenario is a 2023 arrival for him.

I don't believe in him at any point.

imref · « **Reply #21:** August 12, 2021, 09:58:08 AM »

Quote from: YadiSTAR aka Smithian on August 12, 2021, 09:57:15 AM

I don't believe in him at any point.

why not? he got off to a terrible start but has been much better as of late.

Mattionals · « **Reply #22:** August 12, 2021, 10:26:09 AM »

Quote from: varoadking on August 11, 2021, 09:56:10 PM

Spring Training 2020 lead to "It's Kieboom's job to lose." Lose it he did. I can see the same thing happening at SS...regardless of who they anoint as the heir apparent there.

Hope I'm wrong, but it seems to be their current thinking...

Ehhhh, I don't see it. I went back to see all the position player FA signings since the Nats signaled they wanted to "contend", so 2011 on forward. I'm only going to post the ones that weren't dumpster dives or anything below say 4 Million, so no Xavier Nady or Mike Cameron (the latter of which I totally forgot was once a Nat)

2011: Jayson Werth - 7 years, 126M, Adam LaRoche - 2 years, 16M
2012: No one of note
2013: Adam LaRoche - 2 years, 24M
2014: Nate McLouth - 2 years , 10.75M
2015: No one of note (Scherzer signed this year, so he was the "big fish")
2016: Daniel Murphy - 3 years, 37.5M
2017: No one of note
2018: Howie Kendrick - 2 years, 7M
2019: Kurt Suzuki - 2 years, 10M, Brian Dozier - 1 year, 9M
2020: Yan Gomes - 2 years, 10M, Howie Kendrick - 1 year, 6.25M, Starlin Castro - 2 years, 12M, Eric Thames - 1 year, 4M
2021: Kyle Schwarber - 1 year, 10M

As most of you know from all my posts, I'm a data nerd. So what can we say from all this? I don't flipping know, lol. Maybe we see the Nats make the big splash, maybe not. I'm thinking the Nats are going to hold onto prospects right now instead of trading for pieces, and maybe a Trevor Story or a Corey Seager makes sense as a SS/2B with Garcia filling the other spot and maybe Kieboom can stick at 3B. Maybe they pick up a 3B in FA? I'm not so convinced given the last decade of FA signings that they will stand pat and just have that guy "already on the roster". I am also starting to believe that the organization may be moving on from Robles, and a CF could be acquired in the offseason and Robles flipped for something.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #23:** August 12, 2021, 11:11:16 AM »

If the Nats would not give money to Trea why would anyone expect them to spend on Story or Seager? Not going to happen. They will roll with Garcia and Kieboom on the left side. That’s what rebuilding teams do.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #24:** August 12, 2021, 11:25:30 AM »

I think they may look for a guy who is looking for a pillow contract, a chance to prove he deserves more money and years. Something like Semien signed last year. It would not surprise me if a SS did not end up happy with his contract offers and signs short term. Baez, for example, or Seager, or even Story. All 3 have not had the kind of year they would have wanted going into free agency.