Author Topic: Premature in season speculation about next year's roster  (Read 4955 times)

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Offline Natsinpwc

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I've given up on the dream of them benching Cruz and using him as a PH.
Never give up your dreams.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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well, you have one more option on Barrera, while Pineda / Millas have 3.  I think Adams has 1 as well.  If your concern is cost controlled backup, Pineda may be your guy. 

Jesus Flores of course was a real exceptional bird.  You may be right that no one will grab him, but I think risk is a lot greater than is was 2 years ago when we first exposed him (no rule 5 last year).

It certainly is given that he's not stinking it up in AA.  I also would not leave him unprotected for the minor league phase (so he'd need to be on the AAA roster), and that action of course makes him even more enticing as a major league Rule 5.  But I doubt this becomes an issue: I think they're trying to figure out what to do with Adams vs. Barrera and only one of them will stay. 

Alternatively or as part of that, I could see one of those rare prospect/fringe-for-prospect/fringe deals with an organization that has a surplus someplace but lacks catchers.   But the Nats aren't the only organization that'll be looking to move catchers off the back end of their 40-man - Tampa Bay has the same issue, for example.  Actually, Tampa Bay has an interesting 40-man crunch, but I'm not sure the Nats have the mid-grade prospects who don't need to be added yet to exploit that via trade. 

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Alternatively or as part of that, I could see one of those rare prospect/fringe-for-prospect/fringe deals with an organization that has a surplus someplace but lacks catchers.   But the Nats aren't the only organization that'll be looking to move catchers off the back end of their 40-man - Tampa Bay has the same issue, for example.  Actually, Tampa Bay has an interesting 40-man crunch, but I'm not sure the Nats have the mid-grade prospects who don't need to be added yet to exploit that via trade. 
One guy who is struggling now but is plenty young and has some upside is De La Rosa.  He's a 45 on FG, and has a few years before he has to be added.  He may be more of a jewel than trade bait, but for a guy who we'd immediately add to our 40 man roster and maybe have a shot at the majors he might do the trick.  Maybe a 2nd/3rd baseman or corner OF?

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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One guy who is struggling now but is plenty young and has some upside is De La Rosa.  He's a 45 on FG, and has a few years before he has to be added.  He may be more of a jewel than trade bait, but for a guy who we'd immediately add to our 40 man roster and maybe have a shot at the majors he might do the trick.  Maybe a 2nd/3rd baseman or corner OF?

The specific guy I was thinking of with TB was Kameron Misner.  I think he can play CF (he's at least better than Thomas or Stevenson there), but he'll hit enough for a corner even if not.  But he's also 24, in AA, and R5 eligible this winter and there's a legit chance he's on the edge with a team that deep.  That said, he'd probably be the best corner OF on the '23 Nats.  If they don't protect him, I'd take him, but I might also be willing to trade something for him and then draft someone else. 

The mess that was 2020 is about to result in a raft of good players being Rule 5 eligible (even minor league Rule 5 eligible), and the Nats are in a good position to capitalize on that.


Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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well, why deal if there's great guys getting cut?  We will have first waiver pick for guys waived off the 40 man at this rate and first Rule 5 pick for guys who were never on the 40 man rosters. 

I guess you are saying Misner might be good enough to give something up rather than play the waiting game.  May be especially true if other teams would be interested and it was known we'd hoover him up if exposed to Rule 5.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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well, why deal if there's great guys getting cut?  We will have first waiver pick for guys waived off the 40 man at this rate and first Rule 5 pick for guys who were never on the 40 man rosters. 

I guess you are saying Misner might be good enough to give something up rather than play the waiting game.  May be especially true if other teams would be interested and it was known we'd hoover him up if exposed to Rule 5.

Exactly.  Two reasons: somebody else could deal for the guy you want before you even get a shot at him in the draft; if you trade for one dude, then you can use the top pick on someone else.  There's going to be enough out there this year to make it worth it. 

It says a lot about TB's system that he might be on the edge to be unprotected given that he was the solution to TB's own crunch a couple years ago - they traded Joey Wendle for him straight up - but they have an unusual number of guys who they had to protect last year or this year due to a series of moves. 

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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IS there an article or a list on teams facing serious 40 man roster squeezes?  Somehow I think there may have been a piece of Fangraphs.
 

Offline Smithian

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IS there an article or a list on teams facing serious 40 man roster squeezes?  Somehow I think there may have been a piece of Fangraphs.
 
By the way, the Clippard DFA smells like an auction to contenders looking for bullpen help, especially those facing a 40 man squeeze in the off-season.  Give us a guy you likely can't keep but can make our roster and we will give you bullpen help down the stretch.  we didn't need he 40 man spot yet - we are at 39.   
No more waiver trades these days.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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IS there an article or a list on teams facing serious 40 man roster squeezes?  Somehow I think there may have been a piece of Fangraphs.

