Carter Kieboom: finally the year?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Are you serious? Smith is batting less than .150 with RISP. He has no value. DFA him

Not really a Kieboom comment, but I'll guess the thinking on Smith is he helps Abrams, Garcia, and Candelario on defense enough to keep him around rather than bring up Matt Adams and platoon him and Meneses in the field. They want to  keep Candy at his all star position to up his trade value, so a move to 1st isn't in the cards. Helping the others with their throws is more important to this team than seeing what Adams can do.

The Kieboom angle is, with his injury and, to a lesser extent, Pineda's slow start, there's really no prospect in AAA pushing for time to make the team say we need to open a roster spot in the majors.  Baker and Alu are the lefty hitting infielders (Blankenhorn as well), but they don't fit into the DH/1B mix.

[aspenbubba]

Not really a Kieboom comment, but I'll guess the thinking on Smith is he helps Abrams, Garcia, and Candelario on defense enough to keep him around rather than bring up Matt Adams and platoon him and Meneses in the field. They want to  keep Candy at his all star position to up his trade value, so a move to 1st isn't in the cards. Helping the others with their throws is more important to this team than seeing what Adams can do.

The Kieboom angle is, with his injury and, to a lesser extent, Pineda's slow start, there's really no prospect in AAA pushing for time to make the team say we need to open a roster spot in the majors.  Baker and Alu are the lefty hitting infielders (Blankenhorn as well), but they don't fit into the DH/1B mix.

I just don't see the upside value of Smith on defense over Adams. How much better can he be?  You can quote all the metrics available but Adams' hasn't lasted this long in pro ball that makes him cringe worthy with every errant throw. Also, Smith is batting .103 with RISP with 2 outs.

[imref]

Are you serious? Smith is batting less than .150 with RISP. He has no value. DFA him

I posted that on June 16, at the time, in June, Smith had posted .296 / .326 / .432 with a HR, 2B, and 3B.

Since then, he's gone 1-16.

I jinxed him.

[aspenbubba]

.

I jinxed him.

Please don't do anything rash as it's only a game

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I just don't see the upside value of Smith on defense over Adams. How much better can he be?  You can quote all the metrics available but Adams' hasn't lasted this long in pro ball that makes him cringe worthy with every errant throw. Also, Smith is batting .103 with RISP with 2 outs.

Adams really is a horrible fielder.  Absolutely. it's basically why he's basically been a part-timer after 2014. his bat turned bad after 2018 and he's had only 100 PAs since 2019. He's going to be 35 at the end of August.

[NatsLSU]

When is this guy going to throw in the towel and give up on being a big leaguer? I can't wait until him and Robles are off the team. Tired of seeing their names year over year. Feels like Kieboom has been here longer than Zimmerman at this point.

[aspenbubba]

Adams really is a horrible fielder.  Absolutely. it's basically why he's basically been a part-timer after 2014. his bat turned bad after 2018 and he's had only 100 PAs since 2019. He's going to be 35 at the end of August.

I just want Smith gone. Bring back employee #11

[Elvir Ovcina]

When is this guy going to throw in the towel and give up on being a big leaguer? I can't wait until him and Robles are off the team. Tired of seeing their names year over year. Feels like Kieboom has been here longer than Zimmerman at this point.

I don't know, but probably not when he's 25 and OPSing nearly .800 in AAA on the occasions he's healthy.  He's less than a year older than Cavalli, for example. 

[Natsinpwc]

Would rather him stay around instead of Robles. Done with him.

[aspenbubba]

Just an observation regarding the Gore - Robles confrontation. I also notice that some of us ( me included)  are turning on underperforming players and I can see the correlation arising with players as this season has turned into crap.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Earlier in the season, folks were talking about how much more cleanly the team was playing than the 2022 team, making this team more watchable. I think what is leading to the griping is more the appalling defense and plate appearance giveaways than the results. The rolling over on a pitch for a ground ball early in a count, swings with poor contact, stone hands, bad throws, throws to the wrong base, etc...  I think we all get that this team wasn't supposed to be even mediocre this year. It's just the brainlocks and nonchalant efforts that get folks griping.

[MorseTheHorse]

wait, people are watching the games still?

[welch]

Any update on Kieboom's injury? I saw him coaching 1B about a month ago, but Jessica Camerato has not mentioned him

[catocony]

This is his last option year, so he'll have to get healthy and make a decent enough impression in spring training.   Otherwise he'll have to be DFA'ed to be put back in to the minors next year.

[aspenbubba]

This is his last option year, so he'll have to get healthy and make a decent enough impression in spring training.   Otherwise he'll have to be DFA'ed to be put back in to the minors next year.

Thanks. I just dont see any team picking him up and I guess the Nats will send him to Rochester if he is healthy.

[Mattionals]

Thanks. I just dont see any team picking him up and I guess the Nats will send him to Rochester if he is healthy.

I think he get's DFA'd, and the Nats end up with him at AAA like you say. In the offseason, there will probably be a FA signing on a one year re-build value contract. Gio Urshela comes to mind, as does maybe Joey Wendle.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'll be interested to see if they need the 40 man roster space this winter. I think some team will try to fix him if he's a minor league free agent. It's really been mostly this last injury that's cost him 2 seasons of playing time and development.

