CJ Abrams: Our new man in the middle

[Slateman]

His breakout season is being carried by two months. Reminiscent of Luis Garcia

[Elvir Ovcina]

Superstreak, Superstreak, he's super streaky.

We have a nickname!

He's Rick James, nages.

[imref]

He's Rick James, nages.

cleats on the couch?

[Elvir Ovcina]

cleats on the couch?

I didn't grind my feet into somebody's couch.  I got more sense than that.

Yeah, I remember grinding my feet into Eddie's couch.

[imref]

I didn't grind my feet into somebody's couch.  I got more sense than that.

Yeah, I remember grinding my feet into Eddie's couch.

The Charlie Murphy stories were always the best episodes.

[Air Desmond]

Looking forward to a Woods, Crews, Abrams outfield next season. He’s clearly not a shortstop. I think his speed/athleticism will play better in the outfield.

[Slateman]

Looking forward to a Woods, Crews, Abrams outfield next season. He’s clearly not a shortstop. I think his speed/athleticism will play better in the outfield.

Oh you're expecting Rizzo to admit his mistake?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Oh you're expecting Rizzo to admit his mistake?

Now that you put it that way, IanRubbish may be onto something.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Looking forward to a Woods, Crews, Abrams outfield next season. He’s clearly not a shortstop. I think his speed/athleticism will play better in the outfield.

gonna have to convince them to move Young out of the way. Maybe they should.

BTW- SS is Tena's real position, so once House is ready, or Wallace, this isn't far-fetched.

[Slateman]

gonna have to convince them to move Young out of the way. Maybe they should.

BTW- SS is Tena's real position, so once House is ready, or Wallace, this isn't far-fetched.

Young is, what? At best a 3 WAR player with no bat? Abrams is going to post a 4 WAR season playing the worst defense at the most second most important defensive position. I dont know if he could be any worse in CF than he is at SS.

Really think they have to do something. He's been dreadful on both sides of the ball since the ASB. Its simply inexcusable. I dont know if he needs a wakeup call in the form of being sent down or if he's nursing some injury that they aren't talking about. But something has to give.

[Natsinpwc]

I thought Triple A did nothing to help hitters?  Have a hard time believing it would help CJ and his fielding. At this time you just live with it for the rest of the season and unless he’s really bad in the spring next year he remains at 2B. There is no SS in the system that is ready. Guys can improve on defense. We see it all the time. I think at this point it’s in his head.  Just needs to relax.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

I thought Triple A did nothing to help hitters?  Have a hard time believing it would help CJ and his fielding. At this time you just live with it for the rest of the season and unless he’s really bad in the spring next year he remains at 2B. There is no SS in the system that is ready. Guys can improve on defense. We see it all the time. I think at this point it’s in his head.  Just needs to relax.

Agreed.  Seaver King nor anybody else is ready to take over at SS yet.  You aren’t going out and signing a starting SS.  CJ is capable of being a decent defensive SS, he just needs to really put the work in if he wants to completely maximize his value as a free agent down the line.  Garcia isn’t being moved off 2B for now.

Down the line CJ could move to 2B, Garcia could be gone, and King could be the SS.  But nothing changes for 2025.

[nobleisthyname]

Young is, what? At best a 3 WAR player with no bat? Abrams is going to post a 4 WAR season playing the worst defense at the most second most important defensive position. I dont know if he could be any worse in CF than he is at SS.

Abrams is only a 4 WAR player by bWAR, which thinks he's a plus defender, not the worst. By fWAR, which does, he's got a significant chance of ending up with lower WAR than Young this year.

[Slateman]

I thought Triple A did nothing to help hitters?  Have a hard time believing it would help CJ and his fielding. At this time you just live with it for the rest of the season and unless he’s really bad in the spring next year he remains at 2B. There is no SS in the system that is ready. Guys can improve on defense. We see it all the time. I think at this point it’s in his head.  Just needs to relax.

It should help his fielding. Garcia got better when he went down.

There isnt a SS in the system ready, but there will be free agents who can hold the position down until Seaver/Made/Dickerson/Feliz/Ramirez are ready

Abrams is only a 4 WAR player by bWAR, which thinks he's a plus defender, not the worst. By fWAR, which does, he's got a significant chance of ending up with lower WAR than Young this year.

By fWAR, they're ~ 3 WAR players, though CJ may struggle to get there if his second half sub-weight batting average continues.

First half CJ hits well enough to hold down LF.

No, I dont think they'll sign a free agent, but they have to do something. He's gotta know he cant just show up to the park and play like this and keep his job.

[Natsinpwc]

Garcia got bette r because he realized he might be blowing his career. No guarantee that happens with CJ.

[hotshot]

As for CJ, didn't Desmond go to CF (albeit for the Rockies) and became an All-Star? How does the play of CJ and Desi at the SS position compare?

[Slateman]

As for CJ, didn't Desmond go to CF (albeit for the Rockies) and became an All-Star? How does the play of CJ and Desi at the SS position compare?

Think it was for the Rangers. He was -11 DRS but 3 OAA

Thing is, Desmond had a strong arm. Abrams doesn't.

I think Abrams has the athleticism to play CF, but not the experience, and this, would be a downgrade from anything we already have.

I just think there has to be a plan for him to get better. What did Bobby Witt Jr do last couple offseasons? What did Louis do in Rochester?

[Air Desmond]

CJ looks like he could use a week off. Batting average continues to plummet.

[Senatorswin]

CJ looks like he could use a week off. Batting average continues to plummet.

His last 30 games he's hitting .183. It seems word is keep feeding him breaking balls.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

CJ looks like he could use a week off. Batting average continues to plummet.

He's Super-Streaky.

Somehow I don't think the powers that be would like his nickname to be Superstreak even if they like Rick James / Dave Chapelle.

[Smithian]

We were all "Nats blew it" a few months ago but now I'm back in camp "Rizzo Held Strong" when it comes to extenison

[metssuck]

Cj Espinosa

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It almost seems like CJ and Garcia have flipped identities, at least offensively. CJ is near the bottom of regular SS in terms of fWAR (1. and the Nats are 22nd overall at the position. TBH, it's probably time to get him out of leadoff for a while. He still hits the ball hard when he hits and is a power threat, so 6th is probably better than as a table-setter. He's had a bad second half. FWIW, reverse splits this year, too.

[Smithian]

This season from Abrams has been frustrating. He'll be only 24 all of next season, so I'm hopeful for improvement. I'm just not sure if I want to go back to the extension table unless he closes this season really strong.

[Senatorswin]

It seems like the pitchers have found a way to pitch him and he's going to need to adjust.