Also, the answer to this is yes, one for the NL and one for AL: 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/examining-the-american-leagues-2022-40-man-crunch/

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/examining-the-national-leagues-2022-40-man-crunch/

Note that this was pre-deadline trades, so it leaves off teams like Cincinnati, which acquired 3 or 4 prospects who need to be added this winter at the deadline.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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they have sort of an inverse 40 man crunch.  Are there 40 guys with enough talent that we want them on the roster this offseason?  jk.

Cruz of course will be bought out, so that's one slot.  Hernandez and Franco are not under contract.  Cishek, too. doolittle.  Cot's has Edwards listed as an FA, but I thought we had another year of control?  Erasmo.  All per cot's.  I'm excluding already released guys on their list.

This really belongs in the premature roster speculation thread.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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It only matters because it means one less open spot for pulling in early FAs or Rule 5s. 

Online imref

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a rotation front-ended by Cavalli, Gray, and Gore can't be worse than this year, right?

Offline zimm_da_kid

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a rotation front-ended by Cavalli, Gray, and Gore can't be worse than this year, right?

It at least has upside. 

Online imref

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On the off-chance strasburg returns next year, we’ve got six starters. Plus Espino.

Offline Elvir Ovcina

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On the off-chance strasburg returns next year, we’ve got six starters. Plus Espino.

Assuming nobody else gets hurt, which given pitchers is a pretty unlikely assumption to be borne out.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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On the off-chance strasburg returns next year, we’ve got six starters. Plus Espino.
Sanchez is gone, so if Corbin goes to the pen, it would be Fedde plus Stras, with Espino the swing guy as it stands now. Abbott would play into it too.

Offline USF_Football

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I'd be surprised if Stras ever pitches again, however I would like his leadership around Gore, Cade and Josiah if the opportunity presents itself. When it comes down to it, Gore and Cade could be our two headed beast of Stras and Sherzer from 2019 (the upside is there - can they reach their ceilings)? After watching Josiah pitch, he's a young man's Gio Gonzales. He doesn't have the upside of Gore and Cade. These three guys will mature and we'll have a dominant three again. We're going to continue to take our lumps next season, but at some point we're going to roll out of that slumber and these guys are going to get comfortable... I will not feel bad for opposing hitters when that time frame comes. Now if we could just get them some run support (it's pretty damn barren with our bats).

Online imref

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so as of tonight, five pieces of the next-gen core are in place: Ruiz, Garcia, Abrams, Gray, Cavalli.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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so as of tonight, five pieces of the next-gen core are in place: Ruiz, Garcia, Abrams, Gray, Cavalli.

Forgetting Joey 4 bags

Offline Senatorswin

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You can never tell with relievers from year to year but right now a back end of a bullpen for next year of these guys looks pretty good:

Harvey
Edwards JR.
Finnegan
Rainey

Offline Section214

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You can never tell with relievers from year to year but right now a back end of a bullpen for next year of these guys looks pretty good:

Harvey
Edwards JR.
Finnegan
Rainey

I agree with the sentiment, but I believe Rainey will miss all of 2023 with TJ.

Insert Bryzcky, Cronin and Ferrer to that group instead!

Offline Senatorswin

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I agree with the sentiment, but I believe Rainey will miss all of 2023 with TJ.

Insert Bryzcky, Cronin and Ferrer to that group instead!

I knew Rainey was out but didn't know he'll be out next year with TJ. Thanks.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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By next year sometime we’ll have:

SP
1. Cavalli
2. Gore
3. Gray

BP
Finnegan, Rainey, ferrer, Cronin, Bryzcky, Harvey

C Ruiz
SS Abrams
2B Garcia
LF Thomas
RF Meneses
1B Voit

Vargas, adams/Barerra on the bench

Team *starting* to come together

Offline Natsinpwc

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By next year sometime we’ll have:

SP
1. Cavalli
2. Gore
3. Gray

BP
Finnegan, Rainey, ferrer, Cronin, Bryzcky, Harvey

C Ruiz
SS Abrams
2B Garcia
LF Thomas
RF Meneses
1B Voit

Vargas, adams/Barerra on the bench

Team *starting* to come together
We could be the Pirates or Reds by next year!

Offline Natsinpwc

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I agree with the sentiment, but I believe Rainey will miss all of 2023 with TJ.

Insert Bryzcky, Cronin and Ferrer to that group instead!
That was like a month ago for Rainey?  Could be back by end of next year.