Change of plans - At what point would you push for a wild card in 2024?

[varoadking]

Wood and Cavalli are with the Nats & we hold 3rd WC by a game on 7/23. What should the Nats do?

Send Wood back down to AAA...get Cade some starts, but not until later in the year...

I'm not interested in a one-and-done WC game on the road...rather have a better draft pick...

This is not a championship team...6 of the starters in today's lineup wouldn't be starting for any other MLB team.  Most of them wouldn't even be on another MLB roster.

Been 5 crappy years...time to get some real talent on the team. 

I'd say get a real manager too, but the 2019 team proved that you can win a championship despite having a moron at the helm...

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Send Wood back down to AAA...get Cade some starts, but not until later in the year...

I'm not interested in a one-and-done WC game on the road...rather have a better draft pick...

This is not a championship team...6 of the starters in today's lineup wouldn't be starting for any other MLB team.  Most of them wouldn't even be on another MLB roster.

Been 5 crappy years...time to get some real talent on the team. 

I'd say get a real manager too, but the 2019 team proved that you can win a championship despite having a moron at the helm...

Not trading prospects to try and win a WC is one thing.  Actively trying to lose your way out of a WC spot to move up a few places in the draft is the most loser idea I’ve seen.  Come on man.

[Smithian]

I don't like betting on relievers to stay good. Trade Finnegan

[nobleisthyname]

Everyone not under team control after 2025 other than maybe Thomas and Vargas should be traded this season. Thomas because I don't think he'll get that much in a trade and could be useful next season and Vargas because I think he brings good vibes to the clubhouse which I think is important for the team's development.

But everyone else should go if they're fetching anything of value in trade. Call Wood/Cavalli up once they're healthy and prepare to compete next season with a couple big free agent signings and hopefully a deeper farm system and Crews and maybe House knocking on the door.

[imref]

looks like we are pushing for a WC without any moves.

[varoadking]

Actively trying to lose your way out of a WC spot to move up a few places in the draft is the most loser idea I’ve seen.  Come on man.

Fielding this team, with this manager, is the most loser idea I've ever seen...

Trotting Corbin with his 5.84 ERA out every 5 days, batting a .184 scrub in the 4 hole, and touting a guy that's hitting .164 as your big FA acquisition tells you that this organization doesn't give one whit about winning ballgames...

Rizzo used to talk about championships, then he downgraded that to being competitive, to now being entertaining.  That's not by accident...it's by design.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Fielding this team, with this manager, is the most loser idea I've ever seen...

Trotting Corbin with his 5.84 ERA out every 5 days, batting a .184 scrub in the 4 hole, and touting a guy that's hitting .164 as your big FA acquisition tells you that this organization doesn't give one whit about winning ballgames...

and yet they are. Who's to figure.

It's the pitching that's carrying them. We'll see how Winker's MRI does. Meneses isn't .184 but he's a problem if he's your #4 hitter, and Gallo is a bust, but otherwise, the Winker and Senzel signings were good / not bad, the bullpen signings were mostly good (Floro / Law/ JBarnes), too. They did not try to lock in guys to open paths for their prospects, which is sensible. Would I have liked a bigger bat or two? you bet.

I think the Wood injury either messed up an imminent call up or was convenient to allow them to push him past the likely Super 2 date and 4th year of arbitration. Interpret it as you want to. Wood have been nice to have an OF of Wood / Young / Thomas, with Winker DH. That'd be near close enough to middling for the pitching to carry them.

[varoadking]

and yet they are. Who's to figure.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Fielding this team, with this manager, is the most loser idea I've ever seen...

Trotting Corbin with his 5.84 ERA out every 5 days, batting a .184 scrub in the 4 hole, and touting a guy that's hitting .164 as your big FA acquisition tells you that this organization doesn't give one whit about winning ballgames...

Rizzo used to talk about championships, then he downgraded that to being competitive, to now being entertaining.  That's not by accident...it's by design.

I don’t understand the Davey hate, but fans almost always hate their coach/manager, especially after they’ve been around a while.  I think he’s maximized the talent on this team last year and this year and has kept them engaged and playing hard.  Not much more you can ask for during a rebuild, and you can’t blame him for having to pitch Corbin or hit Meneses in the middle of the order.

I would have liked to have added some better short-term guys than Gallo, Winker, Rosario, Senzel, etc, but I really like the young core/system Rizzo has put together since tearing everything down.  Especially with pitching, something organizationally was fixed to maximize the pitching in the system.  I went from little faith we could develop guys to wondering who the next out of nowhere pitcher to emerge will be. 

Now that the foundation to contend in the coming years has been laid, we’ll see if Rizzo is allowed to spend what is necessary.

[imref]

At this point I’d trade anyone except crews or wood for a 1B/DH. Go for it now Rizzo!

[welch]

Extend Thomas, Harvey, Finnegan, each for a couple years. Rizzo has sifted and they are keepers. Forget about Wood, who is on some sort of extended vacation, and might take a month to finish healing and rehab. About August 1, promote Crews. Yes, skip him over AAA. Flip Winker, Rosario, and Senzel at the deadline.

[IanRubbish]

No young talent should be traded, I might be in rare agreement with the front office and ownership on that.  Nine teams fighting for two wild cars spots is not worth making any sacrifice for.  I could see San Diego making a move because of how aggressive they usually are, or the Mets because they have the resources, but generally makes no sense for any of these teams when so many are in the hunt, and not like it couldn't easily happen again next year.

