CJ Abrams: Our new man in the middle

[Natsinpwc]

CJ has gone from .604 OPS in 2022 to .712 last year which is a nice improvement.  You were skeptical he would hit at all.  .875 this year.  Worry about his fielding. 

[Natsinpwc]

dave reminded Trea that "That's not who he is."

Trea says he is $25 million a year.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

CJ has gone from .604 OPS in 2022 to .712 last year which is a nice improvement.  You were skeptical he would hit at all.  .875 this year.  Worry about his fielding. 

I'm not saying Henshaw is right about projecting conflict between Abrams and Martinez over hitting approach. I think the question of compatibility between Davey and Long is more interesting. I do wonder if they let Long walk over a difference in hitting philosophy with Martinez. If there was one, then we backed the wrong horse for sure.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

FWIW, CJ's 3 week numbers, going back to 4/20:

84 PAs, .240 / .310 / .400, 2HR, 5 SB, 6 BB%, 17.9 K%, 99 wRC+.

Definitely looked mortal during the recent team hot stretch. didn't even cherry pick the date. Had I wanted to go back just 15 games, he's had one multihit game. That would be just 69 plate appearances, so not nice.

[Slateman]

69

Nice

[NatNasty]

Worry about his fielding.

+1

[welch]

FWIW, CJ's 3 week numbers, going back to 4/20:

84 PAs, .240 / .310 / .400, 2HR, 5 SB, 6 BB%, 17.9 K%, 99 wRC+.

Definitely looked mortal during the recent team hot stretch. didn't even cherry pick the date. Had I wanted to go back just 15 games, he's had one multihit game. That would be just 69 plate appearances, so not nice.

Needs to go back to hitting leadoff with Jacob Young batting 9th, or second leadoff. And would be helped big time by having Night Train Lane Thomas hitting second.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Needs to go back to hitting leadoff with Jacob Young batting 9th, or second leadoff. And would be helped big time by having Night Train Lane Thomas hitting second.

I like Young getting an extra PA by hitting top of the order. I might try CJ leadoff and Young 2nd at some point vs a righty.

what seems with CJ is he isn't as selective as he was when he was hot.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/nationals-cj-abrams-had-substantive-discussions-about-extension.html

[imref]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/nationals-cj-abrams-had-substantive-discussions-about-extension.html

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Davey kind of got in a pubic dig at CJ yesterday in the post-game presser. On one of the key plays of the game, the Naylor fielder's choice where Garcia's relay was just late to 1st and would have gotten the Nats out of the 7th down 2-1, Davey said it was CJ who should have covered second  and would have easily turned the DP instead of forcing Luis to run over from where he was in the shift. He said CJ and he said easily. Some of this was in the context of defending Robert Garcia, saying he was the guy they wanted for Naylor and that he did his job, but it struck me as a very clear shot at CJ.

[IanRubbish]

Davey kind of got in a pubic dig at CJ yesterday in the post-game presser.

It's ridiculous that Davey keeps getting into it with CJ.  Really starting to question his judgment.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It's ridiculous that Davey keeps getting into it with CJ.  Really starting to question his judgment.

I wonder if he reads CJ as someone he has to goad. It kind of worked with Luis G, and they are supposed to be a bit similar.

[IanRubbish]

I wonder if he reads CJ as someone he has to goad. It kind of worked with Luis G, and they are supposed to be a bit similar.

Could be, but Luis G also went down to AAA and made some adjustments down there.  CJ had a lot of success early this season but it seems Davey doesn't like that he didn't do it Davey's way by trying to pull the ball.

[Slateman]

I wonder if he reads CJ as someone he has to goad. It kind of worked with Luis G, and they are supposed to be a bit similar.

He basically had to goad him last year. Young players need strictet structure.

Could be, but Luis G also went down to AAA and made some adjustments down there.  CJ had a lot of success early this season but it seems Davey doesn't like that he didn't do it Davey's way by trying to pull the ball.

No, all CJ has wanted to do is pull it. Its the Nats coaching staff that is trying to get him to not be so pull heavy. Which is based off last year when he had a hot streak and then pitchers adjusted to his pull heavy approach

[IanRubbish]

No, all CJ has wanted to do is pull it. Its the Nats coaching staff that is trying to get him to not be so pull heavy. Which is based off last year when he had a hot streak and then pitchers adjusted to his pull heavy approach

A lot of strong hitters do exactly that.  His pull percentage is mid-40s, around the same as Shohei Ohtani and Gunnar Henderson.  Real lame by Davey keeping him out of the lineup today.  Nats coaching worsening yet another hitter.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

A lot of strong hitters do exactly that.  His pull percentage is mid-40s, around the same as Shohei Ohtani and Gunnar Henderson.  Real lame by Davey keeping him out of the lineup today.  Nats coaching worsening yet another hitter.

he was hurt. He was in the original lineup.

[nobleisthyname]

He's been terrible all May. wRC+ down to just 109 on the season.

[Smithian]

On pace for a 2ish WAR season.

He was great early, but maybe he is just an average to above average SS. Not a bad thing, you can win with him, still no the guy you pay massively.

At the moment, Nats look smart for not breaking the bank this offseason after looking dumb early. We'll see how it all looks when the season ends.

[Count Walewski]

In an ideal future CJ Abrams is at best the 4th best hitter in the lineup: behind Wood, Crews, and whatever slugging 1B/DH the team signs this offseason. The Nationals don't need this guy to carry the offense. He's probably just short of where he needs to be hitting-wise right now and just needs to improve a bit. Of course turning into an all-star would help things but he doesn't NEED to do that to be successful.

[Slateman]

On pace for a 2ish WAR season.

He was great early, but maybe he is just an average to above average SS. Not a bad thing, you can win with him, still no the guy you pay massively.

At the moment, Nats look smart for not breaking the bank this offseason after looking dumb early. We'll see how it all looks when the season ends.

Still think he needs to move to second. Defensively, he is last in OAA (-6), and 20th in DRS (-2).

At the plate, he seems to be wanting to pull the ball all the time. Opposing pitchers are taking advantage.

[zimm_da_kid]

In an ideal future CJ Abrams is at best the 4th best hitter in the lineup: behind Wood, Crews, and whatever slugging 1B/DH the team signs this offseason. The Nationals don't need this guy to carry the offense. He's probably just short of where he needs to be hitting-wise right now and just needs to improve a bit. Of course turning into an all-star would help things but he doesn't NEED to do that to be successful.

he needs to be Jacob Young with an extra .050 pts of SLG.  That would make him a consistent borderline all star

[Slateman]

https://x.com/MarkZuckerman/status/1798511181415727223

With reporters waiting by his locker postgame, CJ Abrams walked away and on his way out told a club PR rep he was declining to speak. That's highly out of character for him, probably underscores just how frustrated he is with his struggles at the plate.

At this point, his immaturity is speaking volumes. Time to send him down.

[nobleisthyname]

He's just been off ever since the end of April and his hot streak ended. Hasn't even stolen a base since 5/4.

[welch]

Needs a rest and reset. Maybe needs to play one-out-of-three games for a week or so. He can pinch-hit when he doesn't start. Dump Nunez. Bring up Lipscomb. If nothing else, Nunez takes a spot in the four-man bench. Given that one of the three remaining spots is the backup catcher, that leaves two plyers to pinch-hit.