Author Topic: 2021-2022 Offseason Discussion/Signings/Trades/Rumors  (Read 37739 times)

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Offline Elvir Ovcina

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If the Nats were willing to give him a 1 year pillow contract at $25 million, what would be so bad about that? 

Not much, in my book.  It's basically replacing Turner's last year of his contract, which was obviously a valuable thing to have on the books, with a comparable player.  Fills a giant hole, likely flippable asset at the deadline, not catastrophic harm if he flops or gets hurt.

Online Natsinpwc

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Just play the kids next year and see if any of them are worth anything.  Who cares it you finish 3rd or 5th in the Division? 

With Strasburg, Corbin and Harris nothing but $66MM in dead money, the Nats aren't gonna be able to improve to the degree they need to anyway...not to mention what may lie ahead with the new CBA.
Many Nats fans seem to have acquired an entitled attitude after a period of success and are unable to realize that the team may be back where it was 2008-9. Even though that is what the past two seasons tell us.  Lots of advantages with a team like this. Cheaper tickets on the resale market.  Short lines at the rest rooms. Not having to worry about playoff failure. As you say let’s see what the youngins can do. If they show promise then you can start signing free agents.

Offline imref

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Many Nats fans seem to have acquired an entitled attitude after a period of success and are unable to realize that the team may be back where it was 2008-9. Even though that is what the past two seasons tell us.  Lots of advantages with a team like this. Cheaper tickets on the resale market.  Short lines at the rest rooms. Not having to worry about playoff failure. As you say let’s see what the youngins can do. If they show promise then you can start signing free agents.

I don't think we're at the 2008-09 level.

Looking at the 2009 roster:
C: Josh Bard < Ruiz
1B: Nick Johnson / Adam Dunn > Bell (Johnson hit almost .300 that year but only played in 98 games and only hit 6 HRs, Dunn hit 38 HRs)
2B: Anderson Hernandez < Luis Garcia
SS: Guzman  > Escobar
3B: Some guy named Zimmerman who put up a MVP-level season, OK, that's one we aren't going to match
LF: Willingham > Yadiel
CF: Willie Harris < Thomas / Robles (Harris posted .235 / .364)
RF: Dukes <<<< Soto

Rotation: Lannan, Stammen, JZ, Garret Mock, Shairon Martis, JD Martin

Bullpen: MacDougal, VIllone, Bergman, Beimel, Tavares

I still argue that we're a 3B and a couple of starters away from contending next year, with Strasburg being the big question mark. I don't see any indication that the Lerners and Rizzo consider this to be a multi-year rebuild, rather they want to content again ASAP.

Sign Kris Bryant, a couple of starters, and lock up Soto for 15 years! 

Offline UMDNats

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This roster and team is way, way more competitive than those pre-2011 teams. The likelihood of a 2008-type season seems small unless we totally sit out the offseason, which is possible. But that would do a lot of damage to the goodwill of the fanbase and any hope of signing Soto. 

Offline Slateman

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Just play the kids next year and see if any of them are worth anything.  Who cares it you finish 3rd or 5th in the Division? 

With Strasburg, Corbin and Harris nothing but $66MM in dead money, the Nats aren't gonna be able to improve to the degree they need to anyway...not to mention what may lie ahead with the new CBA.
Dont forget the deferred money to Max.

Online Natsinpwc

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This roster and team is way, way more competitive than those pre-2011 teams. The likelihood of a 2008-type season seems small unless we totally sit out the offseason, which is possible. But that would do a lot of damage to the goodwill of the fanbase and any hope of signing Soto.
They had a winning percentage of .400 this year. So not that far away. 

Offline UMDNats

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They had a winning percentage of .400 this year. So not that far away. 

I mean, we sold off any warm body with an expiring contract and threw out the worst pitching staff possible. I don't think we'll have a staff that terrible next year.

Offline imref

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Here's a tool for anyone to play Nats GM: Build your own roster:

https://jamesohara08.github.io/NatsGMProject/

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Harrison to play third

Story on a one-year pillow contract to play SS

2 second tier relievers

the best starter we can get on a 1-2 year deal

We do that, we're contending

Offline imref

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I compiled this with $16 million left over:

C: Ruiz / Adams
1B: Bell
IF: Garcia, Eduardo Escobar, Villar, Alcides, Josh Harrison, Zimmerman
OF: Castellanos, Thomas, Robles, Soto, Yadiel
SP: Rogers, Stroman, Jon Gray, JoJo, Strasburg, Corbin
RP: Espino, Tony Watson, Rainey, Murphy, Thompson, Machado, McGowin, Voth, Harris

Still need another LHP

Offline welch

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I compiled this with $16 million left over:

C: Ruiz / Adams
1B: Bell
IF: Garcia, Eduardo Escobar, Villar, Alcides, Josh Harrison, Zimmerman
OF: Castellanos, Thomas, Robles, Soto, Yadiel
SP: Rogers, Stroman, Jon Gray, JoJo, Strasburg, Corbin
RP: Espino, Tony Watson, Rainey, Murphy, Thompson, Machado, McGowin, Voth, Harris

Still need another LHP

Consider Steven Matz. He ought to sign for well less than $16 million.

