Is this Rock Bottom?

[welch]

The New Nats have turned downward since trading Winker, Thomas, Harvey and Floro. So they are tanking for the resty of the year.

See it...tanking. This season's record can get them into the top, and the worse the record the better the chance at a very low pick in 2025. Remember?

It will be painful. Right now the team has Alex Call and Travis Blankenhorn for RF/DH. Call in RF is a dead spot, and Blankenhorn was tried last year. Adon is in the bullpen, and Davey says he will use Tanner Rainey in the late innings. Unless they bring up Crews, and try Chamorro at 3B, there won't be much to watch in the remaining games. Will they ever put Corbin in the bullpen? Can he pitch in relief, now? Time to bring back Rutledge?

[Mattionals]

The New Nats have turned downward since trading Winker, Thomas, Harvey and Floro. So they are tanking for the resty of the year.

See it...tanking. This season's record can get them into the top, and the worse the record the better the chance at a very low pick in 2025. Remember?

It will be painful. Right now the team has Alex Call and Travis Blankenhorn for RF/DH. Call in RF is a dead spot, and Blankenhorn was tried last year. Adon is in the bullpen, and Davey says he will use Tanner Rainey in the late innings. Unless they bring up Crews, and try Chamorro at 3B, there won't be much to watch in the remaining games. Will they ever put Corbin in the bullpen? Can he pitch in relief, now? Time to bring back Rutledge?

It's been two games. I would say that is a very small sample size.

[varoadking]

I would say that is a very small sample size.

The WNFF Special...hell, there are posts for minor leaguer individual AB's...

[BigMeech]

We haven't hit rock bottom, at least when it comes to fan morale.  Rock bottom will come if/when guys like Woods, Crews, House, etc come to the major leagues and play up to their potential, only for their six year service time to be wasted because ownership never built a proper team around them because they spend like we're the Rays despite being in a good market.  Woods will leave like Harper did, Crews will leave the next season, and then we'll trade House like we did Turner to start another long rebuild.  The only difference being that this team won't win a World Series like the 2019 team did because the team will max out at like 85-90 wins once or twice and have a few wildcard appearances.  Rock bottom would be CJ Abrams finally becoming a consistent hitter who doesn't take every other month off and not resigning him.

This is just the vibe I get from watching this rebuild.  If ownership doesn't spend this offseason, then the rebuild is cooked.  We have a fair amount of good prospects but they can't fill all the holes.  We need starting pitching, especially since Gore seems to be the worst of post-2012 Gio, Josiah is cooked, and Cavalli might be dead.  We need people who can hit for power. 

[English Natsie]

Doesn't Blankenhorn sound like an Alpine mountain - 'let us consider the North Face of the Blankenhorn...'?

Maybe everyone, at the Park, should start yodelling when he makes a play?...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Here's just a random August 2021 lineup, taken from a 9-5 loss to Philly on August 4:

1. Robles CF
2. Alcides Escobar SS
3. Soto RF
4. Bell 1b
5. Yadeil LF
6. Adams C
7. Luis Garcia Jr 2b
8. Kieboom 3B
9. Espino P

Pinch hitters: Stevenson, Parra, and RZ on his last legs.
Relievers: Jefry Rodriguez (?), Javy Guerra, Andres Machado

Sure, there's Bell and Soto still, but beyond that there's still a collection of last leg vets and hopeless younger guys who had already problems after extended looks. Garcia ended up being the only piece of a future Nats club. It was Soto, who we thought perhaps could be built around, and then just wondering whether Kieboom and Robles would pan out after horrible 2020s and, in Robles's case, 1st half of 2021. Curiously, Thomas was either in the minors or bench, but he was maybe the only other major contributor that would play in 2021 (could say Ruiz and Gray if you are generous).

To me, this is a good candidate for rock bottom. Better candidate than having the #1 prospect in baseball taking the bulk of reps in LF, a CF on the way to a 2.5 - 3 WAR season with a shot at a golden glove, Crews on the way, a legit all star SS, Garcia, and 3 rotation spots filled. Plus, you Finny optimists still have a pretty good closer on board. I view 2024 much closer to an on the way to takeoff year than a nadir.

Oh, and I respect the view that the ownership needs to step up. This can be a complete squander if they don't.

[Dave in Fairfax]

Doesn't Blankenhorn sound like an Alpine mountain - 'let us consider the North Face of the Blankenhorn...'?

Maybe everyone, at the Park, should start yodelling when he makes a play?...

Blankenhorn is a Württemberg name, so a little to the north of the Alps. Most people with that name come from the foothills of the Schwäbische Alb. Rommel was from the same general area.

[Scrapple]

After winning the World Series in 2019 I don’t think I can hit Rockbottom ever again. I feel like I’m playing with house money.

Sure, I’d love to win another World Series before I die but more importantly to me is having players around that are easy to root for. Lane Thomas was one of those players and I loved going out to the ballpark to simply watch him go about his business as a team leader. He is a leader by example and I truly believe that 17-0 loss the other day was in direct correlation because of his absence. Oh well, another one of my babies taken from me. 😭🥲🤧

[Natsinpwc]

After winning the World Series in 2019 I don’t think I can hit Rockbottom ever again. I feel like I’m playing with house money.

Sure, I’d love to win another World Series before I die but more importantly to me is having players around that are easy to root for. Lane Thomas was one of those players and I loved going out to the ballpark to simply watch him go about his business as a team leader. He is a leader by example and I truly believe that 17-0 loss the other day was in direct correlation because of his absence. Oh well, another one of my babies taken from me. 😭🥲🤧

I can tell you grew up a Senators fan. This is what the Lerners are counting on. As a fan of Philly and DC teams I guess we have to take what we can get. Not many championships.