[catocony]

They won't DFA him over the winter since there's no need.  But he has barely played in a season and a half so who knows what he'll look like when he gets healthy again.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

They won't DFA him over the winter since there's no need.  But he has barely played in a season and a half so who knows what he'll look like when he gets healthy again.

I haven't checked in a while, but I'd like to look over the guys who must be added to the 40 man this year or be exposed to Rule 5. Millas, Cole Henry are the biggees, maybe Mitchell Parker at AA, then there are injured pitchers like Brzykcy and Shuman and some low minors internationals like Lara and Quintana.

The potential squeeze comes when they add Millas and Henry and then add back Strasburg and Cavalli. One of Pineda or Kieboom may get exposed before Rule 5.

[Mattionals]

They won't DFA him over the winter since there's no need.  But he has barely played in a season and a half so who knows what he'll look like when he gets healthy again.

Isn't he out of options? I guess he just becomes a MiLB FA then?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Isn't he out of options? I guess he just becomes a MiLB FA then?

well, the question is whether they add him back to the 40 man roster over the winter. As I understand the rule, there's no 60 day IL over the winter so players on the 60 day IL must be added back to the roster or released after the season, before the rule 5 draft. Also, minor leaguers who were signed long enough ago must be added to the 40 man or exposed to the rule 5 draft. Then there are any major league free agents we sign - there will need to be 40 man room for them as well, but that's only once they are signed.

If Kieboom is released, then he's a major league free agent. I don't think it means much in terms of major or minor league FA (maybe a restriction on when the dude can be traded). Somebody could still sign him to a minor league contract the same way the Nats signed guys like Harris and Banda and Chavis to minor league contracts.

If Kieboom is kept over the winter, then the next key point will be whether he makes the 26 man roster next spring. If he does not, he's out of options and must be waived before he is outrighted to Rochester / Harrisburg.

[Mattionals]

well, the question is whether they add him back to the 40 man roster over the winter. As I understand the rule, there's no 60 day IL over the winter so players on the 60 day IL must be added back to the roster or released after the season, before the rule 5 draft. Also, minor leaguers who were signed long enough ago must be added to the 40 man or exposed to the rule 5 draft. Then there are any major league free agents we sign - there will need to be 40 man room for them as well, but that's only once they are signed.

If Kieboom is released, then he's a major league free agent. I don't think it means much in terms of major or minor league FA (maybe a restriction on when the dude can be traded). Somebody could still sign him to a minor league contract the same way the Nats signed guys like Harris and Banda and Chavis to minor league contracts.

If Kieboom is kept over the winter, then the next key point will be whether he makes the 26 man roster next spring. If he does not, he's out of options and must be waived before he is outrighted to Rochester / Harrisburg.

I guess I'm just of the thinking that he has had yet another lost year, and unless he gets a better deal out there, I expect he returns to the Nats on a Minor League FA deal and the big league club takes a chance on a FA 3B trying to regain value, just like they did last offseason with Candy. The goal will be to have Kieboom stay healthy and play his way onto the big league team if an injury occurs or/when the FA 3B gets flipped at the deadline. That was the plan this year, and then he got hurt, again. It's not like the Nats are contending, so it isn't imperative to have an answer at 3B right now (long term, it's very likely to be House if he continues progressing through the minors). This means the Nats have an ideal situation for Kieboom unless he somehow thinks he has earned his way onto a big league club and some big league club will give him that chance.

[aspenbubba]

I guess I'm just of the thinking that he has had yet another lost year, and unless he gets a better deal out there, I expect he returns to the Nats on a Minor League FA deal and the big league club takes a chance on a FA 3B trying to regain value, just like they did last offseason with Candy. The goal will be to have Kieboom stay healthy and play his way onto the big league team if an injury occurs or/when the FA 3B gets flipped at the deadline. That was the plan this year, and then he got hurt, again. It's not like the Nats are contending, so it isn't imperative to have an answer at 3B right now (long term, it's very likely to be House if he continues progressing through the minors). This means the Nats have an ideal situation for Kieboom unless he somehow thinks he has earned his way onto a big league club and some big league club will give him that chance.

Or he could sign a MiLB contract with an invite to ST with another club if he feels his time is up with the Nats organization. I stated previously he will re-sign with the Nats if he is DFA'ed and that is his best option in my opinion. He may try to add an opt out at some point but I doubt Rizzo will buy into that.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

To the best of my understanding, he's under team control if he is added back to the 40 man roster at the end of the season, and doesn't have the option to elect free agency if he fails to make the 26 man active roster next spring and clears waivers. The re-signing as a minor league free agent is irrelevant, unless you are saying he will be dropped from the Nats 40 man roster this winter and will re-sign with the organization. I'm skeptical that he'd re-sign if he's dropped. There's got to be a better organization for him if this one signals it's willing to let him walk.

[catocony]

Kieboom is on the 40-man roster right now, so there's nothing to add back.  He was optioned to AAA before he got hurt so he's not accruing MLB service time towards arbitration.  The only question is, does he make the 26-man roster next spring or not.  If he does, then all continues as normal.  If not, they'll have to waive him, and see if he clears that and then can be outrighted to AAA under a minor league contract.