[Slateman]

You either buy or sell. Doing nothing is pointless.

[varoadking]

I don’t understand the Davey hate, but fans almost always hate their coach/manager, especially after they’ve been around a while.

I've hated Martinez since the day he was hired...

[Five Banners]

You either buy or sell. Doing nothing is pointless.

Unless you have an ownership committee that potentially might be waiting for estate and other business items to finalize, in which case doing nothing might be the default? I do think Rizzo will get some strategic sell authorization to a degree, however

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

You either buy or sell. Doing nothing is pointless.

We don’t have any major trade assets with Williams hurt, and the best we have are controlled for next year as well in Finnegan, Thomas, and Harvey.

This team is extremely unlikely to make any noise if they make the postseason, and they likely fade late in the year as the starting pitching hits new innings pitched marks and health could deplete. 

However, if you’re in a WC spot or within a game or 2 at the end of July, trading away guys you need for a C prospect is a terrible look and message to the fans and most importantly the players.

You don’t absolutely have to get every mediocre prospect you can just because you aren’t expecting to contend for a World Series.  You can stand pat and let this team try and earn a WC.  It’s not like we have all these great assets set for free agency and are out of contention. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'd like to see Wood called up as soon as he is healthy and take Rosario's spot. Play him in right, Lane in left, DH Winker. Other moves would be contingent on whether the pack chasing the wild card thins and we are still high up and not chasing. Going back to the poll scenario, assuming that we are actually up 1 in the WC a week before the deadline . . .

If that's the case, then I'd be OK with trading Jesse Winker to open up a slot for Crews. Timing may not be precise because I'd think about holding Crews back long enough to qualify for RotY next year (mid-August), but that may be too cute. You'd still get 6 years service out of him if he were up at the trade deadline.

I'd give some of the minor league arms like Ribalta a shot at the bullpen and move at least Law and Floro. I'd still think about Harvey and Finnegan too.

Maybe some of the stuff you get and what is in house can patch 1B short-term.

Do that, and basically you are exposing a good chunk of your next core to a playoff race. That's great experience. Go with a young rotation, some young bullpen arms, and a plausible 2025 lineup (Wood Crews Young, Abrams, Garcia, your lousy catchers, Thomas, and a couple of vets on the corners.

[Slateman]

Unless you have an ownership committee that potentially might be waiting for estate and other business items to finalize, in which case doing nothing might be the default? I do think Rizzo will get some strategic sell authorization to a degree, however

If you dont have ownership committment to commit to winning, then its an automatic sell.

Doing nothing would be an absolute blunder by Rizzo. This team is clearly not a contender. Its likely going to struggle to make the WC. You either bring in more talent or you keep rebuilding.

[Slateman]

We don’t have any major trade assets with Williams hurt, and the best we have are controlled for next year as well in Finnegan, Thomas, and Harvey.

This team is extremely unlikely to make any noise if they make the postseason, and they likely fade late in the year as the starting pitching hits new innings pitched marks and health could deplete. 

However, if you’re in a WC spot or within a game or 2 at the end of July, trading away guys you need for a C prospect is a terrible look and message to the fans and most importantly the players.

You don’t absolutely have to get every mediocre prospect you can just because you aren’t expecting to contend for a World Series.  You can stand pat and let this team try and earn a WC.  It’s not like we have all these great assets set for free agency and are out of contention. 

You 100% take good offers on Harvey and Finnegan. Probably Lane Thomas (if you believe Youbg is a starter).

You can always build a bullpen.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

You 100% take good offers on Harvey and Finnegan. Probably Lane Thomas (if you believe Youbg is a starter).

You can always build a bullpen.

certainly on board with that if the decision is to not go for it. I'd be more hesitant about the guys with 1 more year of control if we are up in the wild card.

[Slateman]

certainly on board with that if the decision is to not go for it. I'd be more hesitant about the guys with 1 more year of control if we are up in the wild card.

Harvey is the only one Im even remotely hesitant in. Finnegan will be a 33 year old reliever next year, with peripherals anticipating a massive drop off.

If you keep Lane, Young is a platoon option with Wood in CF. His value wont get higher and its going to be a sellers market.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Of course there’s an offer you take for almost anyone.  However, you don’t HAVE to trade anyone as long as we’re in WC contention.  If we fall out of reasonable contention, then you take anything you can get for the pending free agents and of course you listen to offers on Finnegan, Thomas, and Harvey.  If you can’t get back players you really like, just keep them and they either help you win a WC in 2025 or you dump them next July.

[Slateman]

Then you have to add at the deadline. You cant just be like, "Oh, this is it."

None of those players will have as much value as they have at this year's deadline. Rizzo needs to move them.

[GataNats]

You 100% take good offers on Harvey and Finnegan. Probably Lane Thomas (if you believe Youbg is a starter).

You can always build a bullpen.

No reason to trade Lane or Finny.   They both are getting better every season.   You definitely trade Harvey before his arm falls off

[Slateman]

No reason to trade Lane or Finny.   They both are getting better every season.   You definitely trade Harvey before his arm falls off

Finnegan is going to be 33 after this season. Way more likelu his arm falls off than Harvey.

Lane Thomas is effectively blocked come September