[OfftheBat]

 

 

[Scrapple]

I can tell you grew up a Senators fan. This is what the Lerners are counting on. As a fan of Philly and DC teams I guess we have to take what we can get. Not many championships.

Careful, or I’ll tell Uncle Louie you know too much. 🧐

[welch]

It looks like the Nats will be playing the worst lineup of the season for the rest of the season. Unless they bring up Crews pretty soon and one of the new 3B. The bullpen looks weak, as well. Salazar? Adon? Rainey?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It looks like the Nats will be playing the worst lineup of the season for the rest of the season. Unless they bring up Crews pretty soon and one of the new 3B. The bullpen looks weak, as well. Salazar? Adon? Rainey?

Crews will be up no later than 8/20. As for 3B, are you suggesting any line up with Senzel was better than what they are trotting out there now (or would with Chaparro or Tena)? Are you saying Meneses and Gallo are better than Yepez?

For much of April and May we were trotting out Rosario in left, Gallo at 1st, Senzel at 3rd, and Meneses DH. I miss Lane too, but to say this is the worst lineup is recency bias. I don't disagree the bullpen has downgraded without Harvey and Floro.

[welch]

No. Of course I don't include Senzel, Gallo, or Meneses. Look, instead, around the lineup: they traded for a pair of 3B, but neither are with the Nats. They still have Nunez. They are playing Call and Blankenhorn in the OF.

The bullpen is so bad that they have Salazar, Adon, and Rainey lined up to pitch regularly. Weems is on the IL, and would be ahead of those three if healthy, which is bad.

At least, Nationals, give us some of the new players to watch. Put Tena at 3B. Why wait to get Crews to the majors?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

nothing about Crews performance says he's so outperforming his league that he must get called up for the next game, even before considering how poorly that plays the draft rules.

151 PAs, .252 / .331 / .422, with 4 HRs and 5 SBs at AAA.

[IanRubbish]

nothing about Crews performance says he's so outperforming his league that he must get called up for the next game, even before considering how poorly that plays the draft rules.

151 PAs, .252 / .331 / .422, with 4 HRs and 5 SBs at AAA.

His numbers are mediocre, but he's better off developing at MLB than AAA if he's ever going to be any kind of above average player.  Nothing about Rizzo's drafting and development says additional comp round picks will make a difference.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

You're saying that because you have no confidence in Rizzo's ability to use a #31 or #32 pick in 2026, not because it's what a good club or a good gm would do. Holding Crews back 3 weeks is exactly what Elias did with Gunnar 2 years ago, even when the Os were in a chase for a playoff spot. It is the obvious move for Crews.

[IanRubbish]

You're saying that because you have no confidence in Rizzo's ability to use a #31 or #32 pick in 2026, not because it's what a good club or a good gm would do. Holding Crews back 3 weeks is exactly what Elias did with Gunnar 2 years ago, even when the Os were in a chase for a playoff spot. It is the obvious move for Crews.

Correct, Elias knows how to draft, Rizzo doesn't. 

[nfotiu]

They're absolutely money pigs, not sensible businesspeople.    Forbes estimates the SF Giants are worth over 2x the Nats.  Some of that's due to the TV deal but a lot of it is their ability to sell tickets in a high income large market.  DC and SF are comparable in that way, but the big difference is that rather than use the WS to help build the fanbase, the Lerners used it as a chance to tear it down with their idiotic money grubbing ways.   

Did you pay attention to anything that happened in 2020 and 2021 with this team?   If you did, that's a ridiculously awful take on the situation.   

[welch]

Did you pay attention to anything that happened in 2020 and 2021 with this team?   If you did, that's a ridiculously awful take on the situation.   

He repeats: "Lerners are cheap", That is the beginning and end of his argument. Appears to be a Baltimore Orioles fan who missed everything from 2011 through 2021.

[IanRubbish]

He repeats: "Lerners are cheap", That is the beginning and end of his argument. Appears to be a Baltimore Orioles fan who missed everything from 2011 through 2021.

You must really enjoy the taste of the Kool Aid.  Top 10 market team run like it’s Pittsburgh or KC.  The Lerners and their little b Rizzo appreciate your support of their penny pinching ways.

[English Natsie]

Blankenhorn is a Württemberg name, so a little to the north of the Alps. Most people with that name come from the foothills of the Schwäbische Alb. Rommel was from the same general area.

Interesting background, as ever - although I was maybe writing for humor rather than literalism...    

[English Natsie]

You must really enjoy the taste of the Kool Aid.

[aspenbubba]

What I see is the Nats after the trade deadline are OK with fielding a AAAA team until August 20. They have Blankenhorn Call Salazar Ferrer Garcia Lipscomb Nunez Rainey and Adon  on the 26 man. None were on the OD team and except for Yepez none will be on the 26 man OD in 2025. We are watching the Washington Red Wings.
I also would not count on Cavalli for next year.

[nobleisthyname]

What I see is the Nats after the trade deadline are OK with fielding a AAAA team until August 20. They have Blankenhorn Call Salazar Ferrer Garcia Lipscomb Nunez Rainey and Adon  on the 26 man. None were on the OD team and except for Yepez none will be on the 26 man OD in 2025. We are watching the Washington Red Wings.
I also would not count on Cavalli for next year.

Pretty sure both Garcias were on the OD roster and will be next season as well.