Nationals @ Reds, Game 1

[van lingle mungo]

I dunno, man.  Nook Logan and Jason Bergmann are pretty hard to beat.  As much as I wish someone had done so with a very heavy object, they're still hard to beat.

But this rotation is something else.

They have zero pitching. Zip, zilch, nada. Hard to hate on the lineup, 4 game collective slump notwithstanding. And please...try not to ever mention the B word again.(Bergmann) It makes me break out in hives.

[Insert photo of Bucky The Gopher here]

[van lingle mungo]

So when is Davey’s job in jeopardy?

Davey is the least of this team's problems right now.

[Elvir Ovcina]

House should be good. Let’s see who they draft this year and next. Those will be key to the rebuild.

You can't rely on first round picks alone to rebuild without spending a ton of money in free agency.  There just aren't enough of them.  They absolutely must get more than one useful player in a draft sometime and have a higher hit rate on the international signings. 

For example, the dude that shut them down tonight was a 6th round pick in 2019.  He's already the second guy from that Reds draft to play in the majors (two starting pitchers, in fact).  The Reds have two guys from last year's draft already succeeding in AA - a shortstop and a starting pitcher.  Those guys are both likely major league starting players within 2 years. 

[van lingle mungo]

...a higher hit rate on the international signings. 

Indeed. It's time to discover the next Smiley Gonzalez. LMAO

[Elvir Ovcina]

Indeed. It's time to discover the next Smiley Gonzalez. LMAO

Next in line is the dude they spent $3.9 million to sign who six years later is hitting meh-thirty in high-A as a corner outfielder.

[Natsinpwc]

You can't rely on first round picks alone to rebuild without spending a ton of money in free agency.  There just aren't enough of them.  They absolutely must get more than one useful player in a draft sometime and have a higher hit rate on the international signings. 

For example, the dude that shut them down tonight was a 6th round pick in 2019.  He's already the second guy from that Reds draft to play in the majors (two starting pitchers, in fact).  The Reds have two guys from last year's draft already succeeding in AA - a shortstop and a starting pitcher.  Those guys are both likely major league starting players within 2 years.

Well for sure but the 2012-19 juggernaut was headlined by Harper/Strasburg/Rendon--all high first round picks.  Of course Ryan Z who also was.  Jordan Z also I believe. Max and Werth and Murphy added in free agency.   Of course you have to have some others in free agency or later rounds or the international signings.  Who is the young Latin player who is near the top of the Nats prospects?  Add him in.   

[Elvir Ovcina]

Well for sure but the 2012-19 juggernaut was headlined by Harper/Strasburg/Rendon--all high first round picks.  Of course Ryan Z who also was.  Jordan Z also I believe. Max and Werth and Murphy added in free agency.   Of course you have to have some others in free agency or later rounds or the international signings.  Who is the young Latin player who is near the top of the Nats prospects?  Add him in.

Uh, the Nats don't have a decent international prospect in the minors above A ball or older than 20.  There's nobody even close to helping them.

Jordan Zimmermann was a 2nd round pick.  And the 2012-2019 teams were also fueled or helped substantially by guys like Desmond (3rd round pick), Espinosa (3rd), Stammen (12th), Clippard (acquired in a trade straight up for dude signed as a minor league FA), Roark (acquired in a trade cheaply, but 25th round and developed more in the system, then traded for Rainey), Michael A (6th), even Difo (signed for $20,000), and last of all Turner, who was a first round pick given away by the idiot who is somehow still running the Padres.

The 2019 team that won was an example of what I mean: that team was several first round picks pre-FA (including the crucial Rendon and Turner)...and a gigantic payroll fueled by FA signings. 

And it's not exactly rocket science to be getting decent guys at the top of the first round, but look at the Nationals 2016-2018 drafts.  It's now time to see what the guys they drafted those years amounted to in the majors.

The answer is nothing.  The best player the Nationals drafted any of those years is Dane Dunning. 2019 isn't looking good either, and that's the draft in which the dude who shut them down tonight was a sixth-round pick.

[English Natsie]

That was far too close to No3....    I assume we've set a season-high benchmark, in MLB, for consecutive scoreless innings?.... 

[Natsinpwc]

That was far too close to No3....    I assume we've set a season-high benchmark, in MLB, for consecutive scoreless innings?.... 

Told you we could give up 10--I was close.

[Natsinpwc]

Uh, the Nats don't have a decent international prospect in the minors above A ball or older than 20.  There's nobody even close to helping them.

Jordan Zimmermann was a 2nd round pick.  And the 2012-2019 teams were also fueled or helped substantially by guys like Desmond (3rd round pick), Espinosa (3rd), Stammen (12th), Clippard (acquired in a trade straight up for dude signed as a minor league FA), Roark (acquired in a trade cheaply, but 25th round and developed more in the system, then traded for Rainey), Michael A (6th), even Difo (signed for $20,000), and last of all Turner, who was a first round pick given away by the idiot who is somehow still running the Padres.

The 2019 team that won was an example of what I mean: that team was several first round picks pre-FA (including the crucial Rendon and Turner)...and a gigantic payroll fueled by FA signings. 

And it's not exactly rocket science to be getting decent guys at the top of the first round, but look at the Nationals 2016-2018 drafts.  It's now time to see what the guys they drafted those years amounted to in the majors.

The answer is nothing.  The best player the Nationals drafted any of those years is Dane Dunning. 2019 isn't looking good either, and that's the draft in which the dude who shut them down tonight was a sixth-round pick.

I was thinking of Vaquero.  I know he is young but maybe they will be fortunate as they were with Soto.  Agree they have to do better in draft overall. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

House should be good. Let’s see who they draft this year and next. Those will be key to the rebuild.

I mean a can’t miss pick that we’d get in 2023 by finishing with the worst overall record

gonna need a big right field bat by that time.

[Natsinpwc]

gonna need a big right field bat by that time.

Yep. Soto needs to be back in LF.