Online Natsinpwc

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Consider Steven Matz. He ought to sign for well less than $16 million.
Probably so but he will want at least three years. Is he he worth committing to for that long?  There will be other pitchers next year.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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I gave it a go.  I don't think they will spend $185 million, and I think the prices on some of these guys are off, but playing within the rules, I found a way to squeeze both Semien and Chris Taylor the roster, as well as DeScalfini and Wood, Hudson and Harrison.  I went with a couple swing guys in the pen, penciled in both Ross and Harris in and Stras not active. Flexible position wise to allow for collapses by Garcia and Kieboom.

C: Ruiz / Adams
1B: Bell
2B/SS/3rd - Garcia, Semien, Kieboom, Harrison, Escobar
OF: Soto / Thomas / Taylor / Stevenson / Hernandez (Robles trade bait)
26th man - Zimmerman
Rotation: Josiah Gray, Patrick Corbin, Alex Wood, Anthony DeScalfini, and Joe Ross
Bullpen: Daniel Hudson, Will Harris, Finnegan, Rainey, Romero (primary lefty filled internally), Rogers, Espino

I suspect they will carry an 8th reliever most of the time, so that means either no RZ or no 5th OF (more likely).  What I like about this roster is that there's room to bump Ross to the pen if Stras is healthy, and there's two long guys who can step in if Ross can't go and Stras isn't available.  Also, I sort of anticipate Taylor could move to the infield if needed.  Alternatively, I'd save some money and sign Canha to drop this down to $180 million. I kind of like this better than going with Yadi / Thomas / Robles covering CF and LF. Another option that's attractive is trading for Joey Wendle. 

Fedde, Voth, Robles are odd men out.  I say no way Robles is cut, but I think he has value in trade.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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The chief problem with the exercise above (no fault of the posters, but of the modeling site - I mean, check the fine print: a 2% raise on the MLB minimum for inflation - does the guy live under a rock?) is that the Nationals right now are back in the world where they are so bad that they will need to overpay for free agents.   

And even then they'll have trouble, especially with pitchers.  No pitcher with a half-sentient agent is taking a short-term deal with a team featuring two rookie catchers and whose defense would embarrass the French army. 


Offline zimm_da_kid

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Semien is the only guy I’d give an $80 mil+ deal to unless we could get Bryant for 6/$150 mil or less

Offline imref

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Semien is the only guy I’d give an $80 mil+ deal to unless we could get Bryant for 6/$150 mil or less

I saw a report yesterday that SFG isn't pursuing Bryant at all as they think his swing is gone and he can no longer even be an effective fielder.

Offline Slateman

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Semien is the only guy I’d give an $80 mil+ deal to unless we could get Bryant for 6/$150 mil or less
Lerners will have to pay a minimum of 200 million for Bryant

Offline imref

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  • Re-contending in 202...5?
New R&D head

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/11/12/lee-mendelowitz-nationals-research-development/

Quote
CARLSBAD, Calif. — When Sam Mondry-Cohen left the Washington Nationals this fall, a decision he made to gain experience with another organization, there was a hole atop the Nationals’ research and development department. Mondry-Cohen, formerly an assistant general manager with Washington, both started and ran the group that fed data analysis to the front office and dugout. Replacing him was then a top priority at the beginning of this offseason.

“So we went with Lee Mendelowitz,” Mike Rizzo, the Nationals’ general manager, told The Washington Post at the GM meetings in Carlsbad this week. “He’s really capable. I mean, he’s a genius. We’re really satisfied with the decision.”

Mendelowitz, 35, has been with the organization since 2014. He was an analyst on Mondry-Cohen’s earliest research and development staffs. In the years since, he climbed from analyst to senior analyst, then director of baseball research, working just under Mondry-Cohen. Mendelowitz’s new title is senior director of research and development. He has a PhD in applied math, statistics and scientific computation from the University of Maryland. He also holds an undergraduate degree in applied engineering and physics from Cornell.


Offline Slateman

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Probably not. 2022 is the perfect year for him to earn spending power though. Find a diamond in the rough, refine a couple guys, and he'll have some sway

Offline hotshot

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Mondry-Cohen name getting some play in NY for the Mets job that has seemingly gone unfilled forever at this point.

Online varoadking

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Can he get the Lerners to spend more this year?

A Ph.D. from UMD.  Is that like a GED?

Offline UMDNats

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A Ph.D. from UMD.  Is that like a GED?

a UMD phd is just someone who has thrown up in AT LEAST 3 CP bars.

Online varoadking

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a UMD phd is just someone who has thrown up in AT LEAST 3 CP bars.

On the same weekend, or just within the 7 years spent as an undergrad.  Makes me wonder if TT is a Ph.D.?

Our oldest daughter went to UMD on scholarship for a year, 2005-2006, before transferring to The College of William & Mary in Virginia.

I swear, one of the funniest things I've ever seen was posted on the wall between the elevators in her honors dorm. 

It was a sign-up sheet for tutoring.  You were supposed to write down your name and list the classes you needed help with. 

Someone wrote down the name of the then star basketball player, and for the courses they need help with they wrote: "Both of 'em."   :hysterical:


Offline Slateman

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I just assume its like being in the Army